Excellence in Broadcast

Orban Optimod-FM 5700i

Brand: Orban

For years, broadcasters have trusted Optimod-FM 8500 to build audiences and ratings with its big, bold sound. Optimod-FM 5700i now offers the proven 8500 sound in a compact, cool-running 1U package at a more affordable price. The 5700i provides stereo enhancement, equalization, AGC, multiband compression, low-IM peak limiting, stereo encoding, and composite limiting - everything that you need to compete in your market.

More than 20 excellent sounding, format-specific factory presets get you started. You'll find all of your favorite 8500 presets here. Although the factory presets are fully competent “out of the box,” you can customize them with easy one-knob LESS-MORE control or with more than 60 advanced controls whose versatility will satisfy even the most finicky on-air sound designer. If you have created custom presets for Optimod-FM 8500, 8400, 8300, 5500, or 5300, you'll find that they import perfectly into the 5700i, retaining your carefully designed sound.

Independent Processing
The FM and digital media processing paths split after the 5700i's stereo enhancer and AGC. There are two equalizers, multiband compressors, and peak limiters, allowing the analogue FM and digital media processing to be optimized separately. The bottom line? Processing that optimizes the sound of your FM channel while punching remarkably crisp, clean, CD-like audio through to your digital channel audience.

Versatility Doesn't Stop With Sound
If you choose to use the 5700i's superb DSP-based stereo encoder and composite limiter, be assured that they deliver an FM analogue signal that is always immaculately clean and perfectly peak limited, with full spectral protection of subcarriers and RDS/RBDS regardless of the amount of composite limiting.

The 5700i includes a “ratings encoder loop-through” connection. This allows a ratings encoder with an AES3 digital input and output to be inserted between the output of the AGC, before the analogue-FM and HD processing paths split or between the output of the audio processing and the input to the stereo encoder. This keeps the audio level driving the ratings encoder as high as possible, minimizing the number of “low audio level” alarms that the ratings encoder generates.

For our European customers, a second-generation ITU BS 412 multiplex power controller smoothly and naturally complies with the standard.

RDS
The 5700i includes a full-featured RBS/RBDS generator at no additional charge. The generator supports dynamic PS. It can be controlled via the 5700i presets and an ASCII terminal server that can be connected to automation to support displaying title and artist.

Controllable
The front-panel display includes a 2x40-character LCD and LED bargraphs that show all metering functions of the processing structure (Two-Band or Five-Band) in use. The metering is always visible while you are adjusting the processor. Navigation is by dedicated buttons, soft buttons (whose functions are context-sensitive), and a large rotary knob.

Ethernet connectivity is standard, as is an easy to use PC remote control application that runs on Windows XP and higher and that can control many 5700i units on a TCP/IP network. Additionally, programmable contact-closure (GPI) control plus ACSII terminal control via the 5700i's RS232 serial and Ethernet ports together give you total freedom to interface the 5700i with your facility's remote control infrastructure, whatever it might be. SNMP support offers yet another way to control and monitor the 5700i's operation via your network.

Administrating and Monitoring
The SNMP (Simple Network Management Protocol) features allow you to monitor your Optimod’s status and to send Alarm notifications via your Optimod’s Ethernet connection to your network.

API: This interface can be used to allow custom third-party applications (including automation systems) to recall presets, view status and set the controls.

Upgradeable
To protect your investment, the 5700i can be upgraded to full 8600Si functionality via a purchased upgrade kit. There's no need to remove the unit from the rack, and you will immediately benefit from Orban's state-of-the-art MX limiter technology.

User Friendly Interface
-An LCD and full-time LED meters make setup, adjustment and programming of OPTIMOD-FM easy - you can always see the metering while you are adjusting the processor. Navigation is by dedicated buttons, soft buttons (whose functions are context-sensitive), and a large rotary knob. The LEDs show all metering functions of the processing structure (Two-Band or Five-Band) in use.

 

Absolute Control of Peak Modulation
-The 5700i provides universal transmitter protection and audio processing for FM broadcast. It can be configured to interface ideally with any commonly found transmission system in the world, analogue or digital.

-The 5700i provides pre-emphasis limiting for the internationally used pre-emphasis curves of 50µs and 75µs.

-The 5700i achieves extremely tight peak control at all its outputs - analogue, AES3 (for both the analogue FM and HD channels), and composite baseband.

-The stereo encoder has two outputs with independent level controls, each capable of driving 75Ω in parallel with 47,000pF (100ft / 30m of coaxial cable).

-By integrating the stereo encoder with the audio processing, the 5700i eliminates the overshoot problems that waste valuable modulation in traditional external encoders.

-The 5700i prevents aliasing distortion in subsequent stereo encoders or transmission links by providing bandwidth limiting and overshoot compensated 15 kHz low-pass filters ahead of the 5700i’s audio outputs and stereo encoder.

