Specifications
It is impossible to characterize the listening quality of even the simplest limiter or compressor based on specifications because such specifications cannot adequately describe the crucial dynamic processes that occur under program conditions. Therefore, the only way to evaluate the sound of an audio processor meaningfully is by subjective listening tests. Certain specifications are presented here to assure the engineer that they are reasonable, to help plan the installation, and make certain comparisons with other processing equipment.
Performance
Frequency Response (Bypass Mode): ± 0.10 dB, 20 Hz–20 kHz for 44.1 kHz or higher input/output sample rates. At 32 kHz input and/or output sample rate, the passband is reduced to approximately 14.7 kHz.
Noise: Output noise floor will depend upon how much gain the processor is set for (Limit Drive, AGC Drive, Two-Band Drive, and/or Multiband Drive), gating level, equalization, noise reduction, etc. The dynamic range of the A/D Converter, which has a specified overload-to–noise ratio of 110 dB, primarily governs it. The dynamic range of the digital signal processing is 144 dB.
Polarity (Bypass Mode; Operate Mode when processing chain is configured for linear phase): Absolute polarity maintained. Positive-going signal on input will result in positive-going signal on output.
Internal Processing Sample Rate: 48 kHz. We believe this provides maximum audible transparency by minimizing numerical “noise” in the equalizers and filters while still preserving a pure, transparent sound. The double-precision equalizers and crossover filters used throughout the 6585 produce at least 6 dB lower noise and nonlinear distortion than they would at 96 kHz.
Processing Resolution: Internal processing has 24 bit (fixed point) or higher resolution; uses 9 Freescale (formerly Motorola) 250 MHz DSPB56724 dual-core 24-bit fixed-point DSP chips.
Delay: The minimum available input/output delay is approximately 20 ms with look-ahead limiting active and 6 ms with look-ahead limiting bypassed. This can be padded to exactly one or two frames of 24, 25, 29.97, 30, 50, 59.94, or 60 frames/second video up to a maximum delay of 60 ms. (Two frames are required for 59.94/60 fps progressively scanned video.) HD-SDI I/O provides video delay of up to 11 frames to compensate for the delay of the 6585's loudness processing (approximately one frame), optional Penteo® upmixer (approximately seven frames) and optional Dolby-E® decoder and encoders (one frame apiece).
Surround Processing Stereo Coupling: All channels of the AGC and compressors are coupled using r.m.s. summation. The user can select whether or not the LFE channel contributes to the r.m.s. sum in the AGC and compressor control sidechains. Peak limiters in the multiband compressor limiter and look-ahead limiters all operate uncoupled to prevent transients in a given channel from causing audible loudness modulation in other channels. In additional, the compressors acting on the center channel can be uncoupled from the remaining channels within a user-selectable window, allowing the processing to correct the balance between dialog and remaining program elements automatically.
2.0 Processing Stereo Coupling: Stereo or dual-mono. In dual-mono mode, both processing channels have the same subjective adjustments (as determined by the active preset) but are otherwise independent, making this mode appropriate for dual-language transmissions. In stereo mode, the user can set the maximum permitted gain difference between the channels in each band of the multiband compressor/limiter. Stereo/Dual-Mono operating mode can be set via GPI, Ethernet and serial connections, internal clock-based automation, and AES 3 Status Bits.
Loudness Level Meter (x4): One meter for the surround processing or four meters for the four stereo processing channels, all meters realized in software. For a given processing chain, two meters operate simultaneously: a long-term loudness meter displays loudness over an ungated 3-second integration time or 10-second integration time using the ITU-R BS.1770-2 algorithm (per ATSC A/85 and EBU R 128) and a short-term loudness meter uses the Jones & Torick algorithm developed at CBS Technology Center in 1981. The Jones & Torick meter's display time constants are matched to the psychoacoustic loudness integration time of the human ear, reaching steady-state level in approximately 200 ms and having a decay time constant of approximately 300 ms. Hence, this meter can indicate the momentary loudness of transient events like pistol shots, which may be annoying to viewers but which the BS.1770-2 meter ignores because of its longer integration time. (B. L. Jones & E. L. Torick: “A New Loudness Indicator for Use in Broadcasting,” J. SMPTE, September 1981, pp 772-777.)
