Orban OPTIMOD-FM 8500 Operating Manual

Operating Manual

OPTIMOD-FM

8500

Digital Audio Processor

Version 3.0 Software/Hardware

IMPORTANT NOTE: Refer to the unit’s rear panel for your Model Number.

Model Number: Description:

8500, 8500J
8500V3, 8500V3J

8500FM, 8500FMJ
8500FMV3, 8500FMJV3

OPTIMOD 8500, Stereo Encoder, Digital I/O, Protec­tion Structure, Two-Band Structure, Multi-Band
Structure, HD Radio™ / Digital Radio / Netcast Proc­essing,115V (for 90-130V operation) or 230V (for
200-250V operation), switchable to 50µs or 75µs.

8500J, 8500V3J, 8500FMV3 and 8500FMJ are for 90­117V operation.

8500V3 hardware is functionally identical to older
8500s, but uses a different DSP board that allows it
to be upgraded to Optimod-FM 8600 functionality
without swapping out the DSP board.

As above, except HD Radio™ / Digital Radio / Net­cast Processing omitted. Upgradeable to 8500 and
8600 functionality. 8500FMJ for 90-117V operation.

CAUTION:

NO USER SERVICEABLE PARTS INSIDE. REFER SERVICING TO QUALIFIED SERVICE PERSONNEL.

TO REDUCE THE RISK OF ELECTRICAL SHOCK, DO NOT REMOVE COVER (OR BACK).

WARNING: TO REDUCE THE RISK OF FIRE OR ELECTRICAL SHOCK,

DO NOT EXPOSE THIS APPLIANCE TO RAIN OR MOISTURE.

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 accompa-

nying literature. Read the manual.

In accordance to the WEEE (waste electrical and electronic equipment) direc­tive of the European Parliament, this product must not be discarded into the
municipal waste stream in any of the Member States. This product may be
sent back to your Orban dealer at end of life where it will be reused or recycled
at no cost to you.

If this product is discarded into an approved municipal WEEE collection site or
turned over to an approved WEEE recycler at end of life, your Orban dealer
must be notified and supplied with model, serial number and the name and
location of site/facility.

Please contact your Orban dealer for further assistance.

www.orban.com

IMPORTANT SAFETY INSTRUCTIONS

All the safety and operating instructions should be read before the appliance is operated.

Retain Instructions: The safety and operation instructions should be retained for future reference.

Heed Warnings: All warnings on the appliance and in the operating instructions should be adhered to.

Follow Instructions: All operation and user instructions should be followed.

Water and Moisture: The appliance should not be used near water (e.g., near a bathtub, washbowl, kitchen sink, laundry tub, in a wet base-

ment, or near a swimming pool, etc.).

Ventilation: The appliance should be situated so that its location or position does not interfere with its proper ventilation. For example, the appli-

ance should not be situated on a bed, sofa, rug, or similar surface that may block the ventilation openings; or, placed in a built-in installation, such as a
bookcase or cabinet that may impede the flow of air through the ventilation openings.

Heat: The appliance should be situated away from heat sources such as radiators, heat registers, stoves, or other appliances (including amplifiers)

that produce heat.

Power Sources: The appliance should be connected to a power supply only of the type described in the operating instructions or as marked on

the appliance.

Grounding or Polarization: Precautions should be taken so that the grounding or polarization means of an appliance is not defeated.

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 appliance.

Cleaning: The appliance should be cleaned only as recommended by the manufacturer.

Non-Use Periods: The power cord of the appliance should be unplugged from the outlet when left unused for a long period of time.

Object and Liquid Entry: Care should be taken so that objects do not fall and liquids are not spilled into the enclosure through openings.

Damage Requiring Service: The appliance should be serviced by qualified service personnel when: The power supply cord or the plug has

been damaged; or Objects have fallen, or liquid has been spilled into the appliance; or The appliance has been exposed to rain; or The appliance does
not appear to operate normally or exhibits a marked change in performance; or The appliance has been dropped, or the enclosure damaged.

Servicing: The user should not attempt to service the appliance beyond that described in the operating instructions. All other servicing should be

referred to qualified service personnel.

The Appliance should be used only with a cart or stand that is recommended by the manufacturer.

Safety Instructions (European)

Notice For U.K. Customers If Your Unit Is Equipped With A Power Cord.

WARNING: THIS APPLIANCE MUST BE EARTHED.

The cores in the mains lead are coloured in accordance with the following code:

GREEN and YELLOW - Earth BLUE - Neutral BROWN - Live

As colours of the cores in the mains lead of this appliance may not correspond with the coloured markings identifying the terminals in your plug, pro­ceed as follows:

The core which is coloured green and yellow must be connected to the terminal in the plug marked with the letter E, or with the earth symbol, or col­oured green, or green and yellow.

The core which is coloured blue must be connected to the terminal marked N or coloured black.

The core which is coloured brown must be connected to the terminal marked L or coloured red.

The power cord is terminated in a CEE7/7 plug (Continental Europe). The green/yellow wire is connected directly to the unit's chassis. If you need to
change the plug and if you are qualified to do so, refer to the table below.

WARNING: If the ground is defeated, certain fault conditions in the unit or in the system to which it is connected can result in full line voltage between
chassis and earth ground. Severe injury or death can then result if the chassis and earth ground are touched simultaneously.

Conductor WIRE COLOR

Normal Alt

L LIVE BROWN BLACK

N NEUTRAL BLUE WHITE

E EARTH GND GREEN-YELLOW GREEN

AC Power Cord Color Coding

Safety Instructions (German)

Gerät nur an der am Leistungsschild vermerkten Spannung und Stromart betreiben.
Sicherungen nur durch solche, gleicher Stromstärke und gleichen Abschaltverhaltens ersetzen. Sicherungen nie überbrücken.
Jedwede Beschädigung des Netzkabels vermeiden. Netzkabel nicht knicken oder quetschen. Beim Abziehen des Netzkabels den
Stecker und nicht das Kabel enfassen. Beschädigte Netzkabel sofort auswechseln.
Gerät und Netzkabel keinen übertriebenen mechanischen Beaspruchungen aussetzen.
Um Berührung gefährlicher elektrischer Spannungen zu vermeiden, darf das Gerät nicht geöffnet werden. Im Fall von Betriebsstörun­gen darf das Gerät nur Von befugten Servicestellen instandgesetzt werden. Im Gerät befinden sich keine, durch den Benutzer
reparierbare Teile.
Zur Vermeidung von elektrischen Schlägen und Feuer ist das Gerät vor Nässe zu schützen. Eindringen von Feuchtigkeit und
Flüssigkeiten in das Gerät vermeiden.
Bei Betriebsstörungen bzw. nach Eindringen von Flüssigkeiten oder anderen Gegenständen, das Gerät sofort vom Netz trennen und
eine qualifizierte Servicestelle kontaktieren.

Safety Instructions (French)

On s'assurera toujours que la tension et la nature du courant utilisé correspondent bien à ceux indiqués sur la plaque de l'appareil.
N'utiliser que des fusibles de même intensité et du même principe de mise hors circuit que les fusibles d'origine. Ne jamais
shunter les fusibles.
Eviter tout ce qui risque d'endommager le câble seceur. On ne devra ni le plier, ni l'aplatir. Lorsqu'on débranche l'appareil,
tirer la fiche et non le câble. Si un câble est endommagé, le remplacer immédiatement.
Ne jamais exposer l'appareil ou le câble ä une contrainte mécanique excessive.
Pour éviter tout contact averc une tension électrique dangereuse, on n'oouvrira jamais l'appareil. En cas de dysfonctionnement,
l'appareil ne peut être réparé que dans un atelier autorisé. Aucun élément de cet appareil ne peut être réparé par l'utilisateur.
Pour éviter les risques de décharge électrique et d'incendie, protéger l'appareil de l'humidité. Eviter toute pénétration
d'humidité ou fr liquide dans l'appareil.
En cas de dysfonctionnement ou si un liquide ou tout autre objet a pénétré dans l'appareil couper aussitôt l'appareil
de son alimentation et s'adresser à un point de service aprésvente autorisé.

Safety Instructions (Spanish)

Hacer funcionar el aparato sólo con la tensión y clase de corriente señaladas en la placa indicadora de características.
Reemplazar los fusibles sólo por otros de la misma intensidad de corriente y sistema de desconexión. No poner nunca los fusibles en
puente.
Proteger el cable de alimentación contra toda clase de daños. No doblar o apretar el cable. Al desenchufar, asir el enchufe y no el
cable. Sustituir inmediatamente cables dañados.
No someter el aparato y el cable de alimentación a esfuerzo mecánico excesivo.
Para evitar el contacto con tensiones eléctricas peligrosas, el aparato no debe abrirse. En caso de producirse fallos de funcionamiento,
debe ser reparado sólo por talleres de servicio autorizados. En el aparato no se encuentra ninguna pieza que pudiera ser reparada por
el usuario.
Para evitar descargas eléctricas e incendios, el aparato debe protegerse contra la humedad, impidiendo que penetren ésta o líquidos
en el mismo.
En caso de producirse fallas de funcionamiento como consecuencia de la penetración de líquidos u otros objetos en el aparato,
hay que desconectarlo inmediatamente de la red y ponerse en contacto con un taller de servicio autorizado.

Safety Instructions (Italian)

Far funzionare l'apparecchio solo con la tensione e il tipo di corrente indicati sulla targa riportante i dati sulle prestazioni.
Sostituire i dispositivi di protezione (valvole, fusibili ecc.) solo con dispositivi aventi lo stesso amperaggio e lo stesso comportamento
di interruzione. Non cavallottare mai i dispositivi di protezione.
Evitare qualsiasi danno al cavo di collegamento alla rete. Non piegare o schiacciare il cavo. Per staccare il cavo, tirare la presa e mai
il cavo. Sostituire subito i cavi danneggiati.
Non esporre l'apparecchio e il cavo ad esagerate sollecitazioni meccaniche.
Per evitare il contatto con le tensioni elettriche pericolose, l'apparecchio non deve venir aperto. In caso di anomalie di funzionamento
l'apparecchio deve venir riparato solo da centri di servizio autorizzati. Nell'apparecchio non si trovano parti che possano essere riparate
dall'utente.
Per evitare scosse elettriche o incendi, l'apparecchio va protetto dall'umidità. Evitare che umidità o liquidi entrino nell'apparecchio.
In caso di anomalie di funzionamento rispettivamente dopo la penetrazione di liquidi o oggetti nell'apparecchio, staccare immediatamente
l'apparecchio dalla rete e contattare un centro di servizio qualificato.

PLEASE READ BEFORE PROCEEDING!

Manual

The Operating Manual contains instructions to verify the proper operation of this unit and initialization of certain options.
You will find these operations are most conveniently performed on the bench before you install the unit in the rack.

Please review the Manual, especially the installation section, before unpacking the unit.

Trial Period Precautions

If your unit has been provided on a trial basis:

You should observe the following precautions to avoid reconditioning charges in case you later wish to return the unit to
your dealer.

(1) Note the packing technique and save all packing materials. It is not wise to ship in other than the factory carton. (Re-

placements cost $35.00).

(2) Avoid scratching the paint or plating. Set the unit on soft, clean surfaces.

(3) Do not cut the grounding pin from the line cord.

(4) Use care and proper tools in removing and tightening screws to avoid burring the heads.

(5) Use the nylon-washered rack screws supplied, if possible, to avoid damaging the panel. Support the unit when tighten-

ing the screws so that the threads do not scrape the paint inside the slotted holes.

Packing

When you pack the unit for shipping:

(1) Tighten all screws on any barrier strip(s) so the screws do not fall out from vibration.
(2) Wrap the unit in its original plastic bag to avoid abrading the paint.
(3) Seal the inner and outer cartons with tape.

If you are returning the unit permanently (for credit), be sure to enclose:

• The Manual(s)

• The Registration / Warranty Card

• The Line Cord

• All Miscellaneous Hardware (including the Rack Screws and Keys)

• The Extender Card (if applicable)

• The Monitor Rolloff Filter(s) (OPTIMOD-AM only)

• The COAX Connecting Cable (OPTIMOD-FM and OPTIMOD-TV only)

Your dealer may charge you for any missing items.

If you are returning a unit for repair, do not enclose any of the above items.

Further advice on proper packing and shipping is included in the Manual (see Table of Contents).

Trouble

If you have problems with installation or operation:

(1) Check everything you have done so far against the instructions in the Manual. The information contained therein is

based on our years of experience with OPTIMOD and broadcast stations.

(2) Check the other sections of the Manual (consult the Table of Contents and Index) to see if there might be some sug-

gestions regarding your problem.

(3) After reading the section on Factory Assistance, you may call Orban Customer Service for advice during normal Cali-

fornia business hours. The number is (1) 510 / 351-3500.

This equipment generates, uses, and can radiate radio-frequency energy. If it is not installed
and used as directed by this manual, it may cause interference to radio communication. This
equipment complies with the limits for a Class A computing device, as specified by FCC
Rules, Part 15, subject J, which are designed to provide reasonable protection against such
interference when this type of equipment is operated in a commercial environment. Operation
of this equipment in a residential area is likely to cause interference. If it does, the user will be
required to eliminate the interference at the user’s expense.

This digital apparatus does not exceed the Class A limits for radio noise emissions from digi­tal apparatus set out in the radio Interference Regulations of the Canadian Department of
Communications. (Le present appareil numerique n’emet pas de bruits radioelectriques de­passant les limites applicables aux appareils numeriques [de las class A] prescrites dans le
Reglement sur le brouillage radioelectrique edicte par le ministere des Communications du
Canada.)

Perform the installation under static control conditions. Simply walking across a rug can gen­erate a static charge of 20,000 volts. This is the spark or shock you may have felt when
touching a doorknob or some other conductive surface. A much smaller static discharge is
likely to destroy one or more of the CMOS semiconductors employed in OPTIMOD-FM. Static
damage will not be covered under warranty.

There are many common sources of static. Most involve some type of friction between two
dissimilar materials. Some examples are combing your hair, sliding across a seat cover or
rolling a cart across the floor. Since the threshold of human perception for a static discharge
is 3000 volts, you will not even notice many damaging discharges.

Basic damage prevention consists of minimizing generation, discharging any accumulated
static charge on your body or workstation, and preventing that discharge from being sent to or
through an electronic component. You should use a static grounding strap (grounded through
a protective resistor) and a static safe workbench with a conductive surface. This will prevent
any buildup of damaging static.

WARNING

WARNING

IMPORTANT

U.S. patents 5,737,434, 6,337,999, 6,434,241, 6,618,486, and 6,937,912
protect Optimod-FM 8500.

Orban and Optimod are registered trademarks.
All trademarks are property of their respective companies.

This manual is part number 96123.300.00. Published May 2011.

© Copyright Orban

Phone: [phone]; Fax:

8350 East Evans Suite C4, Scottsdale, AZ 85260 USA

+1 480.403.8305; E-Mail: [e-mail]; Site: www.orban.com

Operating Manual

OPTIMOD-FM

8500

Digital Audio Processor

Version 3.0 Software/Hardware

Table of Contents

Index.......................................................................................................................0-10

Section 1 Introduction

.........................................................................................................................................1-1

ABOUT THIS MANUAL.......................................................................................................1-1

THE OPTIMOD-FM 8500 DIGITAL AUDIO PROCESSOR .......................................................1-1

User-Friendly Interface............................................................................................1-2

Absolute Control of Peak Modulation...................................................................1-3

Flexible Configuration ............................................................................................1-3

Adaptability through Multiple Audio Processing Structures ...............................1-5

Controllable .............................................................................................................1-5

Upgradeable ............................................................................................................1-6

PRESETS IN OPTIMOD-FM ..............................................................................................1-7

Factory Presets .........................................................................................................1-7

User Presets..............................................................................................................1-7

INPUT/OUTPUT CONFIGURATION.........................................................................................1-7

Digital AES3 Left/right Input/outputs ....................................................................1-8

Analog Left/right Input/output ..............................................................................1-8

Stereo Analog Baseband Composite Output ........................................................1-9

Subcarriers................................................................................................................1-9

Remote Control Interface .....................................................................................1-10

Computer Interface ...............................................................................................1-10

RS-232 Serial Port (Serial 1)............................................................................................ 1-11

RS-232 Serial Port (Serial 2)............................................................................................ 1-11

100 Mbps Ethernet Port ................................................................................................. 1-11

LOCATION OF OPTIMOD-FM.........................................................................................1-11

Optimal Control of Peak Modulation Levels.......................................................1-11

Best Location for OPTIMOD-FM ...........................................................................1-12

If the transmitter is not accessible:................................................................................ 1-12

If the transmitter is accessible: ...................................................................................... 1-13

STUDIO-TRANSMITTER LINK.............................................................................................1-14

Transmission from Studio to Transmitter.............................................................1-14

Digital Links .................................................................................................................... 1-15

Composite Baseband Microwave STLs (Analog and Digital)........................................ 1-16

Dual Microwave STLs...................................................................................................... 1-16

Analog Landline (PTT / Post Office Line)....................................................................... 1-17

Using the Orban 8100AST (or 8100A/ST) External AGC with the 8500 .............1-18

STL and Exciter Overshoot ....................................................................................1-18

USING LOSSY DATA REDUCTION IN THE STUDIO..................................................................1-18

ABOUT TRANSMISSION LEVELS AND METERING ..................................................................1-19

Meters ....................................................................................................................1-19

Figure 1-1: Absolute Peak Level, VU and PPM Reading ............................................... 1-19

Studio Line-up Levels and Headroom ..................................................................1-20

Transmission Levels................................................................................................1-20

LINE-UP FACILITIES .........................................................................................................1-21

Metering of Levels.................................................................................................1-21

Left/right Output Level .................................................................................................. 1-21

Composite Output Level ................................................................................................ 1-21

Built-in Calibrated Line-up Tones.................................................................................. 1-21

Built-in Calibrated Bypass Test Mode ............................................................................1-22

MONITORING ON LOUDSPEAKERS AND HEADPHONES..........................................................1-22

Low-Delay Monitoring ...................................................................................................1-24

EAS TEST......................................................................................................................1-24

PC CONTROL AND SECURITY PASSCODE.............................................................................1-25

WARRANTY, USER FEEDBACK...........................................................................................1-26

User Feedback........................................................................................................1-26

LIMITED WARRANTY .............................................................................................1-26

INTERNATIONAL WARRANTY...............................................................................1-26

EXTENDED WARRANTY ........................................................................................1-27

Section 2 Installation

.........................................................................................................................................2-1

INSTALLING THE 8500.......................................................................................................2-1

Figure 2-1: AC Line Cord Wire Standard).........................................................................2-2

Figure 2-2: Wiring the 25-pin Remote Interface Connector........................................... 2-4

8500 REAR PANEL ...........................................................................................................2-5

AUDIO INPUT AND OUTPUT CONNECTIONS ..........................................................................2-6

Cable.........................................................................................................................2-6

Connectors ...............................................................................................................2-6

Analog Audio Input.................................................................................................2-7

Analog Audio Output .............................................................................................2-7

AES3 DIGITAL INPUT AND OUTPUT ....................................................................................2-8

COMPOSITE OUTPUT AND SUBCARRIER INPUTS .....................................................................2-9

Figure 2-3: Separation vs. load capacitance ....................................................................2-9

GROUNDING ..................................................................................................................2-11

Power Ground........................................................................................................2-11

Circuit Ground .......................................................................................................2-12

8500 FRONT PANEL .......................................................................................................2-12

EXTERNAL AGC INSTALLATION (OPTIONAL) .......................................................................2-14

If you are using an Orban 8200ST external AGC:................................................2-14

Figure 2-4: 8200ST Jumper Settings (*Factory Configuration) .....................................2-15

QUICK SETUP.................................................................................................................2-17

ANALOG AND DIGITAL I/O SETUP.....................................................................................2-24

USING CLOCK-BASED AUTOMATION.................................................................................2-36

SECURITY AND PASSCODE PROGRAMMING.........................................................................2-37

To Unlock the Front Panel ....................................................................................2-40

8500 User Interface Behavior during Lockout............................................................... 2-40

Default ADMIN Passcode................................................................................................ 2-40

Security and Orban’s PC Remote Application......................................................2-41

Passcodes and Software Updates .........................................................................2-41

If you have forgotten your “All Screens” passcode… ........................................2-41

ADMINISTERING THE 8500 THROUGH ITS SERIAL PORTS OR ETHERNET...................................2-43

Connecting via Serial Port #2 Using a Terminal Program on a PC .....................2-43

Connecting to the 8500’s Ethernet Port or Serial Port #1 via a Terminal Program

on a PC ...................................................................................................................2-45

Direct Control Using PuTTY............................................................................................ 2-45

Automated Control Using PuTTY/Plink..........................................................................2-47

Automated Control Using Netcat ..................................................................................2-47

Administrative Operations....................................................................................2-48

REMOTE CONTROL INTERFACE PROGRAMMING ..................................................................2-54

TALLY OUTPUT PROGRAMMING .......................................................................................2-56

NETWORKING AND REMOTE CONTROL..............................................................................2-57

INSTALLING 8500 PC REMOTE CONTROL SOFTWARE ..........................................................2-60

Installing the Necessary Windows Services..........................................................2-60

Check Hardware Requirements............................................................................2-60

Running the Orban Installer Program .................................................................2-61

Setting Up Ethernet, LAN, and VPN Connections ...............................................2-62

Conclusion..............................................................................................................2-62

SYNCHRONIZING OPTIMOD TO A NETWORK TIME SERVER....................................................2-63

Table 2-1: NIST-referenced timeservers......................................................................... 2-63

Updating your 8500’s Software............................................................................2-66

APPENDIX: SETTING UP SERIAL COMMUNICATIONS.............................................................2-69

Preparing for Communication through Null Modem Cable ..............................2-69

Connecting Using Windows 2000 Direct Serial Connection:..............................2-69

Connecting Using Windows XP Direct Serial Connection ..................................2-75

Preparing for Communication through Modems ...............................................2-79

Connecting Using Windows 2000 Modem Connection ......................................2-80

Connecting using Windows XP Modem Connection ..........................................2-85

Section 3 Operation

.........................................................................................................................................3-1

8500 FRONT PANEL .........................................................................................................3-1

INTRODUCTION TO PROCESSING..........................................................................................3-3

Some Audio Processing Concepts...........................................................................3-3

Distortion in Processing ..........................................................................................3-4

Loudness and Distortion .........................................................................................3-4

OPTIMOD-FM—from Bach to Rock ........................................................................3-4

Fundamental Requirements: High-Quality Source Material and Accurate

Monitoring...............................................................................................................3-5

ABOUT THE 8500’S SIGNAL PROCESSING FEATURES ..............................................................3-6

Dual-Mono Architecture .........................................................................................3-6

Signal Flow...............................................................................................................3-6

ITU-R 412 Compliance ...........................................................................................3-10

Two-Band Purist Processing ..................................................................................3-11

Digital Radio Processing........................................................................................3-11

Input/Output Delay ...............................................................................................3-12

CUSTOMIZING THE 8500’S SOUND ...................................................................................3-13

Basic Modify...........................................................................................................3-13

Intermediate Modify .............................................................................................3-14

Advanced Modify ..................................................................................................3-14

Gain Reduction Metering .....................................................................................3-15

To Create or Save a User Preset ............................................................................3-15

To Delete a User Preset .........................................................................................3-16

ABOUT THE PROCESSING STRUCTURES ...............................................................................3-17

FACTORY PROGRAMMING PRESETS ...................................................................................3-18

Table 3-1: Factory Programming Presets....................................................................... 3-19

EQUALIZER CONTROLS ....................................................................................................3-25

Table 3-2: Equalization Controls ................................................................................... 3-26

STEREO ENHANCER CONTROLS .........................................................................................3-30

Table 3-3: Stereo Enhancer Controls ............................................................................. 3-30

AGC CONTROLS ............................................................................................................3-31

Table 3-4: AGC Controls................................................................................................. 3-31

Advanced AGC Controls........................................................................................3-34

CLIPPER CONTROLS.........................................................................................................3-37

Table 3-5: Clipper Controls............................................................................................. 3-37

Figure 3-1: 0-100 kHz Baseband Spectrum (Loud-Hot preset)...................................... 3-40

Figure 3-2: 19 kHz Pilot Notch Filter Spectrum (Loud-Hot preset; detail)....................3-40

Advanced Clipper Controls ...................................................................................3-41

THE TWO-BAND STRUCTURE ...........................................................................................3-43

The Protection Presets...........................................................................................3-44

Setting Up the Two-Band Structure for Classical Music......................................3-44

Customizing the Settings ......................................................................................3-45

The Two-Band Structure’s Full Setup Controls ....................................................3-45

Table 3-6: Two-Band Controls ........................................................................................ 3-46

Advanced Two-Band Controls ..............................................................................3-48

THE FIVE-BAND STRUCTURE ............................................................................................3-50

Putting the Five-Band Structure on the Air.........................................................3-50

Customizing the Settings ......................................................................................3-50

The Five-Band Structure’s Full Setup Controls.....................................................3-51

Table 3-7: Multiband Controls .......................................................................................3-51

Table 3-8: MB Attack / Release Controls........................................................................ 3-53

Table 3-9: MB Band Mix Controls...................................................................................3-57

Advanced Multiband and Band Mix Controls .....................................................3-58

To Override the Speech/Music Detector ........................................................................3-62

ABOUT THE 8500’S HD / DIGITAL RADIO PROCESSING........................................................3-63

Delay Difference between HD and FM Outputs .................................................3-65

HD I/O Setup Controls ...........................................................................................3-65

Input/Output > HD Digital Radio screen:.......................................................................3-65

Table 3-10: HD I/O Setup Controls .................................................................................3-66

Digital Output.................................................................................................................3-68

Unique HD Audio Controls ...................................................................................3-69

Table 3-11: Unique HD Audio Controls (found in HD Limiting page).......................... 3-70

ITU-R MULTIPLEX POWER CONTROLLER............................................................................3-71

Figure 3-3: Multiplex power over 15 minute observation interval with Multiplex power

controller active, measured at the Optimod’s composite output ................................ 3-72

Audio Processing and the Multiplex Power Threshold Control ...................................3-73

About the Multiplex Power Controller’s Time Constants............................................. 3-73

TEST MODES .................................................................................................................3-74

Table 3-12: Test Modes................................................................................................... 3-74

GETTING THE BASS SOUND YOU WANT ............................................................................3-75

USING THE 8500 PC REMOTE CONTROL SOFTWARE ...........................................................3-77

To set up a new connection: .................................................................................3-78

To initiate communication: ...................................................................................3-79

To modify a control setting:..................................................................................3-79

To recall a preset:...................................................................................................3-80

To save a user preset you have created: ..............................................................3-80

To back up User Presets, system files, and automation files onto your computer’s

hard drive:..............................................................................................................3-80

Note to Users Familiar with Older Version of PC Remote ............................................3-81

To restore archived presets, system files, and automation files:........................3-81

To share an archived User Preset between 8500s: ........................................................3-83

To modify INPUT/OUTPUT and SYSTEM SETUP:............................................................3-83

To modify AUTOMATION: .........................................................................................3-83

To group multiple 8500s: ......................................................................................3-83

Operation Using the Keyboard ............................................................................3-84

To Quit the Program..............................................................................................3-84

About Aliases created by Optimod 8500 PC Remote Software .........................3-84

