Alesis Network Card EC 1 A ES EBU User Manual

ALESIS  
EC-1 AES/EBU  
INTERFACE CARD  
FOR T HE M 20 P ROFESSIONAL 20 -BIT DIGIT AL  
RECORDER  
OW NERS M ANUAL  
FIRST EDITION VERSION 1.0 0  
AP P LIES T O M 20 OP ERAT ING SOFT W ARE VERSION 1.11  
Ó19 9 8 ALESIS CORP ORATION  
 
AP P ENDIX E  
EC-1 AES/EBU  
INTERFACE  
This document covers only those aspects unique to the EC-1 card and  
should be inserted into the binder with the M20 manual.  
TABLE OF CONT ENT S  
Important Safety Instructions..............................................................................................................2  
Safety symbols used in this product ...................................................................................................2  
CE Declaration of Conformity.............................................................................................................2  
About the EC-1 .....................................................................................................................................4  
Overview of Main Functions ...............................................................................................................5  
About AES/ EBU Digital Audio.............................................................................................5  
Digital Audio Cables ..............................................................................................................5  
Front Panel Setup..................................................................................................................................5  
Installation.............................................................................................................................................6  
Precautions ..............................................................................................................................6  
EC-1 Connection to M20 Main Circuit Board .......................................................................6  
Basic Operation.....................................................................................................................................7  
Selecting AES/ EBU (I/ O Card) as the Digital Source .........................................................7  
Selecting AES/ EBU (I/ O Card) as the Clock Source...........................................................7  
To select AES/ EBU as the clock source: ...............................................................................7  
If the EC-1 is not installed in the master M20:......................................................................8  
Input Routing using AES/ EBU (I/ O Card) as the Digital Source ......................................8  
If the input selection is analog and AES/ EBU simultaneously:..........................................9  
Editing input routing when the input selection is analog and AES/ EBU  
simultaneously: .......................................................................................................................9  
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IM P ORT ANT SAFET Y INST RUCT IONS  
SAFET Y SYM BOLS USED IN T HIS P RODUCT  
This symbol alerts the user that there are important operating and  
maintenance instructions in the literature accompanying this unit.  
This symbol w arns the user of uninsulated voltage w ithin the  
unit that can cause dangerous electric shocks.  
All safety warnings in the M20 manual (pages v and vi) apply to the EC-1  
as well.  
CE DECLARAT ION OF CONFORM IT Y  
Manufacturers Name:  
Alesis Corporation  
Manufacturers Address:  
1633 26th Street  
Santa Monica, CA 90404  
USA  
declares, that the product:  
Product Name:  
Product Type:  
Recorder  
EC-1  
Expansion Card for Digital Multitrack  
conforms to the following Standards:  
Application of Council Directive:  
89/ 336/ EEC; 73/ 23/ EEC  
Safety:  
EMC:  
Exempt from Low Voltage Directive  
EN 55022:1995 Class A, EN50082-1:1992  
(IEC 801-2:1991 2nd Edition, 4kV direct,  
8kV air  
IEC 801-3:1984 2; 3V/ m 150MHz-1GHz  
IEC 801-4:1988 1st Edition 2; 1kV, 0.5kV)  
All tests were performed with fully-shielded  
cabling.  
European Contact:  
Sound Technology plc  
Letchworth Point  
Letchworth  
Hertfordshire, SG6 1ND  
UNITED KINGDOM  
Phone: +44.1462.480000  
Fax: +44.1462.480800  
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Ap p e n d ix E, EC-1 AES/EBU In t e r fa ce  
October, 1998  
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ABOUT T HE EC-1  
The EC-1 is an optional AES/ EBU protocol expansion card designed exclusively for the  
M20. It provides 8 simultaneous channels of AES/ EBU digital audio inputs and outputs  
via eight XLR type jacks (four input channel pairs and four output channel pairs). The EC-1  
may be installed directly into the M20s rear panel for simple system integration and  
flexibility. With the EC-1 installed, the M20 can receive and transmit AES/ EBU digital  
audio and digital reference clock.  
The EC-1 expansion card is designed for use only w ith M20 softw are version 1.11  
or higher. If your M20 has a low er softw are version, contact Alesis  
Technical Support at (800) 5-ALESIS or visit our w eb site at  
w w w .alesis.com to dow nload the latest M20 softw are in the form of a  
standard MIDI file. You w ill find instructions for updating the M20 on  
the w eb site as w ell.  
