JBL LCn Loudness Correct Manual English Tc Electronic
User Manual: JBL LCn Loudness Correct Manual English Manuals - Support | TC Electronic
Open the PDF directly: View PDF 
.
Page Count: 36
| Download | |
| Open PDF In Browser | View PDF |
English Manual LCn Introduction About this manual Loudness website Getting support 1 2 2 2 System requirements and installation System requirements Supported hosts Supported sample rates Supported audio formats Supported file formats Installation and authorization 3 4 4 4 4 4 4 Using LCn One-step loudness normalization for your DAW LCn features Using LCn in Pro Tools Using the stand-alone version of LCn 9 10 10 11 11 Interface and feature reference LCn user interface overview LCn settings page Watch Folder mode About the LCn True Peak Limiter 12 13 21 24 27 Frequently asked questions 28 Appendix: Level versus loudness The path to BS.1770 Meter calibration Display Postscript 30 31 32 32 33 LCn Manual Product LCn Product version 1.1 Document Manual Document version / date 2015-03-01 a Introduction Introduction LCn Manual 1 Introduction About this manual Loudness website Getting support Read this manual to learn how to install and use your TC Electronic software. Keeping track of the multitude of issues around loudness can be a challenge. That’s why we have created a one-stop dedicated loudness website where you’ll find critical information on the most important issues. This site is an answer to the highly relevant question: If you still have questions about your TC Electronic product after reading its manual, please get in touch with TC Support: This manual is only available in PDF format from the TC Electronic website. You can print this manual, but we encourage you to use the PDF version, which has both internal and external hyperlinks. For example, clicking the TC Electronic logo in the upper left corner of each manual page will take you to the table of contents. tcelectronic.com/support/ “What is loudness, and why is it important?” Visit the Loudness website at tcelectronic.com/loudness/ To get the most from this manual, please read it from start to finish, or you may miss important information. To download the most current version of this manual, visit the web page tcelectronic.com/support/manuals/ LCn Manual 2 System requirements and installation System requirements and installation LCn Manual 3 System requirements and installation System requirements Supported hosts Installation and authorization Two plug-in versions You can use LCn either as a native Pro Tools plug-in or as a stand-alone version. You may be familiar with software licensing and authorization based on the iLok hardware. LCn uses a new license management concept/technology that allows you to authorize your plug-ins without a physical iLok key. Please note that there are two versions of this plug-in: – LC2n: for processing mono and stereo signals – LC6n: for processing mono, stereo and 5.1 surround signals This manuals refers to both LC2n and LC6n as “LCn”, unless a description only applies to one version. System requirements for Mac OS X – – – – Intel CPU (2 GHz or faster recommended) 2 GB RAM Mac OS X version 10.6.8 or higher Pro Tools version 8 or higher (for the plug-in version) Supported plug-in formats – AAX AudioSuite (32 Bit/64 Bit) – RTAS AudioSuite (32 Bit) System requirements for Windows – Intel-compatible CPU (2 GHz or faster recommended) – 2 GB RAM – Windows version 7 or higher – Pro Tools version 8 or higher (for the plug-in version) Supported plug-in formats – AAX AudioSuite (32 Bit/64 Bit) – RTAS AudioSuite (32 Bit) LCn Manual You can use the plug-in version of LCn with: – Avid Pro Tools 8 & 9 (Mac & PC): RTAS – Avid Pro Tools 10 & 11 (Mac & PC): AAX For more information, see “Pro Tools and standalone versions”. Supported sample rates (Applies to plug-in and stand-alone versions) – 44.1 kHz – 48 kHz – 96 kHz Supported audio formats – LC2n: Mono, Stereo – LC6n: Mono, Stereo, 5.1 Surround Supported file formats You can use the stand-alone version of LCn to process the following audio file formats: – WAV – Broadcast WAV – AIFF The stand-alone version of LC6n can process 5.1 surround recordings stored as discrete mono files if these files follow Pro Tools naming conventions. For more information, see “Processing of 5.1 surround files in LC6n (stand-alone version)” on page 11. Instead of the iLok key, you can use your computer as a “key”. All you need is a (free) iLok ID, and the license(s) you purchase will be associated with this ID. You then install the iLok License Manager software on your computer and use your iLok ID to activate the plug-in(s) you have purchased on this computer. Licenses can later be deactivated and then activated on another computer, allowing you to easily use your LCn wherever you need it. No iLok key to lose – one less thing to worry about. During installation, both the plug-in version for Pro Tools and the stand-alone version of LCn will be installed on your computer. Your license co vers both product versions, but you cannot activate and use the plug-in and stand-alone versions on two different computers simultaneously. If you want to use LCn on another computer, you need to deactivate your license on the first computer and activate it on the second computer. Of course, you can still use an iLok 2 device to store your licenses if this is what you prefer. In that case, you can use your license on another computer simply by attaching your iLok 2 to it. 4 System requirements and installation Obtaining an iLok ID Please note that you only need to create one account for all your PACE-based software licenses. If you already have an iLok ID, proceed with “Obtaining and installing the iLok License Manager” on page 5. – Go to the iLok website: www.ilok.com – Click on “Create Free Account”. – Fill the Free Account Setup