Sound Devices A20-Nexus Bedienungsanleitung

Sound Devices Empfänger A20-Nexus

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ASTRAL®

A20-Nexus

8-, 12-, and 16-Channel, True-Diversity Receiver

with SpectraBand Technology

User Guide v1.60

Table of Contents

Welcome to the A20-Nexus 3

Key Features 3

SpectraBand 4

Digital Wireless Modulation 4

NexLink Wireless Transmitter Control 4

GainForward 4

Architectural Overview 6

Panel Views 7

Typical Setups 11

Quick Start 15

Powering 18

Navigating the A20-Nexus User Interface 20

RX Views 22

Menus 30

RTSA (Real Time Spectrum Analyzer) 32

Scan Mode 35

AutoAssign 35

TX List 37

RF Menu 39

Antenna RF Overload Indication 40

Audio Outputs 41

TX Group Control 43

Timecode 44

Networking 45

System Menu 47

Quick Setup Menu 50

Nexus Web App 52

Updating Firmware 57

Channel Expansion Licenses 57

Accessories 58

A20-QuickDock for 8-Series 58

A20-Monarch Antenna 63

A20-Shelf 63

A20-2.4G Ant+Mount 63

NexLink Status Alerts 65

Frequency Band Restrictions 66

Connector Pin Assignments 67

A20-Nexus Specifications 69

A20-Monarch Specifications 71

Note on RF Interference 72

Servicing the A20-Nexus 72

Warranty 72

Legal Notices 73

Declaration of Conformity 76

A20-Nexus User Guide

Welcome to the A20-Nexus

The A20-Nexus is an ultra-high performance, 8-, 12-, and 16-channel wireless microphone receiver in a compact ½-rack wide

chassis. It features 8 independent, true-diversity channels which can be expanded to 12 or 16 true-diversity channels via software

license. The A20-Nexus features NexLink, an innovative concept in wireless microphone receivers: full remote control of microphone

transmitters via an integrated, long distance RF link.

The A20-Nexus can be mounted in a standard 19-inch rack or easily placed remotely near the microphone transmitters due to its

ability to be powered by Power-over-Ethernet (PoE+), its Dante audio-over-IP, and built-in web server for control via phone, tablet, or

computer.

Additionally, the A20-Nexus can be docked to Sound Devices 833, 888, or Scorpio mixer-recorders using the A20-QuickDock

accessory, which provides convenient power, audio, and timecode connections with no additional cables. This accessory allows the

A20-Nexus to connect and disconnect from the 833, 888, or Scorpio in seconds with no tools, and be remote mounted when

desired.

Key Features

● 8-channel ultra-high-performance, true-diversity receivers in a ½ rack size (8.0” x 6.6” x 1.6”).

● Expandable to 12 or 16 channels via 4-channel expansion licenses.

● 169 MHz – 1525 MHz tuning range via SpectraBand Technology.

● NexLink: integrated, long distance remote control of all wireless transmitters inc. group transmitter control

● Integrated Real Time Spectrum Analyzer (RTSA) and scanning for intuitive frequency coordination.

● AutoAssign: automatic deployment of clean frequencies in seconds.

● Dante audio-over-IP of RF receiver audio.

● Flexible powering: via PoE+, DC input, 8-Series, or AC mains (with optional adapter).

● Web App full control, RTSA, and AutoAssign from browser on any computer, smartphone or tablet.

● Full remote operation capability: Power via PoE, audio via Dante, control via Web App.

● Dual DB-25 connectors for 16 channels of mic, line, or AES outputs.

● Convert 16 channels of Dante to analog & AES on DB25 connectors for sending IFB, VOG & more from mixer to set.

● Wide, 6.2” color OLED array with touch for control and monitoring.

● Optical Fiber Network option via SFP slot. SFP accepts a wide variety of modular network transceivers.

● A20-QuickDock allows docking and undocking in seconds from 8-Series mixer-recorders with no tools.

● Supports GainForward Architecture: No gain setting on the A20 transmitter. Adjust gain at the receiver or mixer.

● 100% digital long-range modulation delivers the longest transmission distance of any digital system on the market.

● RF SAW filters for excellent rejection of interference from nearby IFB or camera hop transmitters.

● Excellent audio quality, full 10 Hz – 20 kHz audio bandwidth.

● BNC timecode input for auto timecode sync of transmitters over NexLink

● Front panel and rear panel BNC antenna inputs. Compatible with passive, bias-powered, and smart antennas.

● Cascade out option on rear BNCs for cascading multiple A20-Nexus units.

● Front-panel headphone output.

● USB-A port for thumb drives, keyboards, transmitter pairing, and timecode syncing. Supports USB hubs.

Our friendly and knowledgeable support team, based in the USA and the UK, is here for all your questions and comments.

A20-Nexus User Guide

SpectraBand

The A20-Nexus incorporates SpectraBand, a technology that enables the A20-Nexus to tune over a super wide range of 169-1525

MHz. Tuning within this range varies by country.

For instance:

In the USA, the available frequency ranges are:

●The VHF band (169-216 MHz)

●The entire UHF TV band (470-608 MHz)

●The 600 MHz guard band (614-616 MHz)

●The 600 MHz duplex gap (653-663 MHz)

●The 900 MHz ISM Band (902-928MHz)

●The 950 MHz STL Band (941.5-960 MHz)

●The 1.5 GHz AFTRCC band (1435-1525 MHz), with an appropriate license.

In the UK, the available frequency ranges are:

●The VHF band (173-210 MHz)

●The core UK UHF TV band (470-702 MHz)

●The 800 MHz duplex gap (823-832 MHz)

●The 800 MHz guard band (863-865 MHz)

●The DME bands (961-1015 MHz, 1045-1075 MHz, 1105-1154 MHz), with an appropriate license.

