CTP Systems FWD8000 User manual

FWD8000
Dante™ enabled four wire box
Firmware version 2
by
CTP Systems

Product warranty
This unit is guaranteed for a period of one year from dispatch of the goods. This
guarantee is a return to base warranty. In the unlikely event of a fault the goods
should be returned to CTP Systems in the UK or your local dealer.
This equipment is CE marked and conforms to the following directives:
Low Voltage Directive: EN60065
Emissions: EN55103.1
Immunity: EN55103.2
WEEE
CTP Systems are registered for Business to Business sales of WEEE in the UK. Our
registration number is WEE/DF0509VR. This is why our product has a ridiculous
picture of a dustbin on the back.
RoHS
The product conforms to the RoHS Directive 2002/95/EC for restriction of the use of
hazardous substances in electrical and electronic equipment.
This unit was designed and manufactured in the UK by CTP Systems Limited, Unit 4,
Clinton Business Centre, Lodge Road, Staplehurst, Kent TN12 0QF.
ctpsystems.co.uk. Telephone [phone]
Dante is a trademark of Audinate Pty Ltd.

Overview
The FWD8000 is a network eight input eight output four wire unit with eight IFB
inputs in a 1RU case. In addition to the Dante ports the first four 4 wire circuits are
mirrored on the rear of the unit as analogue XLRs as are the first two IFB inputs.
Many parameters such as IFB dim level and ‘all talk’ functions may be programmed
into the unit using the built in web server. The microphone has 48 volt phantom
power available. There are both primary and secondary network connections to
allow for redundancy or an additional switch connection for daisy chaining units.
When using network four wire units in combination with Dante Controller the user
effectively has a peer to peer programmable talkback system.
Power
The FWD8000 may be powered PoE, by 12 volts DC or mains powered 110-240 VAC
50/60 Hz. Two or more power sources may be used at once effectively providing
power supply redundancy.
Setting Up the network
The FWD8000 should be used in conjunction with Dante Controller software
available from https://www.audinate.com/products/software/dante-controller.
As supplied the FWD8000 will appear in Dante Controller as FWD8000-nnn.
Connect the primary RJ45 to your router. If redundant operation is required connect
the secondary RJ45 to the redundant network router. Alternatively the secondary
RJ45 may be used as a router output for forwarding on to additional Dante
equipment. This function should be configured in Dante Controller.
When then unit is powered and after successful network connection the LEDs by the
RJ45 connectors will illuminate. The green LED will blink to show activity on the port
or will be off if no link has been established.

The FWD8000 as it appears in Dante Controller
Analogue Inputs/Outputs
The FWD8000 has four analogue 4w inputs, four analogue 4w outputs and two
analogue IFB inputs. These mirror network inputs and outputs 1 to 4 and network IFB
inputs 1 and 2. The analogue I/O may be used in conjunction with the network
connections, for example you can connect an analogue IFB input locally and use that
four wire as a network output. The four wire outputs connect simultaneously to the
Analogue and network outputs. If both the analogue and network inputs to a given
four wire are connected then the inputs will be mixed together.

Talk keys
Press the 4w talk key down for momentary operation or up to latch it on. The red
LED will illuminate. The 4w audio input will dim the incoming loudspeaker audio for
that channel (this may be defeated or adjusted via the web server, more of that
later).
When the talk key is pressed the IFB input, which is normally routed to the four wire
output, will be dimmed in level or cut as required (again selected via the web server).
Vox lights
These will illuminate green when incoming audio above -36dBFS (or -18dB ref. PPM
0) is present on the four wire input. When audio is removed they will remain
illuminated for approximately 10 seconds.
IFB mon
The IFB monitor button enables the user to listen to the incoming IFB audio,
especially useful as a confidence check. The button will illuminate blue when the IFB
is being monitored.
When selected the incoming audio monitoring for that channel is switched away
from the four wire input to the IFB input. Press again to switch back to incoming
audio.
Group talk
This key enables the user to talk to a selection or all of the four wire outputs.
The selection may be programmed in the web server. When selected all
programmed keys will illuminate when Group Talk is activated. Any keys that are
latched to ‘talk’ but not programmed to the group will switch off while group talk is
active.
Mic cut and Hot mic output, loudspeaker cut.
There is a ‘hot mic’ output that is normally on (regardless of the talk key positions)
available as a network output. Selecting Mic cut will kill the microphone output to all
the four wire circuits and to the ‘hot mic’ output. The switch will illuminate blue
when the mic is cut.
The internal speaker will automatically cut when a headset connector is plugged in.
Mixers
There are two 3:1 and one 2:1 Dante mixers included in the unit, they are available
for mixing four wire outputs as required.

