Sonifex Redbox Series Instruction Manual

Manufacturers of audio & video
products for radio & TV broadcasters
Redbox
User Handbook No 2
HANDBOOK
RB-SD1 Silence Detection Unit
RB-SD1IP Silence Detection Unit With Ethernet & USB
RB-DSD1 Digital Silence Detection Unit
RB-DSD8 8 Channel Silence Switcher
RB-FS42 Audio Failover Switcher, 4 Main I/O, 2 Standby I/O
RB-FS42DC Audio Failover Switcher, 4 Main I/O, 2 Standby I/O, DC PSU
RB-FS82 Audio Failover Switcher, 8 Main I/O, 2 Standby I/O
RB-FS82DC Audio Failover Switcher, 8 Main I/O, 2 Standby I/O, DC PSU

Redbox Handbook 2
This handbook is for use with the following product:
Redbox User Handbook No 2
Stock Code: 30-337
Artwork: AW10839A
Revision 3.04, September 2018
©Sonifex Ltd, 2018
All Rights Reserved
Sonifex Ltd, 61, Station Road, Irthlingborough,
Northants, NN9 5QE, England.
Tel: [phone]
Fax: [phone]
Email: [email protected]o.uk
Website: http://www.sonifex.co.uk
Information in this document is subject to change without notice and does not represent a
commitment on the part of the vendor. Sonifex Ltd shall not be liable for any loss or damage
whatsoever arising from the use of information or any error contained in this manual.
No part of this manual may be reproduced or transmitted in any form or by any means, electronic
or mechanical, including photocopying, recording, information storage and retrieval systems, for any
purpose other than the purchaser’s personal use, without the express written permission of Sonifex
Ltd. Unless otherwise noted, all names of companies, products and persons contained herein are
part of a completely fictitious adaptation and are designed solely to document the use of Sonifex
product.
Made in the UK by
For the latest Sonifex handbook information please visit the
Sonifex website at www.sonifex.co.uk

Contents
Contents
Product Warranty - 2 Year Extended ii
Sonifex Warranty & Liability Terms & Conditions ii
1. Definitions ii
2. Warranty ii
Unpacking Your Product iii
Repairs & Returns iv
Conformity iv
Safety & Installation of Mains Operated Equipment iv
Voltage Setting Checks iv
Fuse Rating iv
Power Cable & Connection iv
WEEE Directive v
Atmosphere/Environment v
Fitting Redboxes v
1 RB-SD1 Silence Detection Unit 1
Introduction 1
System Block Diagram 2
Rear Panel Connections and Operation 3
Front Panel Selectors and Indicators 5
Source Select and Indicator 6
Additional Modes 7
Technical Specifications RB-SD1 9
2 RB-SD1IP Silence Detection Unit With Ethernet & USB 10
Introduction 10
System Block Diagram 12
Rear Panel Connections and Operation 13
Mode DIP Switch Settings 13
Remote Alarms Connector 14
Front Panel Selectors and Indicators 16
RB-SD1IP Network Discovery and Webserver 19
Sonifex Service Discovery App 20
Home Page 21
Device Information 22
Network Settings 23
Configuration : Level & Time Settings 24
Configuration : Source Settings 25
Configuration : Alarm Settings 26
Configuration : SNMP Settings 27
Configuration : USB Settings 28
Configuration : Remote Settings 29
Configuration : GPIO Settings 30
Configuration : Physical Settings 31
Update 32
Technical Specification RB-SD1IP 33
3 RB-DSD1 Digital Silence Detection Unit 34
Introduction 34
Front Panel Controls and Indicators 36
Front Panel DIPSwitches 37
Rear Panel Controls 38
Remotes Connector 41
RB-DSD1 Inputs & Outputs 42
Serial Port Control 43
Serial Interface Commands and Responses 43
Serial Protocol RB-DSD1 43
SCi for RB-DSD1 46
Indication Page 47
Unit Setup Page 48
Miscellaneous Page 49
Special Modes 50
Technical Specification For RB-DSD1 51
4 RB-DSD8 8 Channel Silence Switcher 53
Front Panel Controls & Indicators 55
Status Buttons 55
DISPLAY LEDS 55
Rear Panel DIPSwitch Settings 58
RB-DSD8 Rear Panel Connections 61
Audio Connections 61
GPI/O Remotes Connector 62
Alarm Output Pins 63
Control Inputs 63
Slave Socket 64
USB Remote Control 64
Ethernet 64
Wordclock & AES Synchronisation Input 64
Dual IEC Main Inputs 64
Remote Control 65
Slave Control 65
Serial Interface Commands & Responses 65
Error Messages 68

