Detailed Setup and Configuration

Name and Location

Once logged into ARC, click on the System menu (A). Click in the Unit Name field (B) and type in a “friendly” name for this particular unit. You may also enter the physical location of the unit in the “Location” field (C).

I/O Setup

Connect your SDI, AES-3, and/or AES67 sources to the rear panel of the ARC.

Input Routing and Reference

Click on the I/O menu (A), then choose the audio sources you wish to process (Program 1 and Program 2) from the list of available options via the dropdown menus in the Processor Inputs section (B).

Set the reference clock for each source using the dropdown menus in the Reference Clock section (C). The destinations for the processed audio are configured in a different menu but shown for convenience in the Processor Outputs section (D).

Important: At the risk of stating the obvious, proper reference is critical for trouble-free operation. This is true for ARC and every other sync’d device in your plant. Improper clocking is one of the most common causes of clicks, pops, audio dropouts, and other anomalies, and is at the root of a high percentage of support inquiries.

Details about clocking and reference are outlined in the section on I/O, Clocking and Reference. A moment spent reading and understanding this information now will save you time and grief down the road.

Output Routing

Each output type - SDI, AES67, and AES-3 – has its own sub-menus.

SDI Outputs

To configure the SDI outputs, click on the SDI sub-menu in the “I/O” menu (A).

In the “SDI Out” routing section, use the SDI Out dropdown menus (C) to select which audio sources get routed to each SDI output pair. These may include processed audio as well as available SDI, AES67, and AES-3 inputs.

By default, the corresponding SDI input pairs are routed to each SDI output, which effectively passes unprocessed input audio directly to the output. Pair shuffling can be accomplished by selecting a different SDI input for any given SDI output. To route processed (loudness-controlled) audio to an SDI output pair, choose “Program 1” or “Program 2”

The SDI SRCs can be disabled when using an SDI input and output using the SDI SRC In switches (D) and SDI SRC Out switches (E). Doing so does lower throughput latency slightly, but there is no disadvantage to leaving them enabled. In fact, if there are any anticipated reference clock changes (either intentional or unplanned) it is safer to leave them enabled.

Note that you can customize the names of the various SDI input pairs to make identifying the sources easier. Click inside the Label field (B) of the “SDI In” section, type a name, then click the green checkmark to save your changes.

AES67 Outputs

AES67 outputs are configured in the AES67 sub-menu and in much the same way as SDI outputs.

Click on the AES67 sub-menu (A) of the “I/O” menu. Use the AES67 dropdown menu (C) to select which audio gets routed to each SDI output pair. Sources may include processed audio as well as available SDI, AES67, and AES-3 inputs.

The multicast address of each desired AES67 input should be entered into the “Address” field of the “AES67 In” section (B).

As with other inputs, you can customize the names of the various AES67 input pairs to make identifying the sources easier. Click inside the Label field (B) of the “AES67 In” section, type a name, then click the green checkmark to save your changes.

AES-3 Output

The AES-3 output is configured in the AES-3 sub-menu and in much the same way as SDI and AES67 outputs.

Click on the AES-3 sub-menu of the “I/O” menu (A). Use the dropdown menu (C) of the “AES-3 Out” routing section to select which audio gets routed to the AES-3 output. Sources may include processed audio as well as available SDI, AES67, and AES-3 inputs.

As with the other outputs, you can customize the name of the AES-3 input pair to make identifying the sources easier. Click inside the Label field (B) of the “AES-3 In” section, type a name, then click the green checkmark to save your changes.

The Input SRC (D) is enabled by default. If the AES-3 input is your clock reference, disabling the SRC will reduce latency slightly. If there are any anticipated reference clock changes (either intentional or unplanned) it is safer to leave it enabled.

GPI/O

ARC features five GPI and five GPO functions through its rear panel DB-15 connector, activated by a momentary contact closure.

GPI/O Pinout

GPI Functions (A) include:

• None

• Reboot/Reset Unit

• Hardware (Relay) Bypass

• Reset All Input Loudness Meters

• Reset All Output Loudness Meters

• Reset All Loudness Meters

• Recall Profile (PGM 1)

• Reset Program 1 Input Loudness Meter

• Reset Program 1 Output Loudness Meter

• Bypass Program 1 Processing

• Recall Profile (PGM 2)

• Reset Program 2 Input Loudness Meter

• Reset Program 2 Output Loudness Meter

• Bypass Program 2 Processing

GPO Functions (D) include:

• GPI Passthrough

• Power Supply 1 Up

• Power Supply 2 Up

• Power Supply 1 Down

• Power Supply 2 Down

• Unit Resetting

• Unit Rebooting

• Unit Powering Down

• Unit Above Temperature

• Unit Bypass (Relay Bypass) Active

• Change in Reference

• Primary Reference Clock is Lost

• Secondary Reference Clock is Lost

• Primary Reference Clock is Active

• Secondary Reference Clock is Active

• Internal Reference is Active

• Program 1 Loudness Above Target Range

• Program 1 Loudness Below Target Range

• Program 1 APTO Processor Bypassed

• Program 1 Output Loudness Meter Reset

• Program 2 Loudness Above Target Range

• Program 2 Loudness Below Target Range

• Program 2 APTO Processor Bypassed

• Program 2 Loudness Meter Reset

The State Indicator (B) for each function will light for the duration of the closure on GPIs. For GPOs, it will light for the duration of an active event.

Certain GPIs have selectable Parameters (C) associated with them. For example, selecting a “Recall Profile” function will present a dropdown menu to select the desired profile.

Likewise, some GPOs have user-defined Parameters (E) as well. Choosing one of the “Loudness Above Target Range” or “Loudness Below Target Range” functions will display the following parameters:

• Measurement determines the integration time used to measure the over/under loudness status

• Threshold determines how far the loudness readings must deviate from the target in dB

• On Time is the length of time (in seconds) that loudness levels must stay above/below the threshold in order to trigger the GPO

• Off Time is the length of time (in seconds) that loudness levels must return and remain within tolerance before the GPO is cleared

Delays, Latency and A/V Sync

Latency through ARC varies depending on which inputs and outputs are used and whether or not SRCs are enabled. In any case, any latency will result in the processed audio trailing the video by that amount at the SDI output.

To compensate for that latency and avoid lip-sync issues, an SDI video delay is provided in the Delays sub-menu of the I/O menu (A). Click on the millisecond and/or microsecond fields in the Video Delay section (B) and type in the required value. If the output needs to be delayed by an even frame (the value of which will vary depending on frame rate), simply enter that number.

Note: Entering an even frame value will result in a situation where it is necessary to add additional audio delay to the AES67 and AES-3 outputs so that they match the timing of the SDI output signal. This can be accomplished by setting the Audio Delay (C) to a value equal to the difference between a full frame and the latency of the unit.

Latency values for Firmware V0.0.64 are as follows:

• AES-3 input to AES-3 output with SRCs disabled: 30.5ms

• AES-3 input to AES-3 output with AES-3 input SRC enabled: 33.5ms

• SDI input to SDI output with SRCs disabled: 33.5ms

• SDI input to SDI output with SDI SRCs enabled: 36.5ms

• AES67 input to AES67 output: 107ms (measurement made using Telos Alliance SDI xNode which has a latency value of 80ms)