Broadcast Tools Silence Sentinel Basic G2 User manual

Installation and Operation Manual
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responsibility for errors and/or omissions contained in this document. Revisions
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No part of this document may be reproduced or distributed without permission.
Visit www.broadcasttools.com for important product update information.
Firmware version: PIC1.08 or greater.
Manual updated 1/15/2023.
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CHANGE WITHOUT NOTICE
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Silence Sentinel Basic G2
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Silence Sentinel Basic G2 Installation and Operation Manual
Table of Contents
Section Title Page #
Introduction
Safety Information . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 3
Who to Contact for Help. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 3
Product Overview . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 4
Features/Benefits. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 4
Installation Guidelines
Inspection . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 5
Mounting . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 5
Surge Protection . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 5
UPS Standby Power System . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 5
Power Connector. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 5
Cable Preparation . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 6
Audio Inputs . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 6
Connector Pinouts . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 6
Connecting your equipment . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 7
Relay Outputs and Remote-Control Inputs. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 7
Programming Guidelines
Dipswitch setup. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 8
Delay timing setup . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 8
Restore timing setup . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 8
Silence Sense threshold setup . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 8
Mode setup . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 9
Operational Guidelines
Front panel LED indicators. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 10
Front panel controls . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 10
Operation modes . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 10
Specifications . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 11
Warranty . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 12
Component Layout drawing . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Appendix A
Front and Rear panel drawings . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Appendix B
Schematics not supplied.
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2
CONTENTS

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Silence Sentinel Basic G2 Installation and Operation Manual
INTRODUCTION
INTRODUCTION
Thank you for your purchase of the Broadcast Tools® Silence Sentinel® Basic G2
(referred to as the Silence Sentinel® Basic G2 throughout this manual). We’re con-
fident that this product will give you many years of dependable service. This manual
is intended to give you all the information needed to install and operate the
Broadcast Tools® Silence Sentinel® Basic G2.
SAFETY INFORMATION
Only qualified technical personnel should install the Silence Sentinel® Basic G2.
Any attempt to install this device by a person who is not technically qualified could
result in a hazardous condition to the installer or other personnel or damage to the
Silence Sentinel® Basic G2 or other equipment. Please ensure that proper safety
precautions have been taken before installing this device. If you are unfamiliar with
this type of equipment, please contact a properly qualified engineer to handle the
installation and setup of the Silence Sentinel® Basic G2.
WHO TO CONTACT FOR HELP
If you have any questions regarding your product or you need assistance, please con-
tact your distributor from whom you purchased this equipment. If you would like
more information about BROADCAST TOOLS® products, you may reach us at:
Broadcast Tools, Inc.
131 State Street
Sedro-Woolley, WA 98284-1503 USA
Voice: 360.854.9559
Fax: [phone]
Internet Home Page: www.broadcasttools.com
E-mail:[email protected]
THANK YOU FOR CHOOSING
BROADCAST TOOLS® BRAND PRODUCTS!
CAUTION!
Broadcast Tools®
Products, as with any
electronic device, can
fail without warning.
Do not use this product
in applications where a
life threatening condition
could result due to failure.
NOTE:
This manual should be
read thoroughly before
installation and operation.
WEBSITE:
Visit our web site for
product updates and
additional information.
Broadcast Tools is a Veteran Owned Business
Designed, Assembled and Supported in WA State, USA

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Silence Sentinel Basic G2 Installation and Operation Manual
OVERVIEW
Product Overview
The Broadcast Tools® Silence Sentinel® Basic G2 is a simple stereo silence sensor
designed to monitor any stereo or two independent monaural sources and generate
alarm contact closures when silence is detected but doesn’t incorporate an audio
switcher. Additional features include front panel control, remote control input and
status relay outputs, RJ45 and plug-in euroblock screw terminals audio connectors
wired in parallel, plug-in euroblock screw terminals for remote control/status.
Configuration options include dipswitch configuration of silence detection from -20,
-25, -30 and -35db below zero reference, OFF to 5 minutes in 2 or 20 - second incre-
ments, and precise restore timing delay from restore timing delay from OFF, 5, 30
and 90 seconds. The Silence Sentinel® Basic G2 may be set on a desktop, mounted
on a wall or optional RA-1 rack shelf for mounting up to four units in 1-RU.
Features/Benefits
• Configurable for stereo or dual independent monaural operation.
• Left and right valid audio (ACT) and alarm LED indicators.
• Dipswitch selection of silence detection of -20, -25, -30 and -35dB below zero
reference.
• Dipswitch selection of time delay from OFF to 5 minutes in 2 or 20 - second
increments.
• Dipswitch selection of restore timing delay from OFF, 5, 30 and 90 seconds.
• Two independent SPDT alarm relay outputs and LED indicators.
• Active balanced stereo input.
• Front panel and remote “Disable/Alarm Reset” switch with LED indicator.
• Front Panel Power/Heartbeat LED.
• Logic functions via microprocessor and non-volatile memory.
