TLS Omnia.9sg Preliminary Manual

©2016&TLS&Corp& W16/2/15019&

!
!
!

Omnia.9sg!

Stereo!Generator!with!Psychoacoustically-Controlled!Distortion!Masking!Clipper!

Your&Audio&Processor’s&New&Best&Friend&

&

Preliminary&Manual&

S/W&Version&3.15.50& &

!

2&

!"#$%&'()!*(%)+#$"!'(

%)+#$"!,(

The&installation&and&service&instructions&in&this&manual&are&for&use&by&qualified&
personnel&only.&To&avoid&electric&shock,&do¬&perform&any&servicing&other&than&
that&contained&in&the&operating&instructions&unless&you&are&qualified&to&do&so.&Refer&
all&servicing&to&qualified&personnel.&
&
This&instrument&has&an&auto&ranging&line&voltage&input.&Ensure&the&power&voltage&is&
within&the&specified&range&of&100-240v.&The&~&symbol,&if&used,&indicates&an&
alternating¤t&supply.&
&

This&symbol,&wherever&it&appears,&alerts&you&to&the&presence&of&uninsulated,&
dangerous&voltage&inside&the&enclosure&–&voltage&which&may&be&sufficient&to&

constitute&a&risk&of&shock.&

&&
This&symbol,&wherever&it&appears,&alerts&you&to&important&operating&and&
maintenance&instructions.&&

&

%)+#$"!,(*"+-.&(/".&0!&+#1).(2+'$!3(

The&instrument&power&supply&incorporates&an&internal&fuse.&Hazardous&voltages&
may&still&be&present&on&some&of&the&primary&parts&even&when&the&fuse&has&blown.&If&
fuse&replacement&is&required,&replace&fuse&only&with&same&type&and&value&for&
continued&protection&against&fire.&

4)1!$!3,(

The&product’s&power&cord&is&the&primary&disconnect&device.&The&socket&outlet&should&
be&located&near&the&device&and&easily&accessible.&The&unit&should¬&be&located&such&
that&access&to&the&power&cord&is&impaired.&If&the&unit&is&incorporated&into&an&
equipment&rack,&an&easily&accessible&safety&disconnect&device&should&be&included&in&
the&rack&design.&
&
To&reduce&the&risk&of&electrical&shock,&do¬&expose&this&product&to&rain&or&moisture.&
This&unit&is&for&indoor&use&only.&
&
This&equipment&requires&the&free&flow&of&air&for&adequate&cooling.&Do¬&block&the&
ventilation&openings&in&the&top&and&sides&of&the&unit.&Failure&to&allow&proper&
ventilation&could&damage&the&unit&or&create&a&fire&hazard.&Do¬&place&the&units&on&a&
carpet,&bedding,&or&other&materials&that&could&interfere&with&any&panel&ventilation&
openings.&
&
If&the&equipment&is&used&in&a&manner¬&specified&by&the&manufacturer,&the&
protection&provided&by&the&equipment&may&be&impaired.&

!

3&

4)1!+!3,(

Die&Installations-und&Serviceanleitung&in&diesem&Handbuch&ist&für&die&Benutzung&
durch&qualifiziertes&Fachpersonal.&Um&Stromschläge&zu&vermeiden&führen&Sie&keine&
andere&Wartung&durch&als&in&dieser&Betriebsanleitung&aufgeführt,&es&sei&denn&Sie&
sind&dafür&qualifiziert.&&Überlassen&Sie&alle&Reparaturarbeiten&qualifiziertem&
Fachpersonal.&
&
Dieses&Gerät&hat&eine&automatische&Bereichseinstellung&der&Netzspannung.&&
Stellen&sie&sicher,&dass&die&verwendete&Netzspannung&im&Bereich&von&100-240V&
liegt.&&
Das&Symbol&~,&falls&verwendet,&bezeichnet&eine&Wechselstromversorgung.&&
&

Dieses&Symbol,&wo&immer&es&auftaucht,&macht&Sie&auf&nicht&isolierte,&

gefährliche&elektrische&Spannung&(ausreichend&um&einen&Stromschlag&
hervorzurufen)&innerhalb&des&Gehäuses&aufmerksam.&Spannungen.&&
&

Dieses&Symbol,&wo&immer&es&auftaucht,&weist&Sie&auf&wichtige&Bedienungs­und&Wartungsanleitung&hin.&Lesen&Sie&die&Bedienungsanleitung.&

&

)%5#+!3,(64&$/".$3&()-'$%5&1+!3(0(!+..&$#&1()-'$%5&1+!3(

Das&Netzteil&des&Gerätes&hat&eine&interne&Sicherung&eingebaut.&Auch&wenn&die&
Sicherung&durchgebrannt&ist,&können&auf&einigen&primären&Bauteilen&noch&
gefährliche&Spannungen&vorhanden&sein.&Wenn&ein&Austausch&der&Sicherung&
erforderlich&ist,&ersetzen&Sie&die&Sicherung&nur&mit&gleicher&Art&und&Wert&für&den&
kontinuierlichen&Schutz&gegen&Feuer.&&

