Velodyne MICROVEE - REV F, MICROVEE User Manual

USER’S

TM

MANUAL

Audio/Video Subwoofer System

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MiniVee User’s Manual

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Table of Contents

C

ongratulations . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .1

Prepare for Installation . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .2

Installation . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .3

Line-Level Connection - Option A . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .4

Line-Level Connection - Option B . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .6

Speaker-Level Connections . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .7

Subwoofer Outputs . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .8

Interconnnect Cables . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .8

Care of Your Subwoofer . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .9

Protection Circuitry . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .9

Troubleshooting and Service . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .10

Specifications . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .11

Velodyne Products . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .13

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MiniVee User’s Manual

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Restoring Defaults

Congratulations

C

ongratulations on your purchase of a Velodyne subwoofer system. This system represents the
state-of-the-art in low frequency reproduction and will provide you with years of listening
pleasure when properly cared for. Read and follow this instruction manual to insure safe and
proper system connection and operation.

Caution!

Please observe the following precautions to insure safe and proper system operation.

Note: Do not leave unit in direct sunlight or use in high humidity environments!!!

Warning!

To prevent fire or shock hazard, do not expose this equipment to rain or moisture. To avoid
electrical shock, do not open speaker enclosure or amp chassis cover. Please observe all
warnings on the equipment itself. There are no user serviceable parts inside. Please refer all
service questions to your authorized Velodyne dealer or service representative.

Prior to Installation

Please unpack the system carefully. This unit is heavy. Use caution when lifting or moving to
avoid injury. Please save the carton and all packaging materials for future use. Packing this unit
in any other carton may result in severe damage when shipping. Record the serial number in
the space provided on the warranty card for future reference.

oduct Features and Controls

Pr

• A single driver consisting of either:

- 8” (6.5” piston diameter) driver with 2.5” high-temp voice coil and
204 ounce magnet structure or

- 10” (8” piston diameter) driver with 3” high-temp voice coil and
346 ounce magnet str

• Built-in 2000 watts Dynamic/1000 watts RMS high efficiency Class D amplifier

• Adjustable (40 to 120 Hz) low-pass crossover (defeatable)

• Line-level (RCA) inputs and outputs

• LFE Input

• Speaker

• Signal sensing auto turn on/off (defeatable)

• Variable volume control

• Selectable phase control (0° or 180°)

• Multiple staggered low-pass crossovers; 12 dB/octave initial, 48 dB/octave ultimate

• Driver Displacement Control circuit prevents over excursion and amp clipping

• Blue power indicator LED

• High-excursion EPDM rubber surround

• Oversized spider for linearity at high excursion

-level inputs with five way binding post connections

ucture

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MiniVee User’s Manual

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Prepare for Installation

Y

our new Velodyne subwoofer provides for a number of installation options. Read all the
installation information below in order to determine which installation option is best suited for
your system.

off to prevent possible damage.

PLACEMENT

True subwoofers operate at extremely low frequencies which are primarily omni-directional.
While it is recommended that the subwoofer be placed on the same plane as the satellite
speakers, room and system conditions often dictate otherwise. Keep in mind that frequency
response and output level can be drastically influenced by placement, depending on the acoustic
properties of the listening room. Typically, the optimum location for a subwoofer is tucked away
in a corner of your listening room. This location will usually offer the greatest output levels and
optimum low frequency extension. The worst location for a subwoofer is typically far away from
any walls and close to the center of your room. Avoid these locations when possible. When
using a pair of Velodyne subwoofers in stereo, it is preferable to place each subwoofer by the
satellite of the same channel.

Caution! This subwoofer has electronics built into the cabinet. Do not place the cabinet
next to sources of heat such as furnace registers, radiators, etc. Do not place the unit
near sources of excessive moisture, such as evaporative coolers, humidifiers, etc. The
power cord should be routed in such a way that it will not be walked on, pinched or
compressed in any way that could result in damaging the insulation or wire.

Remember to perform all installation procedures with system power turned

Regar
(woofer facing forward). Using, shipping or storing the subwoofer in any other position for an
extended period of time may result in damage to the unit not covered by war

Your new Velodyne subwoofer, like any good speaker system, requires proper positioning within the
listening space to provide maximum performance. Improperly placed speakers may degrade the
sound quality and reduce your listening pleasure. Depending on the size and type of furnishings in
the room, perfect placement may not be possible. Finding the best location within your
environment will likely require some experimentation. We suggest you experiment with the location
during setup to find what sounds best to you when seated in your typical listening position.

dless of where you install your Velodyne subwoofer, it must remain in an upright position

ranty.

