ALF-DSP USER GUIDE ALF-DSP44-U 4x4 Digital Sound Processor ALF-DSP44-UD 4x4 Digital Sound Processor with Dante ALF-DSP88-U 8x8 Digital Sound Processor ALF-DSP88-UD 8x8 Digital Sound Processor with Dante All Rights Reserved Version: ALF-DSPxxxxx - V2.
ALF-DSP88-U Table of Contents 1. Hardware..............................................................................................5 1.1 Safety Instructions ....................................................................................................................................5 1.2 Audio Wiring Reference............................................................................................................................6 1.3 Specifications..............................................
ALF-DSP88-U 3.4.13 Noise Suppression ........................................................................................................................27 3.4.14 Matrix .............................................................................................................................................27 3.4.15 High & Low Pass Filter ..................................................................................................................27 3.4.16 Delay..................................
ALF-DSP88-U Preface Read this user manual carefully before using the product. Pictures shown in this manual are for reference only. Different models and specifications are subject to the real product. This manual is only for operational instruction, please contact the local distributor for maintenance assistance. The functions described in this version are updated as of September 2021.
ALF-DSP88-U 1. Hardware 1.1 Safety Instructions Safety Instructions Important safety instructions: 1. Read these instructions. 2. Keep these instructions secure. 3. Pay attention to all warnings. 4. Follow all instructions. 5. Please keep the device away from water. The device cannot be exposed to water drips or water splashes; make sure that there is no object with liquid near the device, such as a vase. 6. Please use dry cloth to clean the device. 7. Please do not block the vent.
ALF-DSP88-U 1.2 Audio Wiring Reference Balanced Audio Connection Any of these audio connections may occur on either input or output terminals. Unbalanced Audio Connection RCA audio connections and 1/4-inch TS audio connections are unbalanced connections. A multi-strand shielded conductor may be installed on both ends of the unbalanced connection. In such a case, please note to join the negative and shield conductors as indicated.
ALF-DSP88-U 1.
ALF-DSP88-U 1.4 Mechanical Ventilation: The recommended highest operating ambient temperature is 30℃ / 86℉. Make sure that there is no obstruction on both sides (a gap of at least 5.08cm / 2 inches shall be reserved). Please do not cover the thermal vents of the device with newspapers, a tablecloth, or any other objects. 1.5 Front Panel ALF-DSP44-U / ALF-DSP44-UD ALF-DSP88-U / ALF-DSP88-UD ① Power: LED power indicator. ② STATUS: The operational status indicator of the device.
ALF-DSP88-U ① Power switch: Turn unit on / off. (ALF-DSP88-U and ALF-DSP88UD ONLY) ② Power connector: (Supports 110 - 240V AC 50/60Hz, and supports a maximum power of 40W) ③ Ethernet Connector: 10/100 Base-T Ethernet connector is used for IP-based PC software and host control, and third-party accessory controller. ④ Dante Connections: Dante connections for connecting to Dante Digital Media Network.
ALF-DSP88-U Preamp gain and phantom power can be conveniently controlled via the DSP Controller. The Analogue to Digital (A/D) converter, or ADC, adopts an advanced 24-bit 256X sampling rate converter. Analogue to Digital (A/D) Converter Technical Specs: Sampling rate: 48kHz THD+N: 105dB Dynamic range: 120dB Audio format: 24Bit MSB TDM 2.3 Audio Output Section The Analogue output section refers to the digital to analogue (D/A) converter, or DAC, also adopts an advanced 24-bit 256X sampling converter.
ALF-DSP88-U 2.4 Floating Point DSP The ALF-DSP88-U adopts analogue devices’ ADI SHARC audio processors, enabling 32-bit and 40-bit floatingpoint processing, which can be compared to 40-bit floating-point processing of other devices. Floating-point processing provides prominent advantages for the users in terms of sound quality and usability. Fixed-Point Processing Limitations Fixed-point processing has its own disadvantages.
