Orban Optimod-FM/HD 8500 Version 2 Now Shipping
Tempe, Arizona, August 7th, 2007 — Circuit Research Labs, Inc. (OTCBB: CRLI.OB), parent company of Orban/CRL, a worldwide leader in audio processing for AM, FM, TV, and Internet broadcasting, announces that The Orban Optimod-FM/HD 8500 Version 2 software is now shipping.
All of V2's improvements exploit previously unused DSP power in the 8500. V2.0 new features are independently controllable equalizer, high frequency enhancer, and multiband compression signal paths for the 8500's FM analog and digital radio processing chains. These improvements add to the 8500's existing dual signal paths for analog and digital limiting and output. This dramatically improves the 8500's versatility by allowing users to fine-tune the analog and digital processing chains independently. This provides far more flexibility in adjusting the HD processing path to achieve various goals, such as minimizing audible artifacts in low bitrate codecs or making the digital channel sound bigger or more dramatic when an HD Radio receiver crossfades between analog and digital.
Additionally, an improved dual-band window-gated AGC yields smoother, more natural gain riding, while up to 25 dB of gain reduction is now available regardless of the setting of the AGC's compression ratio control. Moreover, the 8500's ITU412 MPX Power Controller can now run when diversity delay is enabled.
Version 2 software allows the built-in diversity delay to be applied independently to each 8500 output emitting the analog FM processed signal. Currently shipping 8500 hardware can provide up to 16 seconds of diversity delay to support the latest HD Radio™ Exgine implementations, while earlier 8500s with 8.2 seconds of maximum delay can be upgraded for a fee via an easy DSP board replacement. All 8500s are compatible with V2 software, available as a free Internet download from www.orban.com.
Circuit Research Labs, Inc. 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.
About Circuit Research Labs, Inc.
Circuit Research Labs, Inc. is a manufacturer of high-quality digital and analog audio processing, transmission encoding, and noise reduction equipment. Circuit Research Labs, Inc. is in the market for radio, TV and Internet audio processing. As technology evolves, Circuit Research Labs continues to innovate with state-of-the-art audio processing products for DAB, DTV and streaming media. The Company purchased Orban® in May of 2000. Orban was founded in 1970 by Bob Orban, who is 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 Opticodec® codecs, the Orban name has become synonymous with reliable, high performance products. Today, its versatile audio processing equipment and codecs are the products of choice in fast-paced production environments worldwide.
For more information contact David Rusch at phone +1 (480) 403-8300, fax +1 (480) 403-8301 or e-mail: drusch@orban.com. Information is also available at www.orban.com and www.orban-europe.com.