The EC-1 features:  
·
·
8 channels of AES/EBU digital audio. 8 channels of simultaneous input and output  
available on XLR jacks.  
Simple hookup and operation. The EC-1 is designed to install in the rear panel of the  
M20 and connects to the main circuit board with the included multi-pin ribbon  
connector. Once connected, the M20 will detect the cards presence thereby allowing  
digital audio I/ O configurations using AES/ EBU as the digital audio source with  
digital input routing. AES/ EBU channel pairs can be selected as a clock source as well.  
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OVERVIEW OF M AIN FUNCTIONS  
ABOUT AES/EBU DIGITAL AUDIO  
The AES/ EBU protocol is the most common professional standard for transmitting digital  
audio. It is a two-channel protocol designed for stereo pairs, so transmitting from the  
eight-channel ADAT M20 requires the use of four sets of AES/ EBU jacks: four XLR male  
jacks for output, and four XLR female jacks for input. The AES/ EBU input jacks may be  
routed (or “normalled”) to multiple ADAT tracks using the M20s INPUT ROUTING  
feature. The AES/ EBU output jacks are always active, outputting the data from their same-  
numbered track, in addition to the always-active ADAT Optical outputs, so it is possible to  
output digital signals to several destinations simultaneously. As with all digital audio  
interchange formats, AES/ EBU transmits audio encoded as numbers, which may only be  
received by another digital unit.  
Do not plug any AES/EBU signals into an analog audio device (such as a  
microphone input). Avoid running AES/EBU signals through a patch bay  
or cable snake that also handles analog audio signals. Noise and  
improper operation may result.  
The AES/ EBU protocol has an embedded clock so that the transmitter and receiver can  
lock onto the exact same sample rate. In simple setups, this is automatic: the device  
receiving AES/ EBU simply follows the incoming clock (for example, recording from a  
single CD in stereo). But in multitrack applications such as the M20, you must design your  
system with the “one clock” limitation in mind.  
When recording multiple AES/EBU inputs, all inputs being recorded must be  
referenced to the same clock. For example, you cannot record into the  
M20 from a CD player, a DAT, and a digital sampler simultaneously,  
unless all of these devices are synchronous, i.e., set to use a single  
master w ord clock as their reference. For more information on setting  
the clock source, refer to the M20 manual chapter 15, tutorial 3 (Digital  
Clock Considerations).  
DIGITAL AUDIO CABLES  
AES/ EBU is a high-frequency digital interface with some harmonics of its signal extending  
into the radio range. While high-quality standard microphone cables may be used, in some  
situations specially-designed cables may be required. Especially in long cable runs, cable  
with a specified impedance of 110 ohms may be required. Check with your dealer for more  
information.  
FRONT P ANEL SET UP  
After installation, the EC-1 card can be selected as a digital input source and clock reference  
via the M20s front panel. Input routing can be applied to the AES/ EBU input as well. The  
AES/ EBU outputs are always available, no matter what input source is selected.  
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INSTALLATION  
P RECAUT IONS  
Install the EC-1 only if you have had some experience w ith similar devices  
and feel competent to do so. If the follow ing instructions are not clear  
to you, have your dealer or a trained technician install it for you.  
Hazardous voltages are present w ithin the chassis. Do not remove the top  
panel w ithout first unplugging the unit from AC pow er!  
EC-1 CONNECTION TO M 20 M AIN CIRCUIT BOARD  
The EC-1 comes with a 40-pin flexible cable. The cable should be attached to the multi-pin  
header on the card with the blue side of the cable facing away from the XLR connectors.  
To connect the EC-1 to the M20:  
1. Remove the top panel from the M20. The top panel is held to the rear panel with two  
Philips head screws.  
2. Remove the expansion slot blank panel from the M20 rear panel. Four screws keep the  
blank panel in place. It is best to hold the blank panel in place when removing the  
screws to prevent the blank from dropping onto the main circuit board.  
3. Insert the ribbon connector into the 40-pin header on the main circuit board. The  
header is labeled “J7” and sits to the right of the chip labeled “2-32-0007 SMPTE  
FPGA”. The blue side of the cable should face the front of the M20.  
4. Screw the EC-1 card into the expansion slot from the inside of the M20. Use the four  
screws that held the blank panel in place.  
