VoiceBox 4 I/OP User Manual
Contents
1. ATTEROTECH 2 1 2 Input from a Balanced Source To connect balanced sources to the VoiceBox 4 I OP connect positive output to positive input negative output to negative input and connect the grounds together through the cable shield VoiceBox Source 4 UO Input Figure 6 Balanced Source Connection 2 1 3 Output to a Balanced Destination To connect to a balanced input on a destination device connect the positive negative and ground connections of both the VoiceBox 4 1 OP output to the destination input respectively VoiceBox 4 I O Output Destination Figure 7 Out to Balanced Destination Connection 2 1 4 Output to an Unbalanced Destination To connect the VoiceBox 4 1 OP outputs to a 2 wire unbalanced input connect the positive output to the destination s positive input and connect the grounds together through the cable shield Leave the VoiceBox 4 I OP negative output floating VoiceBox 4 I O Output Destination A Figure 8 Output to Unbalanced Destination 2 1 5 RS 232 Serial Bridge Port The RS 232 Serial Bridge Port located on the rear panel of the VoiceBox 4 1 OP implements RX TX and GND connections The 3 Pin de pluggable connector can be used to interface with other RS 232 enabled equipment for example a computer serial port The TX signal is an output from the VoiceBox 4 I OP and the RX signal is an input Connections to other RS 232 hardware should be made accordingly Note T2. GL Attero Tech LLC 2010 Page 4 614 00008 02 VoiceBox 4 1 OP User Manual Installation of the VoiceBox is very straight forward All connections to the VoiceBox should be made before the power is applied ATTEROTECH o Attach any audio sources that will be used to the inputs The inputs are balanced so be sure to check what output type the source is in order to find how to connect it correctly see section 2 1 Hardware Connections o Select phantom power and or the level of input gain required as necessary o Attach the outputs to the required audio devices The outputs are balanced so be sure to check what input type the device requires in order to find how to connect it correctly see section 2 1 Hardware Connections When powering using PoE o Attach the CobraNet I F port to a spare PoE enabled port on a PoE switch using a CAT 5 cable If a midspan injector is being used connect a spare input port to the CobraNet network switch using a CAT 5 able and then connect the corresponding output port to the CobraNet I F of the VoiceBox When powering using an optional external supply o Attach the CobraNet I F port to a spare port on the CobraNet network switch using a CAT 5 cable o Attach the power supply to the power input jack and then power up the external supply If all steps are performed correctly the power light on the front should be lit There may also be some activity on the VoiceBox CobraNet I F LED indi
3. apparatus during lightning storms or when unused for long periods of time 12 Refer all servicing to qualified service personnel Servicing is required when the apparatus has been damaged in any way such as power supply cord or plug is damaged liquid has been spilled or objects have fallen into the apparatus the apparatus has been exposed to rain or moisture does not operate normally or has been dropped 13 This apparatus shall be connected to a mains socket outlet with a protective earthing connection 14 When permanently connected on all pole mains switch with a contact separation of at least 3mm in each pole shall be incorporated in the electrical installation of the building 15 If rack mounting provide adequate ventilation Equipment may be located above or below this apparatus but some equipment like large power amplifiers may cause an unacceptable amount of hum of may generate too much heat and degrade the performance of this apparatus 16 This apparatus may be installed in an industry standard equipment rack Use screws through all mounting holes to provide the best support GE Ek Kb A TO REDUCE THE RISK OF FIRE OR ELECTRIC SHOCK DO NOT EXPOSE THIS APPARATUS TO RAIN OR MOISTURE Attero Tech LLC 2010 Page i 614 00008 02 VoiceBox 4 OP User Manual Note This equipment has been tested and found to comply with the limits for a Class A digital device pursuant to Part 15 of the FCC Rules and EN55022 These limits are d
4. converter The analog signal is then converted to a balanced line level output and sent to the local audio output connectors Attero Tech LLC 2010 Page 2 614 00008 02 VoiceBox 4 1 OP User Manual ATTEROTECH 1 4 Signal Processing All signal processing after the analog preamplifier circuitry is implemented in the digital domain using powerful 32 bit DSP hardware and high quality algorithms All signal processing parameters mentioned are configurable using the Attero Tech Control Center software Mixer Input Input asters Output victors Meters Local Audio S Geng g A Local Audio Input 1 c EQ Compression gt Gan n gt T a EQ m Limiter ji Gain gt Delay Output 1 Geer ie EQ ri Compression Ri Gain e gt EQ m Limiter LR Gain ru Delay pre Local Audio Se Local Audio Input3 kk EQ Compression ii Gain Ki Matix EQ m Limiter ru Gan gt Delay Output 3 Mixer Local Audio i a 3 Local Audio Input 4 gt EQ Compression Gi Gan gt e EQ Lui Limiter Gain gt Delay Output 4 CobraNet K d CobraNet Inputs 1 8 wi e Outputs 1 8 Sine Wave n gt Figure 2 DSP Arc
5. the on board DSP of the VoiceBox The output of the generator is fed into the Matrix Mixer furthest input to the right Above w the column is the Sine button which when clicked on accesses the Sine Wave Control form The form has a Gain control to set the amplitude of the signal 1000Hz 20 0 between 100 dB and 20 dB There is also a Frequency control to set the frequency of the test tone which ranges from 20 Hz to 20 kHz Figure 17 Sine Wave Control Form Attero Tech LLC 2010 Page 12 614 00008 02 A VoiceBox 4 I OP ATTEROTECH x User Manual 3 4 Output Processing The audio for the local outputs is passed from the matrix mixer to the output processing stage Figure 18 below shows the form for outputs 1 and 2 The layout is identical for outputs 3 and 4 VoiceBoxPoE Controls 192 168 2 1 Save Load Store as Default M Meters Enabled Channel 1 Output EQ CHL Output Limiter CH1 Gain CH Delay ee a RS T bypass Gain Reduction Zb oa i 00000 E 1000Hz 1000H2 1000H2 1000H2 1000Hz d DES 3 r d Ode SSES Pass Attack Release 1 00 1 00 1 00 1 00 1 00 w i amp D0000 ci Ode ode op np odp PASS Channel 2 Output EQ CHE Output Limiter CHE Gain CHE Delay Clip Le i wt Le TS a Ee Gain Reduction 000000 vn 2 1000Hz 1000H2 1000H2 1000H2 1000Hz d DES vi e e odp QO0008 Pass Attack Release 1 00 1 00 1 00 1 00 1 00 vi A A A A Jf Odb op ode ode op PASS Loca
