DRAKE 550TCP Instruction Manual

TM

550TCP

Commercial Terrestrial Channel Processor

(For use in NTSC systems)

Instruction Manual

©Copyright 2004 R.L. Drake Co. P/N: 3852459E-09-2004 Printed in the U.S.A.

TM is a trademark of the R.L. Drake Company

ii Caution Statements

WARNING: TO PREVENT FIRE OR

ELECTRICAL SHOCK DO NOT

EXPOSE TO RAIN OR MOISTURE

¡WARNING!

RISK OF ELECTRIC SHOCK

DO NOT OPEN

WARNING: TO REDUCE THE RISK OF ELECTRIC SHOCK,

DO NOT REMOVE POWER SUPPLY COVERS

NO USER-SERVICEABLE PARTS INSIDE

REFER SERVICING TO QUALIFIED PERSONNEL

WARNING:

CAUTION:

ATTENTION:

TO REDUCE THE RISK OF FIRE OR ELECTRIC SHOCK, DO NOT EXPOSE THIS
APPLIANCE TO RAIN OR MOISTURE. DO NOT OPEN THE CABINET, REFER SERVIC­ING TO QUALIFIED PERSONNEL ONLY.

TO PREVENT ELECTRIC SHOCK, DO NOT USE THIS (POLARIZED) PLUG WITH AN
EXTENSION CORD RECEPTACLE OR OTHER OUTLET UNLESS THE BLADES CAN BE
FULLY INSERTED TO PREVENT BLADE EXPOSURE.

POUR PREVENIR LES CHOCS ELECTRIQUES, NE PAS UTILISER CETTE FICHE
POLARISEE AVEC UN PROLONGATEUR, UNE PRISE DE COURANT OU UNE AUTRE
SORTIE DE COURANT, SAUF SI LES LAMES PEUVENT ETRE INSEREES A FOND SANS
EN LAISSER AUCUNE PARTIE A DECOUVERT.

Important Safety Instructions

1. Read Instructions—All the safety and operating instructions should be read before the product
is operated.

2. Retain Instructions—The safety and operating instructions should be retained for future
reference.

3. Heed Warnings—All warnings on the product and in the operating instructions should be
adhered to.

4. Follow Instructions—All operating and use instructions should be followed.

5. Cleaning—Unplug this product from the wall outlet before cleaning. Do not use liquid cleaners

or aerosol cleansers. Use a damp cloth for cleaning.

6. Attachments—Do not use attachments that are not recommended by the product manufac­turer as they may cause hazards.

7. Water and Moisture—Do not use this product near water—for example, near a bathtub, wash
bowl, kitchen sink or laundry tub; in a wet basement; or near a swimming pool; and the like.

8. Accessories—Do not place this product on an unstable cart, stand, tripod, bracket, or table.
The product may fall, causing serious injury to a child or adult, and serious damage to the product.
Use only with a cart, stand, tripod, bracket, or table recommended by the manufacturer, or sold
with the product. Any mounting of the product should follow the manufacturer's instructions, and
should use a mounting accessory recommended by the manufacturer.

9. A product and cart combination should be moved with care. Quick stops, excessive force, and
uneven surfaces may cause the product and cart combination to overturn.

10. Ventilation—Slots and openings in the cabinet are provided for ventilation and to ensure
reliable operation of the product and to protect it from overheating, and these openings must not
be blocked or covered. The openings should never be blocked by placing the product on a bed,
sofa, rug, or similar surface. This product should not be placed in a built-in installation such as
bookcase or rack unless proper ventilation is provided or the manufacturer's instructions have
been adhered to.

11. Power Sources—This product should be operated only from the type of power source
indicated on the marking label. If you are not sure of the type of power supplied to your home,
consult your product dealer or local power company. For products intended to operate from battery
power, or other sources, refer to the operating instructions.