5. Replace the top panel.  
To test for proper installation, plug the unit back in to AC power, turn on the M20, and  
press the Digital Source button (next to the meter display) until the “DIG SOURCE” group  
in the meter display indicates “I/ O CARD”. This confirms that the M20 has detected the  
EC-1’s presence.  
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BASIC OP ERAT ION  
SELECT ING AES/EBU (I/O CARD) AS THE DIGITAL SOURCE  
When using digital inputs, the Digital Source function selects one of three digital input  
options. The I/ O CARD option will appear in the display only if an I/ O card (such as the  
Alesis EC-1 card) is installed in the M20. With the EC-1 card installed, pressing the Digital  
Source button (next to the meter display) toggles through the available sources, such as  
ADAT OPTICAL, TRACK COPY, and I/ O CARD. To select AES/ EBU as the digital  
source, press the Digital Source button until I/ O CARD appears in the DIG SOURCE group  
of the meter display. Now, when Input Select mode is set to digital input for a given  
channel pair (and dependent on how input routing is configured), an AES/ EBU input will  
be the source for the selected channels.  
SELECT ING AES/EBU (I/O CARD) AS THE CLOCK SOURCE  
If a word clock, video, or optical clock source that is synchronous to AES/ EBU digital  
audio input is not available, sample clock for the M20 can be derived from any of the four  
AES/ EBU input channel pairs.  
TO SELECT AES/EBU AS T HE CLOCK SOURCE:  
1. Press the Clock Source button (under the main display) until I/ O CARD appears in the  
CLOCK SOURCE group of the main display.  
2. When I/ O Card is selected, the alpha-numeric in the main display will indicate, “AES  
Clk Source: Chan 1/ 2”. This implies that the M20 will look for clock input at the  
channel pair 1 and 2 XLR input. If AES/ EBU clock input is not detected, the I/ O  
CARD indicator will flash and the M20s internal clock will be used until valid  
AES/ EBU input is detected.  
3. To select the AES clock source, use the Up/ Down arrows on the keypad. The  
selections are Chan 1/ 2, Chan 3/ 4, Chan 5/ 6, or Chan 7/ 8. As noted earlier, if recording  
multiple AES/EBU pairs, their clocks must be synchronous to avoid “ticks” and “pops” or  
audio distortion. If you have multiple synchronous inputs (for example, from a single digital  
mixer), it does not matter which channel pair is chosen as the clock source.  
Example: Suppose you set the digital source to I/ O CARD, and set the input selection  
for channels 3 and 4 to digital (shown by the “D” illuminated under those channel  
meters on the M20). Input 3/ 4 on the EC-1 card is the only jack connected to an  
AES/ EBU digital audio source (like a DAT recorder). If no other AES/ EBU-  
synchronous external clock source is available, I/ O CARD must be selected as the  
clock source. But when you do this, the clock source I/ O CARD indicator flashes,  
and audio monitored via the M20 is distorted. Why?  
Because there still is not a valid clock. The M20s default AES/ EBU clock source is  
channel pair 1/ 2. But in this example, channel pair 3/ 4 is the only AES/ EBU input  
present, so the M20 tries to use its internal clock. Since there is no connection  
between the M20s internal clock and the internal clock of the DAT feeding it in this  
case, the numbers that make up the digital transfer are arriving in the wrong  
positions, causing the distortion. The cure? Simply set the AES clock source to  
“Chan 3/ 4" (or whatever channels youre using), or plug the AES/ EBU source into  
channel pair 1/ 2.  
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Once again, we must remind you: if independent (non-synchronous) AES/ EBU sources are  
connected to the EC-1 card, audio cannot be monitored (or recorded) simultaneously since  
the clock for each input channel pair is independent. When monitoring AES/ EBU digital  
audio from more than one channel pair, all of the AES/ EBU sources must be synchronous,  
i.e., controlled by the same sample clock.  
IF T HE EC-1 IS NOT INSTALLED IN THE M ASTER M 20 :  
If the EC-1 card is installed in a slave M20 (e.g. ID 2), the only clock source available will be  
ADAT (the clock coming in through the ADAT Sync In jack). In this case, AES/ EBU input  
to the slave must be synchronous to the master (ID 1) M20 to avoid clocking problems.  
This is where the use of synchronous word clock (or other applicable external clock source)  
into the master M20 is an appropriate solution.  
