Sonifex RB-DS2 - Stereo Delay Synchroniser & Time-Zone Delay

The RB-DS2 is a stereo audio delay synchroniser used for resynchronising audio to video following delay processes such as standards conversion, transmission delay, logo insertion, video aspect ratio conversion and network delays. It can be used for fixed installations to correct a permanent audio delay, or on an intermittent basis to provide occasional correction, for example for live links. Accepting digital audio signals up to 96kHz, 24 bit, the sonic quality of the RB-DS2 is superb and silent switching is used to provide the smoothest, cleanest audio delay available.

The RB-DS2 has both balanced analogue and AES/EBU digital audio inputs and outputs on 3 pin XLR connectors. It can act as a combined A/D and D/A unit meaning that analogue inputs can be delayed and output as AES/EBU or vice-versa. It is a stereo delay, but can also be used as a dual mono delay, to process each audio path separately, or as a mono delay only.

As standard the RB-DS2 can provide up to 10.5 seconds of delay at 96kHz sampling, 24 bit 

(42 secs at 48kHz, 16 bit). An internal Compact Flash™ expansion allows up to 2GB of memory to be accessed providing delay times of over 4 hours, for example, to delay a programme output across different time-zones, or to shift a broadcast programme by 1 hour for a satellite rebroadcast. Delay times can be selected in samples, fields, frames, metres, milliseconds and with the Compact Flash™ expansion, in hh:mm:ss. Frame and field definitions can be for PAL (25 frame) or NTSC (30 frame) signals.

A front panel blue vacuum fluorescent display with rotary controller is used for selecting the various settings of the delay, which include the source (analogue or digital), channels, sample rate, sample bit width, format (PAL or NTSC), delay units and the delay itself. Additionally, input peak digits can be selected from +12dBu, +18dBu and +24dBu for FSD and two left and right pre-set potentiometers on the rear panel allow the input gain range to be altered by ±3dB around the selected peak digits.

The analogue output gain range can be altered in software from -6dBu to +24dBu output level, ref FSD. Both analogue and digital outputs can be separately muted and a front panel Bypass button disengages electro-mechanical relays to divert both analogue and digital inputs to their outputs. This is also disengaged automatically when a power-fail occurs.

All of the settings in the unit can be saved to one of 8 configuration settings. These Configs can be viewed, edited, saved and loaded, and also remotely loaded by using one of the 8 GPI contacts, meaning that any setting, such as delay time or Bypass, can be altered instantaneously using a GPI signal. The RB-DS2 also has an RS232 serial port for remotely controlling the unit and there are 4 remote outputs which can be used for signalling. The front panel controls can be locked-out for situations where remote control is being used to run the unit, or where physical security is required.