Using the Omnia.9 Patch Point for Rating Encoders/Voltair
Scope
This document explains how to set up the Omnia.9's patch (insert) point for use with Voltair/ratings encoder.
Description/Problem
Q: I'm looking for the instructions on setting up a Voltair using the patch point in an Omnia 9. I found the article for doing it on an 11, but not the 9. Please advise. Thanks!
Answer
A: No problem, read on!...
The Insert menu allows you to enable inserting an external processing device (such as a watermark encoder) into your signal.
Navigate to System / I/O Options / Main Outputs and select the following from the dropdown list for the output you want to feed the external unit with, for example Analog Out.
FM Pre-final L/R (or AM Pre-final)
Now go to System / I/O Options / FM Options (or AM Options) / Insert
Return: [The input the external unit will be feeding, for example Analog In]
Insert Mode: Line-up tone. Set the external unit to BYPASS, then adjust the gain of the unit for the same Pre-final Send Level and Return Level. Conveniently, both level readouts are just to the right.
You can also adjust I/O Options / Main Outputs / [Analog Out or other] Level
Or
I/O Options / Source Adjustment / [Analog or other] Input Gain.
If you need to, run a second copy of NfRemote connected to the same unit so that you can see the Insert page while adjusting the gains in other sections.
Insert Mode: Blips (NULL).
Now, plug in a pair of headphones (or enable Client Audio) and select the FM / Misc / Insert Null patch point, so that you hear the lineup tone.
♦ To monitor the proper patch point, navigate to Monitor Outputs / Speaker Output (or Headphone Output) / Patch Point / FM / Miscellaneous / Insert Null. This can also be accomplished via the Client Audio feature of NfRemote.
This patch point takes the audio routed through the “Pre-final L/R” output, adds the amount of compensation delay as set by the Insert Delay control, subtracts it from whatever is routed through the currently selected Input Source, and outputs the (hopefully!) nulled result.
Listen to the cacophony of staggered blips.
Adjust Insert Delay until they audibly converge, so that you only hear about 3 blips per second.
Insert Mode: Noise (NULL). Adjust Insert Delay to fine-tune (it’ll sound like a jet plane, and get tinnier and tinnier as you get close) and null out the noise – only a tiny hiss should remain, plus whatever the in-line unit is adding to the signal, such as watermark tones.
Please note that you have still been ON-AIR through all of this – none of it has affected the on-air output!
Once the noise is satisfactory nulled, and only a tiny hiss remains.
Insert Mode: On
A very short repeat (the length of the Insert Delay) occurs on air, and then you’re back – with the audio now passing through the watermark encoder on the way to the clipper. All meters remain in sync, as the insert point delay (and the external unit’s delay) is compensated for.
The Insert Null patch point will still contain only what remains after the NULL, so once you enable the watermark encoder you should hear the codes more clearly than you ever wish for. Be careful, once you’ve heard what they sound like, you may not be able to un-hear them!
Once you’ve switched your monitoring path back to the output, it should hopefully sound like before.
Whenever the Insert Mode is active, you will see an additional label at the top of the Processing Meters display indicating so.
An additional set of Insert meters (which should be in perfect sync with the Out meters when the null is properly set) provides additional visual verification that the Insert Mode is active.
Please note that a broken insert chain will take you off the air! If you see audio on the Out meters but silence on the Insert, MPX, or L/R meters, you have an off-air situation.
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