Table of contents _______________ 1. Introduction_____________________________________ 3 2. Important safety instructions ______________________ 6 3. Precautions _____________________________________ 7 4. Installation______________________________________ 8 5. Operation______________________________________ 10 6. The DDP Bootloader_____________________________ 28 7. Service and support _____________________________ 30 8. Specifications __________________________________ 32 9.
1. Introduction __________________ Dear customer, Congratulations on your purchase of an Alcons Audio DDP Digital Drive Processor, and thank you for your confidence in Alcons products. We are very honoured to welcome you to the growing family of Alcons ambassadors! For your safety, please read the Important safety instructions and the Precautions section before installing and operating the module. The DDP Digital Drive Processor is a professional digital loudspeaker drive controller.
1. Introduction __________________ set to give the best sonic performance; protection, dedicated filtering and optimised system response. The Intelligent Driver Guidance IDG™ processing offers optimized power response through "True-RMS" intelligent power limiting guidance and (separate) excursion limiting guidance. Crossover filtering consists of dedicated, hybrid Bessel, Butterworth or Linkwitz-Riley responses.
1. Introduction __________________ Limit LogTM The DDP provides real-time signal logging with a visual tracing report on the dB limiting of the selected system. With up to 430.000 minute samples, a usage history of more than 7.000 operating hours can be read out. Furthermore the log stores the number of amp-starts, on time, signal present time and limiting time of the amplifier. Input matrix Each amplifier channel can be routed to any amplifier input, or to both inputs summed.
2. Important safety instructions ___ Warning: – To reduce the risk of fire or electric shock, do not expose this apparatus to rain or moisture. 1. 2. 3. 4. 5. 6. 7. 8. 9. Read these instructions. Keep these instructions. Heed all warnings. Follow all instructions. Do not use this apparatus near water. Clean only with dry cloth. Install in accordance with the manufacturer's instructions. Only use attachments/accessories specified by the manufacturer. Refer all servicing to qualified service personnel.
3. Precautions __________________ - Save the packing material. Should you ever need to ship the module, use only the original packing. - Read this manual carefully before installing and operating. Retain this documentation for future reference. - Do not use the module if there is visual damage to the enclosure. Inspect the module before use. When in doubt, have the module inspected by authorized technical personnel. - Do not install the module to the amplifier while the amplifier is switched on.
4. Installation ___________________ Unpacking Carefully open the shipping carton and inspect the DDP. Every Alcons product is thoroughly tested and inspected before leaving the factory and should arrive in perfect condition. If you find any damage, notify the shipping company immediately. Only you, the consignee, may initiate a claim for shipping damage. Be sure to save all packing materials for the carrier’s inspection. Please save the packing material.
4. Installation ___________________ As can be seen in the block diagram in chapter 9, the signal present indicators and the analogue level controls of the ALC amplifiers are prior to the DDP in the signal chain and thus relate to the channel1 and channel2 input channels, rather than the channel1 and channel2 output channels of the amplifier. DDP User’s Manual rev.0 Firmware version V1.
5. Operation ____________________ Powering the amplifier When the ALC amplifier is switched on, the DDP comes up with its boot screen: In the boot screen the Alcons logo, the device name and the current firmware version are displayed. After approximately 2.5 seconds the module automatically switches to the main menu. Pushing the DDP encoder while switching on the amplifier, makes the DDP start-up with both channels muted.
5. Operation ____________________ Main menu Selected user preset CH1 Speaker preset CHl1 gain/input icon delay icon Mute on/off EQ on/off CH2 Speaker preset CH2 gain /input icon delay icon Mute on/off EQ on/off Setup menu Options menu/Lock icon The main menu shows the most important settings of the DDP in one screen and lets you control some important settings directly. The picture above shows the main menu for the DDP in ‘Dual channel mode’.
5. Operation ____________________ Mute The mute function lets you mute the respective channel. shown in reverse video capitals indicates the mute function is active. Pushing the encoder and holding it down for more than 1 second immediately mutes both channels, regardless of the menu or function the DDP is in. EQ on/off Toggles the parametric equaliser on and off. The icon indicates the icon indicates the channel2 equaliser is linked equaliser is active and the to the channel1 equaliser.
