Brainstorm Electronics DXD-8 User manual

DXD-8
Universal Clock
Operations manual
Version 2.10
January 2021
All materials herein © Brainstorm Electronics, Inc.
Brainstorm Electronics reserves the right to change or modify the contents of this manual at any time.
Brainstorm Electronics, Inc.
www.brainstormtime.com

Page 2
DXD-8 User Manual (rev 2.10)
1. Introduction!4...............................................................................................................................
2. Installation!5................................................................................................................................
2.1 UNPACKING!5.................................................................................................
2.2 INSTALLING THE DXD-8!5.................................................................................
3. Quick Start!5...............................................................................................................................
4. I/O’s Description and Cable Requirements!6.................................................................................
4.1 ANTENNA (OPTION)!6....................................................................................
4.2 ETHERNET!6.....................................................................................................
4.3 REFERENCE INPUTS & TERMINATION SWITCHES!6..........................................
4.4 UNIVERSAL OUTPUTS!6....................................................................................
4.5 DC POWER!6...................................................................................................
5. Front Panel Display & LED’s!7.......................................................................................................
5.1 FRONT PANEL DISPLAY!7..................................................................................
5.2 FRONT PANEL LED’S!7.....................................................................................
6. Display!8.....................................................................................................................................
6.1 Main Rotation!8..............................................................................................................
6.1.1 MAIN ROTATION PAGES LAYOUT!8...............................................................
6.1.2 MAIN ROTATION PAGES!8............................................................................
6.2 Status Mode!9................................................................................................................
6.2.1 STATUS INFORMATION PAGES LAYOUT!9.....................................................
6.2.2 STATUS INFORMATION PAGES!9..................................................................
6.3 Set Up Mode!10.............................................................................................................
6.3.1 MENU LEVELS!10...........................................................................................
6.3.2 NAVIGATION!10...........................................................................................
6.3.3 ENTER KEY!10...............................................................................................
6.3.4 MENU GROUPS!11........................................................................................
7. Menus Description!12...................................................................................................................
7.1 Reference & Sync!12.......................................................................................................
7.1.1 R E F E R E N C E ( M E N U 1.1 ) !12............................................................................
7.1.2 SYNC PARAMETERS (MENU 1.2)!12...............................................................
7. 2 B N C I n p u t s !12................................................................................................................
7.2.1 BNC INPUT A SET UP (MENU 2.1)!12.............................................................
7.2.2 BNC INPUT B SET UP (MENU 2.2)!12.............................................................
7.3 BNC Outputs!13.............................................................................................................
7.3.1 BNC OUTPUTS 1&2 (MENU 3.1)!13................................................................
7.3.2 BNC OUTPUTS 3&4 (MENU 3.2)!13...............................................................
7.3.3 BNC OUTPUTS 5&6 MENU (3.3)!13...............................................................
7.3.4 BNC OUTPUTS 7&8 (MENU 3.4)!13...............................................................
7.3.5 AUDIO BASE RATE A (MENU 3.5)!13.............................................................
7.3.6 AUDIO BASE RATE B (MENU 3.6)!14..............................................................
7.3.7 MUTE ON UNLOCK (MENU 3.7)!14...............................................................
7.3.8 DELAY/ADVANCE 1&2 (MENU 3.8)!14..........................................................
7.3.9 DELAY/ADVANCE 3&4 (MENU 3.9)!14..........................................................
7.3.10 DELAY/ADVANCE 5&6 (MENU 3.10)!14.......................................................
7.3.11 DELAY/ADVANCE 3&4 (MENU 3.11)!14........................................................
Table of Content

DXD-8 User Manual (rev 2.10)
Page 3
7.4 Network!15....................................................................................................................
7.4.1 IP ADDRESS (MENU 4.1)!15...........................................................................
7.5 PTP!15............................................................................................................................
7.6 GPS!15..........................................................................................................................
7.7 Time!15..........................................................................................................................
7.7.1 TIME STANDARDS (MENU 7.1)!15...................................................................
7.7.2 REAL TIME CLOCK (MENU 7.2)!16..................................................................
7.7.3 TIME & DATE DISPLAY (MENU 7.3)!16.............................................................
7.7.4 LEAP SECONDS (MENU 7.4)!16......................................................................
7.8 Time Code!16.................................................................................................................
7.9 Presets!16.......................................................................................................................
7.10 Utility!17.......................................................................................................................
7.10.1 BRIGHTNESS (MENU 9.1)!17........................................................................
7.10.2 FRONT PANEL LOCKOUT (MENU 9.2)!17.....................................................
7.10.3 CLEAR MEMORY (MENU 9.3)!17..................................................................
7.10.4 REBOOT (MENU 9.4)!17...............................................................................
7.10.5 FEATURE KEYS (MENU 9.5)!17.....................................................................
8. Time of Day!17............................................................................................................................
8.1 RTC (REAL TIME CLOCK)!18..............................................................................
8.2 TIME JAM!18....................................................................................................
9. Input rate: Learn vs. Set!18...........................................................................................................
9.1 BNC INPUT SET UP MENU!18...........................................................................
9.2 ABOUT USING THE ‘SET’ MODE FOR THE REFERENCE SOURCE!18..................
9.3 OFF SPEED REFERENCE!19...............................................................................
10. External Reference Failover (BNC)!19..........................................................................................
10.1 REFERENCE FAILURE WITH AN ALTERNATE REFERENCE!19.............................
10.2 REFERENCE FAILURE WITH NO ALTERNATE REFERENCE!19.............................
11. Lock Status!20............................................................................................................................
12. Output Deviation Indication:!20...................................................................................................
13. Firmware Updates!21.................................................................................................................
13.1 FIRMWARE LOADER PAGE!21.........................................................................
13.2 PROGRAMMING SEQUENCE!21....................................................................
13.3 FIRMWARE FILE NAMING CONVENTION!22..................................................
13.4 UPLOADER!22................................................................................................
14. Remote Control!22.....................................................................................................................
15. Non-Volatile Storage!23.............................................................................................................
16. Power!23...................................................................................................................................
16.1 POWER FAILURE W/ DUAL POWER SOURCES!23............................................
17. Troubleshooting - Error / Warning Messages!23...........................................................................
17.1 RATE INVALID WARNING!23...........................................................................
17.2 PRIMARY AND ALTERNATE REFERENCES INCOMPATIBLE!23...........................
17.3 OFFSPEED REFERENCE!23...............................................................................
18. Appendix!24..............................................................................................................................
18.1 APPENDIX A: VIDEO INPUT FORMATS!24.......................................................
18.2 APPENDIX B: AUDIO BASE RATES!24..............................................................
18.3 APPENDIX C: PULLED RATES!24......................................................................
18.4 APPENDIX D: MULTIPLIER RATES!25................................................................
18.5 APPENDIX E: FACTORY PRESETS!25................................................................
18.6 APPENDIX F: MENUS, MESSAGES & DISPLAY PAGES!26.................................

