2 Introduction
Digital
Transmission
Digital Mixing Console
Digital Storage Media
Audio System
(CD,DVD,
Radio,PC)
Concert hall
udio studio
Living room
Automobile
PC
Figure 1.1 Signal processing for recording, storage, transmission and reproduction.
multichannel MADI interfaces to the mixing console. The final stereo mix is stored via a
two-channel AES/EBU interface [AES92] on a two-channel MASTER machine. External
appliances for effects or room simulators are also connected to the mixing console via
a two-channel AES/EBU interface. All systems are synchronized by a MASTER clock
reference. In digital audio technology, the sampling rates
1
f
S
= 48 kHz for professional
studio technology, f
S
= 44.1 kHz for compact disc and f
S
= 32 kHz for broadcasting
applications are established. In addition, multiples of these sampling frequencies such as
88.2, 96, 176.4, and 192 kHz are used. The sound mixing console plays a central role
in a digital sound studio. Figure 1.3 shows the functional units. The N input signals are
processed individually. After level and panorama control, all signals are summed up to
give a stereo mix. The summation is carried out several times so that other auxiliary stereo
and/or mono signals are available for other purposes. In a sound channel (see Fig. 1.4), an
equalizer unit (EQ), a dynamic unit (DYN), a delay unit (DEL), a gain element (GAIN)
and a panorama element (PAN) are used. In addition to input and output signals in an audio
channel, inserts as well as auxiliary or direct outputs are required.
1.2 Digital Transmission Systems
In this section digital transmission will be briefly explained. Besides the analog wireless
broadcasting systems based on amplitude and frequency modulation, DAB
2
(Digital Audio
Broadcasting) has been introduced in several countries [Hoe01]. On the other hand, the
internet has pushed audio/video distribution, internet radio and video via cable networks.
Terrestrial Digital Broadcasting (DAB)
With the introduction of terrestrial digital broadcasting, the quality standards of a compact
disc will be achieved for mobile and stationary reception of radio signals [Ple91].
Therefore, the data rate of a two-channel AES/EBU signal from a transmitting studio
is reduced with the help of a source coder [Bra94] (see Fig. 1.5). Following the source
coder (SC), additional information (AI) like the type of program (music/speech) and
1
Data rate 16 bit × 48 kHz = 768 kbit/s; data rate (AES/EBU signal) 2 × (24 + 8) bit × 48 kHz =
3.072 Mbit/s; data rate (MADI signal) 56 × (24 + 8) bit × 48 kHz =86.016 Mbit/s.
2
http://www.worlddab.org/.