Contents
SCi for RB-DSD8 68
Status Page 68
Channel Status Page 70
Miscellaneous Page 71
Webserver 72
Connecting to the device 73
Webserver Password 73
Updating The Firmware 74
Technical Specification RB-DSD8 75
5 RB-FS42 Audio Failover Switcher, 4 Main I/O,
2 Standby I/O 77
Introduction 77
Connections & Operation 80
Front Panel 80
Rear Panel Connections 82
25 Way D-Type Connection Details 83
Typical Application 85
Network Discovery & Webserver Configuration 86
Device Info 90
Home Page 91
Network Settings 92
SNMP 93
Channel Settings 94
Power Supply Trap Settings 95
GPO Settings 96
LED Settings 97
Update 98
Technical Specifications RB-FS42 99
6 RB-FS82 Audio Failover Switcher, 8 Main I/O,
2 Standby I/O 101
Introduction 101
Connections & Operation 104
Front Panel 104
Rear Panel Connections 106
25 Way D-Type Connection Details 107
Typical Application 109
GPI Operation 110
Network Discovery & Webserver Configuration 110
Device Info 114
Home Page 115
Network Settings 116
SNMP 117
Channel Settings 118
Power Supply Trap Settings 119
GPO Settings 120
LED Settings 121
Update 122
Technical Specifications RB-FS82 123

Figures
Figures
Fig A: RB-RK1Small Redbox Front Rack-mount Kit . v
Fig B: RB-RK2 Small Redbox Rear Rack-mount Kit. vi
Fig C: RB-RK3 Large Redbox Rear Rack-mount Kit. vi
Fig 1-1: RB-SD1 Front Panel 1
Fig 1-2: RB-SD1 System Block Diagram 2
Fig 1-3: RB-SD1 Rear Panel 3
Fig 1-4: RB-SD1 Front Panel 5
Fig 2-1: RB-SD1IP Front Panel 10
Fig 2-2: RB-SD1IP System Block Diagram 12
Fig 2-3: RB-SD1IP Rear Panel 13
Fig 2-4: RB-SD1IP Front Panel 16
Fig 2-5: Sonifex Service Discovery - Bonjour Page 20
Fig 2-6: Sonifex Service Discovery - Legacy Discovery Page 20
Fig 2-7: RB-SD1IP Screenshot of the Webserver Home Page 21
Fig 2-8: RB-SD1IP Screenshot of the Webserver Device Page 22
Fig 2-9: RB-SD1IP Screenshot of the Webserver Network
Settings Page 23
Fig 2-10: RB-SD1IP Screenshot of the Webserver Level
& Time Settings Page 24
Fig 2-11: RB-SD1IP Screenshot of the Webserver Sources Page 25
Fig 2-12: RB-SD1IP Screenshot of the Webserver Alarms Page 26
Fig 2-13: RB-SD1IP Screenshot of the Webserver SNMP Page 27
Fig 2-14: RB-SD1IP Screenshot of the Webserver USB Page 28
Fig 2-15: RB-SD1IP Screenshot of the Webserver Remotes Page 29
Fig 2-16: RB-SD1IP Screenshot of the Webserver GPIO Page 30
Fig 2-17: RB-SD1IP Screenshot of the Webserver
Physical Settings Page 31
Fig 2-18: RB-SD1IP Screenshot of the Webserver Update
Firmware Page 32
Fig 3-1: RB-DSD1 Front Panel 34
Fig 3-2: RB-DSD1 System Block Diagram 36
Fig 3-3: RB-DSD1 Front Panel Controls and Indicators 36
Fig 3-4: SILENCE Detect Duration DIPSwitch 37
Fig 3-5: SILENCE Detect Audio Trigger Level DIPSwitch 38
Fig 3-6: SILENCE Detect Stereo/Mono & Sync Source DIPSwitch 38
Fig 3-7: Rear Panel DIPSwitches 38
Fig 3-8: RB-DSD1 Rear Panel 42
Fig 3-9: Serial Port Default Settings 43
Fig 3-10: Indication Page 47
Fig 3-11: Unit Setup Page 48
Fig 3-12: Miscellaneous Page 49
Fig 4-1: RB-DSD8 Front Panel 53
Fig 4-2: RB-DSD8 Status Buttons 55
Fig 4-3: RB-DSD8 Controls & Indicators For Each Channel 55
Fig 4-4: RB-DSD8 Additional Indicators 57
Fig 4-5: RB-DSD8 Rear Panel DIPSwitches 58
Fig 4-6: RB-DSD8 Rear Panel 61
Fig 4-7: Audio & GPI/O Connector Detail 61
Fig 4-8: Audio Connector Pin Numbers 62
Fig 4-9: GPI/O Remotes Connector Pin Numbers 62
Fig 4-10: Communications Connectors 64
Fig 4-11: Status Page 69
Fig 4-12: Channel Status Page 70
Fig 4-13: Miscellaneous Page 71
Fig 4-14: General Settings Page 72
Fig 5-1: The RB-FS42 Front Panel 77
Fig 5-2: The RB-FS42 Diagram 79
Fig 5-3: The RB-FS42 Front Panel 80
Fig 5-4: The RB-FS42 Rear Panel 82
Fig 5-5: The RB-FS42 Female and Male Connectors 83
Fig 5-6: The RB-FS42 Bonjour Panel 89
Fig 5-7: The RB-FS42 Legacy Discovery Panel 89
Fig 5-8: The RB-FS42 Device Info Panel 90
Fig 5-9: The RB-FS42 Home Screen 91
Fig 5-10: The RB-FS42 Network Settings Screen 92
Fig 5-11: The RB-FS42 SNMP Screen 93
Fig 5-12: The RB-FS42 Channel Settings Screen 94
Fig 5-13: The RB-FS42 Power Supply Trap Settings Screen 95
Fig 5-14: The RB-FS42 GPO Settings Screen 96
Fig 5-15: The RB-FS42 LED Settings Screen 97
Fig 5-16: The RB-FS42 Update Screen 98
Fig 6-1: The RB-FS82 Front Panel 101
Fig 6-2: The RB-FS82 Diagram 103
Fig 6-3: The RB-FS82 Front Panel 104
Fig 6-4: The RB-FS82 Rear Panel 106
Fig 6-5: The RB-FS82 Female and Male Connectors 107