Page 4
DXD-8 User Manual (rev 2.10)
1. Introduction
The DXD-8 Universal Clock is both a master sync pulse generator and a master clock generator. This precision multi-format
reference generator provides up to 4 different video syncs and audio clocks simultaneously. The 8 universal outputs can be
configured for any of the generated signals, giving the DXD-8 great flexibility to adapt to the requirements of modern
broadcast or post production facilities.
Rev 2 firmware brings some new functions to the DXD-8, mainly the possibility to install the optional PTP firmware and GPS
hardware. Time and date are now part of the DXD-8. Rev 2 includes new menus 7.1 to 7.4, a new Main Rotation TIME & DATE
display page and a new TIME status display. New sync parameters are now part of menu 1.
With the PTP option, the DXD-8 acts as a bridge between an IP infrastructure and legacy A/V equipment, for an easier
transition to IP.
The GPS option provides an extremely accurate timing source and enables multiple DXD units in remote locations to be locked
and in phase with one another.
The main features of the DXD-8 are:
!- 2 universal inputs (WC, AES, VID SYNC, 10MHz)
!- 2 reference sources with auto fail over for redundancy
!- 8 universal outputs (WC, AES, VID SYNC, 10MHz)
!-4separatereferencegenerator
!- internal Time Of Day clock (TOD) with battery back-up
!- very low jitter
!- Remote control via web browser (future firmware)
!- PTP option (IEEE 1588) - software
!- GPS/GNSS option - hardware
!- OCXO option - hardware
IEEE-1588
ETHERNET
PTP
INT
OCXO
ANT
GPS
ETHERNET
UNIVERSAL OUTPUTS
1
2
BNC OUT 1 & 2
BNC OUT 3 & 4
BNC OUT 5 & 6
BNC OUT 7 & 8
5
6
7
8
SYNC
SYNC
SYNC
SYNC
3
4
• WC
• AES
• VID
• 10 MHz
• 1PPS
• WC
• AES
• VID
• 10 MHz
• 1PPS
• WC
• AES
• VID
• 10 MHz
• 1PPS
• WC
• AES
• VID
• 10 MHz
• 1PPS
SYNC
TIME SOURCES
(POSITION)
INT
TCXO
REFERENCE SOURCES
(RATE)
SYNC
TIME
SELECT
REFERENCE
SELECT
ETHERNET
BNC IN B
WC
AES
VID
10MHz
BNC IN A
WC
AES
VID
10MHz
NTP
INTERNAL
TIME OF DAY
CLOCK
&
REFERENCE
FRAME
GENERATOR
INT
RTC
ETHERNET
PTP (BMCA)
ANT
GPS
PTP (BMCA)
Rate & Position Rate Only Position Only
DXD-8 Diagram

DXD-8 User Manual (rev 2.10)
Page 5
2. Installation
2.1 UNPACKING
When unpacking your DXD-8 the following items should be in the shipping carton:
•DXD-8 unit
•Universal Power Supply (PS-8 12VDC @ 16w)
•IEC power cable
•Registration card
2.2 INSTALLING THE DXD-8
The DXD-8 is designed to be mounted in a standard 19” rack. It requires 1U in height. Usual precautions should be respected
when wiring the DXD-8: use high quality cables with good shield to guarantee a good signal transmission. Keep your cables as
short as possible. The type of cables required are specified in chapter 4.
To preserve the integrity of the transmission line, it is recommended that you do not ‘mult’ a single output to multiple devices as
it can degrade signal quality.
The BNC reference input needs to be properly terminated. If the DXD-8 is the last device in the chain, turn on the 75Ω
termination switch on the rear panel. If you are looping through using a ‘T’ connector (again, not recommended), turn off the
termination switch and make sure there is a 75Ωtermination at the end of the chain.
3. Quick Start
You should read this manual to familiarize yourself with the DXD-8 features. The following simple steps are only provided to
get you started right away.
Connect the power supply to the Power A jack and plug the IEC cable into a wall outlet. The DXD-8 will turn on as soon as
power is connected.
Out of the box, the DXD-8 is set to generate a 48KHz word clock, referenced to its internal crystal. This signal is sent to all 8
outputs.
To make changes, press the [SET UP] button and navigate to the required menu using the [UP] and [DOWN] buttons then
pressing the [NAV ▶] key.
•To change the reference, go to menu 1.1.
•To change the outputs, go to menu 3.
Once you are in the right menu:
•use the [NAV ▶] key to navigate to the right field;
•use the [UP] and [DOWN] keys to change the value;
•press the [ENTER] key to save the changes.
For more details on menu navigation, go to 6.3. For details on the different menus, go to chapter 7.