form and click “Create Account”. After finishing the registration process, a confirmation message will be sent to the e-mail account that you have specified when registering on the iLok website. You can now use this account to log into the iLok website and activate software licenses on your computer using the iLok License Manager application. Obtaining and installing the iLok License Manager Please note that describing all iLok License Manager features is beyond the scope of this manual. If you need more information on account management, activation, deactivation and transfer of licenses, please install the iLok License Manager as described below and refer to its Help file or go to www.ilok.com/support.html – Go to the iLok website to download the iLok License manager: www.ilok.com – Download the iLok License Manager installer for your operating system. – Click on “Sign in” and provide the credentials (your account name and your password) that you entered when you created your iLok ID. – After downloading the iLok License Manager installer, unZIP it and run it. – Follow the iLok License Manager installer’s instructions. During installation, you may be asked to enter your user account password. – After the installer is finished, launch the iLok License Manager. LCn Manual Fig. 1.: The iLok License Manager Fig. 2.: iLok License Manager: Sign In dialog 5 System requirements and installation Managing plug-in activation – After signing in, the plug-ins that were registered to your iLok ID will be available for activation and deactivation. Activating your plug-in from the iLok License Manager To activate your plug-in from the iLok License Manager, proceed as follows: – Select the plug-in in the license list. – Click on “Show Details”. Additional information about the plug-in and a sidebar with license-related functions will be shown. Fig. 3.: iLok License Manager after signing into an account – Select a plug-in in the license list. – Click on “Show Details” to display additional information, including options to Activate and Deactivate your plug-in(s). Fig. 5.: Plug-in activation from iLok License Manager Fig. 4.: iLok License Manager with details for a LC6n license – Click on “Activate”. – In the next dialog (“Select an activation location”), select the activation location (the computer or your iLok 2 device) and click “Next”. LCn Manual You will be asked to confirm the activation process. – Click on “OK” to confirm activation. After a few seconds, the activation of your license will be confirmed. – You can now quit iLok License Manager (this application does not have to run while you are using your plug-ins) and continue with the installation of LCn. 6 System requirements and installation Installing LCn – Make sure your host software (Pro Tools) is not running. – Run the installer for the LCn plug-in. You may need an administrator account name and password to run the installer. – Activating your plug-in when launching the host application – If you have not activated the recently installed plug-in as described under “Activating your plug-in from the iLok License Manager” on page 6, you will now be presented with a dialog telling you that the plug-in needs to be activated. Fig. 8.: Selecting a license to activate – In the next dialog, select the activation location (the computer or your iLok 2 device) and click “Next”. Fig. 6.: The LCn installer – Read and accept the Software License Agreement presented by the installer. – Finish the installation of the LCn plug-in and quit the installer. – Launch your host software (Pro Tools) to use the LCn plug-in or – Launch the stand-alone version of the plugin: – “LC2n Loudness Correct” or – “LC6n Loudness Correct” Fig. 7.: iLok Activation prompt in Pro Tools – Review the plug-in name, make sure that this is the correct computer to activate and click on the “Activate” button. – In the next dialog, select the plug-in you wish to activate and click “Next”. Fig. 9.: Selecting a license location LCn Manual 7 System requirements and installation Updating LCn To update LCn to a newer version, just run the installer for the update as described under “Installing LCn” on page 7. The currently installed software version will be replaced by the new version. You do not have to activate the plug-in again after updating. Fig. 10.: Plug-in activation confirmation – When your host software has finished launching, the newly activated plug-in(s) will be available. LCn Manual 8 Using LCn Using LCn LCn Manual 9 Using LCn One-step loudness normalization for your DAW Whether you deliver for HDTV, Mobile TV, podcast, radio, iTunes, Spotify and/or other modern platforms: Hitting the right loudness target is essential. LCn makes this as easy as clicking a button or dragging a file to a folder. These are high-quality plug-ins that will measure and correct the loudness of your tracks. The plug-in versions of LCn allows you to apply faster-than-real-time, two-pass, off-line processing of your tracks in Pro Tools. In addition, stand-alone versions for Windows and Mac are available. These stand-alone versions have watch folder capabilities, allowing you to simply drag and drop audio files into a target folder for fast and easy loudness normalization and true peak limiting. You can even paste multiple audio files into your watch folder, making the LCn a highly efficient loudness batch processor. LCn is part of a universal and ITU-standardized loudness control concept, whereby audio may easily and consistently be measured and controlled at various stages of production and distribution. LCn works coherently with other TC equipment or with products from other manufacturers adhering to the same global standard. LCn Manual LCn features – Enjoy precise loudness normalization: LCn is your shortcut to loudness-normalized audio files, targeted at any delivery platform