6. 4IN 40UT COBRANET AUDIO INTERFACE MADE IN USA VoiceBox 4 OP User Manual Date 10 22 2010 Revision 02 Attero Tech LLC 1315 Directors Row Suite 107 Ft Wayne IN 46808 Phone 260 496 9668 Fax 260 496 9879 www atterotech com 614 00008 02 VoIiCcEeEBOX 4 1 0P VoiceBox 4 1 OP User Manual ATTEROTECH IMPORTANT SAFETY INSTRUCTIONS The symbols below are internationally accepted symbols that warn of potential hazards with electrical products AN This symbol wherever it appears alerts you to the presence of uninsulated dangerous voltage inside the enclosure voltage that may be sufficient to constitute a risk of shock This symbol wherever it appears alerts you to important operating and maintenance instructions in the accompanying literature Please read the manual Read these instructions Keep these instructions Heed all warnings Follow all instructions Do not use this apparatus near water Clean only with a dry cloth Do not block any ventilation openings Install in accordance with the manufacturer s instructions Do not install near any heat sources such as radiators heat registers stoves or other apparatus including amplifiers that produce heat 9 Protect the power cord from being walked on or pinched particularly at plugs convenience receptacles and the point where they exit from the apparatus 10 Only use attachments accessories specified by Attero Tech 11 Unplug this
7. E 18 dE 30 dE 30 da M Link Gutput CH1 CH2 J Link Output CH3 CH4 54 dB 54 dB 78 dE 75 de Figure 11 Local Input Channel Processing for Channels 1 and 2 Figure 11 shows the general layout of the form It contains five tabs The first two tabs are dedicated to local input processing with two input channels on each tab The third is dedicated to the Matrix Mixer The final two tabs are dedicated to local output processing with two output channels on each tab For controls that utilize either a control knob or a fader the value can be altered by clicking and holding the left mouse button down on the control and dragging the mouse forward or backward to alter the value upward or downward respectively The value can also be typed in if the controls have their value shown underneath Clicking on the control will highlight the complete text and typing a new value will overwrite the current text The controls accept shorthand notation such as 10k for 10000 and 10m for 0 01 They will also accept the correct unit if entered though it is not necessary to include it Once the required value is entered press the Enter key to complete the process and accept the new value If a valid number is entered the control will change to the newly entered number or as close to it as the control s range allows The control will revert back to its previous value if an invalid number is entered Notes o If the Enter key is not pressed after entering a new v
8. The lower button marked with an I is the Polarity Invert button 614 00008 02 VoiceBox 4 1 OP User Manual ATTEROTECH 3 3 Matrix Mixer The Matrix Mixer shown in Figure 15 combines a number of controls Each of the Local and CobraNet inputs are shown in columns with the send controls running across in rows E VoiceBoxPoE Controls 192 168 2 1 Save Load Store as Default MW Meters Enabled In Out In 1 In 2 In 3 In 4 dB ES Pe _ Output Level Local CobraNet Out1 Out2 sl 090909099009 2 O B vi 2 Gi 2 2 a 5 d F nn 090092299009 me DOSIIOSIIVOSS ae 9999999999 E ER E E E E Ek LA E Figure 15 Matrix Mixer Tab of VoiceBox Interface 3 3 1 Matrix Mixer Input Controls Each input has its own set of controls at the bottom of the column There is an input fader that ranges from 100 dB to 0 dB as well as Mute Invert and Solo buttons Note The Matrix Mixer input meters can only show the levels prior to entering the Matrix Mixer Changing any of the Matrix Mixer input controls will not affect the level of the accompanying input meter 3 3 2 Crosspoint Controls Each input has a set of corresponding crosspoint knob controls which feed the audio or a degree of it to a particular output Each knob control ranges from 100 dB to O dB Unlike other knob controls elsewhere on t
9. VoiceBox 4 1 OP User Manual ATTEROTECH 3 5 General Controls 3 5 1 Stereo Linking The local input channel controls have the option to be linked together to form stereo pairs This same feature called stereo linking is also available for the local output Link Input CHI CH2 channels also Channels 1 amp 2 may be linked and channels 3 amp 4 may be linked Both T Link Input CH3 CH4 links may be active at one time There is no provision for the settings in channels 3 and 4 to be linked in any way to inputs 1 amp 2 and vice versa SCC f f Link Output CH1 CH2 Linking the channels in this way will mean that any changes to one channel will be reflected in the other When linking takes place depending on which channels are Link Output CH3 CH4 linked the parameters for channel 2 will change to match those set for channel 1 or the parameters for channel 4 will change to match those set for channel 3 This Figure 23 Stereo Link happens as soon as the link is enabled From then on all changes to one channel will Controls update the other channel and vice versa 3 5 2 Store New Power up Default ii Although the settings of the controls are applied immediately to the controlled device the Store as Default values are not permanent and will be lost if the device is powered down In order to ensure that the changes are retained they must be committed to non volatile memory Clicking on the Store as Default butto