Page 6
DXD-8 User Manual (rev 2.10)
4. I/O’s Description and Cable Requirements
4.1 ANTENNA (OPTION)
This port is used to connect a GNSS antenna to the optional DXD/GPS receiver.
Connector: SMA jack
☛Use 50Ωcoaxial cable with an SMA-Male to connect the GNSS antenna as specified in the DXD/GPS instructions manual.
4.2 ETHERNET
The 1 Gb Ethernet port is used to connect the DXD-8 via TCP/IP protocol to access the unit remotely and to upload firmware
from any computer on the network. With the IEEE1588 PTP option, it is also used for network sync..
Connectors: RJ45 jack
☛Use a standard cat6 Ethernet cable with RJ45 plugs.
4.3 REFERENCE INPUTS & TERMINATION SWITCHES
The 2 BNC inputs accept WC, AES, Video Sync and 10MHz based on the user selection (INPUTS Menus - see Appendix A for
a list of supported HD & SD video formats). 10MHz is a sine wave typically 1/2 v, coming from a GPS receiver, a rubidium
clock or other types of generators.
Connectors: BNC
☛Use standard 75ΩBNC coaxial cables.
Each input has a 75Ωtermination switch. Under normal conditions, it should be on. However, if a ‘T’ BNC is used to ‘daisy-
chain’ the reference to another unit (not recommended), termination should be off on the DXD-8. The last unit in the chain, and
only that unit, should have its termination on.
4.4 UNIVERSAL OUTPUTS
The 8 universal outputs can output Word Clock, AES, 10MHz (1v pk-pk sine wave), HD Video Sync, or SD Video Sync, based
on the user selection (BNC OUTPUTS menus).
Connector: BNC
☛Use standard 75ΩBNC coaxial cables.
4.5 DC POWER
The DXD-8 requires 12VDC @ 18W. Acceptable range is 12VDC +/-15%.
The external supply provided with the DXD-8 accepts 100 to 240 VAC input at 50 - 60 Hz so it is suitable for use anywhere in
the world.
Optionally, a second power supply can be connected to Power Input B for redundancy. To order a second power supply (p/n
PS-8), contact your dealer.
To order a DC power supply (p/n PS-9), contact your dealer.
Connector: 4 pin circular connector
☛Insert the 4 pin plug into the rear panel jack and secure by screwing the ring. Plug the supply into the wall using the
standard IEC cable supplied.

DXD-8 User Manual (rev 2.10)
Page 7
5. Front Panel Display & LED’s
5.1 FRONT PANEL DISPLAY
The DXD-8 front panel has a large full color display giving access to all the unit’s parameters and settings.
In the normal operating mode, information is presented on the display in multiple pages referred to as the ‘Main
Rotation’ (see chapter 6).
In addition to the normal operating mode, two additional modes exist with their own display pages:
•SET UP Mode
•STATUS Mode
These two specialized modes are activated by pressing the corresponding button to the right of the navigation buttons. An LED
lights up for each of these modes indicating activation.
In the STATUS mode, the displays shows additional status information organized in multiple pages, much like the Main
Rotation pages (see chapter 6).
The SET UP mode is used to set the unit’s parameters as described in 6.3.
Note that SET UP and STATUS modes are mutually exclusive. It means that, if you press the STATUS button while in the SET UP
mode, you will exit the SET UP mode and enter the STATUS mode, and vice-versa.
5.2 FRONT PANEL LED’S
There are 8 status LED’s to the right of the display insert area:
•IN A:! !a signal is present at the Input A connector;..................................
•TERM OFF A:! !the rear panel termination switch is off (see 4.3);......................
•IN B:! !a signal is present at the Input B connector;..................................
•TERM OFF B:! !the rear panel termination switch is off (see 4.3);......................
•GNSS/GPS:! !a signal is present at the antenna input (optional).......................
•NETWORK:! !the DXD-8 is connected to a network........................
•POWER A:! !12VDC power is connected to the Power A connector..........................
•POWER B:! !12VDC power is connected to the Power B connector..........................
Note that, if one of the power LED’s is flashing, it indicates that power was present at that connector but then disappeared,
possibly due to a faulty power supply, and the other power source took over (see chapter 15 for more information).

Page 8
DXD-8 User Manual (rev 2.10)
6. Display
6.1 Main Rotation
In the standard operating mode, with neither the Status mode nor the Set Up mode activated, information is presented on the
display in multiple pages referred to as the ‘Main Rotation’.
To rotate through the different pages, press the [◀BACK] or [NAV ▶] key.
6.1.1 MAIN ROTATION PAGES LAYOUT
Pages in the main rotation all have a similar structure, made up of several lines arranged in 3 different sections:!
•HEADER (top line):
Contains the page title. It has a blue background and white letters + left and right navigations arrows.
•BODY:
Contains the page data. If required, a scroll bar appears on the left. Pressing the [UP] or [DOWN] buttons displays
additional content.
•FOOTER (bottom 2 lines):
-Reference: source and errors or special conditions (see chapters 8 & 9).
-Lock status. See chapter 11. The background color changes to reflect the lock condition (green indicates Lock).
6.1.2 MAIN ROTATION PAGES
•OUTPUTS
This page indicates the rate, format and signal type of each of the 4 BNC output groups. The small blue boxes
identifying each output group on the left side of the display change color to indicate timing deviation (see ch. 12).
•REFERENCE SOURCES
This page shows the currently selected sources for Main and Alternate Reference. Also indicated are the rates and
formats of the reference signals.
•TIME & DATE
This page displays up to two different times & dates as set in menu 7.3.
The names of the DXD times selected in menu 7.3 appear in the left
column while the name of the standards selected in menu 7.1 appear in
the right column.
If ‘NO DISPLAY’ was set in menu 7.3 for the Lower Display, this page will
only show 1 time & date.
PageTitle
Page data
(w/ scrollbar
when required)
Reference Info
Lock Status Bar
HEADER
BODY
FOOTER

