PCX881e MULTICHANNEL SOUND CARD

Key Workflow: PCI Express multichannel sound card with on-board processing for on-air automation, production, permanent playback and recording .

PCX881e is the reference multichannel sound card with on-board processing designed for operating in continuous 24/7/365 use-environments, and fully digital systems, such as radio automation. Its on-board processing guarantees all audio channels are always processed whatever the PC CPU load is, which gives absolute reliability and responsiveness to the audio system.

At a glance

PCX881e is the full featured multichannel model of the PCX series of sound cards. Thanks to its broadcast grade specifications, its on-board processing and unrivaled reliability, PCX881e is the references multichannel sound card used in the radio automation systems designed by Digigram Development Partners. A proprietary Software Development Kit (SDK) allows control of the card’s on-board functionalities. Available as part of the systems delivered by Digigram Development Partners, PCX881e can also be used as a linear PCM sound card with software applications based on standard driver interfaces.

• Multichannel sound card designed for broadcast radio
• AES/EBU only
• On-board processing available through Proprietary Digigram SDK: MPEG audio, mixing of PCM and MPEG, cross-fades, real time time-scaling
• Proprietary Software Development Kit for controlling the on-board features
• Interoperable with most of the third party software applications for audio production under Windows, through DirectSound, Wasapi, and ASIO
• PCX cards are sold to Development partners: they design and sell the applications that include these cards

Key features

• Multichannel PCI Express sound card with on-board processing: MPEG audio, mixing of PCM and MPEG, cross-fades, real time time-scaling, 3-band parametric EQ, Maximizer
• Four stereo AES/EBU inputs and outputs; all four inputs with hardware sample rate converters and digital gains
• Synchronization inputs: AES11, Word Clock, black burst video reference
• Support for Windows 32-bit and 64-bit (Digigram proprietary SDK, WDM kernel streaming, DirectSound, Wasapi, ASIO)
• Breakout cables or 2U breakout box BOB8. XLR connectors

Configuration

• Bus/Format: PCI EXPRESS™ (PCIe®) x1 (x2, x4, x8, x16, x32 compatible)
• Size: 168 mm x 111 mm x 20 mm
• Power requirements (+3.3V / +12V): 1.3 A / 0.02 A
• Operating: temp / humidity (non-condensing): 0°C/+50°C • 5%/90%
• Storage: temp / humidity (non-condensing): -5°C/+70°C • 0%/95%

INPUTS

• Digital inputs (stereo): 4 AES/EBU with hw Sample Rate Converters, 7.5:1 to 1:8, up to 192 kHz
• Programmable input gain: digital: from  –110 dB to +18 dB
• Other inputs:AES/EBU Sync (up to 192 kHz), Word clock (up to 96 kHz), LTC, Video
• AES11 synchronization

Connectors

• Internal connectors: Inter-board Sync
• External connector: 68-pin SCSI MDR
• Digigram accessories available: Breakout cable or 2U 19″ Breakout Box

Audio specifications

• Sampling frequencies available: Programmable from 22.05 to 192 kHz
• Supported audio formats: MPEG, PCM (8, 16, 24 bits), Float IEEE754

Development environments

• Digigram management under Windows: np SDK
• Other management under Windows:  Wave (PCM & MPEG Laye II), WASAPI, ASIO, and DirectSound (all PCM)
• OS supported: from Windows 7 and Windows server 2003 (32-bit and 64-bit versions)
• Main on-board processing features (with np SDK): PCM play & rec, MPEG Layers I & II play & rec, Layer III play, Float IEEE754,direct monitoring, real-time mixing, level adjustment, panning, cross-fade, punch-in/punch-out, scrubbing, time-stretching, pitch-shifting, 3-band parametric equalizer, maximizer, format and frequency conversions