Multiple Installations of Optimod 8500 PC Remote ...........................................3-85

Section 4 Maintenance

.........................................................................................................................................4-1

ROUTINE MAINTENANCE ...................................................................................................4-1

SUBASSEMBLY REMOVAL AND REPLACEMENT.......................................................................4-2

FIELD AUDIT OF PERFORMANCE..........................................................................................4-7

Table 4-1: Decoder Chart for Power Supervisor ........................................................... 4-10

Table 4-2: Layout Diagram of J7, with expected voltages on each pin....................... 4-10

Table 4-3: Typical Power Supply Voltages and AC Ripple............................................ 4-10

Section 5 Troubleshooting

.........................................................................................................................................5-1

PROBLEMS AND POTENTIAL SOLUTIONS...............................................................................5-1

RFI, Hum, Clicks, or Buzzes............................................................................................... 5-1

Unexpectedly Quiet On-Air Levels .................................................................................. 5-1

Poor Peak Modulation Control / Low On-Air Loudness ................................................. 5-1

Audible Distortion On-Air................................................................................................ 5-2

Audible Noise on Air........................................................................................................ 5-3

Whistle on Air, Perhaps Only in Stereo Reception ......................................................... 5-4

Interference from stereo into SCA .................................................................................. 5-4

Figure 5-1: Typical 8500 baseband spectrum with heavy processing, 0-100 kHz.......... 5-4

Shrill, Harsh Sound ........................................................................................................... 5-5

Dull Sound ........................................................................................................................ 5-5

System Will Not Pass Line-Up Tones at 100% Modulation ............................................ 5-5

System Will Not Pass Emergency Alert System (“EAS” USA Standard) Tones at the

Legally Required Modulation Level ................................................................................ 5-6

System Receiving 8500’s Digital Output Will Not Lock .................................................. 5-6

19 kHz Frequency Out-of-Tolerance................................................................................ 5-6

L–R (Stereo Difference Channel) Will Not Null With Monophonic Input...................... 5-6

Talent Complains About Delay in Their Headphones .................................................... 5-6

HD Output Sounds Too Bright......................................................................................... 5-6

Harsh Sibilance (“Ess” Sounds) in the HD Channel......................................................... 5-6

HD and FM Levels Do Not Match When the Receiver Crossfades.................................. 5-6

Loudness Drops Momentarily During HD Radio Analog/Digital Crossfades ................. 5-7

HD Frequency Response is Limited to 15 kHz ................................................................. 5-7

You Cannot Set Any Output to Emit an HD Signal ........................................................ 5-7

General Dissatisfaction with Subjective Sound Quality.................................................. 5-7

Security Passcode Lost (When Unit is Locked Out) ......................................................... 5-8

Connection Issues between the 8500 and a PC, Modem, or Network ................5-8

Troubleshooting Connections.................................................................................5-8

You Cannot Access the Internet After Making a Direct or Modem Connection to

the 8500: ..................................................................................................................5-9

OS-SPECIFIC TROUBLESHOOTING ADVICE ..........................................................................5-10

Troubleshooting Windows 2000 Direct Connect:................................................5-10

Troubleshooting Windows 2000 Modem Connect:.............................................5-11

Troubleshooting Windows XP Direct Connect: ...................................................5-12

Troubleshooting Windows XP Modem Connect: ................................................5-13

TROUBLESHOOTING IC OPAMPS .......................................................................................5-14

TECHNICAL SUPPORT.......................................................................................................5-14

FACTORY SERVICE...........................................................................................................5-15

SHIPPING INSTRUCTIONS ..................................................................................................5-15

Section 6 Technical Data

.........................................................................................................................................6-1

SPECIFICATIONS ................................................................................................................6-1

Performance.............................................................................................................6-1

Installation ...............................................................................................................6-2

CIRCUIT DESCRIPTION........................................................................................................6-6

Overview ..................................................................................................................6-6

Control Circuits ........................................................................................................6-7

User Control Interface and LCD Display Circuits ...................................................6-7

Input Circuits............................................................................................................6-8

Output Circuits.......................................................................................................6-10

DSP Circuit..............................................................................................................6-12

Power Supply .........................................................................................................6-13

ABBREVIATIONS .............................................................................................................6-13

PARTS LIST.....................................................................................................................6-15

Obtaining Spare Parts ...........................................................................................6-15

Base Board .............................................................................................................6-16

CPU Module ...........................................................................................................6-17

RS-232 Board..........................................................................................................6-19

Power Supply .........................................................................................................6-20

Input/Output (I/O) Board ......................................................................................6-21

DSP Board (Pre-V3) ................................................................................................6-25

DSP Board (V3).......................................................................................................6-27

Interface Board ......................................................................................................6-29

Headphone Board .................................................................................................6-30

Encoder Board .......................................................................................................6-31

LCD Carrier Board ..................................................................................................6-31

SCHEMATICS AND PARTS LOCATOR DRAWINGS...................................................................6-33

Function Description Drawing Page

Chassis

Circuit Board Locator and basic
interconnections

Base Board

Glue logic; supports CPU module
and RS-232 daughterboard.

Contains:

CPU Module

System Connections Schematic 1 of 4
CPU module interface Schematic 2 of 4
Power Supply Monitor Schematic 3 of 4
CPLD, General Purpose Interface,

and Remotes
Control microprocessor. Services
front panel, serial port, Ethernet,
DSP board, and control board. Re­sides on base board.

Contains:

Ethernet Schematic 1 of 5

Top view
(not to scale)
Parts Locator
Drawing

Schematic 4 of 4

Parts Locator
Drawing

6-35

6-36

6-37
6-38
6-39
6-40

6-41

6-42

Function Description Drawing Page

RS-232 Board

Power Supply

I/O Board

DSP Board

(pre-V3)

DSP Board

(V3)

General Purpose Bus Schematic 2 of 5
Memory Schematic 3 of 5
Miscellaneous Functions Schematic 4 of 5
Power and Ground Distribution Schematic 5 of 5

Supports Serial Port Parts Locator

6-43
6-44
6-45
6-46
6-47

Drawing

Schematic 1 of 1
±15V analog supply; ±5V analog

supply; +5V digital supply

Parts Locator
Drawing

Schematic 1 of 1
Analog Input/output

AES3 Input/output

Parts Locator
Drawing

6-48
6-49

6-50

6-51

Composite Output
SCA Input.

Contains:

L and R Analog Inputs Schematic 1 of 6 6-52
L and R Analog Outputs Schematic 2 of 6 6-53
Composite / SCA Schematic 3 of 6 6-54
Digital I/O Schematic 4 of 6 6-55
Control and Miscellaneous Schematic 5 of 6 6-56
Interface and Power Distribution Schematic 6 of 6 6-57

DSP Chips; Local +3.3V regulator.

Contains:

DSP Extended Serial Audio Inter-

Parts Locator

6-58
Drawing
Schematic 2 of 9 6-59

face (ESAI)
DSP Host Interface Schematic 3 of 9 6-60
No-Connects Schematic 4 of 9 6-61
DSP Power, and Ground Schematic 5 of 9 6-62

ISA Bus 8-bit I/O Schematic 6 of 9 6-63
Serial Audio Interface and Clock

Schematic 7 of 9 6-64

Generation
Power Distribution Schematic 8 of 9 6-65
Memory, Headphone D-A, and

Schematic 9 of 9 6-66

Headphone Amplifier

DSP Chips; Local +3.3V regulator.

Contains:

Parts Locator
Drawing

6-67

Interconnects Schematic 1 of 9 6-68
Enhanced Serial Audio

Schematic 2 of 9 6-69

Interface (ESAI)
Control Interface Schematic 3 of 9 6-70
External Memory Controller

Schematic 4 of 9 6-71

Interface 1
Power and Ground Schematic 5 of 9 6-72
86xx 8-Bit Control Interface Schematic 6 of 9 6-73
Clock Generation and CPLD Schematic 7 of 9 6-74
Power Distribution Schematic 8 of 9 6-75
External Memory Controller

Schematic 9 of 9 6-76

Interface 2

Function Description Drawing Page

Front-Panel

Boards

Front-Panel

Interface

Board

DSP Block

Diagram

LCD Carrier Parts Locator

6-77

Drawing
LCD Carrier Schematic 1 of 3 6-78
Headphone and Encoder Board Parts Locator

6-79

Drawings
Headphone Board Schematic 2 of 3 6-80
Encoder Board Schematic 3 of 3 6-81

Parts Locator

6-82

Drawing

Schematic 1 of 2 6-83
Schematic 2 of 2 6-84
Shows signal processing 6-85

Index

1

19 K Ref control 2- · 11

2

2B Drive 3- · 45
2B Release 3- · 46

8

8100A/ST 1- · 18
8100A1 1- · 18
8100AST 1- · 18
8100AXT2 1- · 18
8200ST 2- · 14
8400

importing presets from 3- · 82

8500 HD 3- · 63
8500 OPTIMOD-FM 1- · 1

A

A/D converter

Circuit description 5- · 9

Abbreviations

Table of 6- · 13

AC Line Cord Standard 2- · 2
Administering 8500 Through Terminal

Program 2- · 43

Administrative Operations

via terminal program 2- · 48

Advanced Modify 3- · 14
AES/EBU I/O 2- · 8
AGC

controls 3- · 31
defeating 3- · 20
Defeating 3- · 32
external AGC setup 2- · 14
meter 2- · 13
meter 3- · 2

AGC 3- · 7
AGC Drive 3- · 32
AGC Matrix 3- · 35

AGC Release

Master 3- · 32

Analog

output 2- · 7

Analog auto-fallback 2- · 35
Analog baseband outputs 1- · 9
analog fallback 2- · 29
Analog I/O 1- · 8
analog input

fallback 2- · 34

Analog input

Circuit description 6- · 8

Analog input 2- · 7
Analog input clip level 2- · 24
Analog input ref level

I/O setup 2- · 27

Analog landline 1- · 17
Analog output

Circuit description 6- · 10

Analog output trim 4- · 11
API

adjusting delay time 2- · 52
delay on/off 2- · 51

Archiving presets 3- · 80
Attack

2-Band Bass 2- · 48
2-Band Master · 48
AGC Bass 3- · 35
AGC Master 3- · 35
Multiband 3- · 59

Audio

Connections 2- · 6
Input 2- · 7
Output 2- · 7, 8

automation

capabilities 2- · 37

Automation

Clock-based 2- · 36
PC Remote 3- · 83

B

B4>B5 coupling 3- · 8
B5 compressor 3- · 64
Backing up presets 3- · 80
Balance adjust

I/O setup 2- · 29

balanced

output transformer 2- · 7

Balanced

inputs 2- · 7

Band Mix

Multiband 3- · 57

Band mix controls 3- · 58
Bandwidth

Setting HD 3- · 67

Base board

removing 4- · 5
Replacing 4- · 6

baseband spectrum 5- · 4
Baseband spectrum diagram 3- · 41
Basic Modify 3- · 13
Bass

equalizer 3- · 76
Getting sound you want 3- · 75

Bass CLip Mode 3- · 38, 42
Bass Clip Threshold 3- · 37
Bass Coupling

2-Band 3- · 48
AGC 3- · 33

Bass Threshold 3- · 35
Battery

Replacing 6- · 7

Block diagram 6- · 85
brightness

controlling excessive 3- · 64
controlling in HD 3- · 12

Brilliance control 3- · 28
Button bar

FM > HD coupling 3- · 63

Buttons · 1

Enter 2- · 12
Escape 2- · 13
Escape 3- · 1

Buzz 5- · 1
bypass

PC remote 1- · 25

Bypass

Locally 1- · 24
Remote interface 1- · 24
test mode 1- · 22

Bypass Mode

stereo/mono 3- · 74

C

cable

shielding 2- · 11

Cable 2- · 6
CD mastering

and processing 3- · 5

chassis

ground 2- · 11

Chassis

getting inside 4 · 2

Chassis ground 2- · 12
circuit board locator drawing 6- · 35
Circuit description

Control 6- · 7
LCD display 6- · 7
user Control interface 6- · 7

Circuit description 6- · 6
Circuit ground 2- · 12
CIT25 2- · 10
Classical music 3- · 20, 44
Cleaning front panel 4- · 1
Clip level

I/O setup 2- · 24

Clipper

Controls 3- · 37

Clipper, bass 3- · 8
Clipping

2-Band 3- · 49
Defined 3- · 3
Multiband 3- · 55

Clock

Battery 6- · 7
Setting 2- · 36
Setting via Internet 2- · 63

Clock reset

Remote control 2- · 55

Clock-based automation 2- · 36
codec artifacts

minimizing 3- · 11

common-mode rejection 2- · 11
Components

Obtaining 6- · 15

Composite

Circuit description 6- · 11
isolation transformer 2- · 10
limiter 3- · 9

Composite baseband microwave STL 1- ·

16
Composite level output 1- · 21
Composite Limit Drive 3- · 40
Composite limiter

Pilot tone protection 2- · 10

Composite metering 1- · 21
Composite output

I/O setup 2- · 32
Level adjustment range 2- · 9
Meter 2- · 14
Setting output impedance 2- · 9
Specifications 6- · 4
Termination 2- · 10

Composite output 2- · 9
Composite outputs 1- · 9
Compression

Defined 3- · 3

Compression Ratio

AGC 3- · 35

Compressor look-ahead

and bass clipper mode 3- · 38

computer

Windows 2000 5- · 10
Windows XP 5- · 12

Computer

Connecting to 2- · 5
Troubleshooting connections 5- · 8

Computer interface

Ethernet card 2- · 6
Modem card 2- · 6
RS-232 2- · 5
serial 1 2- · 5

Computer interface 1- · 10

Connecting

through Win XP direct serial 2- · 75

Connection to PC

Troubleshooting 5- · 8

Connectors

Audio 2- · 6

Connectors 2- · 6
control coupling

FM and HD 3- · 69

Control coupling

FM > HD 3- · 63

Control knob 2- · 13
Control knob 3- · 1
Control setting

Modifying from PC Remote 3- · 79

controls

HD audio 3- · 69

Corrosion 4- · 1
Coupling Control 3- · 56
Cover

Removing 4- · 2

CPU board

Replacing 4- · 6

CPU module

removing 4- · 4

Crossfade 3- · 67

Crossover

2-Band 3- · 49
AGC 3- · 36
Band 1 / Band 2 3- · 60

D

D/A converter

Circuit description 6- · 10

de-emphasis

applying to output meter 2- · 32

De-Essing

in HD channel 3- · 71

Defaults

Resetting to 2- · 41

Defeating final clipper 2- · 34
delay

on/off from API 2- · 51

Delay

Analog vs. HD 3- · 65
diversity 3- · 65
diversity on/off 3- · 65
diversity vernier 3- · 66
Input/Ouput 3- · 12

delay time

adjusting via API 2- · 52

diagnostic info

fetching via API 2- · 53, 54

Digital I/O 1- · 8
digital input

fallback to analog 2- · 34
invalid or missing 2- · 29

Digital input

Circuit description 6- · 9

Digital links 1- · 15
Digital output

Circuit description 6- · 11

digital radio processing 3- · 11, 63
Display

Removing 4- · 4

Display Interface

Removing 4- · 4
Replacing 4- · 6

Distortion

Aliasing 3- · 10
Excessive 5- · 7
in processing 3- · 4
Testing 4- · 12
Troubleshooting 5- · 2

dither

setting 2- · 31

Dither control

HD 3- · 68

diversity delay

om/off from API 2- · 51

diversity delay 3- · 66
DJ Bass control 3- · 29
Drive control

Multiband 3- · 51

DSP

Block diagram 6- · 85
Circuit description 6- · 12

DSP board

Removing 4- · 2
Replacing 4- · 6

Dual microwave STLs 1- · 16
Dull sound

troubleshooting 5- · 5

E

EAS

modulation Low 5- · 6

EAS test tones 1- · 24
Easy setup 2- · 17
Enter button 2- · 12
Enter button 3- · 1
EQ Frequency control

HD 3- · 70

Equalizer

Bass Gain 3- · 25
Bass Shelf Hinge Frequency 3- · 25
Bass Slope 3- · 26
Controls 3- · 25
Parametric Frequency 3- · 27
Parametric Gain 3- · 27
Parametric Width 3- · 27

Equalizer 3- · 8
Escape button 2- · 13
Escape button 3- · 1
esses

excessive HD 5- · 6

Ethernet 2- · 62, 78
Ethernet card 2- · 6
Exciter overshoot 1- · 18
Expander

Multiband Downward 3- · 55

F

Factory defaults

Resetting to 2- · 41
Restoring via Terminal Program 2- · 48

Factory preset

Selecting 2- · 22

Factory presets

Table of 3- · 19

Factory presets 1- · 7
Factory service 5- · 15
Field audit of performance 4- · 7
Filter

Pilot Protection 3- · 41

Final Clip Drive 3- · 39
Final clipper

Defeating 2- · 34

Firewall 2- · 58, 62, 78
Firmware

updating 8500 2- · 66

Five-band structure

Customizing settings 3- · 50
Setup controls 3- · 51

Five-band structure 3- · 17, 50
FM > HD mode 3- · 63
FM polarity

changing via API 2- · 53

FM Polarity control 2- · 32
FMÆHD control coupling 3- · 69
Forgotten passcode 2- · 41
Format control

HD 3- · 69

Frequency response

Testing 4- · 11

Front panel

removing 4- · 3
Replacing 4- · 7
Unlocking 2- · 40

Front Panel

Cannot access 2- · 41

fuse 2- · 5
Fuse 2- · 2

G

Gain Reduction

Maximum Delta 3- · 60

Gain reduction metering 3- · 15
Gate indicators 2- · 13
Gate indicators 3- · 2
Gate Threshold

2-Band 3- · 47
AGC 3- · 33

Multiband 3- · 54

Gateway

Setting via terminal program 2- · 50

Gateway 2- · 57, 62, 78
Ground lift switch 2- · 3, 5
Grounding

loss of 4- · 1

Grounding 2- · 11
Grouping 8500s

In PC Remote 3- · 83

H

Half-cosine interpolation limiter 3- · 9, 10
Hard Clip Shape 3- · 42
HD

Bandwidth 3- · 67
cannot set output for 5- · 7
Dither control 3- · 68
EQ frequency control 3- · 70
EQ Gain control 3- · 70
Format control 3- · 69
Frequency response not 20 kHz 5- · 7
GR meter 3- · 3
HF Shelf EQ 3- · 65
Limiter Drive control 3- · 71
Out Level control 3- · 68
Output Sample Rate 3- · 68
Output too bright 5- · 6
Sync control 3- · 69

HD audio controls 3- · 69
HD B5 compressor 3- · 64
HD De-ess 3- · 71
HD delay

setting 3- · 68

HD loudness

adjusting 5- · 6

HD Radio

crossfade 3- · 67
match loudness of HD and FM 3- · 71

HD/FM loudness

dips during crossfades 5- · 7
does not match 5- · 6

Headphone

Jack 2- · 12
Jack 3- · 1
Level control 2- · 12
Level control 3- · 1

Headphone amplifier

Reassembling 4- · 7
Removing 4- · 3

Headphones

low-delay monitoring 1- · 24
low-delay monitoring 2- · 33

Headphones 1- · 22
HF Clipping 3- · 39
HF Enhance control 3- · 29
HF enhancer 3- · 8
hiding meters 2 - · 39
High frequency limiter 3- · 8
High Frequency Limiter 3- · 60
Highpass Filter 3- · 29
Hum 5- · 1
Hyperterminal 2- · 43

I

I/O

AES/EBU 2- · 8
Connections 2- · 3

I/O assembly

Removing 4- · 2

I/O board

Replacing 4- · 6

IC opamps

Troubleshooting 5- · 14

Idle Gain 3- · 35
In meters 2- · 13
In meters 3- · 2
Independent mode 3- · 63
Input

Analog 2- · 7
SCA, Specifications 6- · 4
Subcarrier 2- · 9

Input conditioning 3- · 7
Input level

Line-up 1- · 20

Input level meters 1- · 21
Input selector

I/O setup 2- · 24

Inspection of contents 2- · 1
Instrumental format 3- · 22
Interface type

Changing via terminal program 2- · 51

Intermediate Modify 3- · 14
Internet

Cannot access 5- · 9
Time server 2- · 63

IP address

changing via Terminal Program 2- · 49
Entering into 8500 2- · 57

ITU-412 3- · 71
ITU-R 412 3- · 10
ITU-R 412 requirements 2- · 23

J

J.17

and NICAM 1- · 15

Jazz format 3- · 22
Joystick 2- · 12
Joystick 3- · 1

K

Keyboard shortcuts 3- · 84

L

Latency

Low delay presets 3- · 20
Ultra-low-delay presets 3- · 17

LCD display

Reassembling 4- · 7

LCD display 6- · 8
Less-More control

Grayed-out 3- · 14

Less-More control 3- · 13
Level

Metering 1- · 20
Transmission 1- · 20

Limit Threshold

Multiband 3- · 59

Limiter

Multiband Attack 3- · 60

Limiting

Defined 3- · 3

Line voltage 2- · 2
Line-up tones

System will not pass at 100% modulation 5- ·

5

Line-up tones 1- · 21
LLHard mode 3- · 38
locate joystick 2- · 12
Locate joystick 3- · 1
Location 1- · 11
Lock

Driven equipment cannot lock to 8500

output 5- · 6

Locked out 2- · 41

Lockout

Front panel 2- · 40

Lookahead

Multiband Control 3- · 61

Look-ahead

Compressor/limiter 3- · 8

Lookahead 3- · 49
look-ahead limiter 3- · 11, 64
Look-ahead limiting

Defined 3- · 3

Lossy data reduction

In studio 1- · 18
NICAM 1- · 15
Used in STLs · 15

Loudness

adjusting HD/FM 5- · 6
Insufficient 5- · 7
Insufficient due to ITU412 controller 5- · 1
Insufficient due to poor peak control 5- · 1
match HD and FM channels 3- · 68, 71

Loudness and distortion 3- · 4
L–R will not null 5- · 6

M

Main board

Reattaching 4 · 6

Matrix

AGC 3- · 35

Max Delta GR

AGC 3- · 34

Max Distortion Control 3- · 59
MB Drive control 3- · 51
MB GR Meter switch 3- · 2
meter

output · 32

Meter Sel control 3- · 65
Meters

circuit description 6- · 8
studio 1- · 19

Modem

Preparing for connection 2- · 79
Recommended baud rate 2- · 80
Setting up 2- · 58
Specification for 2- · 61
Windows 2000 configuration 2- · 80
Windows XP Configuration 2- · 85

modem card 2- · 6
Modem init string

changing from front panel 2- · 59
Changing via terminal program 2- · 51

Modulation control

Troubleshooting poor 5- · 1

Modulation Mode control 2- · 32
Monitoring

Requirements for 3- · 5

Monitoring 1- · 22
Multiband

gain reduction meters 2- · 13
Gain reduction meters 3- · 2

Multiband Band Mix 3- · 57
Multiband Limit Threshold 3- · 49
Multiplex power

Compliance graph 3- · 72

Multiplex power 2- · 14
Multiplex power 3- · 2, 10, 71
Multiplex Power Offset 3- · 42
Multiplex Power Threshold control 3- · 72

N

Networking 2- · 57
News format 3- · 23
NICAM 1- · 15
Noise

Troubleshooting 5- · 3

Null modem cable

Communicating through 2- · 69

Null modem cable 2- · 61

O

Out level control

HD 3- · 68

Out meters 2- · 14
Output

Analog 2- · 7
Composite 2- · 9
composite, Specifications 6- · 4
digital, Specifications 6- · 3

Output configuration 2- · 20
Output level

I/O setup 2- · 29

Output levels

Quick setup 2- · 21

Output meters 1- · 21
overshoot

reduction 1- · 18

Overshoot

In exciter 1- · 18

Overshoot

Excessive 5- · 1

Overshoot 3- · 73
Overshoot Compensation Drive 3- · 42

P

Parametric equalizer 3- · 8, 25
Parts

Obtaining 6- · 15

Parts list

Base board 6- · 16
CPU module 6- · 17
DSP board 6- · 25, 27
Encoder board 6- · 31
Headphone board 6- · 30
I/O board 6- · 21
Interface board 6- · 29
LCD carrier board 6- · 31
Power supply 6- · 20
RS-232 board 6- · 19

Parts list 6- · 15
Passcode

default ADMIN 2- · 40
Forgotten 2- · 41
Programming 2- · 37

PC

Orban installer program 2- · 61

PC board locator diagram 6- · 35
PC card port 2- · 6
PC control

security 1- · 25

PC hardware requirements 2- · 60
PC Remote

aliases 3- · 84
Modifying control setting 3- · 79
moving alias folders 3- · 86
Multiple coexisting versions 3- · 85
Operating from keyboard 3- · 84
Recalling preset 3- · 80
Saving Preset 3- · 80
Setting up new connection 3- · 78
Upgrading versions 3- · 85

PC Remote Software 3- · 77
Peak control criteria 1- · 11
Phase

HD 3- · 67

Phase Rotator 3- · 30
Phase-linear

System group delay spec · 11

Pilot Protection Filter 3- · 41

pilot reference 2- · 35
pilot reference 6- · 4
pilot reference control 2- · 11
pilot tone

reference output 1- · 9

Pilot tone

Frequency out of tolerance 5- · 6
Reference output 2- · 10

Plink 6- · 46
polarity

FM analog processing 2- · 53
setting FM 2- · 32

Polarity

HD 3- · 67

Pop-up menu 2- · 13, 1
Port

Terminal 2- · 45

Port #

Setting via terminal program 2- · 50

Ports 2- · 62, 78
Power

Cord 2- · 2, 5
Ground 2- · 11

Power 2- · 2
Power supply

Circuit description 6- · 13
Parts list 6- · 20
Pin identifier 4- · 10
Removing 4- · 5
Testing 4- · 10

Power supply board

reattaching 4 · 6

pre-emphasis

setting 2- · 24

Pre-emphasis

in STLs 1- · 12
Quick setup 2- · 18
Side-effect of changing 3- · 15

preset

recalling 2- · 35

Preset

8400 compatibility 3- · 82
Backup 3- · 80
Deleting user 3- · 16
Recalling via terminal program 2- · 51
restoring archived 3- · 81
Saving from PC Remote 3- · 80
sharing between 8500s 3- · 83

Presets

Factory 1- · 7
factory 3- · 19
Gregg 3- · 21

Impact 3- · 22
Instrumental 3- · 22
Jazz 3- · 22
Loud 3- · 22
News-Talk 3- · 23
Rock 3- · 24
Saving user 3- · 15
Sports 3- · 23
Table of factory 3- · 19
UL (Ultra-Low Latency) 3- · 33, 17, 6
Urban 3- · 25
User presets 1- · 7

processing

for HD Radio 3- · 11

Processing

AGC 3- · 7
block diagram 6- · 85
Customizing 3- · 13
Equalization 3- · 8
Input conditioning 3- · 7
Intelligent clipping 3- · 8
Multiband compression 3- · 8
Stereo enhancement 3- · 7
Tutorial 3- · 3
Two-band purist 3- · 11

Processing structures discussed 3- · 17
Protection preset 3- · 20, 44
Purist processing 3- · 11
PuTTY 6- · 46

