Polycom Vortex Series, Vortex EF2241, Vortex EF2280, VSX 8000 Application Notes

Vortex® / VSXTM8000 Integration

Application Note

Polycom Installed Voice
Business Group

December 2004

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TABLE OF CONTENTS

INTRODUCTION ..................................................................................................................4

CONNECTING THE VSX 8000 INPUTS AND OUTPUTS.....................................................4

ENABLING THE VSX 8000 TO WORK WITH A VORTEX DEVICE.......................................6

GAIN STRUCTURE...............................................................................................................7

Microphone Levels...................................................................................................................................... 7

Gain Structure for Line Input Sources...................................................................................................... 8

TESTING THE AUDIO INPUTS AND OUTPUTS .................................................................8

CONTROLLING A VORTEX DEVICE VIA THE VSX 8000 .....................................................8

1.) Enable Vortex Mixer as an RS-232 Option in the VSX 8000.............................................................. 9

2.) Create the Appropriate Macros in the Vortex Device(s)................................................................ 10

Muting ........................................................................................................................................................................10

Volume Control (Codec Only)..................................................................................................................................12

Volume Control (Codec and Telephone)...............................................................................................................15

3.) Verify that the VSX 8000 Remote Control properly controls the Vortex Device.......................... 16

STANDARD AEC OPERATION ..........................................................................................17

Example....................................................................................................................................................... 18

Introduction / Room Layout.....................................................................................................................................18

System Layout...........................................................................................................................................................20

Conference Composer Layout................................................................................................................................21

Matrix Mixer...............................................................................................................................................................................21

Presets ........................................................................................................................................................................................22

STEREO AEC OPERATION ................................................................................................24

Vortex Integration with the VSX 8000 Stereo AEC................................................................................ 24

Example....................................................................................................................................................... 26

Introduction / Room Layout.....................................................................................................................................26

System Layout...........................................................................................................................................................27

Conference Composer Layout................................................................................................................................28

Mic/Line Inputs.......................................................................................................................................................................... 28

Matrix Mixer...............................................................................................................................................................................28

Presets ........................................................................................................................................................................................30

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INTEGRATING A VSX 8000 / SOUNDSTATION VTX 1000 / AND A VORTEX DEVICE ....32

System Layout ..........................................................................................Error! Bookmark not defined.

WIRING FROM VSX 8000 TO VORTEX DEVICE................................................................34

Input to VSX 8000 from Output of Vortex device................................................................................... 34

Output of VSX 8000 to Input of Vortex device........................................................................................ 34

TIPS FOR VSX 8000 ...........................................................................................................35

TECHNICAL SUPPORT ......................................................................................................36

Polycom Installed Voice Business Contact Information ..................................................................... 36

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INTRODUCTION

This application note is designed to give instruction as to the setup and integration of the VSX™
8000 to a Vortex® Device.

CONNECTING THE VSX 8000 INPUTS AND OUTPUTS

In order to send and receive audio to the Polycom VSX 8000 codec, you need to connect the
system as shown in Figure 1 and described below.

1. Connect one of the Outputs of the Vortex device to the mixer Input of the codec. By

default, Outputs A, B, or C of the Vortex device are mix-minus versions of the Inputs A, B,
or C signals, respectively. Any of these signals can be used with the default factory
preset on the Vortex. If you are using Polycom InstantDesigner™, choose the input and
output that InstantDesigner recommends.

2. Connect the auxiliary line level output of the codec to one of the line level inputs of the

Vortex device (Inputs A-D). If you have more line inputs, you may use one of the Mic/Line
level inputs instead of a line level input, but you need to disable all processing on that
Mic/Line input (AEC, AGC, NC, Automixer), disable Phantom Power, and set the input to
line level versus the default of mic level.

3. Optionally connect the RS-232 interface between the VSX 8000 and the Vortex device.

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Figure 1. Connecting the VSX 8000 to a Vortex EF2241.