4)1!+!3,((

Das&Gerätenetzkabel&ist&die&Haupttrennvorrichtung.&Die&Steckdose&sollte&sich&in&der&
Nähe&des&Gerätes&befinden&und&leicht&zugänglich&sein.&Das&Gerät&sollte&nicht&so&
angeordnet&sein,&dass&der&Zugang&zum&Netzkabel&beeinträchtigt&ist.&Wird&das&Gerät&
in&ein&Rack&eingebaut,&sollte&eine&leicht&zugängliche&Sicherheitstrennvorrichtung&in&
den&Rack-Aufbau&mit&einbezogen&werden.&&
&
Um&die&Gefahr&von&Stromschlägen&zu&verringern,&darf&dieses&Produkt&nicht&Regen&
oder&Feuchtigkeit&ausgesetzt&werden.&Dieses&Gerät&ist&nur&für&die&Benützung&im&
Innenbereich.&&Dieses&Gerät&erfordert&freie&Luftzirkulation&für&eine&ausreichende&
Kühlung.&Blockieren&sie&nicht&die&Lüftungsschlitze&auf&der&Geräteoberseite&und&den&
Seiten&des&Gerätes.&&Unzureichende&Belüftung&kann&das&Gerät&beschädigen&oder&
Brandgefahr&verursachen.&Platzieren&Sie&das&Gerät&nicht&auf&einem&Teppich,&Poster&
oder&andere&Materialien&welche&die&Lüftungsöffnungen&beeinträchtigen&könnten.&
&
Wird&das&Gerät&anders&als&in&der,&vom&Hersteller&angegebenen&Weise&verwendet,&
kann&der,&durch&das&Gerät&gegebene&Schutz&beeinträchtigt&werden.&

!

4&

+')(%.)''()(%"7/+#$!3(*&8$%&($!2"17)#$"!(#"(+'&19(4)1!$!3,(

This&equipment&generates,&uses,&and&can&radiate&radio-frequency&energy.&If&it&is¬&
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,&subpart&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.&Note:&objectionable&interference&to&tv&or&radio&
reception&can&occur&if&other&devices&are&connected&to&this&device&without&the&use&of&
shielded&interconnect&cables.&Fcc&rules&require&the&use&of&shielded&cables.&

%)!)*)(4)1!$!3,(

“This&digital&apparatus&does¬&exceed&the&class&a&limits&for&radio&noise&emissions&
set&out&in&the&radio&interference®ulations&of&the&Canadian&department&of&
communications.”&
&
“Le&présent&appareil&numérique&n’émet&pas&de&bruits&radioélectriques&dépassant&les&
limites&applicables&aux&appareils&numériques&(de&&class&a)&prescrites&dans&le&
règlement&sur&le&brouillage&radioélectrique&édicté&par&le&ministère&des&
communications&du&Canada.”&

%&(%"!2"17)!%&($!2"17)#$"!,(

This&device&complies&with&the&requirements&of&the&EEC&council&directives:&&

• 93/68/EEC&(CE&MARKING)&

• 73/23/EEC&(SAFETY&–&LOW&VOLTAGE&DIRECTIVE)&

• 89/336/EEC&(ELECTROMAGNETIC&COMPATIBILITY)&&

&
Conformity&is&declared&to&those&standards:&EN50081-1,&EN50082-1.&

! !

#1)*&7)1:'(

Omnia&Audio&and&the&Omnia&logo&are&trademarks&of&TLS&Corp.&&All&other&trademarks&
are&the&property&of&their&respective&holders.&
&

!"#$%&(

All&versions,&claims&of&compatibility,&trademarks,&etc.&of&hardware&and&software&
products¬&made&by&TLS&Corp&which&are&mentioned&in&this&manual&or&
accompanying&material&are&informational&only.&TLS&Corp&makes&no&endorsement&of&
any&particular&product&for&any&purpose,&nor&claims&any&responsibility&for&operation&
or&accuracy.&We&reserve&the&right&to&make&improvements&or&changes&in&the&products&
described&in&this&manual&which&may&affect&the&product&specifications,&or&to&revise&
the&manual&without¬ice.&
&

!

5&

4)11)!#;(

This&product&is&covered&by&a&five&year&limited&warranty,&the&full&text&of&which&is&
included&in&this&manual.&
&

+/*)#&'(

The&operation&of&Omnia.9sg&is&determined&largely&by&software.&We&routinely&release&
new&versions&to&add&features&and&fix&bugs.&Check&the&Telos&Alliance&web&site&for&the&
latest.&We&encourage&you&to&sign-up&for&the&email¬ification&service&offered&on&the&
site.&
&

2&&*-)%:(

We&welcome&feedback&on&any&aspect&of&Omnia.9-SG,&or&this&manual.&In&the&past,&
many&good&ideas&from&users&have&made&their&way&into&software&revisions&or&new&
products.&Please&contact&us&with&your&comments.&
&

'&18$%&(

You&must&contact&Omnia&before&returning&any&equipment&for&factory&service.&We&will&
need&your&unit’s&serial&number,&located&on&the&back&of&the&unit.&Omnia&will&issue&a&
return&authorization&number,&which&must&be&written&on&the&exterior&of&your&
shipping&container.&Please&do¬&include&cables&or&accessories&unless&specifically&
requested&by&the&Technical&Support&Engineer.&Be&sure&to&adequately&insure&your&
shipment&for&its&replacement&value.&Packages&without&proper&authorization&may&be&
refused.&US&customers,&please&contact&Omnia&Technical&Support&at&+1-216-622-