Figures
Fig 6-6: The RB-FS82 Bonjour Panel 113
Fig 6-7: The RB-FS82 Legacy Discovery Panel 113
Fig 6-8: The RB-FS82 Device Info Panel 114
Fig 6-9: The RB-FS82 Home Screen 115
Fig 6-10: The RB-FS82 Network Settings Screen 116
Fig 6-11: The RB-FS82 SNMP Screen 117
Fig 6-12: The RB-FS82 Channel Settings Screen 118
Fig 6-13: The RB-FS82 Power Supply Trap Settings Screen 119
Fig 6-14: The RB-FS82 GPO Settings Screen 120
Fig 6-15: The RB-FS82 LED Settings Screen 121
Fig 6-16: The RB-FS82 Update Screen 122

Warranty Registration
Sonifex Limited 61 Station Road Irthlingborough Northamptonshire NN9 5QE United Kingdom
Tel: [phone] Fax: [phone] Email: [email protected]o.uk Internet: www.sonifex.co.uk
Register Online for an
Extended 2 Year Warranty
As standard, Sonifex products are
supplied with a 1 year back to base
warranty.
If you register the product online, you
can increase your product warranty
to 2 years and we can also keep
you informed of any product design
improvements or modifications.
To register your product, please go online to www.sonifex.co.uk/register
Product:
Serial No:

ii
Warranty
Product Warranty - 2 Year Extended
As standard, Sonifex products are supplied with a 1 year back to base
warranty. In order to register the date of purchase and so that we can keep
you informed of any product design improvements or modifications, it is
important to complete the warranty registration online. Additionally, if you
register the product on the Sonifex website, you can increase your product
warranty to 2 years. Go to the Sonifex website at: http://www.sonifex.
co.uk/technical/register/index.asp to apply for your 2 year warranty.
Note: For your own records the product serial number is recorded on the
CE certification page of this handbook.
Sonifex Warranty & Liability Terms & Conditions
1. Definitions
‘the Company’ means Sonifex Ltd and where relevant includes companies
within the same group of companies as Sonifex Limited.
‘the Goods’ means the goods or any part thereof supplied by the Company
and where relevant includes: work carried out by the Company on items
supplied by the Purchaser; services supplied by the Company; and software
supplied by the Company.
‘the Purchaser’ means the person or organisation who buys or has agreed
to buy the Goods.
‘the Price’ means the Price of the Goods and any other charges incurred by
the Company in the supply of the Goods.
‘the Warranty Term’ is the length of the product warranty which is usually
12 months from the date of despatch; except when the product has been
registered at the Sonifex website when the Warranty Term is 24 months
from the date of despatch.
‘the Contract’ means the quotation, these Conditions of Sale and any
other document incorporated in a contract between the Company and the
Purchaser.
This is the entire Contract between the parties relating to the subject
matter hereof and may not be changed or terminated except in writing in
accordance with the provisions of this Contract. A reference to the consent,
acknowledgement, authority or agreement of the Company means in
writing and only by a director of the Company.
2. Warranty
a. The Company agrees to repair or (at its discretion) replace Goods
which are found to be defective (fair wear and tear excepted) and
which are returned to the Company within the Warranty Term
provided that each of the following are satisfied:
i. notification of any defect is given to the Company immediately
upon its becoming apparent to the Purchaser;
ii. the Goods have only been operated under normal operating
conditions and have only been subject to normal use (and
in particular the Goods must have been correctly connected
and must not have been subject to high voltage or to ionising
radiation and must not have been used contrary to the
Company’s technical recommendations);
iii. the Goods are returned to the Company’s premises at the
Purchaser’s expense;
iv. any Goods or parts of Goods replaced shall become the
property of the Company;
v. no work whatsoever (other than normal and proper
maintenance) has been carried out to the Goods or any part of
the Goods without the Company’s prior written consent;