you could ever think of. – Integrate consistent loudness in your workflow – Native Pro Tools plug-in versions – Separate stand-alone versions – Stand-alone versions offer watch folder capability for automatic batch normalization of multiple audio files – Comes with integrated mastering-grade Brickwall 2 true-peak limiter New in LCn version 1.1 – Watch Folder mode (see “Watch Folder mode” on page 24) has been enhanced. It now has a Start/Stop feature, allowing you to switch batch processing on or off as required. – Graphical feedback has been enhanced. – The Target loudness parameter can now be set to a maximum value of -12 LUFS. Differences between LC2n and LC6n The only difference between the LC2n and LC6n plug-ins is the number of channels. LC2n is the stereo version, LC6n is the surround version. Pro Tools and stand-alone versions LCn is a Pro Tools RTAS/AAX plug-in supporting offline processing. This means that tracks are not processed in real-time, but when initiated by the user. You can also run the plug-in in a stand-alone version – i.e., without having to use a digital audio workstation. You can drag and drop audio files to the stand-alone version, which will then measure and process these files. In addition, the stand-alone version has watch folder functionality, which means that it can be set to watch activity in a given source folder. This Watch Folder mode offers various options for deleting source files and renaming destination files if they already exist. For more information, see “Watch Folder mode” on page 24. 10 Using LCn Using LCn in Pro Tools Using the stand-alone version of LCn – Install and activate the plug-in as described in “Installation and authorization” on page 4. – Launch Pro Tools, open your project and select a clip for processing. – Open Audio Suite > Sound Field > LC2n Loudness Correct or LC6n Loudness Correct – Click “Analyze” to analyze the selected clip or click “Render” to analyze and process the clip. – Install and activate the plug-in as described in “Installation and authorization” on page 4. This will also install the stand-alone version of the plug-in. – Launch the stand-alone version of the plug-in and select a file for processing by clicking the “Choose” button. – Click the “Analyze & Process” (or “Auto Analyze & Process”) button. – If the file is compliant, it will be processed, and you will find the processed, loudnessnormalized version in the Destination folder (see “Destination folder chooser” on page 22). If you want to use the stand-alone version of LCn to process all files that you copy or move to a specific folder (often called “batch processing”), you can active Watch Folder mode. For more information, see “Watch Folder mode” on page 24. Fig. 11.: LC6n in Pro Tools’ AudioSuite menu For more information, see the following chapter: “Interface and feature reference” on page 12. Processing of 5.1 surround files in LC6n (stand-alone version) Channel String to append to filename Left Right Center LFE Left surround Right surround .L .R .C .LFE .Ls .Rs Example: To have LC6n process a surround track called “INTRO” successfully, the files need to be named as follows: – INTRO.L.WAV – INTRO.R.WAV – INTRO.C.WAV – INTRO.LFE.WAV – INTRO.Ls.WAV – INTRO.Rs.WAV When you add files to LC6n for processing and these files do not follow the naming convention described here, they will be seen and processed as mono files. While the naming convention has to be followed, the order in which you add the mono files does not matter. Please note that the following information only applies to LC6n. LC2n cannot process surround files. When you use LC6n to process 5.1 surround files that are separated into six separate mono files, LC6n will use Pro Tools naming conventions to determine which file represents which channel. The naming convention is: LCn Manual 11 Interface and feature reference Interface and feature reference LCn Manual 12 Interface and feature reference LCn user interface overview LCn is available as a native Pro Tools plug-in and as a stand-alone version. While the parameters and processing features for both versions are identical, there are minor user interface differences. In the PDF version of this manual, you can click on a user interface element below to learn more about it. File chooser (stand-alone version only) To select an audio file for processing, click the Choose button on top of the LCn window. A file dialog opens. Select a file for processing and click OK to confirm. The name of the chosen file will be displayed to the left of the button. Please note that the File chooser will be disabled when you activate Watch Folder mode on the settings page. In Watch Folder mode, you do not select individual files for analysis and processing, but have LCn monitor a folder and process its contents according to the settings on the Settings page. For more information, see “Watch Folder mode” on page 24. Fig. 13.: LCn – Stand-alone version Fig. 12.: LCn – Pro Tools plug-in Settings button To see and adjust LCn plug-in settings, click the Settings button. For more information, see “LCn settings page” on page 21. LCn Manual 13 Interface and feature reference Analyze button To have LCn analyze the currently selected clip or file, click the Analyze button. When analysis is started, the Radar Meters are set to an adequate range, so that the loudness landscape for the full clip or file can be displayed. After analysis, the left Radar Meter will display the short-term loudness landscape for the source clip or file. For more information, see “Source Radar Meter” on page 17. Analyze & Process (stand-alone) / Render button (Pro Tools) How processed files are named To have the stand-alone version of LCn analyze and loudness-normalize the currently selected clip or file, click the “Analyze & Process” (or “Auto Analyze & Process”) button. If