●The IMT band (1518-1525 MHz)

Please see https://www.sounddevices.com/available-frequencies/ for further detailed information on which frequency ranges are

available for each country.

Tuning Bands

SpectraBand’s 169-1525 MHz range is divided into multiple, tightly-filtered tuning bands. The sharp attenuation at either end of a

tuning band’s range significantly reduces out of band interference resulting in excellent range performance.

Digital Wireless Modulation

Long Range and Standard Modulation

The A20 wireless products offer two proprietary digital modulation schemes that provide unbeatable range, unrivaled audio quality,

and very low latency. Long Range or Standard modulation can be selected on a per-receiver-channel basis. Long Range modulation

has better sensitivity which results in better range. The modulation setting must match between the A20 transmitter, A10-TX and the

A20-Nexus in order for the transmitted signal to be received and decoded.

Intermodulation Immunity

Because the A20 and A10 digital RF transmission is inherently resistant to intermodulation, multiple A10 and A20 Digital Wireless

systems can be used simultaneously on nearby adjacent frequencies without significant worry of intermodulation interference.

Systems can be used together when separated by at least 400 kHz. When operating in the 902-928 MHz Band, it is recommended

to separate channel frequencies by at least 1 MHz.

NexLink Wireless Transmitter Control

NexLink is a proprietary 2.4 GHz bidirectional wireless data link technology that allows multiple A20 transmitters to be controlled,

monitored, and timecode synced from an A20-Nexus over long distance. NexLink is designed to offer robust and reliable control

over distances far exceeding that of the wireless audio transmission, even in the presence of Wi-Fi and Bluetooth interference. An

A20-Nexus can pair with up to 64 NexLinked transmitters.

GainForward

The A20-Nexus supports the A20 transmitter’s GainForward feature. GainForward eliminates the need to adjust microphone

preamplifier gain at the wireless transmitter. Audio levels from the transmitter are controlled either directly from the 8-Series (or any

other mixer) trim controls, or from the A20-Nexus receiver screen. If the talent speaks too softly or emotes too loudly after being

A20-Nexus User Guide

“wired” with the transmitter, simply adjust the transmitter gain with the mixer’s gain trim, instead of having to access the actual

transmitter. Read more about GainForward at: https://www.sounddevices.com/gainforward-explained/

When an A20-Nexus receiver channel is receiving signal from an A20 transmitter, adjust the receiver channel’s gain, low cut, and

polarity from its associated .1RX view

When the A20-Nexus is docked on an 8-Series, the Nexus’s gain, low cut, and polarity settings are bypassed and hidden. In this

case, adjust the 8-Series’ trim, low cut and polarity gain as necessary. See the 8-Series User Guides for more information.

A20-Nexus User Guide

Architectural Overview

The A20-Nexus takes a brand new approach to professional audio receiver design. The A20-Nexus combines several technologies

resulting in a very powerful and versatile product.The diagram below illustrates the architecture of the A20-Nexus.

The first thing to note about the architecture is that there are two entire signal paths. This performs the True Diversity reception

inherent in the design. This is a lavish proposition, as it doubles the circuitry, but it is absolutely the best way to perform spatial

diversity - superior to any type of antenna or phase diversity.

The first section that comes right after the receive antennas is the first SAW filter array. This pre-select filter is a key element of our

unique SpectraBand technology. It allows for a tuning range from 169 MHz - 1525 MHz which is divided into multiple, tightly-filtered

tuning bands. The extremely sharp attenuation at either end of a tuning band’s range significantly reduces unwanted interference

outside the selected tuning band resulting in excellent range performance. Tuning bands vary in width, but tend to be around 24

MHz wide.

Next is the Low-Noise Amplifier (LNA), which is one of the most important stages in the design. This section has been specially

designed for very low noise and high dynamic range, which results in long-range reception and high overload capability. This LNA

stage exhibits a noise figure of only 0.35 dB, one of the very best on the market currently.

This is followed by yet another SAW filter array. This array further attenuates out-of-band signals, ensuring reliable reception, and

greatly suppressing any image frequencies.

The Local Oscillator and Mixer perform the traditional function of a single downconversion superheterodyne radio. This section has

been meticulously designed and is the other key element of our unique SpectraBand technology. This section exhibits extremely low

phase noise and wide dynamic range to accurately downconvert the RF to a lower Intermediate Frequency (IF) for conversion into

the digital domain.

Before conversion into the digital domain, the signal passes through its final array of SAW filters, rejecting any extraneous energy

not wanted in the downconversion, as well as providing anti-aliasing before the Analog-to-Digital (A/D) converter. The A/D converter

is a wideband, extremely high dynamic range part which accurately captures 24 MHz of IF energy into a digital version of that signal.

The real magic of the entire A20-Nexus happens within the Field-Programmable Gate Array (FPGA). An FPGA is essentially a giant

custom, massively-parallel processor programmed in house. The FPGA can perform filtering, frequency conversion, and

demodulation in the digital domain which far exceeds anything that can be done via analog or traditional digital circuitry. The FPGA

can perform demodulation of 16 channels simultaneously. The FPGA also performs the True Diversity operation which not only

selects the best digital word from the two antennas but actually works at the bit level for additional range. The resultant audio signals

are then fed out of the FPGA to the various audio outputs.

A20-Nexus User Guide

Panel Views

Front Panel

1 & 3: Antenna Connector A & B

BNC connectors, for connecting to active, passive, or smart antennas.

2: Touch Screens

Color OLED array for control and monitoring.

● Touch can be disabled to prevent inadvertent switching of the screens to different views. Press and hold the Headphone

Knob for > 2 secs to disable. Re-enable by pressing and holding the Headphone Knob for > 2 secs. Disabled touch is

indicated by a thin orange border around the four OLEDs. The Headphone Knob and Triangle button remain active when

touch is disabled.

