Ecler AmicLab User Manual [en, de, es, fr]

USER MANUAL

MANUAL DE INSTRUCCIONES NOTICE D'EMPLOI BEDIENUNGSANLEITUNG

USER MANUAL CONTENTS
1. IMPORTANT NOTE	04
1.1. Cleaning	04
2. INSTALLATION	04
3. INTRODUCTION	04
3.1. About .amic	04
3.2. About .amiclab	05
3.3. Features	05
4. SOFTWARE INSTALLATION	06
4.1. System requirements	06
4.2. USB driver installation	06
4.3. Graphic editor installation	06
4.4. Graphic editor launch	07
4.5. Graphic editor uninstallation	07
5. GRAPHIC USER INTERFACE	07
5.1. Potentiometers	08
5.2. Faders	08
5.3. Buttons	08
5.4. Selectors	09
5.5. Menus	09
5.6. Numerical values	09
5.7. Title bar	09
5.8. Main panel	10
5.8.1. Menus	10
5.8.2. CONNECT button	12
5.8.3. Signal generator	13
5.8.4. Level meters	14
5.8.5. About...	14
5.9. Graphic panel	15
5.9.1. Graphic	15
5.9.2. CHANNEL buttons	16
5.9.3. GRAPH buttons	16
5.9.4. Vertical range	16
5.9.5. Graphic curves filling	16
5.9.6. Info bar	16
5.10. Fully displayed panel	17
5.10.1. INPUT	17
5.10.2. CROSSOVER	18
5.10.3. REMOTE	18
5.10.4. LINK GROUP	19
5.10.5. DELAY	19
5.10.6. PARAMETRIC EQ	20
5.10.7. COMP/LIMIT (Compressor/limiter)	21
5.11. Reduced ("collapsed") channel panel	22
6. TECHNICAL CHARACTERISTICS	83
7. DIAGRAMS	85

All numbers subject to variation due to production tolerances. ECLER S.A. reserves the right to make changes or improvements in manufacturing or design which may affect specifications.

3

1. IMPORTANT NOTE

Congratulations! You are the owner of a carefully designed and manufactured equipment. We thank you for your confidence in choosing our .amic digital processor card.

In order to get maximum performance from all your card functionalities, it is VERY IMPORTANT to carefully read and follow these instructions before any connection.

For an optimum operation maintenance has to be done by our Technical Services.

1.1. Cleaning

Never use solvent or benzene based or abrasive cleaning material on the control panel, to avoid the possibility of paint or silk printing damage. For cleaning, use a soft cloth slightly dampened with water and mild detergent. Never use sharp or erosive objects to scratch the control panel.

2. INSTALLATION

1.Unplug the amplifier.

2.Unscrew and remove amplifier's cover and back plate.

3.Remove the two jumpers from the input stage connector. Keep the jumpers and the back plate in safe place. You'll need them to use the amplifier without the filter.

4.Insert the filter in its back panel location and plug its cable (see diagram).

5.Screw the filter and the cover.

CAUTION: Filter installation must be done by a qualified technician.

3. INTRODUCTION

3.1. About .amic

.amic is an extension card for ECLER DPA line of amplifiers. Extension cards add new features

to amplifiers, e.g. crossovers, parametric filters, limiters...

.amic card specially has a powerful and fully programmable digital signal processor with two high quality audio input channels and four output ones as well as a USB computer link. Additionally, .amic offers two external connections for remote volume control.

NOTE: A maximum of 16 inputs in parallel can be connected to the same control potentiometer. All amplifiers ground must be linked.

4

3.2. About .amiclab

.amiclab is a graphic editor software for Windows® allowing easy and friendly interactive control of all .amic functionalities.

Its interface looks like hardware equipment, but has all software benefits as curve graphic editing, presets loading and saving as files, etc.

3.3. Features

.amic hardware has two audio inputs for amplifier's internal connectors and four audio outputs, two of them for the amplifier's internal connector, the two others for two external phone jacks labelled STACK 1 et STACK 2.

Firmware is the code used to operate .amic hardware, giving it audio processing features described in the following block diagram:

There are four of such processing chains in .amic DSP, one per audio output. Each of these chains will be named "processing channel" not to be confused with an amplifier's channel.