DXD-8 User Manual (rev 2.10)
Page 9
6.2 Status Mode
Additional information pages are available in the Status Mode. To enter the Status Mode, press the [STATUS] button. When in
Status mode, the Status LED is on.
6.2.1 STATUS INFORMATION PAGES LAYOUT
Status pages are formatted similarly to the Main Rotation pages, with a green header but no footer. Up to 10 lines of information
can be displayed on the screen at a time. A green scroll bar will appear on the left of the screen for pages with more than 10 lines.
To change page, use the [◀BACK] and [NAV ▶] keys; to scroll, use the [UP] and [DOWN] keys.
6.2.2 STATUS INFORMATION PAGES
• UNIT INFORMATION
•Model
•Serial Number
•Version:
•Software
•Logic
•Webpage
•Installed Options:
•DXD/GPS
•DXD/OCXO
•DXD/PTP
•DXD/LTC
• NETWORK ADDRESS
•Network:
•DHCP Enabled
•IP Address
•Mac Address
• TIMES
The TIMES status page has multiple running counters showing the
different DXD times available:
-System Time: Main DXD TOD clock
-RT Clock: continuously running internal back-up clock
-GPS (optional): GPS Time from the DXD/GPS receiver
-Grandmaster (optional): time from the external PTP Grandmaster
-TOD-GM Ofst (optional): indicates the offset between the internal
Time Of Day clock and the Grandmaster in µsec.
-TC Gen (optional) Time Code reader TCG1 & TCG2
The TIMES status page on the base model will only display the first 2. The
others will appear when options are installed.
There are additional status pages available for options such as PTP, GPS or Time Code. For more information, see the relevant
manuals.

Page 10
DXD-8 User Manual (rev 2.10)
6.3 Set Up Mode
In Set Up mode, all parameters are accessible and can be changed by the user via the front panel. To enter the Set Up mode,
press the [SET UP] button. The Set Up LED lights up. To exit the Set Up mode, press the [SET UP] key again and confirm that the
Set Up LED is off.
6.3.1 MENU LEVELS
The Set Up mode has different levels. Typically, levels 1 & 2 are SELECT levels, made up of lists of menus organized in logical
groups. The number of SELECT levels varies depending on the menu. For example, menu 9 (Presets) only has 1 SELECT level. The
other menus have 2. The last level is the SET level, where parameters are set and saved.
6.3.2 NAVIGATION
The navigation keys have different functions depending on the level.
• SELECT LEVELS (1 or 2)
•Use the [UP] and [DOWN] buttons to select a menu from the list. The current selection is highlighted (black letters,
white background). Pressing the [down] button passed the lowest item on the list rotates back to the top of the list.
•Press the [NAV ▶] button to navigate to the next level.
•Press the [◀BACK] button to go back to the previous level.
• SET LEVEL
•Use the [NAV ▶] button to navigate to the next field. The currently selected field is highlighted (yellow letters on black
background). Pressing the [NAV ▶] button passed the last field on the page rotates back to the first one.
•Use the [UP] or [DOWN] buttons to change the value of the selected field.
•Use the [◀BACK] button to go back to the previous Level and exit the current one.
6.3.3 ENTER KEY
After modifying a value, a red border around the edited field appears. To save this new value, press the [ENTER] key. After the
[ENTER] key is pressed, the red border disappears, indicating the modification has been saved.
If the cursor is moved to another field without pressing the [ENTER] key first, the red border remains indicating a change was
made but not saved yet.
To exit the Set Up mode without making any change, press the [SET UP] key without pressing the [ENTER] key. Note that exiting
the SET Level by pressing the [◀BACK] key without pressing the [ENTER] key first also causes unsaved changes to be lost.
SELECT LEVEL 1
SELECT LEVEL 2
SET LEVEL

DXD-8 User Manual (rev 2.10)
Page 11
6.3.4 MENU GROUPS
In the current firmware revision, menus are organized in 10 separate groups:
•1. REFERENCE & SYNC
•1.1 Reference
•1.2 Sync Parameters
•2. BNC INPUT
•2.1 BNC Input A Set Up
•2.2 BNC Input B Set Up
•3. BNC OUTPUTS
•3.1 BNC Outputs 1 & 2
•3.2 BNC Outputs 3 & 4
•3.3 BNC Outputs 5 & 6
•3.4 BNC Outputs 7 & 8
•3.5 Audio Base Rate A
•3.6 Audio Base Rate B
•3.7 Mute On Unlock
•3.8 Delay/Advance 1 & 2
•3.9 Delay/Advance 3 & 4
•3.10 Delay/Advance 5 & 6
•3.11 Delay/Advance 7 & 8
•4. NETWORK
•4.1 IP Address
•5. PTP
•5.1 Port Mode
•5.2 Grandmaster
•5.3 Port Controls
•5.4 Port Timing
•5.5 Port Time Jam
•6. GPS
•6.1 Satellites Selections
•6.2 GPS Settings
•6.3 Advanced GPS Settings
•7. T I M E
•7.1 Time Standards
•7.2 Real Time Clock
•7.3 Time & Date Display
•7.4 Leap Seconds
•8. TIME CODE
•8.1 SMPTE 2059 Set Up
•8.2 TC Generator 1
•8.3 TC Generator 2
•9. PRESETS
•10. UTILITY
•10.1 Brightness
•10.2 Front Panel Lockout
•10.3 Clear Memory
•10.4 Reboot
•10.5 Feature Keys
For detailed description of all the parameters and settings in each of these menus, go to chapter 7.