you use the stand-alone version of LCn to process audio files, information about the applied settings will be appended to the destination file names as follows: – For Program Loudness, the string “INT” and the numerical value is appended to the file name. – For Loudness Range, the string “LRA” and the numerical value is appended to the file name. – If the loudness target cannot be met due to plug-in settings, the string “_warning_” is added before the file name. To have the Pro Tools plug-in version of LCn analyze and loudness-normalize the current selection, click the plug-in’s “Render” button in Pro Tools. As the clip or file is processed, you will see the Processed file Radar Meter draw the loudness landscape for the processed clip or file. After analysis and processing, – the left Radar Meter will display the shortterm loudness landscape for the source clip or file – the right Radar Meter will display the shortterm loudness landscape for the processed clip or file – (stand-alone version only) the processed file will be placed in the folder selected with the Destination Folder parameter on the Settings page. Naming example – Name of the source file: “promo.wav” – Program Loudness: -22.6 LUFS – LRA: 3.8 LU – Resulting destination file name: “promo_INT-22.6_LRA3.8.wav” If a warning is triggered because the Target Loudness setting cannot be met, the resulting destination file name will be: – “_warning_promo_INT-22.6_LRA3.8.wav” The leading underscore ensure that these problematic files will be moved to the top of the window in your operating system’s file manager (Windows Explorer or Finder) when it is sorted by name. LCn Manual 14 Interface and feature reference Radar Meter inspector Descriptors Source and target Int (Program loudness) descriptors The Radar Meter inspector shows the length of the analyzed clip or file and the amount of time that the radar circle represents. The four pairs of descriptors between the two Radar Meters show essential loudness-related values for the source clip or file (once it has been analyzed) and the processed clip or file (once you have processed the source file). The Int descriptors show the Program Loudness (or “Integrated Loudness”) for the unprocessed and the processed clip or file. Its unit is LUFS. Some vendors and countries use the unit “LKFS” instead of “LUFS”, but they are identical: An absolute measure of loudness in the digital domain, where the region around “0” is overly loud and not relevant for measuring anything but test signals. Expect readings of broadcast programs in the range between -28 and -20 LUFS. E.g., when analyzing and processing a 45 second clip, the inspector would show: “00:00:45 Stereo Full Circle: 1 min”. Program Loudness is used as a production guideline and to set loudness metadata in delivery if so required. For delivery or transmission of AC3 format, the “Dialnorm” metadata parameter should reflect Program Loudness. The easiest way to handle multiple broadcast platforms is to normalize programs at the station to a certain value, thereby being able to take advantage of the normalization benefits across platforms, at the same time enabling static metadata. LCn Manual 15 Interface and feature reference Source and target LRA descriptors Source and target Short Term Max descriptors Source and target True Peak Max. descriptors The Loudness Range (abbreviated as “LRA”) descriptors show the loudness range of the unprocessed and the processed clip or file as standardized in EBU R128. The unit is LU. The Short Term Max (abbreviated as “SMax”) descriptors show the maximum momentary value for the unprocessed and the processed clip or file. The True Peak Max (abbreviated as “TPMax”) descriptors show the maximum true-peak value for the unprocessed and the processed clip or file. The Loudness Range descriptor quantifies the variation of the loudness measurement of a program. It is based on the statistical distribution of loudness within a program, thereby excluding the extremes. Thus, for example, a single gunshot is not able to bias the LRA number. EBU R128 does not specify a maximum permitted LRA. R128 does, however, strongly encourage the use of LRA to determine if dynamic treatment of an audio signal is needed and to match the signal with the requirements of a particular transmission channel or platform. LCn Manual 16 Interface and feature reference Source Radar Meter Source “LED” Processed Radar Meter The left radar meter shows the loudness landscape of the source clip or file. The round colored “LED” on the left side of the plug-in window shows the status of the source clip or file as follows: The right radar meter shows the loudness landscape of the processed clip or file. For more information, see “Source Radar Meter” on page 17. You may already have used other TC Electronic products that employ our famous Radar Meter, such as the LM2n/LM6n plug-ins or the LM6 Loudness Radar Meter in DB6. But even if you don’t, you should be able to intuitively understand the dual Radar feature. The Radar Meter on the left shows the loudness landscape over time (i.e. short-term loudness) of the original content. When this clip or file has been processed, the Radar Meter on the right will show the loudness landscape of the new, loudness-normalized clip or file. In other words: Pre and Post processing states are displayed simultaneously. This side-by-side comparison is helpful for all kinds of program types, but it is indispensable when processing long-duration programs, as it allows you to check literally at a glance if everything is in order. LCn Manual Source “LED” grey Nothing has been analyzed yet. Source “LED” green If the source “LED” is green, the source clip or file has already been loudness-normalized to the same target that you have specified. Source “LED” yellow If the source “LED” is yellow, the source clip or file has already been analyzed, but it has not yet been processed (loudness-normalized). Source “LED” red If the source “LED” is red, the clip or file you have selected for processing is not in a supported format (AIFF, WAV or BWAV). Processed “LED” The round colored “LED” on the right side of the plug-in window shows the status of the processed clip or file as follows: Processed “LED” grey Nothing has been processed yet. Processed “LED” green If the Processed “LED” is green, the processed, loudness-normalized clip or file meets your target specifications. Processed “LED” yellow If the Processed “LED” is yellow, the settings of some parameters (such as Max Boost, SMax or Max Reduction) have kept the plug-in from hitting the specified loudness target. 