Sonifex Redbox RB-DSD8 User manual

Manufacturers of audio & video
products for radio & TV broadcasters
Redbox RB-DSD8
8 Channel Silence Switcher
HANDBOOK

RB-DSD8 Handbook
This handbook is for use with the following product:
Redbox RB-DSD8 8 Channel Silence Switcher
Stock Code: 30-182
Revision 2.04, November 2015
©Sonifex Ltd, 2015
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

Contents & Figures
Contents
Product Warranty - 2 Year i
Sonifex Warranty & Liability Terms & Conditions i
1. Definitions i
2. Warranty i
Unpacking Your Product iii
Repairs & Returns iii
Safety & Installation of Mains Operated Equipment v
Voltage Setting Checks v
Fuse Rating v
Power Cable & Connection v
WEEE Directive vi
RoHS Directive vi
Atmosphere vi
Fitting Redboxes vi
1. Introduction 1
Clocking & Synchronisation 2
Master Mode 2
Auto Lock Mode 2
Slave Mode 2
2. Front Panel Controls & Indicators 3
Status Buttons 3
AUTO Button 3
MANUAL Button 3
SLAVE Button 3
MAIN Button 3
BACKUP Button 3
DISPLAY LEDS 3
Presence LEDs 1(L) 2(R) 4
AES LEDs 4
SEL LEDs 4
MODE LEDs 4
LINK/SELECT Buttons & LINK LED 4
Additional Indicators 5
EXT SYNC LED 5
Remote Control Indicator 5
PSU (Power Supply) Indicators 5
Reset Button 5
Reset to default settings using the reset button 5
Initial Unit Setup 5
3. Rear Panel DIPSwitch Settings 6
Rear Panel DIPSwitches: Bank 1 SILENCE LEVEL
AND DURATION 6
Silence Detect Interval Control (DIPSwitches 1-7, Bank 1) 6
Silence Detect Trigger Level (DIPSwitches 8-11, Bank 1) 6
Stereo/Mono Switch (DIPSwitch 12, Bank 1) 6
Rear Panel DIPSwitches: Bank 2 DIGITAL AUDIO SETTINGS 6
Master Mode Frequency Selection (DIPSwitches 1-3, Bank 2) 6
External Synchronisation Source (DIPSwitch 4, Bank 2) 7
Synchronisation Mode Selection (DIPSwitches 5-6, Bank 2) 7
Remote Start Mode Switch (DIPSwitch 7, Bank 2) 7
Loss of Lock Failure (DIPSwitch 8, Bank 2) 7
Output Pair Configuration (DIPSwitches 9-12, Bank 2) 8
Rear Panel DIPSwitches: Bank 3 MISC SETTINGS 8
Ignore Silence Settings (DIPSwitches 1-8, Bank 3) 8
Remote Control Enable (DIPSwitch 9, Bank 3) 8
Full Scale Line Up (DIPSwitches 10-11, Bank 3) 8
Boot Mode (DIPSwitch 12, Bank 3) 8
4. RB-DSD8 Rear Panel Connections 9
Audio Connections 9
GPI/O Remotes Connector 10
Alarm Output Pins 11
Main And Backup Status & Selection Indicators 11
Remote Start/Audio Fail Pin 11
Control Inputs 11
MAIN/AUTO & BACKUP/MANUAL Selection Inputs 11
Override Time Pin 12
Slave Socket 12
USB Remote Control 12
Ethernet 12
Wordclock & AES Synchronisation Input 12
Dual IEC Main Inputs 12
5. Remote Control 13
Slave Control 13
Remote configuration 13
Serial Interface Commands & Responses 13
Error Messages 16

Contents & Figures
6. SCi for RB-DSD8 17
Status Page 17
Additional Controls: 17
Channel Status Page 18
Miscellaneous Page 19
7. Webserver 20
Connecting to the device 20
First time usage 20
Bonjour 21
Sonifex Service Discovery App 21
Webserver Password 21
Password set up and logging in 21
Logging out of the webpage 21
Clearing the password 21
8.Updating The Firmware 22
9. Technical Specification For RB-DSD8 23