0247.&All&other&customers&should&contact&local&representative&to&make&
arrangements&for&service.&
&

#&%5!$%).('+//"1#(

You&may&reach&our&24/7&support&team&around&the&clock&by&calling&[phone]&
or&by&email&at&[e-mail].&A&variety&of&useful&information&is&
available&on&the&Telos&Alliance&website&(www.telosalliance.com/omnia).&&
&

)**$#$"!).(%"!#)%#($!2"17)#$"!()!*('+//"1#(

For&billing&or&non-emergency&technical&questions,&call&[phone]&between&
9:30am&and&6:00pm&USA&Eastern&time,&Monday&–&Friday.&&
&
Our&fax&number&is&[phone].&
&
General&questions&can&be&sent&by&email&to&[e-mail].&
&
Our&mailing&address&is&The&Telos&Alliance,&1241&Superior&Avenue&E.,&Cleveland,&OH,&
44114,&U.S.A.&

!

6&

/1"*+%#(1&3$'#1)#$"!(

Did&you&know&that&all&Telos&Alliance&products&come&with&a&5-year&warranty?&Take&a&
moment&to&activate&your&coverage&online&at&http://telosalliance.com/product-

registration/.&&

& &

!

7&

Table&of&Contents&

Chapter&1:&Overview&and&Applications&................................................................................................&8&

Chapter&2:&Quick&Start&Setup&Guide&.......................................................................................................&16&

Chapter&3:&Omnia.9sg&Settings&................................................................................................................&23&

Chapter&4:&Monitor&Outputs&.....................................................................................................................&49&

Chapter&5:&System&Settings&.......................................................................................................................&59&

Chapter&6:&Client&Audio&..............................................................................................................................&65&

Chapter&7:&FAQ&...............................................................................................................................................&68&

Chapter&8:&Specifications&...........................................................................................................................&69& &

!

8&

Chapter&1:&Overview&and&Applications&

"<=><?=@((

Since&the&late&1970’s,&most&FM&audio&processors&have&been&“all-in-one”&units;&audio&
conditioning,&multiband&AGC,&multiband&limiting,&final&clipping,&and&stereo&(MPX)&
encoding&are&all&in&the&same&chassis.&&This&approach&offers&many&benefits&in&
convenience,&performance,&and&cost&and&has&worked&well&with&traditional&composite&
STL&systems&or&when&the&processor&can&be&placed&at&the&transmitter&site.&
&
One&important&fact&about&Omina.9sg&is&that&it&is&“processor&agnostic”&–&that&is,&it&can&
be&used&with&any&processor&from&any&manufacturer.&This&ability&allows&stations&to&
significantly&upgrade&their&processing&power&and&audio&quality&without&having&to&
invest&in&an&entirely&brand-new&processor.&Or,&you&may&simply&prefer&the&dynamics&
processing&(AGCs&and&limiters)&from&another&brand&or&model&but&still&want&to&take&
advantage&of&the&superior&composite&abilities&of&Omnia.9.&Details&about&using&
Omnia.9sg&in&such&applications&are&provided&later&in&this&manual.&&
&

&

&

)AAB?CDE?FGH((

In&many&cases,&it&is&advantageous&to&place&the&main&audio&processor&at&the&studio&
while&the&final&clipper&and&stereo&generator&operate&at&the&transmitter&such&as&when&
using&a&discrete&analog&or&digital&(AES)&STL.&&
&
If&the&STL&delivers&bit-reduced&audio&using&a&lossy&codec&to&optimize&available&
bandwidth,&overshoots&are&possible&which&result&in&lost&loudness&from&the&final&
transmitted&signal.&&&

!

9&

In&this&case,&proper&FM&clipping&must&be&applied&after&the&coded&link&where&
advanced&stereo&generation&can&add&an&additional&dB&of&loudness&with&no&further&
audio°radation.&&
&
&

&

&

Some&FM&broadcasters&are&transmitting&the&same&audio&from&two&or&more&tower&
sites.&&In&these&cases,&one&primary&audio&processor&can&feed&a&WAN&or&satellite&
distribution&system&while&individual&Omnia.9sg’s&reside&at&each&transmission&site.&&

!

!

&

!

10&

Transmitter&sites&are&often&remotely&located&and&sometimes&shared&among&multiple&
broadcasters.&Access&may&be&limited&and&tightly&controlled.&In&such&cases,&keeping&
the&main&processor&at&the&studio&and&installing&a&smaller&and&less&expensive&stereo&
encoder&makes&sense.&&
&

&

&
Stations&employing&main&and&backup&STL’s&for&redundancy&feeding&the&same&or&
geographically&different&transmitter&sites&can&also&benefit&from&Omnia.9sg&by&
allowing&the&use&of&a&single&processor&at&the&studio.&&
&

&

&

!