ALF-DSP88-U 2.
ALF-DSP88-U 2.6 Typical System Application Conferencing System: The processor can be connected to microphones, amplifiers, speakers, and other audio peripherals (like USB audio from a PC) so as to process all audio signals and advanced algorithms like AEC in a typical conferencing system. Additional audio matrixing, auto mixing and signal routing is also achieved in this application to facilitate excellent audio quality in a conference. 3. Software 3.
ALF-DSP88-U Software Installation: Visit the device web page address: 169.254.10.227 1. Download software from the product website and install files. 2. Double click the downloaded file and install by following the instructions on the screen. After the software is installed, read other parts of the help file, or execute the software. After the software is installed, use one of the following methods to open the software: 1. Double Click Desktop Icon 2. Open from Start menu 3.
ALF-DSP88-U 3.4 Audio Module Parameters There are two ways to access the audio module parameters: first, click the input or output channel module you wish to access, and enter the parameter interface of the module; secondly, right click the channel module and the configuration interface will pop out. This is used for the following module parameters. 3.4.1 Input Source Sensitivity: Microphone gain, 0dB - 48dB in 3dB Steps. Phantom Power: Provides +48V phantom power for external condenser microphones.
ALF-DSP88-U Sine Wave: Select the Sine Wave button and drag the frequency to generate sine wave with selected frequency (selectable 20Hz - 20 kHz). You may regulate the output level (unit: dBFS) based on your requirements. Use the level fader to adjust or click the text field to designate a value. White Noise: When observed on the frequency spectrograph with constant bandwidth, and set to a flat frequency spectrum, white noise signal has equal energy across all frequencies.
ALF-DSP88-U Attack: Attack refers to the time that the expander will wait before activating when the input signal exceeds the threshold. Shorter attack time allows to start the expander more quickly. Release time: Release time refers to the delay in time required for the gain to be restored to normal when the input signal drops lower than the threshold. No matter the starting time or the release time, it just helps to reduce the speed of gain attenuation.
ALF-DSP88-U Output Gain: Also called gain compensation. If the compressor significantly reduces the level of the signal, it may need to enhance the output gain to maintain the volume. Output gain applies to all parts of the signal and is unrelated to other parameter settings of the compressor. Gain Reduction (G.R.) and output Level Meter: G.R. indicates the compressor's compression amount; output refers to the output level of the signal that has passed through the compressor module (post compression).
ALF-DSP88-U Auto gain control includes the following control parameters and switches: Threshold: When the signal level is lower than the threshold, the input-to-output ratio is 1:1. When the signal level is higher than the threshold, the input-to-output ratio changes with the ratio control settings. The threshold is set as the background noise just higher than the level of input signal.
ALF-DSP88-U The equalizer has the following control parameters: Type: Parametric EQ is the default setting. High and low shelf filters and high and low pass filters can also be selected. Each kind of filter has different forms to achieve different functions. High and Low Pass Filter: The reference frequency of a pass-type filter is called the cut-off frequency.
ALF-DSP88-U 3.4.7 Feedback Suppressor While using the feedback suppressor module, it is advised to remember that feedback suppression is not a replacement for a good audio system design and commissioning. Traditional audio practices, such as limiting the number of open microphones, minimizing the distance between sound source and microphone, positioning the microphone and loudspeaker to get minimum feedback, and balancing the room to get a flat response, is the first step in setting up a good audio system.
ALF-DSP88-U Bandwidth: 1/10 and 1/5 Oct options can be chosen. A constant Q value is adopted. The filter will not become wider due to the increase of depth. It is recommended to use the filter in the phonetic environment. In the case of frequent feedback, the bandwidth is set at 1/5 Oct because it has wider bandwidth and greater influence. Notching Filter Mode: Each notching filter has two modes: Dynamic, or manual mode.