Contents & Figures
Figures
Fig 1-1: RB-DSD8 Front Panel 1
Fig 2-1: RB-DSD8 Status Buttons 3
Fig 2-2: RB-DSD8 Controls & Indicators For Each Channel 3
Fig 2-3: RB-DSD8 Additional Indicators 5
Fig 3-1: RB-DSD8 Rear Panel DIPSwitches 6
Fig 4-1: RB-DSD8 Rear Panel 9
Fig 4-2: Audio & GPI/O Connector Detail 9
Fig 4-3: Audio Connector Pin Numbers 10
Fig 4-4: GPI/O Remotes Connector Pin Numbers 10
Fig 4-5: Communications Connectors 12
Fig 6-1: Status Page. 17
Fig 6-2: Channel Status Page 18
Fig 6-3: Miscellaneous Page 19
Fig 7-1: General Settings Page 20

Warranty Registration
Sonifex Limited y61 Station Road yIrthlingborough yNorthamptonshire yNN9 5QE yUnited Kingdom
Tel: [phone] yFax: [phone] yEmail: [email protected] yInternet: www.sonifex.co.uk
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
Register Online for an
Extended 2 Year Warranty

i
Warranty
Product Warranty - 2 Year
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 within 30 days of purchase, 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;

ii
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.

iii
Repairs & Returns
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
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.
പ

iv
CE Certification
61 Station Road • Irthlingborough • Northants
NN9 5QE • United Kingdom • www.sonifex.co.uk
T: [phone] • F: [phone]
Registered Office • 61 Station Road • Irthlingborough • Registered in England 1717864 • VAT Reg No. GB 119 85 32 52
CE Declaration of Conformity and Approval Information
Product:
Serial No:
This document certifies that the Sonifex product that you have purchased is
compliant with CE specifications. If you would like further information on
compliance of all Sonifex products, please check the website at the address
above where full information is available.
Sonifex Limited hereby certify that the following product with serial
number shown has been designed and manufactured in accordance with
the following specifications :
EMC: EN 55103-1: 1997 Electromagnetic Compatibility.
Limits of disturbance for audio apparatus for professional use
For use in environments 1 to 4.
EN 55103-2: 1997 Electromagnetic Compatibility.
Limits of disturbance for audio apparatus for professional use
For use in environments 1 to 4.
Safety: EN 60950: 1992 Safety of Information Technology Equipment
Including Electrical Business Equipment.
Hybrid BS6301, BS7002, BS415, CTR21,
Approvals: R&TTE directive (1999/5/EC)
The Reference Technical Justification File for this product is available at
Sonifex Ltd.
Authorised By:
Name: Chris Stills
Position: Technical Director
Date of Issue: 01 October 2015
Signature:

v
Safety & Installation
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 – this is a legal requirement The mains lead is automatically
configured for the country that the product is being sent to, from one of :
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.
Important Note: If there is an earth/ground terminal on the rear panel of
the product then it must be earthed/grounded.

vi
Safety & Installation
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.
RoHS Directive
The RoHS directive limits the use of certain hazardous
substances currently used in EEE manufacture, including
lead, mercury, cadmium, hexavalent chromium, and
halide-containing compounds PBB (polybrominated biphenyl) and PBDE
(polybrominated diphenyl ether). Elimination of these substances will result
in more environmentally friendly recycling of electronic equipment.
Sonifex Ltd practices lead-free (LF) manufacturing processes and does not
use any of the hazardous substances identified in the European Union’s
Restriction of Hazardous Substances (RoHS) directive. The manufacturing
processes include the assembly of purchased components from various
sources. Product is offered as RoHS compliant, or LF, only after sufficient
evidence is received from the component manufacturers that their
components are RoHS compliant. Sonifex Ltd relies solely on the distributor,
or manufacturer, of the components for identification of RoHS compliance.
Thus whilst every effort is made to ensure compliance, Sonifex Ltd makes
no warranty, or certification, or declaration of compliance concerning said
components.
Atmosphere
The units should be installed in an area that is not subject to excessive
temperature variation (<0°C, >50°C), moisture, dust or vibration.
Fitting Redboxes
Redboxes can be fixed to the underside of a mixing 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.
They can also be rack-mounted, with either the front, or rear of the Redbox
positioned at the front of the rack:
Rear Mounting a 1U Rackmount Redbox:
The RB-RK3 1U rear panel rack kit can be used for large 1U rackmount
Redboxes.
Note: When fitting the RB-RK3 rear-mounting rack-kits, a notch has been left on the inside of the right-hand rack-piece for the mains cable to pass through.
Make sure that the mains cable has been put through the notch before attaching the right hand rack-piece.

