Lectronics R400A User manual

Quick
Start
Guide
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This guide is intended to assist with
initial setup and operation of your
Lectrosonics product.
For a detailed user manual, down-
load the most current
version at:
www.lectrosonics.com/US
Digital Hybrid Wireless®
Reciver
R400A
16 Jun 2015
U.S. Patent 7,225,135
Version 2

LECTROSONICS, INC.2
1. Connect the power cord from the power supply to the Power Input Jack.
2. Attach the antennas or antenna cables to the MAIN ANT and DIV ANT
BNC connectors.
3. Press the POWER/PREV MENU button to turn on the unit. Check to see
that the LCD displays the three-screen Power Up Sequence:
Lectrosonics
R400A VXX where XX is the current firmware version installed
Block XX where XX is the frequency tuning range block number
After the Power Up Sequence is displayed, the Main Window appears
and the R400A is ready for operation.
4. Ensure the receiver and transmitter are set to the same Compatibility
Mode, then locate a clear operating frequency (see Frequency Coordina-
tion.) Then set the Transmitter Frequency Select Switches to match the
receiver’s operating frequency. (See R400A Menu Options.)
5. Turn the transmitter on and verify that an RF signal is indicated on the LCD.
6. Connect an audio cable to the appropriate audio output jack. Because
the audio outputs operate independently, external equipment can be
connected to either, or both output jacks.
7. Locate a clear operating frequency. The easiest method is to use Smart-
Tune™ and then set the transmitter frequency indicated on the display.
Note: For more detailed instructions, see “Using SmartTune™and the
Scan function on page 7.
8. Refer to the associated transmitter operating instructions and adjust the
transmitter gain.
The importance of the transmitter gain adjustment:
The input gain adjustment on the transmitter sets the limit for the maximum
signal to noise that the entire wireless system can deliver. If it is set too low,
background noise and dropouts will be noticeable. If set too high, overload
distortion may be heard during loud peaks, or feedback may take place when
used with a sound reinforcement system.
Adjust the transmitter gain so that the loudest peaks in the audio will cause
the modulation level indicators on both the receiver and transmitter to just
begin to indicate full scale. This will maximize the signal to noise ratio and
preserve the maximum dynamic range possible without compression. The
limiters on Lectrosonics transmitters can handle levels up to 30 dB or more
above full modulation, so there is no problem with overload distortion during
loud peaks when the gain is adjusted in this manner.
Once the input gain on the transmitter is set correctly, the output level of the
receiver can be adjusted to match the sound system, recorder, etc. The output
level control on the receiver is simply an attenuator, so it does not affect the
signal to noise ratio of the system.
Initial Setup

www.lectrosonics.com 3
Use the Level or Tone menus to adjust the audio output levels to match the
required input level of any connected devices (sound system, recorder, etc.).
The adjustment range is from -50 dBu to +5 dBu in 1 dB steps for the bal-
anced output and -55 dBu to +0 dBu in 1 dB steps for the unbalanced output.
Note: The test tone output is especially useful for an exact level match.
With the test tone running, adjust for the maximum desired peak level
using the metering on the connected device.
If desired, access the LockSet menu to lock the R400A front panel controls to
prevent inadvertently modifying the receiver settings during operation.
Main
Antenna Input
Diversity
Antenna Input
Balanced
Audio OutputPower Input Jack
Unbalanced
Audio Output
POWER/
PREV MENU
Button
MENU ControlLCD Screen

