Introduction to this Documentation
The Linear Acoustic AEROMAX® family of processors are state-of-the-art, adaptive, multiband, broadcast audio/loudness processors.
This documentation covers the entire family of AERO hardware processors:
AERO.10 DTV Audio Processor
AERO.20 DTV Audio Processor
AERO.100 DTV Audio Processor
AERO.200 DTV Audio Processor
AERO.1000 DTV Audio Processor
AERO.2000 Audio/Loudness Manager
AERO.2400 Audio/Loudness Manager
AERO.8000 Audio Processing Engine
AERO Hardware Units
Much of the functionality, NfRemote GUI, and options are the same for all AERO hardware units. Differences are noted, where applicable. These can include the unit’s physical I/O, audio and video formats, available options, and the number of AEROMAX (AMX) processing engines, or instances, that can be run on the unit.
The available AMX5.1, AMX5×2 and AMX2.0 instances are common across all units. (See AEROMAX Engines.)
AERO.10 DTV Audio Processor
AERO.10 supports one AMX instance and PCM processing. The unit does not support Nielsen®watermark encoding, Verance® Aspect® encoding, or Dolby® Digital Plus or AC-4 encoding or transcoding.
Front Panel
Figure 1: AERO.10 front panel
The AERO.10 front panel includes these features:
Power indicator
Status lights
LCD display
Menu rotary joystick encoder
Volume control for headphone output
Headphone jack
USB connector
The LCD display provides visual feedback and interaction for AERO.10, including input signal status and parameter settings.
You can configure the unit via front panel controls or the remote client (NfRemote), or by connecting to the unit’s internal HTTP server. See article: NfRemote Software Control
Back Panel
Figure 2: AERO.10 back panel
The AERO.10 back panel provides these connectors:
Analog I/O (DB9): Stereo +4 dBu I/O.
Metadata I/O (DB9): Not used on AERO.10.
Reserved (RJ45): Reserved for future use (not connected internally).
Ethernet (RJ45): Auto-sense 100/1000 BASE-T, used for remote control of the unit. Connect to a stable network.
HD SDI In and Out (separate BNCs): 1.5Gb/SD/HD. Each connector supports 16 audio channels, Dolby metadata, and has internal compensating video delay.
AES In and Out (eight BNCs): Main AES I/O for eight channels via respective two-channel pairs (1/2, 3/4, 5/6, and 7/8).
AES Ref (BNC): 48 kHz Digital Audio Ref Signal (DARS), or any unbalanced AES-3 signal. Use only if SDI embedding is disabled.
Enc Out (BNC): Encoder output, fed in parallel with AES 15/16.
Vref (BNC): Video reference input. When connected it replaces SDI timing reference. Vref requires software v3.19.85 or later.
LTC In (BNC): LTC timecode input (not currently supported).
GPI/O (DB25): Eight parallel inputs, 5-V TTL levels, active low.
PSU1/PSU2: AC power inlets.
Note: All BNC inputs are 75-Ω internally terminated.
AERO.20 DTV Audio Processor
AERO.20 supports one AMX instance and PCM processing. The unit does not support Nielsen watermark encoding, Verance Aspect encoding, Dolby Digital Plus or AC-4 encoding or transcoding.
Front Panel
Figure 3: AERO.20 front panel
The AERO.20 front panel includes these features:
Power indicator (backlit Telos Alliance logo): When lit, indicates the unit is receiving power from one or both power supplies.
LCD display: Shows the current software version, host computer name, and IP address of the unit, along with the unit’s time and date settings.
USB connector: Supports performing software updates and downloading loudness logs.
You can configure and control the unit via the remote client (NfRemote), or by connecting to the unit’s internal HTTP server. See article: NfRemote Software Control
Back Panel
Figure 4: AERO.20 back panel
The AERO.20 back panel provides these connectors:
Control (RJ45): Auto-sense 100/1000 BASE-T, used for remote control of the unit. Connect to a stable network.