1
Introduction 1
1. Introduction
Fig 1-1: RB-DSD8 Front Panel
The RB-DSD8 8 provides silence detection over 8 channels of audio,
organised as 4 pairs. The pairs can be either analogue or digital and can be
used independently to act as 4 independent silence detectors or they can
be linked to switch simultaneously. The unit is designed to switch from the
main input to the backup input in the event of loss of audio.
The unit can switch:
• Automatically when the main input level is below the set switching level
• Automatically when the digital input becomes unlocked.
• Manually by front panel or remote control button press.
• Manually by webserver or serial interface.
The audio inputs can be analogue or digital, with ADCs incorporated into
the input paths. The input path switches based on digital lock, allowing
for automatic input selection. The output is also selectable as analogue or
digital. This is achieved by a DAC in the output path and can be switched
in manually by rear panel DIPswitches. The unit switch level settings are in
dBFS. When using analogue signals, the equivalent full scale value can be
set to +24dBU, +18dBU, or +12dBU by rear panel DIPSwitches. Since the
silence detection feature can be switched off, this means the unit can also
be used as an 8 channel AD/DA.
Status Buttons Channel Controls & Indicators
Rear Panel
DIPSwitch Indicators
Reset Button
Each pair has individual settings and controls but share settings once they
are linked. The foremost pair determines the switching characteristics and
controls to be used. Each stereo pair has an AES LED that shows the status
of the digital audio on that channel and a selection LED to show which input
is currently being sent to each output. Two presence LEDs, one for each
mono input of each pair, indicate the current input level.
The unit can switch between sources automatically or manually at the push
of a button. If switching manually, silence detection is disabled and the
user chooses when to switch using the main or backup buttons. If switching
automatically, the unit will switch between the two sources automatically
upon the detection of silence. Each pair can be set to switch manually or
automatically and the current setting is indicated by the mode LED. The unit
can also return back to the main input manually or automatically, and the
automatic return can be delayed.
Link/Select buttons are used to group channels to access multichannel
operation. Each pair has a Link/Select button which illuminates blue when
active. Pressing and holding the first Link/Select button with any other Link/
Select button causes all inputs up to that point to be selected.
The RB-DSD8 has a slave mode facility that allows you to connect two RB-
DSD8 units and control them simultaneously from one unit.

2
1 Introduction
The silence detect level is adjustable between -27dBFS and -84dBFS in
3dBFS steps via DIPSwitches and this level is compared to peak signals. The
silence interval can be adjusted between 2 seconds and 252 seconds in
2 second steps via DIPSwitches. The return duration can also be adjusted
between 2 seconds and 252 seconds.
A powerful feature of the RB-DSD8 is that by using the in-built web server
or Sonifex SCi serial software, the unit can be programmed for different
delay durations, levels and switching functions so that the unit can be set
up the unit for any specific application. Set a DIPSwitch to configure the unit
to be controlled serially or via web server, this is indicated by a front panel
LED. Now you can connect to the unit using either USB or Ethernet. Contact
Sonifex for further information if you have a particular requirement that
isn’t catered for by the RB-DSD8 as standard.
The RB-DSD8 has been designed with dual redundant power supplies. This
means that if either power supply fails, the other is ready to take over. In
the extremely unlikely event that both fail, the unit has been designed
with a passive signal path through the main input. 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.
Clocking & Synchronisation
All digital input signals are routed to a sample rate converter allowing mixed
incoming sample rates to be used. The output sample rates are selectable
via DIPSwitches from a predefined master clock of 32kHz, 44.1kHz, 48kHz,
88.2kHz, 96kHz, 176.4kHz or 192kHz or the clock can be derived from a
synchronisation input. When analogue inputs are selected, the analogue to
digital converters are also clocked at that sample rate.
DIPSwitches can be used to choose the synchronisation mode and the
synchronisation source from TTL wordclock or AES/EBU through the dual-
purpose synchronising input as standard. A front panel indicator shows the
status of the synchronization input. Selectable synchronisation modes are
as follows:
Master Mode
In this mode the digital output sample rate is simply set by, and locked to,
the internal on-board clock generator. No synchronisation signal is used or
required.
Auto Lock Mode
In this mode the digital output sample rate will follow the synchronisation
input. If the synchronisation signal is removed then the output sample rate
will be set by, and locked to, the internal on-board clock generator at the
closest frequency available to the previous synchronisation input.
Slave Mode
In this mode the digital output sample rate follows the synchronisation
input. When the synchronisation signal is not present the digital output is
turned off.