LECTROSONICS, INC.4
R400A Menu Options
SetUpRx
The SetUpRx menu accesses the screens used to set up the receiver. These
screens include: Freq, Level, Tuning, Compat, Tone, PilotBP, Phase, TxBatt
and SmartNR.
Freq
The Freq setup screen displays the TV channel, the associated transmitter
Frequency Select Switch settings and the selected operating frequency for the
R400A. To change the operating frequency, rotate the MENU control. Exit this
setup screen by pressing the PREV MENU button. The receiver will retain its
tuning even when the power is off.
Note: Remember to set the transmitter to match.
Level-B
The Level-B setup screen displays the audio output level of the receiver in
dBu at the balanced XLR jack.
Level-U
The Level-U setup screen displays the audio output level of the receiver in
dBu at the unbalanced 1/4-inch jack.
Tuning
The R400A offers 7 tuning modes: Normal mode (default), 4 factory set
frequency groups (Fact Grp A thru D), and 2 user programmable frequency
groups (User Grp U and V). For more information on tuning groups, see
owner’s manual. In normal tuning mode, all 256 channels are available.
Compat
The Compat setup screen is used to select the compatibility mode, allowing
the R400A to operate with a variety of transmitters. The available compatibility
modes are:
NU Hybrid - This mode works with Lectrosonics Digital Hybrid transmit-
ters using ETSI compliant Nu Digital Hybrid compatibility mode.
100 Series - This mode works with all Lectrosonics 100 Series compat-
ible transmitters.
200 Series - This mode works with all Lectrosonics 200 Series compat-
ible transmitters.
NA Hybrid - is the best mode to use when both transmitter and receiver
are North American Digital Hybrid Wireless models (not Euro/E01 vari-
ants).
IFB - This mode works with all Lectrosonics IFB compatible transmitters.
MODE 3 and MODE 6* - These modes work with a number of non-Lec-
trosonics analog transmitters. Contact the company for a list of compat-
ible transmitters for each mode.
*Mode 6 available on units with Serial Number 236 and up

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Tone-B
The Tone-B setup screen switches from received audio at the balanced XLR
audio output jack to an internally generated 1kHz audio test tone for precise
level matching with other externally connected equipment without actually go-
ing “on the air.” Pressing the PREV MENU button exits the setup screen.
Tone-U
The Tone-U setup screen switches from received audio at the unbalanced
1/4-inch audio output jack to an internally generated 1kHz audio test tone for
precise level matching with other externally connected equipment without actu-
ally going “on the air.” Pressing the PREV MENU button exits the setup screen.
Warning: There is only one audio output level setting for both received audio
and the setup tone. The level set here will be retained in the receive mode
(superseding settings made in the Level-U setup screen).
PilotBP
Pilot tone Bypass defeats the squelch in the receiver and allows whatever au-
dio or noise is present to be output, which can be useful in diagnostics. TURN
DOWN THE SOUND SYSTEM OR RECORDER INPUT LEVEL BEFORE
USING THIS FUNCTION.
Note: No pilot tone is used in 100 Series or Mode 3 Compatibility
Modes, so therefore this function is not offered for those modes.
Phase-B, Phase-U
Phase-B allows the polarity of the balanced XLR audio output to be inverted,
as might be necessary to match other microphones or different microphone
wiring methods. Phase_U does the same for the unbalanced 1.4” output.
Select the desired polarity (“phase”) the press PREV MENU to story the set-
ting and return to the previous menu.
TxBatt
The TxBatt setup screen allows the selection of the exact battery type being
used in the transmitter to provide more accurate battery level monitoring.
Four different types of batteries are commonly used in Lectrosonics transmit-
ters: 9 Volt alkaline, 9 Volt lithium, AA alkaline, and AA lithium. Rechargeable
NiMH batteries can also be used in the transmitters (see TIMER below).
TIMER - Can be used with any battery type. Displays the cumulative
time that the transmitter has been turned on. The time is displayed in two
locations on the receiver: the lower left corner of the TxBatt setup screen
and the upper left corner of the Main Window display. No battery icon is
displayed in TIMER mode.
The colon blinks when the TIMER is running, and also indicates that the
communications link is active. When either the transmitter or the R400A
receiver is powered OFF, the timer will retain the accumulated time and
resume counting only when a signal is detected from the transmitter.
continued on next page...