iii
Warranty
vi. the defect has not arisen from a design made, furnished or
specified by the Purchaser;
vii. the Goods have been assembled or incorporated into other
goods only in accordance with any instructions issued by the
Company;
viii. the defect has not arisen from a design modified by the
Purchaser;
ix. the defect has not arisen from an item manufactured by a person
other than the Company. In respect of any item manufactured
by a person other than the Company, the Purchaser shall only be
entitled to the benefit of any warranty or guarantee provided by
such manufacturer to the Company.
b. In respect of computer software supplied by the Company the
Company does not warrant that the use of the software will be
uninterrupted or error free.
c. The Company accepts liability:
(i) for death or personal injury to the extent that it results from the
negligence of the Company, its employees (whilst in the course
of their employment) or its agents (in the course of the agency);
(ii) for any breach by the Company of any statutory undertaking as
to title, quiet possession and freedom from encumbrance.
d. Subject to conditions (a) and (c) from the time of despatch of
the Goods from the Company’s premises the Purchaser shall be
responsible for any defect in the Goods or loss, damage, nuisance
or interference whatsoever consequential economic or otherwise or
wastage of material resulting from or caused by or to the Goods. In
particular the Company shall not be liable for any loss of profits or
other economic losses. The Company accordingly excludes all liability
for the same.
e. At the request and expense of the Purchaser the Company will test
the Goods to ascertain performance levels and provide a report of
the results of that test. The report will be accurate at the time of the
test, to the best of the belief and knowledge of the Company, and the
Company accepts no liability in respect of its accuracy beyond that
set out in Condition (a).
f. Subject to Condition (e) no representation, condition, warranty or
other term, express or implied (by statute or otherwise) is given by
the Company that the Goods are of any particular quality or standard
or will enable the Purchaser to attain any particular performance
or result, or will be suitable for any particular purpose or use
under specific conditions or will provide any particular capacity,
notwithstanding that the requirement for such performance, result or
capacity or that such particular purpose or conditions may have been
known (or ought to have been known) to the Company, its employees
or agents.
g. (i) To the extent that the Company is held legally liable to the
Purchaser for any single breach of contract, tort, representation
or other act or default, the Company’s liability for the same
shall not exceed the price of the Goods.
(ii) The restriction of liability in Condition (g)(i) shall not apply to
any liability accepted by the Seller in Condition (c).
h. Where the Goods are sold under a consumer transaction (as defined
by the Consumer Transactions (Restrictions on Statements) Order
1976) the statutory rights of the Purchaser are not affected by these
Conditions of Sale.
Unpacking Your Product
Each product is shipped in protective packaging and should be inspected
for damage before use. If there is any transit damage take pictures of the
product packaging and notify the carrier immediately with all the relevant

iv
CE Certification
details of the shipment. Packing materials should be kept for inspection and
also for if the product needs to be returned.
The product is shipped with the following equipment so please check to
ensure that you have all of the items below. If anything is missing, please
contact the supplier of your equipment immediately.
Item Quantity
Product unit 1
IEC mains lead fitted with moulded mains plug 1
Handbook and warranty card 1
If you require a different power lead, please let us know when ordering the
product.
Repairs & Returns
Please contact Sonifex or your supplier if you have any problems with your
Sonifex product. Email [e-mail] for the repair/
upgrade/returns procedure, or for support & questions regarding the
product operation.
Conformity
The products in this manual comply with the essential requirements of the
relevant European health, safety and environmental protection legislation.
The technical justification file for this product is available at Sonifex Ltd.
The declaration of conformity can be found at:
http://www.sonifex.co.uk/declarations
Safety & Installation of Mains
Operated Equipment
There are no user serviceable parts inside the equipment. If you should
ever need to look inside the unit, always disconnect the mains supply
before removing the equipment covers. The cover is connected to earth
by means of the fixing screws. It is essential to maintain this earth/
ground connection to ensure a safe operating environment and provide
electromagnetic shielding.
Voltage Setting Checks
Ensure that the machine operating voltage is correct for your mains power
supply by checking the box in which your product was supplied. The voltage
is shown on the box label. The available voltage settings are 115V, or 230V.
Please note that all products are either switchable between 115V and 230V,
or have a universal power supply.
Fuse Rating
The product is supplied with a single fuse in the live conducting path of the
mains power input. For reasons of safety it is important that the correct
rating and type of fuse is used. Incorrectly rated fuses could present a
possible fire hazard, under equipment fault conditions. The active fuse is
fitted on the outside rear panel of the unit.
Power Cable & Connection
An IEC power connector is supplied with the product which has a moulded
plug attached.
The mains plug or IEC power connector is used as the disconnect device.
The mains plug and IEC power connector shall remain readily operable to
disconnect the apparatus in case of a fault or emergency.
The mains lead is automatically configured for the country that the product
is being sent to, from one of:

