News and Product Updates
Electronically Adjustable Output Levels Added to the TC3846-6
08/02/2024The TC3846-6 is an industry leader in the replacement of leased lines with a modern Ethernet-based solution. As a frequently requested feature, the TC3846-6 now has the option to be able to adjust the audio output levels during the setup process. The output levels can be addressed between -21 dBm and +4.5 dBm in 0.5 dB and 1 dB steps. This makes replacing leased lines very simple, with often no adjustment of the connected equipment required.
To achieve this, we have added a digital potentiometer to the TC3846-6 JumboSwitch® as a new hardware feature. The digital potentiometer allows users to set the attenuation rate for the input and output voltage (i.e. audio) independently of each other and in either direction. This is controlled remotely through the CLI (command line interface), bypassing the need to access adjustments that are built into connected devices such as modems, two-way radios, and voters.
The diagram below of a single-channel TC3846-6 provides an example:
On the left, the transmit audio travels over the IP network to the receive audio on the right. The digital attenuation circuits on both TC3846-6 units allow users to adjust the transmit and receive audio according to their needs.
The input audio range for the unit ranges from -36.5 dBm to +4.5 dBm, while the gain or attenuation level is settable between -21 dBm and +4.5 dBm. This ensures that both gain and attenuation are available, and each is settable in increments of 0.5 or 1 dB, as shown in the following table on the bottom:
| Range | Minimum | Maximum |
|---|---|---|
| Signal Detection (Input) | -36.5 dBm | +4.5 dBm |
| Signal Output | -36.5 dBm | +4.5 dBm |
| Trim | Range | Increments |
|---|---|---|
| Gain | 0.0 dBm to +4.5dBm | 0.5 dB |
| Attenuation | -15.0 dBm to 0.0 dBm | 0.5 dB |
| -21.0 dBm to -15.0 dBm | 1.0 dB |
Using the digital potentiometer on the TC3846-6 makes it easy to adjust signal levels according to previously used parameters. For example, customers using the TC3846-6 to replace a leased line with -18 dBm attenuation can easily set the units to -18 dBm attenuation to allow direct replacement of the leased line. When users want to increase the signal, there is up to +4.5 dBm of gain available (provided that the input signal is at or below 0 dBm).
The digital potentiometer is present for each port of the TC3846-6 card and is easy to set using the console cable and CLI, which are available in all JumboSwitch units.
To stay current on our other JumboSwitch product updates, follow the links below.
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