ALF-DSP88-U 3.4.9 Ducker A ducker is used to attenuate or cut the level of the channel based on signal level from a secondary signal input or channel. When the level of the reference channel exceeds the specified threshold, the level of the specified channel will be attenuated, in essence ‘ducking’ the signal level. Threshold: The reference signal begins to decay above the threshold and recovers below the threshold. Depth: The amount the signal is reduced by when the ducker is activated.
ALF-DSP88-U Minimum gain: Sets the minimum amount to which the signal level can be adjusted. Gain sensing ratio: Sets the ratio by which signal level is attenuated or gained. Speed: The speed at which the signal level is attenuated or gained. Trim: The amount of gain or attenuation the output signal is adjusted by. Noise threshold: The threshold / mean dB at which the ANC will activate and adjust signal.
ALF-DSP88-U (1) Main (Global) control parameters Click the ON / OFF button to turn the auto mixer on or off. Gain: Controls the main output volume of the auto mixer Slope: The slope control influences the attenuation of lower levels. If the slope is high, the attenuation of lower-level channels will rise. The slope control and the ratio control at the expander has the same working mode. It is suggested that the value be set at or around 2.0. If it is set at 1.
ALF-DSP88-U If two channels have the same signal level, then the channel with higher priority will receive more auto gain. If there is one-unit difference in priority level between them, then the channel with the higher priority level will get an extra gain of 2dB (supposing the slope of the two channels are set at 2.0).
ALF-DSP88-U 3.4.13 Noise Suppression The Noise suppression module is used to remove non-human voice interference noise. It may distinguish human voice from non-human voice and treat the latter as noise. After processing, only human voice audio signal is passed to the output routing. There is only one Noise Suppression module in the DSP Controller. Multichannel mixers are preset to realize multiple channels to participate in the noise cancellation processor as shown in the below figure.
ALF-DSP88-U Slope: Slope refers to the attenuation values of the transition zone of the filter. There are a total of 8 attenuation values including 6, 12, 18, 24, 30, 36, 42 and 48dB/Oct. For example, 24dB/Oct indicates that the attenuation range is -24dB for each octave of frequency in the transition zone. Select the On / Off button to activate or deactivate the high-pass or low-pass filters individually. 3.4.16 Delay The Delay module is used to add delay to the output audio signal.
ALF-DSP88-U 3.3.17 Output Phase: 180-degree audio signal phase inversion. Mute: Set output mute/unmute. Users can use right button to set part menu at output channels, which can be carried out based on requirements. 3.4.18 USB interface The USB interface is used to carry out two functions, recording and as audio interface for unified Communications using personal computers.
ALF-DSP88-U Users may also playback audio files loaded manually in the on-board playlist from the connected computer. Users may also directly open them when using the device next time. As shown in the figure, click playlist to open file folder and select the audio files to be played, press the settings of the USB interface.
ALF-DSP88-U 3.4.19 Camera Tracking Voice tracking threshold: Detects a microphone input signal greater than or equal to the tracking threshold, the system will automatically enable tracking parameters when threshold is exceeded. Default Mic: When no Mic input signal is received or tracking threshold is not exceeded, turn the camera to the default MIC position Reaction time: The maximum intermittent time of the valid signal.
ALF-DSP88-U Save: Save the parameters to the device Camera Settings The camera settings section is used to set up the control parameters for each camera connected. Multiple cameras can be added, controlled and presets assigned accordingly. 3.5 Settings Menu 3.5.1 File Menu In offline mode, click the pop-up file dialog and open an existed default document with suffix *.uma, or right click on the default document to open DSP.exe.
ALF-DSP88-U 3.5.3 GPIO Setting Open the software interface of GPIO settings. The device has total 8 GPIOs that allow independent input or output configuration. Input GPIOs have preset, router, gain, mute, command, and analogue-to-digital gain as control options. Output GPIOs have preset, level, mute, and command for selection as control options.
