Multi-channel cinema amplifier with power-sharing, messaging and multi-phase power supply

A multi-channel amplifier comprising:

• a power supply stage providing power to drive a plurality of channels corresponding to speaker feeds to a plurality of speakers;
• a monitor component coupled to the power supply stage and monitoring environmental and operating characteristics of the amplifier;
• a front panel having an LED array comprising a plurality of LEDs with each LED being associated with a respective channel or group of channels of the multi-channel amplifier;
• and
• a control unit coupled to the LED array and configured to light the LED array according to display patterns based on operating status or error conditions of the amplifier, and wherein at least one display pattern graphically shows the identity of one or more failed channels of the plurality of channels, wherein the operating status and error conditions are selected from a plurality of states selected from the group comprising:
• system bootup, system shutdown, system standby, normal operation of the plurality of channels, channel overload of at least one channel, channel failure of the at least one channel, and system failure, and wherein a unique display pattern is generated for each of the plurality of states, and wherein the display pattern is a function of an array sequence including an animation, wherein the animation comprises a set of LED transitions, and each transition comprises a lighting routine for a plurality of sequential LEDs.

A method of graphically indicating operating status and fault conditions in a multi-channel amplifier comprising:

• providing an array of LEDs in the front panel of the amplifier;
• assigning respective display patterns to the LEDs for each state of the amplifier;
• and
• lighting the LEDs based on a sensed operating status or fault condition, wherein at least one display pattern graphically shows the identity of a failed channel of the plurality of channels;
• wherein the operating status and error conditions are selected from a plurality of states selected from the group comprising:
• system bootup, system shutdown, system standby, normal operation of the plurality of channels, channel overload of at least one channel, channel failure of the at least one channel, and system failure, and wherein a unique display pattern is generated for each of the plurality of states, and wherein the display pattern is a function of an array sequence including an animation, wherein the animation comprises a set of LED transitions, and each transition comprises a lighting routine for a plurality of sequential LEDs.