-The 5700i has an internal, DSP-based stereo encoder (with a patented “half-cosine interpolation” composite limiter operating at 512 kHz sample rate) to generate the pilot tone stereo baseband signal and control its peak level. The composite limiter is a unique, “you can only do this in DSP” process that beats composite clippers by preserving stereo imaging while fully protecting the stereo pilot tone, RDS/RBDS, and subcarriers.

-The stereo encoder’s stereo sub-channel modulator can operate in normal double sideband mode and in an experimental compatible single sideband mode that is offered to enable users to compare and assess the two modes.

-The Digital Radio processing chain offers an ITU-R BS.1770-3 Loudness Meter and Safety Limiter for use in countries that enforce a BS.1770 loudness limit on digital radio broadcasts. The 5700i/HD implements “true peak” control in its HD processing chain by oversampling the HD peak limiter’s sidechain at 256 kHz. This allows the 5700i to prevent clipping in a playback device’s analogue signal path by predicting and controlling the analogue peak level following the playback device’s reconstruction filter to an accuracy of better than 0.5 dB. For typical program material, accuracy is 0.2 dB.

-Without true peak control, analogue clipping can occur even if all peak values of the digital samples are below 0 dBFS. This phenomenon has also been termed “0 dBFS+.”

-Thanks to true peak control, sample rate conversion, unless it removes high frequency program energy or introduces group delay distortion, cannot cause sample peaks to increase more than 0.5 dB. For example, sample rate con- version from 48 kHz to 44.1 kHz is highly unlikely to cause sample peak clipping in the 44.1 kHz audio data.

Flexible Configuration
-A built-in RDS/RBDS encoder supports the most important RDS features and can be associated with processing presets so that mixed-format stations can automatically update the “program type” field to complement the programming by recalling a audio processing preset for a given program type.

-OPTIMOD-FM 5700i is supplied with analogue and AES3 digital inputs and outputs. The digital input and the two digital outputs are equipped with samplerate converters and can operate at 32 kHz, 44.1 kHz, 48 kHz, 88.1 kHz, and 96 kHz sample rates. The pre-emphasis status and output levels are separately adjustable for the analogue and digital outputs. Each output can emit the analogue FM processed signal, the analogue FM processed signal with diversity delay applied, the digital radio processed signal, or the low-delay monitor signal.

-A loop-through connection is provided to enable a ratings encoder (such as Arbitron®) to be inserted at the output of the AGC before the analogue-FM and HD processing paths split or between the output of the audio processing and the input to the stereo encoder. In “ratings encoder loop-through mode,” the second digital output drives the ratings encoder.

-Failsafe switching detects loss of audio on the primary input, which you can assign to be the analogue or digital input. If audio is lost on the primary input, the 5700i can switch automatically to the secondary input.

-The 5700i has two independent equalizers, multiband compressors, and peak limiters for the FM analogue and digital media processing channels, allowing you to separately optimize the processing for each.

-An AES11 sync input allows you to synchronize the output sample rate of either (or both) AES3 outputs to this input. You can also synchronize the out- puts to the AES3 digital input or to 5700i’s internal clock. The sync source of each AES3 output is independently selectable.

-A wordclock/10 MHz sync reference input accepts a 1x 5V p-p squarewave wordclock signal at 32, 44.1, 48, 88.2, or 96 kHz, or a 10 MHz sinewave or squarewave signal, 0.5 to 5 V peak. 10 MHz is a common output frequency produced by GPS and rubidium frequency standards. You can configure the 5700i to lock its 19 kHz pilot tone and output sample frequency to this input. This is particularly advantageous in single-frequency network applications.

-A defeatable diversity delay can delay the FM analogue processing output up to 16.2 seconds. Delay can be trimmed in intervals of one sample of 64 kHz to match the analogue and digital paths in the HD Radio system, eliminating the need to use the delay built into the HD Radio exciter and permitting the 5700i’s internal stereo encoder and composite limiter to drive the ana- log FM exciter. Both the 5700i and 5700i/FM offer this feature, making it convenient to use the 5700i/FM in dual-processor HD installations where the digital channel receives independent processing from a processor like Orban’s Optimod 6300 or Optimod-PC 1101(e). Each output (Analogue, Digital 1, Digital 2, Composite) can be independently configured to emit the delayed or undelayed signal.

-The analogue inputs are transformerless, balanced 10kΩ instrumentation- amplifier circuits. The analogue outputs are transformerless balanced and floating (with 50Ω impedance) to ensure highest transparency and accurate pulse response.

-The 5700i has two independent composite baseband outputs with digitally programmable output levels. Robust line drivers enable them to drive 100 feet of RG-59 coaxial cable without audible performance degradation.

-The 5700i’s two subcarrier inputs are mixed with the output of the 5700i’s stereo encoder before application to the composite output connectors. One input can be re-jumpered to provide a 19 kHz pilot reference output. Both inputs have internal level trims to accommodate subcarrier generators with output levels as low as 220 mV.