Q

Quick setup 2- · 17
Quiet on-air levels 5- · 1

R

Rack-mounting unit 2- · 3
Ratio

Control 3- · 7

Rear panel 2- · 5
Recalling preset

via terminal program 2- · 51

Registration card 2- · 1
Release

AGC Bass 3- · 36
Multiband 3- · 52
Multiband Delta 3- · 61

Remote

PC Remote software 3- · 77

Remote control

Bypass 1- · 24
Connecting 2- · 3

Remote control 2- · 6
Remote control interface

Connecting 2- · 3

Remote control interface 1- · 10
Remote interface 2- · 10
Remote interface connector 2- · 6
Remote Software 2- · 45, 60, 65, 67
Resetting 8500 2- · 41
Restoring archived presets 3- · 81
RFI 5- · 1
Right channel balance

I/O setup 2- · 29

Rock format 3- · 24
Rotary encoder

Removing 4- · 3

Rotary Encoder

Reassembling 4- · 7

Routine maintenance 4- · 1
RS232 board

Replacing 4- · 7

RS-232 connector 2- · 5
RS-232 interface

Circuit description 6- · 8
removing board 4- · 4

Rumble Filter 3- · 29

S

Sample Rate control

HD 3- · 68

Sample rate converter

Testing 4- · 12

Saving user presets 3- · 15
SCA

Input, specifications 6- · 4
inputs 1- · 9
Interference from stereo 5- · 4

Schematics

Table of contents 6- · 33

Screen display 2- · 13
Screen display 3- · 2
Screens

System Setup 2- · 17

security

view meters 2- · 39

Security

PC Remote 2- · 41

Security 1- · 25

Security 2- · 37
serial 1 connector 2- · 5
serial 2 connector 2- · 5
Serial Communications

Setting up 2- · 69

Serial connection

Setting up direct 2- · 58

Serial Port #2 2- · 43
Service 5- · 15
Setup

I/O 2- · 24
Quick 2- · 17

Shelf equalizer 3- · 25
Shelving equalizer

Bass, slope of 3- · 8

Shipping instructions 5- · 15
Shrill sound

Troubleshooting 5- · 5

Sibilance

excessive HD 5- · 6
excessive in HD channel 3- · 71

Signal flow diagram 6- · 85
Signal flow in 8500 3- · 6
Silence sense

Tally output 2- · 56

Silence sense 2- · 34
silence threshold 2- · 34
Software

updating 8500 2- · 66

Software Updates 1- · 6
Solo 3- · 58
Source material

Requirements for 3- · 5

Spare parts

Obtaining 6- · 15

Specifications 6- · 1
Speech Bass Clip Threshold 3- · 42
speech/music detector

overriding 3- · 62

Speech/music detector 3- · 8, 38, 61
Sports format 3- · 23
Stereo Coupling

Multiband Downward Expander 3- · 60

Stereo encoder

Testing 4- · 13

Stereo encoder 3- · 9
Stereo enhancement 3- · 7
Stereo Enhancer

Amount 3- · 31
Depth 3- · 31
Diffusion 3- · 31

In/Out 3- · 31
Ratio Limit 3- · 31
Style 3- · 31

Stereo/Mono

HD output 3- · 66

STL

low frequency cutoff 1- · 12
systems 1- · 14, 16

Studio Level Controller

Installation 2- · 14

Studio Level Controller mode 2- · 18
Studio-transmitter link 1- · 14
Subassembly removal and replacement 4-

· 2

Subcarrier

Input, specifications 6- · 4
inputs 2- · 10

Subcarrier input 1- · 9
Subcarrier input 2- · 9
Subnet

Crossing 2- · 57
Mask 2- · 57

Subnet Mask

Setting via Terminal Program 2- · 49

Switches

Ground lift 2- · 3, 5
Voltage select 2- · 2, 5

Sync control

HD 3- · 69

System clock

Setting 2- · 36

System setup

Quick setup 2- · 17

System Setup screen 2- · 17

T

Talk format 3- · 23
Tally output

Programming 2- · 56
Silence sense threshold 2- · 34
Wiring 2- · 4

Technical support 5- · 26, 14
Telephone support 5- · 26, 14

Terminal Port 2- · 45
Terminal Port #

Changing via terminal program 2- · 50

Test modes 3- · 74
Threshold

2-Band Bass Compressor 3- · 48
2-Band Master Compressor 3- · 48

Band-5 Clip 3- · 60
Bass Delta 3- · 36
Master Delta 3- · 36
Multiband Compression 3- · 58
Multiband Speech 3- · 49, 61

Time & date 2- · 18
Time Server 2- · 63
Timeservers

Table of 2- · 63

Transformer

Composite isolation 2- · 10

Troubleshooting

Installation 5- · 1

Two-band structure

Customizing settings 3- · 45
Setup controls 3- · 45

Two-band structure 3- · 17, 43

U

Ultra-low Latency

and clipping distortion controller 3- · 8
and compressor look-ahead 3- · 8

Ultra-low-latency presets 3- · 17
Unlocking 8500

via Terminal Program 2- · 48

Unlocking 8500 2- · 41
Unlocking unit 2- · 40
Unpacking 2- · 1
Updating software 2- · 66
Urban format 3- · 25
User preset

deleting 3- · 16

User presets

Archiving 3- · 16
Creating 3- · 13, 15

User presets 1- · 7

V

Version 3 hardware 6- · 12
view meters 2- · 39
Voice/music balance 3- · 15
Voltage select switch 2- · 2, 5
VPN 2- · 57
VPN, setting up 2- · 62, 78

W

Warranty 1- · 26
Warranty 6- · 6
Whistle on-air

Troubleshooting 5- · 4

Window Release 3- · 34
Window Size 3- · 34
Windows

Installing services 2- · 60

Windows 2000

adding direct serial connection 2- · 75, 81

Adding direct serial connection 2- · 70, 87
Direct Connect 5- · 10
Direct serial connection 2- · 69
modem connect 5- · 11
Modem connection 2- · 80

Windows XP

direct connect 5- · 12
Modem configuration 2- · 85
modem connect 5- · 13

word length

setting 2- · 31

Word Length control

HD 3- · 68

OPTIMOD-FM DIGITAL INTRODUCTION

Section 1

Introduction

About this Manual

The Adobe pdf form of this manual contains numerous hyperlinks and bookmarks. A
reference to a numbered step or a page number (except in the Index) is a live hyper­link; click on it to go immediately to that reference.

If the bookmarks are not visible, click on the “Bookmarks” tab on the left
side of the Acrobat Reader window.

1-1

This manual has a table of contents and index. To search for a specific word or
phrase, you can also use the Adobe Acrobat Reader’s text search function.

The OPTIMOD-FM 8500 Digital Audio Processor

Orban’s all-digital 8500 OPTIMOD-FM Audio Processor can help you achieve the
highest audio quality in FM stereo broadcasting. Because all processing is performed
by high-speed mathematical calculations within Motorola DSP56367 24-bit digital
signal processing chips, the processing has cleanliness, quality, and stability over time
and temperature that is unmatched by analog processors.

OPTIMOD-FM 8500 is descended from the industry-standard OPTIMOD-FM audio
processors. Thousands of these processors are on the air all over the world. They
have proven that the “OPTIMOD sound” attracts and keeps an audience even in the
most competitive commercial environment.

Because OPTIMOD-FM incorporates several audio processing innovations
exclusive to Orban products, you should not assume that it can be operated
in the same way as less sophisticated processors. If you do, you may get
disappointing results.

Take a little time now to familiarize yourself with OPTIMOD-FM. A small investment
of your time now will yield large dividends in audio quality.

The rest of Section 1 explains how OPTIMOD-FM fits into the FM broadcast facility.
Section 2 explains how to install it. Section 3 tells how to operate OPTIMOD-FM. Sec­tion 4 through Section 6 provides reference information.

1-2

INTRODUCTION ORBAN MODEL 8500

OPTIMOD-FM was designed to deliver a high quality sound while simultaneously in­creasing the average modulation of the channel substantially beyond that achiev­able by “recording studio”-style compressors and limiters. Because such processing
can exaggerate flaws in the source material, it is very important that the source au-
dio be as clean as possible.

For best results, feed OPTIMOD-FM unprocessed audio. No other audio processing is
necessary or desirable.

If you wish to place level protection prior to your studio / transmitter link (STL), use
the Orban Optimod 6300 or Optimod-PC 1101. These processors can be adjusted so
that they substitute for the AGC circuitry in OPTIMOD-FM, which is then defeated.

OPTIMOD-FM 8500 is available in two front-panel configurations—the 8500 has a
full-featured front panel, while the 8500X has a blank front panel and must be con­trolled by Orban’s PC Remote application running on Microsoft Windows XP, 2000
(SP3), or later. Both units have identical sound and features except for the difference
in their front panels. Both units run the same software.

If you are setting up an “X” version, refer to Administering the 8500
through its Serial Ports or Ethernet (starting on page 2-43) for instruc­tions on how to use the 8500X’s serial port #2 to set up communications
between your computer and the 8500X.

Both the 8500 and 8500X simultaneously process for analog FM and digital channels
like the iBiquity™ HD Radio™ system, Eureka 147 (DAB), DRM, or netcasts. The
8500’s HD output provides look-ahead peak limiting that is optimized to make the
most of limited bit-rate codecs used in many digital radio systems. By eschewing any
clipping, the HD output prevents the codec from wasting precious bits encoding
clipping distortion products, allowing the codec to use its entire bit budget to en­code the desired program material.

Thanks to a base sample rate of 64 kHz throughout the 8500’s processing, the HD
output can be set for audio bandwidths between 15 and 20 kHz. Many codecs oper­ate better when fed 15 kHz audio because this enables them to use their available
bit bandwidth most efficiently by concentrating on the part of the audio spectrum
that is critical to perceived audio quality. This is particularly true for low rates, like
32 kbps. However, at higher sample rates, full 20 kHz bandwidth provides the same
bandwidth as typical source material, so you may prefer to use it for rates of 96 kbps
and above.

OPTIMOD-FM 8500FM is the same as the 8500 except that it does not provide digital
radio processing. It is also available with a blank front panel as the 8500XFM. The
8500FM can be upgraded to an 8500 in the field by installing the plug-in control
module contained in the 8500UPG/HD upgrade kit, which can be purchased from
your Orban dealer.

User-Friendly Interface

• A large (quarter-VGA) color liquid crystal display (LCD) makes setup, adjust-
ment and programming of the 8500 easy. Navigation is by a miniature joystick,

OPTIMOD-FM DIGITAL INTRODUCTION

two dedicated buttons, and a large rotary knob. The LCD shows all metering
functions of the processing structure in use.

• Use the Locate joystick to navigate through a menu that lets you recall a pre­set, modify processing (at three levels of expertise), or to access the system’s
setup controls.

Absolute Control of Peak Modulation

• The 8500 provides universal transmitter protection and audio processing
for FM broadcast. It can be configured to interface ideally with any commonly
found transmission system in the world, analog or digital.

• The 8500 provides pre-emphasis limiting for the internationally used pre-
emphasis curves of 50μs and 75μs. Its pre-emphasis control is seldom audibly ap­parent, producing a clean, open sound with subjective brightness matching the
original program.

1-3

• The 8500 achieves extremely tight peak control at all its outputs—analog, AES3
(for both the analog FM and HD channels), and composite baseband.

• The stereo encoder has two outputs with independent level controls, each ca-
pable of driving 75Ω in parallel with 47,000pF, (100ft / 30m of coaxial cable).

• By integrating the stereo encoder with the audio processing, the 8500 elimi-
nates the overshoot problems that waste valuable modulation in traditional ex­ternal encoders.

• The 8500 prevents aliasing distortion in subsequent stereo encoders or transmis­sion links by providing bandwidth limiting and overshoot compensated 15
kHz low-pass filters ahead of the 8500’s audio outputs and stereo encoder.

• The 8500 has an internal, DSP-based stereo encoder (with a patented “half­cosine interpolation” composite limiter operating at 512 kHz sample rate)

to generate the pilot tone stereo baseband signal and control its peak level. The
composite limiter is a unique, “you can only do this in DSP” process that beats
composite clippers by preserving stereo imaging while fully protecting the

stereo pilot tone, RDS/RBDS, and subcarriers.

Flexible Configuration

• The OPTIMOD-FM 8500 is supplied with analog and AES3 digital inputs and
outputs. The digital input and the two digital outputs are equipped with sam-

ple-rate converters and can operate at 32 kHz, 44.1 kHz, 48 kHz, 88.2 kHz, and
96 kHz sample rates. (44.1 kHz or higher is recommended for best peak control.)
The pre-emphasis status and output levels are separately adjustable for the ana-

1-4

INTRODUCTION ORBAN MODEL 8500

log and digital outputs. Each output can emit the analog FM processed signal,
the digital radio processed signal, or the low-delay monitor signal.

• An AES11 sync input allows you to synchronize the output sample rate of ei-
ther (or both) AES3 outputs to this input. You can also synchronize the out-
puts to the AES3 digital input or to 8500’s internal clock. The sync source
of each AES3 output is independently selectable.

• A defeatable delay line can delay the FM analog processing output up to 16.2
seconds. Delay can be trimmed in intervals of one sample of 64 kHz to match
the analog and digital paths in the HD Radio system, eliminating the need to
use the delay built into the HD Radio exciter and permitting the 8500’s inter­nal stereo encoder and composite limiter to drive the analog FM exciter.

Both the 8500 and 8500FM offer this feature, making it convenient to use the
8500FM in dual-processor HD installations where the digital channel receives in­dependent processing from a processor like Orban’s Optimod-DAB or Optimod­PC. Each output (Analog, Digital 1, Digital 2, Composite) can be independently
configured to emit the delayed or undelayed signal.

• The analog inputs are transformerless, balanced 10kΩ instrumentation­amplifier circuits. The analog outputs are transformerless balanced and float-

ing (with 50Ω impedance) to ensure highest transparency and accurate pulse re­sponse.

• The 8500 has two independent composite baseband outputs with digitally
programmable output levels. Robust line drivers enable them to drive 100 feet
of RG-59 coaxial cable without audible performance degradation.

• The 8500’s two subcarrier inputs are mixed with the output of the 8500’s ste-
reo encoder before application to the composite output connectors. One input
can be re-jumpered to provide a 19 kHz pilot reference output. Both inputs have
internal level trims to accommodate subcarrier generators with output levels as
low as 220 mV.

• The 8500 precisely controls the audio bandwidth of its analog FM process-
ing to 16.5 kHz. This prevents significant overshoots in uncompressed digital

links operating at a 44.1 kHz-sample rate or higher and prevents interference to
the pilot tone and RDS (or RBDS) subcarrier. The bandwidth of the 8500’s digital
radio output is adjustable in 1 kHz increments between 15 kHz and 20 kHz.

• The 8500 has a defeatable multiplex power limiter that controls the multiplex
power to ITU-R BS412 standards. An adjustable threshold allows a station to
achieve maximum legal multiplex power even if the downstream transmission
system introduces peak overshoots into the 8500-processed signal. Because this
limiter closes a feedback loop around the audio processing, it allows the user to
adjust the processor’s subjective setup controls freely without violating
BS412 limits, regardless of program material. The multiplex power limiter acts on

OPTIMOD-FM DIGITAL INTRODUCTION

all outputs (not just the composite output). It reduces clipper drive when it re­duces power, simultaneously reducing clipping distortion.

• All input, output, and power connections are rigorously RFI-suppressed to
Orban’s traditional exacting standards, ensuring trouble-free installation.

• The 8500 is designed and certified to meet all applicable international
safety and emissions standards.

Adaptability through Multiple Audio Processing Structures

• A processing structure is a program that operates as a complete audio proc-
essing system. Only one processing structure can be on-air at a time, although all
are active simultaneously to permit mute-free switching between them. The
8500 realizes its processing structures as a series of high-speed mathematical
computations made by Digital Signal Processing (DSP) chips.

• The 8500 features four processing structures: Five-Band (or “Multiband”) for a
consistent, “processed” sound with 17 ms delay (typical), free from undesirable
side effects, Low-Latency Five-Band (12 ms delay), Ultra-Low-Latency Five-
Band (3.7 ms delay), and Two-Band (17 or 22 ms delay) for a transparent sound
that preserves the frequency balance of the original program material. A special
Two-Band preset creates a no-compromise “Protect” function that is functionally
similar to the “Protect” structures in earlier Orban digital processors.

1-5

• The 8500 can increase the density and loudness of the program material by
multiband compression, limiting, and clipping—improving the consistency of the
station’s sound and increasing loudness and definition remarkably, without pro­ducing unpleasant side effects.

• The 8500 rides gain over an adjustable range of up to 25 dB, compressing dy-
namic range and compensating for both operator gain-riding errors and gain in­consistencies in automated systems.

• The 8500’s Two-Band processing structure can be made phase-linear to maxi-
mize audible transparency.

Controllable

• The 8500 can be remote-controlled by 5-12V pulses applied to eight pro-
grammable, optically isolated GPI (general-purpose interface) ports.

• The 8500 is equipped with a serial port to interface to an IBM-compatible com-
puter running Orban’s PC Remote software. The connection can be either direct
or through an external modem.

1-6

INTRODUCTION ORBAN MODEL 8500

• The 8500 has a second serial port that allows the user to set up security and
communications parameters through a simple ASCII terminal program run-

ning on any PC. It also permits simple ASCII strings to trigger preset recall,
facilitating interface to automation systems that can emit such strings through
an RS232 serial port.

• The 8500 can be connected through its built-in 100 Mbps Ethernet port to a
TCP/IP network.

• A Bypass Test Mode can be invoked locally or by remote control to permit broad­cast system test and alignment or “proof of performance” tests.

• The 8500's software can be upgraded remotely or locally through the 8500’s
serial or Ethernet port.

• 8500 PC Remote software is a graphical application that runs under Windows
2000 and XP. It communicates with a given 8500 via TCP/IP over modem, direct
serial, and Ethernet connections. You can configure PC Remote to switch be­tween many 8500s via a convenient organizer that supports giving any 8500 an
alias name and grouping multiple 8500s into folders. Clicking an 8500’s icon
causes PC Remote to connect to that 8500 through an Ethernet network, or ini­tiates a Windows Dial-Up or Direct Cable Connection if appropriate. The PC Re­mote software allows the user to access all 8500 features and allows the user to
archive and restore presets, automation lists, and system setups (con­taining I/O levels, digital word lengths, GPI functional assignments, etc.).

• The 8500 contains a built-in line-up tone generator, facilitating quick and ac-
curate level setting in any system.

• The 8500 contains a versatile real-time clock, which allows automation of
various events (including recalling presets) at pre-programmed times. To main­tain accuracy, this clock can be automatically synchronized via the Internet to a
reference time source.

Upgradeable

• The 8500FM (with no digital radio/netcast processing) can be field-upgraded to
full 8500 functionality, which includes such processing.

• The 8500 can be field-upgraded to be functionally identical to Orban’s Optimod­FM 8600 processor. The appropriate upgrade kit can be ordered from your
Orban dealer. Its price depends on which version of 8500 you are starting with
(8500 or 8500FM) and the version of 8600 (8600 or 8600FM) to which you are
upgrading. If you are starting with an older 8500 (pre-V3), upgrading requires
swapping out the DSP board. 8500V3 and 8500FMV3 have the same DSP board
as that used by the 8600 and thus require no hardware changes when being up­graded.

OPTIMOD-FM DIGITAL INTRODUCTION

Presets in OPTIMOD-FM

There are two distinct kinds of presets in the 8500: Factory Presets and User Presets.

Factory Presets

The Factory Presets are our “factory recommended settings” for various program
formats or types. The description indicates the processing structure and the type of
processing. Each Factory Preset on the Preset list is really a library of 20 separate pre­sets, selected by entering B
OPTIMOD-FM for amount of dynamics processing required.

Factory Presets are stored in OPTIMOD-FM’s non-volatile memory and cannot be
erased. You can change the settings of a Factory Preset, but you must then store
those settings as a User Preset, to which you are free to name as you wish (as long as
that name does not duplicate another preset name). The Factory Preset remains un­changed.

ASIC MODIFY and using the LESS-MORE control to adjust

1-7

User Presets

User Presets permit you to change a Factory Preset to suit your requirements and
then store those changes.

You can store as many User Presets (at least 100) as you have available memory. You
may enter in any name you wish, up to 18 characters. The only exception is that you
cannot name a User Preset the same as a Factory Preset, regardless of upper or
lower case. (For example, if a Factory Preset is called “Jazz,” you cannot have a User
Preset called “jazz” or “JAZZ.”)

User Presets cannot be created from scratch. You must always start by recalling a
Factory Preset. You can then immediately store this in a User Preset, name it as you
wish (within the constraints described above), and then make changes to the set­tings. Alternatively, you can recall a Factory Preset, make the changes, and then
store this in a User Preset.

Either way, the Factory Preset remains for you to return to if you wish.

User Presets are stored in non-volatile memory that does not require battery
backup.

Input/output Configuration

OPTIMOD-FM is designed to simultaneously accommodate:

• Digital AES3 left/right inputs.

1-8

INTRODUCTION ORBAN MODEL 8500

• Two Digital AES3 outputs, both of which can be switched independently to carry
the following signals: FM analog processed without diversity delay, FM analog
processed with diversity delay, digital radio processed, or low delay monitor.

• Digital AES11 sync reference input.

• Analog left/right inputs.

• Analog left/right outputs, which can be switched independently to carry the fol-

lowing signals: FM analog processed without diversity delay, FM analog proc­essed with diversity delay, digital radio processed, or low delay monitor.

• Composite stereo outputs.

• Subcarrier (SCA and RDS/RBDS) input.

Digital AES3 Left/right Input/outputs

The digital input and outputs conform to the professional AES3 standard. They all
have sample rate converters to allow operation at 32 kHz, 44.1 kHz, 48 kHz, 88.2
kHz, and 96 kHz sample frequency. For best peak control, operate at 44.1 kHz or
higher.

The left/right digital input is on one XLR-type female connector on the rear panel;
the left/right digital outputs are on two XLR-type male connectors on the rear panel.

OPTIMOD-FM simultaneously accommodates digital and analog inputs and outputs.
You can switch any of the 8500’s outputs between the analog-channel processing, a
low-delay monitor signal, and the HD-channel processing.

You select whether OPTIMOD-FM uses the digital or analog input on the In­put/output screen, by PC remote control, or by GPI (General Purpose Interface) opti­cally-isolated remote control. Both analog and digital outputs are active continu­ously.

Level control of the AES3 input is via software control through the I
screens.

In addition, an AES11 sync input can accommodate house sync. It will lock the 8500’s
two AES3 outputs to this sync even if the digital input is asynchronous to house sync.

NPUT/OUTPUT

Analog Left/right Input/output

The left and right analog inputs are on XLR-type female connectors on the rear
panel. Input impedance is greater than 10kΩ; balanced and floating. Inputs can ac­commodate up to +27 dBu (0 dBu = 0.775Vrms).

OPTIMOD-FM DIGITAL INTRODUCTION

The left and right analog outputs are on XLR-type male connectors on the rear
panel. Output impedance is 50Ω; balanced and floating. They can drive 600Ω or
higher impedances, balanced or unbalanced. The peak output level is adjustable
from –6 dBu to +24 dBu.

Level control of the analog inputs and outputs is accomplished via software control
through System Setup. (See step 4 on page 2-24 and step 5 on page 2-27.)

Stereo Analog Baseband Composite Output

The stereo encoder has two unbalanced analog baseband outputs on two BNC con­nectors on the rear panel. Each output can be strapped for 0 or 75Ω source imped­ance and can drive up to 8V peak-to-peak into 75Ω in parallel with up to 0.047μF
(100ft / 30m of RG-59 / U cable) before any significant audible performance degra­dation occurs (see the footnote on page 1-14 and refer to Figure 2-3: Separation vs.
load capacitance on page 2-9). Independent level control of each output is via soft­ware in the I

A ground lift switch is available on the rear panel. This is useful to prevent ground
loops between the 8500 and the transmitter.

NPUT/OUTPUT > COMPOSITE screen.

1-9

Subcarriers

The stereo encoder has two unbalanced 600Ω subcarrier (SCA) inputs with rear­panel BNC connectors to accept any subcarrier at or above 23 kHz. The subcarriers
are mixed into each composite output and their level is not affected by the compos­ite level control for that output.

The 8500 does not digitize subcarriers; the mixing occurs after D/A conversion and is
analog.

Subcarrier inputs sum into the composite baseband outputs before the digitally con­trolled composite attenuators. The sensitivity of the both SCA inputs are variable
from 220 mV p-p to >10 V p-p to produce 10% injection. Internal PC-board-mounted
trim pots determine the sensitivity.

The correct peak level of the stereo program applied to the stereo encoder some­times depends on the number of subcarriers in use. Some regulatory authorities re­quire the total baseband peak modulation to be maintained within specified limits.
Thus, the level of the stereo main and subchannel must be reduced when a subcar­rier is turned on. The 8500’s remote control feature allows you to reduce the stereo
main and subchannel level by connecting an on/off signal from your subcarrier gen­erator (See page 2-9). You define the amount of reduction (in units of percent
modulation) on the Input/output screen (See page 2-27). See page 2-54 for informa­tion on programming the remote control.

A jumper on the circuit board can reconfigure the SCA 2 input to provide the
pilot tone only, which can provide a pilot reference for an RDS subcarrier generator.

stereo

1-10

INTRODUCTION ORBAN MODEL 8500

Remote Control Interface

The Remote Control Interface is a set of eight optically isolated inputs on a DB-25
connector that can be activated by 5-12V DC. They can control various functions of
the 8500:

• Recall any Factory Preset, User Preset, Test Mode state (Bypass or Tone), or exit
from a Test Mode to the previous processing preset.

• Switch the stereo encoder to stereo, mono from left, mono from right, or mono
from sum audio input. This also determines the feed to the entire processing
chain (both FM and HD) so that facilities that do not use the 8500’s stereo en­coder can change stereo/mono mode and select the source when in mono mode.

• Switch the 8500 to use either the analog input or the digital input.

• Determine whether diversity delay is applied to any given output that is config-

ured to emit the analog FM processed audio.

• Reduce the stereo main and subchannel modulation to compensate for transmit­ter overshoot and subcarrier inputs (SCAs). (M
REDUCTION 2).

The remote control of overshoot compensation and SCA modulation (see
step (8.D) on page 2-21) is not latching. You must supply a continuous
current to the programmed remote input to hold
sated level. Use the status outputs of your transmitter and/or SCA gen­erators to provide the switching signal so the compensation will auto­matically follow the transmitter and/or subcarrier generator on the air.

• Reset the 8500’s internal clock to the nearest hour or to midnight.

The functions of the eight inputs can be re-configured by the user via

YSTEM SETUP / NETWORK / REMOTE. For example, if you are not using the

S

stereo encoder, the three inputs ordinarily dedicated to controlling the
state of the stereo encoder can instead be re-configured to call three ad­ditional presets. See page 2-54 for information on programming the re­mote control interface.

OD REDUCTION 1 and MOD

the gain at its compen-

Computer Interface

On the rear panel of the 8500 is a serial port and a 100 Mbps Ethernet port for inter­facing to IBM-compatible PCs. These computer interfaces support remote control
and metering, and downloading software upgrades.