.amiclab offers a powerful and easy to use graphic user interface to control and edit all parameters related to .amic firmware's features in real time.

5

4. SOFTWARE INSTALLATION

4.1. System requirements

.amiclab needs a PC with Windows® 98SE/ME/2000/XP/VISTA/7 x32 x64 (a Pentium III 600MHz or more with 128 MB of RAM or greater is recommended), a USB port (1.1 or 2.0), and a VGA video card with a minimum 800x600 resolution (1024x768 recommended). The computer doesn't act upon audio processor efficiency, since all processing is done inside .amic DSP. It is only used to graphically edit parameters.

Before being able to use .amiclab to communicate with .amic, you have to install the USB driver. This driver allows the PC to recognize .amic, and gives .amiclab a method to communicate with hardware.

4.2. USB driver installation

In order to install the USB driver, you'll need "amicusb.inf" and "amicusb.sys" files from .amiclab CD-ROM:

1.Connect the USB cable between .amic and the computer. A "Found New Hardware Wizard" window will appear.

2.Select "Install from a list or specific location" and type the previous files path.

The wizard will automatically install the driver.

4.3. Graphic editor installation

1. Run the "setup_amiclab.exe" file and follow installer instructions.

2. .amiclab will be installed in a folder named .amiclab, in the hard disk "Program Files" folder. During installation, you can choose a different location for the software.

3.Confirm each installation process window by clicking on "Next" button. Installation may be cancelled at any time by clicking on "Cancel" button.

4.When installation is complete, click "Finish" to go back to Windows® desktop or automatically launch .amiclab if "Launch .amiclab" option has been chosen.

6

4.4. Graphic editor launch

You can launch .amiclab at any time with the "Start" button in Windows® task bar. You just have to select "All programs  amiclab".

4.5. Graphic editor uninstallation

At any time, if you want to remove .amiclab from the system you can uninstall it using Windows® standard procedure ("Add or Remove programs" from the Control Panel).

5. GRAPHIC USER INTERFACE

.amiclab displays as a "virtual" rack of stacked units. Each unit looks like a rack equipment and will be named "panel". Each panel groups a set of controls giving information or editing individual parameters.

All panels except the title bar and the main panel (just under the title bar) can be displayed as full panels or reduced ("collapsed" or "folded") panels. Click on the far left button of each panel to change this display format.

All parameters can be edited on a full panel. On the other hand, a reduced

panel only displays information (you can sometimes edit some parameters, but in a very limited way).

7

If several panels are fully displayed, a part of the graphic interface may disappear from screen. To access these hidden parts, use reduced panel displays or move the rack using its brackets (parts receiving screws on each side of the panel). Over these areas, cursor is displayed as crossing arrows. In order to move the rack, you just have to left-click on the brackets and drag the rack holding down the mouse button.

Since .amiclab is designed as a rack with control panels, almost all its parameters look like real controls: potentiometers, faders, buttons... Let's detail the editing procedure for each of these elements:

5.1. Potentiometers

.amiclab has 3 kinds of potentiometers: small white cap, small black cap and large black cap.

All are handled the same way: in order to

rotate a potentiometer, point the mouse on it, left-click (hold down the mouse button) and drag up (or right) to rotate clockwise, or down (or left) to rotate counter clockwise.

A potentiometer value may also be edited by turning the mouse wheel while pointing on it. Double-click on the potentiometer to reset it to a default preset value (depending on the

parameter).

5.2. Faders

.amiclab fader is a sliding graphic control. To move it, point and left-click with your mouse on it and holding down the button, drag it up or down.

Double-click on the fader to reset it to a default preset value.

5.3. Buttons

.amiclab offers several types of buttons.

All of them work the same way: to activate a button, point and left-click on its icon with your mouse.

8

5.4. Selectors

Some parameters are set using drop-down value lists. These controls display a down arrow on their right.

In order to choose a new value in the list, click on the control and a list will appear with all available values. Select the new value by left-clicking on it. The list will close and the control will be set with the new value.

5.5. Menus

Menus are graphic objects operating like selectors.

The only difference is that menus may have some greyed ("non-available") items (depending on the current mode).

5.6. Numerical values

In .amiclab several already mentioned controls have a combined display for numerical values. This display also allows editing of the parameter value.

