Sony MB-8N User manual

2002 Sony Corporation
Operating Instructions
Tuner Base Unit
3-619-690-13(2)
MB-8N

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This symbol is intended to alert the user to the
presence of uninsulated “dangerous voltage”
within the product’s enclosure that may be of
sufficient magnitude to constitute a risk of
electric shock to persons.
This symbol is intended to alert the user to the
presence of important operating and
maintenance (servicing) instructions in the
literature accompanying the appliance.
This equipment has been tested and found to comply with
the limits for a Class B digital device, pursuant to Part 15 of
the FCC Rules. These limits are designed t provide
reasonable protection against harmful interference in a
residential installation. This equipment generates, uses and
can radiate radio frequency energy and, if not installed and
used in accordance with the instructions, may cause harmful
interference to radio communications. However, there is no
guarantee that interference will not occur in a particular
installation. If this equipment does cause harmful
interference to radio or television reception, which can be
determined by turning the equipment off and on, the user is
encouraged to try to correct the interference by one or more
of the following measures:
–Reorient or relocate the receiving antenna.
–Increase the separation between the equipment and
receiver.
–Connect the equipment into an outlet on a circuit different
from that to which the receiver is connected.
–Consult the dealer or an experienced radio/TV technician
for help.
You are cautioned that any changes or modifications not
expressly approved in this manual could void your authority
to operate this equipment.
IIf you have any questions about this product, you may
call;
Sony Customer Information Service Center 1-800-222-
7669 or http://www.sony.com/
Declaration of Conformity
Trade Name: SONY
Model: MB-8N
Responsible Party: Sony Electronics Inc.
Address: 16530 Via Esprillo, San Diego,
CA 92127 U.S.A.
Telephone Number: 858-942-2230
This device complies with part 15 of the FCC Rules.
Operation is subject to the following two conditions: (1)
this device may not cause harmful interference, and (2)
this device must accept any interference received,
including interference that may cause undesired
operation.
Owner’s Record
The model and serial numbers are located at the rear.
Record the serial number in the space provided below.
Refer to them whenever you call upon your Sony dealer
regarding this product.
Model No. MB-8N Serial No.
You are cautioned that any changes or modifications not
expressly approved in this manual could void your authority
to operate this equipment.
WARNING
To prevent fire or shock hazard, do not
expose the unit to rain or moisture.
To avoid electrical shock, do not open the
cabinet. Refer servicing to qualified
personnel only.
CAUTION
The apparatus shall not be exposed to dripping or splashing
and no objects filled with liquid, such as vases, shall be
placed on the apparatus.
The unit is not disconnected from the AC power source
(mains) as long as it is connected to the wall outlet, even if
the unit itself has been turned off.
For customers in the U.S.A.

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Notice for customers in Canada
This Class B digital apparatus complies with Canadian ICES-
003.
Notice for customers in Europe
U.K. 854.125 - 862 MHz
Belgium 854.125 - 862 MHz
Luxembourg 800 - 830 MHz, 854.125 - 862 MHz
Germany 798 - 822 MHz
Norway 800 - 820 MHz
Denmark 800.100 - 819.900 MHz
France 470 - 830 MHz
Italy 800 - 820 MHz
Sweden 800 - 820 MHz
Switzerland 800 - 820 MHz
Finland 800 - 814 MHz
Iceland 800 - 814 MHz
Hereby, Sony Corporation, declares that this MB-8N is in
compliance with the essential requirements and other
relevant provisions of Directive 1999/5/EC.

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Table of Contents
Precautions....................................................... 6
Overview ........................................................... 7
Features ............................................................. 7
Channel Plan ..................................................... 8
Using the CD-ROM........................................... 8
Trademarks ...................................................... 10
Location of Parts and Controls ..................... 11
MB-8N Tuner Base Unit ................................. 11
WRU-8N Tuner Unit (Option) ........................ 14
Installing and Removing a WRU-8N .............. 16
Connections ................................................... 17
Basic Connections ........................................... 17
Cascade Connection ........................................ 18
Settings ........................................................... 19
Organization of Setting Menus........................ 19
Using the Menus.............................................. 22
List of Settings ................................................ 24
Details of Settings ........................................... 27
Channel Settings .............................................. 30
Appendixes ..................................................... 32
Error Messages ................................................ 32
Rack Mounting ................................................ 32
Connector Specifications ................................. 33
Principal Specifications ................................... 34