● Screensaver: To prevent burn in, the OLEDs can be set to turn off after a period of inactivity from the Main

Menu>System>Screensaver setting.

● Lockout Mode: The whole front panel interface (OLEDs, Headphone Knob, and Triangle button) can be disabled to

prevent unauthorized users from accessing settings. See Main Menu>System>Lockout Mode.

4: Triangle Button

● Press to power up. Press and hold to power down.

● When powered up, press to cycle through the current Receiver view, Main Menu, and RTSA. Backs out of sub-menus.

5: Control Knob

● Rotate to adjust headphone output level.

● Rotate to scroll through lists and select parameter values.

● Rotate to scroll frequency cursor or adjust horizontal/vertical zoom in RTSA/Scan view.

● Hold for 3 seconds to enter Show Mode (locks out touch from the screens).

6: Multicolor Ring LED

● Solid blue when powering up

● Red when headphone output is clipping.

● Flashing orange when selected Sync Reference is not detected.

● Solid green when the front panel is locked out. See menu ( ).Main Menu>System>Lockout Mode

7: Headphone Output

3.5 mm connector

A20-Nexus User Guide

Rear Panel

1 & 8: Antenna Connector A & B Inputs / Cascade Outs

● BNC connectors for connecting active, passive, or smart antennas.

● Cascade outs for looping through the front panel antenna A & B inputs. Only available when front panel antennas are

selected in the ( ) menu. The cascade out passively splits the incoming signal, resulting in approximatelyMain Menu>RF

3.5 dB of loss. In some situations, additional antenna gain and/or amplification may be desirable to maintain excellent

range.

2 & 14: Top & Bottom D-Sub Audio Output Connectors

25-pin D-Sub connectors for outputting analog (mic/line/guitar level) or AES digital. See menu ( DisabledMain Menu>Audio Output).

when mounted to an 8-Series via the expansion port. Note: the pin-out follows the AES59 standard. The analog output pin-out is

different from the AES digital output pin-out. See section for more information.Connector Pin Assignments

3 & 5: 2.4 GHz Antenna Connectors

Dual SMA-F ports for connecting 2.4 GHz SMA-M antennas for NexLink. Both antennas need to be connected.

Important: Only use the 2.4 GHz SMA-M antennas supplied with the A20-Nexus or equivalent. Do not use 2.4 GHz RP-SMA

antennas such as those used for the 8-Series bluetooth antenna.

4: LTC / Wordclock Input

BNC for connecting LTC or Wordclock input. Nexus auto-detects whether the signal is LTC or Wordclock including the associated

frame rate or sample rate. Disabled when mounted to an 8-Series via the expansion port.

6 & 12: DC Inputs

Dual TA4-M, 10-18V DC inputs. Highest voltage takes precedence. Disabled when docked to an 8-Series via the expansion port.

7 & 11: DC Outputs

Dual, 4-pin Hirose female DC outputs (500 mA max between both outputs) for powering IFB transmitters, camera hops, and other

low power peripherals. Disabled when docked to an 8-Series via the expansion port.

When powered via TA4, voltage is passed through from the DC input (10-18V). When powered via PoE+, DC Outputs supply 12V

DC.

9: USB-A Port

Multi-function USB-A port for:

● Pairing and syncing timecode to A20 transmitters. Connect the transmitter to Nexus using a USB-C to USB-A cable.

● Connecting a USB keyboard for naming channels, quick setup files and network. The USB keyboard is active whenever

the virtual keyboard screen is displayed.

● Mounting a USB thumb drive for updating firmware and loading/saving settings.

Tip: The USB-A port supports USB hubs so that multiple devices can be connected at the same time. Maximum power output of 2.5

Watts (5V, 500 mA)

10: USB-C Port

For factory use only.

A20-Nexus User Guide

13: Ethernet Ports 1 & 2

2x RJ45 ports for Dante and/or Control. Nexus can be powered via PoE+ (minimum 25W) via port 1. Dante is disabled when docked

to an 8-Series via the expansion port. Control remains enabled.

15: SFP Port

Accepts a wide variety of Small Form-factor Pluggable (SFP) modular network transceivers, including optical fiber options for

Ethernet Dante and/or Control connection. Dante is disabled when docked to an 8-Series via the expansion port. Control remains

enabled.

16: Factory Access Cover

Covers and protects the factory-use only ports.

Bottom Panel

1: Mounting Point

1 / 4”, 20 screw hole for mounting purposes.

2: Expansion Port

For docking A20-Nexus to an 8-Series mixer/recorder using the A20-QuickDock optional accessory.

The expansion port provides power from the 8-Series and passes the multichannel receiver digital audio signals from A20-Nexus to

the 8-Series. When docked on an 8-Series:

● The A20-Nexus and its NexLinked transmitters are controlled from the Nexus OLED touch screen user interface. The

8-Series interface is not used for control.

A20-Nexus User Guide

● A20-Nexus rear panel connectors are disabled apart from the antenna connectors, control network, and the USB-A port.

● The USB-A port has the following capabilities:

○ Pairing A20 transmitters to the A20-Nexus by connecting a USB-C cable from the transmitter to the USB-A port.

○ Attaching a USB keyboard for entering text directly (e.g. receiver channel names) into the A20-Nexus.

○ Mounting a USB thumb drive for updating A20-Nexus firmware and saving setup files.

○ Syncing 8-Series timecode to an A20 transmitter from the A20-Nexus.

3: Screw holes for A20-QuickDock and A20-Shelf

Four screw holes for mounting the A20-Nexus to an A20-Shelf and A20-QuickDock

A20-Nexus User Guide

Typical Setups

The versatile A20-Nexus can be used in many types of setup and workflow. This section details just a few examples.