12. Grounding or Polarization—This product may be equipped with a polarized alternating­current line plug (a plug having one blade wider than the other). This plug will fit into the power outlet
only one way. This is a safety feature. If you are unable to insert the plug fully into the outlet, try
reversing the plug. If the plug should still fail to fit, contact your electrician to replace your obsolete
outlet. Do not defeat the safety purpose of the polarized plug.
Alternate Warnings—If this product is equipped with a three-wire grounding-type plug, a plug
having a third (grounding) pin, the plug will only fit into a grounding-type power outlet. This is a
safety feature. If you are unable to insert the plug into the outlet, contact your electrician to replace
your obsolete outlet. Do not defeat the safety purpose of the grounding-type plug.
12 a. Mise à la terre ou Polarisation—Cet appareil est équipé avec un cordon d'alimentation à
trois fils. Il est a brancher sur une prise ayant un connecteur a la terre. Assurez-vous que la
connection a la terre ne manque pas.

13. Power-Cord Protection—Power-supply cords should be routed so that they are not likely to
be walked on or pinched by items placed upon or against them, paying particular attention to cords
at plugs, convenience receptacles, and the point where they exit from the product.

14. Outdoor Antenna Grounding—If an outside antenna or cable system is connected to the
product, be sure the antenna or cable system is grounded so as to provide some protection against
voltage surges and built-up static charges. Article 810 of the National Electrical Code, ANSI/NFPA
70, provides information with regard to proper grounding of the mast and supporting structure,
grounding of the lead-in wire to an antenna discharge unit, size of grounding conductors, location
of antenna-discharge unit, connection to grounding electrodes, and requirements for the
grounding electrode. See Figure A.

15. Lightning—For added protection for this product during a lightning storm, or when it is left
unattended and unused for long periods of time, unplug it from the wall outlet and disconnect the
antenna or cable system. This will prevent damage to the product due to lightning and power-line
surges.

16. Power Lines—An outside antenna system should not be located in the vicinity of overhead
power lines, other electric light or power circuits, where it can fall into such power lines or circuits.

An appliance and cart combination should be moved with care. Quick stops,
excessive force and uneven surfaces may cause the appliance and cart combina­tion to overturn.

The lightning flash with arrow head symbol, within an equilateral triangle, is
intended to alert the user to the presence of uninsulated "dangerous voltage"
within the product's enclosure that may be of sufficient magnitude to constitute a
risk of electric shock to persons.

The exclamation point within an equilateral triangle is intended to alert the user to
the presence of important operating and maintenance (servicing) instructions in
the literature accompanying the appliance.

17. Overloading—Do not overload wall outlets, extension cords, or integral convenience
receptacles as this can result in a risk of fire or electric shock.

18. Object and Liquid Entry—Never push objects of any kind into this product through openings
as they may touch dangerous voltage points or short-out parts that could result in a fire or electric
shock. Never spill liquid of any kind on the product.

19. Servicing—Do not attempt to service this product yourself as opening or removing covers may
expose you to dangerous voltage or other hazards. Refer all servicing to qualified service
personnel.

20. Damage Requiring Service—Unplug this product from the wall outlet and refer servicing to
qualified service personnel under the following conditions:

a. When the power-supply cord or plug is damaged,
b. If liquid has been spilled, or objects have fallen into the product,
c. If the product has been exposed to rain or water,
d. If the product does not operate normally by following the operating instructions. Adjust only

those controls that are covered by the operating instructions as an improper adjustment of other
controls may result in damage and will often require extensive work by a qualified technician to
restore the product to its normal operation,

e. If the product has been dropped or damaged in any way, and
f. When the product exhibits a distinct change in performance—this indicates a need for service.

21. Replacement Parts—When replacement parts are required, be sure the service technician

has used replacement parts specified by the manufacturer or have the same characteristics as
the original part. Unauthorized substitutes may result in fire, electric shock or other hazards.

22. Safety Check—Upon completion of any service or repairs to this product, ask the service
technician to perform safety checks to determine that the product is in proper operating condition.

23. Wall or Ceiling Mounting—The product should be mounted to a wall or ceiling only as
recommended by the manufacturer.

24. Heat—The product should be situated away from heat sources such as radiators, heat
registers, stoves, or other products (including amplifiers) that produce heat.