10. VoiceBox 4 1 OP User Manual ATTEROTECH 1 Overview The VoiceBox 4 OP CobraNet Audio Interface is a full featured 4 input 4 output mic line preamp with an integrated CobraNet interface for sending and receiving digital audio over a CobraNet network In addition the VoiceBox 4 1 OP provides a dedicated DSP for compression equalization and gain on each input channel as well as limiting on each output channel Audio is routed using an internal matrix mixer that allows flexible audio routing between all available local and CobraNet I O The VoiceBox 4 I OP features the following connectivity o Audio I O 4 balanced inputs all with gain and 12 V phantom power selectable on a per channel basis and 4 line level balanced outputs o CobraNet Interface Port Connects the VoiceBox 4 I OP to a CobraNet network using standard CAT 5 cable o RS 232 Port Enables the transmission of serial data from any VoiceBox 4 I OP to any other VoiceBox 4 1 OP ona CobraNet system It can be powered by either using PoE from a standard 802 3af compatible PoE network switch or injector or by using an external 12VDC source Configuration of the VoiceBox 4 I OP is done using the Attero Tech Control Center software This control software allows real time manipulation of all signal routing and signal processing 1 1 What s in the Box The VoiceBox 4 1 OP comes supplied with the following o VoiceBox 4 I OP device 1 2 Optional Extras All of
11. alue and a different control is selected the control that was being edited will revert to its previous value o When a fader or knob control value is changed its value is sent to the device only once the Enter key is pressed or the mouse is released The other type of control is an indicator button These are either grey for off or colored red green or yellow for on To change the state of the button from on to off or from off to on left click on it Attero Tech LLC 2010 Page 9 614 00008 02 ATTEROTECH Ww 3 2 1 Input EQ Channel 1 EQ Low Low EQ Mid High High Cut Sweep EQ Cut VoiceBox 4 1 OP User Manual The input EQ consists of several cascaded filters a low and high cut a low EQ a mid sweep and a High EQ The low cut is a 12dB Octave filter with adjustable frequency The cw 0 D EI re d Dis 1000Hz 20 0kHz high cut is a 6dB Octave filter with adjustable frequency The low EQ is a low shelf filter set at 400 Hz with adjustable gain The mid sweep is a parametric EQ with a fixed bandwidth of 1 Octave but adjustable frequency and gain The high EQ is a high shelf filter set at 3 kHz with adjustable gain eevee Bi ode ode ode a Bypass Bypass In each case the frequency can be adjusted from 20 Hz to 20 kHz and the gain controls work from 12 dB to 12 dB The high cut and low cut filters also have a bypass facility which when active will cause that filter to be bypass
12. ating possible network bandwidth issues o Multi unicasts Another one to many mode Whilst this is the most efficient method for getting a bundle to multiple receivers in terms of network bandwidth it requires more processing power on the CobraNet device so in this mode there is a maximum limit of four receiver connections this can be reduced if required If more connections are required than the limit the node can be configured to automatically switches to multicast Note When a bundle must be transmitted to multiple receivers multi unicast transmissions should be used where possible Once the mode is selected to enable a device to transmit the bundle simply allocate the particular transmitter bundle a non zero number Since this number identifies all the network packets sent out by that transmitter each transmit bundle number must be unique on a network CobraNet Device A CobraNet Device B Bundled Audio Data Ethernet Network Audio Outputs Audio Inputs Bundle Assignment SH Assignment f Assignment Now that the transmitter is set up it is time to set up the receivers In order to receive bundles each CobraNet device has up to eight bundle receivers To enable a device to receive a bundle simply allocate one of that device s bundle receivers the same bundle number as a transmitted bundle By doing so a virtual link is created and audio should now be passed from one device to the other It shou
13. cators With no CobraNet network the LED on the right of the CobraNet I F port will be on If another active CobraNet device is detected on the network or the Attero Tech Control Center application or other similar CobraNet application program is active on the network the left hand LED will be flashing at a rate around three times per second and the right hand LED may either also flash or remain steady 2 1 Hardware Connections The VoiceBox 4 I OP accepts and drives either unbalanced or balanced audio devices Refer to the following diagrams and instructions for connecting different types of audio devices Professional grade audio cabling is recommended to achieve the best audio performance throughout the system 2 1 1 Input from an Unbalanced Source To connect a 2 wire unbalanced source to the VoiceBox 4 I OP connect the positive output of the unbalanced source to the positive input of the VoiceBox 4 I OP Connect both the source and VoiceBox 4 I OP input grounds together and short the negative input of the VoiceBox 4 I OP to round at the input of the VoiceBox 4 I OP VoiceBox Source 4 V O Input Figure 4 2 Wire Unbalanced Source Connection To connect unbalanced sources with a 3 wire connection short the negative conductor to the shield at the source connection VoiceBox Source n 4 I O Input Figure 5 3 Wire Unbalanced Source Connection Attero Tech LLC 2010 Page 5 614 00008 02 VoiceBox 4 1 OP User Manual
14. e Goon EEN with automatic muting ptiona POPUL TYPE upon loss of CobraNet put Impedance 100 ohms unbalanced 27 02 760 9 Maximum output level 10 dBu RoHS UL Listed power Compliance source FCC Part 15 Class A Compliant EIN 128 dBu lt 86 dBu 0 dB gain lt 0 05 at any gain input signal 3 dB below max Frequency Response 20 Hz 20 kHz 1 dB Sample Rate 48 kHz only System THD N Attero Tech LLC 2010 Page 17 614 00008 02 VoiceBox 4 1 OP User Manual ATTEROTECH APPENDIX A Introduction to CobraNet CobraNet is an audio networking technology for delivery and distribution of real time high quality uncompressed digital audio using a standard Ethernet network It is implemented using a combination of hardware firmware and the CobraNet protocol Unlike other audio networking or distribution technologies CobraNet is a true network and exists on standard Ethernet networks using standard Ethernet hardware Since it is a true network audio routing is highly flexible between network nodes and can be used in a variety of audio distribution applications In addition to the high degree of routing flexibility that CobraNet provides the technology also incorporates the ability to monitor and control CobraNet devices remotely This is a key feature that is highly important in fixed installation applications where the audio distribution equipment may not be readily accessible All CobraNet devices o