1. Bag Setup: Nexus docked to an 8-Series Mixer-Recorder

The A20-QuickDock accessory enables the A20-Nexus to be docked to an 8-Series mixer-recorder. The bottom panel incorporates

a multi-pin expansion port that connects power from the 8-Series and passes the multichannel receiver digital audio from A20-Nexus

to the 8-Series.

A20-Nexus User Guide

2. Remote Setup: Nexus located on set, close to talent

Remotely locating the A20-Nexus multichannel receiver close to talent significantly reduces the chance of RF dropouts since the

distance between those wearing the transmitters and the A20-Nexus receiver is minimized. A single CAT cable can be used to

transport Dante audio and remote control data between Nexus and the sound mixer. As well as sending Dante audio to the mixer,

the Nexus can also receive Dante audio back from the mixer, useful for distributing VoG and/or IFB feeds etc via its analog D-Sub

outputs. In this example, the Nexus Web App is running on a tablet and controlling the Nexus over Wi-Fi.

A20-Nexus User Guide

3. Remote Setup: Nexus located on set, close to talent, powered from PoE+

Similar to the previous setup, but with the Nexus being powered over PoE+. In this example, a computer is controlling Nexus via the

Web App and is also sending and receiving Dante to and from Nexus.

A20-Nexus User Guide

4. Cart Setup

A typical cart setup with Nexus. As well as sending Dante audio to the mixer, the Nexus can also send audio from its AES or Analog

D-Sub outputs. In this example, the Nexus Web App is running on a tablet and controlling the Nexus over Wi-Fi.

A20-Nexus User Guide

Quick Start

This Quick Start guide assumes that the A20-Nexus is being used as a standalone receiver.

1. Connect a 10-18V DC power source to either or both TA4-M DC inputs. Alternatively, connect PoE+ to Ethernet port 1.

2. Connect suitable passive, bias-powered, or smart antennas to either the front or rear BNC A and B antenna ports.

3. If using NexLink to control and monitor A20 transmitters, connect 2.4 GHz antennas to both rear panel 2.4 GHz SMA

ports.

4. Connect required rear panel audio outputs (Analog, AES, and/or Dante) from Nexus to external devices.

5. Connect headphones to the front panel 3.5 mm headphone output.

6. Press the front panel triangle button to power up. Press and hold to power down. When powered up for thePower Up.

very first time, receiver channels 1-8 are displayed. This view is called the 8RX View. All RX channels default to Off.

8RX View

7. Press the triangle button to display the Main Menu.

8. Tap the System icon to enter the System menu.

9. Ensure Country is set to the country that you are in. The Country setting determines which Tuning Bands and RF

frequencies are legally unrestricted and available for selection in the A20-Nexus. If using A20 transmitters, make sure that

the A20-Remote app they are paired to is also set to the same country.

Main Menu

10. Tap the RF icon in screen 2 to access the RF menu.

11. Select Front or Rear antennas by tapping the button at the bottom of screen 2. When ‘Rear’ is displayed, the rear

antennas are selected. When ‘Front’ is displayed, the front antennas are selected.

RF Menu

12. If the antennas require bias-power, tap the A and B antenna gear icons to display A and B antenna settings respectively

and set both their Power (Bias) settings to On.

A20-Nexus User Guide

Antenna Settings

The antenna icons will show a lightning bolt icon next to them when bias power is enabled.

13. Pairing is a process that adds A20 transmitters to the A20-Nexus TX List. The TXPair and NexLink A20 transmitters.

List is an inventory of available transmitters that can be selected for wireless remote-control (via NexLink) and assigned to

receiver channels.

Note: A10-TX transmitters cannot be paired or NexLinked with the A20-Nexus.

From the Main Menu, tap the TX List icon.

To pair an A20 transmitter, ensure it has a charged battery or batteries installed, then connect its USB-C port to the

A20-Nexus USB-A port. The A20 transmitter will appear in the TX List after a few seconds. The A20-Nexus will then

automatically establish a NexLink connection between the transmitter and the next available receiver channel. This can

take up to a minute or so. Once connection is established, the NexLink RSSI icon is displayed in the TX List > NexLink

column.

TX List

14. From the TX List, rotate the front panel knob to highlight a receiver channel, then press the knob to jump to its 1RX View

from which the receiver and its NexLinked transmitter can be configured and monitored.

1RX View

A20-Nexus User Guide

15. In the 1RX View, ensure the transmitter is within NexLink range by checking that the NexLink RSSI indicator in the

leftmost screen shows good signal strength.

16. If the A20 transmitter is not already on, tap the Power ON button in screen 3 of the 1RX View.

17. Press the triangle button to access the Main Menu, then tap the RTSA icon.

18. In the RTSA, rotate the Control knob (or tap the top half of the plot) to move the blue vertical frequency marker to a clean

frequency (i.e. where there is low background RF noise). Press the Control knob to display the ‘Assign Frequency To:’ list

then tap RX1 to assign the clean frequency to the required receiver channel (in this example, channel 2). The frequency is

automatically pushed to the transmitter and its RF signal appears in the trace. Alternatively, select ‘Auto Assign All’ at the

top of the list to automatically deploy clean frequencies to all active channels.

Tip: Before assigning frequencies, it is highly recommended to perform a scan of the local RF environment using Scan

Mode to identify and choose a clear Tuning Band. See RTSA > Scan Mode for further information.

19. Tap the orange number below the transmitter signal to jump to the 1RX View for that channel number, tap the Gain button

and rotate the Control knob to bring up the gain until you see audio signal from the lav connected to the A20. Press the

Control knob to store the gain value.

20. Put your headphones on and listen. Rotate the Control knob clockwise to increase the HP gain.

Congratulations! You have your first wireless channel ready to go.

A20-Nexus User Guide

Powering

The A20-Nexus is powered from TA4 (10-18 VDC), PoE+, from the 8-Series (via expansion port), or via XL-WPTA4

AC mains adapter (purchased separately).