3
Front Panel Controls & Indicators 2
2. Front Panel Controls & Indicators
Fig 2-1: RB-DSD8 Status Buttons
Status Buttons
AUTO Button
This button is used to select automatic mode for all channels that are
selected using the Link/Select buttons. This button deactivates MANUAL
and SLAVE mode and illuminates green when selected. Press and hold
the button for two seconds to activate this mode. This mode can only be
selected from one of the other modes if the main signal is present and
above the threshold level. The button and the associated mode LED will
flash to indicate these conditions have been met. To restore to main from
backup in automatic mode push and hold the button for two seconds.
This selection is the default for all channels. When in AUTO mode, the
switch back can also be automatically controlled. This is set using the ASB
Command in the serial protocol or ‘Automatic Switch Back’ option on the
webserver’s general settings page.
MANUAL Button
This button is used to select manual mode for all channels that are currently
selected. This button illuminates red when selected and deactivates the
AUTO and SLAVE mode. Press and hold the button for two seconds to select
this mode. The MAIN and BACKUP buttons can then be used to control
which channel is selected.
SLAVE Button
This button is used to select the unit as slave controlled and is illuminated
yellow. Pressing this button disables both the MANUAL button and the
AUTO button. Press and hold this button for two seconds to select this
mode. Please note that SLAVE selection is applied across the whole unit.
All channels will revert to which ever mode is used to deactivate the SLAVE
mode.
MAIN Button
This button selects the main input as the output for the currently selected
channels. The button illuminates green if MAIN input is selected. This
selection is the default for all channels. Press and hold the button for 2
seconds to select the MAIN source. Please note that pressing and holding
this button at any time will select MANUAL mode.
BACKUP Button
This button selects the backup input as the output for the currently
selected channels. Press and hold the button for 2 seconds to select the
BACKUP source. The button illuminates red if BACKUP input is selected.
Please note that pressing and holding this button at any time will select
MANUAL mode.
DISPLAY LEDS
Fig 2-2: RB-DSD8 Controls & Indicators For Each Channel

4
2 Front Panel Controls & Indicators
Presence LEDs 1(L) 2(R)
Each stereo input channel has an associated Presence LED which indicates
the level of that channel. Each LED has three states:
Green – This indicates that the level on that channel is above
threshold
Yellow – This indicates that the level on that channel is below
threshold
Red – This indicates that the channel is silent i.e. no audio at all
AES LEDs
Each channel pair has an AES LED associated. This LED indicates the status
of the digital audio. Each LED has four states:
Green – AES detected and everything is fine. The input sample rate
matches the output sample rate.
Yellow – AES detected and everything is fine. The input sample rate is
different to the output sample rate.
Red – AES detected but an error has been detected.
Off – No digital signal is present or the analogue input is being
used.
The following errors can create a red state:
CRC error
Parity error
Validity bit error
Biphase encoding error.
SEL LEDs
Each channel pair has a SELection LED associated with each stereo MAIN
and BACKUP input. This LED indicates which input is currently being
used for the output. The MAIN selection LED illuminates green when the
associated output is from the MAIN input. The BACKUP selection LED
illuminates red when the associated output is from the BACKUP input. Only
one of these two LEDs can be on for any one channel at any given time.
MODE LEDs
Each stereo pair of MAIN and BACKUP inputs has a MODE LED which
indicates which switching mode is currently being employed on that
channel. The MODE LED has three states:
Green – The channel is in AUTO mode
Yellow – The channel is in SLAVE mode
Red – The channel is in MANUAL mode
LINK/SELECT Buttons & LINK LED
There are four LINK/SELECT buttons, one for each channel pair. To link any
inputs simply press and hold the link buttons for 2 channels. All channels
between the selected channels will be included in the link. Once linked, the
yellow link LED between them will illuminate. For example, to link channels
1 & 2 ,3 & 4 and 5 & 6, press and hold the link buttons on channels 1 & 2
and 5 & 6 for 2 seconds. Whilst channels 1 & 2 and 3 & 4 are linked, there is
an additional option to link 5 & 6 and 7 & 8 together individually. To do this
press and hold LINK/SELECT 5 & 6 and 7 & 8 for 2 seconds. To release this
mode, press and hold either LINK/SELECT 5 & 6 or LINK/SELECT 1 & 2. The
left-most channel pair (usually channels 1 & 2) will dominate and all other
pairs will inherit their settings, with the new settings being reflected by
changes to the status indicators.