Each 8500 package ships with 8500 PC Remote software, a program for any IBM­compatible PC with 600x800 graphics or higher (running Microsoft Windows 2000
SP3 or higher, or any version of XP). 8500 PC permits you to adjust any 8500 preset
by remote control, or to do most anything else that you can do from the 8500’s front

OPTIMOD-FM DIGITAL INTRODUCTION

panel controls. The program displays all of the 8500’s LCD meters on the computer
screen to aid remote adjustment.

RS-232 Serial Port (Serial 1)

8500 PC Remote can communicate via modem or direct
computer and the 8500 through their RS-232 serial ports.

RS-232 Serial Port (Serial 2)

A computer (running a simple
communicate with the 8500 through direct cable connection between their RS-232
serial ports. This connection can administer communications and security, and can
recall presets. It is also useful for connecting to automation systems that can emit
ASCII strings through an RS-232 output.

100 Mbps Ethernet Port

This port will connect to any Ethernet-based
tocol.

ASCII terminal program like Hyperterminal®) can

network that supports the TCP/IP pro-

connection between the

1-11

Location of OPTIMOD-FM

Optimal Control of Peak Modulation Levels

The audio processing circuitry in OPTIMOD-FM produces a signal that is pre­emphasized to either the 50μs or 75μs standard pre-emphasis curve. It is precisely
and absolutely high-frequency-controlled and peak-controlled to prevent over­modulation and is filtered at 15 kHz to protect the 19 kHz pilot and prevent distor­tion caused by aliasing-related non-linear crosstalk. If this signal is fed directly into a
stereo encoder, peak modulation levels on the air will be precisely controlled. How­ever, if the audio processor’s signal is fed to the stereo encoder through any circuitry
with frequency response errors and/or non-constant group delay, the peaks will be
magnified. Peak modulation will increase, but average modulation will not. The
modulation level must consequently be reduced to accommodate the larger peaks.
Reduced average modulation level will cause reduced loudness and a poorer signal­to-noise ratio at the receiver.

Landline equalizers, transformers, and 15 kHz low-pass filters and pre-emphasis net­works in stereo encoders typically introduce frequency response errors and non­constant group delay. There are three criteria for preservation of peak levels
through the audio system:

1) The system group delay must be essentially constant throughout the frequency
range containing significant energy (30-15,000Hz). If low-pass filters are present,
this may require the use of delay equalization. The deviation from linear-phase
must not exceed ±10° from 30-15,000Hz.

1-12

INTRODUCTION ORBAN MODEL 8500

2) The low-frequency −3 dB point of the system must be placed at 0.15Hz or lower
(this is not a misprint!). This is necessary to ensure less than 1% overshoot in a
50Hz square wave and essentially constant group delay to 30Hz.

3) Any pre-emphasis used in the audio transmission system prior to the stereo en-
coder must be canceled by a precisely complementary de-emphasis: Every pole
and zero in the pre-emphasis filter must be complemented by a zero and pole of
identical complex frequency in the de-emphasis network. An all-pole de­emphasis network (like the classic series resistor feeding a grounded capacitor) is
not appropriate.

In this example, the network could be fixed by adding a second resistor
between ground and the capacitor, which would introduce a zero.

Low-pass filters (including anti-aliasing filters in digital links), high-pass filters, trans­formers, distribution amplifiers, and long transmission lines can all cause the above
criteria to be violated, and must be tested and qualified. It is clear that the above
criteria for optimal control of peak modulation levels are most easily met when the
audio processor directly feeds the stereo encoder. In the 8500, no circuit elements
that might distort the shape of the waveform are interposed between the audio
processor and the stereo encoder. We therefore recommend using the 8500 with its
built-in stereo encoder whenever practical.

Best Location for OPTIMOD-FM

The best location for OPTIMOD-FM is as close as possible to the transmitter, so that
its stereo encoder output can be connected to the transmitter through a circuit path
that introduces the least possible change in the shape of OPTIMOD-FM’s carefully
peak-limited composite waveform—a short length of coaxial cable. If this is impossi­ble, the next best arrangement is to feed the 8500’s AES3 digital output through an
all-digital, uncompressed path to the transmitter's exciter, although this will pre­clude using the 8500’s composite limiter.

Use the 8500’s left and right analog audio outputs in situations where the stereo en­coder and exciter are under the jurisdiction of an independent transmission author­ity and where the programming agency’s jurisdiction ends at the interface between
the audio facility and the link connecting the audio facility to the transmitter. (The
link might be telephone / post lines, analog microwave radio, or various types of
digital paths.) This situation is not ideal because artifacts that cannot be controlled
by the audio processor can be introduced by the link to the transmitter, by transmit­ter peak limiters, or by the external stereo encoder.

If the transmitter is not accessible:

All audio processing must be done at the studio and you must tolerate any
that occurs later. If you can obtain a broadband (0-75 kHz) phase-linear link to the
transmitter and the transmitter authority will accept the delivery of a baseband en­coded signal, use the 8500’s internal stereo encoder at the studio location to feed
the STL. Then feed the output of the STL receiver directly into the transmitter’s ex­citer with no intervening processing.

damage

OPTIMOD-FM DIGITAL INTRODUCTION

If an uncompressed left/right digital link is available to the transmitter, this is also an
excellent means of transmission, although it will not pass the effects of the 8500’s
composite processor (if you are using it). However, if the digital link employs lossy
compression, it will degrade peak control. To prevent overshoots caused by spectral
truncation in the link, set the 8500’s output sample rate to 44.1 kHz or higher.

If only an audio link is available, use the 8500’s left and right audio outputs and feed
the audio, without pre-emphasis, directly into the link. If possible, request that any
transmitter protection limiters be adjusted for minimum possible action—OPTIMOD­FM does most of that work. Transmitter protection limiters should respond only to
signals caused by faults or by spurious peaks introduced by imperfections in the link.
To ensure maximum quality, all equipment in the signal path after the studio should
be carefully aligned and qualified to meet the appropriate standards for bandwidth,
distortion, group delay and gain stability and such equipment should be re-qualified
at reasonable intervals. (See Optimal Control of Peak Modulation Levels on page 1-

11).

If the transmitter is accessible:

ou can achieve the most accurate control of modulation peaks by locating

Y
OPTIMOD-FM at the transmitter site and then using its stereo encoder to drive the
transmitter. You can usually also obtain good results by locating OPTIMOD-FM at the
studio and connecting the baseband output of its stereo encoder to the transmitter
through a composite baseband STL (see page 1-16). However, many analog compos-

baseband STLs do not control peaks perfectly because of bounce (see page 1-17)

ite
and locating OPTIMOD-FM at the transmitter site (where it can
prior to the transmitter’s RF exciter) is thus likely to maximize loudness. The ideal
link is an uncompressed digital composite STL because these have virtually flawless
waveform fidelity and allow full use of the 8500’s composite limiter.

control peaks just

1-13

Because OPTIMOD-FM controls peaks, it is irrelevant whether the audio link feeding
OPTIMOD-FM’s input terminals is phase-linear. However, the link should have low
noise, the flattest possible frequency response from 30-15,000Hz, and low non-linear
distortion.

We strongly recommend that you use the 8500’s internal stereo encoder to feed the
output of the encoder directly. You will achieve a louder sound on the air, with bet­ter control of peak modulation, than if you use most external stereo encoders. An
exception is Orban’s 8218 stereo encoder, which does not add overshoot, and, in
fact, contains its own overshoot limiter. However, because it accepts audio in
left/right form, the 8218 will not let you exploit the 8500’s composite limiter.

The shorter the baseband cable from OPTIMOD-FM to exciter, the less likely that
ground loops or other noise problems will occur in the installation. If you require a
long cable run, you can use Orban’s CIT25 Composite Isolation Transformer to break
any ground loops. This transformer will ordinarily cure even the most stubborn hum
or noise caused by the composite connection between OPTIMOD-FM and the exciter.
Its instruction manual contains complete information on its installation and applica­tion.

If a separate stereo encoder must be used, feed the encoder directly from the 8500’s
left and right analog outputs. If possible, bypass the pre-emphasis network and the

1-14

INTRODUCTION ORBAN MODEL 8500

input low-pass filters in the encoder so that they cannot introduce spurious peaks.
Because of their special design, OPTIMOD-FM’s pre-emphasis network and low-pass
filters perform the same functions while retaining tight peak control.

Connect the composite output of the 8500 to the baseband input of the exciter
through less than 100 feet (30 meters) of coaxial cable. 100 feet of coaxial cable (as­suming 30-pF / foot capacitance) will reduce measured separation at 15 kHz (worst
case) to approximately 60dB (see Figure 2-3 on page 2-9). This separation is com­fortably above the separation (approximately
changes in the stereo image.

1

20dB) that starts to cause perceptible

Studio-Transmitter Link

Transmission from Studio to Transmitter

There are five types of studio-transmitter links (STLs) in common use in broadcast
service: uncompressed digital, digital with lossy compression (like MPEG, Dolby

®

), microwave, analog landline (telephone / post line), and audio subcarrier on

APT-x
a video microwave STL.

STLs are used in three fundamentally different ways. They can either (1) pass un­processed audio for application to the 8500’s input, (2) they can pass the 8500’s
peak-controlled analog or digital left and right audio outputs, or (3) they can pass
the 8500’s peak-controlled composite stereo baseband output. The three applica­tions have different performance requirements. In general, a link that passes un­processed audio should have very low noise and low non-linear distortion, but its
transient response is not important. A link that passes processed audio doesn’t need
as low a noise floor as a link passing unprocessed audio. However, its transient re­sponse is critical. At the current state of the art, an uncompressed digital link using
digital inputs and outputs to pass audio in left/right format achieves best results. We
will elaborate below.

1

Julie M. Adkins and Robert D. Sorkin: “Effect of Channel Separation on Earphone­Presented Tones, Noise, and Stereophonic Material,” J. Audio Engineering Society,
vol. 33 pp. 234-239, 1985.

Subjects listened to 500-Hz tones, broadband noise, and stereophonic program ma­terial through earphones and adjusted the channel separation, via a manual control,
until the degradation of the spatial effect became detectable. Mean channel separa­tions ranged from 10 to 15.9 dB for the musical selections employed and from 13.7
to 16.8 dB for the noise and tonal stimuli. The results are discussed in terms of exist­ing data on detectable stereo separation and on the discrimination of interaural
time differences. [Abstract ©Audio Engineering Society, Inc.]

®

, or

OPTIMOD-FM DIGITAL INTRODUCTION

Digital Links

Digital links may pass audio as straightforward PCM encoding or they may apply
lossy data reduction processing to the signal to reduce the number of bits per sec­ond required for transmission through the digital link. Lossy data rate reduction will
almost invariably distort peak levels and such links must therefore be carefully quali­fied before you use them to carry the peak-controlled output of the 8500 to the
transmitter. For example, the MPEG Layer 2 algorithm can increase peak levels up to
4 dB at 160kB / sec by adding large amounts of quantization noise to the signal.
While the desired program material may psychoacoustically mask this noise, it is nev­ertheless large enough to affect peak levels severely. For any lossy compression sys­tem the higher the data rate, the less the peak levels will be corrupted by added
noise, so use the highest data rate practical in your system.

It is practical (though not ideal) to use lossy data reduction to pass unprocessed au­dio to the 8500’s input. The data rate should be at least of “contribution quality”—
the higher, the better. If any part of the studio chain is analog, we recommend using
at least 20-bit A/D conversion before encoding.

Because the 8500 uses multiband limiting, it can dynamically change the frequency
response of the channel. This can violate the psychoacoustic masking assumptions
made in designing the lossy data reduction algorithm. Therefore, you need to leave
“headroom” in the algorithm so that the 8500’s multiband processing will not un­mask quantization noise. This is also true of any lossy data reduction applied in the
studio (such as hard disk digital delivery systems).

1-15

For MPEG Layer 2 encoding, we recommend 384 kB / second or higher.

Some links may use straightforward PCM (pulse-code modulation) without lossy
data reduction. If you connect to these through an AES3 digital interface, these can
be very transparent provided they do not truncate the digital words produced by
the devices driving their inputs. Because the 8500’s output is tightly band-limited to

16.5 kHz, it can be passed without significant overshoot by equally well by any link
with 44.1 kHz or higher sample frequency.

Currently available sample rate converters use phase-linear filters (which have con­stant group delay at all frequencies). If they do not remove spectral energy from the
original signal, the sample rate conversion, whether upward or downward, will not
add overshoot to the signal. This is not true of systems that are not strictly band­limited to 15 kHz, where downward sample rate conversion will remove spectral en­ergy and will therefore introduce overshoot.

If the link does not have an AES3 input, you must drive its analog input from the
8500’s analog output. This is less desirable because the link’s analog input circuitry
may not meet all requirements for passing processed audio without overshoot.

NICAM is a sort of hybrid between PCM and lossy data reduction systems. It uses a
block-companded floating-point representation of the signal with J.17 pre­emphasis.

Older technology converters (including some older NICAM encoders) may exhibit
quantization distortion unless they have been correctly dithered. Additionally, they

1-16

INTRODUCTION ORBAN MODEL 8500

can exhibit rapid changes in group delay around cut-off because their analog filters
are ordinarily not group-delay equalized. The installing engineer should be aware of
all of these potential problems when designing a transmission system.

Any problems can be minimized by always driving a digital STL with the 8500’s AES3
digital output, which will provide the most accurate interface to the STL. The digital
input and output accommodate sample rates of 32 kHz, 44.1 kHz, 48 kHz, 88.2 kHz,
and 96 kHz.

Composite Baseband Microwave STLs (Analog and Digital)

The composite baseband microwave STL carries the standard pilot-tone stereo
band and therefore receives the output of a stereo encoder located at the studio
site. The receiver output of the composite STL is the stereo baseband signal, which is
applied directly to the wideband input of the FM broadcast transmitter’s exciter.
Thus, no stereo encoder is needed at the transmitter.

In general, a composite microwave STL provides good audio quality, as long as there
is a line-of-sight transmission path from studio to transmitter of less than 10 miles
(16 km). If not, RF signal-to-noise ratio, multipath distortion, and diffraction effects
can cause serious quality problems. Where a composite STL is used, use the 8500’s
stereo encoder to drive the composite STL transmitter.

base-

Uncompressed digital composite baseband microwave STLs, if properly designed,
have excellent performance and we recommend them highly. They are particularly
desirable in an 8500 installation because they allow you to use the 8500’s composite
limiter to increase on-air loudness. However, the fact that they are digital does not
eliminate the requirement that they have low frequency response that is less than 3
dB down at 0.15 Hz. Any such STL should be qualified to ensure that it meets this
specification.

Dual Microwave STLs

Dual microwave STLs use two separate
right channels in discrete form. Dual microwave STLs offer greater noise immunity
than composite microwave STLs. However, problems include gain- and phase­matching of the left and right channels, overloads induced by pre-emphasis, and re­quirements that the audio applied to the microwave transmitters be processed to
prevent over-modulation of the microwave system.

Lack of transparency in the path will cause overshoot. Unless carefully designed,
dual microwave STLs can introduce non-constant group delay in the audio spectrum,
distorting peak levels when used to pass processed audio. Nevertheless, in a system
using a microwave STL, the 8500 is sometimes located at the studio and any over­shoots induced by the link are tolerated or removed by the transmitter’s protection
limiter (if any). The 8500 can only be located at the transmitter if the signal-to-noise
ratio of the STL is good enough to pass unprocessed audio. The signal-to-noise ratio
of the STL can be used optimally if an Orban Optimod-PC 1101, Optimod 6300,
8200ST Compressor / Limiter / HF Limiter / Clipper or an 4000 Transmission Limiter
protects the link from overload. Of these, the 1101 and 6300 are currently manufac­tured as of this writing and are the preferred choices because their AGCs are identi­cal to the AGC in the 8500.

transmitters and receivers to pass the left and

OPTIMOD-FM DIGITAL INTRODUCTION

If the 8500 is located at the transmitter and fed unprocessed audio from a micro­wave STL, it may be useful to use a companding-type noise reduction system (like
dbx Type 2 or Dolby SR) around the link. This will minimize any audible noise
buildup caused by compression within the 8500.

Some microwave links can be modified so that the deviation from linear phase is less
than +

0.15Hz and less than 0.1 dB down at 20 kHz. This specification results in less than 1%
overshoot with processed audio. Many such links have been designed to be easily
configured at the factory for composite operation, where an entire FM stereo base­band is passed. The requirements for maintaining stereo separation in composite
operation are similar to the requirements for high waveform fidelity with low over­shoot. Therefore, most links have the potential for excellent waveform fidelity if
they are configured for composite operation (even if a composite FM stereo signal is
not actually being applied to the link).

Nevertheless, in a dual-microwave system, the 8500 is usually located at the main FM
transmitter and is driven by the microwave receivers. One of Orban’s studio level
control systems, such as the 8200ST, protects the microwave transmitters at the stu­dio from overload. These units also perform the gain riding function ordinarily exe­cuted by the AGC section of the 8500’s processing and optimize the signal-to-noise
ratio obtainable from the dual-microwave link.

10° from 20 Hz to 15 kHz and frequency response is less than 3 dB down at

1-17

If the STL microwave uses pre-emphasis, its input pre-emphasis filter will probably
introduce overshoots that will increase peak modulation without any increases in
average modulation. If the studio level control system is capable of producing a pre­emphasized output, we strongly recommend that the microwave STL’s pre-emphasis
be defeated and pre-emphasis performed in the studio level control system. This
frees the system from potential overshoot. (The Orban 8200ST can be readily con­figured to produce a pre-emphasized output.)

Further, it is common for a microwave STL to bounce because of a large infrasonic
peak in its frequency response caused by an under-damped automatic frequency
control (AFC) phase-locked loop. This bounce can increase the STL’s peak carrier de­viation by as much as 2dB, reducing average modulation. Many commercial STLs
have this problem.

Some consultants presently offer modifications to minimize or eliminate this prob­lem. If your exciter or STL has this problem, you may contact Orban Customer Service
for the latest information on such services.

Analog Landline (PTT / Post Office Line)

Analog landline quality is extremely variable, ranging from excellent to
Whether landlines should be used or not depends upon the quality of the lines lo­cally available and upon the availability of other alternatives. Due to line equalizer
characteristics and phase shifts, even the best landlines tend to veil audio quality
slightly. They will certainly be the weakest link in a FM broadcast chain.

poor.

Slight frequency response irregularities and non-constant group delay characteristics
will alter the peak-to-average ratio and will thus reduce the effectiveness of any
peak limiting performed prior to their inputs.

1-18

INTRODUCTION ORBAN MODEL 8500

Using the Orban 8100AST (or 8100A/ST) External AGC

with the 8500

If you have an OPTIMOD-FM 8100A1 (or 8100A or 8100A/1) installation that uses an
Orban 8100AST (or 8100A/ST) external AGC at the studio to protect an STL (with the
main 8100A, 8100A1 or 8100A/1 chassis at the transmitter), you may wish to con­tinue to use the external AGC to protect the STL when you install the 8500 at the
transmitter.

If you are keeping your analog OPTIMOD-FM as a standby processor, you will proba­bly want to use the external AGC to drive both the 8500 and the 8100A1 (also called
8100A/1) transmitter chassis in parallel. This is usually practical. However, complica­tions will occur if you are not using an Orban 8100AXT2 (also called 8100A/XT2) Six­Band Limiter Accessory with your 8100A1, because, to correctly drive an 8500, the
external AGC must be strapped as if it were driving an 8100A1 (or 8100A/1) +
8100AXT2 (or 8100A/XT2) system. Therefore, if you have only an 8100A1 (or
8100A/1), you will have to re-strap the external AGC for operation without the XT2
before you can put the standby 8100A1 (or 8100A/1) on the air.

STL and Exciter Overshoot

Earlier in this section, we discussed at length what is required to prevent STLs from
overshooting. There are similar requirements for FM exciters. Nevertheless, in some
installations some overshoot is inevitable. If this is a problem in your installation, the
8500’s remote control feature offers the means to reduce the peak level of the
8500’s audio output as necessary. This way, you can still use the 8500’s line-up tone
to adjust the steady-state deviation to ±75 kHz. Yet, the reduced peak level of the
audio emitted from the 8500 ensures that the carrier deviates no further than ±75
kHz after overshoot. This overshoot reduction can be selected on the I
screen and the remote operation can be selected in S

REMOTE. See step (8.D) on page 2-21.

YSTEM SETUP > NETWORK /

NPUT/OUTPUT

Using Lossy Data Reduction in the Studio

Many stations are now using lossy data reduction algorithms like MPEG-1 Layer 2 or
Dolby AC2 to increase the storage time of digital playback media. In addition, source
material is often supplied through a lossy data reduction algorithm, whether from
satellite or over landlines. Sometimes, several encode / decode cycles will be cas­caded before the material is finally presented to OPTIMOD-FM’s input.

All such algorithms operate by increasing the quantization noise in discrete fre­quency bands. If not psychoacoustically masked by the program material, this noise
may be perceived as distortion, an “underwater sound,” or other perceptual degra­dation. Psychoacoustic calculations are used to ensure that the added noise is
masked by the desired program material and not heard. Cascading several stages of
such processing can raise the added quantization noise above the threshold of
masking, such that it is heard.

OPTIMOD-FM DIGITAL INTRODUCTION

At least one other mechanism can cause the noise to become audible at the radio.
OPTIMOD-FM’s multiband limiter performs an “automatic equalization” function
that can radically change the frequency balance of the program. This can cause
noise that would otherwise have been masked to become unmasked because the
psychoacoustic masking conditions under which the masking thresholds were origi­nally computed have changed.

Accordingly, if you use lossy data reduction in the studio, you should use the highest
data rate possible. This maximizes the headroom between the added noise and the
threshold where it will be heard. Also, you should minimize the number of encode
and decode cycles, because each cycle moves the added noise closer to the threshold
where the added noise is heard.

About Transmission Levels and Metering

Meters

Studio engineers and transmission engineers consider audio levels and their meas­urements differently, so they typically use different methods of metering to monitor
these levels. The VU meter is an average-responding meter (measuring the approxi­mate RMS level) with a 300ms rise time and decay time; the VU indication usually
under-indicates the true peak level by 8 to 14dB. The Peak Program Meter (PPM) in­dicates a level between RMS and the actual peak. The PPM has an attack time of
10ms, slow enough to cause the meter to ignore narrow peaks and under-indicate
the true peak level by 5 dB or more. The absolute peak-sensing meter or LED indica­tor shows the true peak level. It has an instantaneous attack time and a release time
slow enough to allow the engineer to read the peak level easily. Figure 1-1 shows
the relative dif
meter and a PPM for a few seconds of music program.

ference between the absolute peak level and the indications of a VU

1-19

Figure 1-1: Absolute Peak Level, VU and PPM Reading

ABSOLUTE PEAK

PPM

VU

1-20

INTRODUCTION ORBAN MODEL 8500

Studio Line-up Levels and Headroom

The studio engineer is primarily concerned with calibrating the equipment to pro­vide the required input level for proper operation of each device so that all devices
operate with the same input and output levels. This facilitates patching devices in
and out without recalibration.

For line-up, the studio engineer uses a calibration tone at a studio standard level,
commonly called line-up level, reference level, or operating level. Metering at the
studio is by a VU meter or PPM (Peak Program Meter). As discussed above, the VU or
PPM indication under-indicates the true peak level. Most modern studio audio de­vices have a clipping level of no less than +21dBu and often +24dBu or more. The
studio standardizes on a maximum program indication on the meter that is lower
than the clipping level, so peaks that the meter does not indicate will not be
clipped. Line-up level is usually at this same maximum meter indication. In facilities
that use VU meters, this level is usually at 0VU, which corresponds to the studio
standard level, typically +4 or +8dBu.

For facilities using +4dBu standard level, instantaneous peaks can reach +18dBu or
higher (particularly if the operator overdrives the console or desk). Older facilities
with +8dBu standard level and equipment that clips at +18 or +21dBu will experi­ence noticeable clipping on some program material.

In facilities that use the BBC-standard PPM, maximum program level is usually PPM4
for music, PPM6 for speech. Line-up level is usually PPM4, which corresponds to
+4dBu. Instantaneous peaks will reach +17dBu or more on voice.

In facilities that use PPMs that indicate level directly in dBu, maximum program and
line-up level is often +6dBu. Instantaneous peaks will reach +11dBu or more.

Transmission Levels

The transmission engineer is primarily concerned with the peak level of a program
to prevent overloading or over-modulation of the transmission system. This peak
overload level is defined differently, system to system.

In FM modulation (FM / VHF radio and television broadcast, microwave or analog
satellite links), it is the maximum-permitted RF carrier frequency deviation. In AM
modulation, it is negative carrier pinch-off. In analog telephone / post / PTT trans­mission, it is the level above which serious crosstalk into other channels occurs, or
the level at which the amplifiers in the channel overload. In digital, it is the largest
possible digital word.

For metering, the transmission engineer uses an oscilloscope, absolute peak-sensing
meter, calibrated peak-sensing LED indicator, or a modulation meter. A modulation
meter usually has two components—a semi-peak reading meter (like a PPM) and a
peak-indicating light, which is calibrated to turn on whenever the instantaneous
peak modulation exceeds the overmodulation threshold.

OPTIMOD-FM DIGITAL INTRODUCTION

Line-Up Facilities

Metering of Levels

The meters on the 8500 show left/right input and output levels and composite
modulation. Left and right input level is shown on a VU-type scale (0 to –40 dB),
while the metering indicates absolute instantaneous peak (much faster than a stan-
dard PPM or VU meter). The input meter is scaled so that 0 dB on the scale corre­sponds +27 dBu, which is the absolute maximum peak level that the 8500 can ac­cept. If you are using the AES3 digital input, a full-scale digital word corresponds to
the 0 dB point on the 8500’s input meter.

Left/right Output Level

Left and right output level is shown on a VU-type scale. The metering
solute instantaneous peak (much faster than a standard PPM or VU meter). The me­ter is scaled so that 0 dB is calibrated to the highest left and right peak modulation
level, before de-emphasis, that the processing will produce, under any program,
processing, or setup condition (except when the processing is switched to B
The meter indication is not affected by the setting of the output level control.

indicates ab-

YPASS).

1-21

Composite Output Level

Orban 8500 Audio Processor controls instantaneous, absolute peak levels to a

The
tolerance of approximately ±0.1 dB. Composite modulation is indicated in percent­age modulation, absolute instantaneous peak indicating. 100% is calibrated to the
highest composite peak modulation level that the processing will produce, including
the pilot tone, under any program, processing, or setup condition (except when the
processing is switched to
deviation.

Note that if the 8500’s subcarrier inputs are used, the meter will not indicate the
subcarriers’ effect on composite modulation because the subcarriers are mixed into
the composite signal in the analog domain, after the composite signal is metered.
Therefore, you must mentally add the subcarriers to the meter indication or refer to
an external, calibrated modulation monitor.

Built-in Calibrated Line-up Tones

o facilitate matching the output level of the 8500 to the transmission system that it

T
is driving, the 8500 contains an adjustable test tone oscillator that produces sine
waves at 8500’s (analog or digital) left, right, and composite outputs. The frequency
and modulation level of the line-up tones can be adjusted from the front panel (as
described on page 3-74).

The stereo encoder is calibrated so that 100% left
100% modulation of the stereo composite signal, including pilot tone, but excluding
any SCA subcarriers.