Accessing the FWD8000 web page
The Dante web page may be accessed using the Dante assigned IP address of the
FWD8000. If you are using a fixed IP address then you already know what the IP
address is. If you are using DHCP the address may be found using Dante Controller
and selecting Device Info. Dial this address (ie. 169.254.34.217) into your web
browser and the webpage will appear.
If your network is suitably set up it is also possible to access the web page using the
following:
http://dantename.local/
where dantename is the name that appears for the FWD8000 in Dante Controller. If
this does not work it is outside the scope of this document and down to your
network setup, please ask your IT department or use the IP address.
Any number of FWD8000s may be viewed at once in multiple browsers or tabs.
It is important to note that the web page information will not be valid until after
some 30 seconds after the FWD8000 is powered up, it takes this time for the first full
network update to complete.

For items on the web page with a down arrow such as Mic gain, just click on the
down arrow and select as required. For items with a direct input such as input levels
just click on the box and type in a value. As an example, when keying in levels
negative values should be typed as -9, positive values just 9. Any values outside the
allowed value range will result in no change in the display. The allowed range is
-12dB to +12dB. Note that one or any number of changes may be made but they will
not be sent to the commentary box until the ‘Submit’ button is pressed.
If at any time you require confirmation of the FWD8000 status just put the cursor in
the URL box and hit return, the page will reload.
Web page settings
Microphone gain may be set to:
Auto – Automatic gain control, the internal DSP will automatically adjust.
+60dB
+54dB
+48dB
+42dB
+36dB
Mic Phantom
Front panel microphone 48 volt phantom power may be switched on and off via this
control.
IFB dim level
This sets the amount by which the IFB through audio dims when the talk key on that
channel is pressed. Choices are:
-6dB
-12dB
-18dB
-24dB
-30dB
Mute (switches off the IFB through audio when the key is pressed).
LS dim level
This sets the amount by which the incoming loudspeaker audio dims when the talk
key on that channel is pressed. Choices are:
-6dB
-12dB
-18dB
-24dB
-30dB
Mute
The LS dim level is ‘intelligent’ in that it will not dim the loudspeaker if programme
audio is already below the set threshold.

Talk Latch
This enables or disables the talk key latch action when the talk key is pressed up on a
per key basis. When disabled the talk key ‘up’ action will have no effect.
This facility is also available for the Group Talk button (see below).
Group Talk
All keys set to ‘Yes’ will be added to group talk. Press the group talk key to talk to all
selected destinations at once.
Speaker Dim
All keys set to ‘Yes’ will dim the loudspeaker by the amount set in LS Dim Level. It is
useful to be able to turn this facility off if, for example, using a key to talk to cameras
where no return dim would be required.
Level adjustments
This page enables adjustment of all input and output levels from -12dB to +12dB.

When keying in levels negative values should be typed as -9, positive values
just 9. Any values outside the allowed value range will result in no change in the
display.
Sample rate
The FWD8000 operates at a sample rates of 48kHz, 16 or 24 bit.
Power
PoE class 4
12 volts DC 1A
100-240VAC 50/60 Hz
Mains consumption <15 Watts
Actual power consumption will normally be far less than detailed above. The values
shown allow for high level loudspeaker audio monitoring.
Mechanical
1RU case 200mm deep.
Weight 2kilos
All aluminium case.
Headset XLR wiring
1 Headset mic live
1 Headset mic neutral
1 Headset Earth
4 Right earpiece live
5 Left earpiece live
Block Schematics
These are simplified diagrams of the signal path. The majority of processing takes
place in the digital domain.