Specifications

ALTINEX, Inc. • Toll Free: 800-ALTINEX • Tel: [phone] • Fax: [phone] • Web: www.altinex.com
MultiTasker
®
Design Guide
The ALTINEX MultiTasker is the new, modular system for customizing signal management
solutions for a variety of audio, video, and control signals. With MultiTasker, you can accomplish
distribution, switching, matrix switching, and signal conversion in one comprehensive rack-based
system. And, as a modular system, you can change the configuration and re-program functionali-
ty with a minimum of component change.
This Design Guide will provide you with a comprehensive overview of the MultiTasker system
— how it works, what options are available, and how to design a MultiTasker-based signal man-
agement system to meet your audio-visual requirements. It is organized into four basic sections
— an Introduction, Product Information, Sample Configurations, and a Quick Reference guide.
Introduction
The introduction provides a quick tutorial on the conventions used throughout the guide, as well
as a procedural guide to designing a MultiTasker System. It explains the symbols used in each
product’s block diagram, and describes the various function groupings of MultiTasker cards to
help you identify the right ones for your signal management system.
Product Information
In the Product Information section, the products have been grouped according to the functionality
that they share, with the differences in specific features listed in the initial product comparison at
the head of each product group page. A line drawing of the front panel follows, alongside a rep-
resentative photo, which illustrates the input and output connector placement. On the facing page
are the functional block diagrams for each card. These diagrams illustrate the signal flow through
the card, and define such options as expandability, switching, and special options such as on/off
control or signal detect. The Design Tips part of each product group will mention design require-
ments and dependencies, suggest alternative usages for extending the functionality of the prod-
ucts in that group, and list important accessories for full utilization of those products.
Sample Configurations
Sample Configurations show how various signal management challenges can be efficiently, effec-
tively, and comprehensively met with a MultiTasker solution. Each one starts by defining input
and output requirements using signal block diagrams. The components necessary to achieve the
desired objectives are then chosen and shown in the assembled MultiTasker configuration.
Quick Reference
The Quick Reference fold-out chart provides a single-page view of all the MultiTasker products
profiled in this guide, and allows side-by-side comparison of their distinguishing specifications.
ALTINEX Technology
ALTINEX is at the forefront of developing new technologies to solve the more persistent chal-
lenges in signal distribution. Following are some terms you will encounter frequently in this guide:
• GLI on-board
TM
was developed to eliminate ground loops, thereby removing the symptoms of
rolling hum bars and other artifacts in video signals, and hum in unbalanced audio.
• Screen Blanking prevents the annoying “No Signal Present” message from appearing on dis-
plays while allowing the user to turn off, or “blank” the actual computer signal.
• Sync Delay promotes graceful switching between computer video signal sources, without the
visual “glitch” that commonly occurs during the transition from one source to another.
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