BYPASS). 100% ordinarily corresponds to ±75 kHz-carrier

or right modulation will provide

1-22

INTRODUCTION ORBAN MODEL 8500

The pilot tone stereo system has an interleaving property, which means that the ste-
reo composite modulation is approximately equal to the higher of the left or right
channels.

Because the pilot tone is phase-synchronous with the stereo subcarrier,
the composite modulation will actually increase about 2.7% when the
modulation is changed from pure single-channel to L+R modulation
while the peak audio level is held constant.

When the 8500’s left/right analog output is switched to FLAT, a de-emphasis filter is
inserted between output of the 8500’s audio processing and its line output. Thus, as
the frequency of the Test Tone is changed, the level at the 8500’s line output will fol­low the selected de-emphasis curve. In most cases, the pre-emphasis filter in the
driven equipment will undo the effect of the 8500’s internal de-emphasis, so the
8500’s output level should be adjusted such that the tone produces 100% modula­tion of the transmission link as measured after the link’s pre-emphasis filter. At
100Hz, switching the de-emphasis out or in will have negligible effect on the level
appearing at the 8500’s left and right audio outputs.

You can adjust the frequency and modulation level of the built-in line-up tone. You
can use the front panel, the PC Control software, or the opto-isolated remote con­trol interface ports to activate the Test Tone.

Built-in Calibrated Bypass Test Mode

YPASS Test Mode is available to transparently pass line-up tones generated earlier

A B
in the system. It will also pass program material, applying no gain reduction or pro­tection against overmodulation. It can transparently pass any line-up tone applied
to its input up to about 130% output modulation, at which point clipping may oc­cur.

Monitoring on Loudspeakers and Headphones

In live operations, highly processed audio often causes a problem with the DJ or
presenter’s headphones. The delay through the 8500 can be as much as 37 milli-

seconds (when S
distinct echo, which most talent finds uncomfortable and distracting. However, the
normal delay through the 8500 (from input to FM outputs) is about 18 ms when

ARD or MEDIUM bass clipping is selected, as it is in all factory presets other than

H

those with “LL” (“low latency”) or “UL” (“ultra-low latency”) in their names. An 18
ms delay is workable for most talent (although it may require some acclimatization)
because they do not hear echoes of their own voices in their headphones. Conse­quently, customers can ordinarily replace an older processor with the 8500 with no
studio wiring changes. Moreover, off-air cueing of remote talent is routine.

Two lower-delay options are available. “Low latency” reduces input / FM-output de­lay to 13 ms and “ultra-low latency” reduces delay to about 3.7 ms. The trade-off for
this reduction is approximately 1 dB decrease in loudness compared to the 8500’s full
look-ahead processing for low latency and about 2.5 dB loudness decrease for ultra­low latency.

OFT bass clipping is selected). This delay is likely to be audible as a

OPTIMOD-FM DIGITAL INTRODUCTION

• You can invoke the low latency mode by setting the BASSCLIPMODE control (in
the C

LIPPERS page of ADVANCED CONTROL) to LLHARD, or by recalling a preset with

“LL” as part of its name.

LLHARD differs in two ways from the normal HARD mode of the bass clip­per:

• LLHARD automatically defeats the compressor lookahead. (This action
is functionally equivalent to setting the L
cept that it reduces input/output delay by 5 ms).

• LLHARD prevents the bass clipper from switching to Medium mode
whenever speech is detected. By constraining the system in these
ways, it ensures that the delay is always 13 ms.

OOKAHEAD control to OUT, ex-

1-23

Switching the B
five milliseconds of delay from the signal path. If it occurs during pro­gram material, switching can cause audible clicks, pops, or thumps (due
to waveform discontinuity). If you have some presets with LLH
clipper mode and some without, switching between these presets is likely
to cause clicks unless you do it during silence. However, these clicks will
never cause modulation to exceed 100%.

One of the essential differences between the H
per modes is that switching between H
lay and is therefore less likely to cause audible clicks.

ASSCLIPMODE to LLHARD (from any other mode) removes

ARD bass

ARD and LLHARD bass clip-

ARD and MED does not change de-

• Ultra-low latency processing uses a separate, parallel processing structure and is
invoked by recalling any “UL” preset. This structure operates simultaneously with
other code, so, unlike the similar structure in Orban’s Optimod 8300, it does not
require a code re-load and does not cause a gap in programming.

The only way to create an ultra-low latency user preset is to start with a
“UL” factory preset and then edit that preset. “UL” user presets cannot
be directly converted to low latency or optimum latency presets because
the preset customization controls are different—UL presets have fewer
available controls because of the difference in processing structure.

UL presets are the closest emulations of Optimod 8200 processing avail­able in the 8500. These presets differ from Optimod 8200 processing in
two main ways: (1) the 8500 UL presets still use the 8500’s stereo en­hancement, equalization section, advanced-technology AGC, composite
limiter, and multiplex power controller, and (2) the 8500 UL presets use
anti-aliased clippers operating at 256 kHz sample rate.

Some talent moving from an analog processing chain will require a learning period
to become accustomed to the voice coloration caused by “bone-conduction” comb
filtering. This is caused by the delayed headphone sound’s mixing with the live voice
sound and introducing notches in the spectrum that the talent hears when he or she
talks. All digital processors induce this coloration to a greater or lesser extent. For­tunately, it does not cause confusion or hesitation in the talent’s performance unless
the delay is above the psychoacoustic “echo fusion” (Haas) threshold of approxi­mately 20 - 25 ms and the talent starts to hear slap echo in addition to frequency re­sponse colorations.

1-24

INTRODUCTION ORBAN MODEL 8500

Low-Delay Monitoring

The 8500’
feed (see step 13 on page 2-33). This feed has no peak limiting and thus cannot
drive a transmitter
than the 18 ms delay of the full processing chain because of less bone conduction
comb filtering.

If the talent relies principally on headphones to determine whether the station is on
the air, simple loss-of-carrier and loss-of-audio alarms should be added to the sys­tem. The 8500 can be interfaced to such alarms through any of its eight its GPI re­mote control inputs, cutting off the low-delay audio to the talent’s phones when an
audio or carrier failure occurs.

The front panel headphone jack provides output matching the Analog Output, ex­cept that it is always de-emphasized (even if the Analog Output is set with pre­emphasis).

s analog outputs can be switched to provide a low-delay monitoring

, but its 3 to 8 ms delay is likely to be more comfortable to talent

EAS Test

For stations participating in the Emergency Alert System (EAS) in the United States,
broadcast of EAS tones and data is accomplished in two different ways:

Note: Normal 8500 processing may not allow the full modulation level as re­quired by EAS standards. It is therefore necessary to temporarily defeat the
8500’s processing during the broadcast of EAS tones and data. Placing the 8500
in its B
lows a fixed gain trim through the 8500. See “Test Modes,” on page 3-74 for
more information.

1. Place the 8500 in Bypass mode locally.

A) L

B) Select T

C) L

D) Begin EAS broadcast.

E) L

YPASS Test Mode can defeat the processing. The BYPASS GAIN control al-

OCATE to SYSTEM SETUP on the pop-up Menu display, then press ENTER but-

ton.

EST MODES > LOCATE to TEST MODES icon and press ENTER button.

OCATE to BYPASS, then press ENTER button.

After the EAS broadcast, resume normal processing:

OCATE to OPERATE in the Test Modes screen, then press ENTER button.

This will restore the processing preset in use prior to the Test Mode.

2. Place the 8500 in Bypass mode by remote control.

To do this, you must first program any two Remote Interface inputs for “Bypass”
and “Exit Test,” respectively:

OPTIMOD-FM DIGITAL INTRODUCTION

A) Connect two outputs from your station remote control system to the REMOTE

INTERFACE connector on the rear panel of the 8500. See Figure 2-2 on page 2-

4.

OCATE to SYSTEM SETUP on the pop-up Menu display, then press ENTER but-

B) L

ton.

1-25

C) Select N

NTER button.

E

D) Press and hold L
E) Select the desired Remote Interface input (1-8), using L

F) Turn the control knob to display B

G) L

OCATE to a different Remote Interface input, turn the control knob to display

XIT TEST, then press the ENTER button.

E

ETWORK REMOTE > LOCATE to NETWORK REMOTE MODES icon and press

OCATE right to the System Setup > Network / Remote 2 screen.

OCATE button.

YPASS, then press the ENTER button.

Once you have completed these initial steps, you can place the 8500 in Bypass
mode by remote control at any time:

A) Switch the 8500 into B

tion’s remote control to the input programmed as B

YPASS mode by a momentary command from your sta-

YPASS.

B) Begin EAS broadcast.

Be sure that you have set drive levels into the 8500 to prevent overmodu­lation during the test, as the 8500 provides no peak limiting in B
mode.

YPASS

C) When the EAS broadcast is finished, switch the 8500 from BYPASS mode by a

momentary command from your station’s remote control to the input pro­grammed as E

XIT TEST.

You may also choose to insert EAS broadcast tones and data directly into the trans­mitter, thus bypassing the 8500 for the duration of the EAS tones and data broad­cast.

PC Control and Security Passcode

PC software control provides access to OPTIMOD-FM via network, modem or direct
(null modem cable) connection, with IBM PC-compatible computers running Win­dows. PC access is permitted only with a valid user-defined passcode.

PC remote control can be ended from the front panel; this feature effectively pre­vents simultaneous remote and local control.

See Security and Passcode Programming on page 2-37.

1-26

INTRODUCTION ORBAN MODEL 8500

Warranty, User Feedback

User Feedback

We are very interested in your comments about this product. We will carefully re­view your suggestions for improvements to either the product or the manual. Please
email us at [e-mail]

LIMITED WARRANTY

[Valid only for products purchased and used in the United States]

Orban warrants Orban products against defects in material or workmanship for a
period of two years from the date of original purchase for use, and agrees to repair
or, at our option, replace any defective item without charge for either parts or labor.

IMPORTANT: This warranty does not cover damage resulting from accident, misuse
or abuse, lack of reasonable care, the affixing of any attachment not provided with
the product, loss of parts, or connecting the product to any but the specified recep­tacles. This warranty is void unless service or repairs are performed by an authorized
service center. No responsibility is assumed for any special, incidental, or consequen­tial damages. However, the limitation of any right or remedy shall not be effective
where such is prohibited or restricted by law.

.

Simply take or ship your Orban products prepaid to our service department. Be sure
to include a copy of your sales slip as proof of purchase date. We will not repair
transit damage under the no-charge terms of this warranty. Orban will pay return
shipping. (See Technical Support on page 5-14.)

No other warranty

This warranty gives you specific legal rights and you may have other rights that vary
from state to state. Some states do not allow the exclusion of limitations of inciden­tal or consequential damages or limitations on how long an implied warranty lasts,
so the above exclusions and limitations may not apply to you.

, written or oral, is authorized for Orban Products.

INTERNATIONAL WARRANTY

Orban warrants Orban products against evident defects in material and workman­ship for a period of two years from the date of original purchase for use. This war­ranty does not cover damage resulting from misuse or abuse, or lack of reasonable
care, or inadequate repairs performed by unauthorized service centers. Performance
of repairs or replacements under this warranty is subject to submission of this War­ranty/Registration Card, completed and signed by the dealer on the day of purchase,
and the sales slip. Shipment of the defective item is for repair under this warranty
will be at the customer’s own risk and expense. This warranty is valid for the original
purchaser only.

OPTIMOD-FM DIGITAL INTRODUCTION

EXTENDED WARRANTY

Any time during the initial two-year Warranty period (but not thereafter), you may
purchase a three-year extension to the Warranty (yielding a total Warranty period
of five years) by remitting to Orban ten percent of the gross purchase price of your
Orban product. This offer applies only to new Orban products purchased from an
authorized Orban Dealer. To accept the extended five-year warranty, please sign and
date below and fax this copy to Gareth Paredes at [phone].

I ACCEPT THE EXTENDED FIVE-YEAR WARRANTY

__________________________________________________________________________

DATE______________________________________________________________________

1-27

MODEL NUMBER: 8500

SERIAL NUMBER____________________________________________________________

OPTIMOD-FM DIGITAL INSTALLATION

Section 2

Installation

Installing the 8500

Allow about 2 hours for installation.

Installation consists of: (1) unpacking and inspecting the 8500, (2) checking the line
voltage setting, fuse, and power cord, (3) setting the Ground Lift switch, (4) mount­ing the 8500 in a rack, (5) connecting inputs, outputs and power, (6) optional con­necting of remote control leads and (7) optional connecting of computer interface
control leads.

2-1

When you have finished installing the 8500, proceed to “Quick Setup,” on page 2-

17.

DO NOT connect power to the unit yet!

1. Unpack and inspect.

A) If you note obvious physical damage, contact the carrier immediately to make

a damage claim. Packed with the 8500 are:

Quantity Item

1 Operating Manual

2 Line Cords (domestic, European)

2 Fuses (½ A-250V Slow-Blow for 115V; 250 mA-250V for 230V)

2 Fuse holders (gray for 115V fuses and black for 230V fuses)

4 Rack-mounting screws, 10-32 x ¾—with washers, #10

1 Null modem cable (for software upgrades and PC Remote connection)

1 Ethernet crossover cable

1 PC Remote Software CD

B) Save all packing materials! If you should ever have to ship the 8500 (e.g., for

servicing), it is best to ship it in the original carton with its packing materials
because both the carton and packing material have been carefully designed
to protect the unit.

C) Complete the Registration Card and return it to Orban. (please)

2-2

INSTALLATION ORBAN MODEL 8500

The Registration Card enables us to inform you of new applications, per­formance improvements, software updates, and service aids that may be
developed and it helps us respond promptly to claims under warranty
without our having to request a copy of your bill of sale or other proof
of purchase. Please fill in the Registration Card and send it to us today.
(The Registration Card is located after the cover page).

Customer names and information are confidential and are not sold to
anyone.

2. Check the line voltage, fuse and power cord.

A) DO NOT connect power to the unit yet!

B) Check the V

The 8500 is shipped from the factory with the V
to the 230V position. Check and set the V

OLTAGE SELECT switch. This is on the rear panel.

OLTAGE SELECT switch set

OLTAGE SELECT switch to your

local voltage requirements. To change the operating voltage, set the

OLTAGE SELECT to 115V (for 90-130V) or 230V (for 200-250V) as appro-

V

priate.

C) Install the proper fuse and fuse holder, per your country’s standards.

The 8500 is shipped from the factory with the fuse and fuse holder re­moved. Select the appropriate fuse holder and fuse from the supplied
parts in the accessory kit. Use the gray fuse holder for domestic / 115V
operation, or the black fuse holder for European / 230V operation. For
safety, use ½ A-250 V Slow-Blow for 115V and 250mA-250V for 230V for
230V.

TYPE 18/3 SVT COR, TYP

(3 x .82 mm2)

WIRE COLOR

NORMAL ALT

BROWN

BLUE

GREEN-YELLOW

BLACK

WHITE

GREEN

PLUG FOR

115 VAC

(USA)

CONDUCTOR

L

LINE

NEUTRAL

N

E

EARTH GND

D) Check power cord.

TYPE H05VV - F - 0.75

CONDUCTOR WIRE COLOR

L

LINE

N

NEUTRAL

E

EARTH GND

PLUG FOR

230 VAC

(EUROPEAN)

Figure 2-1: AC Line Cord Wire Standard)

BROWN

BLUE

GREEN-YELLOW

OPTIMOD-FM DIGITAL INSTALLATION

AC power passes through an IEC-standard mains connector and an RF fil­ter designed to meet the standards of all international safety authorities.

The power cord is terminated in a “U-ground” plug (USA standard), or
CEE7 / 7 plug (Continental Europe). The green / yellow wire is connected
directly to the 8500 chassis.

If you need to change the plug to meet your country’s standard and you
are qualified to do so, see Figure 2-1: AC Line Cord Wire Standard). Oth­erwise, purchase a new mains cord with the correct line plug attached.

2-3

3. Set Grou

The G

The G
connect the 8500’s circuit ground to its chassis ground). If you are using the
8500’s composite output to drive an exciter with an unbalanced output, set the
switch to LIFT.

This will break most potential ground loops. If you have an installation that does
not respond to use of the G
loop by using Orban’s CIT25 Composite Isolation Transformer. If the CIT25 is in
use, the G

4. Mount the 8500 in a rack.

The 8500 requires three standard rack units (5 inches / 12.7 cm).

There should be a good ground connection between the rack and the 8500 chas­sis—check this with an ohmmeter to verify that the resistance is less than 0.5Ω.

Mounting the unit over large heat-producing devices (such as a vacuum-tube
power amplifier) may shorten component life and is not recommended. Ambient
temperature should not exceed 45°C (113°F) when equipment is powered.

Equipment life will be extended if the unit is mounted away from sources of vi­bration, such as large blowers and is operated as cool as possible.

nd Lift switch.

ROUND LIFT switch is located on the rear panel.

ROUND LIFT switch is shipped from the factory in the GROUND position, (to

ROUND LIFT switch, you can always break a ground

ROUND LIFT switch will almost always be set to GROUND.

5. Connect inputs and outputs.

See the hookup and grounding information on the following pages.

Audio Input and Output Connections............................................................Page 2-6

AES3 Digital Input and Output

Composite Output and Subcarrier Inputs ......................................................Page 2-9

Grounding ......................................................................................................Page 2-11

6. Connect remote control interface. (optional)

For a full listing of 8500’
trol Interface Programming” on page 2-54.

Optically isolated remote control connections
connector located on the rear panel. It is wired according to Figure 2-2.

s extensive remote control provisions, refer to “Remote Con-

.......................................................................Page 2-8

are terminated in a type DB-25 male

2-4

INSTALLATION ORBAN MODEL 8500

To select the desired function, apply a 5-12V AC or DC pulse between the appropri­ate Remote Interface terminals. The (−) terminals can be connected together and
then connected to power common at pin 1 to create a Remote Common. A current­limited +12VDC source is available on pin 25. If you use 48V, connect a 2kΩ ±10%, 2­watt carbon composition resistor in series with the Remote Common or the (+) ter­minal to provide current limiting.

In a high-RF environment, these wires should be short and should be run through
foil-shielded cable, with the shield connected to CHASSIS GROUND at both ends.

PIN ASSIGNMENT

1. DIGITAL GOUND

2. REMOTE 1+

3. REMOTE 2+

4. REMOTE 3+

5. REMOTE 4+

6. REMOTE 5+

7. REMOTE 6+

8. REMOTE 7+

9. REMOTE 8+

10. TALLY 1

11. TALLY 2

12. N/C

13. ANALOG GROUND

14. REMOTE 1-

15. REMOTE 2-

16. REMOTE 3-

17. REMOTE 4-

18. REMOTE 5-

19. REMOTE 6-

20. REMOTE 7-

21. REMOTE 8­22-24. N/C

25. +12 VOLTS DC

REMOTE INTERFACE

7. Connec

See the schematic on page 6-40.

There are two tally outputs, which are NPN
spect to pin 1 (common). Therefore, the voltage applied to the load (such as a re­lay or optoisolator) must be positive. You can use the 12 VDC source on pin 25 to
drive the high side of the load, taking into account the fact that the voltage on
pin 25 is current limited by a 310  resistor.

t tally outputs (optional)

The tally outputs are protected against reverse polarity.

Figure 2-2: Wiring the 25-pin Remote Interface Connector

open-collector and operate with re-

OPTIMOD-FM DIGITAL INSTALLATION

To avoid damaging the 8500, limit the current into a tally output to
30 mA. DO NOT connect a tally output directly to a low-impedance
voltage source! The tally outputs are not protected against this

Note that the tally outputs have no special RFI protection. Therefore, it is wise to
use shielded cable to make connections to them.

abuse and Q3 or Q4 is likely to burn out.

2-5

See Tally Output Programming on page
outputs.

8. Connec

You can connect to a computer via the 8500’s serial connector or via an Ethernet
network. (See Networking on page 2-57.)

Because procedures and instructions for connecting to a
opment and change, we have placed these instructions in a file called
8500_Vxxx_installation.pdf (where xxx represents the version number of
the software). You can access this file from the Orban / Optimod 8500 folder in
your computer’s Start Menu after you have run Orban’s PC Remote installer soft­ware or version 1.0 or greater of Orban’s 8500 software update software. You
can use Adobe’s .pdf reader application to open and read this file. If you do not
have the .pdf reader, it is available for free download from www.adobe.com

See Installing 8500 PC Remote Control Software on page 2-60 for more detail.

This file is also av
Orban’s public ftp site, ftp.orban.com.

t to a computer

ailable from the /8500/Documentation/Vxxx folder at

2-56 for instructions on using the tally

PC are subject to devel-

8500 Rear Panel

The Ground Lift Switch can be set to connect the 8500’s circuit ground to its chas­sis ground (in the GROUND position). In the LIFT position, it breaks that connection.
(See Set Ground Lift switch on page 2-3.)

.

oltage Select switch can be set to 115V (for 90-130V operation) or 230V (for

The V
180-260V operation).

Fuse values can be changed to support 115V or 230V operation. For safety, use ½ A­250V Slow-Blow for 115V and 250 mA-250V for 230V.

The Power Cord is detachable and is terminated in a “U-ground” plug (USA stan­dard), or CEE7 / 7 plug (Continental Europe), as appropriate to your 8500’s Model
Number.

An RS-232 (PC Remote) Computer Interface, labeled Serial 1, is provided to
connect the 8500 to IBM PC-compatible computers, directly or via modem, for re­mote control, metering and software downloads. An additional RS-232 port, labeled
Serial 2, can be used for administering security and for recalling presets via simple
ASCII strings.

2-6

INSTALLATION ORBAN MODEL 8500

A Remote Interface Connector is provided to connect the 8500 to your existing
transmitter remote control. The 8500 remote control supports user-programmable
selection of up to eight optically isolated GPI inputs. The 8500 remote control ac­cepts a DB-25 connector.

For a list and description of the programmable GPI functions, see Remote
Control Interface Programming on page 2-54.

The Ethernet port is a female RJ45 connector for use with CAT5 cable in 100 Mbps
Ethernet networks running the TCP/IP protocol. Use a normal Ethernet cable to con­nect the port to a switch or hub, or a crossover Ethernet cable to connect it directly
to your computer’s Ethernet port.

Digital AES3 Input and Outputs are provided to support two-channel AES3­standard digital audio signals through XLR-type connectors. In addition, an AES11

Sync Input is provided to accept house sync, if required.

Analog Inputs and Outputs are provided to support left and right audio signals

through XLR-type connectors. The digital outputs and the analog output can all be
independently switched to emit the FM-processed signal, the digital radio processed
signal, or the low-delay monitor signal.

Two Composite Baseband Outputs are provided, each with independent output
level control. Each output uses a BNC connector.

Two SCA Inputs are provided for stations that use additional subcarriers (SCAs).
Each input uses a BNC connector. The second SCA input can be reconfigured via an
internal hardware jumper as a Pilot Reference Output useful for RDS (RBDS) subcar­rier generators that require an external sync reference.

Audio Input and Output Connections

Cable

We recommend using two-conductor foil-shielded cable (such as Belden 8451 or
equivalent), because signal current flows through the two conductors only. The
shield does not carry signal and is used only for shielding.

Connectors

• Input and output connectors are XLR-type connectors.

In the XLR-type connectors, pin 1 is CHASSIS GROUND, while pin 2 and
pin 3 are a balanced, floating pair. This wiring scheme is compatible with
any studio-wiring standard: If pin 2 or 3 is considered LOW, the other pin
is automatically HIGH.

OPTIMOD-FM DIGITAL INSTALLATION

Analog Audio Input

• The 8500 will operate normally with nominal input levels between –14 dBu and

+8 dBu.

(0 dBu = 0.775Vrms. For this application, the dBm @600Ω scale on voltme­ters can be read as if it were calibrated in dBu.)

• The peak input level that causes overload depends on the setting of the Analog

Input C

• The electronically balanced input uses an ultra low noise and distortion differen-

tial amplifier for best common mode rejection. It is compatible with most profes­sional and semi-professional audio equipment, balanced or unbalanced, having
a source impedance of 600Ω or less. The input is EMI suppressed.

• Input connections are the same whether the driving source is balanced or unbal-

anced.

LIP LEVEL control. It is adjustable from 0 dBu to +27.0 dBu.

2-7

• Connect the red (or white) wire to the pin on the XLR-type connector (#2 or #3)

that is considered HIGH by the standards of your organization. Connect the
black wire to the pin on the XLR-type connector (#3 or #2) that is considered
LOW by the standards of your organization.

• In low RF fields (like a studio site), connect the cable shield at 8500 input only—

it should not be connected at the source end. In high RF fields (like a transmitter
site), also connect the shield to pin 1 of the male XLR-type connector at the 8500
input.

• If the output of the driving unit is unbalanced and does not have separate

CHASSIS GROUND and (–) (or LOW) output terminals, connect both the shield
and the black wire to the common (–) or ground terminal of the driving unit.

Analog Audio Output

• Electronically balanced and floating outputs simulate a true transformer output.

The source impedance is 50Ω. The output can drive loads of 600Ω or higher; the
Analog O
+24 dBu range. The outputs are EMI suppressed.

• If an unbalanced output is required (to drive unbalanced inputs of other equip-

ment), take it between pin 2 and pin 3 of the XLR-type connector. Connect the
LOW pin of the XLR-type connector (#3 or #2, depending on your organization’s
standards) to circuit ground and take the HIGH output from the remaining pin.
No special precautions are required even though one side of the output is
grounded.

UT LEVEL control adjusts the 100% modulation level over a –6 dBu to

2-8

INSTALLATION ORBAN MODEL 8500

• Use two-conductor foil-shielded cable (Belden 8451, or equivalent).

• At the 8500’s output (and at the output of other equipment in the system), do

not connect the cable’s shield to the CHASSIS GROUND terminal (pin 1) on the
XLR-type connector. Instead, connect the shield to the input destination. Con­nect the red (or white) wire to the pin on the XLR-type connector (#2 or #3) that
is considered HIGH by the standards of your organization. Connect the black
wire to the pin on the XLR-type connector (#3 or #2) that is considered LOW by
the standards of your organization.

AES3 Digital Input and Output

In a standard 8500, there are two digital inputs and two digital outputs. One input
accepts program audio; the other accepts AES11 house sync, although sync is not re­quired. One output emits the signal intended for the analog FM channel, while the
other emits the signal intended for the digital channel. The program input and out­put are both equipped with sample rate converters and can operate at 32 kHz, 44.1
kHz, 48 kHz, 88.2 kHz, and 96 kHz.

Per the AES3 standard, each digital input or output line carries both the
left and right stereo channels. The connection is 110Ω balanced. The
AES3 standard specifies a maximum cable length of 100 meters. While
almost any balanced, shielded cable will work for relatively short runs (5
meters or less), longer runs require used of 110Ω balanced cable like
Belden 1800B, 1801B (plenum rated), multi-pair 180xF, 185xF, or 78xxA.
Single-pair category 5, 5e, and 6 Ethernet cable will also work well if you
do not require shielding. (In most cases, the tight balance of Category
5/5e/6 cable makes shielding unnecessary.)

The AES3id standard is best for very long cable runs (up to 1000 meters).
This specifies 75Ω unbalanced coaxial cable, terminated in BNC connec­tors. A 110Ω/75Ω balun transformer is required to interface an AES3id
connection to your Optimod’s digital input or output.