15. e the VoiceBox interface is opened and any active metering ceases as soon as the interface form is closed Attero Tech LLC 2010 Page 15 614 00008 02 VoiceBox 4 1 OP User Manual ATTEROTECH L 4 Troubleshooting 4 1 Checking the Network Connection The CobraNet network connection can be diagnosed by noting the status of the LEDs just above the Ethernet connector on the VoiceBox These LEDs will be on off or flashing depending on the current state of the network connection Below is a table showing the states of the LEDs and what device status they represent LED status Device Status Left LED on permanentl P y No Ethernet Connection Right LED off Left LED on permanent H y Ethernet connected but no devices found Right LED on but flashes off every 4 seconds Left LED on permanently Connected and CobraNet devices found Right LED flashing 3 times a second Device is a performer Left LED on flashing 3 times a second Connected and CobraNet devices found Right LED flashing 3 times a second Device is the conductor Table 1 CobraNet Interface LED Status 4 2 Common Faults Below are some common faults Accompanying each one is a list of the most common solutions While the lists of solutions are not exhaustive they represent the majority of the likely failures The VoiceBox does not show up in Control Center o If using PoE check the VoiceBox is attached to a PoE enabled port on a switch or the output port o
16. e will then be shown as a reminder that the current device configuration will be overwritten Click Yes to continue Once correctly loaded the application will ask if the new configuration just loaded to the device should be saved as the default Click Yes to store the loaded parameters as the new defaults for power up Click No to skip Note The saved configuration is device specific so only VoiceBox configuration files can be loaded into a VoiceBox The revision of VoiceBox firmware is also taken into account A warning will be shown and the file will not be loaded if either the device type or the firmware revision does not match the device being set up 3 5 4 Metering The VoiceBox interface can constantly monitor audio levels while the interface is open Meters F Meters Enahlec on the input tabs and on the Matrix Mixer tab show various audio levels whilst numerous SE EE A clipping LEDS advise if the digital signal gets too large Figure 26 Meters The metering function polls the VoiceBox numerous times a second to get constant updates Enabled Checkbox for the meters and clip LEDs but doing so creates an increased amount of network traffic If this additional traffic becomes a problem or the metering is not required it can be turned off Click the Meters Enabled check box to toggle the metering on or off Note The meter and clip LED monitoring is only active whilst the VoiceBox interface is open Metering starts every tim
17. ed and have no affect on the audio Figure 12 Input EQ Controls signal Each stage also has a clipping LED which lights red when clipping occurs 3 2 2 Input Compressor The Input Compressor consists of four controls a Bypass button and a Gain Reduction meter The Bypass button allows the compressor to be completely bypassed and its settings ignored Click on the button to toggle the state of the bypass If the red indicator is on the bypass is activated The Threshold value ranges from 100 dB to O dB The Ratio value ranges from 1 1 to 100 1 The Attack value ranges from Ims to 1s and the Release value ranges from 10 ms to 30 s If any compression takes place the Gain Reduction meter will show the amount of signal attenuation 3 2 3 Input Gain CHI Compressor a Bypass Threshold Attack 0 Gain Reduction 100dB 1 00ms 30 Ratio Release Ke E 100 10 0ms Figure 13 Input Compressor Controls The Input Gain control allows the overall level of the signal to be adjusted before it is CHI Gain S F fed into the mixer L The fader sets the gain from 100 dB to 12 dB The meter alongside shows the There is also a clipping LED Figure 14 Input Gain Controls Attero Tech LLC 2010 Page 10 current level after all the input processing has taken place including the gain factor The gain control also has two toggle indicators The upper one marked with an M is the Mute button
18. eessenenseess 8 DS PONS NI ea tree E A E A E T E E E E dente 8 SE TM POG eS A E EE 9 A posta spats aia etic dee ta sede lc E 10 3 2 2 MPU COMPTES e EE 10 DNS A le te RE Le EEE 10 Se Maat e E TEE 11 3 1 1 Matrix Mixer Input e Le EE 11 SU PR Ee Eih ge EE 11 3 3 3 Matrix Mixer Output Controls siiciciccsineuininvinesisannnianeewncewnnseaseuserendaeneneasnienehuiesesensineniiennssdnsassababesutesadeeadauaienunesunssuna 12 LEE WAY CAS QE EEE 12 E HP OCG SNM e PAE ARA A AAA A AA ae de te et 13 NEE e e Tt DEE 14 See heet LA LOM AR EEE EEE S 14 D OMIS Gi nn an eee ne E ne a scart E D N ee te 14 A ODA DEN en eee nee A et 14 3 5 General e lu EE 15 3 5 1 Stereo AR A sae ecencaeceacnae ac uaenee 15 3 5 2 St re New Power up Si EU EE 15 3 5 3 Saving Loading VoiceBox Configuration Presets EN 15 SRo Wa Aaa E e S EE 15 e EN RE ROOL AE a a i ee meses eee oneee Roe one era 16 4 l Checking the Network Ee Le EE 16 4 2 COMMON BEE 16 5 ARCHITECTS amp ENGINEERS SPECIFICATION cssssscssccesssessnsensesenessessnseesnseneseeseneesenesoesensenseeesseaensnsenssoenenaeneneenesseensesenscoeneeaesenaenseseneses 17 5 1 Device Specifications EE 17 APPENDIX A Introduction to CobraNet mnneennnnnmnnnnnnnennnnnnnnnnnennnnnnnennnnennenenneennnnenenneennneenennnenenennnne A 1 APPENDIX B Reference DOCUMENES nn naar ae ae ete area ntm ea ei te eee rss seen cit e een taie CN Attero Tech LLC 2010 Page iii 614 00008 02