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Table of Contents
Precautions
On operation
• The tuner must be used within a temperature range of
0°C to 40°C (32°F to 104°F). Avoid using the tuner
for extended periods at extremely high temperatures
or placing it in direct sunlight, especially outdoors,
because this may damage the finish of the case.
Never install the tuner on or near a heat source, such
as lighting equipment or power amplifiers.
•Avoid using in very humid or dusty places, because
such use may shorten the life of the tuner.
•To avoid degradation of the signal-to-noise ratio, do
not use the tuner in noisy places or in locations
subject to vibration, such as the following:
–near electrical equipment, such as motors,
transformers or dimmers
–near air conditioning equipment or places subject
to direct air flow from an air conditioner
–near public address loudspeakers
–where adjacent equipment might knock against the
tuner
•Switching lights on or off may produce electrical
interference over the entire frequency range. Position
the tuner and the wireless microphones so that
interference is minimized.
•The tuner is precisely adjusted at the factory and no
adjustment before use is necessary. Do not touch the
inside of the tuner or try to repair it by yourself.
•Do not use the unit when its fan is not working.
Using the unit with the fan being in fault may cause a
fire.
About fan replacement, contact your Sony dealer.
On cleaning
Clean the tuner with a dry, soft cloth. Never use
thinner, benzene, alcohol or any other chemicals, since
these may damage the finish.

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Features
LAN function
The built-in network adapter and provided 10BASE-T
connector enables a LAN connection to a computer
running the Windows operating system. Using the
supplied MB-8N Network Controller software, it is
possible to operate an efficient system for central
control of MB-8N Tuner Base Units and WRU-8N
UHF Synthesizer Tuner Units from a computer.
Modular multichannel reception
By installing optional WRU-8N UHF Synthesized
Tuner Units, you can receive up to four channels on
one MB-8N unit.
Built-in antenna divider
With a built-in antenna divider and provided with a
cascade output connector, without requiring the
connection of an antenna divider unit, the MB-8N
Tuner Base Unit can be connected in cascade. For a
maximum of four MB-8N Tuner Base Units (16
channels1)), you can build a diversity receiving system
with two antennas.
Phase Locked Loop (PLL) synthesized
system
The tuner has a refined phase locked loop (PLL)
synthesizer circuit and covers two UHF TV channels.
Preprogrammed wireless channel plan for
simultaneous multichannel operation
The tuner has many preprogrammed, easily settable
channels for simultaneous multichannel operation.
Overview
These operating instructions describe the MB-8N
Tuner Base Unit in which the WRU-8N UHF
Synthesized Tuner Unit (option) is installed.
Note
For the selectable wireless channels and frequencies,
refer to the Frequency Lists on the supplied CD-ROM.
Combining the MB-8N Tuner Base Unit and the
WRU-8N UHF Synthesized Tuner Unit (option)
provides a reliable UHF synthesized diversity tuner for
the Sony UHF wireless microphone system which uses
the frequency bands allocated for UHF TV
broadcasting.
The combination of the MB-8N and the WRU-8N
enables simultaneous use of multiple channels when
channels are selected according to the Sony channel
plan.
Installing four WRU-8N UHF Synthesized Tuner
Units will enable four-channel operation on the tuner.
In building up a UHF wireless microphone system, be
sure to combine a microphone/transmitter and a tuner
having the same TV channel number.
When using CE models of WRU-8N
A 24-MHz frequency band is assigned to the WRU-
8N, permitting it to operate on any of 189 (190 with
the CE67 model) receiving frequencies in 125-kHz
steps of Sony original channel plan or 960 receiving
frequencies in 25-kHz steps in the range of three TV
channels.
When using U models of WRU-8N
A 24-MHz frequency band is assigned to the WRU-
8N, permitting it to operate on any of 188 receiving
frequencies in 125-kHz steps of Sony original channel
plan in the range of four TV channels.
When using the AU model of WRU-8N
A 14-MHz frequency band is assigned to the WRU-
8N, permitting it to operate on any of 102 receiving
frequencies in 125-kHz steps of Sony original channel
plan in the range of TV channels 66 and 67.
........................................................................................................................................................................................................
1) When each MB-8N Tuner Base Unit has four WRU-8N
UHF Synthesizer Tuner Units installed. Note that the
receiving system consisting of the MB-8N and the AU
model ot WRU-8N allows you to simultaneously use a
maximum of 12 channels in one area.