The digital input clip level is fixed at 0 dB relative to the maximum digital word. The
maximum digital input will make the 8500 input meters display 0 dB. The reference
level is adjustable using the Digital R

The 8500 is a “multi-rate” system whose internal sample rate is 64 kHz and multiples
thereof (up to 512 kHz). The outputs processed for analog FM are band-limited to

16.5 kHz, with a stopband that begins at 18 kHz. Therefore, the output can be
passed through a 44.1 kHz (or higher) uncompressed link without adding significant
overshoot. Because sample rate conversion is ordinarily a phase-linear process that
does not add bandwidth, the 8500’s output signal will continue to be compatible
with 44.1 kHz links even if it undergoes intermediate sample rate conversions (for
example, 44.1 kHz to 96 kHz to 44.1 kHz) at various points in the program chain.

EFERENCE LEVEL control.

The audio bandwidth of the AES output dedicated to the HD-processed signal is ad­justable from 15 kHz to 20 kHz in 1 kHz steps.

OPTIMOD-FM DIGITAL INSTALLATION

Composite Output and Subcarrier Inputs

There are two composite outputs. These carry the encoded stereo signal, the ste­reo pilot tone, and any subcarriers that may have been applied to the 8500’s subcar­rier inputs.

Each output’s level is independently adjustable from –13.7 dBu to +10.6 dBu.

The output impedance of composite output #1 and composite output #2 can be set
to 0Ω or 75Ω via jumpers J2 and J3 respectively (located on the I/O Board). As
shipped, the link is on pins 3 and 4, yielding 0 Ω impedance. To reset a given output
to 75Ω, place the link on pins 1 and 2 of its associated jumper. (See the schematic on
page 6-54 and the parts locator diagram on page 6-51.)

Each output can drive up to 75Ω in parallel with 0.047μF before perform­ance deteriorates significantly (see Figure 2-3on page 2-9). A G
switch is available on the rear panel. This is useful to prevent ground
loops between the 8500 and the transmitter.

Connect the 8500’s composite output to the exciter input with up to 100 feet
(30.5m) of RG-58 / U or RG-59 / U coaxial cable terminated in BNC connectors.

ROUND LIFT

2-9

Longer runs of coax may increase problems with noise, hum, and RF
pickup at the exciter. In general, the least troublesome installations place
the 8500 close to the exciter and limit the length of the composite cable

Figure 2-3: Separation vs. load capacitance

2-10

INSTALLATION ORBAN MODEL 8500

to less than 6 feet (1.8m).

We do not recommend terminating the exciter input by 50Ω or 75Ω
unless this is unavoidable. The frequencies in the stereo baseband are
low by comparison to RF and video and the characteristic impedance of
coaxial cable is not constant at very low frequencies. Therefore, the
transmission system will usually have more accurate amplitude and phase
response (and thus, better stereo separation) if the coax is driven by a
very low impedance source and is terminated by greater than 1kΩ at the
exciter end. This also eases thermal stresses on the output amplifier in the
stereo encoder and can thus extend equipment life.

If the Orban CIT25 Composite Isolation Transformer is used, the exciter
must present a 1kΩ or greater load to the transformer for proper trans-
former operation.

Designed to be installed adjacent to each exciter, the CIT25 Composite
Isolation Transformer provides ground loop isolation between the 8500
composite output and the exciter’s input and presents the 8500 with a
balanced, floating load.

Even when its composite limiter is being used heavily, the 8500 will al­ways protect the stereo pilot tone by at least 60 dB (±250Hz from 19 kHz)
and will protect the region from 55 kHz to 100 kHz by at least 75 dB (re
100% modulation). See Figure 5-1 on page 5-4.

The subcarrier inputs are provided for convenience in summing subcarriers into
the baseband prior to their presentation to the FM exciter.

The subcarrier inputs will accept any subcarrier (or combinations of sub­carriers) above 23 kHz. Below 5 kHz, sensitivity rolls off at 6 dB/octave to
suppress hum that might otherwise be introduced into the subcarrier in­puts, which are unbalanced.

The subcarrier inputs are mixed into the 8500’s composite output in the
analog domain, after D/A conversion of the 8500 stereo encoder’s output
but before the digitally controlled attenuators that set the composite
output levels.

As shipped from the factory, the second SCA connector emits a stereo pilot tone
reference for RDS or RBDS subcarrier generators. If you wish to reconfigure it to ac­cept an SCA signal, move the link on jumper J400 (on the I/O board) from pins 3 and
4 to pins 1 and 2.

To access J400, remove the 8500’s top cover according to the instructions
in step 1 on page 4-2. To find J400, see page 6-51 for the I/O board parts
locator drawing. To find the I/O board, see the circuit board locator
drawing on page 6-35. The schematic diagram showing J400 is on page 6-

54.

Connect your subcarrier generator(s) to the 8500’s subcarrier input(s)
with coaxial cable terminated with BNC connectors.

The subcarrier inputs have greater than 600Ω load impedance and are
unbalanced. Their sensitivity is variable from 220 mV p-p to > 10 V p-p to
produce 10% injection via trimmers that are accessible for screwdriver
adjustment through holes in the rear panel.

OPTIMOD-FM DIGITAL INSTALLATION

Using the PILOT REFERENCE control (in the INPUT/OUTPUT > COMPOSITE
screen), you can set the phase of the reference to 0°, 90°, 180°, or 270°
with respect to the pilot tone appearing at the composite output.

You can use the 19K REF control in SETUP to determine whether the 19 kHz pilot ref­erence output will be in-phase (0
output or will lead it by 90 degrees (90
Use 90
quires this phase relationship.

DEG only if your RDS/RBDS generator’s 19 kHz reference input specifically re-

DEG) with the pilot tone present in the composite

DEG). 0 DEG is correct for most installations.

Grounding

Very often, grounding is approached in a “hit or miss” manner. Nevertheless, with
care it is possible to wire an audio studio so that it provides maximum protection
from power faults and is free from ground loops (which induce hum and can cause
oscillation).

In an ideal system:

2-11

• All units in the system should have balanced inputs. In a modern system with low
output impedances and high input impedances, a balanced input will provide
common-mode rejection and prevent ground loops—regardless of whether it is
driven from a balanced or unbalanced source.

The 8500 has balanced inputs. Its subcarrier inputs are unbalanced, but
frequency response is rolled off at low frequencies to reject hum.

• All equipment circuit grounds must be connected to each other; all equipment
chassis grounds must be connected together.

• In a low RF field, cable shields should be connected at one end only—preferably
the source (output) end.

• In a high RF field, audio cable shields should be connected to a solid earth
ground at both ends to achieve best shielding against RFI.

• Whenever coaxial cable is used, shields are automatically grounded at both ends
through the terminating BNC connectors.

Power Ground

• Ground the 8500 chassis through the third wire in the power cord. Proper
grounding techniques never leave equipment chassis unconnected to power or
earth ground. A proper power ground is essential for safe operation. Lifting a
chassis from power ground creates a potential safety hazard.

2-12

INSTALLATION ORBAN MODEL 8500

Circuit Ground

To maintain the same potential in all equipment, the circuit (audio) grounds must be
connected together:

• Circuit and chassis ground should always be connected by setting the 8500’s

G

ROUND LIFT switch to its GROUND connect position, except when the 8500’s ste-

reo encoder is driving an unbalanced exciter input. (Many older exciters have
unbalanced inputs.) This is an unbalanced-to-unbalanced connection, so set the
8500’s G
wise occur.

ROUND LIFT switch to LIFT to break the ground loop that would other-

Alternately, you can balance and float the exciter input with the Orban
CIT25 Composite Isolation Transformer—see page 2-10.

• In high RF fields, the system is usually
which the 8500 is mounted. The rack should be connected to a solid earth
ground by a wide copper strap—wire is completely ineffective at VHF because of
the wire’s self-inductance.

grounded through the equipment rack in

8500 Front Panel

• Headphone Jack allows you to monitor the output of the processing through
headphones. Headphone impedance should be 75Ω or higher.

• You can switch the headphone feed to receive the digital radio (HD) signal, the
low-delay monitor signal, or the analog FM-processed signal before the diversity
delay. This control is located on the I

• Headphone Level Control (the small blue control knob to the right of the jack)
adjusts headphone output.

• The red Enter button allows you to choose pop-up menu items, icons and but-
tons. If you are in the Preset screen, it allows you to put a Factory or User Preset
on-air once you have selected it.

If you edit a Factory Preset, you must save it as a new User Preset to re­tain your edit permanently. Even if not saved, your edited preset will be
retained automatically even if the 8500 is powered down and will be re­stored on-air upon power-up. If not saved, your edited preset will appear
in the RECALL list of available presets as the name of its parent present
prefixed by the abbreviation “modif” (for “modified”).

However, if you edit another preset, your old edited preset will be lost—
the 8500 automatically retains only one “modified” preset. Therefore, it
is wise to rename and save any edited preset you wish to keep, using the
8500’s SAVE main menu item. This ensures that your edited preset will
not be overwritten accidentally.

NPUT/OUPUT > OUTPUT 2 screen.

• The green joystick, labeled Locate, is a pointing device that allows you to navi-
gate to settings and controls on each screen. Pressing and holding the knob left

OPTIMOD-FM DIGITAL INSTALLATION

or right moves you to the previous and next function screens (when multiple
screens are available).

• A yellow Escape button allows you to navigate quickly to underlying screens,
higher-level screens or the Meters screen and displays the pop-up menu.

When a pop-up item, like Menu, is onscreen, ESCAPE always returns you

to the underlying screen.

Pressing E

Date / Time 1 takes you back to the top level; in this case, the System
Setup screen.

SCAPE from top-level screens (like the System Setup screen), brings you

E

back to the Meters screen. (If you are already in the Meters screen,

SCAPE from a secondary screen page, like System Setup > Place /

ESCAPE displays the pop-up Menu.)

• The Control Knob is the large blue knob on the front panel. Turning the knob
scrolls through displayed lists (like the Preset screen list) or changes a setting that

is highlighted onscreen (e.g., the setting last selected by the Locate joystick).

Pushing the knob in, towards the front panel, displays the pop-up Menu over the
previous screen.

2-13

• Screen Display supplies control setting information and screen help and dis-
plays the gain reduction and level meters (described directly below).

The 8500’s screen displays the following meters and indicators:

• I

N METERS show the peak input level applied to the 8500’s analog or digital

inputs with reference to 0 dB = digital full-scale.

• AGC

METERS show the gain reduction of the slow AGC processing that pre-

cedes the multiband compressor. Full-scale is 25 dB gain reduction.

Because the AGC is a two-band unit with Orban’s patented bass coupling
system, the two meters indicate the gain reduction of the AGC Master
and Bass bands.

• GATE INDICATORS show gate activity. They light up when the input audio

falls below the threshold set by the gate threshold controls. (There are two
gating circuits—one for the AGC and one for the multiband limiter—each
with its own Gate Thresh control.) When gating occurs, the AGC and com­pressor’s recovery times are slowed drastically to prevent noise rush-up dur­ing low-level passages.

• M

ULTIBAND GAIN REDUCTION METERS show the gain reduction in the multiband

compressor. Full-scale is 25 dB gain reduction. The MB
I

NPUT/OUTPUT > UTILITIES) determines what signals the 2-Band and 5-Band

GR METER switch (in

Compressor gain reduction meters indicate. The switch can be set to FM,
HD, or S

PLIT. In SPLIT mode, the 8500’s front panel display shows the gain

reduction of the FM analog multiband compressors on the left side of the
split meters and the gain reduction of the digital radio compressors on the
right. If the left and right channel gain reductions are not identical in a

2-14

INSTALLATION ORBAN MODEL 8500

given band, its meter displays the larger of the left or right channel gain
reductions.

HF meters display the gain reductions in dB of the independent left and

• 2B

right channel high frequency limiters in the 8500’s Two-Band structure.
These meters appear only when the 8500 is in Two-Band mode.

• O

UT METERS display 8500’s instantaneous peak output level.

OMP METER displays the stereo encoder’s output level before the COMP 1 or

• C
C

OMP 2 attenuators, in percent scale over a 125 to 0 range.

METERS display the gain reduction of the left and right look-ahead lim-

• HD

iters that feed the HD outputs.

• M

ULTIPLEX POWER METER indicates the action of the ITU Multiplex Power

controller. It shows how much the Multiplex Power Controller has reduced
the clipper drive, reducing the average power in the processed audio.

This meter, labeled “PWR,” is displayed on the 8500’s color LCD. It always
appears when the Two-Band Structure is active. When the Five-Band
Structure is active, the meter only appears when the Multiplex Power
Controller is turned on.

External AGC Installation (optional)

[Skip this section if you are not using an external AGC ahead of the 8500. Continue
with “Quick Setup” on page 2-17.]

• As of this writing, the currently manufactured
as external AGCs are Optimod-PC 1101 and Optimod 6300. Their manuals contain
instructions on how to use them in this application. They are the preferred
choices because their AGCs are identical to the AGC in the 8500.

• Discontinued Orban products usable as external AGCs include the 8200ST, 464A
“Co-Operator,” 8100AST, and 1100 OPTIMOD-PC. In this manual, we do not pro­vide step-by-step instructions for setting up all of these older products, although
it should be easy to extrapolate from the instructions we do provide.

• If you are using an Orban 8100AST (or 8100A/ST) external AGC, refer to page 1-

18.

If you are using an Orban 8200ST external AGC:

If the STL uses pre-emphasis, its input pre-emphasis filter will probably introduce
overshoots that will increase peak modulation without any increase in average
modulation. We therefore strongly recommend that the STL transmitter’s pre­emphasis be defeated (freeing the STL from such potential overshoot) and that the
8200ST be used to provide the necessary pre-emphasis.

Orban products that can be used

OPTIMOD-FM DIGITAL INSTALLATION

2-15

TOP OF MAIN BOARD

JFJE

Clipper Jumpers

*

CLIPPER ON CLIPPER OFF

JA JA

*PEAK AVG

LEFT

OUTPUT

JB JC

Figure 2-4: 8200ST Jumper Settings (*Factory Configuration)

LEFT

OUTPUT

JE JF

Line-up Level Jumpers

RIGHT

OUTPUT

LEFT

OUTPUT

JB JC

JAJB

JC

Output Pre-Emphasis Jumpers

*

FLAT PRE-EMPHASIZED

RIGHT

OUTPUT

RIGHT

OUTPUT

LEFT

OUTPUT

JE JF

RIGHT

OUTPUT

2-16

INSTALLATION ORBAN MODEL 8500

If the STL transmitter’s pre-emphasis cannot be defeated, then configure the 8200ST
for flat output. In this case average modulation levels of the STL may have to be re­duced to accommodate the overshoots.

1. Configure the 8200ST’s internal jumpers.

A) Remove all screws holding the 8200ST’s cover in place; then lift it off.

Refer to Figure 2-4 on page 2-15.

B) Place jumper JA in the C

C) If you have defeated the STL transmitter’s pre-emphasis, place jumpers JE and

JF in the P

D) If you cannot defeat the STL transmitter’s pre-emphasis, place jumpers JE and

JF in the F

E) Replace the top cover and then replace all screws snugly. (Be careful not to

strip the threads by fastening the screws too tightly.)

2. Install the 8200ST in the rack. Connect the 8200ST’s audio input and out-

put.

Refer to the 8200ST Operating Manual if you require information about installa­tion, audio input, and audio output connections to the 8200ST.

3. Set 8200ST Output Level with tone.

A) Press the TONE button on the 8200ST.

The TONE lamp should light and the modulation meters should indicate
“0.” If they do not, re-strap jumpers JB and JC to “peak.” (Refer to Figure
2-4 on page 2-15.)

The
peak level of this tone corresponds to 100% modulation.

RE-EMPHASIZED position.

LAT position.

8200ST is now producing a 400Hz sine wave at each output. The

LIPPER ON position.

B) Adjust the 8200ST’s L

ing driven to 100% modulation.

L OUT and R OUT controls are now correctly calibrated to the transmit-

The
ter. If no significant overshoot occurs in the transmitter, the
meter will now give an accurate indication of peak modulation of the
STL.

C) Turn off the tone by pressing the T

If the STL transmitter suffers from bounce or overshoot, you may have to
reduce the
modulation caused by overshoots on certain audio signals.

4. Set controls for normal operation with program material.

The following assumes that a VU meter is used to determine 8200ST line drive
levels with program material.

OUT and R OUT controls so that the STL transmitter is be-

MODULATION

ONE button.

L OUT and R OUT control settings to avoid peak over-

OPTIMOD-FM DIGITAL INSTALLATION

A) Set controls as follows:

HF LIMITER... Set to match the pre-emphasis of the transmission system

L&R Out ............................................................................... do not change

GATE ....................................................................................................12:00

RELEASE ............................................................................................... 12:00

VOICE ......................................................................................................OFF

AGC ..........................................................................................................ON

COUPLE ....................................................................................................ON

B) Feed the 8200ST either with tone at your system reference level (0VU), or with

typical program material at normal levels.

2-17

C) Adjust the G

We recommend 8-15 dB gain reduction for most formats.

If the STL uses pre-emphasis, its input pre-emphasis network will proba­bly introduce overshoots that will increase peak modulation without any
increase in average modulation. We therefore strongly recommend that
the STL transmitter’s pre-emphasis be defeated (freeing the STL from
such potential overshoot) and that the 464A be used to provide the nec­essary pre-emphasis.

If the STL transmitter’s pre-emphasis cannot be defeated, configure the
8200ST for flat output. In this case, average modulation levels of the STL
may have to be reduced to accommodate the overshoots.

AIN REDUCTION control for the desired amount of gain reduction.

Quick Setup

The 8500’s Quick Setup feature provides a guided, systematic procedure for setting
up the 8500. It should be adequate for most users without special or esoteric re­quirements. Following this section, you can find more detailed information regard­ing setup outside the Quick Setup screens. Mostly, you will not need this extra in­formation.

Quick Setup configures the 8500 for an analog-FM facility only. If you are setting up
an digital radio facility (HD Radio or Eureka 147), you must use the detailed instruc­tions found after this Quick Setup section.

For the following adjustments, use L

NTER) to select parameters. After you have highlighted the desired parameter on

E

the screen, use the front panel control knob to adjust the parameter settings, as de­sired.

1. From the pop-up Menu display, Locate to System Setup, then press the

Enter button.

If the pop-up Menu isn’t onscreen, press the control knob in.

OCATE (the green joystick, between ESCAPE and

2-18

INSTALLATION ORBAN MODEL 8500

2. From the System Setup screen, Locate to the Quick Setup icon, then

press the Enter button.

Quick Setup presents a guided sequence of screens into which you must insert in­formation about your particular requirements.

Each Quick Setup page is titled in the top right corner (e.g., page 1 is System
Setup > Quick Setup 1).

3. Set time and date.

OCATE to the Time & Date screen (System Setup > Quick Setup 2).

A) L

B) Choose Time Format as desired (either 24-hour time or 12-hour AM / PM-style

time).

C) Set hours, minutes, and seconds, in that order, using a 24-hour format for en-

tering hours even if you have set the time format to 12-hour.

Seconds will stop advancing when you set hours and minutes. So set sec­onds last.

D) Choose the desired date format.

E) Set today’s date.

F) If you want the clock to reset itself automatically to conform to Daylight Sav-

ing Time (Summer Time), use the B

EGINS and ENDS fields to specify when Day-

light Saving Time begins and ends in your area. If you do not wish to use this
feature, leave the B

Note that the clock will set itself automatically if you have set the 8500 to
synchronize to an Internet timeserver. See Synchronizing Optimod to a
Network Time Server in page 2-63.

EGINS and ENDS fields set to Off.

4. Set pre-emphasis in regional settings screen.

OCATE to the Regional Settings screen (SYSTEM SETUP > QUICK SETUP 3).

A) L

B) Select the pre-emphasis (either 75μS or 50μS) used in your country.

Because there is only one field in this screen, you do not have to LOCATE
to the Pre-Emphasis field; it will automatically be active.

There may be a slight time delay between when you move the knob and
when the pre-emphasis indication changes.

You can change the pre-emphasis later from the

INPUT/OUTPUT >

UTILITIES screen.

5. Set External AGC mode.

OCATE to Studio Configuration screen (SYSTEM SETUP > QUICK SETUP 4).

A) L

B) Set the External AGC mode.

• Set the field to Y

1101, 6300, 8200ST OPTIMOD-Studio, Orban 464A Co-Operator, or similar

ES if you have an external AGC (such as an Orban 1100,

OPTIMOD-FM DIGITAL INSTALLATION

AGC) installed at your studio feeding the studio-to-transmitter link. This
setting appropriately defeats the 8500’s AGC for all presets.

2-19

• If you do not have an external AGC installed, set the field to N

ting allows the selected preset to determine the 8500 AGC status.

Most of the processing structures in the 8500 control level with a pre­liminary AGC (Automatic Gain Control). If you are using a suitable Auto­matic Gain Control at the studio, the AGC in the 8500 should be de­feated. This is so that the two AGCs do not “fight” each other and so
they do not simultaneously increase gain, resulting in increased noise.

If you are using an Orban 4000 Transmission Limiter, set field to N
that the AGC function in the 8500 continues to work). The Orban 4000 is
a transmission system overload protection device; it is normally operated
below threshold. It is not designed to perform an AGC or gain-riding
function and it cannot substitute for the AGC function in the 8500.

6. Set input levels.

A) Prepare to adjust the Input Reference Levels.

a) Feed normal Program material to the 8500.

Play program material from your studio, peaking at normal program lev­els (typically 0VU if your console uses VU meters).

b) LOCATE to the Reference Levels screen (SYSTEM SETUP > QUICK SETUP 5).

The Reference Level screen allows you to match the 8500 to the normal
operating level to be expected at the 8500, so the 8500’s AGC can oper­ate in the range for which it was designed. There are separate settings
for the analog and digital inputs. If you provide both analog and digital
inputs to the 8500, optimum adjustment is achieved when the same
amount of processing is indicated for either analog or digital inputs. This
will allow you to switch between analog and digital inputs without sud­den level changes.

O; this set-

O (so

B) Using the SET INPUT TO field, set the input to ANALOG.

[Skip this step if you are not using the analog input.]

a) Adjust the A

NALOG REFERENCE LEVEL so that the meter reads an average of

10 dB gain reduction.

[−9 dBu to +13 dBu (VU), or –2 to +20 dBu (PPM)] in 0.5 dB steps

The A

NALOG REFERENCE LEVEL VU and PPM settings track each other with

an offset of 8 dB. This compensates for the typical indications with pro­gram material of a VU meter versus the higher indications on a PPM.

If you know the reference VU or PPM level that will be presented to the
8500, set the

ANALOG REFERENCE LEVEL to this level, but please verify it with

the steps shown directly below.

b) If the AGC gain reduction meter averages less than 10 dB gain reduction

(higher on the meter), re-adjust the A
level.

NALOG REFERENCE LEVEL to a lower

2-20

INSTALLATION ORBAN MODEL 8500

c) If the AGC gain reduction meter averages more gain reduction (lower on

the meter), re-adjust the A

This control has no effect on the AES3 digital input.

NALOG REFERENCE LEVEL to a higher level.

C) Using the SET INPUT TO field, set the input to DIGITAL.

[Skip this step if you are not using the digital input.]

a) Adjust the D

IGITAL INPUT REFERENCE so that the meter reads an average of

10 dB gain reduction.

[−30 to –10 dBFS (VU), or –23 to –3 dBFS (PPM)] in 0.5 dB steps.]

The D

IGITAL REFERENCE LEVEL VU and PPM settings track each other with

an offset of 8 dB. This compensates for the typical indications with pro­gram material of a VU meter versus the higher indications on a PPM.

If you know the reference VU or PPM level that will be presented to the
8500, set the

DIGITAL REFERENCE LEVEL to this level, but do verify it with the

steps shown directly below.

b) If the AGC gain reduction meter averages less than 10 dB gain reduction

(higher on the meter), re-adjust the D

IGITAL REFERENCE LEVEL to a lower

level.

c) If the AGC gain reduction meter averages more gain reduction (lower on

the meter), re-adjust the D

This control has no effect on the analog inputs.

IGITAL REFERENCE LEVEL to a higher level.

D) Select primary Input Source:

Using the S

ET INPUT TO field, set the input to the source (analog, digital,

or DIG+J17) that you will use for normal programming.

DIG+J17 applies J.17 de-emphasis to the incoming digital signal. It is only
applicable to certain STLs (like NICAM) that use this type of pre-emphasis
and that have not applied their own de-emphasis prior to their3 AES
outputs.

7. Configure output.

OCATE to the Output Configuration screen (SYSTEM SETUP > QUICK SETUP 6).

A) L

B) Set the A

[Skip this step if you will not be using the analog output.]

If you will use the analog output to drive a stereo encoder,
vides the best performance because this stereo encoder does not have to
restore the pre-emphasis. However, if you cannot defeat the pre­emphasis in your stereo encoder, or if you will use the analog output for
monitoring, set the output F

If you are sending the output of the 8500 through a digital link that uses
lossy compression (like MPEG, APT-X, or Dolby), set the output F
codecs cannot handle pre-emphasized signals.

NALOG OUTPUT PRE / FLAT control to PRE-E (for pre-emphasis) or FLAT.

PRE-E pro-

LAT.

LAT. Lossy

OPTIMOD-FM DIGITAL INSTALLATION

C) Set the DIGITAL OUTPUT #1 PRE / FLAT control to PRE-E (for pre-emphasis), FLAT,

or PRE-E+J17.

[Skip this step if you will not be using the “AES1” digital output.]

(See the notes immediately above.)

PRE-E+J17 applies both FM pre-emphasis and J.17 pre-emphasis (in cas­cade) to the signal and is only used with STLs using J.17 pre-emphasis
when their own J.17 pre-emphasis filters are bypassed. These are rare.

D) Set the DIGITAL OUTPUT #1 SAMPLE RATE to 32, 44.1, 48, 88.2, or 96 kHz.

[Skip this step if you will not be using the “AES1” digital output.]

The 8500’s fundamental sample rate is always 64 kHz, but the internal
sample rate converter sets the rate at the 8500’s digital output. This ad­justment sets the output sample rate to ensure compatibility with equip­ment requiring a fixed sample rate.

8. Set output levels.

2-21

A) Locate to the Set Output Levels screen (S

YSTEM SETUP > QUICK SETUP 7).

B) You can use either program material or tone to set the output level (and thus,

the on-air modulation). If you want to use tone, set the 400H

to ON.

TONE

Z CALIBRATION

C) Using a modulation monitor or modulation analyzer, adjust the outputs you

are using (analog, digital, composite 1 and composite 2) to make the modula­tion monitor read 100% modulation (usually ±75 kHz deviation).

D) If you are using program material, make sure that the program material is

loud enough to produce peaks of frequent recurrence that hit the 8500’s peak
limiting system, thereby defining the maximum peak level that the 8500 will
produce. In the U.S., we recommend using 900μs peak weighting on the peak
modulation indicator, as permitted by F.C.C. rules. This will cause the monitor
to ignore very low energy overshoots and will produce the highest peak
modulation permitted by law.

In other countries, use a peak-indicating instrument as specified by the
regulatory authority in your country.