AoIP (RJ45) Auto-sense 100/1000 BASE-T, used for AES67 audio streams in support of SMPTE ST 2110-30 and Telos Alliance Livewire streams. Connect to a stable network.
SDI1 In, SDI1 Out, SDI2 In, and SDI2 Out (BNCs): Auto-sensing 3G/SD/HD, supports 16 audio channels in each SDI path, Dolby VANC metadata, and has internal compensating video delay.
AES In and Out (eight BNCs): Main AES I/O for eight channels via respective two-channel pairs (1/2, 3/4, 5/6, and 7/8).
AES Ref (BNC): 48 kHz Digital Audio Ref Signal (DARS), or any AES signal, excluding video. Use only if SDI embedding is disabled.
Enc Out (BNC): Encoder output, fed in parallel with AES 15/16.
Vref (BNC): Video reference input. When connected it replaces SDI timing reference. Vref requires software v3.19.85 or later.
LTC In (BNC): LTC timecode input (not currently supported).
GPI/O (DB15): Five parallel inputs, 5-V TTL levels, active low.
PSU1/PSU2: AC power inlets.
Note: All BNC inputs are 75-Ω internally terminated.
AERO.100 DTV Audio Processor
AERO.100 supports one or two AMX instances. Additionally, the unit supports Nielsen watermark encoding, Verance Aspect encoding, and Dolby Digital Plus encoding and transcoding.
Front Panel
Figure 5: AERO.100 front panel
The AERO.100 front panel includes these features:
Power indicator (backlit Telos Alliance logo)
LCD display
USB connector
The LCD display provides the software version, host computer name, and IP address of the unit. You can configure and control the unit via the remote client (NfRemote), or by connecting to the unit’s internal HTTP server. See article: NfRemote Software Control
Back Panel
Figure 6: AERO.100 back panel
The AERO.100 back panel provides these connectors:
Analog I/O (DB9): Stereo +4 dBu I/O.
Metadata I/O (DB9): RS-485 Dolby metadata (no crossover cable required).
Reserved (RJ45): Reserved for future use (not connected internally).
Ethernet (RJ45): Auto-sense 100/1000 BASE-T, used for remote control of the unit. Connect to a stable network.
HD SDI In and Out (BNCs): Auto-sensing 1.5G/SD/HD, supports 16 audio channels in each path, VANC metadata, and has internal compensating video delay
AES In and Out (eight BNCs): Main AES I/O for eight channels via respective two-channel pairs (1/2, 3/4, 5/6, and 7/8).
AES Ref (BNC): 48 kHz Digital Audio Ref Signal (DARS), or any AES signal, excluding video. Use only if SDI embedding is disabled.
Enc Out (BNC): Encoder output, fed in parallel with AES 15/16.
Vref (BNC): Video reference input. When connected it replaces SDI timing reference. Vref requires software v3.19.85 or later.
LTC In (BNC): LTC timecode input (not currently supported).
GPI/O (DB25): Eight parallel inputs, 5-V TTL levels, active low.
PSU1/PSU2: AC power inlets.
Note: All BNC inputs are 75-Ω internally terminated.
AERO.200 DTV Audio Processor
AERO.200 supports one or two AMX instances. Additionally, the unit supports Nielsen watermark encoding, Verance Aspect encoding, and Dolby Digital Plus encoding and transcoding. It also supports dual 3G/HD/SD-SDI I/O.
Front Panel
Figure 7: AERO.200 front panel
The AERO.200 front panel includes these features:
Power indicator (backlit Telos Alliance logo): When lit, indicates the unit is receiving power from one or both power supplies.
LCD display: Shows the current software version, host computer name, and IP address of the unit, along with the unit’s time and date settings.
USB connector: Supports performing software updates and downloading loudness logs.
You can configure and control the unit via the remote client (NfRemote), or by connecting to the unit’s internal HTTP server. See article: NfRemote Software Control
Back Panel
Figure 8: AERO.200 back panel
The AERO.200 back panel provides these connectors:
Control (RJ45): Auto-sense 100/1000 BASE-T, used for remote control of the unit. Connect to a stable network.