LECTROSONICS, INC.6
TxBatt (continued)
To reset the timer, navigate to the TIMER setup screen and quickly press
and release the PREV MENU button and the MENU control simultane-
ously. The TIMER mode is most useful for NiMH batteries as they do not
exhibit reliably identifiable voltage drops as they discharge.
For compatibility modes other than 400 Series and 200 Series, no bat-
tery telemetry information is available so the TxBatt setup screen offers
TIMER as the only choice.
Exit this setup screen by pressing the PREV MENU button.
SmartNR
Available in 400 Series Compatibility Mode only, the SmartNR setup screen is
used to select one of three noise reduction modes:
OFF - No noise reduction is performed and complete transparency is pre-
served. All signals presented to the transmitter’s analog front end, includ-
ing any faint microphone hiss, will be faithfully reproduced at the receiver.
NORMAL (factory default) - Enough noise reduction is applied to remove
most of the hiss from the mic preamp and some of the hiss from lavaliere
microphones. The noise reduction benefit is dramatic in this position, yet
the degree of transparency maintained is exceptional.
FULL - Enough noise reduction is applied to remove most of the hiss
from nearly any signal source of reasonable quality, assuming levels are
set properly at the transmitter.
Rotate the MENU control to select the noise reduction mode. Exit this setup
screen by pressing the PREV MENU button.
Back
Rotate the MENU control to select BACK, then push the MENU control to
return to the TopMenu window.
LockSet
LockSet is used to prevent inadvertent settings and adjustments to be made
to the receiver. Press the rotary control and rotate it to navigate to the LockSet
menu item, then press the rotary control to enter the setup screen. Select
LOCKED to prevent changes to be made, or NOT LOCKED to allow changes
to be made.
When the controls are LOCKED, the Scan and SmartTuneTM functions are
disabled.
To unlock the controls, repeat the steps above and select NOT LOCKED.

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Scan
Navigate to the SCAN option from the menu, then press the rotary control to
activate the scan function. The receiver begins scanning the receiver’s fre-
quency block. The receiver will continue to scan the tuning range continuously,
accumulating the highest peaks with each subsequent scan. Press the rotary
control to stop the scanning. Data gathered during the scanning process is
retained until Scan mode is exited.
With scanning stopped, the display will show the RF signals detected across
the entire tuning range. This “coarse view” presents a cursor (vertical line) that
can be moved with the rotary control.
A double press of the rotary control will switch the LCD to a “fine view” to
zoom in on the screen. In this mode, the cursor will remain in the center of the
display and turning the rotary control will move the background. Finer detail is
presented in this mode.
TopMenu SetUpRx
LockSet
Scan
xExit
Freq Scan
Window
Coarse
Scan Scroll
Main Window
S
c
a
n
1000
100
10
1uV
00 FF
B0
TV
28
S
c
a
n
1000
100
10
1uV
00 FF
AC
TV
28
SmrtTun
Fine
Scan Scroll
S
c
a
n
1000
100
10
1uV
B0
TV
28
R400A
557.100
C3
NORM
1000
100
10
1uV
P
40 20 0
Cursor moves to indicate scanning
Coarse
View
Fine
View
Strong RF Weak or no RF
Scroll through the screen and find a frequency where no RF signals are
present (or in the worst case, only very weak RF signals). With the cursor on
this frequency, press the PREV MENU button to exit from scan mode.You will
be given the option of YES to switch to the new frequency just found, NO to
return to the frequency set before the scan, or SCAN to return to scanning.
Once the frequency has been selected, set the transmitter to match.
SmartTune™
SmartTune™ automates the discovery of a clear operating frequency. It does
this by scanning all the available operating frequencies within the system’s fre-
quency block range (in 100 kHz increments) and then selecting the frequency
with the least amount of RF interference. When SmartTune is complete, it
returns to the Main Window displaying the operating frequency and transmit-
ter switch settings for the clear channel discovered during scanning.
Be sure to set the transmitter to match the new frequency.