Ensemble Designs 9670 User Manual
Model 9670
LevelTrack Audio Loudness Control
Automatic Gain Control Software
User Guide for Models:
7555, 7660, 7660-XV, 9550, 9550-XA, 9600 and 9600-XV
Family of 3G/HD/SD Embedders, Disembedders, Data Inserters
and Video Processing Frame Synchronizers
Revision 1.5
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LevelTrack™ Audio Loudness Control AGC Software Option
Contents
LevelTrack™ Loudness Control: An Audio Loudness AGC Software Option for Avenue
Systems 5
Overview 5
Software Requirements 6
Configuring LevelTrack Audio Loudness Control AGC 6
Entering the Key 7
Aud Cfg Menu 8
Meter Mode 8
Meter Position 8
Average Time 8
Aud AGC Menu 10
AGC Master 10
Final Gain 10
Silence Limit 10
Target Level 10
Spread 10
Transition Time 11
Max Atten 11
Max Gain 11
Chart 12
Mix 1:4, Mix 5:8, Mix 9:12, Mix 13:16 Menus 13
Combinations of Input Channels 13
AGC Enabled 13
Mix Mode 14
Out Bus Assignments 16
Input/Output Level Control 16
Conguring Audio Output 16
Conguring Digital Audio Outputs 16
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LevelTrack™ Audio Loudness Control AGC Software Option
Configuration Example for Calm Act Compliance 17
Typical Settings 17
Troubleshooting 18
The AGC is not being applied to the channel I am monitoring on the chart 18
The Mix Menus in Avenue PC are incomplete or garbled 18
The Mix Menus on the Touch Screen are not responding 18
Thirty-Day Demo 19
Warranty and Factory Service 19
Warranty 19
Factory Service 19
Ensemble White Paper on Dialnorm - Broadcaster
Compliance with the Calm Act 20
Glossary 23
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LevelTrack™ Audio Loudness Control AGC Software Option
LevelTrack™ Loudness Control: An Audio Loudness AGC Software Option for Avenue Systems
Overview
The LevelTrack Audio Loudness Control Automatic Gain Control (AGC) Software option adds an
operator configurable audio level management system to Avenue signal processing modules.
LevelTrack Loudness Control will correct mismatched audio levels between different program sources
or segments within a program. Errors of this type are regrettably common due to inconsistencies
between different providers and program elements.
LevelTrack Loudness Control will automatically monitor the levels in up to 16 audio channels. Based
upon the history in each channel, LevelTrack Loudness Control applies gradual changes to prevent
the audio level from dropping below or exceeding user programmable thresholds. The operator can
apply this automatic level control to an individual channel, stereo pair, or a Dolby™ Surround group. By
adjusting the overall level of the signal rather than masking the errors with compression, LevelTrack
Loudness Control will not upset the internal dynamics of the program material.
LevelTrack Loudness Control provides operator control over the following parameters:
• audio target level and spread
• transition time
• maximum gain and attenuation
This flexibility allows the operator to customize LevelTrack Loudness Control to suit the specific audio
level challenges in a particular installation. The operator can adjust all of these parameters through the
Avenue Control System. LevelTrack Loudness Control operates downstream of the manual audio level
adjustments that are already provided in Avenue modules. This allows the automatic feature to assist
the operator when needed without needing to be enabled or disabled.
The LevelTrack Loudness Control product is available through a software license and does not require
any additional hardware.
The following Avenue Modules can be used with LevelTrack Audio Loudness Control AGC Software:
• 7555 HD/SD Video Processing Frame Synchronizer
• 7660 HD/SD Embedder, Disembedder and Data Inserter
• 7660-XV HD/SD Embedder, Disembedder and Data Inserter – Additional Video Outputs
• 9550 3G/HD/SD Video Processing Frame Synchronizer
• 9550-XA 3G/HD/SD Video Processing Frame Synchronizer – Additional Audio Outputs
• 9600 3G/HD/SD Embedder, Disembedder and Data Inserter
• 9600-XV 3G/HD/SD Embedder, Disembedder and Data Inserter – Additional Video Outputs
Note: Modules require software version 2.2.10 or higher and Avenue PC must be version
2.0.15 or higher. Software upgrades are free and can be downloaded from our
website. Please see details in the “Software Requirements” on page 6.
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LevelTrack™ Audio Loudness Control AGC Software Option
Software Requirements
Make sure you have installed software version 2.2.10 or higher in your Avenue module (7555, 7660,
7660-XV, 9550, 9550-XA, 9600, 9600-XV) and the latest version of Avenue PC (version 2.0.15 or higher)
in order for LevelTrack Audio Loudness Control AGC Software to function properly. Software updates
are free. You must have a valid serial number for your module and for Avenue PC in order to download
the software.
To download the latest software, go to the following URLs:
http://www.ensembledesigns.com/support/avenue-support/avenue-software
http://www.ensembledesigns.com/support/avenue-support/avenue-pc-software
Configuring LevelTrack Audio Loudness Control AGC
Configuring LevelTrack Audio Loudness Control AGC Software involves the menus in the table
immediately below. Each menu is discussed in greater detail in the subsequent pages in this user
guide.
While the menu examples in this document are taken from the Avenue 9600 Module, these menus and
controls are applicable to other Avenue Modules that are compatible with LevelTrack Audio Loudness
Control AGC Software.
License Menu Use this menu to enter the key provided by Ensemble Designs in
order to activate LevelTrack Audio Loudness Control AGC Software.
See page 7 for details.
