The digital stereo audio processor 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.
The 5500 can also be used as a superb stand-alone stereo encoder with latency as low as 2ms and full overshoot limiting in both the left/right and composite baseband domains. When used in this mode, the 5500 must be driven (usually via an STL) by a full-featured FM audio processor (like Orban's 8600) that incorporates pre-emphasis-aware HF limiting and peak control. In both modes, the 5500's stereo encoder helps deliver a transmitted signal that's always immaculately clean and perfectly peak limited, with full spectral protection of subcarriers and RDS/RBDS regardless of the amount of composite limiting.
The 5500 is the ideal choice for network broadcasters who process with Orban's flagship OPTIMOD-FM 8600 at the network origination point and who need a processor at every transmitter to eliminate STL overshoots (using the 5500's stand-alone stereo encoder mode) or to process local insertions while also eliminating network STL overshoots (using the 5500's audio processor/stereo encoder mode). Moreover, the 5500's two modes make it easy for large government and network broadcasters to manage its inventory of spares because any 5500 can be used as a stereo encoder with or without audio processing. Available in both modes, the built-in, defeatable ITU BS412 multiplex power controller allows the 5500's output to meet even the most stringent European government regulations.
The 5500 includes a full-featured RBS/RBDS generator at no additional charge. The generator supports dynamic PS. It can be controlled via the 5500 presets and an ASCII terminal server that can be connected to automation to support displaying title and artist. The 5500 has a 10MHz frequency reference input allows the stereo pilot tone frequency to be locked to GPS or another high-accuracy frequency standard. This improves the performance of single-frequency networks in areas where coverage of the transmitters overlaps.
- LCD and full-time LED meters make setup, adjustment and programming of OPTIMOD-FM easy
- Provides pre-emphasis limiting for the two standard pre-emphasis curves of 50 and 75 micro seconds
- Achieves extremely tight peak control at all its outputs - analog left/right, AES3 left/right and composite baseband
- Anti-aliased clippers running at 256kHz sample rate prevent any trace of digital clipper sound
- Analog inputs are transformerless, balanced 10kohm instrumentation- amplifier circuits
- Analog outputs are transformerless balanced and floating (with 50ohm impedance) to ensure highest transparency and accurate pulse response
- Two independent composite baseband outputs with digitally programmable output levels
- Precisely controls the audio bandwidth to 15kHz
- De-featable multiplex power limiter that controls the multiplex power to ITU-R BS412 standards
- Wordclock/10MHz sync reference input (called REF IN), which can be used to lock the stereo pilot tone to a high precision external reference like a GPS-based frequency standard
- All input, output and power connections are rigorously RFI-suppressed to Orban's traditional exacting standards, ensuring trouble-free installation
- Two-band processing structure is phase-linear to maximize audible transparency
- SNMP (Simple Network Management Protocol) features allows to monitor Optimod's status and to send alarm notifications via your Optimod's Ethernet connection to network
- Versatile remote control is available via RS232 serial, GPI and Ethernet