v
Safety & Installation
Territory Voltage IEC Lead Type Image
UK & Middle East 230V UK 3 pin to IEC lead
Europe 230V European Schuko round 2 pin to
IEC lead
USA, Canada and
South America 115V 3 flat pin to IEC lead
Australia & New
Zealand 230V Australasian 3 flat pin to IEC lead
Connect the equipment in accordance with the connection details and
before applying power to the unit, check that the machine has the correct
operating voltage for your mains power supply.
This apparatus is of a class I construction. It must be connected to a mains
socket outlet with a protective earthing connection.
Important note: If there is an earth/ground terminal on the rear panel of
the product then it must be connected to Earth.
WEEE Directive
The Waste Electrical and Electronic Equipment (WEEE)
Directive was agreed on 13 February 2003, along with the
related Directive 2002/95/EC on Restrictions of the use of
certain Hazardous Substances in electrical and electronic
equipment (RoHS). The Waste Electrical and Electronic Equipment Directive
(WEEE) aims to minimise the impacts of electrical and electronic equipment
on the environment during their life times and when they become waste.
All products manufactured by Sonifex Ltd have the WEEE directive label
placed on the case. Sonifex Ltd will be happy to give you information about
local organisations that can reprocess the product when it reaches its “end
of use”, or alternatively all products that have reached “end of use” can be
returned to Sonifex and will be reprocessed correctly free of charge.
Atmosphere/Environment
This apparatus should be installed in an area that is not subject to excessive
temperature variation (<0°C, >50°C), moisture, dust or vibration.
This apparatus shall not be exposed to dripping or splashing, and no objects
filled with water, such as vases shall be placed on the apparatus.
Fitting Redboxes
Redboxes can be fixed to the underside of a desk, or other surfaces
using 4.2mm holes in the sides and fixed with 2 x M4 screws or 2 x No. 6
countersink wood screws.
Fig A: RB-RK1Small Redbox Front Rack-mount Kit .

vi
Safety & Installation
They can also be rack-mounted, with either the front, or rear of the Redbox positioned at the front of the rack (Note: this product is front rack-mounted as
standard):
Front Mounting Redboxes: For rack mounting smaller (28cm) units the optional RB-RK1 (Red) or RB-RK1B (Black) kit can be used (which include
4 off M6 panel fixing screws).
Rear Mounting a Redbox: For rear panel mounting you can use either the RB-RK2 (in this case), or RB-RK3, depending on the size of your Redbox.
Fig B: RB-RK2 Small Redbox Rear Rack-mount Kit.
Fig C: RB-RK3 Large Redbox Rear Rack-mount Kit.

1
Silence Detectors - RB-SD1 1
1 RB-SD1 Silence Detection Unit
Introduction
Fig 1-1: RB-SD1 Front Panel
The RB-SD1 Silence Detect Unit is a 1U rack mount device used to monitor
an unattended stereo studio feed and in the event of the signal going
“quiet” after a given period the unit will switch through an alternative
stereo audio signal. This signal could be a recorded message (e.g. “normal
service will be resumed”, etc), a feed from a CD player or minidisk machine,
or an alternative recorded program. Controls are provided to start external
equipment and to provide remote status indication.
It has 2 balanced stereo audio inputs with the maximum input level being
+28dBu. Each input is user-defined as either the main source or auxiliary
source and both sources are monitored for failure, each having a remote
failure alarm. In the event of the main source dropping below a pre-set
level for a pre-determined amount of time, the unit will automatically
switch through to the auxiliary signal. The silence detect level is adjustable
between -60dBu and -15dBu in 3dB steps via a 16 position rotary switch on
the rear panel. The silence interval can be adjusted between 2 seconds to
30 seconds in 2 second steps, or, alternatively, set to 2 minutes 5 seconds
also via a 16 position rotary switch on the rear panel. The audio outputs use
stereo professional balanced XLR-3 male connectors.
The unit can operate in 2 modes - automatic or manual. In both modes it
will automatically switch over to the auxiliary source on detecting silence.
When the main signal is again detected it will either return to the main
signal automatically or manually depending on the mode chosen.
The RB-SD1 has a number of remote operational features. Remote outputs
provide separate relay contact closures for failure of the main and auxiliary
inputs. You can also control remotely all of the front panel switches for
source selection, mode selection and signal Restore. You can remotely
start and stop another piece of equipment on alarm failure and main signal
return respectively. Also, the longest silence time (2min 5sec) can be set
remotely, which is useful if you are expecting to broadcast a long silence.
The unit can be configured to alarm when either the left or right channel of
the main input source fails, or if the whole stereo signal fails. There are also
options to set the remote start output as momentary or latched, to disable
switching to the auxiliary input on alarming and to increase the gain on the
auxiliary input so that an unbalanced input can be used, for example, from
a domestic minidisc player.
Front panel LED indicators show individually left and right programme and
alarm conditions for both the main and auxiliary inputs. The status of the
source, mode and alarm state are also shown on the front panel with LED
indicators.
Additionally, the RB-SD1 can be programmed for specific applications,
which can be defined on power-up of the unit, e.g. for extended silence
detect times. See page 7 for current additional power-up modes, or
contact Sonifex for further information if you have a particular requirement.