19. esigned to provide reasonable protection against harmful interference when the equipment is operated in a commercial environment This equipment generates uses and can radiate radio frequency energy and if not installed and used in accordance with the instruction manual may cause harmful interference to radio communications Operation of this equipment in a residential area is likely to cause harmful interference in which case the user will be required to correct the interference at his own expense Attero Tech LLC 2010 Page ii 614 00008 02 A VoiceBox 4 I OP ATTEROTEC H 4 User Manual Contents ER a e 1 ENEE de E E Ve Re e 1 122 Optional E 1 1 3 System Signal ME e 2 E e ie E FO CSSS e MEET 3 KEREN 4 2 1 Hardware Connections este eeceeeceeeceeceeceaeeeaeseeeeeeceeceeceeeeeaeeeaeeeaeeeaeeeseeeeeeeaeeeaeeeaeeeaeeaeeaaeesaeeeeeteeesageeaeeeas 5 2 1 1 Input from an Unbalanced We EE 5 Zl Input from a Balanced SOUT CE EEN 6 2 1 3 Output to a Balanced Destnation ENNEN ENEE NENNEN 6 2 1 4 Output to an Unbalanced Destination ne nnre nn 6 2 1 5 RS 232 Serial Bridge e EE 6 2 2 Phantom Power and Gain SWITCHES isa sndenmenceonanterecetuesueneshanesanedenunene dein sisal uislodabawaisnshusdeinessinnldvieedsiectvacseseius 7 3 Software Installation and Setup cssessssssessesessesenseeenessesenseesesenessesensesenecnesenseneceeseesensesenscoesenaensneenessenensesenseoensenesenaenseeenesoesensenensenesenaenee
20. ete preamplifier circuitry for optimum signal to noise ratio with low distortion Each preamplifier is equipped with 3 selectable analog gain settings O dB for line level sources 30 dB for condenser microphones and 50 dB for dynamic microphones Each channel also has selectable 12 V phantom power for powering most electret or small diaphragm condenser microphones After the mic line preamp stage the analog signal is converted using a high quality 24 bit 48 kHz A D converter After conversion the digital signal is then sent to the CobraNet processor and DSP The DSP applies independent and adjustable equalization low cut low shelf mid sweep high shelf and high cut filters compression and gain to each input channel A fully configurable thirteen input twelve output matrix mixer allows the processed input channels to be sent out to the CobraNet network and or routed back to the local outputs The matrix mixer also provides the ability to route audio received from the CobraNet network to the local outputs and or be looped back to the CobraNet outputs A further input into the matrix mixer is provided from a configurable sine wave generator for testing and diagnostic purposes Each of the four local output channels also features five bands of fully adjustable parametric EQ a high pass filter a fully adjustable limiter additional gain attenuation and a delay element with up to 20ms of delay The digital audio is then sent to a high quality D A
21. he RS 232 port does not communicate locally with the VoiceBox 4 I OP but is a conduit to other devices on the CobraNet network The Serial Bridge feature of CobraNet allows serial data to be sent across the network to other serial enabled devices This feature is useful for extending control data to remote locations The settings for the serial bridge can be configured using the Attero Tech Control Center software Attero Tech LLC 2010 Page 6 614 00008 02 VoiceBox 4 1 OP User Manual ATTEROTECH 2 2 Phantom Power and Gain Switches The VoiceBox has the ability to provide phantom power and input gain on each input Switches are provided for controlling both these features independently on each input Gl to G4 are 4 groups of switches controlling input gain on inputs 1 to 4 respectively The remaining four switches number 1 through 4 are the four phantom power switches for inputs 1 to 4 respectively The two gain switches per input provide a choice of line level input 0 dB 30 dB gain or 50 dB gain To usea line level input ensure both gain switches for that channel are in the down position To set 30 dB of input gain move the left hand switch of the gain group to the up position To set the input gain to 50 dB move both switches in the gain group to the up position Figure 9 Gain and Phantom Power switches Phantom power enables the VoiceBox 4 I OP to provide 12 V DC at very low current over the audio in
22. he form there is no text below each control Instead there is an edit box at the top right hand corner of the matrix A single left click ona particular crosspoint will show the control s value in the edit box This can also be used to type in a specific value for the selected control Attero Tech LLC 2010 Page 11 614 00008 02 VoiceBox 4 1 OP User Manual ATTEROTECH 3 3 3 Matrix Mixer Output Controls Output Level Output Level Local Cobranet Local Cobranet D BE DK d E Ti Figure 16 Matrix Mixer Output Controls Local left and CobraNet right The output section of the Matrix Mixer is split into two tabs The first tab shows the local outputs The second tab shows the CobraNet outputs The mixer sends are colored according to the corresponding output level fader The output faders range from 100 dB to 12 dB There are also a number of complementary controls a clipping LED a Mute button and a Polarity Invert button The meters on the CobraNet outputs show the output levels from the Matrix Mixer that are available to the network However the meters on the local outputs show the levels after any output processing has been applied rather than the direct output of the matrix mixer 3 3 4 Sine Wave Generator Test Tone Generator Sine Wa X The Test Tone or Sine Wave Generator can be used to help diagnose problems EECH Gain It is generated internally by
23. hitecture Input EQ The EQ stage consists of five cascaded filters A single pole low cut filter a 2 pole high cut filter a low frequency shelf filter a mid sweep filter and a high frequency shelf filter The low and high cut filters both have adjustable frequencies and have a bypass option The low frequency shelf filter is set at 400 Hz and has adjustable gain The high frequency shelving filter is set at 3 kHz and also has adjustable gain The midspan equalizer has adjustable center frequency and gain Gain for each filter is adjustable from 12 dB to 12 dB Compressor The compressor stage provides full control over the compression ratio threshold attack and release times A gain reduction meter is shown also that shows the amount of compression taking place The compressor function has a bypass option Input Gain The input gain stage provides an adjustable range from 12 dB gain to 100 dB of attenuation in 1 dB steps Matrix mixer The matrix mixer provides 12 inputs 4 local 8 CobraNet and 12 outputs 4 local 8 CobraNet There is also an additional input from an internal sine wave generator Any mix of local inputs network inputs and sine wave generator input can be directed to any of the local or network outputs Output EQ The output EQ stage consists of five cascaded parametric filters and a high pass filter Each parametric filter has adjustable gain bandwidth and frequency and the 2 pole high pass filter has adjustable fre