One ITU BS.1770-2 meter is always displayed on the 6585's front-panel; it indicates the Surround loudness when the 6585 is in Surround mode and it indicates the stereo loudness of one of the four stereo processing channels (user selected) when the 6585 is in stereo Mode. In 6585 PC Remote software, all four loudness meters are displayed simultaneously when the 6585 is in stereo mode.
Installation
AES3id Digital Audio Inputs (x3)
Configuration: Each of three hardware inputs accepts two audio channels per AES3id standard, 24 bit resolution. Internal programmable routing switcher allows any of the six physical audio input channels to be routed to the LF, RF, C, LB1, RB1, LFE, LB2, RB2, STEREO L1, STEREO R1, STEREO L2, STEREO R2, STEREO L3, STEREO R3, STEREO L4, or STEREO R4 inputs of the audio processing. For the stereo processing, unit can detect Stereo or Two-Channel status bits appearing at Input #1 and switch the stereo processor between stereo and dual-mono modes.
User Bits: Unit can pass AES3id User Bits from Input #1 to Output #1.
Sampling Rate: 32, 44.1, 48, 88.2, or 96 kHz, automatically selected.
Connector: BNC, female, shell bypassed to chassis via 1000 pF capacitor, EMI-suppressed. 75Ω impedance, terminated.
Input Reference Level: Variable from –30 dBFS to –10 dBFS.
Hard-Wire Bypass: Hard-wire relay bypass connects corresponding AES3id inputs and outputs when the 6585 is unpowered or if certain faults have been detected automatically.
Filtering: RFI filtered.
AES3id Digital Audio Outputs (x3)
Configuration: AES3id. Internal, remote-controllable routing switcher allows sending LF, RF, C, LB1, RB1, LFE, LB2, RB2, DOWNMIX L, DOWNMIX R, STEREO L1, STEREO R1, STEREO L2, STEREO R2, STEREO L,3 STEREO R3, STEREO L4, and STEREO R4 to any hardware output channel.
Sample Rate: Internal free running at 32, 44.1, 48, 88.1 or 96 kHz, selected in software. Can also be synced to the AES3id Input #1,or to the sync input (which supports AES11id and wordclock) at 32, 44.1, 48, 88.1 or 96 kHz, as configured in software. (Passband is limited to approximately 14.7 kHz when using 32 kHz input and/or output sample rate.)
Word Length: Software selected for 24, 20, 18, or 16-bit resolution. First-order highpass noise-shaped dither can be optionally added, Dither level is automatically adjusted to complement the word length.
Connector: BNC, female, shell bypassed to chassis via 1000 pF capacitor, EMI-suppressed. 75Ω impedance, terminated.
Output Level (100% peak modulation): –20.0 to 0.0 dBFS software controlled.
Filtering: RFI filtered.
Audio Reference Input
Configuration: Can accept wordclock or AES 11id (75Ω) sync, automatically detected.
Connector: Female BNC.
Termination: Internally terminated with 75Ω .
Conveying and Re-authoring Dolby Metadata
The 6585 can, via an SMPTE RDD 06-2008-compliant RS-485 serial connection, via an HD-SDI connection, or via embedded Dolby-E metadata (when the optional Dolby-E modules are installed), automatically convey its active surround metadata value to a downstream Dolby Digital encoder like the Dolby DP-569, which must be set up according to its operating instructions to receive and act upon this input. This greatly reduces the possibility that operator error will cause the wrong value of surround metadata to be transmitted to consumers.
