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3-64
OPERATION
If the Host Computer Restarts or Crashes...
Using OPTIMOD-PC for Production and Mastering
When you are using OPTIMOD-PC's hardware inputs and outputs (that is, when
OPTIMOD-PC is emulating a stand-alone audio processor), OPTIMOD-PC is designed
to gracefully handle problems that occur in the host computer:
•
If the host computer is restarted in an orderly way (using Windows' "restart"
command), OPTIMOD-PC will continue to process audio normally through its
hardware inputs and outputs with no gaps or interruptions. This allows you to
do normal Windows security updates without interrupting the audio even if the
updates require you to restart your computer.
•
If the host computer crashes, OPTIMOD-PC will usually continue to pass signal
normally through its hardware inputs and outputs because its processing is done
with onboard DSP, independent of the computer's CPU or operating system.
When you finally reset the host computer to recover from the crash (via either a
hardware reset or Ctrl-Alt-Del), OPTIMOD-PC will also reset and will temporarily
load unity-gain bypass DSP code. This will cause a mute lasting a fraction of a
second. OPTIMOD-PC will then continue to pass signal through this bypass code
until its driver has loaded, at which point the driver will load normal audio proc-
essing DSP code into OPTIMOD-PC. After another fraction-of-a-second mute to
accommodate the load, OPTIMOD-PC will now operate normally, using the same
preset that was active before the crash.
See About the OPTIMOD-PC Driver and Service on page 4-4.
OPTIMOD-PC can be a useful tool for mastering and production applications in the
professional audio industry, such as preparation of equalized, level-controlled, peak
limited CD masters. We have frequently used OPTIMOD-PC in this context, achieving
excellent results.
Because of their broadcast origins, most of the 1101's presets provide more process-
ing than would ordinarily be required for mastering. In addition, we would expect
that the mastering engineer would want to tweak a preset carefully to complement
the program material being mastered. The 1101 provides important tools to allow a
mastering engineer to fine-tune the processing to complement the program mate-
rial:
•
Three bands of parametric equalization with low-noise filter structures and
curves modeled after classic second-order analog bell-shaped EQ.
•
A powerful, low-noise parametric bass shelving equalizer with sweepable fre-
quency and a choice of 6, 12, or 18 dB/octave slopes.
•
Two-band and five-band compressor/limiters with phase-linear crossovers and
powerful controls, including attack time, release time, threshold, knee, and ratio
ORBAN MODEL 1101
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