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MiniVee User’s Manual

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Installation

Inputs

Your new subwoofer is equipped with speaker-level and line-level inputs. Use the LINE LEVEL
jacks when connecting your subwoofer to a pre-amp, signal processor, line-level crossover or
receiver with pre-amp level outputs. The
outputs of any amplifier, integrated amplifier or receiver. Your amplifier section will notice no
additional loading effects when you use these inputs due to their very high impedance.

Important!!!
Do not use both LINE LEVEL and SPEAKER LEVEL connections simultaneously!

Volume Control

This control allows you to balance the output from the subwoofer to the main
speakers/amplifier in your system. This control should be set to achieve similar output level
from both the main speakers and subwoofer when listening to music. A good starting point for
the volume control is 3 or 4 dots from minimum.

Low-pass Crossover - 40 to 120 Hz

All inputs sum the left and right channels together, with the r
adjustable low-pass crossover before being amplified. The crossover control allows you to adjust
the upper limit of the subwoofer’s frequency response from 40 to 120 Hz. The subwoofer’s
response will begin rolling off above the frequency you set this control to. You should set the
crossover frequency to obtain a smooth and seamless transition from the subwoofer to the
main speakers in your system. If your main speakers are smaller units with limited low frequency
output, you may wish to choose a higher frequency (such as 100 -120 Hz) than you would with

ger speakers which have gr

lar
with this contr

ol set lower, such as 80 Hz.

eater low frequency output. With lar

SPEAKER LEVEL jacks connect directly to the speaker

esulting signal passing through an

ger speakers, you might start

A bypass switch is also pr

an exter
optimum performance!

nal crossover, we recommend that you use the one provided within the unit for

ovided if you wish to use an exter

nal crossover

.

If you ar

e not using

Phase Adjustment - 0°/180°

to cor

This contr
for any possible mismatch and resulting cancellation between the subwoofer and your main
speakers/amplifier
switch fr
correct position will have a greater amount of apparent low frequency output.

ol allows you to “r

. T

om one position to the other and listen for a change in low fr

everse” the phase of the subwoofer’

o adjust, simply listen to the system with music playing. Then move the

s output signal 180

equency output. The

°

rect

Crossover Switch - INTERNAL X-OVER/SUBWOOFER DIRECT

This switch allows the internal crossover circuitry to be removed from the signal path. This is
required in certain installations which route the signal through external processors with a

ossover cir

cr
SUBWOOFER DIRECT to disengage the built-in crossover. For all other installations which do
not have a separate electr
INTERNAL X-OVER to provide optimum performance.

cuit of their own, such as the new digital units. Simply move the switch to

onic cr

ossover, we recommend you leave the switch set to

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Auto Turn on Function

With this function in the “auto” position, your subwoofer can be safely left with the main power
s

witched on continuously. The subwoofer will turn itself on automatically when an audio signal
is present. If no signal is present for approximately 10 minutes, the unit will switch to standby
mode. While in standby mode, your subwoofer will draw very minimal power. This function can
be disabled by leaving the switch in the “on” position.

Power Switch

The master power switch is located on the lower half of the unit. This rocker style switch is the
main on/off for the unit. This switch should be set to position 1 (up) for on, and 0 (down) for
off. If the unit is to be left unused for an extended period of time, the master power switch
should be turned off.

Subwoofer Outputs

The Velodyne subwoofer is designed to operate using the full range audio signal for input when
using the built-in crossover. Some processors/receivers have a “subwoofer out” jack that is
internally filtered and designed to be used with a conventional amplifier and speaker. In some
rare cases, combining both an external crossover and the one internal to the subwoofer may
result in low output and increased noise. In these installations you may need to bypass the
internal crossover in either the processor or Velodyne subwoofer. In some installations, simply
setting one crossover to a higher frequency (such as 120 Hz) will restore maximum
performance. To bypass the subwoofer’s internal crossover when the unit is being fed a low
pass signal from another crossover, simply locate the switch marked

X-OVER/SUBWOOFER DIRECT
SUBWOOFER DIRECT position. This will eliminate the internal crossover from the signal path.

on the rear panel of the subwoofer and set to the

INTERNAL

Note: If not using an external crossover, you should use the built-in crossover for
optimal performance.