Page 12
DXD-8 User Manual (rev 2.10)
7. M e n u s D e s c r i p t i o n
7.1 Reference & Sync
7.1.1 R E F E R E N C E ( M E N U 1.1 )
Menu 1.1 lets you select one of the following sources to be used as the DXD-8’s reference:
!- Internal
- BNC Input A
- BNC Input B
•INTERNAL is the DXD-8 oscillator (TCXO); if the OCXO option is installed, INTERNAL
automatically uses the OCXO oscillator and the display indicates ‘Internal/OCXO’.
•BNC INPUTS A and B are defined in menus 2.1 and 2.2
•Depending on which reference was selected, additional fields will appear below the SOURCE field:
•SIGNAL and RATE: when selecting Input A or Input B, these status field indicate the signal type and the rate of the
selected reference, as defined in menus 2.1 and 2.2.
•ALTERNATE REFERENCE: when BNC INPUT A has been selected as the reference, this field allows you to select BNC
INPUT B as an alternate source to be used as a fail-safe back up. To guarantee a smooth transition, it is required that
both sources have the same format and rate. For more on Alternate Reference, see chapter 11.
Note that, if there is no alternate reference, the DXD-8 will always revert to INTERNAL if the reference disappears.
There are no additional fields when the reference source is ‘INTERNAL’.
7.1.2 SYNC PARAMETERS (MENU 1.2)
These Parameters control the way the DXD syncs to an external reference.
•BNC INPUT COLOR FRAMING: Color framing synchronization to video inputs
can be enabled in this menu, “CF” indication will appear in the main rotation
reference line when enabled and locked.
7. 2 B N C I n p u t s
7.2.1 BNC INPUT A SET UP (MENU 2.1)
The 2 BNC Universal inputs can accept WC, AES (AES-3id unbalanced), 10 MHz and video sync (HD & SD - see Appendix A
for a list of supported video inputs).
Menu 2.1 lets you select the type of input connected to BNC INPUT A and its rate.
•SIGNAL: WC, AES, 10 MHz or Video Sync
•LEARN/SET: LEARN is the default value. With LEARN, the DXD-8 determines the incoming rate; with SET, the user
determines the incoming rate. For more information on LEARN vs. SET, go to Chapter 10.
•RATE: If LEARN is selected, the rate field is Status only (pale Blue) and cannot be changed. If SET is selected, the user can
select a rate from a list, based on the type of Signal selected.
NOTE: If the wrong kind of signal is selected, an error message will appear on the display saying: ‘REF ERROR’.
7.2.2 BNC INPUT B SET UP (MENU 2.2)
Menu 2.2 is identical to menu 2.1 for BNC Input B except for the following.

DXD-8 User Manual (rev 2.10)
Page 13
If BNC INPUT B is set up differently than BNC INPUT A, a warning message appears on the bottom line: ‘ALT REF
INCOMPATIBLE’.
As mentioned above, to switch smoothly between 2 different sources in the event of a reference failure, these must be identical
(see chapter 11 for more information on Alternate Reference).
7.3 BNC Outputs
The DXD-8 generates 4 different reference signals simultaneously, each of them sent to one of the four BNC output pairs, as
described below. Each of these universal output groups can output WC, AES, Video Sync or 10MHz.
7.3.1 BNC OUTPUTS 1&2 (MENU 3.1)
Menu 3.1 defines BNC outputs 1&2
•SIGNAL : this field defines the type of signal generated (WC, AES, 10 MHz or Video
Sync).
Based on the signal selected, additional fields appear to define more parameters:
•Audio (WC or AES)
-BASE & MULT: Base Rates A or B as defined in menus 3.7 or 3.8 followed
by a multiplier (x1, x2, x4, x8)
-ACTUAL: The actual rate will be indicated in this field.
•Video Sync (SD & HD)
-RATE: select a video rate from a list (see appendix A).
•10MHz
-no additional field.
7.3.2 BNC OUTPUTS 3&4 (MENU 3.2)
Menu 3.2 is identical to menu 3.1 for BNC outputs 3&4.
7.3.3 BNC OUTPUTS 5&6 MENU (3.3)
Menu 3.3 is identical to menu 3.1 for BNC outputs 5&6.
7.3.4 BNC OUTPUTS 7&8 (MENU 3.4)
Menu 3.4 is identical to menu 3.1 for BNC outputs 7&8.
7.3.5 AUDIO BASE RATE A (MENU 3.5)
For audio outputs (Word Clock or AES), two different base rates are available, labeled
Audio Base Rate A & B. Menu 3.7 defines Audio Base Rate A.
•SET/AUTO: SET is the default value; AUTO is a special function, available only when
the input reference is an audio signal. With AUTO, the DXD-8 automatically determines
the incoming rate and uses that as the base rate. The advantage is that, if the rate of the
input reference changes, so does the generated output, automatically.
•RATE: If SET was selected, a rate can be selected form a list that includes 32K, 44.1K and 48K + all the pull coefficients (see
appendix B & C). If AUTO was selected, the measured rate of the reference is displayed here (status only).
Note that, with AUTO selected, if the rate of the input reference is a multiple of one of the basic rates, 96K for example, the
basic rate will be used instead, 48K in this example.
•VSO/CENTS: VSO stands for Variable Speed Oscillator and was a way to vary the speed of old analog tape machines.
This function, when activated, allows you to vary the rate of the audio outputs, and thus the pitch. As this function is mainly