The control knob ring LED illuminates blue during power up, then goes out once fully booted.

When the Nexus is first powered on, the last accessed RX View is displayed.

Tip: Reducing A20-Nexus power consumption:

● Turn off unused receiver channels. See 1RX View.

● Disable Dante by setting Network > Port Configuration to Control Only, All Ports

●Where possible, power via TA-4 or the 8-Series. While PoE is a practical and convenient option for powering the

A20-Nexus remotely, it is slightly less efficient than straight DC. This is due to the finite efficiency of the PoE injector and

the internal PoE supply of the Nexus.

Powering when Nexus is operated standalone (not docked to an 8-Series)

Connect a 10-18 VDC power source (20 watt minimum) to the TA4 DC power inputs and/or PoE+ power source (30 watt minimum)

to ethernet port ‘Dante/Ctrl 1’. Connecting multiple power sources allows for redundancy since the A20-Nexus seamlessly switches

between power sources should one fail. The power source with highest voltage takes precedence and is displayed along with its

voltage beneath the Power menu icon in the Main Menu and in screen 1 of the Power menu.

● To turn Nexus on, press the triangle button or, with Power menu >‘Turn on when power is applied’ enabled, simply

connect a power source.

● To turn Nexus off, press and hold the triangle button until the ‘Powering down ..” progress bar completes.

Powering when Nexus is docked to an 8-Series

Connect power to the 8-Series. Power is supplied to the Nexus from the 8-Series expansion port.

Note: When docked, powering via the A20-Nexus TA4 or PoE+ power inputs is disabled.

Ensure that the 8-Series System Menu > Expansion Port is set to On.

● If Power menu >‘Turn on when power is applied’ is enabled, Nexus automatically powers on when the 8-Series is turned

on.

● If Power menu >‘Turn on when power is applied’ is disabled, turn on the 8-Series then press the triangle button to turn on

Nexus.

● To turn Nexus off but keep the 8-Series on, press and hold the triangle button until the ‘Powering down ..” progress bar

completes.

● To turn off both the 8-Series and Nexus, move the 8-Series power toggle switch to Off.

A20-Nexus User Guide

Power Outputs DC Out 1 and DC Out 2

The DC Outs can be used for powering IFB transmitters, camera hops, and other low power peripherals.

Enable or disable each DC Output from the Power menu.

● When powered via its TA4 DC inputs, the A20-Nexus supplies 500 mA maximum between both DC outputs. DC Output

voltage is passed through from the DC input (10-18V).

● When powered via PoE+, Nexus supplies 500 mA maximum and DC Output voltage is 12V DC.

● When powered by the 8-Series, Nexus supplies 3W maximum for each DC Output. Exceeding this limit may cause

malfunction. Voltage dependant on 8-series power source voltage.

A20-Nexus User Guide

Navigating the A20-Nexus User Interface

The A20-Nexus is operated from its front panel triangle button, control knob, and four touch screens or remotely via its web

interface.

Triangle Button

● Press to power up. Press and hold to power down.

● When Nexus is powered up, press to cycle between the RX View, Main menu, and RTSA. When in a menu or submenu,

the triangle button exits to the menu above.

Control Knob

● Rotate to adjust headphone output level. The headphone gain is displayed momentarily in the rightmost screen.

● Rotate to scroll through lists and select parameter values. Press to store.

● Rotate to scroll frequency cursor or adjust horizontal/vertical zoom in the RTSA/Scan view.

● Press for 3 seconds to enable Show Mode (screen touch is locked out). Press angina for 3 seconds to disable Show

Mode.

Touch Screen UI Elements

The A20-Nexus uses a number of different UI elements for changing settings i.e. toggle switch, list button, value button, action

button, etc.

Note: When any touch screen UI element is selected, brightness is reduced and touch is disabled on all other touch screens.

● Toggle Switch: Tap to toggle between On and Off. Typically used for functions that have on and off states e.g. Power>DC

Out 1 and DC Out 2.

Off

● List Button: Displays a list of items to choose from. A list button is identified by a down arrow inside the button on the

right. The currently selected item is displayed inside the button.

○Tap the list button to display a list of items to choose from.

○Scroll the list of items by rotating the Control or tapping the up/down arrows, then press the Control knob to

select the item and exit the list. Alternatively, tap directly on the list option to select it.

○ To exit the list without making any changes, press the triangle button or tap anywhere in the list’s title bar.

A20-Nexus User Guide

● Value Button: Displays a parameter’s value.

○Tap to select - the button turns orange.

○Rotate the Control knob to adjust the value.

○Press the Control knob or tap the button to exit.

● A button that initiates a process e.g. Format USB Drive. The button contains the name of the process.Action Button:

● Two-State Button: A button that has two values or options other than On/Off. The top row labels the function and the

bottom row shows the current setting.

A20-Nexus User Guide

3. Indicates the RSSI of the received 2.4 GHz NexLink signal from the transmitter. The RSSI colorNexLink RSSI Meter:

signifies the transmitter NexLink status.

a. Green = Transmitter is on and NexLink active

b. White = Transmitter is off and NexLink active

c. Gray = No connection or out of range

4. Indicates whether the transmitter feeding the receiver channel is recording and/or muted.Record/Mute Status:

a. Red = Recording

b. Blue = Muted

c. Blue fill, red border = Recording and muted

d. Gray = Not recording or muted

5. Displays the receiver channel’s frequency.RF Frequency:

a. If NexLinked to an A20 transmitter and NexLink Tuning Mode is set to Push, it is the same as the transmitter

frequency.

b. Displays ‘RX Off’ when the receiver channel is Off.

c. The frequency flashes red when there is a NexLink issue. Go to the 1RX View > Gear Menu > NexLink Status

screen to determine the cause of the issue.