In order to edit a numerical value, you just have to point and left-click on it. The control automatically enters the edit mode allowing to type the desired value on keyboard (only numbers, don't type units).

Once editing is done, press ENTER to update the

control. Pressing ESC cancels the editing and previous value is kept.

5.7. Title bar

Title bar is a typical Windows® program title bar. Edited preset name appears on far left (here working .amic). Buttons on far right of the title bar minimize and maximize the window, and exit program. Program name is written near these buttons.

The title bar (except the buttons surface) may be used to move the rack anywhere on the screen (cursor displays as crossed arrows).

In addition to the exit button, Windows® standard Alt+F4 key shortcut can be used to exit program.

9

5.8. Main panel

It's the only fixed size panel. It contains the following items:

5.8.1. Menus

These menus give access to a variety of program options. .amiclab offers two different menus: FILE and DEVICE.

FILE contains typical commands to manage presets as files. NEW, LOAD and SAVE are always available commands:

NEW initialize the current preset, resetting it to default values.

LOAD reload a preset previously saved as a file in the computer. Executing this command opens a Windows® typical file selection dialog box.

SAVE stores the current preset as a file in the computer to reload it in the future. Executing this command opens a Windows® typical file selection dialog box.

DEVICE contains several commands relative to .amic hardware: RECALL, STORE, PASSWORD and FIRMWARE. These commands are not always available, depending if .amiclab is connected to the hardware or not.

RECALL extracts the preset from .amic hardware (this preset is automatically extracted from the hardware). This is only available if .amiclab is connected with the hardware. During the recall process, a progress dialog box is displayed to provide feedback of the operation progress.

10

STORE sends the currently edited preset to .amic hardware (to become the automatically extracted preset from hardware). This is only available if .amiclab is connected with the hardware. During the store process, a progress dialog box is displayed to provide feedback of the operation progress.

PASSWORD opens a dialog box allowing to change .amic hardware access password. This is only available if .amiclab is connected with the hardware.

You can choose a blank (no character) password if you don't want the program to open this password dialog box when hardware is connected.

FIRMWARE is used to update .amic firmware (internal code). An Ecler supplied file with "fw" extension is used to update firmware (visit our web site to download the last version). Executing this command opens a Windows® typical file selection dialog box.

This is only available if .amiclab is not connected with the hardware ("CONNECT" button deactivated).

If hardware is password protected, a password dialog box opens to type the password and validate the operation.

11

"Reset" button cancels the current password if you lost or forgot it (see CONNECT button section).

During the updating process, a progress dialog box is displayed to provide feedback of the operation progress.

If an error occurs at any time during these operations, a warning message appears in a dialog box to inform the user.

5.8.2. CONNECT button

CONNECT button is used to open/close a connection between .amic and the software.

When .amiclab is not connected with .amic, CONNECT button is deactivated and greyed. On the other hand, when .amiclab is connected with the hardware, the button is lit in variable intensity red signalling its active status.

In order to avoid clicks and noise when communication is established software mutes the sound the time for the parameters to be send from the editor (with their current value).

If hardware is password protected, a password dialog box opens to type the password and validate the operation.

12

This dialog box has a "Reset..." button to cancel the current password if you lost or forgot it. Clicking Reset opens a new dialog box to type the security code answer supplied by Ecler.

Once correct security code answer has been typed, .amic hardware password is initialized (no password). Later, user can reset the password using the DEVICE:PASSWORD menu.

5.8.3. Signal generator

Signal generator parameters are common to all channels so they appear on the main panel.

SELECT allows to choose which preset signal to produce: Sine wave (variable frequency), Polarity (specific waveform with variable frequency to check speakers polarity), White Noise and Pink Noise.

FREQUENCY is made of a potentiometer and a numerical value to select the signal generator

frequency when Sine wave or Polarity has been chosen (otherwise, these controls are deactivated).

NOTE: Polarity signal has the following shape:

13

In terms of spectrum this signal is made of two frequency components with the same amplitude: f and 2*f. 2*f is the displayed value for FREQUENCY parameter to avoid loosing the signal for frequencies higher than 24kHz (according to sampling theorem).

5.8.4. Level meters

The main panel has level meters to display input and output levels in real time for each processing channel (when .amiclab is connected with hardware).