AoIP (RJ45) Auto-sense 100/1000 BASE-T, used for AES67 audio streams in support of SMPTE ST 2110-30/31 Profile A and Telos Alliance Livewire+ streams. Connect to a stable network.
SDI1 In, SDI1 Out, SDI2 In, and SDI2 Out (BNCs): Auto-sensing 3G/HD/SD, supports 16 audio channels in each path, VANC metadata, and has internal compensating video delay.
AES In and Out (eight BNCs): Main AES I/O for eight channels via respective two-channel pairs (1/2, 3/4, 5/6, and 7/8).
AES3 Ref (BNC): 48 kHz Digital Audio Ref Signal (DARS), or any AES signal, excluding video. Use only if SDI embedding is disabled.
ENC Out (BNC): Encoder output, fed in parallel with AES3 15/16.
Vref (BNC): Video reference input. When connected it replaces SDI timing reference. Vref requires software v3.19.85 or later.
LTC In (BNC): LTC timecode input (not currently supported).
GPI/O (DB15): Five parallel inputs, 5-V TTL levels, active low.
PSU1/PSU2: AC power inlets.
Note: All BNC inputs are 75-Ω internally terminated.
AERO.1000 Audio/Loudness Platform
AERO.1000 supports up to eight AMX instances and PCM processing. Additionally, the unit supports Nielsen watermark encoding and Dolby Digital Plus encoding and transcoding. The unit does not support Verance Aspect encoding.
Front Panel
Figure 9: AERO.1000 front panel
The AERO.1000 front panel includes these features:
Power indicator (backlit Linear Acoustic logo)
LCD display
Menu rotary joystick encoder
Volume control for headphone output
Headphone jack
USB connector
The LCD display provides visual feedback and interaction for AERO.1000, including input signal status and parameter settings.
You can configure the unit via front panel controls or the remote client (NfRemote), or by connecting to the unit’s internal HTTP server. See article: NfRemote Software Control
Back Panel
Figure 10: AERO.1000 back panel
The AERO.1000 back panel provides these connectors:
Analog I/O (DB9): Stereo +4 dBu I/O.
Metadata I/O (DB9): RS-485 Dolby metadata (no crossover cable required).
Reserved (RJ45): Reserved for future use (not connected internally).
Ethernet (RJ45): Auto-sense 100/1000 BASE-T, used for remote control of the unit. Connect to a stable network.
HD SDI In and Out (separate BNCs): Auto-sensing 1.5G/SD/HD. Each connector supports 16 audio channels, VANC metadata, and has internal compensating video delay.
AES In and Out (eight BNCs): Main AES I/O for eight channels via respective two-channel pairs (1/2, 3/4, 5/6, and 7/8).
AES Ref (BNC): 48 kHz Digital Audio Ref Signal (DARS), or any AES signal, excluding video. Use only if SDI embedding is disabled.
Enc Out (BNC): Encoder output, fed in parallel with AES 15/16.
Vref (BNC): Video reference input. When connected it replaces SDI timing reference. Vref requires software v3.19.85 or later.
LTC In (BNC): LTC timecode input (not currently supported).
AES Insert I/O (DB25): AES channels 9-16, unbalanced (See Connector Pinouts.)
GPI/O (DB25): Eight parallel inputs, 5-V TTL levels, active low.
PSU1/PSU2: AC power inlets.
Note: All BNC inputs are 75-Ω internally terminated.
AERO.2000 Audio/Loudness Manager
AERO.2000 supports one or two AMX instances. Additionally, the unit supports Nielsen watermark encoding, Verance Aspect encoding, and Dolby Digital Plus encoding and transcoding.
The AERO.2000 is a 2U unit. It includes a large front panel color LCD display, front panel controls, a headphone output, and an additional eight channels of AES3 I/O via DB25 connection.