17 Interface and feature reference Preset drop-down menu Max Boost parameter Max Reduction parameter Use the Preset drop-down menu to select the platform and/or region for the processed clip or file. The available options are: – Default (BS 1770.3) – ATSC A/85 – ARIB TR-B32 – EBU R128 Normal – EBU R128 Short Form Cnt – OP-59 – CD Master – Film – Mobile – iTunes Use the Max Boost slider to specify the maximum amount of gain that should be added to the signal during processing. Use the Max Reduction slider to specify the maximum amount of gain reduction. Please note that Max Boost is one of the parameters that may prevent you from being able to hit your loudness target. For example, if you audio clip or file is very soft and you only allow LCn to boost it by, say, 6 dBTP, it might not be possible to reach the specified target. Please note that Max Reduction is one of the parameters that may prevent you from being able to hit your loudness target. For example, if you audio clip or file is very loud and you only allow LCn to reduce it by, say, 6 dBTP, it might not be possible to reach the target specified. These presets cannot be modified, and you cannot add user presets. LCn Manual 18 Interface and feature reference Surr. Ch. Order drop-down menu (applies to LC6n only) Target parameter S Max parameter If you use the plug-in to process a 5.1 signal, use the Surr. Ch. Order drop-down menu to specify the order of the channels. Use the Target slider to adjust the Program Loudness target. According to new EBU R128 revisions, there is a recommendation for short-form content such as commercials and promos. Broadcasters can now set a limit for the short-term loudness they want to accept – e.g. -18 LUFS. When you select a preset using the Preset dropdown menu, the Target parameter will be set to the required/adequate value – but if you want to hit a different target, you can set a custom target here. LCn Manual When you work with content that is not shortform content, set the S Max slider to “Disregard”. 19 Interface and feature reference Limiter Threshold parameter Limiter Profile parameter Version information Use the Limiter Threshold slider to set the threshold for the built-in True Peak Limiter. For more information on the True Peak Limiter, see “About the LCn True Peak Limiter” on page 27. Use the Limiter Profile drop-down menu to select a profile for the True Peak Limiter: PCM Linear or AC3 Protect. Click the TC Electronic logo to display LCn version information. Click in the version information dialog to dismiss it. Fig. 14.: LC6n version information LCn Manual 20 Interface and feature reference LCn settings page Watch Folder Mode parameter “When file is added” drop-down menu The parameters shown on the Settings page will change based on the setting of the Watch Folder Mode parameter. For the parameters that are only available when Watch Folder Mode is enabled, see “Watch Folder mode” on page 24. To enable Watch Folder mode, click the Watch Folder mode check box. For more information, see “Watch Folder mode” on page 24. This parameter is only available when Watch Folder mode is disabled. To specify what should happen when you have selected a file for processing, use the “When file is added” drop-down menu. The available options are: – Do nothing – Analyze – Analyze and Process When you set this parameter to “Analyze”, the “Analyze” button on the main page will be displayed as “Auto Analyze”, thereby indicating that a file will immediately be analyzed when selected or dropped on the LCn user interface. Fig. 15.: LCn settings in File mode (Watch Folder mode disabled) When you set this parameter to “Analyze and Process”, the “Analyze & Process” button on the main page will be displayed as “Auto Analyze & Process”, thereby indicating that a file will immediately be analyzed and processed with the current settings when selected or dropped on the LCn user interface. Fig. 16.: LCn settings with Watch Folder mode enabled LCn Manual 21 Interface and feature reference Destination folder chooser Reveal (destination folder) in Finder/Explorer button Temp folder chooser To specify the folder where LCn should save processed files, click the Destination folder: Choose button. A file dialog will open, allowing you to select a folder. Click the OK button to confirm the selected folder. To show the selected destination folder in your operating system’s file manager (Windows Explorer or OS X Finder), click the Reveal button. This will allow you to select individual or multiple files for deletion, copying etc. To specify the folder where LCn should save temporary files during processing, click the Temp Folder: Choose button. A file dialog will open, allowing you to select a folder. Click the OK button to confirm the selected folder. To have processed files saved to the location of the source file, enable the “Same as source file location” check box. LCn Manual A temporary folder on your computer’s boot drive will be selected by default, but you may want to select a folder on a different drive (e.g. a fast SSD disk) to ensure faster processing, or if there is not enough space left on your computer’s boot drive. 