5.8.5. About...

Ecler's logo is an editor's hot zone displaying "About .amiclab " information window when you click on it.

14

5.9. Graphic panel

The graphic panel displays the frequency response curve for the gain according to applied filters (crossover, parametric equalization) and input gain with each amplifier processing channel values.

5.9.1. Graphic

The graphic displays frequency response with frequencies on X-axis (logarithmic scale, in Hz) between 10 and 20000Hz, and gain on Y-axis (in dB) between +12dB and -30dB, or between +12dB and -72dB (depending on the vertical range button status).

Only CHANNEL button selected channels and GRAPH buttons selected function's effect (input gain, crossovers, and parametric equalizer) are displayed. The graphic display can be solid (filled curves) or outlined, depending on SOLID button status.

Only one of the four channels is the current or "active" one (displayed in the upper info bar). The current channel is displayed with more intensity than others (that are displayed as semi-transparent lines). Clicking on a panel selects its channel (whether it is fully displayed or not).

A muted channel displays as a horizontal line stuck to the bottom part of the graphic.

Only one filter is taken as current for the current channel. This filter individual response displays as a white line. Clicking on a panel selects the related filter (only for a fully displayed panel). For parametric equalization, each of the 10 filters can be individually selected in the parametric filters table.

15

Non-flat filter values for the current channel are graphically displayed as circular markers. Low-pass crossover is labelled "L", high-pass crossover is labelled "H", and parametric filters are identified by a number from 1 to 10.

The graphic allows filter parameters editing using their marker. For this, you just have to point on the marker of the filter you want to edit, click on it and drag it in the graphic holding down the mouse button.

The current filter marker is displayed with more intensity than others (that are displayed with semi-transparent colours), and plays an animation with arrows to show available moving directions. A crossover can only be dragged horizontally (Frequency parameter). High-Shelf, Low Shelf and Parametric EQ filters can be dragged horizontally (Frequency parameter) and vertically (Gain parameter).

For filters with a Q parameter (Parametric EQ, All-Pass order 2), Q value may also be edited through graphic markers with the mouse wheel.

5.9.2. CHANNEL buttons

They determine which channels will simultaneously be displayed, even if only one is the current or "active" channel (appearing in the info bar).

Each channel curve has a different colour: red for AMPCH1, blue for AMPCH2, green for STACK1 and yellow for STACK2.

5.9.3. GRAPH buttons

They include (or exclude) input gain, crossover or parametric equalization filters algorithm effect for the graphic.

5.9.4. Vertical range

This graphic display command selects one of two value ranges for graphic Y-axis (gain in dB).

If the button is a down pointing arrow the gain range is +12dB – -30dB. If it is an up pointing arrow, the gain range is +12dB – -72dB.

5.9.5. Graphic curves filling

This other command is also displayed in the graphic. It determines if the graphic curves will be filled (solid) or not.

A black SOLID word over a white rectangle means the graphic curve is filled. A white SOLID word over a black rectangle means the graphic curve is outlined.

5.9.6. Info bar

The graphic display has an upper status bar giving information about:

Current ("active") channel: its name is displayed over a corresponding colour rectangle.Current ("active") filter: its name is displayed near current channel name.

Parameters: depending on the current filter, parameters names and values are displayed.

16

5.10. Fully displayed panel

Fully displayed channel panel graphically shows parameters related to the channel audio processing function offered by .amic (see paragraph Features).

A fully displayed processing channel panel displays all editable parameters, grouped in sections.

5.10.1. INPUT

Input section contains INPUT SELECT, INPUT GAIN, MUTE and INVERT parameters plus a level meter graphical display.

INPUT SELECT selects this channel input amongst available sources. Options are "Input Ch1", "Input Ch2", "Input Ch1+Ch2" (sum of the input channels) or "Signal Gen.". This last one refers to an internally generated signal through the signal generator controls from the main panel.

INPUT GAIN is made of a fader and a linked numerical value. With this parameter you can apply a gain up to +12dB or an attenuation up to –84dB to the selected input signal.

MUTE allows software to mute audio.

INVERT changes the input signal phase (of 180 degrees).

Level meters display the channel input signal level after gain and the output signal after all processing (when .amiclab is connected with hardware). Used scale is the silk printed one on the fader.