11&

Research&has&indicated&that&ratings&encoders&and/or&ratings&enhancement&devices&
(such&as&our&own&Voltair)&benefit&from&being&fed&processed&audio.&While&some&
processors&including&Omnia.9&and&Omnia.11&have&special&“insert&points”&designed&
for&this&purpose,¬&all&processors&do.&Placing&the&processor&and&ratings&encoder&at&
the&studio&and&moving&the&stereo&generator&to&the&transmitter&site&can&help&
accommodate&this.&&
&

&

2=DEI>=H(

Omnia.9sg&includes&many&of&the&composite-side&features&of&our&Omnia.9&processor&
but&with&an&improved&version&of&the&psychoacoustically&controlled&distortion&
masking&clipper&and&composite&embedder&that&contribute&so&significantly&to&
Omnia.9’s&clean&on-air&sound.&&
&
These&include:&

• Full&IP&remote&via&NfRemote&app&with&remote&audio&streaming&

• Built-in&http&server&with&push&support&for&automation,&including&dynamic&RDS&

data&such&as&artist&and&song&titles&

• Selectable&SSB&(single&sideband)&stereo&encoding&

• RF&Bandwidth&controller&to&reduce&multipath&distortion&

• Optional&RDS&encoder&(field&updateable)&

• ITU-R&BS.412&power&limiter&

• Auto&Pilot&(turns&off&pilot&for&mono&content)&

• Relay&bypass&including&composite&pass-through&

• “Omnia&Toolbox”&analysis&tools&(oscilloscope,&FFT,&RTA)&

• Dual&redundant&power&supplies&

• Analog&and&AES3&audio&I/O&

• Two&composite&outputs&(one&swappable&to&19kHz&reference&output)&

• Two&composite&inputs&(for&RDS&or&backup&processor)&

&

!

12&

7F>=()JFIE('=B=CE=K(2=DEI>=H(

/HLCMFDCFIHEC?DBBLN%FGE>FBB=K(*?HEF>E?FG(7DHO?GP(%B?AA=>(

Believe&it&or¬,&the&description&“psychoacoustically-controlled&distortion&masking&
clipper”&is&more&than&just&high&tech&marketing&speak!&It&actually&sums&up&the&
premise&of&how&Omnia.9sg’s&clipper&is&able&to&deliver&such&a&clean&sound&even&when&
pushed&for&competitive&loudness.&&
&
All&FM&processors&use&clipping&in&their&final&stage&as&a&means&of&building&loudness&
and&providing&absolute&peak&modulation&control.&The&majority&of&clipping&is&
typically&done&in&the&final&L/R&stage&with&additional&(and&optional)&clipping&being&
performed&in&the&composite&domain.&&
&
This&is&also&where&the&classic&(and&oft&dreaded)&“loud&v.&clean”&tradeoff&is&made.&
When&more&clipping&is&used&to&increase&loudness&on&the&dial,&the&clipped&peaks&fall&
back&into&the&audio&and&manifest&themselves&as&audible&distortion.&&
&
There&are&ways&to&get&around&that&problem,&but&the&come&at&a&price.&Backing&down&
the&clipper&drive&will&clean&up&the&sound,&but&then&you&lose&loudness.&You&could&
move&more&of&the&“heavy&lifting”&to&the&compressors&and&limiters,&but&that&can&result&
in&an&overly-busy,&dense&sound&that&robs&the&music&of&life&and&invites&listener&fatigue.&
Indeed,&some&processors&MUST&resort&to&building&density&in&this&way&because&their&
simple&or&outdated&clippers&must&be&protected&or&simply&aren’t&up&to&the&job.&&
&
Like&any&other&clipper,&the&one&in&Omnia.9sg&clips&peaks&and&generates&distortion&–&
but&it&can&identify&that&distortion&and&use&its&proprietary&algorithms&in&the&
composite&signal&to&mask&it,&effectively&eliminating&it&from&the&final&audio.&&&
&
As&a&result,&it&comes&closer&to&eliminating&the&“either/or”&compromise&between&
loudness&and&audio&quality&than&any&other&processor&on&the&market&today.&&&

/HLCMFDCFIHE?C(%FQAFH?E=(&QJ=KK=>(

Another&trick&Omnia.9sg&has&up&its&sleeves&is&the&way&in&which&it&allows&140%&L/R&
audio&peaks&while&maintaining&100%&total&modulation,&even&with&the&challenging&75&
microsecond&pre-emphasis&curve.&This&results&in&1dB&of&extra&loudness&without&any&
additional&processing&or&clipping&and&allows&Omnia.9sg&to&be&significantly&cleaner&
for&a&given&loudness&level,&or,&substantially&louder&for&a&given&level&of&quality&–&
especially&in&the&higher&frequencies.&&

12(-DGK@?KEM(%FGE>FBB=>(

By&using&a&built-in&software-based&FM&exciter&and&spectrum&analyzer,&Omnia.9sg&can&
analyze&and&measure&the&predicted&occupied&bandwidth&of&the&real-world&FM&signal&
and&communicate&this&information&to&the&final&clipper&so&that&bandwidth&can&be&
optimized&in&real&time.&&
&

!

