You may already be familiar with the SoundPals digital audio test generator, the DTG-1, as an economical source of a variety of digital audio test signals that are generated entirely in the digital audio domain. The outputs are in the AES/EBU format and the unit provides both XLR/AES3 and BNC/AES3id. The DTG-1 can be used in the studio as a reference tone generator or on the bench as a troubleshooting tool. It has internal oscillators for both 44.1 and 48 kHz sample rates, or it may be locked to an external reference. The DTG-1 has all the adjustments needed to make it easy to isolate digital audio transmission problems.

But the DTG-1 is also effective for mobile troubleshooting throughout the facility.

An often overlooked feature of the DTG-1 is that the user has the ability to adjust the output level from the nominal 4.5Vp-p, in 3dB steps, down to 400mV (-21dB) at the XLR output. At the BNC output the level is adjustable in 3dB steps from the nominal of 1.0Vp-p, down to 90mV (-21dB).

The question that arises is: How does that help me?

Most, if not all, digital audio devices include receiver input circuitry, the purpose of which is to recover the digital audio stream for further processing. The ability to recover the digital stream is paramount to the overall performance of the digital audio transmission path.

We’ve all seen the effect of a device that cannot recover the stream accurately due to either poor design or too long a cable feeding the device – no recovery in the worst case, or intermittent recovery of the digital audio stream.

This is where the DTG-1 can help. By adjusting the output level it is possible for the user to determine, with some level of accuracy, where a digital stream recovery problem is being manifested within the digital audio processing or distribution system itself.

The ability to adjust the output level combined with the portability of the DTG-1 makes digital audio system troubleshooting quick and easy.

Other DTG-1 features are:

• Switch selectable output test signals: Sine waves at six pre-programmed frequencies.
• 1 kHz tone with L/R channel ID.
• Phase ID.
• Sine wave frequency/amplitude sweep/step.
• White noise.
• Pink noise.
• Digital silence.
• Level of the test signals adjustable from 0 to -60dBfs.
• Front panel dipswitch setting of channel status bits (professional and consumer modes) and operating mode.
• Both XLR (AES3) and BNC (AES3id) outputs with level adjust.
• Internal oscillators for 44.1 and 48 kHz sample rates.
• External reference input for word clock or AES3id.

See complete performance specifications