LINE-LEVEL CONNECTION - OPTION A

Figure 1 shows connection from your home theater receiver to the LFE input on the back of
your subwoofer. When the subwoofer is installed in this fashion, all of the low frequency

mation fr

infor
your Velodyne subwoofer. This connection is the most common connection method when using
your subwoofer with a 5.1 receiver. (Cable needed: 1 mono RCA cable.)

om your “LFE Out” or “Subwoofer Out” on the back of your receiver will pass into

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Figure 1. Installation Using LFE Line-Level Inputs

Note: If not using an external crossover, you should use the built-in crossover for
optimal performance. When using a single channel input (such as a surround sound

ocessor’

pr
When one input channel is used instead of two, the unit will see lower signal levels

esent at the inputs. This may cause the unit to tur

pr
levels. If this occurs, simply use a “Y” adapter (available from most dealers) to allow
your processor’s single sub line to be fed into both L&R inputs. This will make the unit
turn on at lower signal levels.

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s subwoofer out or LFE), the auto on/of

cuit sensitivity will be affected.

f cir

n off when listening at low volume

MiniVee User’s Manual

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LINE-LEVEL CONNECTION - OPTION B

F

igure 2 shows connection from a pre-amplifier’s main outputs to the left and right inputs of
your Velodyne subwoofer. You will also need to connect a second pair of RCA cables from the
outputs on the back of your subwoofer to the inputs on the back of your amplifier. When the
subwoofer is installed in this fashion, your satellite speakers will be crossed over at 80 Hz which
removes the lower bass frequencies from your external amplifier and speakers, enabling them
to do a better job reproducing the higher frequencies. By utilizing this method, you will have a
bi-amplified system, gaining improved power and headroom for your system. This installation
method is not as common as the method described in Figure 1. (Cables needed: 2 stereo pair
of RCA cables.)

Figure 2. Installation Using Stereo Line-Level Inputs

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MiniVee User’s Manual

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Speaker-Level Connections

F

igure 3 shows an easy way to connect your Velodyne subwoofer directly to your receiver or
integrated amplifier, if it lacks line-level outputs. You may also connect your satellites directly to
your receiver or amplifier along with the subwoofer. Your receiver or amplifier will not notice the
additional load of the subwoofer due to the high input impedance.

Figure 3. Installation Using Speaker-Level Inputs

Caution!!! T
when making all connections. Red (positive) to red, and black (negative) to black. Be
sure that all connections are tight, and that there are no loose strands or frayed wires.

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o avoid damage to your main amplifier, be sure to maintain correct polarity

MiniVee User’s Manual

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Subwoofer Outputs

T

he Velodyne subwoofer is designed to operate using the full range audio signal for input when
using the built-in crossover. Many home theater processors/receivers (Dolby Digital

™

THX

) have a “subwoofer out” jack that is internally filtered and designed to be used with a
powered subwoofer. In these installations, you may bypass the internal crossover in either the
processor or the Velodyne subwoofer. In some installations, it may be beneficial to have a
steeper ultimate crossover slope. To do this, you can use both your processor’s crossover and
the one internal to the Velodyne sub. You should stagger the frequencies, (i.e., 120 Hz sub,
80 Hz processor) for best results.

To bypass the subwoofer’s internal crossover when the unit is being fed a low pass signal from
another crossover, simply locate the switch marked INTERNAL X-OVER/SUBWOOFER DIRECT
on the rear panel of the subwoofer and set to the SUBWOOFER DIRECT position. This will
eliminate the internal crossover from the signal path.

®

, DTS®,

Interconnect Cables

When installing your new Velodyne subwoofer using the line level connections, you should always
use shielded phono cables. There are many decent cables available today, most any of which
will work perfectly well. We do recommend that you keep the length of cable as short as
possible to avoid any potential noise problems.

When using speaker level connections, use a decent quality speaker cable that mates well with
the connectors. Be ver
a short, which may damage your equipment. Cables of extremely lar
required. Extr
poor connection and possible short circuits.

emely large gauge wire may not pr

y careful to avoid any loose strands or frayed wires which may result in

ge size are typically not

operly fit in the binding posts, resulting in a

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MiniVee User’s Manual

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Care of Your Subwoofer

Y

our Velodyne subwoofer does not require any regular maintenance. Normal dusting or cleaning
of the surface for appearance purposes are all that is required. We suggest you avoid any harsh
detergents or chemicals when cleaning the cabinet. Abrasives, detergents, or cleaning
solutions may damage the finish on the cabinet. We recommend using only a damp cloth to
clean the cabinet.