2
1 Silence Detectors - RB-SD1
The RB-SD1 has been designed to have a passive signal path through the
main input, so if power to the unit fails, the signal input will still be routed
through to the output. This is essential for applications such as installation
at transmitter sites, where a power failure to the unit should not prevent
the audio input signal from being output to the transmitter.
System Block Diagram
Fig 1-2: RB-SD1 System Block Diagram
Mode Restore
Push
Switch
Main Channel
Select
Push
Switch
Reference
Voltage Select
Monitored
Channel Select
A/B
Switch
Control
Output
Select
Summing
Amp
Summing
Amp Digital
Pot
Control
Comparator
Stereo
Input A
Professional
Balanced
Stereo
Input B
Professional
Balanced
Left
Right
Left
Right
Stereo
Output
Professional
Balanced
Left
Right
Output Select
Default/Power Off
Select Input A
()
Microprocessor
0...9,A...F
Time Select
0...9,A...F
Mode Select
15 PIN
Remote
Connector

3
Silence Detectors - RB-SD1 1
Rear Panel Connections and Operation
Fig 1-3: RB-SD1 Rear Panel
A/B Inputs (Left and Right)
There are four XLR-3 inputs, two for channel A (Left & Right) and another
two for channel B (Left & Right). The XLR 3 pin sockets are used for the
input channels and are electronically balanced. They have the following
connections: -
Pin 1: Screen.
Pin 2: Phase.
Pin 3: Non-phase.
Outputs
The stereo input consists of two XLR male connectors professionally
balanced with following connections: -
Pin 1: Screen.
Pin 2: Phase.
Pin 3: Non-phase.
Silence Detect Trigger Level
The trigger level rotary switch (Level) adjusts the level below which silence
detection occurs. This level may be varied from –15dB to -60db in 3db steps
by adjusting the switch, which is accessible on the rear panel.
Switch 0123456789ABCDEF
Level
dBu -60 -57 -54 -51 -48 -45 -42 -39 -36 -33 -30 -27 -24 -21 -18 -15
Silence Detect Interval Control
The silence detect interval rotary switch (Time) adjusts the duration over
which a silence is detected before alarming and ranges from 2-30 seconds
(0 – E in 2 second intervals) with F on the switch being a 2 min 5 second
silence. This maximum time can also be activated or de-activated remotely
via the remote connector.
Switch 0 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 A B C D E F
Seconds 2 4 6 8 10 12 14 16 18 20 22 24 26 28 30 125
Mode Dip Switch Settings
1. Stereo/Mono.
2. Remote Start Mode Switch.
3. Professional levels/Consumer levels (Input B).
4. Switch/No switching when alarmed.
A Inputs
Time
Control B Inputs
Stereo
Outputs
Remotes
Connector
Level
Control
Mode
Select
1234
ON
OFF

4
1 Silence Detectors - RB-SD1
1. Stereo/Mono Switch –The configuration of this defines whether you
want to switch sources when left and/or right channel of the incoming
source go silent.
Switch Description
On
When on, the unit operates in stereo mode, whereby if one
channel goes quiet the unit will switch, and requires both
channels to be present before it switches back.
Off
When off, the unit operates in mono mode. In this mode
the unit will only switch when both channels go quiet, and
requires only one channel to be present before the unit
switches back.
2. Remote Start Mode Switch –This defines whether the remote start
switch is momentary or latched. Used for starting external equipment when
silence is detected.
Switch Description
On
When on, the remote start pin (pin 15) on the remote
connector is pulled low for half a second when the unit
switches to the auxiliary input. (Momentary contact).
Off
When off, the remote start pin on the remote connector is
pulled low when the unit switches over to the auxiliary input
and remains low until the unit switches back to the main
source or, if in manual mode, is restored by the user locally
or remotely. (Latched contact).
3. Professional/Consumer Switch – This allows you to use an unbalanced
piece of equipment as the auxiliary input, by raising the input gain.
Switch Description
On When on, Input B accepts professional balanced signal level.
Off When off, Input B accepts consumer unbalanced signal level
and raises the input gain received by 12dB.
4. Switch/No Switching in alarm state – This defines whether the unit
switches to the auxiliary input on silence detection.
Switch Description
On When on, if the unit goes into the alarm state the unit
switches to the auxiliary input.
Off When off, if the unit goes into the alarm state the unit does
not switch to the auxiliary input.
Remotes Connector
Displayed below are the pin connections and descriptions for the remote
connector:
Pin No. Signal I/O Description
Pin 1 Master Alarm Normally Open ORelay 1 N/O to Pin 9 in
alarm state
Pin 2 Master Alarm Normally Closed ORelay 1 N/C to Pin 9 in
alarm state
Pin 3 Aux. Alarm Normally Open ORelay 2 N/O to Pin 11 in
alarm state
Pin 4 Aux. Alarm Normally Closed ORelay 2 N/C to Pin 11 in
alarm state
Pin 5 Mode Switch IMomentary make to Pin 8
Pin 6 Mode Indicator OInternal Open Collector to
Digital Ground
Pin 7 Restore Switch IMomentary make to Pin 8

