SONIFEX AVN-TB10AR TALKBACK INTERCOM 10 button, AES67 AoIP, rack mounting

Sonifex analogue talkback systems are used for general talkback between studios. The use DC signalling, also known as ground lifting or ground signalling, to communicate with each other. These units have been designed to be installed in locations throughout multiple studios and linked to one another, with each unit being able to talkback to up to 6 others.

TB-6R

Housed in a 2U rack-mounting case, TB-6R has been designed to allow communication with up to six other locations - seven locations in total. On the front panel there are six buttons for talkback selection and two for external inputs. A volume control adjusts the levels of both speaker and headphones. While a button is pressed, the button is illuminated and the talkback signal is active to that location. The buttons work with both a momentary and latched operation. If held down, the selection is cancelled when released, otherwise the button is alternate action. When talkback is incoming, the external inputs can be either muted or mixed with the incoming signal, depending on the setting of an internal jumper.

The signal sent to the other locations can be from the onboard electret microphone on the front panel or a separate external microphone signal. Incoming signals can be monitored using the front panel mounted loudspeaker, or headphones. When the headphones are used, the speaker is automatically muted, or, the monitor speaker can be muted via a remote contact. Two external sources may be monitored for example, for confidence monitoring, or for listening to a station feed. The front facing panel also has the loudspeaker grille and an XLR for the external microphone connection.

On the rear is an associated preset gain control, a switch to select microphone source, the 6.35mm stereo headphone socket, two stereo, balanced external inputs via a 9-pin D-sub connector which also carries remote control signals, two RCA (phono) sockets for external input 2, and a preset level control for the incoming talkback signal. In addition there is an IEC power inlet, fuse and the 15-pin D-sub connector to connect talkback input and outputs to the other locations.

Internal jumpers can be configured to use alternative sources rather than the onboard microphone amplifier and to feed the monitor signal to other systems such as a mixer, rather than the internal monitor amplifier. The intercom is then used for switching and monitoring external inputs.

Sonifex TB-6R intercoms use ‘phantom’ or ‘common-mode’ DC signalling, where a ground is placed on the centre-tap of a transformer, to communicate, so are compatible with many of the other talkback systems in use. A sending station places an earth on the centre-tap; this is detected by the receiving unit, which then un-mutes (and provides a DC signal to dim local monitors if required). Each station has a single listen line input and six outputs. When any of the talk buttons is pressed, outgoing talkback and signalling is sent to the selected line. The ‘send’ circuits to a single receiving unit are simply connected in parallel to the input of the receiving unit. Since sending impedance is quite high, and receiving input is quite low, the effect is to mix any incoming talkback signals.

Input impedance: External inputs; greater than 30kohms unbalanced, 40kohms balanced. Input impedance: Microphone; 1.5kohms. Input gain: Microphone; 74dB to 53dB. Input gain: Talkback; 9dB to -28dB. Headphone output: 150mW into 32-600ohms. Gain: Headphone output; 9dB to bellow-60dB (off). Power source: 85V - 264V AC, 47-63Hz. Dimensions (HxWxD): 89(2U) x 483 x 185mm. Weight: 2.6kg.

Included accessories: Manual and IEC power cordset.
Optional accessories: Gooseneck microphone. See Canford dynamic gooseneck microphones.

Sonifex AVN talkback system series comprises of three main parts; the AVN-PX8x4C mix engine, the AVN-MPPR presenter controller, and the AVN-MPTR technician remote controller. Using AES67, a subset of RAVENNA, the units form a talkback system that can have up to 32 presenter remotes to control mix outputs of one of eight virtual mixers, each with four channels.

AVN-PX8x4C - Mix Engine

This is the mix engine part of the system and it houses the hardware that calculates and performs the complex routing, mixing and DSP functions requested. As well as power on/off button and recessed master reset switch, the front facing panel of this 2U rackmountable hardware has an OLED display that shows the current settings as well as navigation for menu settings. The menu settings are accessed via a jog wheel and directional cursors positioned to the right of the display. To the left of the display are four illuminating buttons that give access to 'Menu', 'Assign', 'Release' and 'Grab'. Multi-colour illuminating visuals to the left of centre of the front panel give quick visual aid to current status of AoIP (audio over IP), Ethernet, Auth, Clock, PSU 1 and PSU 2. There are no I/O connections on the front panel.

The rear panel of the AVN-PX8x4C houses all I/O connections including outputs 1-8 and outputs 9-16 on 25-pin D-sub connector, and inputs 1-8, 9-16 and 17-24 on 25-pin D-sub connections. GPI/O A and GPI/O B are on 15-pin D-sub connectors. Two RAVENNA compatible RJ45 connectors enable the 1GB network compatibility, with the upper of the two sockets being the configuration and control port and the lower being the AoIP port. A SFP (small form-factor pluggable) connector allows an alternative interface, such as fibre, to be used as the AoIP port, however the use of this input cannot be in conjunction with the AoIP network port on RJ45. As standard the AVN-PX8X4C has two 85-264V AC IEC AC power modules with T2AL fuse covers and green LEDs to signify status. This gives the capability of redundant power with hot-swappable power sources. The optional AVN-PSU-60W power module can be retro-fitted if replacement required.

Optional accessories: AVN-PSU-60W

AVN-MPPR - Presenter Controller

The MPPR presenter remote uses four rotary encoder volume controls, positioned on the front facing panel, to control the four channels of one of eight virtual mixers housed inside the AVN-PX8X4C mix engine. The volume controls give illuminated feedback in regards to mix level of the source and actual input level. Multi-colour illuminating visuals to the left of the front panel give quick visual aid to current status of AoIP (audio over IP), Ethernet, Limit, Auth, Clock, Power and Mixer channel 1-8. 6.35mm and 3.5mm headphone outputs on the front panel allow monitoring, whilst a 3-pin XLR output on the rear panel can be connected to compatible equipment and used as a mix output, also for monitoring. Also on the rear facing panel is GPI/O on 15-pin D-sub connection, and Ethercon network port for AES67 connectivity to the AVN-PX8x4C mix engine. The unit is also powered via this network connection. Two rotary selectors give the user the ability to alter the hardware ID settings for ID1 group and ID2.

Optional accessories: AVN-MPDB deskmount bracket, AVN-MPMB microphone stand bracket.

AVN-MPTR - Technician Remote

MPTR technician remote is a 1U rackmountable controller that connects via AES67, a subset of RAVENNA, to the AVN-PX8X4C mix engine and multiple AVN-MPPR presenter controllers to give an engineer the ability to remotely adjust volume controls of eight virtual mixers, each with four channels.

The rear facing panel has a 15-pin D-sub GPI/O connection and single Ethercon socket for conveying AES67 signals, while the front facing panel has all the operational controls as well as power on/off switch.

An OLED display with jog wheel and directional cursors to navigate and select menu and submenu items, is situated in the centre of the front facing panel, with four rotary encoders that show input level metering and output volume situated to the right. To the left of the OLED display are four illuminating buttons that give access to 'Menu', 'Assign', 'Release', and 'Grab' functions. Eight buttons labelled 'Pres 1' through 'Pres 8' are used to select one of eight virtual mixers in a one touch operation. Other buttons on the front panel include GPO 'Enable' and 'Active' as well as a recessed reset button that allows hard reset of the unit. Like the front panel of the AVN-MPPR, the AVN-MPTR has multi-colour illuminating visuals to the left side that give quick visual aid to the current status of AoIP (audio over IP), Ethernet, Limit, Auth, Clock, Power and Mixer channel 1-8.