24. ial buses as well Finally CobraNet has the capability to alter all of the above options in real time making the whole system completely dynamic By use of control software all of the bundle assignment parameters can be configured with no need to change cables switch out connectors or pull new wiring Most importantly this control capability can be implemented from a single location Bundle numbers range from 1 through 65535 A value of O represents an inactive bundle Numbers 1 255 are reserved for multicast mode transmissions only Attero Tech LLC 2010 Page A 2 614 00008 02 VoiceBox 4 1 OP User Manual ATTEROTECH APPENDIX B Reference Documents The following table lists the relevant reference documents CobraNet Programmer s Reference Cirrus Logic v2 5 Attero Tech LLC 2010 Page RB 614 00008 02
25. ing is split into three sections Input Processing Matrix Mixer and Output Processing The input processing affects signals input into the local inputs on the VoiceBox only The Matrix Mixer takes the results of the input processing CobraNet audio received by the VoiceBox and also an internally generated sine wave and mixes them together to produce four local output channels and eight CobraNet output channels The CobraNet output channels are ready for immediate transmission elsewhere with no further processing However the local output channels are then subjected to the output processing before being passed to the outputs themselves Attero Tech LLC 2010 Page 8 614 00008 02 A VoiceBox 4 I OP ATTEROTECH x User Manual 3 2 Input Processing Z VoiceBoxPoE Controls 192 168 2 1 gave Load Store as Default M Meters Enabled Channel 1 EQ CHL Compressor CH1 Gain E Bypass Gain Reduction Low Low EQ Mid High High EI a Cut Sweep EQ Cut Threshold Attack o e i L 1000Hz 20 0kHz Ratio Release ee O Bypass Bypass Channel 2 EQ CHE Compressor CH2 Gain El Bypass Gain Reduction le A Low Low EQ Cut Threshold Attack o id Ode 10 Dm 1000Hz 20 0kHz Ratio Release ode nde nde a Bypass Local Input Meters Local Output Meters CobraNet Input Meters CobraNet Output Meters 2 3 4 1 2 3 4 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 amp 0 dB FS Oda FS lw Link Input CH1 CH2 amp dE da MW Link Input CH3 CH4 18 d
26. l Input Meters Local Output Meters CobraNet Input Meters CobraNet Output Meters 1 2 3 4 1 2 8 3 4 1 2 3 4 5 b 7 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 Oda FS 0d FS MW Link Input CH1 CH Ska 6 de MW Link Input CH3 CH4 14 de 185 cb F Link Output CH1 CHE F Link Gutput CH3 CH4 Figure 18 Local output processing for Channels 1 and 2 Attero Tech LLC 2010 Page 13 614 00008 02 VoiceBox 4 1 OP User Manual ATTEROTECH 3 4 1 Output EQ Channel 1 Output EQ The output EQ stage has five cascaded bands of parametric EQ lp e O O O O followed by a high pass filter Each parametric EQ has adjustable frequency 20 Hz to 20 kHz bandwidth 0 1 to 3 0 Freq e kA e A v a and gain 12 dB to 12 dB Each stage has it s own clip LED to warn if the signal at the stage is clipping or not 1000Hz 1000Hz 1000Hz 1000Hz 1000HZz ZU IS z CH lt niak The high pass filter is a 12 dB Octave filter with adjustable Pass Frequency from 20 Hz to 20 kHz This filter also has a clip 100 100 100 Lon 100 indicator It also has a bypass facility that when active will oe wi ei B allow the audio to ignore this filter op ode o ode odp BYPASS Figure 19 Local Output EQ Controls 3 4 2 Output Limiter S CHi Output Limiter The output limiter has four controls are available for each output E Gain Reduction oe a Bypass The bypass button allows the limiter to be completely bypassed and its se settings ignored C
27. ld be noted that no knowledge of a device s network topology or connection is thus required in order to configure audio connections The only restriction to this is that a device cannot be set up to receive a bundle it is also transmitting The above case creates a simple one to one unidirectional link If more devices are required to receive that bundle allocate the same transmitted bundle number to a bundle receiver on the other CobraNet devices It is also important to note that CobraNet supports simultaneous bidirectional audio distribution in each device Not only could audio be sent from Device A to Device B but at the same time should it be needed audio could also be sent from Device B to Device A The exact bundle and routing configuration will be determined by the needs of each individual installation An installation may have multiple units transmitting multiple bundles The only restriction is the bandwidth available on the network to transfer the audio CobraNet does more than just transfer audio data It can be used to pass serial information as well A feature called serial bridging has been incorporated that allows the passage of serial data between nodes Each node can pass serial data to a specific node or multicast the data to multiple nodes A node can also receive data from either a single source or multiple sources Baud rates data bits stop bits parity and so on are all configurable There is also support for multi drop ser
28. lick on the button to toggle the state of the bypass If Threshold 3 the red indicator is on the bypass is activated e 20 The remaining controls control the specific aspects of the limiter nde The threshold control ranges from 100 dB to O dB the attack control Attack Release ranges from 1 ms to 1 s and the release control that ranges from 10 ms we at to 30s 5 10 rns L trns There is also a gain reduction meter to given an approximate indication of the amount of limiting that is actually taking place Figure 20 Local Output Limiter Controls 3 4 3 Output Gain CHI Gain The Output Gain control allows the overall level of the signal to be adjusted before it is fed to the local outputs The fader sets the gain from 100 dB to 12 dB The meter alongside shows the current level after all the input processing has taken place including the gain factor There is also a clipping LED The gain control also has two toggle indicators The upper one marked with an M is the Mute button The lower button marked with an I is the Polarity Invert button Figure 21 Output Gain Controls 3 4 4 Output Delay CH Delay The delay control adds buffering to delay the audio signal If the control is set to O the control is essentially bypassed A maximum delay of up to 20 ms can be added in total j ms Figure 22 Output Delay Control Attero Tech LLC 2010 Page 14 614 00008 02