6. Displays the receiver channel’s RSSI or Q history. See RF Menu.RF History:

7. Indicates the strength of the received wireless audio transmission from the transmitter.A and B RSSI Meters:

8. Indicates the quality of the received wireless audio transmission from the transmitter.Q Meter:

9. Indicates the received audio level from the transmitter. The audio meter scale is -90 to 0 dBFS forAudio Meter:

GainForward sources and -50 to 0 dBFS for non-GainForward sources.

4RX View

● Displays 4 receiver channels, one per screen.

● Tap the right arrow at the bottom of screen four to bank to the next four channels 5-8. In the channels 5-8 bank, tap the left

arrow at the bottom of screen one to bank to the previous four channels 1-4.

● Tap any receiver channel screen to display its 1RX View.

● Tap the RTSA icon at the bottom of screen 4 to display the RTSA in screen 4.

1. Channel Name and Audio Meter: Displays the transmitter (channel) name inside an audio level meter. Tap the meter to

edit the name (12-character maximum) using the virtual keyboard.

a. The transmitter name can be edited if the channel is NexLinked to an A20 transmitter

b. The transmitter name cannot be edited if the channel is being fed from an A10-TX.

A20-Nexus User Guide

c. If NexLinked to an A20 transmitter, the name is pushed to the transmitter.

d. The name is rippled to the 8-Series channel that the receiver channel is routed to if docked to an 8-Series and

the 8-Series menu [Channel Setup > Use Wireless Names] is enabled.

2. Displays the receiver channel’s frequency. Tap to edit the frequency.RF Frequency:

a. If NexLinked to an A20 transmitter and NexLink Tuning Mode is set to Push, it is the same as the transmitter

frequency.

b. Displays ‘RX Off’ when the receiver channel is Off.

c. The frequency flashes red when there is a NexLink issue. Go to the 1RX View > Gear Menu > NexLink Status

screen to determine the cause of the issue.

d. Tap the frequency button to select a frequency within the current Tuning Band.

e. To enter a frequency, tap each frequency field then rotate the Control knob to select a value. Tap OK to store or

Cancel to exit without saving. Alternatively, jump through the frequency fields by pressing the Control knob.

f. To save power, turn off a receiver channel by setting the RX On/Off toggle to Off. Alternatively, in the whole

number frequency field (first field), rotate the Control knob fully anticlockwise to display ‘RX Off’.

If NexLinked to an A20 transmitter, the frequency is automatically pushed to the transmitter unless System > More >

NexLink Tuning Mode is set to Manual.

3. HPF: Indicates if the HPF is active either on the transmitter (if an A10-TX) or receiver channel (if an A20 transmitter).

A20-Nexus User Guide

1RX View

Displays a receiver channel’s received signal, audio level, control functions and status across the four screens.

Use the 1RX View to perform detailed control and monitoring of a receiver channel and its associated transmitter. The 1RX View has

different control layouts depending on the following criteria:

● The model of the transmitter feeding the channel (A20-TX, A20-Mini, or A10-TX)

● Whether the channel is sourced from one or multiple transmitters.

● Whether the channel is sourced from a NexLinked or non-NexLInked (e.g. A10-TX) transmitter.

● Whether the channel’s Mode is set to RF Only, REC Only, or RF+REC

● Whether the A20-Nexus is standalone or docked to an 8-Series mixer/recorder

Some 1RX View Layout examples

A20-Nexus

Mode

Description

1RX View Layout

Standalone

REC+RF

Channel sourced from a

single A20 transmitter

(See Example 1 below

for a detailed description)

Standalone

RF Only

Channel sourced from a

single A20 transmitter

Standalone

REC+RF

Channel sourced from

multiple A20 transmitters

(See Example 2 below

for a detailed description)

Docked

RF Only

Channel sourced from a

single A20 transmitter

(expansion license

installed)

Standalone

Channel sourced from an

A10-TX or non-NexLink’d

transmitter

Standalone

No transmitters are

assigned to the channel.

Tap the TX List button to

assign a transmitter.

A20-Nexus User Guide

Example 1: 1RX View when sourced from a single A20-TX transmitter in REC+RF Mode, Standalone

● Navigate to the next or previous channel’s 1RX View by tapping the right and left arrows at the bottom of screen 4.

● Navigate to other RX Views by tapping the RX View icons at the bottom of screen 3.

● Tap the RTSA icon at the bottom of screen 4 to display the RTSA for the selected channel frequency in screen 4. The

RTSA is approx 1 MHz wide and centered on the selected frequency. Tap the RTSA to jump to the full RTSA for the

currently selected Tuning Band.

1. Channel Name and Audio Meter: Displays the transmitter (channel) name inside an audio level meter. Tap the meter to

edit the name (12-character maximum) using the virtual keyboard. The audio meter scale is -90 to 0 dBFS for

GainForward sources and -50 to 0 dBFS for non-GainForward sources, i.e. A10-TX.

a. The transmitter name can be edited if the channel is NexLinked to an A20 transmitter

b. The transmitter name cannot be edited if the channel is being fed from an A10-TX.

c. If NexLinked to an A20 transmitter, the name edits are pushed to the transmitter.

d. The name is rippled to the 8-Series channel that the receiver channel is routed to if docked to an 8-Series and

the 8-Series menu [Channel Setup > Use Wireless Names] is enabled.

2. Transmitter Battery Level Icon: Indicates the remaining transmitter battery charge as a color and in % or V depending

on the type of battery the transmitter is using. If an AA or AAA, the battery level is displayed as a voltage. If an NP-BX1,

then it is displayed as a %.

a. Gray = Transmitter is Off

b. Green = Good

c. Orange = OK

d. Red = Low

e. Flashing Red = Depleted (transmitter RF and audio is disabled)

3. Indicates the RSSI of the received 2.4 GHz NexLink signal from the transmitter. The RSSI colorNexLink RSSI Meter:

signifies the transmitter NexLink status.

a. Green = Transmitter is on and NexLink active

b. White = Transmitter is off and NexLink active

c. Gray = No connection or out of range

For receiver channels that are sourced from a single transmitter, tap the NexLink RSSI meter to display the NexLinked

Transmitter List from which you can select an A20 transmitter to NexLink to.