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You may use either the left or right channels for sending and receiving monaural
audio to the VSX 8000. For stereo operation, both the left and right channels must be
used.

Please follow our instructions for wiring the Vortex device to the codec (See the
section W
ground noise into the signals sent and received from the codec.

IRING FROM VSX 8000 TO VORTEX DEVICE). Failure to do so may induce him and

ENABLING THE VSX 8000 TO WORK WITH A VORTEX
DEVICE

1. Connect a video monitor to Video Output 1 of the codec.

2. On the VSX 8000 User Interface, go to SYSTEM, ADMIN SETTINGS, AUDIO SETTINGS, and select

NEXT for Page 2. Select the LINE INPUT option for the Input Type. Set the Level setting to 5.

3. (Optional) Enable the VSX 8000 to control the Vortex Device by setting Serial Port 1 or

Serial Port 2 to Vortex Mixer. In the VSX 8000 User Interface, go to SYSTEM, ADMIN
SETTINGS, GENERAL SETTINGS, SERIAL PORTS. For the appropriate port, select VORTEX MIXER for
RS-232 Mode. Verify that the baud rate of the VSX 8000 matches the baud rate of the
Vortex Device. See the page CONTROLLING A VORTEX DEVICE VIA THE VSX8000 for more
information.

4. Once that is completed, make sure that the Codec Input to the Vortex Device is assigned

to the appropriate AEC Reference signal if the VSX 8000 will be used in Mono mode
(Standard AEC Operation). If using InstantDesigner to create the configuration settings
for the Vortex, the reference will be set automatically. For Stereo Mode, please refer to
the STEREO AEC OPERATION section.

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GAIN STRUCTURE

MICROPHONE LEVELS

For wired microphones, the input gain on the Vortex is dependent on the sensitivity of the
microphone as well as the typical distance from the talker to the microphone.

Table 1. Recommended microphone settings.

Type of Microphone Average Level
Tabletop Mic Mode, 15 dB
Ceiling Mic Mode, 25 dB
Podium Mic Mode, 10 dB
Gooseneck Mic Mode, 5 dB
Wireless Depends on the receiver*

*Some wireless receivers transmit audio at line level (approximately 0 to -10 dB) and others
transmit at mic level (approximately -30 dB). Based on the transmit level, you may need to apply
gain in the Vortex Device. For example, if a wireless receiver's nominal transmit level is -10 dB,
you will need to apply +10 dB on the input of the Vortex Device to achieve unity (0 dB) gain.

In order to set the gain appropriately, we recommend leaving all processing enabled and having
someone talk into the microphone. Have another person watch the levels in Conference
Composer or via the front panel of the Vortex device. You want the speech to light up the first
yellow LED (0 dBu) and flicker the second yellow LED (+3 dB) during normal conversation. This
level indicates that the Vortex device has a good level for processing while having about 20 dB of
headroom.

Figure 2. The microphone level adjustment control within Conference Composer.

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GAIN STRUCTURE FOR LINE INPUT SOURCES

Once the external devices have been wired to the Vortex Device, the Input and/or Output gain of
the Vortex Device needs to be set to match the nominal level of the external devices. Here is a
table that references the types of connectors to the proper input / output level of a Vortex Device:

Table 2. Recommended input and output gain settings based on connection type

Connector Type Input Gain Output Gain
RCA +10 dB -10 dB

1/8 inch +10 dB -10 dB
XLR 0 dB 0 dB
Phoenix / Terminal Block 0 dB 0 dB

The issue of nominal levels will affect the gain structure of the Vortex Device. Devices that have
RCA and 1/8 inch style connectors are normally designed to operate with a nominal level of .3
Vrms. The Vortex Device is designed to operate with a nominal input and output level of .775
Vrms. This equates to a difference of 8.24 dB between the two nominal levels. For simplicity, you
may round that value to 10 dB. Therefore, the inputs of the Vortex that receive consumer level
outputs need to be set to +10 dB in order to achieve a unity gain. The outputs of the Vortex will be
about 10 dB too high for the consumer level equipment and, in turn, need to be set to -10 dB to
avoid clipping and to maintain enough headroom in the consumer level devices.