ALF-DSP88-U Trigger types: Same as above Gain Channels: Select input or output channels Step: Level increase / decrease in 0.1dB steps based on original channel gain. Trigger types: Same as above Mute/ Unmute Channels: Select input or output channel Trigger types: Same as above Command Command: The command code will be sent via RS232 when the trigger condition is satisfactory Analogue-todigital Gain Analogue-to-digital gain is very useful when connecting a potentiometer externally.
ALF-DSP88-U Output types: High level / Low level Level Channels: Appointed input or output channel Level: GPIO outputs high / low level when appointed channel level reaches preset level threshold. Output types: High level / Low level Mute Channel: Appointed input / output channel. Preset high / low level is output when the channel is muted. On the contrary, the opposite level will be output when cancelling mute. 3.5.
ALF-DSP88-U Group vs. LINK The relationship between groups and link: The channel participating in a group will not participate in a ‘LINK’, which means group priories are higher than LINK. The difference between Groups and LINK is that Groups can only control channel gain and mute, while LINK links all parameters at the channel. 3.5.5 Panel Setting Panel setting includes two panel types which are an 8-button panel with Volume control and an OLED panel.
ALF-DSP88-U Click "add menu" to access the pop-up menu selection box, choose the corresponding function and confirm it. After finishing the settings of the software menu configuration, click on the toolbar download icon to download the configuration to the hardware panel. Operating the panel: 1. The panel displays name and IP address on main interface. Turn the Rotary Encoder left or right to change menus. 2. Press the Rotary Encoder to enter and display the second row of the menu.
ALF-DSP88-U Panel operation and Indicators: 1. Button remains illuminated, indicating that it is configured with a mute function. 2. Button keeps flashing, which indicates that the button is configured with gain function. The configured Rotary Encoder adjusts the gain of the assigned channel. 13 indicators around the Rotary Encoder indicates gain level. They are on or off with gain level set. When all 13 indicators are off, it indicates a gain of -72dB while all on indicates a gain of 12dB. 3.
ALF-DSP88-U On the routing interface, the small boxes at the intersection of the transmitter and receiver channels indicate that a routing relationship can be created. A green tick icon will appear at the intersection of the matrix after a single click and once routing has been negotiated and a successful subscription is established. Users may see a grey icon for a very short time period while negotiating, which indicates that routing is in process.
ALF-DSP88-U Users may view information like a device’s IP address and Dante firmware version on the ‘Device config’ tab. Double click device name on routing interface to enter detailed settings of the device as shown in figure below: Channel names can be modified on the transmitter and receiver labels. Channel naming rules are as follows: The maximum total length for all DSP device names is 16 characters. The name length of devices supported by Dante is as much as 31 characters.
ALF-DSP88-U However, automatic negotiation will be carried out at sending and receiving ends when establishing connections, which ensures delay time is negotiated to prevent packet loss. For example, Ultimo devices support minimum 1ms delay. If the delay for a faster device like a PCIe card is set at 0.25s and the device is establishing connection with an Ultimo device, then the delay of subscription will be 1ms which is the minimum delay supported by subscriptions.
ALF-DSP88-U Open the central control command window and select the parameter to be controlled on the DSP GUI interface. The window will display the current command immediately. Copy the command and then use UDP or RS232 to send the command to the device form external control interface. (2) Device upgrade Device upgrades can be carried out through UDP. Connect the device, click setting-help-device upgrade. A file choice pop-up box will appear, navigate to, and choose the processor upgrade file (*.bin).
ALF-DSP88-U 0xb3 Message Length Type Version Data No. V1: Information types (byte2): There are three information types including 0x21 (parameter controls), 0x22 (parameter acquisition) and 0x13 (scenario switch). Length (byte3): invalid. 0x21 (parameter control): Data byte 5 thought 12 are respectively: byte 5~6 byte 7~8 byte 9~10 Module ID Parameter Type byte 11~12 Parameter 1 Parameter 2 Please refer to Appendix A to get the distribution of Module ID (byte 5 ~ 6).