Page 14
DXD-8 User Manual (rev 2.10)
used for musical applications, the speed adjustment is measured in cents (semi tone/100). The VSO range is +/- 200 cents,
i.e. 2 whole tones (+12.2562% to -10.9101%).
NOTES: When adjusting the VSO cents value in the menu, the changes take effect immediately. There is no need to
press [ENTER] for every speed change.
When VSO is on, the letters ‘VSO’ appear on the display next to the rate in the OUTPUTS main rotation page.
7.3.6 AUDIO BASE RATE B (MENU 3.6)
Menu 3.6 is identical to menu 3.5 for Audio Base Rate B.
7.3.7 MUTE ON UNLOCK (MENU 3.7)
To guarantee that the BNCs do not output any signal before the DXD achieves lock, which could cause issues with the
receiving equipment, menu 3.9 lets you mute the outputs while unlocked.
On = mute - Default value is off.
Each of the 4 output groups can be set independently: 1-2 / 3-4 / 5-6 / 7-8.
7.3.8 DELAY/ADVANCE 1&2 (MENU 3.8)
This menu enables to delay or advance WC, AES or Video Sync out of this pair of BNC outputs (1&2) by a set amount.
•ENABLE: Choices are Off / Delay / Advance. Selecting DELAY or ADVANCE will
delay or advance the signal by the amount entered in the next field.
If the signal selected for this output group does not support this function (10MHz or
Time Code), the display will say ‘Unavailable for signal’ in blue letters indicating it
cannot be changed.
•MICRO SECONDS (USEC): The offset value in micro seconds is made up of 5
separate fields, the one on the far right for µsec, the one on the far left for the tens of
msec.
The offset can vary from 1µsec (or 00001 µsec) to 99999 µsec (or 99.999 msec).
•CLEAR: To clear the value in the field above, toggle to ‘PRESS ENTER TO CLEAR’ and press the ENTER key.
7.3.9 DELAY/ADVANCE 3&4 (MENU 3.9)
Menu 3.9 is identical to menu 3.8 for BNC outputs 3&4.
7.3.10 DELAY/ADVANCE 5&6 (MENU 3.10)
Menu 3.10 is identical to menu 3.8 for BNC outputs 5&6.
7.3.11 DELAY/ADVANCE 3&4 (MENU 3.11)
Menu 3.11 is identical to menu 3.8 for BNC outputs 7&8.
Display indication of ADVANCE/DELAY activation
The OUTPUTS page on the main rotation display will indicate that a BNC output signal
has been advanced or delayed by replacing the blue rectangle with the output format in
the right column of the corresponding output group by a red rectangle.
In the illustration above, Outputs 9 & 10 are either delayed or advanced.
Note that even if the value entered is ’00,000’, the red rectangle will still be show up on
the display. To return to blue, the feature must be turned off (i.e. the ENABLE field must
be set to OFF).

DXD-8 User Manual (rev 2.10)
Page 15
7. 4 N e t w o r k
7.4.1 IP ADDRESS (MENU 4.1)
Menu 4.1.1 includes fields for DHCP, IP Address, Subnet Mask and Gateway.
DHCP stands for Dynamic Host Configuration Protocol. When on, the DHCP server automatically assigns the IP
address. The values in the 3 other fields are in blue, indicating status. When DHCP is off, parameters must be
entered manually in the next 3 fields. They are expressed in dot-decimal notation made up of 4 numbers ranging
from 0 to 255, separated by dots. The bottom line on the display (blue background) indicates the current IP address.
Note that, when changing the DHCP mode, a reboot will be required and a message will indicate so in the display.
7.5 PTP
The PTP group of menus is only available if the DXD/PTP firmware is installed. If not a message will appear:
PTP FEATURE KEY NOT FOUND
To purchase please contact your Brainstorm dealer.
Feature Keys are unique for each serial number.
The DXD/PTP is a firmware upgrade for the DXD-8. Please refer to the DXD/PTP manual for details on the PTP menus.
7.6 GPS
The GPS group of menus is only available if the DXD/GPS receiver is installed. If not a message will appear:
DXD/GPS NOT INSTALLED
The GPS Receiver is required for these menus.
The DXD/GPS is a small board that installs easily inside the DXD. Please refer to the DXD/GPS manual for details on the GPS menus.
7.7 Time
Without PTP or GPS, the base DXD-8 deals with references that do not include time and date such as video sync or word
clock. However, the generated outputs are always referenced to the PTP epoch. For that reason, when no Time Of Day source
is available to the DXD-8, the internal Real Time Clock will provide Time and Date.
7.7.1 TIME STANDARDS (MENU 7.1)
Four different time standards are available as well as local time:
•TAI: International Atomic Time, an atomic coordinated time that has been measuring time continuously since 1955 with
no leap seconds. It is used as a base by other standards such as UTC.
•UTC: Coordinated Universal Time is the time zone ‘0’ from which all other time zones are calculated. It is based on
TAI and since 1972 has had leap seconds every year or so, depending on the earth’s rotation.
•GPS: Global Positioning System time is used by the atomic clocks in the GPS satellites. It is continuous time (no leap
seconds) measured from the GPS time zero point of midnight January 5, 1980. It is 19 seconds behind TAI.
•Loran: Long Range Navigation time based on atomic clocks. Like GPS, it is continuous time with no leap seconds
measured from the time zero point of midnight January 1st, 1958.
•Local: Local time is based on UTC and can have adjustments for time zone and Daylight Saving (menu 7.1).
Menu 7.1 lets you pick which of these standards or local time will be used to display the
following DXD times:
•System Time, the main Time Of Day clock at the heart of the DXD
•RTC, Real Time Clock, a constantly running, battery-backed-up clock inside the DXD,
providing TOD when no external source is available.