13&

This&is&useful&in&situations&where&a&signal&with&wider&RF&bandwidth&and&a&receiver&
with&a&narrow&front&end&“collide”&and&result&in&increased&distortion&and&loss&of&part&
of&the&signal.&&
&
When&pushing&hard&for&loudness,&using&the&RF&Bandwidth&Controller&can&result&in&a&
slight&loudness&loss&(approximately&0.5dB)&and&some&loss&of&stereo&separation,&so&its&
use&and&the&resulting&tradeoffs&will&be&largely&market-dependent.&&
&
The&RF&Bandwidth&Controller&is&also&useful&for&correcting&anomalies&such&as&single­channel&DC&offset&or&for&optimizing&modulation&performance&per&ITU&
Recommendation&1268,&details&of&which&can&be&found&here:&&
&

https://www.itu.int/dms_pubrec/itu-r/rec/sm/R-REC-SM.1268-3-201408-I!!PDF­E.pdf&

''-(R'?GPB=('?K=JDGKS('E=>=F('IJCD>>?=>("AE?FGH(

Some&improvements&in&FM&stereo&reception&are&possible&by&reducing&or&eliminating&
the&upper&sideband&of&the&stereo&subcarrier&in&the&FM&baseband&signal.&This&mode&is&
called&Single-Sideband&Suppressed&Carrier&or&SSBSC.&&&
&
Background&information&on&the&concept&is&available&in&this&white&paper:&
&

https://www.telosalliance.com/images/Omnia%20Products/White%20Papers/MP
X-SSB-White-Paper.pdf&

&
Omnia.9sg&offers&three&different&SSBSC&filtering&modes,&allowing&users&to&choose&
which&is&most&appropriate&in&their&market.&Details&of&each&are&provided&later&in&this&
manual.&&&

$#+N1(-'9TUV(7/W(/F@=>(%FGE>FBB=>(

The&Power&Controller&provides&the&ultimate&combination&of&loudness&and&
modulation&while&still&ensuring&compliance&with&applicable&BS.412®ulations&as&
determined&by&country&or®ion.&&

& (

!

14&

)IEF(/?BFE('E=>=F07FGF('@?ECM?GP(

Broadcasting&in&stereo&is&obviously&a&sonic&advantage&for&2-channel&content,&but&it’s&
far&from&a&“free&ride”.&&For&example,&the&stereo&pilot&typically&claims&9%&of&the&total&
modulation,&stereo&signals&are&more&prone&to&multi-path&distortion&than&mono&
signals,&and&the&signal-to-noise&ratio&for&stereo&is&worse&than&for&mono.&&
&
If&you&are&playing&stereo&music&these&are&acceptable&tradeoffs&but&operating&in&
stereo&brings¬hing&to&the&table&for&mono&content,&be&it&mono&music&or&talk&
programming.&&
&
Using&the&Auto&Pilot&feature&in&Omnia.9sg&allows&the&pilot&to&be&automatically&turned&
off&(resulting&in&mono&transmission)&when&the&source&audio&is&mono,&lowering&the&
noise&floor&by&20dB,&virtually&eliminating&multipath&distortion&when&it&is&most&
audible,&and&utilizing&the&modulation&normally&reserved&for&the&pilot&for&the&audio.&
When&the&content&returns&to&stereo,&the&pilot&automatically&and&seamlessly&turns&
back&on.&&

2IBB(1=QFE=(%FGE>FB(

Every&modern&processor&provides&some&means&by&which&to&control&it&or&adjust&its&
settings&remotely,&which&is&handy&if&it&is&located&at&a&transmitter&site&that&is&miles&
(and&often&mountains)&away&from&the&studio.&&
&
Most&employ&web-based&interfaces&which&on&the&surface&sounds&convenient&because&
it&allows&you&to&remote&in&from&a&browser&on&any&computer&at&any&location,&but&even&
the&best&of&them&fall&short&when&it&comes&to&a&great&user&experience.&They&require&
browser&plug-ins,&typically&feel&“laggy”&when&viewing&meters&or&adjusting&controls,&
and&don’t&always&have&the&same&look&and&feel&as&the&front&panel&interface.&&
&
Omnia.9sg’s&NfRemote&client&software¬&only&allows&the&same&level&of&control&as&
offered&from&the&front&panel,&but&is&actually&easier&to&navigate&whether&you’re&
standing&next&to&Omnia.9sg&or&controlling&it&from&miles&away.&&
&
If&you&have&Omnia.9sg’s&on&more&than&one&station&in&your&group&(who&can&buy&just&
one?)&you&can&connect&to&any&of&them&through&a&single&connection&window,&and&can&
run&multiple&remotes&simultaneously.&
&
Providing&your&network&has&sufficient&bandwidth,&you&can&even&stream&audio&from&
various&patch&points&within&the&processing&chain&back&to&the&client&computer.&This&
allows&you&to&hear&what&effect&your&adjustments&have&on&your&audio&in&the&
environment&of&your&choice&instead&of&a&rack&room&or&transmitter&building,&locations&
which&almost&never&have&decent&monitors&but&offer&noise&in&abundance!&
&
&

!

