ORBAN'S ANNOUNCES THE ALL NEW OPTIMOD-FM 8500 READY FOR SHIPMENT
Tempe, Ariz., Feb. 18 - Orban®, a worldwide leader in audio processing for broadcasting and the Internet, announced today the all-new Orban Optimod-FM 8500 audio processor, Orban's new flagship processor and the next step beyond the Optimod-FM 8400. The Optimod 8500 is ready for immediate shipment with full-featured version 1.0 software and a remote-control application that supports all of those features and runs on any Windows 2000 or XP computer. The 8500 will be on display in the Radio Hall at the 2005 National Association of Broadcasters Show this April in Las Vegas.
The 8500 builds on the proven, competitive sound of 8400 version 3 while adding features that make it the ideal choice for FM stations simultaneously transmitting iBiquity's HD Radio®, Eureka 147, or a netcast (where it works particularly well with Orban's aacPlus® Opticodec-PC® LE). Individually optimized, independent processing for analog FM and digital radio is standard: Orban's state of the art FM high frequency limiting and clipping systems peak-limit the analog-FM output while a low-IM look-ahead limiter controls the digital radio output.
Base sample rate is now 64 kHz, allowing the 8500 to offer 20 KHz audio bandwidth in the digital radio processing path. A built-in eight-second delay allows HD Radio broadcasters to bypass the delay in the iBiquity exciter and to use the 8500's stereo encoder and patented "Half-Cosine" composite limiter instead. This means that HD Radio broadcasters no longer have to compromise the loudness of their analog channel to broadcast HD Radio.
"Under the hood," Orban engineers redesigned all of the circuitry using the latest components. Engineering also doubled the DSP power so the DSP not only supports the new features but also provides comfortable headroom for future DSP improvements. In the near future, Orban will release a second software version that expands the 8500's feature set in new and innovative ways. This new release will be available as a free Internet download and will be easily installable in any 8500 via its PC remote control application.
Featuring versatile five-band and two-band processing for both analog FM transmission and digital radio, the Orban Optimod-FM 8500 provides the industry's most consistent sound, track-to-track and source-to-source. This consistency allows stations to create a sonic signature with the assurance that it will stay locked in, uniquely branding the station's sound.
The 8500 provides stereo enhancement, equalization, AGC, multiband compression, low-IM peak limiting, stereo encoding, and composite limiting-everything that even the most competitive major market station needs to stand out on the dial.
"We are very excited to advance digital FM broadcasting with the new Orban Optimod-FM 8500. Thanks to the hard work of Bob Orban, Greg Ogonowski and our brilliant engineering team, the standard for all FM transmission processors has been raised again," said Orban President, Chairman, and CEO Jay Brentlinger. "Orban engineers, after months of research and development, have produced what will be considered the finest FM audio processor in the world. With the continued advances in broadcast technology, Orban strives to manufacture products that meet the ever-changing needs of broadcast engineers. Moreover, even the very first 8500s are shipping with polished, carefully-tested, full-featured software."
More than 20 excellent-sounding, format-specific factory presets allow broadcasters to get started, including all of the favorite 8400 version 3 factory presets and several new presets designed by Orban's founder and VP of Engineering, Bob Orban, and VP of New Product Development Greg Ogonowski. Although the factory presets are fully competent "out of the box," they can be customized with the easy one-knob LESS-MORE control or with more than 60 advanced controls, whose versatility will satisfy even the most finicky on-air sound designer. Broadcasters who have created custom presets for their 8400s will be pleased to know that their presets import perfectly into the 8500, retaining a station's carefully crafted sound.
Effective 16 kHz band limiting on the analog-FM left/right output (analog or AES3) allows this signal to pass through a 32 kHz uncompressed STL without added overshoot; 44.1 or 48 kHz channels are not required. Moreover, the 8500's DSP-based stereo encoder and composite limiter deliver an FM analog signal that is always immaculately clean and perfectly peak limited with full spectral protection of subcarriers and RDS/RBDS regardless of the amount of composite limiting.
Orban is a world leader in the design and manufacture of transmission audio processors for broadcasting and the Internet. For more information contact David Rusch at phone +1 480 403-8300, fax +1 480 403-8301 or Email: drusch@orban.com. Information is also available at www.orban.com and www.orban-europe.com.
About Orban
Founded in 1970 by Bob Orban, the world's foremost expert in transmission audio processing for broadcast, Orban leads the industry in the design and manufacture of audio processors for radio, television and Internet broadcasting. Recognized for its standard-setting Optimod ® digital audio processors and the Audicy digital audio workstation, the Orban name has become synonymous with reliable, high performance products. Today, its versatile audio processing equipment, editing tools and codecs are the products of choice in fast-paced production environments worldwide. In 2000, Orban ® was acquired by — a manufacturer of high-quality digital and analog audio processing, transmission encoding, and noise reduction equipment. Orban now accounts for the majority of the global market for radio, TV and Internet audio processing. As technology evolves, Orban continues to innovate with state-of-the-art audio processing products for DAB, DTV and streaming media.
Orban Forward-Looking Statements
This news release may contain "forward-looking" statements within the meaning of the Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995. Management's anticipation of future events is based upon assumptions regarding levels of competition, research and development results, raw material markets, the markets in which the company operates, and stability of the regulatory environment. Any of these assumptions could prove inaccurate, and therefore there can be no assurance that the forward-looking information will prove to be accurate. Orban develops, manufactures and markets electronic audio processing, transmission encoding and noise reduction equipment for the worldwide radio, television, cable, Internet and professional audio markets. The Orban division manufactures and markets audio processing equipment, primarily using digital technology. Orban Europe is a worldwide leader in ISO/MPEG, audio, ISDN, satellite transmission, networking, and storage. More information is available at www.orban.com and www.orban-europe.com.