22 Interface and feature reference “If file exists in destination folder” drop-down menu “Application window always on top” parameter If you repeatedly process a file with the same settings, you need to tell the plug-in how the resulting naming conflict in the target folder should be resolved by choosing the desired mode from the “If file exists in destination folder” drop-down menu. Processing large audio files – especially surround files – may take considerable time. If you want to monitor conversion, enable the “Application window always on top” checkbox. Overwrite setting If you repeatedly analyze and process a file with the same settings, the newest version will overwrite (replace) the existing file with the same name. Keeping the window on top also makes it easier to drag and drop files onto it from your computer’s file manager (Finder or Windows Explorer). Rename setting If you repeatedly analyze and process a file with the same settings, numbers in brackets will be appended to the file names in the Destination folder: – “promo_INT-22.6_LRA3.8.wav” – “promo_INT-22.6_LRA3.8(1).wav” – “promo_INT-22.6_LRA3.8(2).wav” Abort setting If you analyze and process a file and storing it will lead to a naming conflict with an existing file in the Destination folder, the process will be aborted. LCn Manual 23 Interface and feature reference Watch Folder mode Activating Watch Folder Mode Reveal (source folder) in Finder/Explorer button A key functionality in the LCn stand-alone version is the dedicated watch folder capability. To enable Watch Folder mode, click the “Watch Folder mode” checkbox on the LCn settings page. To show the selected source folder in your operating system’s file manager (Windows Explorer or OS X Finder), click the Reveal button. Using Watch Folder Mode, you can simply drag and drop your audio files into a user-defined target folder for fast and easy loudness normalization and true peak limiting. The new, normalized file will then be saved in a user-defined destination folder. You can also have LCn automatically delete the original file or keep it in the source folder. You may want to create a shortcut or alias for the selected source folder on your computer’s desktop, allowing you to easily copy/move files to this folder without having to navigate the folder structure. Fig. 17.: Watch Folder mode enabled This will replace the “When file is added” parameter by two additional parameters: – In Microsoft Windows, right-click the folder to open the context menu and select “Create shortcut”. Move the shortcut to the desktop. – In OS X, open the context menu for a folder and select “Make alias”. Move the alias to the desktop. Source folder chooser To specify the folder that LCn should monitor for files that can be processed, click the Source folder: Choose button. A file dialog will open, allowing you to select a folder. Click the OK button to confirm the selected folder. LCn Manual 24 Interface and feature reference Watch Folder mode Start/ Stop button Activating Watch folder Mode will display a Start/ Stop button on the plug-in’s main page. Fig. 18.: Watch Folder mode enabled, but not started Click the “Start Watching” button to activate Watch Folder mode. The button will now read “Stop Watching”, and the “Watching…” message is displayed on top of the page. Fig. 19.: Watch Folder mode enabled and running Being able to start and stop Watch Folder allows you to activate or pause file processing from the main page without having to switch to settings first. LCn Manual How files are processed in Watch Folder mode If you activate Watch Folder mode on the LCn Settings page and move or copy audio files to the specified Source folder, the stand-alone version of LCn will monitor this folder while it is running. When new files are detected, the plug-in will proceed as follows: If a file can be analyzed, LCn will… – analyze and process it, – store the processed (loudness-normalized) file in the Destination folder and then – move the unchanged source file to the “Processed” subfolder (within the Watched folder) if “Delete source file when processed” has been disabled or – delete the source file if “Delete source file when processed” has been enabled. This approach ensures that there are no ambiguities in Watch Folder mode: – Files that are still in the selected Source folder have not yet been processed, but are queued for processing. – Files that are moved to the “Rejected” subfolder cannot be processed – usually because they are not in a supported file format. – Files that are moved to the “Processed” subfolder have been successfully processed. Please note that the “Processed” subfolder contains the original, untouched file, while the processed and renamed version will be saved to the selected Destination folder. If a file cannot be analyzed and processed, LCn will move it to the “Rejected” subfolder in the Watched Folder. 25 Interface and feature reference Deleting source files after processing If you want to have LCn delete files after they have been processed (instead of moving them to the “Processed” subfolder), enable the “Delete source file when processed” checkbox. LCn will only delete files after they have been successfully processed. Rejected files will not be deleted. LCn Manual Watch Folder Mode and network shares Instead of a Source folder on a local hard disk, you can also select a shared folder on a local area network, allowing you to batch-process files contributed by multiple users. Please note that sending large uncompressed audio files over a network for processing can use considerable bandwidth. 