5
Front Panel Controls & Indicators 2
Additional Indicators
Fig 2-3: RB-DSD8 Additional Indicators
EXT SYNC LED
This LED displays the synchronisation mode that is currently selected. This
LED has five states:
Green – Master mode is selected
Yellow – Slave mode is selected
Flashing yellow – Slave mode selected but synchronisation is lost
Red – Auto mode is selected
Flashing red – Auto mode selected but synchronisation is lost.
Remote Control Indicator
If remote control mode is selected (see DIPSwitch section for settings) this
LED will be illuminated.
PSU (Power Supply) Indicators
Each PSU on the unit has its own indication LED. If both PSUs are working
and correct both LEDs are illuminated green. If the internal ADC circuitry
detects the level drop below a sufficient level on a particular supply, its
representitive LED will illuminate red instead to indicate a fault.
Reset Button
In the unlikely event that the RB-DSD8 unit fails to respond, press the reset
button to reboot the unit (see Fig 1-1 for location).
Reset to default settings using the reset button
Press reset and wait for all of the front panel LEDs to illuminate. When they
turn off, a 5 second counter begins. Reset the unit within these five seconds
to increment the reset tally. Repeat process again to reset to defaults. If
the counter ever elapses, the reset tally will return to zero and the whole
process will need to start again.

3 Rear Panel DIPSwitch Settings
6
3. Rear Panel DIPSwitch Settings
Fig 3-1: RB-DSD8 Rear Panel DIPSwitches
Rear Panel DIPSwitches: Bank 1 SILENCE LEVEL
AND DURATION
Silence Detect Interval Control (DIPSwitches 1-7, Bank 1)
DIPSwitch 1234567
Seconds 2 4 8 16 32 64 128
The silence detect interval DIPSwitches adjust the duration over which
a silence is detected before alarming and ranges from 2-254 seconds by
combining raised (ON) DIPSwitches in 2 second intervals with 0 being
all DIPSwitches down. The default value is set at 30 seconds but can be
changed using the serial port or ethernet. This time can also be overridden
by a remote GPI/O input that sets the unit to an override time that is set to
2mins 5 seconds.
Silence Detect Trigger Level (DIPSwitches 8-11, Bank 1)
DIPSwitch 8 9 10 11
Level dBFS -3 -6 -12 -24
The trigger level DIPSwitches adjust the level below which silence detection
occurs. This level may be varied from -27dBFS to -84dBFS in 3db steps
by raising different combinations (to ON). Please note the range changes
depending on the full scale settings. These represent -15dBU to -60 dBU
Full Scale Min Max
12dBU -27dBFS -72dBFS
18dBU -33dBFS -78dBFS
24dBU -39dBFS -84dBFS
Stereo/Mono Switch (DIPSwitch 12, Bank 1)
The configuration of this defines whether you want to switch sources
when left and/or right channel of the incoming source go silent. When
channels are linked the stereo mode becomes multichannel mode and any
single mono channel failure will cause the unit to switch sources; likewise
mono mode will require both channels to fail individually before switching
sources.
DIPSwitch 12 Description
On
When on, 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.
Off
When off, 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.
Rear Panel DIPSwitches: Bank 2 DIGITAL AUDIO
SETTINGS
Master Mode Frequency Selection (DIPSwitches 1-3, Bank 2)
These DIPSwitches allow you select what sample rate the output will be
when the unit is in master mode.