17

5.10.2. CROSSOVER

Crossover parameters group contains FILTER TYPE, EDGE LINK and FREQUENCY parameters for each of the two crossover filters (low-pass and high-pass). These filters split the frequency spectrum in different parts matching each speaker.

FILTER TYPE selects the crossover filter type. Following filter types are available: Butterworth 6, 12, 18 or 24dB/oct

Bessel 12, 18 or 24dB/oct Linkwitz-Riley 12 or 24dB/oct

EDGE LINK links cut-off frequencies of a filter and of its opposite (high-pass  low-pass, low-pass  high-pass) in other channels, to edit only one parameter but simultaneously control two. For example, if you activate EDGE LINK between AMPCH1 crossover low-pass and AMPCH2, editing AMPCH1 low-pass filter frequency value will simultaneously change AMPCH2 high-pass filter frequency value.

FREQUENCY is made of a potentiometer and a linked numerical value to set the filter cut-off frequency within 20Hz – 20 kHz range.

5.10.3. REMOTE

REMOTE section assigns available external remote volume controls to .amic processing channels.

CONTROL parameter displays a list of available volume controls for the channel:

None means no remote volume control will affect the channel volume

A and B allow to select which of the two external controls will edit the channel volume.

This section level meter displays the processing channel current value (when .amiclab is connected with the hardware).

18

5.10.4. LINK GROUP

The LINK GROUP control appears under the REMOTE section. This control links parameters from several channels, for an easier parameter editing with different speaker configurations.

There are two link groups: group 1 and group 2. All parameters from the same link group channels will be simultaneously edited.

The only parameters not to be affected by this linking function are

INPUT SELECT, MUTE, INVERT and DELAY. This means these parameters will never be linked, and their value has to be individually set.

When a new channel is assigned to a link group to which another channel is already assigned, the new one changes all its parameters (except previously mentioned ones) to reflect oldest channel parameter values.

5.10.5. DELAY

DELAY section sets an independent delay time for each channel. This delay time will be applied to the audio signal in order to precisely align speakers.

Delay time can be set with different units depending on UNITS parameter. Available units are Milliseconds, Seconds, centimetres and meters. DELAY can be set in 20.83 micro-seconds steps (minimum).

The delay memory is a common resource for all processing channels. You have a 910 ms total delay time to share between all channels. So it's possible for a value to be unavailable (the value doesn't change anymore even if you keep on rotating a potentiometer) when you try to increase a channel delay time if

another channel uses the rest of necessary memory. So 910 ms of total delay is the limit.

In order to avoid weird noises and clicks in the output signal, edition made with DELAY potentiometer is only validated when the mouse button is released. Audio is then temporarily muted (for a variable time, depending on delay time), for the memory to be set.

19

5.10.6. PARAMETRIC EQ

This section groups ten parametric filters in serial mode for each .amic channel. This is very useful to precisely shape the frequency response.

The upper part contains ON/OFF, FILTER TYPE, FREQUENCY, GAIN and Q parameters. These parameters always refer to one of these 10 filters, displayed as CURRENT FILTER.

Parametric equalizer ON/OFF parameter affects all filters from this section. With OFF (unlighted button), no filter acts (all are bypassed). With ON, operation is determined by other parameters.

FILTER TYPE selects used filter type. Following filter types are available.

Bypass means no filtering is done.

Parametric EQ (FREQUENCY, GAIN, Q) is a typical parametric equalizer filter with settings for central frequency (between 20Hz and 20kHz), gain or attenuation at central frequency (between +12dB and -60dB) and band width (1/Q, Q between 0.3 and 200).

Low-Shelf and High-Shelf with 6 and 12dB/oct roll-off (FREQUENCY, GAIN), typical Low-Shelf and High-Shelf filters with settings for cut-off frequency (between 20Hz and 20kHz) and gain or attenuation (between +12dB and –60dB).

Low-Pass and High-Pass with 6 and 12dB/oct roll-off (FREQUENCY) are low-pass and high-pass filters with variable cut-off frequency (between 20Hz and 20kHz).

All-Pass order 1 and 2 (FREQUENCY, Q order 2) are all-pass filters not affecting the signal amplitude but the phase of some frequencies (on the other hand, a delay modifies phase for all frequencies). Main application for this type of filter is phase error compensation in speakers or errors with different causes e.g. phase change generated by a crossover.