ALF-DSP88-U Byte 6 - 7: They indicate start and end channel numbers. Channel numbers start from 0. Byte 8: This kind of parameter is the same with V1 version. Please refer to Appendix B. Byte 9 - 40: Fill in parameter values of start to end channels. It shall be filled in from the ninth byte. Each parameter value shall take two bytes. 2. Parameter Acquisition (0x22) Data section format is the same with parameter controls. Parameter values may not be filled in.
ALF-DSP88-U 4.3 Serial Port-to-UDP (RS232 To UDP) DSP devices support RS232 translating into UDP. The protocol formats are as follows. 4bytes prefix 4bytes 2bytes 1byte 1byte 128bytes UDP: IP Address Port Data Length Reserved Data After receiving the protocol format data packet, RS232 sends data in the protocol to appointed IP addresses and devices at ports. For example, when sending data “HELLO DSP” to device port 50000 of device ”192.168.10.
ALF-DSP88-U 5. FAQs 1. How to restore factory setting? Connect the processor to a computer through RS232 and run the serial port software (SecureCRT is recommended for use). The default baud rate of the serial port is 115200, 8 data bits, no parity check, and 1 stop bit.
ALF-DSP88-U Command explanation: del config: delete configuration information, such as network configurations like IP address. The device restores to default IP 169.254.20.227 after deleting. del scenes: delete preset. All 16 presets of DSP devices restore to default values. del all: delete all sections except the program. Note: There may be no echo after the installation of SecureCRT.
ALF-DSP88-U Appendix B: Module Parameter Types (1) Module Name Parameter Type Description Module Name Parameter Type Description Input Source 0x1 Gain Output 0x10 Gain Compensation 0x2 Mute 0x11 Link 0x3 Sensitivity 0x12 Channel Level 0x4 Phantom Power Switch 0x1 Gain 0x5 Signal Generator Type 0x2 Mute 0x6 Signal Generator Frequency 0x3 Channel Name 0x7 Sine Wave Gain Size 0x4 Invert 0x8 Channel Name 0x5 Sensitivity 0x9 Invert 0x6 Gain Compensation 0x10 Gain Com
ALF-DSP88-U Appendix B: Module Parameter Types (2) Module Name Parameter Type Mixer 0x1 Mixer Switch 0x2 High & Low Pass Auto Mix Description Module Name Parameter Type Feedback Inhibition 0x1 Switch Mixer Gain 0x2 Feedback Point Frequency 0x1 High Pass Switch 0x3 Feedback Point Gain 0x2 High Pass Type 0x6 Preset 0x3 High Pass Slope 0x7 Clear 0x4 High Pass Frequency 0x8 Panic Threshold 0x5 High Pass Gain 0x9 Feedback 0x11 Low Pass Switch 0x1 Switch 0x12 Low Pass Ty
ALF-DSP88-U 7. After-sales Service Should you experience problems using the ALF-DSPXX-U/D, please note that any transport costs of the equipment to the distributor are borne by the user during the warranty. 1) Product Limited Warranty: The manufacturer warrants that its products will be free from defects in materials and workmanship for seven years, which starts from the first day of purchase.
ALF-DSP88-U 8. Warranty 1.1 This limited warranty covers defects in materials and workmanship in this product. 1.2 Should warranty service be required, proof of purchase must be presented to the Company. The serial number on the product must be clearly visible and not have been tampered with in any way whatsoever. 1.
ALF-DSP88-U 1.10 The Company will, at its sole option, provide one of the following three remedies to whatever extent it shall deem necessary to satisfy a proper claim under this limited warranty: 1.10.1 Elect to repair or facilitate the repair of any defective parts within a reasonable period of time, free of any charge for the necessary parts and labor to complete the repair and restore this product to its proper operating condition.; or 1.10.