Page 16
DXD-8 User Manual (rev 2.10)
Menu 7.1 also includes Local Time parameters:
•Local Time Zone: can be adjusted in hours and minutes with a positive or negative value, relative to UTC (or GMT)
•Local Daylight Saving: can be adjusted in hours and minutes (typically 1 hr). DST can only be set manually.
At the bottom of this page a ‘hint’ message appears for setting the time zone properly: NY -5, Tokyo +9.
7. 7. 2 R E A L T I M E C LO C K ( M E N U 7. 2 )
Menu 7.2 lets you set several parameters of the RTC (Real Time Clock), the DXD internal back up clock described in chapter 8.
•Set Time: YYYY/MM/DD and HH:MM:SS: These fields let you enter manually a date and a time that will become
the current date and time of the RTC when the [ENTER] key is pressed.
•System Time Jam From RT Clock: With ‘Press ENTER to Jam’ selected, the Main TOD Clock (System Time) will
Jam from the internal RTC Time when the [ENTER] key is pressed.
Note that depending on the offset between the 2 clocks, this action will most certainly create a certain amount of
‘sync shock’ as all the outputs are locked to the System Time.
At the bottom of this page the RTC Time is displayed along with the Time Standard set up in menu 7.1
7.7.3 TIME & DATE DISPLAY (MENU 7.3)
Menu 7.3 lets you select 2 different DXD times & dates to be displayed in the Time & Date display (see 6.1.2 Main Rotation).
The choices are:
-System Time
-Real Time Clock
-No display (lower display only)
The times and dates displayed will match what has been set in menu 7.1 and that setting will appear to the right of the time.
7.7.4 LEAP SECONDS (MENU 7.4)
•UTC Leap Second: Menu 7.4 lets you enter manually the number of leap seconds to be applied to TAI.
7.8 Time Code
The Time Code group of menus is only available if the DXD/GPS receiver is installed. If not a message will appear:
LTC FEATURE KEY NOT FOUND
To purchase please contact your Brainstorm dealer.
Feature Keys are unique for each serial number.
The DXD/LTC is a firmware upgrade for the DXD-8. Please refer to the DXD/LTC manual for details on the Time Code menus.
7.9 Presets
Ten different user settings configurations can be stored for quick recall. The 10 memory locations are labeled Preset 1 through
Preset 10.
Menu 8 manages the presets. After selecting a preset, there are 5 different actions to chose from:
-Save
-Recall
-Delete
-Change Name
-Clear Name
When Saving, Recalling or Deleting a preset, a confirmation dialog appears on the display.
An 8 character name can be given to each preset using the Change Name and Clear Name commands.

DXD-8 User Manual (rev 2.10)
Page 17
7.10 Utility
7.10.1 BRIGHTNESS (MENU 9.1)
Menu 9.1 lets you adjust the brightness of the LCD display and of the LED’s. Values range from 00 to 16, default value is 10.
These changes take place immediately without having to press the [ENTER] key.
7.10 . 2 F R O N T PA N E L LO C KO U T ( M E N U 9 . 2 )
Menu 9.2 lets you disable the front panel to avoid accidental changes. Options are On / Off. As in menu 9.1, pressing the
[ENTER] key is not required.
When 9.2 is on, if a change is attempted, a ‘FrontPanelLockOut’ error message appears in the display.
7.10.3 CLEAR MEMORY (MENU 9.3)
In menu 11.3, pressing the [ENTER] key clears all the settings stored by the user in the flash memory, except for the presets. It
also causes the DXD-8 to reboot. This will revert the unit to the factory presets, restoring the default values described in
Appendix E.
7.10 . 4 R E B O O T ( M E N U 9 . 4 )
In menu 9.4, pressing the [ENTER] key is the equivalent of cycling power. Confirmation will be required for this action.
7.10.5 FEATURE KEYS (MENU 9.5)
This menu is for entering authorization codes to enable certain features such as PTP or Time Code. The feature key is a series
of 4 numbers, separated by periods and is only valid for a specific unit.
8. Time of Day
Although PTP is optional on the DXD-8, it is PTP ready and Time of Day is an essential part of its design. In a PTP network, the
devices all need to know the Time of Day, i.e. year, month, day, hour and seconds, even nanoseconds, to achieve frequency
and phase synchronization. At the heart of the DXD-8 is the Main Time of Day Clock (TOD) & Reference Frame Generator.
This is where System Time is generated and where the references generated by the DXD-8 are aligned with the PTP epoch.
IEEE-1588
ETHERNET
PTP
INT
OCXO
ANT
GPS
ETHERNET
UNIVERSAL OUTPUTS
1
2
BNC OUT 1 & 2
BNC OUT 3 & 4
BNC OUT 5 & 6
BNC OUT 7 & 8
5
6
7
8
SYNC
SYNC
SYNC
SYNC
3
4
• WC
• AES
• VID
• 10 MHz
• 1PPS
• WC
• AES
• VID
• 10 MHz
• 1PPS
• WC
• AES
• VID
• 10 MHz
• 1PPS
• WC
• AES
• VID
• 10 MHz
• 1PPS
SYNC
TIME SOURCES
(POSITION)
INT
TCXO
REFERENCE SOURCES
(RATE)
SYNC
TIME
SELECT
REFERENCE
SELECT
ETHERNET
BNC IN B
WC
AES
VID
10MHz
BNC IN A
WC
AES
VID
10MHz
NTP
INTERNAL
TIME OF DAY
CLOCK
&
REFERENCE
FRAME
GENERATOR
INT
RTC
ETHERNET
PTP (BMCA)
ANT
GPS
PTP (BMCA)
Rate & Position Rate Only Position Only
DXD-8 Diagram

