April 6, 1998
NEW 20-BIT DIGITAL AUDIO ADAPTER INTRODUCED AT NAB GIVES
BROADCASTERS THE EQUIVALENT OF FOUR BOARDS ON A SINGLE SOUNDCARD
New Antex Broadcaster features independent record and playback
subsections, each with its own sample clock for simultaneous
stereo record and playback with differing sample rates –
from a single soundcard.
Gardena, California. (April 6, 1998) -- Antex Electronics
Corporation today introduced a new soundcard specifically
for the broadcast industry at the National Association of
Broadcasters (NAB) Show in Las Vegas. The Antex Broadcaster
is a full-sized PCI-based, multi-channel digital audio adapter
for PC compatible computers. The new card provides simultaneous
ultra-high fidelity recording and playback of digital audio
files in digital broadcast applications. Additionally, its
high level of integration and features provide OEMs and developers
the ability to simplify integration, increase functionality
and ultimately lower the cost of digital broadcast systems.
The Broadcaster roughly approximates the functionality of
four boards on a single card. Previously, the constraints
of PC systems design made this impossible, but Antex design
engineers leveraged the speed of the PCI bus now available
in off-the-shelf hardware. It is now possible with a single
card to record and produce spots, phone calls or actualities
at one sample rate, while playing back on-air programming
at another sample rate. This eliminates the need for separate
work stations or boards, and makes digital broadcast systems
far more affordable to develop and use.
The Antex Broadcaster is divided into a record (production)
subsystem and a playback subsystem. Its playback subsystem
has eight balanced analog outputs and one stereo AES digital
output. In addition, the playback subsystem has a pair of
analog balanced inputs and an AES stereo digital input that
can be digitally mixed into the output stream (but not recorded).
These inputs allow the DJ's voice or satellite feed to be
mixed into the main digital output so that one unified digital
signal can be processed and sent to the transmitter. Because
the Antex Broadcaster features an on-board mixer application,
no outboard digital mixer is required to accomplish this feed
through function. The playback subsystem has its own sample
rate generator, distinct from the record subsystem. This feature
alone makes the Antex Broadcaster unique in the broadcast
digital audio market.
The Antex Broadcaster's record subsystem offers digital and
balanced analog inputs plus two balanced analog outputs for
studio quality record monitoring. The card currently supports
MPEG compression with the Dolby AC2 algorithm to be added
at a later date. The record subsystem features its own sample
clock independent of the playback block. It offers selectable
sample rates to 50 kHz – its functions are truly independent
in every way. The Antex Broadcaster features 20-bit converters
and 32-bit floating point DSP with an SRAM buffer depth of
384k bytes.
Designed specifically for use in digital broadcast systems
the Broadcaster draws on input from Antex’ strategic
OEM and developer partnerships. According to Antex director
of marketing, Leslie Wagner, the new four-in-one soundcard
is the result of Antex’s OEM, customer focused approach
to product development. “To create the Broadcaster,
Antex listened to customer needs, analyzed trends and leveraged
the latest technology in personal computers,” Wagner
commented.
The Broadcaster has a dynamic range of 92dB with THD + N
rated at 86 dB min; -90 dB typical. The new card features
an optional LTC (longitudinal time code) input, two digital
inputs (stereo) and one digital stereo out via AES/EBU. Of
special interest to OEMs, developers, engineers and broadcast
facilities, the Antex Broadcaster includes an on-board header
to accept an Antex daughter card that divides the outputs
into AES/EBU digital for simultaneous, parallel access to
all analog and digital outputs. This is a field upgrade and
will not require returning the card to Antex.
Also included are sixteen general purpose opto-isolated 16-bit
digital I/Os, with a serial data stream to allow system integrators
future expansion for controlling keypad switches, user interface
functions, timers and other broadcast installation functions.
The Antex Audio Developers Kit (ADK) gives application programmers
the capability to provide direct-from-disk playback of broadcast
quality digital audio. A high-level Application Program Interface
(API) allows all of the Broadcaster’s features to be
utilized.
With drivers available for Windows NT the Antex Broadcaster
is the most advanced and feature-laden product of the Antex
broadcast line. It has applications in broadcast automation,
satellite distribution, storecasting, digital audio recording
and mastering and multimedia development.
Antex currently has more than 100,000 soundcards plugged
into professional systems worldwide in broadcast, music production,
video, film and post production and multimedia development.
For further information on Antex or its products:
Antex Contact:
Christa Hanson
Marketing Administrator, Antex Electronics
Phone: (800) 338-4231
FAX: (310) 532-8509
|