15&

"QG?D(#FFBJFX(

When&creating&Omnia.9sg,&we&knew&that&having&diagnostic&and&measurement&tools&
would&be&necessary.&Audio&processing&is&largely&a&“hearing”&process&but&there&is&
much&to&be&learned&by&seeing&what&your&adjustments&are&doing&to&your&sound&as&
well.&&
&
Some&stations&still&have&an&oscilloscope&on&the&test&bench&or&a&spectrum&analyzer&at&
the&transmitter,&but&it’s¬&always&convenient&(or&possible)&to&hook&up&a&processor&
to&them&while&it’s&on&the&air.&Even&if&you&did&so,&you’re&pretty&much&limited&to&
monitoring&only&the&composite&output&of&your&own&station’s&processing.&&
&
Omnia.9sg’s&built-in&solution&means&there’s&no&extra&test&equipment&to&buy&(‘scopes&
and&analyzers&aren’t&cheap)&and&no&cables&to&hook&up.&It&also&means&you&can&visually&
monitor&the&signal&at&the&input,&the&output,&and&many&points&throughout&the&
processing&path&so&you&can&tell&what’s&happening&to&the&audio&every&step&of&the&way.&&
&
As&an&added&bonus,&Omnia.9sg’s&composite&inputs&can&be&fed&from&a&calibrated&tuner&
or&frequency-agile&mod&monitor&so&that&you&can&monitor&the&other&signals&in&your&
market&too!&
& &

!

16&

Chapter&2:&Quick&Start&Setup&Guide&

We’ve&prepared&this&preliminary&Quick&Start&Setup&Guide&to&get&you&and&your&new&
Omnia.9sg&up&and&running&as&quickly&as&possible.&&
&
It&is&deliberately&brief&and&does¬&provide&a&full&explanation&of&all&available&
controls&and&settings,&so&we&strongly&recommend&reading&the&complete&user&manual&
when&time&allows.&
&
Omnia.9sg&is&a&slim&1RU&design&so&it&doesn’t&take&up&much&vertical&rack&space,&but&it&
is&deep.&Accordingly,&you&may&wish&to&enlist&the&help&of&an&assistant&when&racking&it&
up&and&ensure&there’s¬hing&to&obstruct&&&it&toward&the&back&of&the&rack.&&
&
The&unit&is&fan&cooled&but&leaving&an&empty&rack&space&directly&above&and&below&it&is&
still&good&practice&for&both&Omnia.9sg&and&the&equipment&directly&above&and&below&
it.&Air&is&drawn&in&via&an&intake&near&the&front&right&side&of&the&unit&(looking&at&the&
front&panel)&and&exhausted&near&the&front&left&side,&so&ensure&there&are&no&
obstructions&around&these&areas&that&would&impede&air&flow.

&

/MLH?CDB($GHEDBBDE?FG(

Connect&AC&power&to&both&of&the&internal&power&supplies.&There&is&no&power&switch.&&
&
It&is&always&possible&for&a&power&supply&to&fail&and&so&having&redundant&supplies&
does&help&protect&you&against&losing&power&altogether&in&that&event.&In&reality,&it&is&
far&more&likely&that&the&unit&will&lose&power&because&of&an&interruption&to&the&circuit&
feeding&it.&Therefore,&good&engineering&practice&dictates&that&each&supply&should&be&
fed&from&a&different&source.&At&minimum&we&recommend&that&each&source&should&be&
a&good&quality&UPS&with&adequate&surge&protection.&In&an&ideal&world&(where&
everyone&gets&along&and&you&got&to&build&the&plant&of&your&dreams&from&scratch&with&
an&unlimited&budget)&each&would&be&fed&from&a&completely&different&circuit&for&
maximum&redundancy.&&
& &
Next,&connect&the&audio&inputs&as&appropriate&for&your&installation.&Omnia.9sg&
accepts&balanced&professional&line-level&analog&audio&via&its&Left&and&Right&Analog&
Inputs&and&AES/EBU&digital&audio&on&standard&XLR&connectors&via&its&AES&inputs.&
Two&composite&(MPX)&inputs&are&also&provided&and&can&accept&a&full&MPX&signal&
from&the&composite&output&of&another&processor.&&

!

17&

&
In&the&event&of&a&power&(or&software)&failure,&Omnia.9sg&provides&a&hard&relay&
bypass.&When&the&bypass&relay&is&engaged,&MPX&Input&1&is&directly&connected&to&MPX&
Output&1&while&MPX&Input&2&is&directly&connected&to&MPX&Output&2.&&Accordingly,&it&is&
possible&to&take&the&composite&output&of&a&hot&backup&processor&or&stereo&generator&
and&feed&it&into&the&MPX&input&corresponding&to&the&employed&MPX&Output.&&
&
The&main&AES&XLR&input&can&accept&audio&with&or&without&a&clock&reference&of&
between&32kHz&and&96kHz.&If&necessary,&the&built-in&sample&rate&converter&(SRC)&on&
this&input&will&up-&or&down-convert&to&the&fixed&system&standard&of&48kHz.&&
&
A&dedicated&external&reference&input&is&provided&on&the&rear&panel&via&a&BNC&
connector&should&it&be&necessary&to&sync&to&a&clock&that&is¬&present&on&the&
incoming&AES&audio&signal,&but&this&must&be&a&48kHz&signal&as&no&SRC&is&present&on&
the&BNC&input.&An&adapter&(Pin&2&hot,&Pin&3&shield)&may&be&used&for&short&runs&
without&concern.&For&longer&runs,&a&transformer&may&be&used.&&