• RJ45 connector and plug-in euroblock screw terminals for audio input wired in
parallel. Plug-in euroblock screw terminals for remote control, mating plugs supplied.
• Fully RFI proofed.
• Surge protected internal power supply, 9 VDC universal desktop power adapter
with IEC inlet included.
• Each unit may be set on a desktop, mounted on a wall or rack-mounted with the
optional RA-1 rack shelf for mounting up to four units in 1-RU. Velcro mounting
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Silence Sentinel Basic G2 Installation and Operation Manual
INSTALLATION
Installation Guidelines
Inspection
Please examine your Silence Sentinel® Basic G2 for any damage that may have been
sustained during shipping. If any is noted, please notify the shipper immediately and
retain the packaging for inspection by the shipper. The package should contain the
Silence Sentinel® Basic G2, 9 VDC universal switching power supply with domestic
power plug and Velcro feet. Manuals can be downloaded from our web site.
Mounting
Mount the Silence Sentinel® Basic G2 where it will be visible and rear panel acces-
sible. The Silence Sentinel® Basic G2 may be set on a desktop, mounted on a wall
or optional RA-1 rack shelf for mounting up to four units using supplied hardware.
Surge Protection
The Silence Sentinel® Basic G2 has built-in resistance to voltage changes; we rec-
ommend that you use a power surge protector or line conditioner on the incoming AC
line. Lightning strikes and/or other high voltage surges may damage your Silence
Sentinel® Basic G2 and connected equipment if it is not properly protected. For
lightning protection devices, check out www.polyphaser.com and www.itwlinx.com.
UPS Standby Power System
We recommend that you connect your Silence Sentinel® Basic G2 to a UPS system.
A UPS, like the BE600M1 from APC helps to minimize the risk to the Silence
Sentinel® Basic G2 and provides power during a power outage.
POWER: 9-12 VDC power connector
Connect the center-positive coaxial type power connector from the supplied switch-
ing power supply to the power jack on the unit. Plug the power supply’s IEC AC
cord into a 100-240 Vac 50-60 Hz power source. Never use any type of power sup-
ply other than the specified/supplied power supply.
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Silence Sentinel Basic G2 Installation and Operation Manual
INSTALLATION
Cable Preparation
The Silence Sentinel® Basic G2 interfaces to external remote-control equipment
through removable euroblock screw terminals. The terminals accommodate wire
sizes from 16 - 28 AWG solid or stranded wire. Before installing a wire, remove the
euroblock screw terminal plug and turn each capture screw fully counterclockwise.
Strip each conductor to a length of 0.25” and insert the conductor fully into the ter-
minal. Turn the capture screw fully clockwise to secure the conductor. Verify that no
bare wires are exposed.
Audio Inputs
The Silence Sentinel® Basic G2 connects to stereo analog audio using an RJ45
audio jack (J3) or 5-postion pluggable screw terminal block (J1), which are wired in
parallel. This means either input connector can used, providing an easy way to inter-
face between devices with different connectors without the need for custom cables.
Audio Connector Pinouts
Terminal Block Audio Connector (J1)
RJ45 Audio Connector (J3)
The input RJ45 jack conforms to the RJ45 analog audio wiring standards.
Please use shielded twisted pair Cat5e or Cat6 cables and connectors (STP).
RJ45 Pinout:
Function: Wire Pair: RJ45 Pins:
Left+ White/Orange 1
Left- Orange/White 2
Right+ White/Green 3
Right - Green/White 6
n/c White/Blue 5
GND Blue/White 4
n/c White/Brown 7
n/c Brown/White 8
GND Shield Shield
CAUTION!
nstallation of the
Silence Sentinel® Basic
G2 in high RF environ-
ments should be per-
formed with care. The
station ground should
be connected to “Gnd”
ground screw terminal.
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Silence Sentinel Basic G2 Installation and Operation Manual
INSTALLATION
Connecting your equipment
Connect the line-level audio source you wish to monitor for silence (air monitor,
etc.) to J1 (terminal block) or J3 (RJ45) input connector. Audio inputs may be bal-
anced or unbalanced. When using unbalanced sources, feed the + input and jumper
the minus (-) input to GND. These inputs are labeled LT- and LT+ for the left chan-
nel and RT- and RT+ for the right channel. Observe proper stereo phasing.
When used in dual monaural (independent) mode, the left input is ONE and the right
input is TWO.
NOTE: If the audio source is a tuner or receiver, be sure to feed the input(s)
from the fixed output, such as the tape monitor outputs.
Relay Outputs and Remote Control Input
The K1 and K2 SPDT relays provide alarm closures for the Silence Sentinel® Basic
G2. Their behavior is determined by the mode setting. Two additional normally open
contact closures to ground (GND) are provided: labelled “1B” and “2B”. “1B” fol-
lows K1 and “2B” follows K2.