Note: In typical scenarios where ADAT optical is used as the digital input source, the “D”  
indicators beneath each channels meter segments will remain solid to indicate that digital  
audio input for the selected source is present. If ADAT optical signal is not detected, the  
“D”s flash as a warning. When a valid external (synchronous) clock source other than I/ O  
CARD (e.g. WORD CLOCK) is used with an AES/ EBU digital audio input, the “D”  
indicators will always remain solid even though AES/ EBU signal may not be present.  
INP UT ROUT ING USING AES/EBU (I/O CARD) AS THE DIGITAL  
SOURCE  
The Input Routing feature of the M20 allows you to go from any input to any track without  
the need for repatching. Just as the analog Input Routing feature allows you to do that with  
an analog input, you can do the same for AES/ EBU inputs from the EC-1 card. AES/ EBU  
routing accommodates a 2-, 4-, or 8-bus mixing configuration. You have the following  
AES/ EBU routing choices when the digital source = I/ O Card:  
·
Odd/ Even (2-bus feed): Press INPUT ROUTING and either the Track 1 or 2 button.  
Input 1 feeds channels 1, 3, 5, 7, and Input 2 feeds channels 2, 4, 6, 8. To record on  
an odd-numbered track, route the signal(s) to bus #1 or left. To record onto an  
even-numbered track, route the signal(s) to bus #2 or right. By simply putting the  
desired track into record, the proper signal will get there, even though it is not  
connected directly to the tracks input jack.  
·
·
Half & Half (4-bus feed): Press INPUT ROUTING and either the Track 3 or 4  
button. Input 1 feeds channels 1, 5; input 2 feeds 2, 6; input 3 feeds 3, 7; input 4  
feeds 4, 8). To record on tracks 1 or 5, route the signal(s) to bus #1. Likewise, to  
record onto tracks 2 or 6, route the signal(s) to bus #2, and so on.  
One-to-one (8-bus feed): Press either the Track 5, 6, 7, or 8 button in Input Routing  
mode. This is the power-on default, where each input feeds its corresponding  
channel. To record on track 1, send the signal to mixer bus 1, to record on track 2  
send the signal to mixer bus 2, etc. This is also the recommended mode when  
feeding the M20 from a mixer channels’ direct outs.  
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Note: The above illustrations assume that the source tracks of the M20 are set to receive  
digital input (as shown by a “D” under the meter for each track).  
IF THE INP UT SELECTION IS ANALOG AND AES/EBU  
SIM ULT ANEOUSLY:  
If you have INPUT SELECT configured for analog and AES/ EBU input, input routing must  
use the one-to-one configuration. This is the case because using any other bus configuration  
will route the selected I/ O card digital source tracks (e.g. tracks 1 and 2 using odd/ even  
routing) to all input enabled tracks even when the input enabled tracks are set to analog  
input, i.e., all input enabled tracks become I/ O card destination tracks.  
EDITING INP UT ROUTING W HEN THE INP UT SELECTION IS ANALOG  
AND AES/EBU SIM ULT ANEOUSLY:  
If you have INPUT SELECT configured for analog and AES/ EBU input, editing the input  
routing is limited to selecting I/ O card source tracks only. The analog input routing will  
not be editable and will follow (be the same as) the I/ O Card routing. If the you want to  
edit analog input routing, the digital source cannot be I/ O Card.  
The scenario below describes a mixed signal input using I/ O CARD as the digital source:  
Example: You are recording a digital submix patched into AES/ EBU input pair 1/ 2  
and intend to route this input to channels 3 and 4. You also have an analog submix  
patched into the analog inputs for channels 7 and 8. The M20 is configured as  
follows: The DIGITAL SOURCE is I/ O CARD. INPUT ROUTING uses the  
"odd/ even" configuration (channels 1 and 2 are the digital source tracks). INPUT  
SELECT is set to DIGITAL input for channels 1 through 4; and ANALOG input for  
channels 5 through 8. Channels 3, 4, 7 and 8 are input enabled.  
Channels 3 and 4 will monitor the AES/ EBU input as expected (the “D” under each  
meter seems to make this obvious). Channels 7 and 8 will also monitor AES/ EBU  
input (not the direct analog input) because the M20 is being told to bus channels 1  
and 2 to ANY input enabled track(s). You cannot use odd/ even or half & half input  
routing with AES/ EBU input and monitor analog inputs simultaneously. To  
monitor the analog inputs for channels 7 and 8 together with AES/ EBU input,  
INPUT ROUTING must use the one-to-one routing configuration. In this case  
however, AES/ EBU input into channel pair 1/ 2 will not route to channels 3 and 4.  
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