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Overview
Versatile display
A liquid-crystal display and LEDs provide a variety of
information, including the levels of the reception
channels, RF information and transmitter battery
condition.
Space diversity reception system
The tuner provides stable signal reception with
minimum dropout.
Tone squelch circuit for noise elimination
A built-in squelch circuit eliminates noise and signal
interference when the tuner is in signal reception
standby mode.
Compander system
A compander (compressor/expander) system enables
stabilized wireless transmission over a wide dynamic
range.
Rack mounting
The MB-8N can be mounted in an EIA standard 19-
inch rack (1U size).
Channel Plan
The tuner stores several groups of channels. (Refer to
“Overview of Channel Plan” in the Frequency Lists on
the supplied CD-ROM.)
Channel groups other than group 00 (and groups of 25-
kHz steps with CE models) are designed so that all
channels of one group can be used simultaneously
within the same UHF wireless microphone system
without causing intermodulation. It is therefore
recommended that you usually use a channel group
other than group 00 (and groups of 25-kHz steps with
CE models) unless the use of group 00 (or any group
of 25-kHz steps with CE models) is specifically
necessary.
Using the CD-ROM
The supplied CD-ROM contains the following files.
Note
To use the MB-8N Network Controller, it is necessary
to install it in your computer.
For the installation procedure, see “Installation” on the
next page.
For detailed information on the MB-8N Network Controller,
refer to the User’s Guide for the MB-8N Network
Controller.
To view a PDF file, you will require Acrobat Reader or
Adobe Reader. For details, refer to the Adobe website at:
http://www.adobe.com/
Operating conditions
The MB-8N Network Controller is designed to run on
a computer meeting the following requirements.
File
MB-8N Network
Controller
User’s Guide for
MB-8N Network
Controller
MB-8N Operating
Instructions
Frequency Lists
Content
This is a program which allows the
status of the MB-8N Tuner Base Unit
and WRU-8N UHF Synthesizer Tuner
Units to be monitored from the
computer, and also allows various
settings.
This is a PDF file that describes the
functions and usage of the MB-8N
Network Controller. You can view it on
a computer screen.
This is a copy of this manual (PDF
file). You can view it on a computer
screen.
This HTML file shows the
correspondence between channels
and frequencies. You can view it on a
computer screen.
Item
Computer
Operating system
CPU
RAM
Available hard disk
space
Monitor
Other
Requirement
IBM PC/AT compatible
Windows 98SE/Me/2000/NT 4.0 (SP6a
or later)/XP
(English display capability needed)
Pentium II, at least 400 MHz
recommended
At least 128 MB recommended
At least 100 MB recommended
At least 1024 x 768 pixel resolution
recommended
10BASE-T LAN card, CD-ROM drive

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Installation
•If the MB-8N Network Controller is already set up,
uninstall the existing version before continuing with
the installation. (See the next section “To uninstall
the installed files”.)
•Before installing the files contained on the supplied
CD-ROM in the computer, be sure to end all the
applications you have started, if any.
•For Windows NT, 2000 or XP user, log in as
Administrator privileges.
•If you use Windows NT, a Service Pack 6a or later is
required.
1Insert the supplied CD-ROM in the computer’s
CD-ROM drive.
If the CD-ROM Autorun function is enabled
The CD-ROM starts automatically, and a message
“SONY MB-8N NetworkController InstallShield
Wizard” appears on the screen.
For details of the CD-ROM Autorun facility, refer to
Windows Help.
If the CD-ROM Autorun function is disabled
1-1 Click the Start button, then click Run....
1-2 Click the Browse button, then in the Browse
dialog box, select the CD-ROM drive.
1-3 Select “setup.exe”, then click the Open button.
This starts the CD-ROM, and a message
“SONY MB-8N NetworkController
InstallShield Wizard” appears on the screen.
If the MB-8N Network Controller is already
installed, a message asks you to uninstall the
existing version before continuing with the
installation. If this message appears, carry out
the uninstall procedure, then repeat this
installation. (See the next section “To uninstall
the installed files”.)
2Click the Next button.
A prompt message “Choose Destination Location”
appears.
3Confirm or change the destination location.
To change, click the Browse button and select the
destination location in the dialog box which
appears.
4Click the Next button.
5Select the language, then click Start Install.
The language codes enclosed in parenthesis are as
follows:
E: English
FR: French
DE: German
ES: Spanish
J: Japanese
Installation starts.
When all the necessary files have been copied to
the hard disk, a message “InstallShield Wizard
Complete” appears.
6Click the Finish button.
To uninstall the installed files
In the Windows Control Panel, select Add/Remove
Programs, and in the list choose Sony MB-8N
Network Controller, to delete it.
How to open files
To open any of the installed files, click the Start button
on the task bar, then select Programs (“All Programs”
under Windows XP) and MB-8N Network Controller
in this order. Click the desired item in the list which
appears.
MB-8N Network Controller v1.0x: The MB-8N
Network Controller (program) starts.
On how to use this program, refer to the User’s Guide
for the MB-8N Network Controller.
User’s Guide for MB-8N Network Controller: The
PDF file of the help for the MB-8N Network
Controller opens (provided that Acrobat Reader or
Adobe Reader is installed in the computer).
MB-8N Operating Instructions: The PDF file of the
MB-8N Operating Instructions opens (provided
that Acrobat Reader or Adobe Reader is installed
in the computer).
Frequency Lists: The HTML file of the Frequency
Lists opens (provided that Internet Explorer 4.0 or
later is installed in the computer).

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Channel plan
The channel plan shown in the Frequency Lists on the
supplied CD-ROM may include currently unsupported
features.
For the latest information, refer to your Sony service
representative.
Trademarks
•Pentium is a registered trademark of Intel
Corporation or its subsidiaries in the United States
and other countries.
•Windows is a registered trademark of Microsoft
Corporation in the United States and/or other
countries.
•Adobe, Acrobat, and Adobe Reader are trademarks of
Adobe Systems Incorporated in the United States
and/or other countries.
Overview