29. n a midspan injector and the power light on the switch injector is on If using the optional wall wart Check power is supplied and the power light is on Ensure the PC is running Windows 98SE or later Windows 95 is not suitable If running Vista ensure a Vista compatible version of Control Center is running 1 1 0 onwards Check the Ethernet cable is correctly connected If connected to a switch ensure the link indicator is lit and activity flashes at least occasionally If not ensure the correct type of cable is used for the switch Some switches require standard patch cables Others can use Standard or crossover cables o If connected directly to a PC ensure the Ethernet cable is a crossover type 0 Attero Tech LLC 2010 Page 16 614 00008 02 VoiceBox 4 1 OP User Manual ATTEROTECH 5 ARCHITECTS amp ENGINEERS SPECIFICATION The CobraNet interface unit shall provide four mic line analog inputs on rear panel pluggable 3 pin barrier strips Selectable gain of O dB 30 dB 50 dB and 12 V phantom power shall be provided on rear panel DIP switches for each analog input channel The internal analog to digital signal conversion shall be performed at 16 20 or 24 bit resolution with a sampling frequency of 48 kHz Eight channels of CobraNet inputs and eight channels of CobraNet outputs are supplied via the rear panel RJ 45 connector Four channels of balanced line level outputs shall be provided on the rear pa
30. n on the device setup form commits the current settings in the Figure 24 Store as device to memory Default Button Note This operation takes a few seconds to complete and no other actions can be done until it is complete The status bar will show the progress of operation and also a message once the operation is complete 3 5 3 Saving Loading VoiceBox Configuration Presets Once all the parameters have been set correctly the complete configuration can be saved B to a file so the settings may be easily transferred to another VoiceBox Click the Save a Gees button at the top of the form as shown in Figure 25 to initiate this The Configuration Save dialog will appear allowing you to select a folder and a file name Clicking on OK will save the configuration using the chosen filename in the chosen location The Figure 25 Save Load filename will by default use a DCF extension ae EES Buttons Once the save is complete the application will ask if the current device should have its configuration saved as default to ensure that it will power up with the parameters just saved Click Yes to confirmthe save or No to skip it A final message will then appear to confirm the save is complete To load a previously saved configuration click the Load button The Load Configuration dialog will appear so the desired configuration file can be located Locate and select the file to be loaded and click OK A confirmation messag
31. n the network can be controlled and monitored from a central location by sending control commands and monitoring device specific parameters CobraNet provides this capability by implementing Simple Network Management Protocol SNMP SNMP is a standard protocol typically used for monitoring network devices such as Ethernet switches In the case of CobraNet it allows users to communicate with any CobraNet device using standard SNMP tools or a customized user interface designed specifically for CobraNet such as Attero Tech s Control Center application ETHERNET DIGITAL AUDIG COMPUTER DATA CONTROL AND MONITORING CLOCK The figure above represents the types of data that coexist on a CobraNet network Before a CobraNet system can be configured it is important to first understand how CobraNet distributes audio between devices Audio is sent in bundles on a CobraNet system Each bundle is capable of holding up to 8 logical audio channels Every CobraNet device has a number of bundle transmitters and bundle receivers These transmitters and receivers are the mechanism used to send and receive bundles between devices For a transmitted bundle audio may be sourced either directly from the local audio inputs of the device or from internal audio via the on board DSP but not both simultaneously Internal audio from the onboard DSP could have originally been sourced from the local device inputs sent from another CobraNet device or even ge
32. nel pluggable barrier strips Interface power shall be provided by either an 802 3af compliant PoE network switch or a 12 V DC external power source The CobraNet interface shall provide DSP capabilities for independent channel gain equalization and compression on all four local input channels Each local output channel shall have DSP capabilities for equalization output limiting gain and delay The DSP shall also provide a fully configurable 13 input 12 output matrix mixer with an input from a configurable sine wave generator The CobraNet Interface shall be compatible with Attero Tech Control Center software for flexible control and monitoring in system applications The CobraNet Interface shall include a UL listed power source The CobraNet Interface shall be compliant with the RoHS directive The CobraNet Interface shall be the Attero Tech VoiceBox 4 1 OP 5 1 Device Specifications Gain Selectable O dB 30 dB Physical Level Standard Ethernet ain 50 dB A Connector Single RJ 45 WEE n e Balanced and RF filtered p ype 3 pin pluggable Cable Quality CAT 5 Input Impedance gt 1 5K ohms any gain Transmission Speed 100 Mbps 9 dBu 0 dB gain RS 232 Port Maximum Input Levels 23 dBu 30 dB gain Physical Levels Standard RS 232 a ua C 3 Pin pluggable Phoenix onnector 12 V selectable per style Phantom Power anne Class 2 802 3af PoE PD Compliant Audio Outputs lt eege or Balanced 3 pin pluggabl