7
Rear Panel DIPSwitch Settings 3
Sample Rate
(kHz) DIPSwitch 1 DIPSwitch 2 DIPSwitch 3
32 Off Off Off
44.1 On Off Off
48 Off On Off
88.2 On On Off
96 Off Off On
176.4 On Off On
192 Off On On
External Synchronisation Source (DIPSwitch 4, Bank 2)
Select which synchronisation source you would like to use by setting this
DIPSwitch:
DIPSwitch 4 Synchronise From
On Wordclock/AESEBU synchronisation input
Off Main Input Pair 1
Note: This DIPSwitch is redundant when running in synchronisation master
mode.
Synchronisation Mode Selection (DIPSwitches 5-6, Bank 2)
These DIPSwitches allow you select which synchronisation mode the unit
is in.
DIPSwitch 5 DIPSwitch 6 Synchronisation Mode
Off Off Master Mode
On Off Auto Mode
Off On Slave Mode
On On Reserved
Remote Start Mode Switch (DIPSwitch 7, Bank 2)
This defines whether the remote start switch is momentary or latched.
Used for starting external equipment when silence is detected on channel
1. The channel can be reassigned through the serial port.
DIPSwitch Description
On
When off, the remote start pin on the remote connector
is pulled low when the unit switches over to the backup
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).
Off
When on, the remote start pin (pin 7) on the remote
connector is pulled low for half a second when the unit
switches to the Backup input. (Momentary contact). If the
level detected on the backup channel is below the switch
threshold, the remote start will continue to pulse every
10 seconds until a valid signal is detected.
Loss of Lock Failure (DIPSwitch 8, Bank 2)
This defines whether the unit treats a loss of synchronisation lock as an
immediate switch event or as a simple loss of level.
Note: Switch this to ‘Off’ when using an analogue input.
DIPSwitch 8 Description
On
When on, the unit treats the loss of lock condition
as an immediate switch event. The unit switches
immediately to the Backup input.
Off When off, the unit treats the loss of lock no differently
to a loss of level.

3 Rear Panel DIPSwitch Settings
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Output Pair Configuration (DIPSwitches 9-12, Bank 2)
These DIPSwitches allow you select whether each output pair is analogue or
digital. Set each DIPSwitch so that:
DIPSwitch 9 - 12 Description
On When on, the pair outputs a balanced analogue signal.
Off When off, the pair outputs an AES/EBU digital signal.
DIPSwitch 9 = Channel Pair 1 & 2
DIPSwitch 10 = Channel Pair 3 & 4
DIPSwitch 11 = Channel Pair 5 & 6
DIPSwitch 12 = Channel Pair 7 & 8
Rear Panel DIPSwitches: Bank 3 MISC SETTINGS
Ignore Silence Settings (DIPSwitches 1-8, Bank 3)
Each channel has a DIPSwitch to determine whether it Is ignored when
AUTO silence switching.
DIPSwitch 1 - 8 Description
On When on, the channel is ignored.
Off When off, the channel is silence detected.
DIPSwitch 1 = Channel 1
DIPSwitch 2 = Channel 2
DIPSwitch 3 = Channel 3
DIPSwitch 4 = Channel 4
DIPSwitch 5 = Channel 5
DIPSwitch 6 = Channel 6
DIPSwitch 7 = Channel 7
DIPSwitch 8 = Channel 8
Remote Control Enable (DIPSwitch 9, Bank 3)
This DIPSwitch enables serial/ethernet settings which are determined by
the Sonifex SCi software.
DIPSwitch 9 Description
On When on, the unit uses the serial/ethernet settings.
Off When off, the unit uses on board/front panel settings.
Full Scale Line Up (DIPSwitches 10-11, Bank 3)
These DIPSwitches allow you set up the full scale line up of the ADCs and
DACs.
Note: These settings affect the silence level setting.
The settings are as follows:
DIPSwitch 10 DIPSwitch 11 Synchronisation Mode
Off Off 0 dBFS = 24 dBu
On Off 0 dBFS = 18 dBu
Off On 0 dBFS = 12 dBu
On On Reserved
Boot Mode (DIPSwitch 12, Bank 3)
This DIPSwitch forces the unit into boot mode. The firmware can be
updated from here in the unlikely event that the firmware becomes
corrupted.
Note: Firmware uploads can only be done via the serial port in boot mode.
Switch Description
On When on, the unit powers up and boots into boot
mode.
Off When off, the unit powers up and boots normally.