5. Operation ____________________ Setup menu In the setup menu, all the necessary settings for controlling the signal processing of the DDP can be made. Back Returns to the main menu. Setup channel1/2 Enters the menus in which the Alcons loudspeaker system presets, the input routing, the equalisers and the delay function are controlled. User presets Enters the user presets menu. In this menu you can store and recall up to 99 of your own user defined presets.
5. Operation ____________________ Setup channel1/2 menu Back Returns to the setup menu. Speaker preset Enters the menu in which the Alcons system presets are defined. Input 1/2/12 Controls the input matrix for the selected channel. You can choose between Input 1, Input 2 or the sum of Inputs 1&2 with 6 dB attenuation. Parametric EQ Enters the parametric equaliser. Delay off/..ms/..m Enters the delay function. If the delay is on, the delay value is displayed in the units selected in the delay menu (ms/m).
5. Operation ____________________ Selecting the Alcons System presets After selecting the speaker preset menu option in the setup menu, you can select the loudspeaker preset from the Alcons loudspeaker library. After selecting the system preset, you are asked to confirm changing the system preset. By choosing no, you can return to the previously selected system preset. If mute on preset change is selected in the options menu, the DDP will mute the current channel and unmute? Is displayed.
5. Operation ____________________ Parametric equaliser The DDP has a 4 band per channel parametric equaliser providing boost/cut or notch filtering independently for both channels. In Dual channel mode the channel 1 and channel 2 equalisers can be linked using the link option in the setup menu. A visual indication of the frequency response of the equaliser is also shown. If the area under de curve is not filled, it indicates the equaliser is switched off in the DDP main menu.
5. Operation ____________________ Delay Back Returns to the setup channel1/2 menu. On/Off Switches the delay on or off without changing the entered delay time. ..ms/m Enters the delay time in milliseconds (ms) or in meters (m) in steps of 0.1 ms or 0.01 m for values up to 29 ms or 9.7 m and in steps of 1 ms or 0.1 m above these values. The maximum values that can be entered here are 293 ms or 99.6 m. In absolute delay mode, these numbers are increased with 1 ms or 0.3 m.
5. Operation ____________________ User presets In the DDP up to 99 user-presets can be made, consisting of factory system preset, gain, mute, input-mode, equalising and delay. These presets can be tagged with a 21-character name which is also shown at the top of the main menu. Back Returns to the setup menu. Preset:… Selects one of 100 presets. The first preset is the ‘DigitalDriveProcessor’ preset which cannot be overwritten or has its name changed.
5. Operation ____________________ Change name After recalling or storing a preset, its name can be edited using the Change name function. A name consisting of a maximum of 21 characters can be given to a preset and this name is also shown on the top line of the main menu. DDP User’s Manual rev.0 Firmware version V1.
5. Operation ____________________ Options menu Back Returns to the main menu. Display Enters the display menu. Information Enters the information menu. Mute: off/power up/preset change/pwrup+prst chg Toggles between: off: The DDP is never automatically muted. power up: The DDP is always muted when switched on, preset change: The DDP is always muted when a system or a user preset is recalled. pwrup+prst chg: The DDP is always muted when switched on and when a system or user preset is recalled.
5. Operation ____________________ Display menu Back Returns to the options menu. Contrast.. Changes the contrast of the LCD in 10 steps. Backlight.. Changes the intensity of the backlight in 10 steps. Timeout Off/10s Toggles between: Off: the backlight is always on, but after 10 seconds of no operation the backlight is dimmed. 10s: After 10 seconds of no operation the LCD is cleared and the backlight is switched off. The LCD and backlight are switched back on when you turn or push the encoder.
5. Operation ____________________ Information menu Back Returns to the setup menu. Log Enters the log menu. Date Time Set Here the actual date and time are displayed. The S or W character indicate summer or wintertime and that the clock is automatically adjusting for daylight savings. Pressing the encoder enters the set clock menu. Firmware:V… Shows the current firmware version. Presets:V… Shows the current Alcons loudspeaker system presets library version.
5. Operation ____________________ Log menu Back Returns to the information menu Limit LogTM Enters the Limit LogTM menu. Starts:… Shows the number of times the module has started. On time:...h..m Shows the total time the module has been switched on in hours and minutes. Signal:...h..m Shows the total signal present time of the module in hours and minutes. Limit:...h..m Shows the total limiting time of the module in hours and minutes. DDP User’s Manual rev.0 Firmware version V1.