33. nerated by the DSP itself Combinations of the local or internal audio may exist within a bundle in any order Additionally a single audio source in a device may be used multiple times in a single transmitter bundle or across multiple transmitter bundles For a received bundle the received network audio may be routed directly to the device s local outputs the internal DSP or simply ignored Once the contents of a bundle have been decided the next step is to pass the bundle to another CobraNet device To do this every CobraNet device has up to 4 bundle transmitters Each bundle transmitter has a transmit mode that must first be selected This affects how many devices may receive that particular bundle at a time Not available on all devices CS496xxx devices only Attero Tech LLC 2010 Page A 1 614 00008 02 VoiceBox 4 1 OP User Manual ATTER OTECH The modes are as follows o Unicast Used for one to one connections In this mode only one receiver at a time can receive this bundle Once a link is established from this transmitted bundle to a receiver any future requests for that bundle from other potential receivers will fail o Multicast Used for one to many connections This mode broadcasts its contents over the entire network There is no restriction on the number of receivers However the downside is that CobraNet packets are distributed to all nodes on the network whether they need them or not thus cre
34. obraNet device to provide audio signal processing see Figure 10 The local inputs of the VoiceBox are fed through a Compressor stage an EQ stage and a Gain stage The processed signals are then presented along with eight incoming channels of CobraNet audio to a matrix mixer After the Mixer stage the local outputs pass through a Limiter stage before being fed to the D A convertors Mixer Input E Meters Output Meters Meters en rs c EQ Compression gt gt Gain n gt E ai EQ gt Limiter ke Gain e Delay e SE Local Audio Local Audio Input2 EQ Compression Li Gan gt T ai EQ gt Limiter LR Gan ru Delay gt Output 2 Local Audio a Local Audio Input3 kk EQ Compression ii Gain be Matix EQ p Limiter ru Gain Lu Delay pb Output 3 Mixer SCC gt EQ Compression Gi Gain gt e EQ Lui Limiter Lu Gain e Delay gt gt KEEN CobraNet 7 A CobraNet Inputs 1 8 Si e Outputs 1 8 sine Wave 1 Figure 10 VoiceBox 4 1 0 DSP Architecture The interface for the VoiceBox 4 1 OP allows configuration of all aspects of the signal processing blocks shown in Figure 10 The process
35. put lines to power an active microphone With the switch in the down position as they all are in Figure 9 phantom power is not enabled Move the switch to the up position to activate it Note The positions of the switches for both gain and phantom power are also shown on the back panel itself for easy reference Attero Tech LLC 2010 Page 7 614 00008 02 VoiceBox 4 1 OP User Manual ATTEROTECH L 3 Software Installation and Setup The Attero Tech Control Center application should be used to examine and modify device configuration This includes not only the standard CobraNet features such as audio routing but also the device specific controls of the signal processing blocks the VoiceBox uses Refer to the Attero Tech Control Center User s Guide for installation and setup instructions Note Other third party software may be used to set up audio routing but the signal processing blocks can only be controlled using the Attero Tech Control Center application 3 1 DSP Overview The following section describes the operation and controls available in VoiceBox 41 0 PoE interface V1 1 1 133 Note Control Center version 1 0 2 12 and later shows the version number for each interface on the About form Please be aware of the version of interface being used as a different version of the interface may contain different controls and have different operation The VoiceBox 4 I OP utilizes available DSP resources within its C
36. quency Gain for each parametric filter is adjustable from 12 dB to 12 dB Output Limiter The output limiter provides limiting for each output channel independently Limiter ratio is fixed at 100 1 Threshold attack and release time parameters are configurable A gain reduction meter shows the amount of limiting taking place The limiter function may be bypassed Output Gain The gain stage provides a range from 12 dB gain to 100 dB of attenuation Gain settings are adjustable in 1 dB steps Output Delay Each output has its own delay control with up to 20ms of delay available Metering Metering is available from several points in the audio path Raw local input Modified local input Local output CobraNet input and CobraNet output Attero Tech LLC 2010 Page 3 614 00008 02 VoiceBox 4 1 OP User Manual ATTEROTECH 2 Installation VOICEBOXx AIN 40UT COBRANET AUDIO INTERFACE 4 1 0P MADE IN USA VOICEBOX 4 I 70P INPUT GAINS G1 G4 1 4 dd VP OdB 30dB 50dB d ON N KE HIE S e ed e ees p 4 5 6 12VDC 7 5DOMA eg COBRANET INPUT INC AR cr I F PORT Figure 3 VoiceBox 4 I OP Connectors and Indicators Power LED Power Socket Use with optional 12 V DC wall wart only Serial Bridge interface connector CobraNet Ethernet interface connector and indicators 4 x Balanced audio inputs and associated mic line and phantom power switches 4 x Balanced Audio outputs
37. the following are available as options for the VoiceBox A 1 OP o A12 V DC power supply is available if PoE power is not required or available o Single device 1U rack mount kit o Dual device 1U rack mount kit Each optional item required must be ordered separately to the VoiceBox itself Attero Tech LLC 2010 Page 1 614 00008 02 VoiceBox 4 1 OP User Manual ATTEROTECH 1 3 System Signal Flow RJ45 Conn 3 pin Serial Conn Selectable Gain 12V Phantom OdB 30dB 50dB CobraNet Port RS232 Port Power iA xn o O Mic Line Input Mic Balanced Line CH1 Preamp AIDE pre Output CH1 O O Selectable Gain 12V Phantom OdB 30dB 50dB Power i EE LL O Mic Line Input i Balanced Line CH2 Preamp ADE DAC Output CH2 s O Selectable Gain CobraNet Processor 12V Phantom OdB 30dB 50dB Power 9 Le Audio DSP ege d O O Mic Line Input Mic Balanced Line CH2 Preamp AE Dr Output CH3 O Selectable Gain 12V Phantom OdB 30dB 50dB Power a n o O Mic Line Input Mic Balanced Line CH4 Preamp ABE DAL Output CH4 O K ON WV Figure 1 Signal Flow within the VoiceBox 4 I OP System signal flow is shown in Figure 1 All four input channels utilize discr
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