TC Electronic | DB4 & DB8 MKII

Measure - Correct - Convert

LM6 Loudness Radar Meter

Consistency in loudness is the single most important audio issue to get right in broadcast. That is the reason why the original DB8 and DB4 units, around the world, are the most widely used digital transmission processor today. They have set a new standard for real-time loudness control and format conversion and pioneered support of both analog and digital feeds from one and the same machine.

Both DB4 MKII and DB8 MKII employ cutting edge technology that enables you to get rid of listener complaints about jumping levels and to transmit in analog and digital with optimum processing for both feeds. DB4 MKII and DB8 MKII include the same processing and I/O capabilities, but DB4 MKII has two separate processors where DB8 MKII features four processors. As an example, you can apply different processing to four mono, two stereo or two 5.1 signals, or a combination of one stereo and one 5.1 signal, using one DB4 MKII.

DB8 MKII is primarily designed for large broadcast centers, while DB4 MKII may be a more appropriate match for OB linking or a regional station, but they share the same processing, the same presets and the same physical I/O structure - and even the same program to control them.

Compatibility

DB4 MKII and DB8 MKII are preset compatible. If you know how to operate one of them, you know how to operate both. Further, both of them are compatible with any preset made for the original DB4 and DB8 units.

Your Broadcast Environment

On the audio side, DB4 MKII and DB8 MKII get the most out of any data reduction system your station or country has chosen, be it MPEG4, Dolby AC3, MP3, AAC, DTS etc. At the station, they allow you to route and delay Dolby E encoded signals, so the same signal-path can be used partly for linear stereo, partly for data-reduced audio. On the control side, DB4 MKII and DB8 MKII interface directly with standard master control applications. You can apply changes by using serial control, GPI or Ethernet, and multiple units can be monitored via SNMP trapping. Local or remotely located DB4 MKII and DB8 MKII units can also be controlled from the included Icon program.

Identify Your Opportunities

If your station is an early mover in digital and seeking to identify advantages, DB4 MKII and DB8 MKII will provide you with all the possibilities you need to transmit in 5.1 now as well as to experiment and find the right competitive angle for the future. These processors easily adapt to your audience's changing needs.

Technical Integrity

Synchronous 48kHz sampling and 48-bit processing throughout, in combination with massive jitter rejection, ensure high audio resolution and perfect timing, even when you use long, digital transmission lines to feed a processor. The DB8 MKII/DB4 MKII platform is without compromises. In fact, you can cascade hundreds of machines without degrading the transmitted sound, and if you add optional analog interfacing cards, they too represent state of the art technology with 96kHz sampling and mastering quality dynamic range, far exceeding any US, Japanese or EU broadcast standard.