A20-Nexus User Guide

4. RF Frequency: Displays the receiver channel’s frequency.

a. The frequency flashes red when there is a NexLink issue. Go to the 1RX View > Gear Menu > NexLink Status

screen to determine the cause of the issue.

b. Tap the frequency button to select a frequency within the current Tuning Band.

c. To enter a frequency, tap each frequency field then rotate the Control knob to select a value. Tap OK to store or

Cancel to exit without saving. Alternatively, jump through the frequency fields by pressing the Control knob.

d. To save power, turn off a receiver channel by setting the RX On/Off toggle to Off. Alternatively, in the whole

number frequency field (first field), rotate the Control knob fully anticlockwise to display ‘RX Off’.

If NexLinked to an A20 transmitter, the frequency is automatically pushed to the transmitter unless System > More >

NexLink Tuning Mode is set to Manual.

5. RF History: Displays the receiver channel’s RSSI or Q history. See Menu > RF.

6. A and B RSSI Meters: Indicates the strength of the received diversity signal from the transmitter.

7. Q Meter: Indicates the quality of the received diversity signal from the transmitter.

8. Gain: Adjusts receiver channel gain, -6 to 60 dB. Unavailable when docked to an 8-Series; use 8-Series channel trim

gains instead.

9. HPF: Adjusts receiver channel HPF (Off, 40, 60, 80, 100, 120, 160, 200 Hz). Unavailable when docked to an 8-Series;

use 8-Series channel HPF instead.

10. More: Tap to access a second page of settings including:

a. Adjusts the polarity of the channel audio between Normal and Reverse. Unavailable when docked toPolarity:

an 8-Series; use 8-Series channel polarity instead.

b. This setting is only available in a transmitter’s TX View and when the transmitter is assigned toAudio Offset:

an RX channel with more than one transmitter assigned. The audio offset is a value stored in the A20

transmitter that tells the receiver channel it is feeding to apply a gain offset to the incoming transmitter audio

signal. When a receiver channel has multiple transmitters assigned, this can be used to compensate for the

different transmitter audio output levels resulting from microphones/lavs with different sensitivities.

c. Sets a NexLinked A20 transmitter’s Mode. Options are RF only, REC only, and REC+RF (non-US TXMode:

models only or A20-TX models not set to Lav).

d. Tap to access the first page of settings.More:

11. Privacy: Tap to set a Privacy Key. This prevents unauthorized A20 receiver users deciphering the transmitter audio

signal. Tap New Key to generate a random 4-digit key or Clear Key, to reset to zeros. The key is pushed to NexLinked

transmitters assigned to the receiver channel.

12. Modulation: Sets Modulation between Standard and Long Range. Compared to Standard Modulation, Long Range

Modulation has better sensitivity. This increased sensitivity results in better range in challenging RF environments. The

Modulation setting must match between the transmitter and the Nexus in order for the transmitted signal to be received.

A20-Nexus User Guide

If NexLinked to an A20 transmitter, the modulation setting is automatically pushed to the transmitter unless System >

More > NexLink Tuning Mode is set to Manual.

13. RF Power: Sets a NexLinked A20 transmitter’s RF power. Options are RF Off, 2 mW, 10 mW, 20 mW, 40 mW.

14. Power On/Off Buttons: Tap to power on and off the transmitter and receiver channel.

15. Record Start/Stop Buttons and Status: Tap to start and stop the transmitter recording. Record button is red when

recording. The record stop/start buttons are not displayed when the A20 transmitters are in RF Only mode.

16. Mute On/Off buttons: Tap to mute and unmute the transmitter.

17. ID On/Off Buttons: Tap to identify the A20 transmitter. Its LEDs will start flashing.

18. LEDs On/Off buttons: Tap to enable or disable the A20 transmitter’s LEDs.

19. Transmitter Timecode Status (only available in Rec Only or Rec+RF mode): Tap the TC Icon to display whether the

A20 transmitter has synced successfully to the A20-Nexus. Displays ‘TC synced’ when successfully synced. Tap again to

return to the TC Icon.

Note: A20 transmitters hold their synced timecode accurately for 4 hours after power down, then reset.

20. Gear Menu: Provides access to two pages of other transmitter settings plus NexLink Status alerts. Available options

depend on A20 transmitter model, A20-Mini or A20-TX.

Gear Menu Page1/2

a. Displays various status alerts relating to communication over NexLink. SeeNexLink Status: NexLink Status

Alerts

b. Set to ON to have the A20 transmitter automatically power on whenAuto-Power A20 with Lemo Connection:

a lav mic is connected.

c. Set to ON to have the A20 transmitter automatically resume recordingResume Record upon Powering On:

on power up if it was recording prior to powering down.

d. Allows the selection of 40 mW for RF Power. Rarely required.A20 Allow Extra HIgh RF Power:

e. Sends a command to the A20 transmitter to format its recording media. Select OK or Cancel at theFormat TX:

‘Are you sure you want to format?’ prompt.

f. Sends a command to the A20 transmitter to restore its setting to factory defaults.Restore TX Settings:

g. Selects Page 2/2. Available options depend on A20 transmitter model, A20-Mini or A20-TX.More …

Page 2/2 for A20-Mini

h. A20-Mini Only. Set to ON to have an A20-Mini transmitterPower A20 when Removed from PowerStation:

automatically power on when removed from a PowerStation-8M. Not available for the A20-TX transmitter.

i. A20-Mini Only. When set to YES, the battery remaining % indicator adapts toA20 Battery Doubler Installed:

the A20-BatteryDoubler’s discharge characteristics in order to provide accurate readings.

j. Transmitter Information: Displays the NexLinked transmitter’s model, firmware version and serial number.