26 Interface and feature reference About the LCn True Peak Limiter True peak limiting is an essential part of normalizing to loudness. TC Electronic has a long history of providing the absolute finest, mastering-grade true peak limiting algorithms, and our legendary Brickwall 2 True Peak Limiter is an integrated part of LCn, complete with true peak limiter profiles (Linear and AC3 Protect) and linking functionality. Using the True Peak Limiter, you can be absolutely certain that your material will pass the broadcast ingest stage on both loudness and true peak targets and thereby eliminate virtually any risk of having your content rejected. If you are a broadcaster delivering to multiple platforms such as HD TV and Mobile TV, it is essential to be able to hit two very different loudness targets, typically -23/-24 LUFS and -16 LUFS. In that process a true peak limiter is absolutely key. With the LCn True Peak Limiter hand ling the peaks, audio quality is kept at its finest – regardless of the delivery platform. LCn Manual 27 Frequently asked questions Frequently asked questions LCn Manual 28 Frequently asked questions “Why does LCn not support Audio Units and VST hosts?” To measure and process signals, LCn requires two processing passes. Currently, only Pro Tools supports two-pass signal processing. LCn Manual 29 Appendix: Level versus loudness Appendix: Level versus loudness LCn Manual 30 Appendix: Level versus loudness The path to BS.1770 When level normalization in audio distribution is based on a peak level measures, it favors low dynamic range signatures. This is what has happened to the CD format. Quasi-peak level meters have this effect. They tell little about loudness and also require a headroom in order to stay clear of distortion. Using IEC 268-18 meters, the headroom needed is typically 8-9 dB. Sample based meters are also widely used, but tell even less about loudness. Max sample detection is the general rule in digital mixers and DAWs. The side effect of using such a simplistic measure has become clear over the last decade, and CD music production stands as a monument over its deficiency. In numerous TC papers, it has been demonstrated how sample-based peak meters require a headroom of at least 3 dB in order to prevent distortion and listener fatigue. The only type of standard level instrument that does not display some sort of peak level is the VU meter. Though developed for another era, this kind of meter is arguably better at presenting an audio segment’s center of gravity. However, a VU meter is not perceptually optimized, or ideal for looking at audio with markedly different dynamic range signatures. LCn Manual Unlike electrical level, loudness is subjective, and listeners weigh its most important factors – SPL, frequency contents and duration – differently. In search of an “objective” loudness measure, a certain Between Listener Variability (BLV) and Within Listener Variability (WLV) must be accepted – meaning that even loudness assessments by the same person are only consistent to some extent, and depends on the time of day, her mood etc. BLV adds further to the blur, when sex, culture, age etc. are introduced as variables. Because of the variations, a generic loudness measure is only meaningful when it is based on large subjective reference tests and solid statistics. Together with McGill University in Montreal, TC Electronic has undertaken extensive loudness model investigation and evaluation. The results denounce a couple of Leq measures, namely A and M weighted, as generic loudness measures. In fact, a quasi-peak meter showed better judgement of loudness than Leq(A) or Leq(M). Even when used just for speech, Leq(A) is a poor pick, and it performs worse on music and effects. An appropriate choice for a low-complexity, generic measurement algorithm which works for listening levels used domestically has been known as Leq(RLB). Combined loudness and peak level meters exist already, for instance the ones from Dorroughs, but BS.1770 now offers a standardized way of measuring these parameters. In 2006, ITU-R Working Party 6J drafted a new loudness and peak level measure, BS.1770, and the standard has subsequently come into effect. It has been debated if the loudness part is robust enough, because it will obviously get exploited where possible. However, with a variety of program material, Leq(RLB) has been verified in independent studies to be a relatively accurate measure, and correlate well with human test panels. It therefore seems justified to use Leq(RLB) as a baseline measure for loudness, especially because room for improvement is also built into the standard. The final BS.1770 standard included a multichannel annex with a revised weighting filter, R2LB – now known as “K” weighting – and a channel weighting scheme. These two later additions have been less verified than the basic Leq(RLB) frequency weighting. The other aspect of BS.1770, the algorithm to measure true-peak, is built on solid ground. Inconsistent peak meter readings, unexpected overloads, distortion in data-reduced delivery and conversion etc. have been extensively described, so in liaison with AES SC-02-01, an over-sampled true-peak level measure was included with BS.1770. 