Polycom SoundStructure C8 User Manual

Design Guide for the Polycom SoundStructure C16, C12, C8, and SR12
A - 12
Floating-Point Arguments
Floating-point arguments represent a floating-point value. They are repre-
sented using a string of digits (0030-0039), an optional decimal point symbol
(002E), an optional E (0045) or e (0065) for indicating an exponent, and optional
plus symbols (002B) or minus symbols (002D) for indicating the sign of the
mantissa or exponent.
Examples of valid floating-point arguments are 0.618, -4.8, 2, +3.14, 6.022e23,
6.626E-34, and -1.759e11. Floating-point arguments must be less than or equal
to 32 bytes in length.
System-Defined Text Arguments
Text arguments that are defined by the command set consists only of digits
(0030-0039), lower-case characters (0061-007A), and the underscore character
(005F). The underscore character is used when it would make long arguments
more readable. Examples of valid system-defined text arguments are
cr_mic_in and agc_rate. System-defined text arguments must be less than or
equal to 32 bytes in length.
User-Defined Text Arguments
Text arguments and data that are user-defined (for example, virtual channel
labels) support all UTF-8 symbols except the control symbols (0000-001F). The
full range of UTF-8 symbols is supported to allow user-definable labels in
other languages. The control symbols are not supported because they are typ-
ically unprintable. In particular, the line feed (000A) and carriage return
(000D) symbols are not allowed for two reasons: first, those symbols are used
as command terminating characters; and second, the command set does not
support the concept of multi-line text arguments.
User-defined text arguments are delimited by a quotation mark symbol (0022)
at the start and end of the string. Quotation mark symbols appearing within
the text argument can be escaped by a preceding backslash symbol (005C). Lit-
eral backslash symbols appearing within the text argument are escaped by a
preceding backslash symbol.
Examples of valid user-defined test arguments are “Table Mics”, “Mic 1\\3”,
and “\”Program\” Audio”.
User-defined text arguments must be less than or equal to 256 bytes in length.
Note that this may be less than 256 symbols, since most of the UTF-8 symbols
are multi-byte. The quotation mark delimiters and escape characters are
included in the 256 byte limit.
Acknowledgements
Control commands generate acknowledgements that are similar to the com-
mand format. The acknowledgements are typically prefixed with the keyword
val to indicate the value returned from the command.

Polycom SoundStructure C8 Specifications

General

Audio Inputs	8
Audio Outputs	8
Network Connectivity	Ethernet
Acoustic Echo Cancellation	Yes
Noise Reduction	Yes
Microphone Inputs	8
Line Outputs	8
AEC Channels	8
USB Ports	1
Sample Rate	48 kHz
Bit Depth	24-bit
Frequency Response	20 Hz - 20 kHz
Total Harmonic Distortion	< 0.01%
Power Supply	100-240V AC
Line Inputs	8
Signal Processing	DSP-based

Summary

Introduction

SoundStructure Product Family

SoundStructure Architecture Overview

Overview of the common architectural features and specific processing for C-series and SR-series products.

SoundStructure C-series Products

Details on C-series devices designed for audio conferencing applications, including AEC capabilities.

SoundStructure Design Concepts

Physical Channels

Defines physical channels as actual inputs/outputs, including telephony and conference link channels.

Virtual Channels

Abstraction layer around physical channels, allowing reference by user-defined labels for flexibility.

Virtual Channel Groups

Allows referring to and controlling a group of virtual channels with a single command.

Creating Designs with SoundStructure Studio

SoundStructure Studio

Introduction to the SoundStructure Studio software for creating and uploading audio designs.

Step 1 - Input Signals

First step in design process: selecting inputs, specifying type and quantity, and adding labels.

Step 3 - Device Selection

Selecting the devices and any necessary telephony cards for the design.

Customizing SoundStructure Designs

Wiring Page

Reviewing and changing virtual channel wiring assignments to match physical connections.

Channels Page

Primary area for customizing signal gains and processing for inputs, outputs, and submixes.

Automixer Controls

User controls for configuring automixers, including adding/removing channels and selecting styles.

Connecting Over Conference Link2

Physical Connections

Details on connecting SoundStructure devices to Polycom HDX systems using RJ45 terminated CAT-5e cables.

Polycom HDX Integration

Connecting SoundStructure devices to Polycom HDX video conferencing systems using the Conference Link2 cable.

Linking Multiple SoundStructure Devices with OBAM

Updating SoundStructure Device Firmware

Steps to update firmware to version 1.2 or higher for OBAM linking.

Linking SoundStructure Devices

Procedure for powering down, cabling OBAM connectors, and linking multiple devices.

Creating a Multi-Device Configuration File

Creating a configuration file for OBAM-linked systems and uploading it to the master device.

Installing SoundStructure Devices

Configuration Files

Details on the structure and content of SoundStructure configuration files (.STR).

Uploading A Configuration File

Procedure for uploading a SoundStructure Studio design file to the system.

Updating Firmware

Steps to update SoundStructure device firmware using SoundStructure Studio.

Presets

Saving and managing system settings in full and partial presets for power cycle survival.

Network Management

Dynamic IP Addresses

Determining IP addresses via DHCP server or SoundStructure Studio discovery.

Static IP Addresses

Assigning static IP addresses directly from SoundStructure Studio or manually via API.

The SoundStructure VoIP Interface

SoundStructure VoIP Interface Overview

Introduction to the VoIP Interface card, its capabilities, and system requirements.

Upgrading a Project to the SoundStructure VoIP Interface

Steps to upgrade an existing project from PSTN to SoundStructure VoIP Interface.

Configuring the SoundStructure VoIP Interface

Steps to configure VoIP settings, including IP address, provisioning server, and line registration.

Troubleshooting

Audio Troubleshooting

Common audio issues and steps to resolve them, including wiring and routing problems.

Echo Troubleshooting

Diagnosing and resolving acoustic and line echo issues in conferencing systems.

Hardware Troubleshooting

Troubleshooting hardware issues by checking front-panel LEDs and system logs.

Specifications

Technical Specifications

Details on dimensions, weight, connectors, power, and thermal specifications.

Connectors

Overview of physical connectors including RS-232, OBAM, CLINK2, LAN, Audio, and IR.

Using SoundStructure Studio Controls

Adjusting Knobs

Methods for changing parameter values associated with knob controls using mouse and keyboard.

Adjusting Matrix Crosspoints

Adjusting crosspoint gain, mute status, and input signal flavor via the matrix control.

Channels Settings

Configuring channel settings, including AEC references, by expanding blocks on the channels page.

Command Protocol Reference Guide

SoundStructure Control Interfaces

Overview of RS-232 and Ethernet interfaces for controlling SoundStructure devices.

Parameter Command Syntax

General syntax for controlling SoundStructure parameters via API commands.

Gain and Mute Parameters

Details on fader, gain, and mute parameters for various channels.

Telephony Parameters

Summary of telephony API commands for input and output channels.

Equalizer Parameters

Details on graphic and parametric equalizer settings for channels.

Dynamics Processing Parameters

Parameters for compressor, limiter, expander, and gate functions in dynamics processing.