5. Operation ____________________ Limit LogTM menu In the Limit LogTM menu the limiting actions of the DDP over the last 7167 hours of operating time are recorded. Of each minute the maximum amount of limiting in that minute of both channels is recorded. The menu displays a visual graph of the current log page. Each page represents one hour of operating time. Back Returns to the log menu. Select page Here you can scroll back to previously recorded hours in the logbook.
5. Operation ____________________ Pushing the encoder switches the Limit LogTM screen to the example shown above. The cursor changes to an arrow which points to one particular minute in this page. The screen shows the exact date and time, and for each channel the model from the system presets library and the amount of limiting in that minute. Pushing the encoder returns to the previous screen. In appendix A you can see which presets correspond to the model numbers shown in the Limit Log.
5. Operation ____________________ Set clock menu Set year:20.. Enter the current year. Set month:.. Enter the current month. Set date:.. Enter the current date. Set hours:.. Enter the current hour in 24 hour format. Set minutes:.. Enter the current minute. DST adjust:Off/Eur/USA The DDP can automatically adjust for daylight saving time. Off: Do not automatically adjust the time for daylight savings. Eur: Adjust the time according to the European standard for daylight savings.
5. Operation ____________________ Lock menu Back Returns to the options menu. Lock all This function locks all settings of the DDP except for the mute functions in the main menu. All menus in which settings can be examined remain accessible. Lock presets This function locks only the settings that can change a system preset.
6. The DDP Bootloader ___________ Installing the Bootloader software To Install the Alcons DDP Bootloader software, follow this procedure: - Make a new folder in which you want to install the DDP Bootloader. For instance: C:\Alcons\DDP Bootloader. Extract all files from the DDP_bootloader_Vxx.zip file to this folder. Extract all files from the DDP_firmware_Vxx.zip file to this folder Connect the DDP module to one of the USB ports of your computer. Your computer will start the Add new hardware wizard.
6. The DDP Bootloader ___________ - Click on the button ‘Check connection’ The program should reply with: ‘Connection…OK’ The installation is now finished. Performing firmware upgrades To upgrade the DDP with a new firmware version, the module must be removed from the ALC amplifier. Connect the module to your computer with a USB cable. The module should reply with: BOOTMODE. Start the DDP Bootloader program. Press the Load file button and select the firmware file you want to load into the module.
7. Service and support ___________ Warranty Summary Alcons Audio BV warrants the original purchaser and any subsequent owner of each new Alcons product, for a period of three years from the date of the original purchase by the original purchaser that the new Alcons product is free of defects in materials and workmanship. Alcons Audio BV warrants the new Alcons product regardless of the reason for failure, except as excluded in this warranty.
7. Service and support ___________ Contact information Mailing address: Alcons Audio BV De Corantijn 69 1689 AN ZWAAG The Netherlands Telephone / Facsimile: Telephone: +31 (0)229 283090 Fax.: +31 (0)229 283099 World Wide Web: http://www.alconsaudio.com E-mail: info@alconsaudio.com DDP User’s Manual rev.0 Firmware version V1.
8. Specifications ________________ AD Converter DA Converter Frequency response Channel separation THD+N SMPTE IMD S/N ratio Latency Gain control Equaliser Delay System presets User presets Security lock Display Control Weight Dimensions DDP User’s Manual rev.0 Firmware version V1.4 _____ Delta sigma 24 bit 96 kHz 128x over sampling _____ Delta sigma 24 bit 96 kHz 128x over sampling ________________________<10 Hz ..
9. Block diagram ________________ DDP User’s Manual rev.0 Firmware version V1.
Appendix A ____________________ Alcons loudspeaker system presets library V001 Model 000 Model 001 Model 002 Model 003 Model 004 Model 005 Model 006 Model 007 Model 008 Model 009 Model 010 Model 011 Model 012 Model 013 Model 014 Model 015 Model 016 Model 017 Model 018 Model 019 Model 020 Model 021 Model 022 Model 023 Model 024 Model 025 Model 026 Model 027 Model 028 Model 029 Linear BF151 BF151 BF151 BF181 BF181 BF181 BF181 BF181 BF181 BF302 BF302 BF302 BF362 BF362 BF362 CB181/362 CB181/362 CCS8 CR1 CR2 lf