Front Panel
Figure 11: AERO.2000 front panel
The AERO.2000 front panel includes these features:
Power indicator (backlit Linear Acoustic logo)
LCD display
Up, down, left (Prev), and right (Next) control buttons
Rotary encoder
Headphone volume control
Headphone jack
USB connector
The LCD display provides visual feedback and interaction for AERO.2000, including input signal status and parameter settings.
You can configure the unit via front panel controls or the remote client (NfRemote), or by connecting to the unit’s internal HTTP server. We recommend remote control as it is easier and offers many benefits. See article: NfRemote Software Control
Back Panel
Figure 12: AERO.2000 back panel
The AERO.2000 back panel provides these connectors:
Analog I/O (DB9): Stereo +4 dBu I/O (currently not used).
Metadata I/O (DB9): RS-485 Dolby metadata (no crossover cable required).
Reserved (RJ45): Reserved for future use (not connected internally).
Ethernet (RJ45): Auto-sense 100/1000 BASE-T, used for remote control of the unit. Connect to a stable network.
HD SDI In and Out (BNCs): Auto-sensing 1.5G/SD/HD, supports 16 audio channels in each path, VANC metadata, and has internal compensating video delay.
AES In and Out (eight BNCs): Main AES I/O for eight channels via respective two-channel pairs (1/2, 3/4, 5/6, and 7/8).
AES3 Ref (BNC): 48 kHz Digital Audio Ref Signal (DARS), or any AES signal, excluding video. Use only if SDI embedding is disabled.
ENC Out (BNC): Encoder output, fed in parallel with AES 15/16.
Vref (BNC): Video reference input. When connected it replaces SDI timing reference. Vref requires software v3.19.85 or later.
LTC In (BNC): LTC timecode input (not currently supported).
Monitor AES I/O (DB25): AES channels 9-16, unbalanced (See Connector Pinouts.)
GPI/O (DB25): Eight parallel inputs, 5-V TTL levels, active low.
PSU1/PSU2: AC power inlets.
Note: All BNC inputs are 75-Ω internally terminated.
AERO.2400 Audio/Loudness Manager
AERO.2400 supports one or two AMX instances. Additionally, the unit supports Nielsen watermark encoding, Verance Aspect watermark encoding, and Dolby Digital Plus encoding and transcoding.
The AERO.2400 is a 2U unit. It includes a large front panel color LCD display, front panel controls, a headphone output, and an additional eight channels of AES3 I/O via DB25 connection. It also supports dual 3G/HD/SD-SDI I/O.
Front Panel
Figure 13: AERO.2400 front panel
The AERO.2400 front panel includes these features:
Power indicator (backlit Telos Alliance logo): When lit, indicates the unit is receiving power from one or both power supplies.
Color display: Shows input and output meters, processing activity, loudness meters, and other customizable parameters in addition to various menus.
Rotary encoder and up, down, left (Prev), and right (Next) control buttons: Allow front panel setup and configuration.
Headphone output jack and volume control: Allow local audio monitoring.
USB connector: Supports performing software updates and downloading loudness logs.
You can configure the unit via front panel controls or the remote client (NfRemote), or by connecting to the unit’s internal HTTP server. We recommend remote control as it is easier and offers many benefits. See article: NfRemote Software Control
Back Panel
Figure 14: AERO.2400 back panel
The AERO.2400 back panel provides these connectors:
Control (RJ45): Auto-sense 100/1000 BASE-T, used for remote control of the unit. Connect to a stable network.
AoIP (RJ45) Auto-sense 100/1000 BASE-T, used for AES67 audio streams in support of SMPTE ST 2110-30 and Telos Alliance Livewire streams. Connect to a stable network.
SDI1 In, SDI1 Out, SDI2 In, and SDI2 Out (BNCs): Auto-sensing 3G/SD/HD, supports 16 audio channels in each path, VANC metadata, and has internal compensating video delay
AES In and Out (eight BNCs): Main AES I/O for eight channels via respective two-channel pairs (1/2, 3/4, 5/6, and 7/8).
