Hosa Technology PHB-265 Owner's Manual
®
MODEL PHB-265
PATCH BAY
Photos, drawings and/or text may not be reproduced photographically, electronically, mechani-
cally or by any other means without the express, written consent of Hosa Technology, Inc.
OWNER'S MANUAL
©1999 Hosa Technology, Inc.
®
PHB-265
Switchable Patch Bay
Patch Bay Instructions
Three Different Patch Bays in One.
atch bays are intended for insertion into the
signal path between multi-track recorders and
P
cial studios. Connecting the patchbay between the
tape deck and mixer allows very convenient and
flexible signal-routing and re-patching, without
crawling behind the equipment every time a change
becomes necessary.
processors like reverbs, delays and compressors are
also routed through the patch bay, making it simple to
add such effects into the signal path by employing
short, patch-bay cables to connect one device's
output to another device's input at the front of the bay
(much the way old-time telephone operators con-
audio mixing consoles in home and commer-
The inputs and outputs of outboard signal
Patch-bay connections can seem confusing at first until you've grasped
the concepts. As you read this manual, it will help if you maintain a
vivid mental picture of the
Tip!
signal was water flowing through pipes, and your cables were hoses.
And when looking at a vacant jack in the bay, learn to think of it as a
source or a load, meaning that it's either offering signal to you or
accepting it
from
you, but never both!
nected telephone calls). Often, multiple patch bays
are used so that every sound source, every signal
processor, and every sound destination can be within
fingertip reach.
Certain conventions and terminology have
developed over the years, regarding the manner in
which studio gear is connected to the patch bay, and
regarding the type of patch bays used. This manual
follows and explains those conventions and attempts
to de-mystify the terminology used to describe the
various types of patch bays.
new Hosa model PHB-265 can be easily configured via front-panel switches to any of the three
main types of bays.
direction of signal flow
Each channel
, as though your audio
of your
Patch-Bay Types
Patch Bays can be divided into three main categories, based upon the way signal may be routed. These
types are often referred to by the terms "Open" (De-Normalled), "Full-Normalled", and "Half-Normalled".
What Does "Normalled" Mean?
In a
general sense
(normally) connected", and it refers to the verticallyoriented jack pairs at the rear of the bay. (See Fig.
1., this page.) For example, most recording studios
have the mixer's OUTPUTS "usually connected" with
the recorder's INPUTS as we have done in Fig.1.
For recording purposes, it is very convenient to have
signal "loop" through the bay in this manner (with the
permanent connections made at the rear) because
we can now intercept, divert or make substitutions for
the signal easily at the front of the bay in a number of
ways, depending upon the patch bay's configuration.
, "Normalled" means "usually
From
Mixer's Ch.
1 OUTPUT
To
Recorder's
Ch. 1 INPUT
2
End View:
Rear Front
Source
Load
Fig. 1. Arrows indicate direction of signal-flow when
using the commonly accepted practice of employing
top-rear jacks to accept incoming signals, and
bottom-rear jacks to pass outgoing signals.
Patch-Bay Types (Continued)
"Half-Normalled"
PHB-265
For "Half-Normalled" operation, switch to the
right, using a ball-point pen or other pointed
object. Switches are recessed to prevent
accidental changes.
A "Half-normalled" bay is one which allows you to break the connection between the
jacks simply by plugging a cable into the
bottom-front
jack. This is a very versatile configuration, allowing a
rear
top and bottom
number of different signal-flow scenarios. Let's continue to build upon our original example.
2 a., b., c.
From
Mixer's Ch.
1 OUTPUT
To
Recorder's
Ch. 1 INPUT
From
Mixer's Ch.
1 OUTPUT
To
Recorder's
Ch. 1 INPUT
From
Mixer's Ch.
1 OUTPUT
To
Recorder's
Ch. 1 INPUT
REAR FRONT
REAR FRONT
REAR FRONT
a.
b.
c.
Top-front Jack is an
additional SOURCE
of signal from Mixer
Ch 1, AND signal
continues to rearbottom jack as well.
To
Compressor's
INPUT
From
Compressor's
OUTPUT
Figure 2 (a., b., c.) Arrows indicate direction of signal flow. Notice that until a cable is inserted into the bottom-front jack,
signal is passed from top rear to bottom rear without interruption (a), and may also be accessed at the top front jack (b).
But when a cable is inserted into the bottom-front jack, signal flow from top jacks to bottom jacks is interrupted (c).
Figure 2a. (above) shows a detail of the switching
jack (bottom-front position). With nothing connected
to the switching jack, signal passes directly from top
rear to bottom rear, or from mixer OUT to recorder IN
in our example, and the same mixer OUT signal is
also available at the top-front position. (Figure 2b.
above.) In other words, the top-front jack is now a
SOURCE; an extension of the mixer OUT.
Notice however that when a cable is plugged into the
bottom-front jack, (Figure 2c.) the connection is
broken between top and bottom jacks at the rear of
the bay. To examine why that's a good thing, let's
say we wanted to run our Mixer's Channel 1 OUTPUT into a compressor before we send the signal on
to the recorder. All we have to do is connect the
compressor's IN and OUT to the corresponding front
jacks on the bay (Figure 2c.) and signal now flows
from the mixer's OUT to the compressor's IN and
from the compressor's OUT to the recorder's IN. And
this is all accomplished without crawling around on
your hands and knees behind your equipment.
In addition to inserting devices into the signal path,
the half-normalled bay configuration also allows you
to substitute a different signal altogether. In our
3
Loading...