The Disable (DIS) remote control input is wired in parallel with the front panel
Reset/Disable switch. Pull and hold the remote “Disable” input to low ground to dis-
able alarms. Pulse the remote “Disable” input low to ground momentarily to clear
the alarm tally LEDs after an alarm has cleared. WEBSITE:
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product updates and
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Silence Sentinel Basic G2 Installation and Operation Manual
PROGRAMMING
Programming Guidelines
Dip Switch Setup
Silence Sentinel® Basic G2 is configured via one 10-position dipswitch (SW2)
located on the front panel of the unit. Follow the grid and instructions below to set
the delay times, threshold, and modes.
Delay Time Setup
The alarm delay time is the time between when valid audio fails and when an alarm
is triggered. The Silence Sentinel® Basic G2’s alarm time delay is set using the first
4 positions of the SW2 along with switch position 9 which sets the Delay
Resolution. The table provides TWO second resolution settings along with 20 sec-
ond resolution settings in parentheses. Each switch has a digit value. SW2-1 = 1,
SW2-2 = 2, SW2-3 = 4, and SW2-4 = 8. We add these digit values together to obtain
a total digit value and multiply it by the resolution value, either two or twenty sec-
onds, to obtain the delay time.
Restore Delay Time Setup
The restore delay is the time between when valid audio returns and when the alarm
is cleared. The Silence Sentinel® Basic G2’s restore time delay is set with SW2-5
and SW2-6.
Silence Sense Trip Level/Threshold Setup
SW2-7 and SW2-8 are used to set the silence sensor trip levels. The factory default
is both switches OFF, OFF = -20. We recommend setting the trip level to -25 for
most installations. The silence sensor trip levels are referenced from zero dBu.
Delay Resolution Setup
SW2-9 sets the delay timing for either 2 seconds or 20 seconds. Factory default is
(OFF) 2 seconds.
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Silence Sentinel Basic G2 Installation and Operation Manual
PROGRAMMING
Mode Setup (Stereo / Dual Mono)
SW2-10 determines stereo or dual monaural (Independent) operation. When this
switch is OFF, (factory default) stereo operation is selected. With the switch ON,
dual monaural (Independent) operation is selected.
K2 Function pulse length setup
With a jumper over the ON position of JPR1, K2 generates a 20 second pulse. When
the OFF position is selected, a 2 second pulse is set (Factory default). This is only
operational with the unit in stereo mode. This function could be used to trigger an
external AC power relay to reboot equipment. In dual monoaural (Independent)
mode, K1 is associated with input one (left) and K2 is associated with input 2 (right).
NOTE: The top cover must be removed to access this jumper (refer to the con-
figuration and wiring sheet) in the appendix.
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Silence Sentinel Basic G2 Installation and Operation Manual
OPERATION
Operational Guidelines
Operation
Front Panel LED indicators
“PWR/HB” LED: Blinks to indicate operation when power is applied. (Green)
“Reset” LED: Lit the Reset/Disable input is active. (Red)
“ACT” Left/Right LEDs: Lit when input audio is above threshold. (Yellow)
“Alarm” Left/Right Tally LEDs: Lit = Indicates a current or past silence alarm.
(Red)
“K1” Left “K2” Right LEDs: Lit = Lit when a relay is closed/active. (Green)
Front Panel Controls
Recessed Reset/Disable switch (“Reset”): Used to clear Alarm Tally LEDs after an
alarm or to disable alarms.
Stereo Mode Operation
When the Silence Sentinel® Basic G2 is “Enabled”, it will trigger in the absence of
audio (see trip level setup) on either or both channels after the delay time has expired
(See delay dipswitch SW2-1 through 4 and SW2-9) which will cause the following
action:
1 - The front panel left and/or right “ACT” audio LEDs extinguish.
2 - The left and/or right alarm tally “Alarm” LEDs and relay K1 activate.
3 – K2 relay pulses for either 2 or 20 seconds.
Note: The K2 relay will generate a pulse duration determined by JPR1.
When both channels return and the restore time delay has expired (if enable), the fol-
lowing action occurs:
1 – Relay K1 opens.
2 - The front panel left and right “ACT” audio LEDs will illuminate
3 - Either or both “Alarm” tally LED indicators will stay illuminated to provide his-
tory of the alarm until reset. To reset/clear an alarm, press in the disable (alarm
reset) switch and then press again to release the switch, or momentary pull the
remote “disable” input to ground.
Dual Monaural (Independent) Mode Operation
When the Silence Sentinel® Basic G2 is enabled, it will trigger in the absence of
audio (see trip level setup) on each of the independent channels after the delay time
has expired (See delay dipswitch SW2-1 through 4 and SW2-9).
The Silence Sentinel® Basic G2 when triggered will cause the following action:
1 - The left and or right “Alarm” tally LED(s) will illuminate.
2 – Relay K1 will close for the “Left” input and relay K2 will close for the “Right input.
When either audio channel returns, and the restore time delay has expired (if
enabled), the following action occurs:
1 - Either or both relays K1 and K2 will open.
2 - The “Alarm” tally LED indicators stay illuminated to provide history of the alarm.
To reset/clear an alarm, press in the disable (alarm reset) switch and then press again
to release the switch, or momentary pull the remote “disable” input to ground.
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