If you are required to implement the multiplex power limits specified by
ITU-R 412, you may seldom see peaks hitting ±75 kHz deviation. In this
case, we advise you to set the output level using the 8500’s reference
400Hz tone.

In the United States, F.C.C. Rules permit you to add 0.5% modulation for
every 1% increase in subcarrier injection. For example, if your subcarrier
injection totals 20%, you can set the total modulation to 110% (±82.5
kHz deviation).

The 8500 can reduce audio modulation to compensate for subcarriers.
Once you are finished with Quick Setup, navigate to SYSTEM

NETWORK REMOTE 1 and program the Remote Interface Terminal for

OD. REDUCTION 1 or MOD. REDUCTION 2. Set the amount of modulation re-

M
duction by navigating to I

NPUT/OUTPUT > COMPOSITE and adjusting the

SETUP >

2-22

INSTALLATION ORBAN MODEL 8500

MOD. RED. 1 and MOD. RED. 2 parameters. When both are active, the

modulation reduction is the sum of their settings. In general, set the
modulation reduction to one-half the injection of the associated subcar­rier.

For example, if your subcarrier injection totals 20% from two 10% sub­carriers, set M
your audio modulation to 90% (100% – 5% – 5%). When you add back
the 20% modulation due to the subcarriers, you get the required 110%
total modulation.

The M

OD. REDUCTION function is active as long as signal is applied to its as-

sociated GPI input.

OD. RED. 1 to “5%” and MOD. RED. 2 to 5%. This will reduce

The advantage of using the M
jection stays constant when the audio modulation is reduced. However,
using the M
quires programming and activating at least one 8500 GPI input. If you
have the same subcarrier injection at all times, a more convenient alter­native is to set the desired modulation level by using the C
control(s). Then turn up the P

COMPOSITE screen) until the injection equals 9% modulation.

OD. REDUCTION function is slightly inconvenient because it re-

OD. REDUCTION function is that the pilot in-

ILOT LEVEL control (in the INPUT / OUTPUT >

9. Choose a factory preset.

OCATE to the Choose Preset screen (SYSTEM SETUP > QUICK SETUP 8).

A) L
B) Using the L

OCATE joystick up/down control or turning the control knob, high-

light a preset corresponding to your format. Press E

lighted preset on the air.

Preset names are just suggestions. Some of the most competitive presets
(the “Loud” and “Impact” families) are intentionally not named for for­mats because these presets can be used in a wide variety of competitive
mass-appeal music formats. Feel free to audition different presets and to
choose the one whose sound you prefer. This preset may have a very dif­ferent name than the name of your format. This is OK.

You can easily modify a preset with the 8500’s one-knob L
ture. After you have finished with Quick Setup, Navigate to the B
MODIFY screen. If you do not see the LESS-MORE screen immediately, press

and hold the L

Turning L
ing artifacts like distortion and unpleasant density. Turning L
down will make the sound cleaner, more open, and easier to listen to,
but will also make it quieter.

OCATE joystick to the right or left until you find the screen.

ESS-MORE up will produce more loudness but also more process-

OMPOSITE LEVEL

NTER to put the high-

ESS-MORE fea-

ASIC

ESS-MORE

C) Congratulations! You are now on the air with your initial sound. Feel free to

read the material in Section 3 of this manual, which describes the various pre­sets and how you can customize them to an almost unlimited extent.

10. Complete Station ID.

The Station ID is an optional setting that you can provide to associate the 8500
with the station providing the program material (e.g., “KABC”). The Station ID
appears on the Meters screen to the left of the date, and on many other screens,
in the left pane, above the date.

OPTIMOD-FM DIGITAL INSTALLATION

A) Locate to the Station Identifier screen (System Setup > Quick Setup 9).

2-23

B) To erase the default Station ID name, use L

press E

NTER.

OCATE to highlight CLEAR, then

C) Enter in your Station ID name.

For each keypad item, Locate to the item and press E
For upper case letters, first L

OCATE to the SHIFT key and then press ENTER.

D) When finished entering your name, highlight S

NTER.

AVE and press ENTER.

11. Complete Quick Setup.

A) Locate to the Finished screen (S

B) Press E

SCAPE once to return to the System Setup screen, or twice to display

YSTEM SETUP > QUICK SETUP 10).

the Meters screen. Alternatively, press the control knob to display the pop-up
Menu.

Quick Setup is finished, unless your country is required to meet ITU-R 412-7 require­ments (see next step)

Note that Quick Setup only guides you through setting up the processing for the
analog FM output. To set up the HD output, see About the 8500’s HD / Digital Radio
Processing on page 3-63.

If you are required to meet the “multiplex power” limitations of ITU-R

12.

412-7 in your country, activate the 8500’s ITU-R 412 controller.

[Skip this step if your country does not enforce ITU-R 412. At the time of this
writing, it is only enforced in certain European countries.]

A) Navigate to the I

NPUT/OUTPUT > UTILITIES screen.

a) Press the control knob to display the pop-up Menu.

b) Turn the knob to highlight I

c) L

OCATE to the INPUT/OUTPUT > UTILITIES screen.

B) Set the M

ULTIPLEX POWER THRESHOLD to “0.0 dB.”

NPUT/OUTPUT and press the knob.

If your transmission system introduces overshoot in the signal path after
the 8500 (including the transmitter), instead set the M

ULTIPLEX POWER

THRESHOLD so that it equals the amount of peak overshoot (in dB) in the

transmission system. If you do not do this, the 8500’s ITU-R 412 controller
will set the average multiplex power too low.

The easiest way to measure system overshoot is to turn the multiplex
power controller off temporarily. Then set the 8500’s output level, using
its built-in 400Hz reference tone, so that the transmitter produces ±75
kHz deviation. Finally, play program material with lots of high frequency
energy and bass transients (like bright rock music with heavy kick drum)
and observe the peak deviation produced by the program material. The

2-24

INSTALLATION ORBAN MODEL 8500

overshoot is the amount (in dB) by which the deviation with program
material exceeds ±75 kHz deviation.

If your country does not enforce ITU-R 412, the MULTIPLEX POWER
THRESHOLD should be set to OFF.

Because the multiplex power controller uses the output of the 8500’s ste­reo encoder as its reference, set the C
3-40) to O
composite output) to drive the transmission system.

FF If you are using the 8500’s analog or digital output (not its

OMPOSITE LIMIT DRIVE control (page

See the notes on the M

The following material provides detailed instructions on how to set up the 8500. If
Quick Setup does not fully address your setup needs or if you wish to customize your
system beyond those provided with Quick Setup, then you may need the additional
information in the sections below. You will need this information if you are setting
up a digital radio facility. However, for most users, this material is only for reference,
because Quick Setup has enabled them to set up the 8500 correctly.

ULTIPLEX POWER OFFSET control on page 3-42.

Analog and Digital I/O Setup

For the following I/O calibration parameters, use the LOCATE joystick to highlight in-

put/output parameters. When the desired parameter is highlighted, turn the front
panel control knob to adjust the parameter settings as desired.

Analog and digital parameters appear on the same screen. If you are not using a
given input or output, ignore the parameters associated with it.

1. Specify processing pre-emphasis.

Navigate to the I
control to select the pre-emphasis (either 75μS or 50μS) used in your country

NPUT/OUTPUT > UTILITIES screen. Use the PROCESS PRE-EMPHASIS

2. Temporarily set the External AGC mode to “No.”

Navigate to the I

If you are using an external AGC, you will restore this setting to YES after
the setup procedure is complete.

3. Adjust input selector.

A) Navigate back to the I

B) Set the I

4. Adjust Clip Level control.

[0 dBu to +27 dBu] in 0.5 dB steps

NPUT/OUTPUT > UTILITIES screen and set EXTERNAL AGC to NO.

NPUT/OUTPUT > INPUT screen.

NPUT to ANALOG.

OPTIMOD-FM DIGITAL INSTALLATION

This step matches the level at which the 8500’s A-D (Analog-to-Digital) converter
clips to the absolute maximum peak level that your installation supplies to the
8500’s analog input.

This setup maximizes the 8500’s signal-to-noise ratio. If the clip level is set too
low, the 8500’s analog-to-digital converters will overload and distort on program
peaks. If the clip level is set too high, the signal-to-noise ratio will suffer. Use
care and attention in setting this adjustment.

We have found that the single most common reason for distorted sound on-air
in other Orban digital processors is maladjustment of the C
that the A/D converter is clipping and distorting. This will always be clearly indi­cated by the I

If you are adjusting the 8500 during normal programming and cannot interrupt
or distort the program to play program material from your studio at a much
higher level than normal, follow the directions to:

• Calibrate while on air with normal programming: step (A) on page 2-25.

NPUT meters’ going into the red part of their scale.

LIP LEVEL control, such

2-25

If you are able to interrupt or
bration that is more precise. Follow the directions to:

• Calibrate with unprocessed audio: step (B), page 2-25, or

• Calibrate with a Studio Level Control System

tion Tone, such as the Orban 6300, 8200ST-Studio Level Controller or 4000
Transmission Limiter: step (C), page 2-26, or

• Calibrate with an Orban 464A Co-Operator: step (D), page 2-26, or

• Calibrate with an Orban 1100 or 1101 OPTIMOD-PC

as appropriate.

Note that in this step, you are calibrating to the absolute peak level; this is
different from the maximum peak indication of the studio meters.

A) Calibrate with program material and normal programming levels.

[Skip this step if you are calibrating in another manner.]

a) Adjust the C

on the input meters.

Observe the meters on the 8500 screen for a long period; be sure to ob­serve live announcer voice. If this setting is misadjusted, distortion will re­sult.

0 dB indicates input clipping on the 8500. These meters should never
peak as high as 0 dB with program material; always leave a safety margin
of headroom.

LIP LEVEL so that program peaks indicate approximately –15 dB

distort normal programming, you can achieve cali-

that has a built-in 100% Calibra-

quite

B) Calibrate with program material and worst-case programming levels (best

method):

[Skip this step if you are calibrating in another manner.]

2-26

INSTALLATION ORBAN MODEL 8500

a) Play program material from your studio at a much higher level than nor-

mal—turn the faders up all the way!

This will usually produce the highest peak level output that your system
can produce.

b) Adjust the 8500’s CLIP LEVEL so that on program peaks the input meters in-

dicate no more than approximately –2 dB.

0 dB indicates input clipping on the 8500. These meters should never
peak as high as 0 dB with program material; always leave a safety margin
of headroom.

C) Calibrate with a Studio Level Control System that has a built-in 100% Calibra-

tion Tone, such as the Orban 6300 Optimod-DAB, 8200ST-Studio Level Con­troller or 4000 Transmission Limiter:

[Skip this step if you are calibrating in another manner.]

a) Turn on the Studio Level Control System’s 100% Calibration Tone.

On the Orban 4000 Transmission Limiter, press both of the 4000’s front

panel TONE buttons.

b) Adjust the output level of the Studio Level Control System for 100% modu-

lation of the STL.

c) Adjust the 8500’s C

LIP LEVEL to indicate –2 dB on the input meters.

D) Calibrate with an Orban 464A Co-Operator:

[Skip this step if you are calibrating in another manner.]

The 464A does not have a built-in 100% tone. The easiest way to set the
8500 input peak clipping level is to temporarily re-adjust the 464A to pro­duce clipped waveforms on program material to give a clear indication of
peak clipping level.

a) Record the normal operating settings of the 464A.

b) Set both channels of the 464A controls as follows:

METER CAL 0

HF LIMIT PRE-EMPHASIS

OUTPUT ATTEN 0
INPUT ATTEN 10
GATE THRESH 0
RELEASE TIME 0
REL SHAPE SOFT
LEVEL OFF
COMPR OFF
HF LIMIT OPERATE
SYSTEM OPERATE
POWER ON
MODE DUAL

set to pre-emphasis of your STL; if no pre­emphasis, set to 25μs

c) Play program material from your studio.

OPTIMOD-FM DIGITAL INSTALLATION

d) Adjust the 464A’s METER CAL controls so that the 0 dB segment on the

464A’s PEAK

OUTPUT LEVEL meter just illuminates on program peaks.

2-27

e) Adjust the 464A’s OUTPUT

lation.

f) Adjust the 8500’s C

mately –2 dB on the meter on the screen.

g) Return the 464A to the normal settings.

E) Calibrate with an Orban 1100 or 1101 OPTIMOD-PC:

[Skip this step if you are calibrating in another manner.]

Refer to the OPTIMOD-PC manual for instructions on setting it up as an
external AGC. You will usually use one of its three AGC presets.

OPTIMOD-PC does not have a built-in 100% tone generator. The easiest
way to set the 8500 input peak clipping level is to recall a “loud” preset
in OPTIMOD-PC that will produce substantial amounts of gain reduction
in OPTIMOD-PC’s look-ahead limiter. This will produce frequent peaks at
the maximum peak level at OPTIMOD-PC’s output.

a) If you have customized your normal AGC preset in OPTIMOD-PC, save it as a

User Preset.

b) Apply program material at normal level to OPTIMOD-PC’s input.

c) Recall the IMPACT preset and verify that the OPTIMOD-PC L

indicate substantial gain reduction.

LIP LEVEL so that the program peaks indicate approxi-

ATTEN controls to drive the STL to 100% modu-

IMITER meters

d) Adjust the 8500’s C

mately –2 dB on the meter on the screen.

e) Recall your regular AGC preset in OPTIMOD-PC.

5. Adjust the Analog Input’s Reference Level.

[−9 dBu to +13 dBu (VU), or –2 to +20 dBu (PPM)] in 0.5 dB steps]

EFERENCE LEVEL VU and PPM (Peak) settings track each other with an offset

The R
of 8 dB. This compensates for the typical indications with program material of a
VU meter versus the higher indications on a PPM.

This step sets the center of the 8500’s gain reduction range to the level to which
your studio operators peak their program material on the studio meters. This en­sures that the 8500’s processing presets will operate in their preferred range.

You may adjust this level with a standard reference / line-up level tone from your
studio or with program material.

Note that in this step, you are calibrating to the normal indication of the studio
meters; this is quite different from the actual peak level.

If you know the reference VU or PPM level that the 8500 will receive, set the

EFERENCE LEVEL to this level, but do verify it with the steps shown directly be-

R

low.

LIP LEVEL so that the program peaks indicate approxi-

2-28

INSTALLATION ORBAN MODEL 8500

A) From the pop-up Menu, select the P

RESETS screen.

B) Highlight the

C) Press the E

ROCK-MEDIUM preset.

NTER button to select the preset.

D) Calibrate using Tone.

[Skip this step if you are using program material to calibrate the 8500 to
your standard studio level. Skip to step (E).]

a) Verify E

XTERNAL AGC is set to NO.

Refer to step 1 on page 2-24 above.

b) Feed a tone at your reference level to the 8500

If you are not using an external AGC, feed a tone through your console
at normal program levels (typically 0VU if your console uses VU meters).

If you are using an Orban 4000 Transmission Limiter, press its two TEST

buttons. Feed a tone through your console at the level to which you
normally peak program material (typically 0VU if your console uses VU
meters).

If you are using a Studio Level Controller that performs an AGC function,
such as an Orban 8200ST OPTIMOD-Studio or 464A, adjust it for normal
operation.

c) Adjust the REFERENCE LEVEL to make the 8500’s AGC meters indicate 10 dB

gain reduction.

d) When finished, reset E

setting prior to setting R

XTERNAL AGC to YES, if required (e.g., if that was its

EFERENCE LEVEL).

e) Skip to step 6.

E) Calibrate using Program.

[Skip this step if you are using tone to

calibrate the 8500 to your standard

studio level—see step (D) above.]

a) Verify E

XTERNAL AGC is set to NO.

Refer to step 1 on page 2-24 above.

b) Feed normal Program material to the 8500

Play program material from your studio, peaking at the level to which
you normally peak program material (typically 0VU if your console uses
VU meters).

c) Adjust the REFERENCE LEVEL to make the 8500’s AGC meters indicate an av-

erage of 10 dB gain reduction when the console’s VU or PPM is peaking at
its normal level.

If the AGC gain reduction meter averages less than 10 dB gain reduction
(higher on the meter), set the

If the AGC gain reduction meter averages more gain reduction (lower on
the meter), set the

REFERENCE LEVEL to a higher level.

REFERENCE LEVEL to a lower level.

OPTIMOD-FM DIGITAL INSTALLATION

d) When finished, reset EXTERNAL AGC to YES, if required (e.g., if that was its

setting prior to setting R

EFERENCE LEVEL level).

6. Adjust the Analog Input’s Right Channel Balance.

[Skip this step if the channels are already satisfactorily balanced.]

[−3 dB to +3 dB] on right channel only, 0.1 dB steps

2-29

Adjust R

IGHT BALANCE to achieve correct left/right channel balance.

This is not a balance control like those found in consumer audio prod­ucts. This control changes gain of the right channel only. Use this control
if the right analog input to the 8500 is not at exactly the same level as
the left input. Be certain that the imbalance is not from a certain pro­gram source, but only through distribution between the console output
and 8500 input. This is best accomplished by playing program material
that is known to be monophonic, or by setting the mixing console into
mono mode (if available).

7. Adjust the Digital Input Reference Level and Right Balance controls.

If you will be using the digital input, set the input to D
and 6 above using the R

IGITAL section.

D

EFERENCE LEVEL and RIGHT BALANCE controls for the

IGITAL and repeat steps 5

8. Set response to an invalid or missing digital input signal. (optional)

A) Navigate to I

NPUT/OUTPUT > UTILITIES.

B) If you want to 8500 to automatically use its analog input when its input is set

IGITAL and no valid digital signal is available, set DI ANALOG FALLBACK to

to D

ES. Otherwise, set the control to NO. YES is the factory default.

Y

9. Set output and configuration level.

A) Navigate to the I

NPUT/OUTPUT > OUTPUT1 screen.

You can use either program material or tone to set your output level
(and thus, your on-air modulation). If you want to use tone, turn the
400Hz calibration tone on.

B) Set the A

NALOG OUT SOURCE to FM or FM+DELAY, depending on whether you

need to apply diversity delay to that source. See Diversity Delay on page 2-65.

Be aware that this setting can be toggled between FM and FM+DELAY by
several means in addition to the A
INPUT/OUTPUT > OUTPUT1 screen. These additional means include the 8500’s
GPI inputs (page 2-54), its serial ports (page 2-43), its Ethernet input (via
8500 PC Remote or a terminal program), and its clock-based automation
(page 2-36).

C) Set the ANALOG OUTPUT PRE / FLAT control to PRE-E (for pre-emphasis) or FLAT.

[Skip this step if you will not be using the analog output.]

NALOG OUT SOURCE control in the

2-30

INSTALLATION ORBAN MODEL 8500

If you will use the analog output to drive a stereo encoder,

PRE-E pro-

vides the best performance because this stereo encoder does not have to
restore the pre-emphasis. However, if you cannot defeat the pre­emphasis in your stereo encoder, or if you will use the analog output for
monitoring, set the output F

LAT.

If you are sending the analog output of the 8500 through a digital link
that uses lossy compression (like MPEG, APT-X, or Dolby), set the output

LAT. Lossy codecs cannot handle pre-emphasized signals.

F

[Skip steps (D) through (I) if you will not be using the”AES1” digital out­put. Note that both the “AES1” and “AES2” digital outputs have identi­cal functionality, so you could use either one in the steps below.]

D) Set the AES1

ONITOR.

M

In most facilities, you will set it to FM.

HD is not available in 8500FM units.

OUT SOURCE control to the desired source: FM, FM+DELAY, HD, or

E) Set the AES1 PRE/FLAT control to PRE-E (for pre-emphasis), FLAT, or PRE-

E+J17.

See the notes immediately above.

P

RE-E+J17 applies both FM pre-emphasis and J.17 pre-emphasis (in cas-

cade) to the signal and is only used with STLs using J.17 pre-emphasis
when their own J.17 pre-emphasis filters are bypassed. These are rare.

F) Set the AES1 output SAMP RATE (sample rate).

[32], [44.1], [48], [88.2], or [96], in kHz

The 8500’s fundamental sample rate is always 64 kHz, but the internal
sample rate converter sets the rate at the 8500’s digital output. This ad­justment sets the 8500’s output sample rate to ensure compatibility with
equipment requiring a fixed sample rate.

G) Adjust the AES1 SR

SYNC control.

[Internal / Sync In / Input]

You can lock the sample rate of each of the 8500’s AES3 outputs to the
sample rate of a reference AES3 signal that is applied to the AES3 input
or to an AES11 signal that is applied to the SYNC input.

If you wish to operate the two AES3 outputs at different sample rates,
only one output can be synced to the signal at the SYNC input. However,
in this case the other output could be synced to the signal appearing at
the digital input.

The selections for each of the two AES outputs are I
INPUT. INPUT sets a given AES3 output sample rate and synchronization to
the same sample rate present at the 8500’s AES3 (audio) input. Likewise,

YNC IN uses the AES11 sync input’s sample rate and synchronization as

S

the source. I
8500’s internal clock and uses the S
put sample rate.

NTERNAL, SYNC IN, and

NTERNAL synchronizes the given AES3 output rate to the

AMP RATE setting to determine its out-

OPTIMOD-FM DIGITAL INSTALLATION

For a given AES3 output, the output sample-rate selector (“SAMP RATE”)
has no effect in the I

NPUT and SYNC IN modes unless sync is lost. Then the

output reverts to internal sync at the sample rate that is preset by the
sample-rate selector for that output. Otherwise, the output sample rate
follows the sample rate present at the selected input, regardless of the
setting of the output sample rate selector.

2-31

If no signal is provided to the 8500 Input or S

NTERNAL and select the desired output sample rate.

I

H) Set the desired output W

RD LENGTH (word length).

YNC IN, set SR SYNC to

[14], [16], [18], [20], or [24] bits

The largest valid word length in the 8500 is 24 bits. The 8500 can also
truncate its output word length to 20, 18, 16 or 14 bits. The 8500 can also
add dither and you should set it to do so if the input material is insuffi­ciently dithered for these lower word lengths. (See the next step.)

I) Adjust D

ITHER to IN or OUT, as desired.

[In] or [Out]

It is wise to leave this control set to I

When set to I

N, the 8500 adds “high-pass” dither before any truncation

N.

of the output word. The amount of dither automatically tracks the set­ting of the W

ORD LENGTH control. This is first-order noise-shaped dither

that reduces added noise in the midrange considerably by comparison to
white PDF dither. However, unlike extreme noise shaping, it adds a
maximum of 3 dB of excess total noise power when compared to white
PDF dither. Thus, it is a good compromise between white PDF dither and
extreme noise shaping.

J) If you are using the AES2 output, repeat steps (D) through (I) for this output.

Its controls are located on the I

NPUT/OUTPUT > OUTPUT2 screen.

K) Using a modulation monitor or modulation analyzer, adjust the outputs you

are using (analog and/or digital) to make the modulation monitor read 100%
modulation (usually ±75 kHz deviation).

If you are using program material, make sure that the program material
is loud enough to produce peaks of frequent recurrence that hit the
8500’s peak limiting system, thereby defining the maximum peak level
that the 8500 will produce. In the U.S., we recommend using 900μs peak
weighting on the peak modulation indicator, as permitted by F.C.C. rules.
This will cause the monitor to ignore very low energy overshoots and will
result in the highest peak modulation permitted by law.

In other countries, use a peak-indicating instrument as specified by the
regulatory authority in your country.

If you are required to implement the average modulation limits specified
by ITU-R 412-7, you may seldom see peaks hitting ±75 kHz deviation. In
this case, we advise you to set the output level using the 8500’s reference
400Hz tone.

In the United States, F.C.C. Rules permit you to add 0.5% modulation for
every 1% increase in subcarrier injection. For example, if your subcarrier

2-32

INSTALLATION ORBAN MODEL 8500

injection totals 20%, you can set the total modulation to 110% (±82.5
kHz deviation). This implies that you must set the 8500’s composite out­put level for the equivalent of 90% modulation, not counting the subcar­riers. (90% + 20% = 110%.) This will mean that pilot injection will be
about 8% modulation instead of the desired 9%. From the Input/output

> Composite screen, adjust
9% modulation (±6.75 kHz deviation). This will ordinarily require you to
set the

PILOT LEVEL parameter to “10%.”

PILOT LEVEL control as necessary to produce

10. Set pre-emphasis mode of Output meters (optional).

When the M

UTLEVEL, the 8500’s Output meters normally indicates the peak output level

FMO

ETER SELECT switch (in INPUT/OUTPUT > HD DIGITAL RADIO) is set to

of the FM analog processing, which is always pre-emphasized. If you wish to ap­ply de-emphasis before these meters, navigate to I
the FM

The default is P

OUTPUT METER to DE-EMPH.

RE-EMP.

NPUT/OUTPUT > UTILITIES and set

11. Set the polarity of the analog FM processing (optional).

In HD Radio installations, this command is useful when switching the 8500 be­tween transmitters if the transmitters’ exciters produce opposite FM modulation
polarities when driven by identical digital audio input signals. This setting affects
any output emitting the analog FM processed signal, including the composite
output.

A) Navigate to the I

B) Set the FM

NPUT/OUTPUT > UTILITES screen.

POLARITY control to POSITIVE or NEGATIVE as appropriate for your

transmitter.

12. Configure composite outputs.

[Skip this step if you are not using the composite baseband outputs.]

A) Navigate to the I

NPUT/OUTPUT > COMPOSITE screen.

B) Adjust the composite level at the composite output(s) you are using so that

the FM carrier is modulated to 100% on modulation peaks. Alternately, you
can use tone.

If you are using subcarriers, this screen allows you to specify the amount
by which the 8500 automatically reduces main and stereo subchannel
modulation to accommodate the subcarrier within the modulation limits
specified by the governing authority.

See step (8.C) on page 2-21 for a more detailed discussion.

C) Set the M

In addition to STEREO. the MODULATION MODE control also allows you to set
the modulation mode to M
lation sourced from the left input, right input, or sum of the left and
right inputs). For testing, it also offers a P
a stereo waveform with no pilot tone.

ODULATION MODE to STEREO

ONO-L, MONO-R, and MONO-SUM (mono modu-

ILOT OFF mode, which transmits

OPTIMOD-FM DIGITAL INSTALLATION

D) Set the PILOT LEVEL to 9% modulation.

If you have to reduce the setting of the COMPOSITE LEVEL control to ac-
commodate overshoots in the transmission path following the 8500 (in­cluding the transmitter), you may have to increase the setting of the

ILOT LEVEL so that the transmitted pilot is still at 9% modulation.

P

E) Set the DIVERSITY DELAY control to IN or OUT as appropriate for your installa-

tion.

13. Set up a low-delay headphone monitoring system (optional).

If you do not need the 8500’s analog output to drive a transmitter, you can con­figure it to receive the output of a special version of the multiband compressor
(without look-ahead). This signal is suited for driving headphones. The in­put/output delay is approximately 3-8 milliseconds (depending on the setting of

CROSSOVER TYPE). Even though normal 8500 presets have a delay of about

AGC

18 ms, which most DJs, announcers, and presenters can learn to use without dis­comfort (although they may need some time to become accustomed to it), the
low-delay output will cause less bone-conduction comb filtering. However, in
most cases, the low-delay output will not be necessary to ensure adequate talent
comfort.

2-33

The normal delay is 18 ms except for “LL” (“low latency”) presets (which have 13
ms delay) and “UL” (ultra-low latency) presets (which have 3.7 ms delay).