To emit an RDD 06-2008-compliant signal, the 6585 must be receiving a valid input stream that is compliant with RDD 06-2008–this is necessary to synchronize the output metadata to video frame boundaries per the Dolby specification. When a valid input stream in present, the 6585 passes this stream unchanged to its output except for the following modifications:
- The ac3_dialnorm word in the output metadata stream is reauthored so it is the same as the 6585's active Dialnorm value.
- The ac3_dynrnge word in the output stream is set to 0, indicating that the downstream AC3 encoder must reauthor the line-mode DRC metadata, following the level compression profile found in the ac3_dynrng1 word in the input metadata.
- The ac3_compre word in the output stream is set to 0, indicating that the downstream AC3 encoder must reauthor the RF-mode DRC metadata, following the level compression profile found in the ac3_compr1 word in the input metadata.
HD-SDI Input/Output
BASE CONFIGURATION:
HD-SDI and 3xAESid Inputs/Outputs.
- SD-SDI (per SMPTE 259M); 1.5 Gbit/s HD-SDI (per SMPTE 292M; up to 720p and 1080i) and 3.0 Gbit/s single-wire HD-SDI (per SMPTE 424M; 1080p). Input and output are on BNC connectors. A bypass relay is provided.
Unless the bypass relay is directly connecting the HD-SDI input to the HD-SDI output (which is true when no AC power is applied to the 6585), the HD-SDI input is internally terminated with 75Ω . - Supports only SDI audio channels 1 through 8.
- Sockets exist to accept Dolby-E encoder/decoder modules; unit is field-upgradeable to support Dolby-E.
- Includes up to 11 frames of video delay to preserve AV-sync. Normal 6585 loudness control processing requires one frame of delay; the Penteo upmixer requires an additional seven frame delay; Dolby-E requires one frame for decoding and one frame for encoding.
- Supports Dolby-E metadata received through HD-SDI and RS485 interfaces per SMPTE RDD 06-2008 . The metadata in the HD-SD stream must be embedded the HD-SDI VANC data per SMPTE 2020-2-2008 (Method-A) or SMPTE 2020-3-2008 (Method-B).
- Includes a video reference input (per SMPTE 274M and SMPTE 296M) that can be used as a reference for the output audio sample rate and to correctly align Dolby-E frames with video per Dolby's requirements (SMPTE RDD 6-2008 and Dolby Labs published specifications) in cases where HD-SDI is not in use. When HD-SDI is in use, frame sync is obtained from the HD-SDI input stream.
The video reference input is on a female BNC connector and is internally terminated with 75Ω .
OPTION #2:
Base Configuration plus Dolby-E Decoder.
- Base configuration (Option #1) with the addition of a Dolby-E Decoder module.
- Can accept a Dolby-E bitstream from HD-SDI or AES3id inputs and decode it to PCM for 6585 audio processing or for direct AES3id and HD-SDI outputs.
- Supports Dolby-E metadata received through HD-SDI and RS485 interfaces per SMPTE RDD 06-2008 . The metadata in the HD-SD stream can be embedded in a Dolby-E encoded bitstream (typically using audio channels 1 and 2) or in the HD-SDI VANC data per SMPTE 2020 -2-2008 (Method-A) or SMPTE 2020-3-2008 (Method-B).
OPTION #3:
Base Configuration plus Dolby-E Encoder.
- Base configuration (Option #1) with the addition of a Dolby-E Encoder module.
- Can encode PCM outputs from the 6585 audio processor or PCM received from HD-SDI or AES3id inputs into the Dolby-E bitstream.
- Can emit Dolby-E metadata from an RS485 serial port and through HD-SDI.
- Can receive Dolby-E metadata through HD-SDI VANC or RS485.
OPTION #4:
Base Configuration plus Dolby-E Decoder and Encoder.
- Base configuration (Option #1) with the addition of Dolby-E Decoder and Encoder modules.
- Accepts and emits Dolby-E bitstreams from the HD-SDI and AES3id I/O.