Parameters within brackets are available for this filter type. Other parameters are deactivated and can't be edited.

FREQUENCY is made of a potentiometer and a linked numerical value allowing to set the filter cut-off frequency (or central frequency, depending on the filter type).

GAIN is also made of a potentiometer and a linked numerical value to set gain or attenuation for filters if this parameter is applicable.

Q (filter form factor) is made of a potentiometer and a linked numerical value allowing to set filters band width value (1/Q) if this parameter is applicable.

The lower part of this section contains a ten-row list, one for each of the ten parametric equalization filters. Each row displays information about the relative filter, as filter type, frequency, gain and Q (if applicable).

Only five of the available filters are displayed at the same time. To display the other ones, use the vertical sliding bar on the right side of the list.

Click on a row to select the corresponding filter and upper controls (FILTER TYPE, FREQUENCY, GAIN, Q) will be updated to reflect current filter values (including its number in CURRENT FILTER). Selected row is displayed with a greater intensity and is highlighted with a flashing frame cursor.

20

5.10.7. COMP/LIMIT (Compressor/limiter)

Compressor/limiter section offers the necessary controls to correctly match maximum output levels and protection needs. Its controls edit the relative parameters: Compressor/Limiter ON/OFF, THRESHOLD, RATIO, ATTACK and RELEASE.

Compressor/limiter ON/OFF switch quickly activates or deactivates all the section. So it's easy to quickly hear any difference with or without compressor/ limiter. With OFF (unlighted button), other section controls are deactivated.

THRESHOLD is made of a potentiometer and a linked numerical value to determine operating signal level for compression (or limitation). This parameter setting range is +12dB – -48dB.

RATIO is also made of a potentiometer and a linked numerical value. This parameter determines how much the volume is reduced when the signal level is higher than THRESHOLD. 1:1 value means the signal level won't change. With an extreme setting like inf:1 it operates as a signal limiter and any signal higher than THRESHOLD will be maintained at this threshold level.

ATTACK (potentiometer and numerical value) determines how fast the compressor/limiter reacts and changes output volume once the THRESHOLD level has been reached. Its setting range is 0.1 ms – 150 ms.

RELEASE (potentiometer and numerical value) determines how long it takes for the compressor/limiter output volume to return to unity gain once the signal level has dropped under the THRESHOLD. In this case, the setting range is 1 ms – 5 s.

Correctly setting compressor's ATTACK and RELEASE parameters is not an easy task: too low values result in excessive low frequency distortion and too high values could make a limiter useless if damages already occurred when limitation starts.

In order to help you correctly setting these values, the AUTO parameter automatically set them using the crossover high-pass filter cut-off frequency.

When AUTO parameter is activated, ATTACK and RELEASE controls are deactivated for editing, but still display used value.

21

5.11. Reduced ("collapsed") channel panel

The reduced processing channel panel displays channel main parameters values. It is useful to save software screen space. Displayed parameters are:

LINK GROUP

INPUT SELECT and INPUT GAINMUTE and INVERT

FILTER TYPE et FREQUENCY for crossover filters (low-pass and high-pass)DELAY

Parametric equalizer ON/OFF

Compressor/Limiter ON/OFF and REDUCTION LEVEL

LINK GROUP, MUTE, INVERT, Parametric equalizer ON/OFF and Compressor/Limiter ON/OFF are the only parameters you can edit from the reduced channel panel.