2>FGE(/DG=B(%FGE>FBY(7=GI(!D<?PDE?FGY(DGK(/DHH@F>K(

Much&like&our&Omnia.7&processor&(but&unlike&other&legacy&Omnia&products),&
Omnia.9sg&uses&a&“joystick”&type&of&rotary&encoder&for&menu&navigation&and&control&
adjustment&on&the&front&panel.&“Rocking”&the&control&left,&right,&up&or&down&
facilitates&navigation&through&the&various&menus,&while&turning&the&knob&clockwise&
or&counterclockwise&adjusts&individual&controls.&Like&older&Omnia&products,&the&
joystick&can&also&be&“pushed”&in&the¢er.&This&action&usually&has&the&same&function&
as&rocking&the&control&to&the&right.&
&
The&factory&default&password&is&“1234”.&To&unlock&the&unit,&navigate&to&the&
“Password”&field&then&move&the&joystick&to&the&right&to&bring&up&the&on-screen&
keyboard.&When&the&keyboard&is&displayed,&turning&the&control&clockwise&or&
counterclockwise&moves&the&cursor&around&the&screen&while&rocking&it&to&the&right&
or&pressing&in&the¢er&enters&the&highlighted&value.&Once&the&password&is&entered,&
highlight&and&enter&“OK”.&Next,&highlight&and&enter&“Unlock”.&&
&
The&unit&will&always&lock&itself&when&the&display×&out&and&goes&dark.&The&length&
of&time&before&this&happens&is&adjustable&in&the&System!>!System!Config!>!Power!
menu.&The&default&timeout&is&the&maximum&24-hour&duration.&&
&

While!front!panel!navigation!is!always!an!option,!additional!setup!and!
configuration!can!be!much!more!easily!accomplished!via!the!free!NfRemote!
available!from!the!Omnia.9sg!product!page!on!the!TelosAlliance.com!website.!
All!screenshots!and!visual!references!within!this!document!will!be!taken!from!
the!NfRemote!interface.!&

!

18&

%FGZ?PI>?GP(!=E@F>O('=EE?GPH(DGK($GHEDBB?GP(!Z1=QFE=(

Connect&Omnia.9sg&to&your&local&network&via&the&rear&panel&Ethernet&connection.&
The&unit&is&set&up&to&receive&an&IP&address&via&DHCP&by&default.&Navigate&to&System!>!
System!Configuration!>!IP!Configuration&from&the&Main&Menu&and&verify&that&an&
IP&address&has&been&assigned.&This&may&take&a&minute&or&two&depending&upon&your&
network.&Note&that&it&will¬&show&an&IP&address&when&unplugged&from&the&
network.&&
&
A&static&IP&address&can&also&be&assigned&by&navigating&to&System!>!System!
Configuration!>!IP!Configuration!>!Use!DHCP&and&click&the&joystick&right&to&un­check&it.&Then&navigate&down&and&click-right&on&the&IP:&box,&enter&the&desired&IP&
address&and&click-right&on&OK&when&done.&Similarly,&enter&the&Subnet&Mask&and&
other&network¶meters&(if&required).&Finally,&navigate&to&Apply&and&then&click­down&all&the&way&past&the&warning&text&and&you’ll&see&”Are!you!sure?”,&highlight&the&
Yes&box&and&click-right.&&&
&
Copy&the&NfRemote&application&to&a&Windows&laptop,&desktop,&or&tablet.&&Double­click&to&begin&the&installation&and&follow&the&on-screen&directions&to&complete&it.&
&
When&the&NfRemote&connection&screen&appears,&enter&the&IP&address&and&password&
of&your&Omnia.9sg.&You&may&also&fill&in&a&“friendly”&name&in&the&Comment&field&to&
help&identify&the&unit.&&
&
Be&sure&to&click&on&the&dropdown&menu&to&the&far&right&of&the&connection&window&
and&choose&the&correct&input&method&(local&mouse,&remote&desktop/VM,&touch&
screen,&etc.)&&
&
You&may&click&on&the&“Add”&button&to&add&this&unit&to&a&quick&recall&list&in&the&bottom&
of&the&window&or&simply&click&“Connect”.&&
&
Once&the&connection&is&complete,&the&main&Home&screen&will&appear.&Clicking&the&left&
mouse&button&highlights&displays,&menu&items&and&controls.&&Clicking&and&holding&
the&left&mouse&button&while&dragging&adjusts&sliding&controls.&

%FGZ?PI>?GP($0"('FI>C=H(DGK('=EE?GPH(

Omnia.9sg&makes&the&perfect&“split&chassis”&solution&for&Omnia&processor&customers&
who&want&the&benefits&of&having&their&main&processor&at&the&studio&without&
sacrificing&the&advantages&of&having&the&composite&generator&at&the&transmitter.&&
&
Accordingly,&its&default&settings&presume&that&the&“FM&Pre-final&L/R”&output&insert&
point&found&on&Omnia.9&and&Omnia.7&or&the&“PP”&patch&point&output&of&the&Omnia.11&
(running&version&3.0&software&or&higher)&will&be&used&to&feed&Omnia.9sg.&&
&

!

