New Products Feature Software Modules, Multichannel Support and Multifunctional Interface - Available by the End of 2010
COLOGNE, GERMANY-- RTW, a leading manufacturer and distributor of professional audio metering and control devices, will be giving international broadcasters at this year's IBC 2010 (Stand 8.E76) an advance look at its innovative new TouchMonitor series.
TouchMonitor is a new range of products that RTW developed, from the ground up, which is sure to set new standards in professional audio metering. The two TouchMonitor versions, scheduled to ship by the end of 2010, include the TM7 featuring a 7" touch screen and the TM9 with a 9" touch screen. Both units combine unprecedented flexibility and modularity with an intuitive user interface. A limited number of TouchMonitor units are scheduled to begin shipping in December, with full production continuing early next year.
The operating concept based on 16:9 touch-sensitive screens is unique. It offers not only a built-in online help function, but also allows for monitoring separate signal groups using multiple instruments at the same time. For example, a TouchMonitor featuring 8 digital and 8 analog inputs can display a digital 5.1 surround signal on the Surround Sound Analyzer, the Loudness Radar Meter by TC Electronic, AES status data, a PPM/loudness combo bargraph and a numerical loudness meter. At the same time, the unit could monitor four analog stereo signals on PPM/SPL bar graphs simultanously. This way, up to 16 analog and/or digital signals can all be displayed. In addition, the TM9 with the 3G-SDI option installed (available during the second quarter of 2011) will be able to display all 32 signals of a 3G-SDI stream in parallel.
"With the launch of the TouchMonitor series, RTW is defining an entirely new category of product that will not only help audio professionals worldwide meet current loudness standards, but does so in a more interactive, intuitive way," says Andreas Tweitmann, managing director, RTW. "We are excited to share such a sophisticated, powerful solution with our friends in the international broadcast community."
The TM7 and TM9 units incorporate a state-of-the-art hardware platform. It features a high-performance graphics engine and excessive DSP power as the basis for its highly flexible display options. Seven different hardware versions are available providing various combinations of analog (D-Sub) and/or digital-audio interfaces. Digital ports are available in the AES3 (D-Sub) or AES3id (BNC) formats. All versions feature a LAN port, a VGA output for connecting external screens, GPIO interfaces, and two USB ports. In addition to the standard versions featuring desktop enclosures, external power supplies, and an integrated stand, RTW also offers OEM versions that can be integrated into mixing-console surfaces.
The modular software concept of the TouchMonitor range provides excellent value for money: Define your unit's functionality on your own and purchase only the features you actually need. The basic configuration includes stereo PPMs providing various scales for analog and digital audio and ITU BS.1770-1-compliant TruePeak metering. The user can add more instruments and functions as necessary by purchasing the respective software licenses. Many instruments known from existing RTW products are available to choose from: the unique Surround Sound Analyzer, the Real-Time Analyzer (RTA), an ITU/EBU-compliant loudness meter, the Loudness Radar Meter by TC Electronic, a vectorscope and a multi-correlator. This way, the units of the TouchMonitor series support numerous applications ranging from simple stereo peak meters to full-fledged multichannel surround-enabled instruments at affordable prices.
