Snell Sirius router maximises independent signal processing flexibility

Snell’s Sirius 800 family of routing switchers has been enhanced with the availability of frame synchronisation on the units’ AHP (Advanced Hybrid Processing) input and output cards. The resulting router architecture enables independent processing of audio and video signals with no restrictions on signal formats, timing between signal types, or number of audio channels. Building on the Sirius 800 series’ audio de-embedding, embedding, and audio processing capabilities, this new functionality not only allows all inputs to be retimed before switching and enables operators to guarantee SMPTE-compliant switching, but also supports synchronisation of incoming lines to a local studio reference.

“In addition to giving users total control over signal routing, timing, and levels, all in one system, Sirius 800 AHP with frame synchronizers saves huge amounts of space, power, weight, and cabling as compared with traditional routing architectures and first generation hybrid routers,” says Alan Smith, product manager at Snell. “Unlike other architectures, where processing is effectively ‘wrapped around’ the router, our approach with the Sirius 800 AHP saves a significant number of input and outputs, greatly reducing initial costs as well as ongoing operation and maintenance costs.”

Frame synchronisers, combined with audio processing and delay capability, allow a Sirius 800 AHP router to serve as the single point at which incoming signals are correctly adjusted for use within a facility. Each signal can be synchronised to a local reference, and operators can then swap individual embedded audio channels, adjust levels as required, and mix these inputs to create additional channels (e.g., for simple monitoring of surround sound as stereo) to match house standards. Video and each audio channel can be individually delayed to maintain lip sync.

AHP is available on each of the Sirius 800 router’s inputs and outputs, offering track swap, gain, delay, and mixing capability for input-level correction, standard channel setup, Dolby 5.1 surround sound downmix, stereo-to-mono mix, output level adjustment, Dolby E delay compensation, video and audio timing delay correction, sample rate conversion to house standard, and now also synchronization.

All base-level Sirius 800 AHP cards (i.e., embedding and de-embedding, with audio processing) can be firmware-upgraded to add frame syncs. Operators can use this new functionality to implement multi-format frame syncs (SD, HD, and 3Gbps), with the full independence of every channel supporting the use of mixed formats. Each channel can be synchronised with any of four references, whether for multi-format or multi-standard operation, or to allow for different timing planes throughout larger installations.

A line sync mode minimises delay and ensures clean switching. Adjustable video and individual audio channel delays allow compensation for contribution channel and audio encoding/decoding delays. These and other controls can be adjusted on the fly either via Snell soft panels or via Snell’s RollCall hardware panel. As always, the Sirius 800 router is available with both fiber and coax interconnections.