AES3 Ref (BNC): 48 kHz Digital Audio Ref Signal (DARS), or any AES signal, excluding video. Use only if SDI embedding is disabled.
ENC Out (BNC): Encoder output, fed in parallel with AES3 15/16.
Vref (BNC): Video reference input. When connected it replaces SDI timing reference. Vref requires software v3.19.85 or later.
LTC In (BNC): LTC timecode input (not currently supported).
Monitor AES I/O (DB25): AES channels 9-16, unbalanced (See Connector Pinouts.)
GPI/O (DB15): Five parallel inputs, 5-V TTL levels, active low.
PSU1/PSU2: AC power inlets.
Note: All BNC inputs are 75-Ω internally terminated.
AERO.8000 Audio Processing Engine
AERO.8000 supports up to eight AMX instances. Each instance can support Nielsen watermark encoding, Verance Aspect encoding, and Dolby Digital Plus encoding and transcoding.
The AERO.8000 is a 1U server-based unit where all audio I/O is via AoIP.
Front Panel
Figure 15: AERO.8000 front panel
The AERO.8000 front panel includes these features:
Power indicator (backlit Linear Acoustic logo); Original models only
Status lights
Reset button
On/Off button
USB connector
You can configure and control the unit via the remote client (NfRemote), or by connecting to the unit’s internal HTTP server. See article: NfRemote Software Control
Back Panel
Figure 16: AERO.8000 back panel
The AERO.8000 back panel provides these connectors:
Reserved (RJ45): Reserved for future use (not connected internally).
Ethernet (RJ45): Auto-sense 100/1000 BASE-T, used for AES67 audio streams in support of SMPTE ST 2110-30 and Telos Alliance Livewire streams. Connect to a stable network.
PSU1/PSU2: AC power inlets.
Powering On or Off an AERO Unit
Each AERO unit is equipped with two power supplies (dual redundant internal PSUs). Always connect the power inlets to clean AC power sources. We strongly recommended connecting them to separate AC power circuits primarily to protect you against unreliable power sources, and not from problems with the AERO’s power supplies. Additionally, we recommend using an uninterruptible power supply (UPS) on at least one, if not both, of the AC power feeds.
Important! Click here for important information on proper grounding and other items pertaining to electrical safety.
To power on an AERO unit:
Apply AC power to the unit.
Note: There is no power switch.
For all units except AERO.10 and AERO.8000, the blue light behind the front panel company logo illuminates, the LCD screen shows the logo, and the unit’s fans turn on. When the menu appears on the LCD screen, startup is complete, and the unit is ready to use. This process may take up to two minutes. AERO.10 and AERO.8000 turn on in the same manner when AC power is applied, except they have status lights to indicate power on.
To power off an AERO unit:
Remove the AC power cords from the unit.
Remote and Front Panel Control
AERO units support multiple methods of control.
Telos remote control application NfRemote. This is the primary way to control all AERO units.
Front panel controls (AERO.10, AERO.2000, and AERO.2400 only): This provides another way to control units.
Internal HTTP server: This remote-control option supports scripting commands, macros, and downloading of loudness logs by using set and get commands.
NfRemote
All AERO units can be fully configured, controlled, and monitored via NfRemote, the remote-control client application provided by Telos Alliance. This is an MS Windows application. Units with front panel controls (AERO.10, AERO.2000, and AERO.2400) support both NfRemote and front panel control. The NfRemote client has the additional capability of streaming audio back over the local network to the host computer.
NfRemote is a separate client application that can be installed on most recent desktop, laptop, or tablet PCs running almost any relatively modern version of MS Windows®, including Windows 11, 10, 8, and Vista. Touchscreen support is provided for touch-sensitive devices.
The NfRemote client software can be downloaded from the Telos Alliance website (www.telosalliance.com), or from the unit’s internal HTTP server.
Note: When the AERO unit ships from the factory, it has an address range of 192.168.*.* configured in its whitelist. To download NfRemote from a new AERO unit, connect from a PC in this addresses range.