22

CONTENIDO DEL MANUAL
1. NOTA IMPORTANTE	24
1.1. Limpieza	24
2. INSTALACIÓN	24
3. INTRODUCCIÓN	24
3.1. Acerca del .amic	24
3.2. Acerca de .amiclab	25
3.3. Funcionalidad ofrecida	25
4. INSTALACIÓN DEL SOFTWARE	26
4.1. Requisitos de Sistema	26
4.2. Instalación del driver USB	26
4.3. Instalación del Editor Gráfico	26
4.4. Ejecución del Editor Gráfico	27
4.5. Desinstalación del Editor Gráfico	27
5. INTERFAZ GRÁFICO DE USUARIO	27
5.1. Potenciómetros	28
5.2. Faders	28
5.3. Botones	28
5.4. Selectores	29
5.5. Menús	29
5.6. Valores Numéricos	29
5.7. Barra de Título	29
5.8. Panel Principal	30
5.8.1. Menús	30
5.8.2. Botón CONNECT	32
5.8.3. Generador de Señal	33
5.8.4. Vúmetros	34
5.8.5. Acerca de...	34
5.9. Panel Gráfico	35
5.9.1. Gráfica	35
5.9.2. Botones CHANNEL	36
5.9.3. Botones GRAPH	36
5.9.4. Rango Vertical	36
5.9.5. Rellenado de gráfica	36
5.9.6. Línea de Información	36
5.10. Panel de Canal Ampliado	37
5.10.1. INPUT	37
5.10.2. CROSSOVER	38
5.10.3. REMOTE	38
5.10.4. LINK GROUP	39
5.10.5. DELAY	39
5.10.6. PARAMETRIC EQ	40
5.10.7. COMP/LIMIT	41
5.11. Panel de Canal Reducido	42
6. CARACTERÍSTICAS TÉCNICAS	83
7. DIAGRAMAS	85

Todos los datos están sujetos a variación debida a tolerancias de producción. ECLER S.A. se reserva el derecho de realizar cambios o mejoras en la fabricación o diseño que pudieran afectar las especificaciones.

23

1. NOTA IMPORTANTE

Enhorabuena. Vd posee el resultado de un cuidado diseño y de una esmerada fabricación. Agradecemos su confianza por haber elegido nuestra tarjeta procesadora digital .amic.

Para conseguir la máxima operatividad de la tarjeta y su máximo rendimiento, es MUY IMPORTANTE antes de su conexión, leer detenidamente y tener presentes las consideraciones que en este manual se especifican.

Para garantizar el óptimo funcionamiento, recomendamos que su mantenimiento sea realizado por nuestros Servicios Técnicos.

1.1. Limpieza

El panel de mandos no deberá limpiarse con ninguna sustancia disolvente, abrasiva o derivada del petróleo, ya que se corre el riesgo de deteriorar la pintura y serigrafía. Para su limpieza emplearemos un paño ligeramente humedecido en agua y con un poco de jabón líquido. Nunca utilizaremos para "rascar" la placa de mandos objetos punzantes o erosivos.

2. INSTALACIÓN

1.Desconecte el amplificador de la alimentación.

2.Retire los tornillos, saque la tapa y la carátula ciega posterior del amplificador.

3.Retire los dos “jumpers” del conector situado en el circuito de entrada de la etapa. Guarde los “jumpers” y la carátula ciega. Los necesitará más adelante si desea volver a utilizar la etapa sin el filtro.

4.Coloque el filtro en su ubicación del panel posterior y conecte el cable del filtro (ver diagrama).

5.Sujete el filtro y la tapa con los tornillos.

PRECAUCIÓN: El montaje del filtro debe ser realizado por personal técnico cualificado.

3. INTRODUCCIÓN 3.1. Acerca del .amic

.amic es una tarjeta de ampliación para los amplificadores de la serie DPA de ECLER. Las tarjetas de ampliación posibilitan la incorporación de nuevas prestaciones a los amplificadores como por ejemplo crossovers, filtros paramétricos, limitadores...

En particular, la tarjeta .amic incorpora un potente procesador digital de señal totalmente programable, dispone de dos canales de audio de entrada y cuatro de salida de alta calidad, y proporciona conectividad con un ordenador a través de una conexión USB. Además de todo esto, el

.amic incluye dos conexiones externas para disponer de control de volumen remoto.

NOTA: Puede conectar un máximo de 16 entradas en paralelo a un mismo potenciómetro de control. Es imprescindible que todas las masas de los amplificadores estén unidas.

24

3.2. Acerca de .amiclab

.amiclab es el software de edición gráfica para Windows® que posibilita el control interactivo de toda la funcionalidad del .amic de una forma sencilla y amigable.

Su interfaz simula las características de un dispositivo hardware, pero presentando las ventajas del software como la edición gráfica de curvas, la carga y salvaguarda de presets en ficheros, etc.