During normal conditions, your new subwoofer may be left on continuously without any
problems. The unit is equipped with a signal-sensing turn on/ off that will automatically turn on
the unit when a signal is present at the inputs and turn off the unit after several minutes when
there is no longer any signal at the inputs. If you plan to leave the subwoofer unused for
an extended period of time, we recommend that you turn off the master power switch on the
rear panel.

Protection Circuitry

Your new subwoofer is equipped with special protection circuitry to provide maximum
performance with greatest reliability.

The unit is protected against:

1) Overdriving the speaker or amplifier

2) Over

3) Excessive dr

The first type of protection circuitr
operates constantly without being audible under most situations. In some extreme situations
(sustained high output levels such as pr
This indicates the thermal or under-voltage protection circuitry has engaged. If this should
happen, you should reduce the volume setting or shut the unit off until normal operating
conditions return. You may also want to plug the unit into a different wall outlet, as dropping
power line voltage will be most noticeable under strenuous conditions and may result in the unit
shutting down inter

heating the amplifier

op in power line voltage

mittently

.

y which prevents overdriving of the speaker or amplifier

o sound usage), the unit may shut down momentarily.

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MiniVee User’s Manual

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Troubleshooting and Service

B

efore seeking service for your amplifier or subwoofer, please re-check all systems. Following

is a simple troubleshooting guide to assist you.

1. Verify that the unit is plugged in and power outlet used is active.

2. Is the power switch on?

3. Is the unit receiving an input signal from your source?

4. Have all controls (volume, crossover, phase, etc.) been properly set?

5. If the unit has been running at high levels, one of the protection circuits may be engaged.
Has the amplifier overheated?

6. Make sure binding posts are tightened.

If the protection circuitry is active, the unit may cycle on and off until operating parameters
return to normal. Under more serious conditions, the unit may shut off completely. Normal
operation should return upon cooling, but you may be required to turn the power off and then
on again to reset the unit.

The following conditions require service by a qualified technician:

1. The power cord has become damaged

2. The unit does not appear to operate normally or exhibits a marked
change in performance

3. The unit has been exposed to water

4. Some par

t of the chassis or circuitry is physically damaged

Thank You for Purchasing a Velodyne!

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MiniVee User’s Manual

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Specifications

Specifications MiniVee MiniVee 10

Woofer 8” forward firing 10” forward firing

(6.5” piston diameter) (8” piston diameter)

Amplifier 2000 watts Dynamic 2000 watts Dynamic
(Class D) 1000 watts RMS Power 1000 watts RMS Power

High Pass Crossover 80 Hz (6 dB/octave) 80 Hz (6 dB/octave)

Low Pass Crossover 40 Hz-120 Hz 40 Hz-120 Hz

12 dB octave initial, 12 dB octave initial,
48 dB octave ultimate 48 dB octave ultimate

Frequency Response 28-120 Hz (+/-3 dB) 24-120 Hz (+/-3 dB)

Harmonic Distortion <5% (typical) <5% (typical)

Magnet Structure 204 oz. 346 oz.

(12.7 lbs) (21.6 lbs)

Voice Coil 2.5” Dual Layer 3” Dual Layer

inner/outer wind inner/outer wind

Inputs Line and Speaker Level Line and Speaker Level

Outputs Line-level, 80 Hz up Line-level, 80 Hz up

Phase 0° or 180° 0° or 180°

Video Shielded No Yes

Dimensions (H/W/D) 10.9” x 10.4” x 12.8” 12.9” x 12.4” x 14.5”
(inc. feet, grille and knobs) (27.7 x 26.4 x 32.5 cm) (32.8 x 31.5 x 36.8 cm)

Cabinet

ranty (parts/labor) Three years (electronics) Three years (electronics)

ar

W

th America)

(Nor

eight (approx.) 33 lbs. (15 Kgs) 45 lbs. (20 Kgs)

W

Sealed enclosur

Five years (drivers)

e

Sealed enclosur

Five years (drivers)

e

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MiniVee User’s Manual

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FOR YOUR RECORDS. . .