-The 5700i precisely controls the audio bandwidth of its analogue FM processing to 16.5 kHz. This prevents significant overshoots in uncompressed digital links operating at a 44.1 kHz-sample rate or higher and prevents interference to the pilot tone and RDS (or RBDS) subcarrier. The bandwidth of the 5700i’s digital radio output is adjustable in 1 kHz increments between 15 kHz and 20 kHz.

-The 5700i has a defeatable multiplex power limiter that controls the multiplex power to ITU-R BS412 standards. An adjustable threshold allows a station to achieve maximum legal multiplex power even if the downstream transmission system introduces peak overshoots into the 5700i-processed signal. It allows the user to adjust the processor’s subjective setup controls freely without violating BS412 limits, regardless of program material. The multiplex power limiter acts on all outputs (not just the composite output). In its most common configuration, it reduces clipper drive when it reduces power, simultaneously reducing clipping distortion. However, to accommodate customers who wish to use heavier clipping to achieve a certain sound, the MPX power controller can be configured to reduce gain after the clippers.

-All input, output, and power connections are rigorously RFI-suppressed to Orban’s traditional exacting standards, ensuring trouble-free installation.

-The 5700i is designed and certified to meet all applicable international safety and emissions standards.

Adaptability through Multiple Audio Processing Structures
-A processing structure is a program that operates as a complete audio processing system. The 5700i realizes its processing structures as a series of high- speed mathematical computations made by Digital Signal Processing (DSP) chips.

-The 5700i features four processing structures: Five-Band (or “Multiband”) for a consistent, “processed” sound with 17 ms delay (typical), free from undesirable side effects, Low-Latency Five-Band (12 ms delay), Ultra-Low-Latency Five- Band (3.7 ms delay), and Two-Band (17 or 22 ms delay) for a transparent sound that preserves the frequency balance of the original program material. A special Two-Band preset creates a no-compromise “Protect” function that is functionally similar to the “Protect” structures in earlier Orban digital processors.

-The 5700i can increase the density and loudness of the program material by multiband compression, limiting, and clipping—improving the consistency of the station’s sound and increasing loudness and definition remarkably, without producing unpleasant side effects.

-The 5700i rides gain over an adjustable range of up to 25 dB, compressing dynamic range and compensating for both operator gain-riding errors and gain in- consistencies in automated systems.

-The 5700i’s Two-Band processing structures can be made phase-linear to maximize audible transparency.

Controllable
-The 5700i can be remote-controlled by 5-12V pulses applied to eight programmable, optically-isolated “general-purpose interface” (GPI) ports available at the REMOTE INTERFACE connector on the rear panel.

-5700i PC Remote software is a graphical application that runs under Windows 2000/XP/Vista/7/8/8.1. It communicates with a given 5700i via TCP/IP over modem, direct serial, and Ethernet connections. Additionally, a Telnet-style terminal server accepts simple ASCII commands, facilitating easy interfacing to automation systems.You can configure PC Remote to switch between many 5700is via a convenient organizer that supports giving any 5700i an alias and grouping multiple 5700is into folders. Clicking a 5700i’s icon causes PC Remote to connect to that 5700i through an Ethernet network, or initiates a Windows Dial-Up or Direct Cable Connection if appropriate. The PC Remote software allows the user to access all 5700i features (including advanced controls not available from the 5700i’s front panel), and allows the user to archive and restore presets, automation lists, and system setups (containing I/O levels, digital word lengths, GPI functional assignments, etc.).

-SNMP support allows you to control and monitor the 5700i over your network by using the SNMP protocol and compatible software.

-The 5700i includes a Telnet client that allows presets to be recalled via batch files using the free PuTTY and Plink applications. The commands are simple ASCII strings, facilitating interface to automation systems that can emit such strings through an Ethernet or RS232 serial connection.

-OPTIMOD-FM contains a versatile real-time clock, which allows automation of various events (including recalling presets) at pre-programmed times. The clock can be set automatically from an Internet timeserver.

-A Bypass Test Mode can be invoked locally, by remote control (from either the 5700i’s GPI port or the 5700i PC Remote application), or by automation to permit broadcast system test and alignment or “proof of performance” tests.

-OPTIMOD-FM contains a built-in line-up tone generator, facilitating quick and accurate level setting in any system.

-OPTIMOD-FM's software can be upgraded by running Orban-supplied downloadable upgrade software on a PC. The upgrade can occur remotely through the 5700i’s Ethernet port or serial port (connected to an external modem), or locally (by connecting a Windows® computer to the 5700i’s serial port through the supplied null modem cable).

-Silence alarm and digital audio fault tally outputs are available.

Upgradeable to 8600Si
-Via a purchased upgrade kit, the 5700i can be upgraded to full 8600Si functionality via a network connection without removing the unit from the rack. This upgrade adds Orban’s exclusive MX limiter technology, which uses a built-in psychoacoustic model and other advanced signal processing techniques to add about 2.5 dB more high frequency power handling capability, lower distortion, and greater transient impact.