3.3. Funcionalidad ofrecida

El hardware del .amic dispone de dos entradas de audio procedentes de los conectores internos del amplificador, así mismo, dispone de cuatro salidas de audio, dos de las cuales van al conector interno del amplificador, y las otras dos van a los dos jacks ¼" externos denominados STACK 1 y STACK 2.

El firmware es el código usado para ejecutar el harware del .amic, proporciona una funcionalidad para procesar audio que está esquematizada en el siguiente diagrama de bloques:

Todos estos bloques que forman una cadena de procesado están replicados cuatro veces en el DSP del .amic, una por cada canal de salida de audio. A cada una de estas cadenas denominamos canal de procesado, para diferenciarlo del canal del amplificador

.amiclab ofrece un interfaz gráfico de usuario potente y fácil de usar para controlar y editar en tiempo real todos los parámetros relacionados con la funcionalidad ofrecida por el firmware del .amic.

25

4. INSTALACIÓN DEL SOFTWARE

4.1. Requisitos del Sistema

.amiclab requiere un PC ejecutando Windows® 98SE/ME/2000/XP/VISTA/7 x32 x64 (se recomienda un Pentium III 600MHz o superior, con un mínimo de 128 MB de RAM), un puerto USB (1.1 o 2.0), y tarjeta VGA con una resolución de al menos 800x600 (recomendado 1024x768). El ordenador no influye en el rendimiento del procesado de audio, ya que éste se realiza en el DSP del .amic íntegramente. El ordenador únicamente es usado para editar los parámetros gráficamente.

Antes de poder usar el .amiclab para comunicarse con el .amic, es necesario instalar el driver de dispositivo USB. Este driver hace posible que el PC reconozca el .amic, y proporciona al .amiclab la manera de comunicarse con el hardware.

4.2. Instalación del driver USB

Para instalar el driver USB debe tener accesibles los ficheros "amicusb.inf" y "amicusb.sys" suministrados en el CD-ROM de .amiclab:

1.Conectar el cable USB entre el .amic y el ordenador. Aparece el asistente para “Nuevo hardware encontrado”.

2.Seleccionar la opción “Instalar desde una lista o ubicación específica” e introducir la ubicación de los ficheros antes mencionados.

El asistente instalará el driver automáticamente.

4.3. Instalación del Editor Gráfico

1. Ejecutar el archivo "setup_amiclab.exe" y siguir las instrucciones del programa de instalación.

2. .amiclab será instalado en una carpeta llamada .amiclab dentro de los “Archivos de programa” del disco duro. Durante la instalación existe la posibilidad de seleccionar una ubicación diferente para el software.

3.Confirmar cada pantalla durante el procedimiento de instalación pulsando el botón “Next”. La instalación puede ser abortada en cualquier momento pulsando sobre el botón “Cancel”.

4.Cuando la instalación se haya completado, pulsar el botón “Finish” para regresar al escritorio de Windows®, o ejecutar el .amiclab automáticamente si se encuentra seleccionada la opción “Launch .amiclab”.

26

4.4. Ejecución del Editor Gráfico

En cualquier momento es posible ejecutar el .amiclab desde el menú "Inicio" de la barra de tareas de Windows®, seleccionando “Todos los Programas  amiclab”.

4.5. Desinstalación del Editor Gráfico

Si en algún momento se desea eliminar el .amiclab del sistema, se puede desinstalar el software usando el método estándar de Windows® a través de la opción “Agregar o quitar programas” del panel de control.

5. INTERFAZ GRÁFICO DE USUARIO

.amiclab se muestra en pantalla como un rack “virtual” de dispositivos apilados unos encima de otros. Cada uno de estos dispositivos, que llamaremos paneles y que gráficamente se asemejan a una unidad hardware, agrupan a un conjunto de controles que, o bien simplemente muestran información, o bien representan parámetros que pueden ser editados individualmente.

Salvo la barra de título y el panel principal (el situado justamente debajo de la barra de título), el resto de los paneles pueden ser visualizados en modo ampliado o reducido. Un botón situado en el extremo izquierdo de cada uno de los paneles posibilita esta acción.

Cuando un panel está ampliado, todos sus parámetros pueden ser editados. Por el contrario, cuando un panel está reducido, únicamente muestra información (en algún caso es posible editar algún parámetro, pero de forma muy limitada).

27