See article: NfRemote Software Control for more information.
Front Panel Navigation
AERO.10, AERO.2000, and AERO.2400 include front panel navigation controls and displays that let you configure and monitor signals, processing, and the unit. Other AERO units have a front panel display only, which provides the unit’s software version, host name (serial number), and the IP address for the control port.
You can change the size of the viewing area. This can be helpful when navigating front panel menus and making adjustments.
To enlarge (or minimize) the viewing area:
Navigate to the Menu Options at the bottom of the menu and highlight it.
For AERO.10, push the joystick up or down, as needed.
For AERO.2000 and AERO.2400, use the up and down arrows.
2. Select Menu Options.
For AERO.10, push the joystick to the right.
For AERO.2000 and AERO.2400, press the right (>) option.
3. Maximize (or minimize) the size of the menu area.
For AERO.10, turn the joystick encoder.
For AERO.2000 and AERO.2400, use the rotary encoder.
AERO.10
The AERO.10 includes a joystick encoder (Menu knob), which provides these actions:
Push left: Escapes (backs you out of) the current location, towards the Main menu
Push right: Acts as an enter key by moving you to the right, into the selected submenu
Push up: Moves you up through the menu tree
Push down: Moves you down through the menu tree
Turn (rotate): Adjusts the parameter
When the unit powers up, the front panel is locked. No configuration changes can be performed until the unit is unlocked. When the front panel is locked, the display shows:
Hostname (serial number)
IP address
System location
Software version installed in the unit
A password is required to unlock the unit’s front panel control. The default factory password is 1234.
To unlock the AERO.10 front panel:
Navigate to the Password field.
The Password field is the default field selected (highlighted) when the AERO.10 boots up. If it is not highlighted, push the joystick up or down to move through the menus.Press the encoder to the right.
A keyboard screen appears.Turn the knob left one click to the “123” selection.
Click right. You will see the keyboard change to numbers and symbols.
Turn the knob left until you get to “1,” and then click right to accept it.
Continue setting the password to 1234.
Scroll to Ok and click right to accept.
Click down once to highlight the Unlock screen ( ).
Click right to unlock the controls. The menu changes and Lock Panel appears).
With the front panel unlocked, you can now change settings. Remember to lock the front panel once you complete making adjustments. The front panel will not lock itself unless the unit is rebooted.
AERO.2000, AERO.2400
These units include four arrow keys to navigate the menu system and a rotary encoder to adjust parameters.
▲ Up arrow: Moves you up through the menu tree
▼ Down arrow: Moves you down through the menu tree
< Left (Prev) arrow: Escapes (backs you out of) the current location, towards the Main menu
> Right (Next) arrow: Acts as an enter key by moving you to the right, into the selected menu
Rotary encoder: Adjusts the selected parameter
When AERO.2400 or AERO.2000 powers up, the front panel is locked. No configuration changes can be performed until the unit is unlocked. When the front panel is locked, the display shows:
Hostname (serial number)
IP address
System location
Software version installed in the unit
A password is required to unlock the unit’s front panel control. The default factory password is 1234.
To unlock the AERO.2400 or AERO.2000 front panel:
Navigate to the Password field.
The Password field is the default field selected (highlighted) when the unit boots up. If it is not highlighted, use the up and down arrows to move through the menus.Press the right arrow. A keyboard screen appears.
Use the rotary encoder to highlight the numeric keypad (123), and then press the right arrow.
Use the rotary encoder to navigate to each character in the password, and then press the right arrow.
After you have entered the password, press the down arrow to highlight Unlock, and press the right arrow to select Unlock.
Once the unit is unlocked, the main screen displays. By default, most of the display is devoted to various meters, and a relatively small portion is reserved for the menus. If needed, adjust the size of the viewing area.
With the front panel unlocked, you can now change settings. Remember to lock the front panel once you complete making adjustments. The front panel will not lock itself unless the unit is rebooted.