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Installing a new RDS encoder

R

radioactiv911

Hello,

I wanted to know how easy it would be to install a Innovonics 701 RDS encoder. I am not an engineer,obviously. I noticed that there is a 701 for sale cheap. We have our processing; an Optimod 8100a and a Moseley composite STL at the studio. If that won't work, is there a better alternative without buying new processing or such?

thanks a lot.
 
Just do what I do, Read the manual. Then act like you know what your talking about.

http://www.inovon.com/download/701MANL.PDF

I did notice that this model doesn't support "Dynamic" data, such as song titles or artists. It will only display static data, like a pre-programmed slogan or call letters.
 
Radioactiv, assuming you want a quick way to display your calls on an RDS radio, you are in great shape. Yes, the output of the encoder can go right into one of the extra inputs of the STL (I recall that on a Moseley they are called "Mux" inputs).

Setting your injection level is easy. Assuming you that you do not have an RDS monitor or a baseband-capable spectrum analyzer laying around, just set your Moseley meter to the MUX setting and adjust the 701 to where the meter reads around 4 or 5 on the bottom scale (thank you Dave Chancey for having consistent input levels across all models).

Lazy J is right, there are more sophisticated RDS units around -- I make a living installing one of them. But for a cheap price this will get you started.
 
You might check out http://www.pira.cz/rds/ Their box does scrolling text and does not need to have a 19Hz pilot tone to work. It is also dirt-cheap. Delivery is usually less than a week. I got one in three business days, which really surprised me.
 
Chuck, I'm glad to hear that the Pira unit worked out. Pira, along with http://www.devabroadcast.com, also make inexpensive RDS / modulation monitors. I have carried the Deva in my laptop bag for the past three years and am very pleased with the results.

A point of order, if you will: RDS encoders do not need a source of pilot to work. The main reason for syncing the RDS carrier to the pilot is so that you can set the zero-crossing of the RDS carrier to occur at the maxima of the pilot -- thus allowing some peak-modulation advantage. Out here in the real-world, and especially using a peak-holdoff modulation monitor; just add RDS to the injection level of your choice with no worries.
 
Be careful of the 701. I have two of them with issues right now. The pilot input tuning can be a bit drifty and one of them, for some reason, makes a few radios including Lexus car radios freak out. I'm sure it's only my one unit, but the quality control on the 701 may be not as good as others. For the price though it's understandable. I may try the Pira out. For the price and the fact most of his stuff is pretty darn good I bet it will be fine.
 
Have had a pair of 701's running for years with no problem. They work fine with an 8100.
As mentioned above, just follow the instruction book.
 
Doctor_Technical said:
A point of order, if you will: RDS encoders do not need a source of pilot to work. The main reason for syncing the RDS carrier to the pilot is so that you can set the zero-crossing of the RDS carrier to occur at the maxima of the pilot -- thus allowing some peak-modulation advantage. Out here in the real-world, and especially using a peak-holdoff modulation monitor; just add RDS to the injection level of your choice with no worries.
Click to expand...

Perhaps not all do, but the Inovonics "mini" encoders definitely do need it, (Model 701?) or so says the manual. I have three of them, and they definitely do not work if they lose the 19 KHz pilot.

The Pira costs less than 50% and does not need a pilot tone. It will also support real time song and title information. I have no horse in this race, but merely took a flyer on the Pira.cz unit. It is about the size of a pack of cigarettes, which makes it fairly unimpressive looking. I was happy to discover that the build quality is decent and it works as advertised. I think it was less than $200 including shipping. I got mine in four days after ordering it on line.

Naturally, there are many alternatives, many of which are worth every penny you pay for them.
 
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