users manual

833 User Guide
43
Output
The physical connection and associated signal type sent from a
device. Outputs can be source from inputs, buses, record tracks, and
other auxiliary signals.
Output auto-mute
When set, an output signal is muted when recording is stopped,
restricting program audio from being sent to listeners “between
takes”.
Output delay
A digital delay applied at the output. Signal delay is often set at an
output to compensate for the delay introduced by digital imaging
systems so that picture and sound remain in correct “lip sync”. Output
delay is set in either frames or milliseconds.
Pan
When a channel is routed to a stereo-linked bus the level it appears at
each bus is adjusted by a pan control. A channel with its pan control
“straight up the center”, or “centered” sends signal at the same level
to each bus. A channel that is panned left or right sends the signal to
the left or right bus, respectively.
PFL, pre-fade listen
When an input or channel is selected for monitoring/solo with a PFL,
the channel is routed to the headphone output before the channel
fader so that the fader position has no effect on the headphone level.
Trim/gain changes to the input will change the headphone output.
Phantom power
Condenser (capacitor) microphones require power for operation. They
use power to charge the diaphragm backplate (for true condensers)
and power the impedance convert located adjacent to the
microphone capsule. Phantom power is the method for microphone
inputs to supply DC power to the microphone through the same
connection used for the audio signals from the microphone.
Phantom power provides a positive voltage, typically between 11-52
VDC, with 48 V being the most common, on both pin-2 and pin-3 with
pin-1 used as ground. The DC voltage appears as a common-mode
signal on the balanced connection and is rejected by the connection’s
differential amplier. Phantom power has no effect on dynamic
microphones.
Phase
The relationship one audio signal has in time with respect to another
audio signal, dened in degrees of phase. When audio signals are
generated at identical times, they are “in phase” with each other.
When one audio signal is time-delayed with respect to another the
signals are “out of phase”. Differing phase relationships can be
introduced several ways, including when microphones are placed at
varying distances from a sound source, or electrical/digital delay is
introduced to one signal with respect to another.
Phrase
A pre-set text string which can be used to quickly ll out the notes
eld.
Pre-fader routing
The signal from a channel is routed to a bus before the fader in the
signal path. The input trim, if available, controls the channel level sent
to the bus. Isolated tracks are typically recorded pre-fader so that any
level changes made to the faders don’t affect the recorded signal.
Pre-roll
A continuous buffer that is always writing to memory offering a
recording that begins prior to when the record button is activated.
Pre-roll is set in seconds, and the recording begins the set number
of seconds prior to the button being pressed. This is helpful in
applications where an operator missed a cue to begin recording.
Polarity (audio)
The direction of the current ow of an audio signal is dened as
polarity. The polarity of a signal can reversed when a balanced audio
signal connection has its pin-2 and pin-3 connections reversed.
Single-ended signals can have their polarity reversed when going
through an “inverting” gain stage. It is best practice to have all
incoming and outgoing signals with the same polarity relationship.
Polyphonic WAV
An individual WAV le that contains multiple audio tracks. When
recording multi-track audio with polyphonic WAV les all recorded
tracks are contained within a single WAV le.
Post-fader routing (after fade routing, AFL)
The signal from a channel is routed to a bus after the fader in the
signal path. The fader controls the level of the channel at the bus.
Channels sent to a master bus, such as the left/right bus, are
typically sent post-fader.
Post-roll
An extra period of time that is appended to the end of a recording
when stop is pressed. If record is pressed during this period of
time, recording will resume within the same le with no audio lost.
This is particularly useful should a Director call ‘cut’ prematurely or
accidentally.
Project
An option available for le organization on Sound Devices recorders.
Projects are the highest level of le folder organization. The project
folder can contain sub-folders of scene les or recorded les directly.
Record bell
A tone generated in headphones to alert the listener that recording
has started. The bell is also produced when recording has ended with
the stop button, when the recording volume is full, or when power is in
a critical state.
Sampling rate
When converting between analog and PCM digital audio the analog
signal is measured (sampled) in unique steps at a data rate specied
in kHz. Higher sampling rates allow for representing higher frequency
analog audio. 48 kHz is the standard sampling rate for production,
worldwide. Higher sampling rates including 96 kHz and 192 kHz
are used for high-precision applications where the representation of
audio above 20 kHz is required. A general rule is that the maximum
analog audio frequency is ½ the sampling rate.
Scene
On Sound Devices recorders the scene becomes part of the le
name for a take. Scene names can be pre-loaded to quickly change
between scenes.
Slate microphone
A microphone, built-in or external microphone, on an audio mixer
used to notate takes or communicate with sound team members by
the mixer’s user speaking into the microphone. Slate microphones
are often routable to buses or tracks.