- Supports Dolby-E metadata through HD-SDI and RS485 serial ports.
Analog Audio Outputs
Configuration: One pair of outputs, which can be configured in software to emit LF, RF, C, LB1, RB1, LFE, LB2, RB2, STEREO L, STEREO R, DOWNMIX L, DOWNMIX R, LF/RF, C, LB1/RB1, LB2/RB2, STEREO L/R, and DOWNMIX L/R signals.
Source Impedance: 50Ω, electronically balanced and floating.
Load Impedance: 600Ω or greater, balanced or unbalanced. Termination not required or recommended.
Output Level (100% peak modulation): Adjustable from –6 dBu to +24 dBu peak, into 600Ω or greater load, software-adjustable.
Signal-to-Noise: = 100 dB unweighted (Bypass mode, 20 Hz–20 kHz bandwidth, referenced to 100% modulation).
Distortion: = 0.01% THD (Bypass mode, de-emphasized) 20 Hz–20 kHz bandwidth.
Connectors: Two XLR-type, male, EMI-suppressed. Pin 1 chassis ground, Pins 2 (+) and 3 electronically balanced, floating and symmetrical.
D/A Conversion: 24 bit 128x oversampled.
Filtering: RFI filtered.
Audio Sync Input
Configuration: Can accept wordclock or AES 11id (75Ω) sync, automatically selected.
Connector: Female BNC, shell grounded to chassis.
Termination: Internally terminated with 75Ω.
Remote Computer Interface
Configuration: TCP /IP protocol via direct cable connect, modem, or Ethernet interface. Modem is not supplied.
Serial Port: 115 kbps RS–232 port DB–9 male, EMI-suppressed.
Ethernet Port: 100 Mbit/sec on RJ45 female connector.
RS-485 Serial Interface (x2)
Hardware: 115 kbps RS–485 port DB–9 male, EMI-suppressed.
Compatibility: Designed to be hardware-compatible with Dolby Digital® hardware that sends and receives Dolby Digital metadata.
Remote Control ( GPI ) Interface
Configuration: Eight (8) inputs, opto-isolated and floating.
Voltage: 6–15V AC or DC, momentary or continuous. 12 VDC provided to facilitate use with contact closure.
Connector: DB–25 male, EMI-suppressed.
Control: User-programmable for any eight of user presets, factory presets, bypass, test tone, stereo or mono modes, analog input, digital input.
Filtering: RFI filtered.
Tally Outputs
Circuit Configuration: Two NPN open-collector outputs.
Voltage: +15 volts maximum. Do not apply negative voltage. When driving a relay or other inductive load, connect a diode in reverse polarity across the relay coil to protect the driver transistors from reverse voltage caused by inductive kickback.
Current: 30 mA maximum
Indications: Tally outputs can be programmed to indicate a number of different operational and fault conditions.
Power
Voltage: 100–264 VAC, automatically selected, 50–60 Hz, 75 VA.
Connector: IEC, EMI-suppressed. Detachable 3-wire power cord supplied.
Configuration: Two independent power supplies with independent IEC input connectors. Power supply health is monitored and the good supply is automatically connected to the load should one supply fail.
Safety Standards: ETL listed to UL standards, CE marked.
Environmental
Operating Temperature: 32° to 122° F / 0° to 50° C for all operating voltage ranges.
Humidity: 0–95% RH, non-condensing.
Dimensions (W x H x D): 19” x 3.75” x 15.5” / 48.3 cm x 8.9 cm x 39.4 cm. Two rack units high.
Humidity: 0–95% RH, non-condensing.
RFI / EMI: Tested according to Cenelec procedures. FCC Part 15 Class A device.
Shipping Weight: 40 lbs. / 18.1 kg
Warranty
Two Years, Parts and Service: Subject to the limitations set forth in Orban's Standard Warranty Agreement.
Because engineering improvements are ongoing, specifications are subject to change without notice.