31 Appendix: Level versus loudness In conclusion, BS.1770 is an honorable attempt at specifying loudness and peak level separately, instead of the simplistic (sample peak) and mixed up measures (quasi-peak) in use today. The loudness and peak level measurement engine of LCn follows the standard precisely. Possible updates to the ITU standard may be released as updates to LCn (provided that processing requirements doesn’t exhaust the system). Technical papers from AES, SMPTE, NAB and DAFX conferences with more information about loudness measurement, evaluation of loudness models, true-peak detection, consequences of 0 dBFS+ signals etc., are available from the TC website. For details, visit the TC Tech Library at tcelectronic.com/tech-library/ Meter calibration Display Because of the frequency and channel weighting, and of the way channels sum, only specific tones and input channels should be used for calibration. LCn may use either the measurement unit of LU (Loudness Units) or LUFS (Loudness Units Full Scale). The most transparent results are obtained using a 1 kHz sine tone for calibration. Other frequencies or types of signal may be used (square wave, noise etc.), but don’t expect similar results. The beauty of the system lies in its RMS foundation, so this is a feature, not an error. The same feature enables the loudness measure to identify overly hot CDs or commercials, and to take outof-phase signals into account just as much as signals that are in phase. If we stick to standard methods for measuring peak audio level in a digital system (where a sine wave asynchronous of the sample rate with digital peaks at 0 dBFS is regarded a 0 dBFS tone), BS.1770 and LCn output these results: – One front channel fed with a -20 dBFS, 1 kHz sine tone: Reading of -23.0 LUFS. – Two front channels fed with a -20 dBFS, 1 kHz sine tone: Reading of -20.0 LUFS. – All 5.1 channels fed with a -20 dBFS, 1 kHz sine tone: Reading of -15.4 LUFS. LCn Manual LU and LUFS are measurements in dB, reflecting the estimated gain offset to arrive at a certain Reference Loudness (LU) or Maximum Loudness (LUFS) as defined in BS.1770. Since a common reference point for LU has not been agreed on at the time of writing, LUFS (or “LKFS”, pointing specifically to the Leq(R2LB) weighting of BS.1770), might be favored initially to avoid ambiguous use of the term LU. The effectiveness of any loudness meter depends on both the graphical appearance and dynamic behavior of its display, as well as on its underlying measurement algorithms. A short-term loudness meter also relies on the measurement algorithm’s ability to output pertinent loudness information using different analysis windows, for instance, 200-800 ms for running real-time updates. It should be noted how the optimum size of this window varies from study to study, possibly because the objective of a running display hasn’t been fully agreed upon. Formal evaluation of a visualization system is challenging: First of all, one or more metrics must be defined by which the display should be evaluated. The correspondence between the sound heard and the picture seen is one aspect to be evaluated. Another metric could characterize the speed of reading the meter reliably. 32 Appendix: Level versus loudness Postscript Control of loudness is the only audio issue that has made It to the political agenda. Political regulation is currently being put into effect in Europe to prevent hearing damage and disturbances from PA systems, and to avoid annoying level jumps during commercial breaks in television. In Australia, something similar may happen. Many years of research into loudness of not only dialog, but also of loudness relating to any type of audio programming, has brought TC to the forefront of companies in the world to perform real-time loudness measurement and control. Therefore, TC has taken active part in loudness standardization efforts in Japan, the United States, Europe and other areas. In broadcast, digitization is driving the number of AV channels and platforms up, while the total number of viewers remains roughly the same. On the sound production side, it is therefore important that delivery criteria can be easily specified and met, even by people not primarily concerned with audio: Journalists, musicians, video editors, marketing professionals etc. LCn can be used to control level and improve sound – not only in Dolby AC3-based transmissions, but also on other broadcast platforms, such as analog TV, mobile TV and IPTV. To summarize: LCn is part of a holistic and universal approach to loudness control, starting at the production or live engineer. When she realizes the dynamic range at her disposal, less processing is needed at later stages of a distribution chain. The chain ends with the capability of quality controlling everything upstream by applying the same loudness measure for logging purposes: A closed loop. Welcome to a new, standardized world of audio leveling – across genres, across formats, across the globe. Using only dialog-based audio measurements in digital broadcast has led to ambiguous level management, more level jumps between programs, and extra time spent on audio production and management in general. Non-dialog based level jumps are currently creating havoc in digital TV, and LCn helps correct that situation. LCn Manual 33 Appendix: Level versus loudness LCn Manual 34
Source Exif Data:
File Type : PDF File Type Extension : pdf MIME Type : application/pdf PDF Version : 1.4 Linearized : Yes Tagged PDF : Yes XMP Toolkit : Adobe XMP Core 5.6-c014 79.156797, 2014/08/20-09:53:02 Format : application/pdf Creator : TC Group Create Date : 2015:03:01 21:57:36+01:00 Metadata Date : 2015:03:01 21:57:41+01:00 Modify Date : 2015:03:01 21:57:41+01:00 Creator Tool : Adobe InDesign CC 2014 (Macintosh) Instance ID : uuid:b3984be0-c50b-fa40-95c9-1820914ceb40 Original Document ID : xmp.did:FD5606EE8CABDF119F37FF2DF12BA843 Document ID : xmp.id:9f53b6f4-a31a-4777-80a6-04ac857dae6b Rendition Class : proof:pdf Derived From Instance ID : xmp.iid:ef6cbf45-7a6d-4884-a9fd-1d36b0bdc707 Derived From Document ID : xmp.did:ee101ad5-d7cd-4a80-9952-4550cdb58497 Derived From Original Document ID: xmp.did:FD5606EE8CABDF119F37FF2DF12BA843 Derived From Rendition Class : default History Action : converted History Parameters : from application/x-indesign to application/pdf History Software Agent : Adobe InDesign CC 2014 (Macintosh) History Changed : / History When : 2015:03:01 21:57:36+01:00 Producer : Adobe PDF Library 11.0 Trapped : False Page Count : 36 Author : TC GroupEXIF Metadata provided by EXIF.tools