NOTE TO CATV SYSTEM INSTALLERS:

THIS REMINDER IS PROVIDED TO CALL THE CATV SYSTEM INSTALLER'S ATTENTION TO
ARTICLE 820 - 40 OF THE NEC THAT PROVIDES GUIDELINES FOR PROPER GROUNDING
AND, IN PARTICULAR, SPECIFIES THAT THE CABLE GROUND SHALL BE CONNECTED TO
THE GROUNDING SYSTEM OF THE BUILDING, AS CLOSE TO THE POINT OF CABLE ENTRY
AS PRACTICAL.

EXAMPLE OF ANTENNA GROUNDING

ANTENNA

LEAD IN

WIRE

GROUND CLAMP

ELECTRIC
SERVICE
EQUIPMENT

POWER SERVICE GROUNDING ELECTRODE

SYSTEM (NEC ART 250, PART H)

ANTENNA

DISCHARGE UNIT

(NEC SECTION 810-20)

GROUNDING

CONDUCTORS

(NEC SECTION 810-21)

GROUND CLAMPS

Table of Contents/Description/Specifications 1

ii Caution Statements
ii Important Safety Instructions
iv Specifications
1 Table of Contents - Description
2 Front Panel Controls and Indicators
2 Rear Panel Connections

550TCP TERRESTRIAL CHANNEL PROCESSOR

POWER

DESCRIPTION
The DRACOM 550TCP is a quality, frequency agile
channel processor capable of converting any VHF or UHF,
off-air signal to any standard output channel between 54
and 550 MHz. Input and output frequency are easily set
with front panel pushwheel switches. A/V ratio and output
level controls are also provided along with IF loop-through
connections to offer exceptional flexibility.

The synthesized input tuning permits reception of off-air TV
channels 2 through 69. A front panel signal indicator lights
for input signal strengths greater than a threshold value.
RF output level is front panel adjustable to
+60 dBmV maximum.

3 Installation
4 Installation - List of Input and Output Channels
5 T Channel Upconverter
6 Service / If You Need To Call For Help
7 Warranty

A / V RATIO

7 84 4

INPUT

CHANNEL

SIGNAL OUTPUT ENABLED

OUTPUT

CHANNEL

OUTPUT LEVEL

IF loop-thru capability in the 550TCP supplies a padded
IF output prior to channel conversion. This feature
provides the capability to replace the standard internally
generated IF output with an alternate source of composite
IF, or allows the insertion of IF scrambling equipment.

Coaxial connectors are provided for the RF Input, the
IF Loop-out and Loop-in, and the RF Output. All of the
mentioned features, combined with a carefully designed
low intermodulation output stage, provide reliable operation
in a densely crowded SMATV or cable environment.

The 550TCPT is a 550TCP with a built-in "T" channel
upconverter. See page 5 for details.

SPECIFICATIONS

INPUT SECTION

Frequency Range:

Input Impedance:

RF Input Level :

Noise Figure:

Tuner Image Rejection:

OUTPUT SECTION

Frequency Range:

Output Level:

Video Frequency Response:

L-C Delay:

Frequency Stability:

A/V Ratio Adjustment:

Spurious Outputs:

Broadband Noise:

GENERAL

AC Power Input:

Operating Temperature:

Weight:

54 - 806 MHz: Off-Air TV channels, CH 2-69.
75 Ohms.

-10 dBmV to + 35 dBmV.
VHF: 8 dB; UHF: 10 dB.
VHF: 65 dB; UHF: 50 dB.

82 channels, 54 to 550 MHz; Channels 2 to 78 and 95 to 99.
+60 dBmV (typically adjustable from +50 to +60 dBmV).
20 Hz to 4.2 MHz, ±3 dB.
±50 nSec.
±5 PPM of frequency difference between input and
output signals.
Typically -2 to -12 dB relative to input A/V ratio.

-58 dBc minimum, -60 dBc typical,
(measured at an input level between 0 to +20 dBmV).

-75 dBc typical, (4 MHz noise bandwidth @ ±12 MHz).

115 VAC (±10%), 60 Hz, 30 Watts.
00 C to +500 C, ambient.
19 in. (481 mm) W x 1.75 in. (44 mm) H x 8.75 in. (222 mm) D.

Size:

7.0 lbs. (3.2 Kg).