19&

'=B=CE(EM=($GAIE()IK?F('FI>C=(

Navigate&to&the&Omnia.9sg!>!Stereo!Generator!>!Input!Selection!menu&and&select&
the&proper&source&(analog&or&AES&digital)&for&the&primary&and/or&backup&inputs.&
Only&the&primary&input&is&required.&If&a&backup&source&is&provided,&it&can&be&used&as&a&
failover&source&in&the&event&of&a&loss&of&audio&on&the&primary&input.&
&

&

&

)K[IHE(EM=($GAIE(3D?G(

From&the&Omnia.9sg!>!Stereo!Generator!>!Input!Adjustment&menu,&set&the&“Input&
Gain”&control&as&appropriate&for&your&input&source&and&processing&needs.&&
&

NOTE:!&The!“Input!Gain”!control!on!Omnia.9sg!adjusts!the!input!drive!level!to!
the!clipper!and!therefore!replaces!the!more!traditional!and!familiar!“Clipper!
Drive”!control!found!on!a!traditional!FM!processor.!Accordingly,!increasing!
this!control!increases!clipper!drive.!!

&

&

&
By&default,&this&control&is&set&to&+12.5dB&as&it&is&presumed&Omnia.9sg&will&normally&
be&fed&from&an&Omnia.9&using&the&“FM&Pre-final&L/R”&patchpoint&output&which&has&
been&attenuated&by&the&same&amount&to&provide&adequate&headroom.&&

!

20&

&
When&set&at&the&default&level,&this&will&exactly&emulate&the&sound&and&behavior&of&a&
standalone&Omnia.9&using&its&composite&outputs.&Accordingly,&any&adjustments&to&
the&Omnia.9’s&“Final&Clip&Drive”&control&will&yield&identical&results.&&
&
This&also&holds&true&if&you&you&are&feeding&Omnia.9sg&from&another&processor&with&a&
similar&“post-limiter,&pre-clipper,&pre-emphasis”&patchpoint,&providing&it&applies&the&
same&pre-attenuation.&&
&
If&you&are&using&a&processor&that&does¬&have&such&a&patchpoint,&the&best&
performance&will&be&realized&by&using&its&HD&output&to&feed&Omnia.9sg.&The&limiter&
drive&on&the&processor&feeding&9sg&should&be&turned&down&well&below&where&it&
would&typically&be&run,&since&the&final&clipper&in&9sg&would&do&the&“heavy&lifting”&in&
this&case,&and&take&into&account&the&pre-emphasis&curve.&
&
Finally,&it&is&also&possible&to&use&a&“flat”&(non-pre-emphasized)&FM&output&to&feed&
Omnia.9sg&or&even&a&de-emphasized&FM&output&(with&the&final&clipper&drive&of&the&
processor&turned&all&the&way&down)&but&this&approach&would&have&a&negative&impact&
on&overall&audio&quality&due&to&the&15&kHz&low&pass&filtering&typically&present&in&
most&processors.&The&16.5&kHz&low-pass&filter&of&9sg&would&allow&significantly&more&
high&end&through&the&system&if&fed&directly&without&additional&filtering&prior&to&it.&

%FGZ?PI>=(DGK()K[IHE(EM=("IEAIE(

Connect&the&audio&outputs&as&appropriate&for&your&installation.&&
&
Two&composite&outputs&are&provided&to&feed&a&main/backup&composite&STL&or&
transmitter.&
&
Omnia.9sg&also&supports&balanced&professional&line-level&analog&audio&via&its&Left&
and&Right&Analog&Outputs&and&AES/EBU&digital&output&on&standard&XLR&connectors&
via&the&AES&output.&The&AES&outputs&can&also&be&used&to&provide&an&Omnia&Direct™&
(composite&over&AES)&signal.&&

)K[IHE?GP(EM=(%FQAFH?E=("IEAIE(

To&adjust&the&levels&of&each&of&the&composite&outputs,&navigate&to&the&Omnia.9sg!>!
Stereo!Generator!>!MPX!menu&and&adjust&the&corresponding&“MPX&Output&Level”&

sliders&until&the&desired&modulation&is&indicated&on&a&dedicated,&calibrated&
modulation&monitor.&The&“Pilot&Level”&and&“Pre-emphasis”&controls&are&also&found&
here.&Details&of&other&controls&will&be&explained&in&detail&later&in&this&manual.&
&

!

21&

&

+H?GP(EM=("QG?D(*?>=CE\("IEAIE(

If&the&AES&outputs&will&be&used&to&feed&an&Omnia&Direct&signal,&navigate&to&the&
Omnia.9sg!>!Stereo!Generator!>!Digital!Output!menu&and&choose&the&appropriate&
source&to&feed&the&digital&output.&&
&

&

)K[IHE?GP(27(*?<=>H?EL(*=BDL(

If&the&output&of&Omnia.9sg&needs&to&be&delayed&to&match&an&HD&signal,&the&
adjustment&can&be&made&in&the&Omnia.9sg!>!Stereo!Generator!>!Input!Adjust&
menu.&Separate&adjustments&are&provided&for&the&digial&and&analog&inputs.&Double­clicking&on&the&“Diversity&Delay”&slider&will&provide&course,&medium,&and&fine&
adjustment&sliders&to&make&adjustment&easier.&&
&