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Silence Detectors - RB-SD1 1
Pin 8 Digital Ground - -
Pin 9 Master Alarm Common ON/O to Pin 1, N/C to Pin 2
in alarm state
Pin 10 Max Time Whilst Latched ILatched make to Pin 8
Pin 11 Aux. Alarm Common ON/O to Pin 3, N/C to Pin 4
in alarm state
Pin 12 +5V OTo power up to a
maximum 100mA
Pin 13 Source Select Indicator OInternal Open Collector to
Digital Ground
Pin 14 Source Select Switch IMomentary make to Pin 8
Pin 15 Remote Start OInternal Open Collector to
Digital Ground
Pins 1 - 4 are for external use to replicate the alarm conditions for the Main
and Auxiliary inputs.
Pins 5 - 7, 13 and 14 are to replicate the switches and indicators for the
source select, mode and restore functions.
Pins 8, 9, 11 and 12 are common or voltage pins.
Pin 10 is to select remotely the maximum silence time (2min 5sec). This
may be useful for the broadcast of Remembrance Day services, or where
you expect a silence of up to 2 minutes to be broadcast. The maximum
silence time is set whilst the contact is latched.
Pin 15 is used to remotely start an external piece of equipment and
operates on audio fail.
Source
Selector
Alarm
Indicator
Mode Selector
and Indicator
Front Panel Selectors and Indicators
Fig 1-4: RB-SD1 Front Panel

6
1 Silence Detectors - RB-SD1
Source Select and Indicator
The normal Main input source is selectable via a push switch accessed via
a hole located on the front panel, or it can be controlled remotely (pins 13
and 14). This allows you to define whether input A, or input B is going to be
your Main audio input. There is an LED to indicate which state the source
select is set:
LED Description
LED On Main source is input A, Aux source is input B
LED Off Main source is input B, Aux source is input A
Note : If the unit is powered off, for example during a black-out, input A
routes through to the output. Therefore if the unit is subject to a power
fail while the main source is set to input B, the unit will output source A.
Mode Selector and Indicator
The Mode Switch defines how the unit should operate during an alarm
condition, when the main audio source returns. There is an option to
allow the device to switch back Automatically or Manually. The mode is
selected by a push switch accessed through a hole on the front panel with
a corresponding LED to represent its state, or it can be controlled remotely
(pins 5 and 6).
LED Description
LED On
Automatic Mode – During an alarm condition when the
main source returns, it is switched back automatically,
although there must be a continuous signal present for two
seconds before it switches.
LED Off
Manual Mode – When the alarm condition is reached, the
LED begins
to flash.
LED
Flashing
Manual Mode – The main audio has returned after an alarm
condition. To switch to the main source, push the Restore
button (or control it remotely).
Main and Aux Indicators
On the front panel there are four Main indicators and four Aux indicators.
Each left/right channel has a Program Content and Alarm Status indicator.
The Program Content Indicator represents the input signal level for that
channel and the Alarm Status LED indicates when the channel has dropped
below the threshold for longer than the time selected.
Both the Main and Aux inputs are continuously monitored so that you can
check that your backup signal is operating correctly, as well as your main
input source.
Note: Although one channel of the stereo input may have alarmed,
the main alarm may not be set, due to the setting of the Stereo/Mono
Dipswitch.
Alarm Indicator
The Alarm indicator situated on the front panel is used to display the alarm
status of the Main input. Its operation is dependant on the selected mode.
When in stereo mode the unit alarms on a single main channel timeout,
and in mono, alarms on both main channels timing out. The unit exits the
alarm state on the return of the main source signal, depending on the
setting of the Stereo/Mono Dipswitch. The alarm indicator is remotely
indicated on pins 1 and 2 of the remotes connector.