Date Purchased_________________________________________________________________

Dealer_________________________________________________________________________

Serial #________________________________________________________________________

*NOTE: Please complete and return your warranty card within ten (10) days or

Register. . . ON LINE . . . It’s faster . . . and easier

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LIMITED WARRANTY - U.S. AND CANADA ONLY

VELODYNE ACOUSTICS, Inc. (“VELODYNE”) warrants all electronics for a period of three years, drivers for a period
of five years, and full range speakers for a period of five years. All VELODYNE products have a warranty from the
date of purchase against defects in materials and workmanship subject to the following conditions:

1. VELODYNE is not responsible for defects which result from the use of an amplifier or controller other than

the one originally supplied with the unit (subwoofer) or defects which result from modifications or repairs
made by any component of the system by anyone other than a VELODYNE factory authorized
service representative.

2. This warranty is void if any repairs or service covered by the terms of this warranty are made to any

component of the system by anyone other than a VELODYNE factory authorized service representative.

3. VELODYNE is not responsible for damage caused by accidents, abuse, misuse, natural or personal disaster

or unauthorized modification. The VELODYNE products are not intended for professional or commercial use
and VELODYNE is not responsible for damage resulting from such use.

4. The VELODYNE product warranty is limited to units that are purchased from authorized VELODYNE dealers

and finalized within authorized dealer locations.

5. This warranty is nontransferable under any condition.

6. Use of this product outside the U.S. and Canada voids this warranty.

TO OBTAIN SERVICE

Information r
VELODYNE customer service. W
representative within the warranty period set forth above. If VELODYNE determines the unit is defective, VELODYNE
will, at VELODYNE’
authorized service representative. Products forwarded to the factory authorized service representative should be
shipped securely and properly packaged, insured and freight prepaid.

The Warranty of this product if it is sold to a consumer outside of the United States or Canada shall comply with
applicable law and shall be the sole r

ranty ser

war
this product.

egarding service may be obtained from the dealer from whom you purchased the unit, or by contacting

ranty service must be performed by a VELODYNE factory authorized service

ar

s option, r

WARRANTY OUTSIDE THE UNITED STATES AND CANADA

vice, please contact the dealer from which you purchased this product, or the distributor that supplied

epair or replace the pr

esponsibility of the distributor that supplied this product. To obtain any applicable

oduct at no charge if the pr

oduct is forwarded prepaid to a factory

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MiniVee User’s Manual

12

Velodyne Products

115 - 120V

®

D

D Series

DD-10
DD-12
DD-15
DD-18

Digital Drive 1812

Signature Edition

DEQ-R Series

DEQ-8R
DEQ-10R
DEQ-12R
DEQ-15R

DLS™-R Series

MiniVee

MiniVee®10

Optimum Series

Optimum-8
Optimum-10
Optimum-12

SMS™-1

SubContractor™

Series

SC-1250

SC-10
SC-12

®

220 - 240V

®

DD Series

DD-10
DD-12
DD-15
DD-18

Digital Drive 1812

Signature Edition

CHT-Q Series

CHT-8Q
CHT-10Q
CHT-12Q
CHT-15Q

Impact Series

SPLi Series

SPL-800i

SPL-1000i

SPL-Ultra Series

SPL-800 Ultra
SPL-1000 Ultra
SPL-1200 Ultra

SubContractor™

Series

SC-1250

SC-10
SC-12

SC-15
DLS -3500R
DLS -3750R
DLS -4000R
DLS -5000R

Impact Series

Impact - Mini

Impact -10
Impact -12

MicroVee™

SC-15
SC-IW

SC-IF/IC
SC-600 Amp
SC-602 Amp

SC-600 IW

SC-600 IF/IC

VX-11

Impact - Mini

Impact -10
Impact -12

MicroVee™

SMS™ -1

SC-IW

SC-IF/IC
SC-600 Amp
SC-602 Amp

SC-600 IW

SC-600 IF/IC

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MiniVee User’s Manual

13

Technical E

63-MINIVEE Rev F JUN10

.

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Velodyne Acoustics, Inc.

345 Digital Drive

Morgan Hill, CA 95037

408.465.2800 voice

408.779.9227 fax

408.779.9208 ser

www

.velodyne.com

Service E

Product E

-mail: [e-mail]

-mail: [e-mail]

-mail: [e-mail]

vice fax

MiniVee User’s Manual

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