Aud Cfg Menu Use this menu to establish settings for the controls Meter Mode
(LKFS or dBFS), Meter Position (pre or post fader) and LKFS or
dBFS Average Time. See page 8 for details.
Aud AGC Menu Use this menu to configure most of the settings for LevelTrack
Loudness Control, including the Audio Target Level, Spread and
Transition Time. See page 10 for details.
Mix 1:4, Mix 5:8, Mix 9:12,
Mix 13:16 Menus
Use these menus to configure how you want the mixer channels to
work with each other and to Enable AGC for specific channels or
associated channels, such as for stereo or Surround Sound. See page
13 for details.
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LevelTrack™ Audio Loudness Control AGC Software Option
Entering the Key
1. Launch Avenue PC software. (Alternately, the Avenue Touch Screen can be used.)
2. From Avenue PC, select the frame and then the module to display the module’s menus.
3. Select the module’s License menu. The License menu displays.
4. Enter the key provided by Ensemble Designs into the Key field, then press Enter on your keyboard.
If the key you entered is valid, the Status field will display “Good.” If it is invalid, the Status field will
display “Invalid.” If you do not enter a key and press Enter, the Status field will display “None.”
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License Avenue PC Menu
Avenue 9670 - page 7
LevelTrack™ Audio Loudness Control AGC Software Option
Aud Cfg Menu
Within the Audio Configuration menu, the Meter Mode, Meter Position, and Average Time controls,
discussed on this page, relate specifically to the LevelTrack Loudness Control functionality. For detailed
information regarding the other controls in this menu, please refer to your specific module manual
(7555, 7660 and 7660-XV, 9550 and 9550-XA, 9600 and 9600-XV).
Meter Mode
Select between LKFS and dBFS. This selection determines the method by which the audio is analyzed
and measured, and will impact how Audio AGC behaves.
• LKFS – LKFS (Loudness K-weighted relative to Full Scale) is a loudness amplitude level based on
the ITU-R BS.1770 Loudness Measurement Method. It is a scale for audio measurement similar to
VU or Peak, but rather than measuring gain, it measures perceived loudness. Based on a complex
algorithm, this method takes into account audio processing that increases perceived loudness
without increasing gain. LKFS is the measurement method required to comply with the
Calm Act.
• dBFS – dBFS (Decibels relative to Full Scale) is a more traditional method used for measuring
audio volume. For more information on decibels and dBFS, please refer to the ”Glossary” on page
23.
Meter Position
The Meter Position effects both the Final Average (yellow line) on the AGC chart and the audio input
level for the 9690 Audio Compliance and Monitoring Software. The Meter Position is factory set to
Post.
• Pre (pre-fader) – When Pre is selected, the Final Average (yellow line) on the AGC chart will
not reflect any manual adjustments made in the mixer to the gain level of the channel being
monitored. Similarly, the chart and recording in the 9690 Audio Compliance and Monitoring
Software will reflect the audio input level coming from your source prior to any gain or
attenuation being applied in the mixer.
• Post (post-fader) – When Post is selected, the Final Average (yellow line) on the AGC chart
reflects manual adjustments made in the mixer to the gain level of the channel being monitored.
Similarly, the chart and recording in the 9690 Audio Compliance and Monitoring Software
reflect the audio input level coming from your source after any gain or attenuation is applied in
the mixer.
Average Time
Use this control to set the amount of time used to determine the LKFS or dBFS average. 10 seconds is a
typical setting.
Note: Although the control is labeled ”LKFS Avg Time,” if you have selected dBFS as your
meter mode, the LKFS Avg time control will actually be reflecting dBFS Avg time.
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LevelTrack™ Audio Loudness Control AGC Software Option
Aud Cfg Avenue PC Menu
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LevelTrack™ Audio Loudness Control AGC Software Option
Aud AGC Menu
The following is a detailed description of the LevelTrack Audio Loudness Control AGC controls and
how they are used:
AGC Master
• Off – When set to Off the LevelTrack Loudness Control AGC functions are turned off. At the
moment that LevelTrack Loudness Control is switched off it will smoothly reduce the gain or
attenuation (if any) that it had been applying.
• On – When set to On, the LevelTrack Loudness Control system engages. It will use the measured
dBFS or LKFS of the incoming signal to determine how much gain or attenuation should be
applied.
Final Gain
This status indicator shows how much correction, either gain or attenuation, the LevelTrack Loudness
Control system is applying.
Silence Limit
0 to -70, factory set to -40 LKFS.
Use this control to establish the value for what is considered to be silence. For example, when set to
the value of -40 LKFS, levels that are at and below that value are treated as silence.
Target Level
0 to -50, factory set to -24 LKFS.
The Target Level setting establishes the target output audio level. The LevelTrack Loudness Control
AGC function will automatically apply gain or attenuation to the signal to bring it within the range
defined by the Target Level and the Spread.
Note: LKFS is interpreted as the inverse of Dialnorm. For example, if your goal is to output
Dialnorm 24, set your Target Level at -24. For more detailed information regarding
Dialnorm and the Calm Act, see “Ensemble White Paper on Dialnorm - Broadcaster
Compliance with the Calm Act” on page 20.
Spread
0 to 50, factory set to 1 LKFS.
Set the Spread from x to x. The Spread indicates how far above and below the Target Level you want
to allow the AGC to go. A typical setting is 1. If, for example, the Target Level is set at -24 LKFS, and the
Spread is set at 1, the AGC will aim to keep the output signal between -25 and -23 LKFS.
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