The Input gain of a Vortex device that is connected to a SoundStation VTX 1000 should be set to
+10 dB. The Output gain of a Vortex device that is connected to a SoundStation VTX 1000 should
be set to -10 dB. The Input and Output gains of a Vortex Device that is connected to a VSX 8000
and any other balanced devices should be set to 0 dB.

TESTING THE AUDIO INPUTS AND OUTPUTS

1. Go to SYSTEM, DIAGNOSTICS, AUDIO, AUDIO METER and then speak into one of the

microphones. Your level should be around 0 dB on the B
use the loop-back feature to listen to your own audio in the local room. That feature is
under S

2. Go to S

YSTEM, DIAGNOSTICS, NETWORK, NEAR END LOOP.

YSTEM, DIAGNOSTICS, AUDIO, SPEAKER TEST to listen to a codec-generated 400 Hz tone.

ALANCED IN meter. You may also

CONTROLLING A VORTEX DEVICE VIA THE VSX 8000

When connected via an RS-232 cable to the VSX 8000, a Vortex Device can be controlled via the
Mute button of the Remote Control of the VSX 8000. When the Mute button is pushed to mute the

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VSX8000, the VSX 8000 will send ***MACROX180 to Serial Port 1 or Serial Port 2. When the Mute
button is pushed again to unmute the VSX 8000, the VSX 8000 will send a ***MACROX181 to Serial
Port 1 or Serial Port 2.

Also, the Volume Up / Down buttons on the remote control also can control a Vortex Device. The
Volume Up button will send a ***MACROX183 command to Serial Port 1 or 2 and the Volume
Down button will send a ***MACROX184 command to Serial Port 1 or 2.

Here are three steps to follow in order to set up this functionality:

1.) ENABLE VORTEX MIXER AS AN RS-232 OPTION IN THE VSX
8000

In the VSX 8000 User Interface, go to SYSTEM, ADMIN SETTINGS, GENERAL SETTINGS, SERIAL PORTS. For
the appropriate port, select Vortex Mixer for RS-232 Mode.

Each Serial Port of the VSX8000 is wired as DTE. This means that the VSX 8000 transmits on Pin 2
and receives on Pin 3. In order to connect the VSX 8000's serial port to the Vortex Device's serial
port, a "straight through" serial cable should be used.

Below is a diagram that shows how to make this connection:

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Figure 3. The RS-232 serial port wiring diagram.

Match the baud rate and flow control requirements of the VSX 8000 device to the baud rate and
flow control settings of the Vortex Device. (When communicating with a Vortex device at baud
rates higher than 9600, we recommend the use of flow control between the RS-232 device and the
Vortex Device). Go to Vortex System Settings on the LCD display, select the Enter key, and use
the Up or Down buttons to scroll until you see Baud Rate. Once that parameter is set, use the Up
or Down buttons to scroll until you see Flow Control.

2.) CREATE THE APPROPRIATE MACROS IN THE VORTEX DEVICE(S)

MUTING

As previously mentioned, the Mute button on the Remote Control sends a command to execute
Macro 180 and Macro 181. Here is an example of how to write Muting Macros for a system with
4 microphones and an EF2241:

First, label Macro 180 as "Mute" and Macro 181 as "Unmute":

Figure 4. Macro labeling.

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Next, insert the muting command for Input 1. Click Insert Command, Input, 1, Mute, On:

Figure 5. Inserting the muting command.

If you are successful, you should see this in the window:

Figure 6. Result of inserting the macro definition.

Repeat this process for Inputs 2-4. When you are done, you should see this:

Figure 7. Mute macro definition.

For Macro 181, repeat the same steps as for Macro 180 except that the Mute for Inputs 1-4 should
be off. When you are finished, you should see this:

Figure 8. Unmute macro definition.

If there are more inputs on other Vortex Devices in your system that need to be muted and

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