Page 18
DXD-8 User Manual (rev 2.10)
As shown on the diagram above, some of the reference sources include time and rate information. GPS and PTP for example
carry precise time and date information as well as frequency. However, traditional reference signals, such as video sync or
word clock, only carry the frequency information. When selecting one of those as reference (BNC inputs), the time information
needs to be added from another source. The DXD-8 offers several options.
8.1 RTC (REAL TIME CLOCK)
A backup clock, called the RTC (Real Time Clock) is included in the DXD. It is set at the factory (date & time) and runs
continuously, even when the unit is turned off as it is powered by an internal battery.
The DXD uses the date & time information from the RTC just after power up and transfers it to
the main TOD (System Time). When locking to a new reference, if that reference does not
have date & time, the TOD simply continues counting along its current time sequence; if it has
date & time, that information is transferred to the TOD.
Although the RTC is set at the factory, it can also be set manually by the operator or be
updated automatically (if GPS is available) via the Real Time Clock menu (menu 7.2).
8.2 TIME JAM
Another way to receive Time of Day when it is not part of the reference is through Time Jam (this mode is only available when
one of the BNC inputs is set as the reference). Current choices for external sources are PTP and GPS, both optional on the
DXD-8. During a Time Jam, the DXD-8’s TOD will reset to the time of that source of time before locking to the BNC input.
For more information on Time Jam, please see details in the PTP/GPS manual.
9. Input rate: Learn vs. Set
9.1 BNC INPUT SET UP MENU
In the BNC Input Set Up menus (menus 2.1 and 2.2), the DXD-8 offers a choice between LEARN and SET:
-LEARN: the DXD-8 measures the input reference and determines it’s rate;
-SET: the user defines the expected rate.
Most of the time LEARN will work fine and it is the default value. However, at times, the user may choose SET to be sure the
DXD-8 does not misinterpret an input frequency which is slightly incorrect. The SET mode may also be chosen for more fail-safe
operation, in that there is no chance that the DXD-8 will re-define a frequency which drifts over time.
To illustrate this, let’s look at a reference frequency of 95,950Hz. This frequency is slightly below the standard 96k rate but
slightly above the pulled down 96k (95,904Hz). If the unit uses this source as reference, here are the 2 possible scenarios:
-If the DXD-8 interprets this as 96k, it will run slow by 0.052%;
-if it interprets it as a pulled down 96k, it will run fast by 0.047%
In SET mode, the user can make that choice; in LEARN mode, the DXD-8 automatically selects the closest frequency, i.e. the
pulled down 96K in this case.
9.2 ABOUT USING THE ‘SET’ MODE FOR THE REFERENCE SOURCE
When choosing SET for the rate of the reference source, there is the possibility that the selected rate will not match the
measured rate (actual rate). If that is the case, the DXD-8 will still lock to the reference but the output frequencies will be
adjusted proportionately.
IMPORTANT NOTE
When using a reference without time information such as video sync, there will be an adjustment in the TOD count so that
video frame edges are correctly aligned. The internal TOD is always creating internal frame references that are aligned as
required with Jan 1, 1970 (PTP epoch). To lock to an external frame edge the DXD has to move the TOD count by up to
+/-#half a frame to synchronize the internal TOD frame edge to the incoming edge.

DXD-8 User Manual (rev 2.10)
Page 19
For example, if the input reference is SET for PAL, and NTSC video reference is connected, an output frequency requested at
44,100Hz will actually be 52,867Hz (44100 x 29.97/25).
9.3 OFF SPEED REFERENCE
When the reference is detected to be off speed by more than 0.075%, the Lock bar at the bottom of the status displays
indicates the message ‘OFFSPEED’ in the left third with different color background:
As this may be intentional (see 8.2 above) the background color is orange (warning color), not red (error color). But, as
mentioned above, caution must be used with offspeed reference as it affects the outputs.
10. External Reference Failover (BNC)
In the event of failure of the external reference, the DXD-8 has 2 different scenarios to insure that the Sync outputs remain
safely uninterrupted.
10.1 REFERENCE FAILURE WITH AN ALTERNATE REFERENCE
Menu 1.1 allows for the second BNC input to be used as an alternate reference. With that function enabled, if the main
reference disappears or becomes unreadable, the DXD-8 goes from LOCKED to HOLD and displays a ‘REF ERROR’ message
on the right side of the reference line. Once it recognizes the alternate reference, it indicates ‘ALTERNATE’ in place of the
error message and goes through the normal locking procedure, displaying the appropriate status messages in the Lock bar at
the bottom of the display (see ch. 11). As both reference sources are identical, this transition happens smoothly and without
any sync shock.
The DXD-8 will stay locked to the Alternate reference with the ‘ALTERNATE’ message in the reference line, even if the original
reference reappears.
If the alternate reference fails and the original reference is present, the DXD–8 switches back to the original reference in the
same sequence as the one described above. It the original reference is not present, the DXD-8 switches to the Internal crystal
as described below.
10.2 REFERENCE FAILURE WITH NO ALTERNATE REFERENCE
If the Alternate Reference function was disabled in menu 1.1 and the main reference disappears or becomes unreadable, the
DXD-8 goes from LOCKED to HOLD and displays a ‘REF ERROR’ message on the right side of the reference line. The DXD-8
stays in the HOLD mode until the reference reappears at which point the DXD-8 automatically goes back into the lock
sequence.
WARNING: When using this function, the user can potentially mislead the DXD-16 and affect the
output frequencies. This could be done intentionally to repair prior errors, but caution must be used.

Page 20
DXD-8 User Manual (rev 2.10)
11. L o c k S t a t u s
The lock status of the DXD-18 is indicated in the lock bar at the bottom of the Main Rotation display. The background color
changes to reflect the lock condition so it can be clearly visible from a distance. Below are the different statuses and what they
indicate:
12. Output Deviation Indication:
The DXD-8 continuously monitors each output group and looks for timing deviations. The length of each frame is
compared to the previous one and, if a deviation is found, it is reported on the OUTPUTS page of the main rotation
display by changing the color of the blue boxes on the left side where the output groups are identified.
After power up or after selecting a new reference, a lot of jumping around is expected. During a normal synchronization
sequence there will mostly be a glitch at the start of the OUTPUT ALIGN sequence, and one more at the end because of
the speed change required to get the outputs to the newly desired position.
HOLD
input reference unavailable, holding frequency and position
HOLD / FREQ LOCK
internal primary frequency adjustments
HOLD / SYNC
general synchronization adjustments
TIME SYNC
Time-of-Day adjustments
OUTPUT ALIGN
output channel synchronization
LOCKED
locked
1
less
more
Deviation Color