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Silence Detectors - RB-SD1 1
Restore Button
The restore button is used for restoring the main source signal when the
unit is operating in Manual Mode. When the main source signal returns
after it has timed out, the Mode LED flashes, indicating that the source
signal can be restored. When the Restore button is pressed the main source
returns. This can be remotely controlled using pin 7 of the
remotes connector.
Additional Modes
An option to set the unit in different modes of operation is available and
is selectable when the unit is powered on. The current available modes of
operation are as follows:
Normal Mode is as described previously for normal machine power-up.
Remote Stop Mode operates as follows. When the main source returns
from an alarmed state, pin 4 on the remote connector (Aux Alarm) closes
to Pin 11 (Aux Alarm Common) for half a second. (Note: this will only occur
when the Remote Start Mode Switch is set on (page 4) and whilst in
Remote Stop Mode the Aux alarm is not available to indicate the presence
of audio on the auxiliary input).
Remote Alarm Set Mode operates as follows. When the RESTORE pin on
the remote connector (pin 7) closes to the DIGITAL GROUND pin on the
remote connector (pin 8) the unit will immediately enter an alarmed state
and switch to the auxiliary input. This alarm state is continued until the
RESTORE pin opens to the DIGITAL GROUND pin. After this the unit will
switch back to the main input when audio is present.
NOTE: When operating in manual mode, restoration of output from the
main input is only available via the front panel restore switch. All other
functions operate as normal.
Signal Detection Mode In this mode the three controls, source, remote
source, mode, remote mode, restore and remote restore have no effect.
The count in time for the signal detection is zero, i.e. as soon as signal is
detected on an input the relevant relay will switch. The relays operate the
same as in normal mode, i.e. when audio is detected on the main input, pin
1 on the remote connector closes to pin 9. When audio is lost on the main
input, pin 2 on the remote connector closes to pin 9. All other functions
operate as with normal mode.
Timeout x 2 Mode. In this mode, the timeout selection is multiplied by
two (see table on the following page), except for the max time selection
(position F on the time rotary encoder). All other functions operate as
normal.
Switch 0123456789ABCDE F
Seconds 4 8 12 16 20 24 28 32 36 40 44 48 52 56 60 125
Force Main Mode. In this mode only the remote mode control input has
any effect. When this control input is active (low) the output is forced to
input B (the master input) regardless of whether audio is present. The
unit operates in auto mode and with input B as the master input. All other
functions operate as with normal mode.
Emergency Program Override Mode. In this mode all alarm LEDs are
illuminated whenever the main input is active. This is to indicate that the
emergency paging program is active on the main input. When the paging
program goes silent, the unit will revert back to the aux. input and all the
alarm LEDs will switch off. The front panel source button is disabled. All
other functions operate as normal.
Detection Enable/Disable Mode. In this mode the silence detection can be
disabled and enabled remotely. The front panel and remote source select
controls are used to enable or disable the Silence Detection feature.
Front panel Source indicator on = Silence Detection enabled
Front panel Source indicator off = Silence Detection disabled

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1 Silence Detectors - RB-SD1
The front panel source select button toggles this state, while the remote
Source control (Pin 14 on the remote connector) can only ENABLE Silence
Detection. Pin 10 on the remote connector is used to DISABLE Silence
Detection. When the unit powers up Silence Detection is always enabled.
The remote source select indicator (Pin 13 on the remote connector) is
enabled when Silence Detection is disabled. In this mode input A is always
the Main input and input B is always the Aux input. Since the front panel
and remote source selection controls are disabled, source selection is not
allowed in this mode. The Aux alarms are masked for both front panel
indicators and remote alarm relay, for as long as the main input is present.
Return Time Set Mode. In this mode, the unit operates as normal, except
that during power up the return time delay can be programmed. The
return time delay is the amount of time, during an alarm condition, that
the unit takes to switch from the Aux to Main input once audio is presented
to the Main input. To set the return time, immediately after the unit is
switched on, press and hold the MODE switch. While the MODE switch is
pressed set the TIME rotary switch to required setting (see below). When
finished, release the MODE switch, and the unit will start operating within
a few seconds. Remember to return the TIME rotary switch to the required
setting.
Rotary Setting 0123456789ABCDE F
Seconds 0246810 12 14 16 18 20 22 24 26 28 120
To Set the Additional Modes:
Apply power to the unit, and while the front panel ALARM LED is flashing,
press and hold the RESTORE button. The MAIN and AUX PROG and ALARM
LEDs will flash alternately - these are used to indicate the selected mode.
The SOURCE LED will also alternate to show the mode bank that is currently
selected.
Note: For RB-SD1 units with serial number greater than RB031084, the
SOURCE LED is used to show the bank of the selected mode. For serial
numbers before this, the SOURCE LED is not used. Contact Sonifex Ltd
if you want to upgrade your RB-SD1 unit to the latest version to take
advantage of a new mode.
To select the particular mode, release the RESTORE button when the
corresponding LED below is on. After the button is released the unit will
start working after five seconds. You only have to do this once as the
mode is stored in non-volatile memory and you will only need to repeat
this procedure if you wish to select a different mode. Each time the unit is
powered on, the selected mode is visible by checking which LED is on:
Bank 0 (SOURCE LED off) Mode Selected
MAIN LEFT PROG LED on =Normal Mode
MAIN LEFT ALARM LED on =Remote Stop Mode
MAIN RIGHT PROG LED on = Remote Alarm Set Mode
MAIN RIGHT ALARM LED on = Signal Detection Mode
AUX. LEFT PROG LED on = Timeout Times 2 Mode
AUX. LEFT ALARM LED on = Force Main Mode
AUX. RIGHT PROG LED on = Emergency Program Override Mode
AUX. RIGHT ALARM LED on = Detection Enable/Disable Mode
Bank 1 (SOURCE LED on)
MAIN LEFT PROG LED on =Return Time Set Mode
MAIN LEFT ALARM LED on =Reserved
MAIN RIGHT PROG LED on = Reserved
MAIN RIGHT ALARM LED on = Reserved
AUX. LEFT PROG LED on = Reserved
AUX. LEFT ALARM LED on = Reserved
AUX. RIGHT PROG LED on = Reserved
AUX. RIGHT ALARM LED on = Reserved