To configure any output for Low-Delay Monitoring:

A) Locate to the I

outputs. Locate to the I

NPUT/OUTPUT > OUTPUT1 screen to configure the analog or AES1

NPUT/OUTPUT > OUTPUT2 screen to configure the AES2

output.

B) Choose O

C) Set the pre-emphasis control to F

UT SOURCE > MONITOR.

LAT for the output you are using for monitor-

ing.

CAUTION: The low-delay output has no peak limiting and is therefore
not suited for driving a transmitter. If you use the low delay output, you
must drive your transmitter with a digital output or with the composite
output.

If you need a low-delay output that can drive a transmitter, configure
the 8500’s outputs for O
UL presets. See Ultra-Low-Latency Five-Band on page 3-17.

If you use the low-delay output to drive both your studio monitor speak­ers and talent headphones (which may be necessary if your console has
only one monitor input for both), we recommend connecting a loss-of­carrier alarm to one of the 8500’s GPI inputs and programming this input
to mute the monitor output in the event that carrier is lost. This simulates
normal “off air” monitor functionality and immediately alerts the staff if
the transmitter goes off the air unexpectedly.

You can program any GPI terminal for Monitor Mute functionality from

YSTEM SETUP > NETWORK / REMOTE 1 (the REMOTE screen). The OUT SOURCE

S

UT FEEDS: TRANSMITTER and use one of the 8500’s

2-34

INSTALLATION ORBAN MODEL 8500

parameter located in the INPUT/OUTPUT > OUTPUT1 screen needs to be set

ONITOR to make the Monitor Mute feature work.

to M

14. Defeat final clipper (optional).

If you are using the 8500 to drive a network with protection audio processors
(like Orban’s Optimod-FM 2300) at each transmitter, you may wish to defeat the
8500’s final clipper to prevent double clipping, which can unnecessarily increase
distortion on-air. To do this:

A) Locate to the I

B) Set F

INAL CLIP DEFEAT to DEFEAT.

NPUT/OUTPUT > UTILITIES screen.

This will also defeat the overshoot compensator.

Note that defeating the final clipper and overshoot compensator will in­crease peak output levels, possibly to the point where the 8500’s output
amplifier and/or digital output clips. It is wise to customize any presets
you are using by reducing the F

INAL CLIP DRIVE and OSHOOT COMP DRIVE

controls to their minimum values. This will greatly reduce the probability
of inadvertently clipping the 8500’s output.

Unless defeated, the 8500’s composite limiter will continue to control the
composite output level. However, you should not use the composite out­put when the 8500’s final clipper is defeated because this will remove the
advantages of the distortion cancellation in the 8500’s final clipper. (The
composite limiter does not cancel distortion.)

15. Program Silence Sense (optional)

You can program the 8500 to switch automatically from its digital input to its
analog inputs if the I

NPUT SOURCE is set to DIGITAL and the signal at the digital in-

put falls silent.

There are two silence detectors, one for the analog input and one for the
digital input. The silence sense parameters apply to both simultaneously.
Both detectors are available to drive the 8500’s tally outputs but only the
“digital input” silence detector is used for automatic input switching.
(See Tally Output Programming on page 2-56.)

Silence
tecting against “loss-of-one-stereo-channel” faults.

If silence is detected at the analog input as well as the digital input (as in
the case of a studio operational fault), automatic switching will not oc­cur.

When an active signal is restored to the digital input, the 8500 will
automatically switch back to that input.

sense will be activated if either channel falls silent, thus also pro-

A) Navigate to INPUT/OUTPUT > SILENCE DETECT.

B) Set the S

the input as being silent.

This setting is with respect to the current analog reference level and digi­tal reference level.

ILENCE THRESHOLD to the level below which the 8500 will interpret

OPTIMOD-FM DIGITAL INSTALLATION

C) Set the SILENCE DELAY to the amount of time that the input must be below

ILENCE THRESHOLD before the 8500 automatically switches to the analog

the S
input.

2-35

D) Set the A

NALOG FALLBACK to YES if you wish the 8500 to automatically switch

from the digital to analog input when silence is detected. Set the control to

O to defeat automatic switching.

N

16. Set the P

This control is located in the I

ILOT REFERENCE control

NPUT/OUTPUT > COMPOSITE screen. It determines the

phase relationship between the 19 kHz pilot reference output (see page 2-10)
and the pilot tone present in the composite output. 0
stallations. Use 90

DEG only if your RDS/RBDS generator’s 19 kHz reference input

specifically requires this phase relationship. 180

DEG is correct for most in-

DEG and 270 DEG take into ac-

count installations where there is a polarity reversal in the RDS generator.

17. End Analog and Digital I/O setup.

If you are using an external AGC and you temporarily set the E

O in step 1 on page 2-24, set the EXTERNAL AGC to YES.

N

When you are finished adjusting input/output parameters, press the E

XTERNAL AGC to

SCAPE but-

ton to return to the Meters screen.

18. Select a processing preset.

This step selects the processing to complement the program format of your sta­tion.

After this step, you can always select a different processing preset, program the
8500 to automatically change presets on a time/date schedule, modify presets to
customize your sound, and store these presets as User Presets.

A) Navigate to the Presets screen.

a) Press the control knob to display the pop-up Menu.

b) Turn the knob to highlight P

B) Using the L

OCATE joystick up/down control or turning the control knob, high-

light a preset corresponding to your format. Press E

RESETS and press the knob.

NTER to put the high-

lighted preset on the air.

Preset names are just suggestions. Feel free to audition different presets
and to choose the one whose sound you prefer. This preset may have a
very different name than the name of your format. This is OK.

You can easily modify a preset with the 8500’s one-knob L
ture. Navigate to the Basic Modify screen. If you do not see the L

ORE screen immediately, press and hold the LOCATE joystick to the right

M

or left until you find the screen. Turning L
loudness but also more processing artifacts like distortion and unpleasant
density. Turning L
open, and easier to listen to, but will also make it quieter.

ESS-MORE down will make the sound cleaner, more

ESS-MORE up will produce more

ESS-MORE fea-

ESS-

2-36

INSTALLATION ORBAN MODEL 8500

Using Clock-Based Automation

1. If you have not already done so, set the system clock.

If you can connect your 8500 to the Internet through its Ethernet port, you can
then specify an Internet timeserver to set your 8500’s clock automatically. In ad­dition, Optimod PC Remote software can automatically set your Optimod’s local
time, O
running PC Remote software. See Synchronizing Optimod to a Network Time
Server on page
mote and/or the Internet, skip to step (C).

FFSET, and TIME SERVER to reflect the Windows settings in the machine

2-63. If you are planning to set your Optimod’s time via PC Re-

A) Navigate to S

B) Navigate to the T

a) Choose T

YSTEM SETUP > PLACE / DATE / TIME.

IME AND DATE screen.

IME FORMAT as desired (either 24-hour time or AM / PM-style time).

b) Set hours, minutes, and seconds, in that order.

Seconds will stop advancing when you set hours and minutes. So set sec­onds last.

c) Choose the desired date format.

d) Set today’s date.

e) If you want the clock to automatically reset itself to conform to Daylight

Saving Time (Summer Time), use the B

EGINS and ENDS fields to specify when

Daylight Saving Time begins and ends in your area. If you do not wish to
use this feature, leave any B

C) (Optional) > Navigate to the S

EGINS and ENDS field OFF.

TATION screen to specify your station’s identifier

(call sign or call letters).

2. Navigate to System Setup / Automation.

3. If the far left button reads “Disabled,” choose it and press Enter to en-

able automation.

This button lets you enable or disable all automation events easily without hav­ing to edit individual automation events.

4. To add an automation event:

A) Select A

B) You can program an event that occurs only once or an event that occurs in a

weekly preset pattern. Highlight either S

NTER button.

the E

C) For S

ET BY WEEK:

DD.

ET BY WEEK or SET BY DATE and press

OPTIMOD-FM DIGITAL INSTALLATION

a) Navigate to the each day of the week in turn; then use the knob to turn

the day on or off.

You can program the event to occur on as many days as you wish.

b) Navigate to the Event Time field and set the hour, minute, and second

when the automation event is to occur.

Automation events have a “start” time but no “stop” time. The 8500 will
stay in the state specified by an existing automation event indefinitely,
until its state is changed by another automation event or by another ac­tion (like a user’s interacting with the front panel or with the PC Remote
application).

c) Navigate to the Event Type field and set the desired event. You can recall

any factory or user preset and can activate B
network testing) or E

XIT TEST. Other automation events include: STEREO,

YPASS mode (for scheduled

MONO-R, MONO-L, MONO-SUM, DIVERSITY DELAY IN, DIVERSITY DELAY OUT, MOD

REDUCTION

1, MOD REDUCTION 2, and EXIT MOD REDUCTION.

2-37

D) For S

ET BY DATE, set the desired date and time for the event and specify the

Event Type.

E) Choose D

ONE and press ENTER.

You will return to the automation event list. You may have to scroll the
list (using the knob) to see the event that you just added.

5. To edit an existing event:

A) Using the knob, highlight the event you wish to edit.

B) Select the E

DIT button and press ENTER. The edit screen appears.

C) Edit the event as desired.

D) When you have finished making edits, choose D

6. To delete an event:

A) Highlight the event to delete with the knob.

B) Choose D

7. Choose D

ELETE and press ENTER.

ONE and press Enter to leave the Automation screen.

ONE and press ENTER.

Security and Passcode Programming

You can use multi-level passcodes to control access to the 8500 via the front panel
and via PC Remote. You can configure a given passcode to allow one of the follow­ing levels of access:

1. All Screens (i.e., administrator level)

2. All Screens except Security

2-38

INSTALLATION ORBAN MODEL 8500

3. All screens except Modify and Security

4. Presets, Modify, Save, Memory, and Automation

5. Presets and Automation

6. Presets

Only passcodes with A
code permissions.

Each Passcode is unique; the software will not let you create duplicate Passcodes.
Further, to prevent accidental lockout, the software requires you to have at least
one passcode with A

Your Optimod secures User Presets by encrypting them (using the Advanced Encryp­tion Standard algorithm with the session passcode as its key) when PC Remote
fetches them. Hence, a packet sniffer cannot intercept User Presets in plaintext form.
PC Remote then writes the fetched User Presets in encrypted form on your hard
drive, where they remain for the duration of your PC Remote session.

If PC Remote exits normally, it will erase these temporary User Preset files
from your computer’s hard disk. If it does not exit normally, these files
will remain in encrypted form. However, the next time that PC Remote
starts up, it will automatically clean up any orphaned files.

1. From the main menu, navigate to S

The Security screen lets you set front­panel lockout time, create new pass­codes, review and/or assign authoriza­tion levels for existing passcodes, and
delete passcodes.

LL SCREENS access let you do software updates and set pass-

LL SCREENS (administrator) privileges.

YSTEM SETUP and then to SECURITY.

If the 8500 is already under security
control, you must enter an

SCREENS-level passcode to enter the

Security screen.

2. Set the Security Screen “Lockout”

parameter.

The choices are 1, 5, 15, or 30 minutes, 1, 2, 4, or 8 hours, or O

Front Panel lockout only occurs when the lockout value is not

The Lockout field sets the time delay between the last user interaction with the
front panel and automatic front-panel lockout. Once the front panel is locked
out, you can only regain access by entering a valid passcode.

The Lockout field does not affect PC Remote connections. Once connected, the
PC Remote application does not time out automatically; it remains connected un­til explicitly disconnected by its user.

ALL

FF.

OFF.

OPTIMOD-FM DIGITAL INSTALLATION

The lockout timer begins at the top of the next minute. For example, if you set
Lockout to be 1 minute at 9:10:33 AM and do not touch the front panel again,
the front panel will lock out at 9:12:00 AM.

3. Set the Security Screen “View Meters” parameter.

2-39

Select Y

ES to display meters and NO to hide meters when lockout is active.

4. Create a new passcode (optional).

A) Select the “New” button from the Security screen.

The “Create New Passcode Screen” appears.

B) Use the “virtual keyboard” to create a passcode.

Use the L
Then press E

OCATE button to navigate to each character.

NTER to accept that character.

The letters on the virtual keyboard are all uppercase.
When you use the passcode later, you must enter it us­ing capital letters because the passcode is case sensi­tive. For example, if you set up your passcode as
OOPS25, you must enter it as OOPS25, not as oops25
or Oops25.

C) When you have finished creating your passcode, write

it down so you do not forget it.

D) Choose S

E) Initially, your new passcode has A

change its privileges, navigate to the P

AVE. The Security screen reappears.

LL SCREENS (administrator) privileges. To

ASSCODE AUTHORIZES ACCESS TO field.

Then turn the knob to choose the desired privilege level.

F) Choose D

ONE or press ESCAPE when you are finished. The System Setup screen

appears.

5. Edit or delete an existing passcode (optional).

A) Navigate to S

YSTEM SETUP and then to SECURITY

If the 8500 is already under security control, you must enter an

SCREENS-level passcode to enter the Security screen.

B) Navigate to the C

URRENT PASSCODE field. Use the blue knob to scroll through

the passcodes until you see the one you wish to edit or delete.

C) To delete the passcode, choose the D

ELETE button.

At least one passcode must have “All Screens” privileges. If you try to de­lete the last “All Screens” passcode, the following dialog box will appear:

You cannot delete this Passcode because you must have at least one
Passcode with All Screens privileges. Press OK to continue.

ALL

2-40

INSTALLATION ORBAN MODEL 8500

D) To edit the passcode, navigate to the P

Then turn the knob to choose the desired privilege level.

ASSCODE AUTHORIZES ACCESS TO field.

E) Choose D

You may edit or delete more than one passcode before choosing

Choosing
code settings.

ONE when you are finished. The System Setup screen appears.

DONE on the Security Screen automatically saves all of your Pass-

To Unlock the Front Panel

A) On the 8500 front panel, operate any button or the knob.

The E

NTER PASSCODE screen appears.

B) Enter your passcode using the virtual keyboard.

If you enter a Passcode that does not exist, you are returned to the E
PASSCODE screen.

C) Choose U

You will be able to access 8500 functions allowed by the privilege level of
your passcode.

After you have finished working, the panel will automatically re-lock af­ter the time delay set in step 2 on page 2-38. Provided you have A
SCREENS privileges, you can set the delay as desired by following the in­structions in that step.

NLOCK.

DONE.

NTER

LL

8500 User Interface Behavior during Lockout

Meters are not visible during lockout unless you enter a passcode of any privilege
level. Instead, a Lockout screen replaces the Meters screen. It displays Input Status,
Time, Date, Studio Name, Mod. Reduction Status, and Help Text.

The On-Air Preset and Meters do not appear to prevent your competitors from see­ing them if your 8500 is installed in a shared facility.

The diagnostic screens are unavailable during lockout unless you enter a passcode of
any privilege level.

Default ADMIN Passcode

When you first open to the Security screen on the 8500, there
code: ADMIN (all capitals), which has A
an initial connection to the 8500 and 8500X via PC remote; you must enter ADMIN
when PC Remote asks you for a passcode.

The 8500X has a blank front panel. Only an external PC running the 8500 PC Remote
application can control it.

The front panel lockout feature’s default setting is O
featured front panels) will not have the lockout feature functioning until a lockout
time is set.

LL SCREENS privileges. This passcode permits

FF, so standard 8500s (with full-

is one default pass-

OPTIMOD-FM DIGITAL INSTALLATION

Any passcode you have programmed into the 8500 (via step 3 on page 2-39) allows
PC Remote connections with the same privileges. For example, if you connect to the
PC Remote and use a
access to the 8500 from that PC. Conversely, if you connect to the 8500 with a Pass­code that only allows access to the “Presets” on the 8500, you will only be able to
recall presets from the PC Remote.

To ensure good security, you should first create a new ALL SCREENS passcode
and then delete the ADMIN passcode (in that order) to prevent others from
accessing your 8500 with the ADMIN passcode. The longer a passcode is, the

more secure it is. Moreover, the most secure passcodes use a random combination of
letters and numbers.

Passcode with A

LL SCREENS access, this Passcode will allow full

Security and Orban’s PC Remote Application

Any passcodes set on the 8500 will allow the PC Remote application to connect via
direct, modem and Ethernet connections at the level authorized by the passcode.

• If no Passcodes are assigned to 8500 except the ADMIN default Passcode:

2-41

When you attempt a connection to the 8500 via Direct, Modem, and Ethernet
connections, the “Enter Passcode Screen” will prompt you to enter a Passcode.
Type in ADMIN from your keyboard. This will allow you full access to the 8500 via
the PC Remote.

To ensure that your 8500 is fully protected, create a new passcode that has A
SCREENS access. Then delete the ADMIN passcode.

See step 3 on page 2-39 for instructions on how to create a new passcode and
step (5.C) on page 2-39 for instructions on how to delete a passcode.

• Using passcodes to end PC Remote connections from the 8500 front panel:

you try to access an 8500 from its front panel while a remote connection exists,

If
a message will appear asking you whether you want to disconnect the remote
connection. If you choose to disconnect the connection, the “Enter Passcode
Screen” will appear if the unit is locked out.

Passcodes and Software Updates

PC Remote allows a software update to occur regardless of passcode level of the
8500  PC Remote connection. However, PC Remote will only offer to perform a
software update if the version of PC Remote higher than the version of the software
installed in your 8500. Hence, this does not create a significant security issue.

LL

If you have forgotten your “All Screens” passcode…

You can access the 8500 even if you have forgotten your A
There are several ways to do this.

LL SCREENS passcode.

2-42

INSTALLATION ORBAN MODEL 8500

1. If your unit is an 8500 or 8500FM (i.e., if it has a full-featured front

panel):

A) Press the E

wait while Optimod initializes” screen upon boot-up.

B) Choose whether you want the 8500 to reset all passcodes while retaining

other customizations (like I/O levels and user presets) or if want the 8500 to
reset itself to its factory defaults. In either case, all existing passcodes will be
erased.

• If you choose to reset the unit to factory defaults, the 8500 will subse-
quently ask whether it should erase all user presets or retain them.

• If you reset only the passcodes, the front panel will not unlock automati-
cally. After passcode reset, there will be one passcode, ADMIN, with All
Screens privileges. Use this passcode to unlock the front panel normally.

• If you reset the unit to its factory defaults, the panel will unlock automati-
cally. Please note that resetting the unit to its factory defaults:

2. If your unit is an 8500X (i.e., if it has a blank front panel):

NTER button within two seconds after the 8500 displays its “Please

• Resets all global parameters to factory default settings

• Deletes all Automation Events

• Restores Remote Interface inputs 1-8 to “no function”

There are two ways to unlock an 8500X: the method described immedi­ately below and via a connection to a PC running a terminal program.
The latter is described in Administering the 8500 through its Serial Ports

or Ethernet on page 2-43.

[Version 1.2 of the 8500 software does
method. However, you can still use the method described in
Administering the 8500 through its Serial Ports or Ethernet on page 2-43
that uses a terminal program.]

A) Remove AC power from your 8500.

B) Connect pins 2 and 3 on Serial Port 2 of your 8500.

You can prepare a DB9 connector with pins 2 and 3 soldered together, al­though it is probably easiest to make the connection by inserting a bent
paper clip into pins 2 and 3 of the null modem cable shipped with your

8500. Maximum voltage on this clip with respect to ground is 12 volts DC,
which is very unlikely to cause an electric shock. However, do not use the
“paper clip” technique if it violates the safety regulations in your country.

C) Apply power to your 8500 with pins 2 and 3 still connected. Keep pins 2 and 3

connected for at least 70 seconds after application of power.

not support the following

OPTIMOD-FM DIGITAL INSTALLATION

This will create a new passcode, ADMIN, having ALL SCREENS access. You
can now use this passcode to access the security screens and administer
existing passcodes as desired.

• All existing passcodes will be retained.

2-43

• To maintain good security, it is important to create a new A

passcode and then to delete the ADMIN passcode. You should also delete
any old passcodes that may compromise security.

See step 3 on page 2-39 for instructions on how to create a new passcode
and step (5.C) on page 2-39 for instructions on how to delete a passcode.

• This procedure will also work with a standard 8500, which
featured front panel. However, it is more convenient to use the procedure
in step 1 on page 2-42 instead.

D) Remove the connection between pins 2 and 3.

LL SCREENS

has a full-

Administering the 8500 through its Serial Ports

or Ethernet

You can connect a PC to the 8500’s serial ports or to its Ethernet port by using a ter­minal program like HyperTerminal to administer security and to recall presets using
simple ASCII commands. The behaviors of Serial Ports #1 and #2 are different. This
section gives details.

• Valid commands are in either upper or lower case, not a combination.

• Only one valid command is permitted per line.

• The 8500 will not respond to unrecognized commands.

• The character code supported is ASCII.

Connecting via Serial Port #2 Using a Terminal Program on a PC

• The 8500’s Serial 2 interface can be used with any computer or terminal that is
compatible with the RS-232 standard interface.

Unlike the 8500’s Ethernet and Serial 1 ports, Serial 2 does not use the
TCP/IP and PPP protocols.

• Users will connect their computer or terminal to the 8500 with the supplied null
modem cable. Only direct connections are supported; there is no provision for
communications via modem at Serial 2.

• Communications configuration is 9600, N, 8, 1, no handshaking
(flow control = none).

2-44

INSTALLATION ORBAN MODEL 8500

• To facilitate maintaining security at sites shared with others, the 8500 monitors
Serial 2 for 30 minutes after power-up or after the last valid command is re­ceived, after which all commands at Serial 2 are ignored except for recalling a
preset.

If you have forgotten your “All Screens” passcode on page 2-41 provides a simple
means
this via a PC running a terminal program like HyperTerminal.

to regain access to an 8500 from which you are locked out. You can also do

A) Connect an available RS232 serial port (COM port) on your computer to Serial

Port #2 on the 8500.

You do not need to remove power from either your computer or the
8500 when you do this.

B) Start HyperTerminal. (You can usually access it from Start / Programs / Acces-

sories / Communication.)

EW CONNECTION dialog box appears.

The N

C) Give your new connection a name and choose OK.

The C

ONNECT TO dialog box appears.

D) Set the C

you are using on your PC.

E) Choose OK.

The P

F) Set the port properties as follows:

Bits per second ..........9600

Data Bits.....................8

Parity .........................none

Stop bits .....................1

Flow control ..............none

G) Choose OK.

H) Navigate to File / Properties / Settings / ASCII Setup. Set the ASCII Setup prop-

erties as follows:

Check:

Uncheck:

Leave “Line delay” and “Character delay” at their default values.

ONNECT USING field to “Direct to COMx,” where “x” is the COM port

ORT SETTINGS dialog box appears.

• Send line ends with line feeds

• Echo typed characters locally

• Wrap lines that exceed terminal width

• Append line feeds to incoming line ends

• Force incoming data to 7 bit ASCII

I) Activate the C

case.

You can now type in commands described in the specification in
Administrative Operations on page 2-48.

APS LOCK on your computer to ensure that you type in upper-

OPTIMOD-FM DIGITAL INSTALLATION

Connecting to the 8500’s Ethernet Port or Serial Port #1 via a
Terminal Program on a PC

• You can connect a terminal emulation application to the 8500’s Ethernet or Se-
rial 1 ports via TCP/IP, port 23 (which is the standard Telnet port and the 8500
factory default). When connected like this, you can:

• recall presets (step 10 on page 2-51)

2-45

• turn

• trim the diversity delay (step 12 on page 2-52)

• change the polarity of the analog-processed output (step 11 on page 2-32).

However, you cannot perform other administrative
necting a terminal program to Serial Port #2 or using 8500 PC Remote software.
(See Installing 8500 PC Remote Control Software on page 2-60.)

This interface can used to allow custom third-party
mation systems) to recall presets.

• Unlike Serial 2, Serial 1 uses the PPP protocol.

• To set a different port number:

a) From the main menu, navigate to S

b) If you wish to change the Terminal Port, L

c) L

the diversity delay on and off for a specified output (step 11 on page

2-51)

functions, which require con-

applications (including auto-

YSTEM SETUP > NETWORK REMOTE >

NETWORK. The current setting of the Terminal Port will appear.

OCATE to TERMINAL PORT. Press the

NTER button to access the SET TERMINAL PORT screen.

E

OCATE to CLEAR, then press the ENTER button.

This will allow you to enter the Terminal Port number.

d) LOCATE to the first number and press the ENTER button; repeat until you

have selected all the numbers in the Terminal Port. When the Terminal Port

entry is complete, L

• The IP address for this Ethernet connection is the same as the IP address set in
step (1.A) on page 2-57 and is visible in the S
NETWORK screen. A serial connection through the Serial 1 uses a fixed IP address:

192.168.168.101.

To control the 8500 directly through its Serial 1 or Ethernet port, you can use the
freeware terminal emulation application PuTTY. If you wish to automate control,
download Plink. Both are available at:

ftp.orban.com/8500/Software/8500_Direct_TCP_Control_putty.zip

Direct Control Using PuTTY

A) Start PuTTY.

The S

ESSION window appears.

OCATE to SAVE and press the ENTER button.

YSTEM SETUP > NETWORK REMOTE >

.

2-46

INSTALLATION ORBAN MODEL 8500

B) Click the T

ELNET button, which is hard-wired for Port 23.

C) In the T

You should not have to change any other PuTTY Terminal, Window, or
Connection defaults

D) Specify the host name or IP address:

• If you are connecting through the 8500’s Serial 1 port, type

• If you are connecting through the 8500’s Ethernet interface, type the

E) Name and save the Session if you wish.

F) Click O

G) Activate the C

case.

You can now recall presets. Refer to step 10 on page 2-51.

o automate control of the 8500 externally, establish a Telnet/SSH connection and

T
issue commands and parameters, either by typing them directly into a Telnet/SSH cli­ent or by placing them within batch files. Then process them with a scriptable Tel­net/SSH client that supports this operation, such as PuTTY, along with its companion
command-line interpreter, Plink. You can also use netcat.exe, and we provide in­structions below for both PuTTY/Plink and Netcat.

ERMINAL category, check “Implicit CR in every LF.”

192.168.168.101 into the “Host Name (or IP address)” field.

8500’s IP address into the “Host Name (or IP address)” field.

The IP address for this connection is the same as the IP address set in step
(1.A) on page 2-57 and is visible in the

REMOTE > NETWORK screen.

PEN.

APS LOCK on your computer to ensure that you type in upper-

SYSTEM SETUP > NETWORK

Custom third party applications can be developed to use this protocol. Additionally,
you can include this protocol in an existing application by using small subsets of the
standards-based Telnet/SSH protocols directly, or for simplicity, by using scripting or
by calling batch files with a Telnet/SSH client such as PuTTY along with its compan­ion command-line interpreter, Plink.

Automating control changes is possible using the Windows Task Scheduler to launch
batch files at the desired time.

CAUTION: Because of the powerful features and potential security risks
of this software, many virus programs may detect this software as a
threat. If this is detected as such, configure virus software to allow, and
use the software with the normal security precautions. The outbound
configurations shown here do not provide any security risks. Inbound
connections, if used for other applications, require careful security con­figuration.

In the examples below, replace “123.45.67.89” with the IP address of the 8500 you
are controlling. Replace “23” with the terminal port you specified using the method
described on page 2-45. Port 23 is the factory default.