dB Broadcast launches ASI TS 2x2 switch and monitor module

dB Broadcast, one of the UK's largest independent systems houses, has introduced another version of its B080 range of user-configurable ASI transport stream (TS) monitor modules with integral 2x2 switch, the B082C.
The Hawkeye B082 series continuously monitors two MPEG-2 DVB ASI transport streams and can automatically switch them to two pairs of outputs. The two inputs are typically main and reserve streams. The B082C is identical the B082S (in that they both have a 2x2 switch) but, unlike the ‘S’ version, cannot be set for near-seamless switching, a technology developed by dB Broadcast.
The B082S and the B082C have four switching modes, with the following order of precedence - the first being the highest. The first is local front panel switching. The second is a rear panel switching input (remote external). The third is a front or rear serial port switching command. The fourth is auto mode - intelligent on board switching.
The switch is designed to operate primarily in auto mode, where the switching time in seconds is zero to several decimal places. The other modes will have a delay of a couple of milliseconds, as the input signals propagate across the input processor to the signal processor. In the auto mode, the near seamless switching of the B082S module preserves the TS packet structure and prevents the propagation of TS sync errors down the signal chain, even when switching from a bad to a good signal. The B082C uses an instantaneous logic switch, which will always introduce a TS sync loss to the output.
Auto mode is configurable, so the installation engineer can select the types of errors that are to drive the switch. The reason for configuring the auto mode is to ensure that switching only happens when the engineer wants it to. Auto mode can also be disabled and the BO82S module card can be configured to use the same instantaneous logic switching as the B082C uses.
The B082C is compliant to the ETSI TR 101 290 specification for digital video broadcasting. It also supports ATSC transport streams and packet, byte and burst modes.
Tom Swan, dB's director of sales and marketing, said: "The B082C is one of the next-generation of Hawkeye modules. The B080 range as a whole represents a considerable investment on our part and is based on our experience of installing over 150 encoding and compression systems and in supplying ASI DVB monitoring systems over the past six years."
(GB)