A20-Nexus User Guide

Page 2/2 for A20-TX

k. XLR Input Type: A20-TX Only. Select Mic, Line, P12, P48, AES3-1, AES3-2, AES42-1, or AES42-2. If Lav or

Guitar are connected to the A20-TX, they are automatically selected. When a Guitar is detected, the Guitar

Cable Capacitance and Input Impedance options below are un-grayed.

l. A20-TX Only. Selects chemistry type: NiMH, Alkaline, Lithium Primary or Li-ion, LiFE.Battery Chemistry:

m. A20-TX Only. Select from On, Front Only, or Top OnlyLED Mode:

n. A20-TX Only. Selects the function of the optional toggle switch. Select from None, PowerA20-TX Switch:

On/Off, Mute On/Off, Record/Stop, and RF On/Off.

o. A20-TX Only. Selects Light or Dark background colorDisplay Background:

p. A20-TX Only. Select between Normal or Flipped.Display Orientation:

Example 2: 1RX View when sourced from multiple A20 transmitters in REC+RF Mode, Standalone

Many of the controls are the same as those described in Example 1. However, this 1RX View displays only those functions which

are common to the receiver channel and all assigned transmitters. To change settings pertaining to only one of the assigned

transmitters, tap 'Configure Transmitters…’ , highlight the transmitter, then tap TX View. The TX View can also be accessed from the

TX List.

When a receiver channel is sourced from multiple transmitters, the Assigned Transmitters list in OLED 3 displays a list of all

assigned transmitters. The transmitter name shown in OLED 1 and the one shown in green font in the Assigned Transmitters list, is

the transmitter that is currently being received by the channel over the forward link.

Frequency, Modulation, and Privacy settings are applied to all assigned transmitters when NexLink Tuning Mode is set to Push.

Note: Make sure to have only one assigned transmitter powered up at a time otherwise they will interfere with one another. Power

On/Off buttons are conveniently included in the view accessed by tapping ‘Configure Transmitters…’, to make it easy to ensure

only one transmitter is powered on at a time: select a transmitter in the list then tap the power ON or OFF buttons as necessary.

A20-Nexus User Guide

Menus

All the A20-Nexus settings are organized into menus which are accessed via the top level Main Menu.

The triangle button cycles between the current RX view, Main Menu, and RTSA. Press the triangle button one or two times to

display the Main Menu. The leftmost touch screen displays icons for the various RX views. Tap an RX View icon to jump to its RX

View.

Main Menu

Description

1RX

Displays a receiver channel’s received signal, audio level, control functions and status across the four screens.

See Operating the A20-Nexus

4RX

Displays 4 receiver channels, one per screen. See Operating the A20-Nexus

8RX

Displays 8 receiver channel strips, two per screen. See Operating the A20-Nexus

ALL

Only available if expansion licenses are installed. Displays 12 or 16 channel strips depending on how many 4-ch

expansion licenses are installed.

RTSA

Displays the Real Time Spectrum Analyzer, a real time spectrum analysis tool for assisting in frequency

coordination and selection of clean tuning bands and RF frequencies.

TX List

Displays an inventory of paired transmitters and to which RX channels they are NexLinked. Pair/Unpair and

view a transmitter’s settings. Power On/Off all NexLinked transmitters with one button press.

AutoAssign

Tap to automatically scan the current tuning band for clean frequencies and assign them to active channels. The

clean frequencies are automatically pushed to NexLinked transmitters.

Accesses antenna, tuning band, and RF History settings.

Audio Out

Accesses D-Sub outputs, headphone output, sync reference, sample rate settings, and tone generator settings.

Power

Displays the DC input voltage. Enables/disables DC Out 1 and 2 and configures whether the A20-Nexus should

power on automatically when power is applied.

TX Group

Accesses the Transmitter Group Control menu where commands can be sent to all transmitters simultaneously.

Commands include Power on/off, Record on/off, Mute on/off, LEDs on/off, RF Power, Modulation, Mode,

Format, and ID.

Timecode

Displays incoming LTC BNC timecode and frame rate

Network

Network-related settings for Dante and Control

A20-Nexus User Guide

System

2 pages of various system settings:

Page 1 includes screen, country, date/time, format USB drive, and firmware update functions.

Page 2 includes operations pertaining to NexLink, Global TX Settings, installing plugins, Web App Password

and more.

Quick Setup

Load and Save Setup files for quick recall. Setups can be saved to 4 internal memory slots or to an external

USB drive connected to the USB-A port.

Tip: When in a menu, there are two ways to back out to the menu above.

1. Press the triangle button.

2. Tap the leftmost screen (except when in the RTSA menu).

A20-Nexus User Guide

RTSA (Real Time Spectrum Analyzer)

The RTSA is a real time, visual spectrum analysis tool for assisting in frequency coordination and selection of clean RF frequencies.

The RTSA can operate over the entire SpectraBand range (169 MHz to 1525 MHz). The RTSA trace represents RF signal level (in

dBm) on the vertical axis and RF frequency on the horizontal axis.

It has two modes of operation:

● Real time analysis of the currently selected Tuning Band while maintaining reception of multichannel wirelessRTSA:

audio.

● Real time analysis of the entire or user-selectable portions of the 470-1525 MHz spectrum. All channel audio isScan:

muted while scanning.

Typical Workflow

It is recommended to first use Scan mode to find the cleanest Tuning Band, then use RTSA mode to find the cleanest frequencies

within that Tuning Band. Once clean frequencies are found they can be assigned to receiver channels and their associated

NexLinked transmitters directly from the RTSA View.

The RTSA View can be displayed on a single screen (touch screen 4) or expanded across all 4 touch screens.

Single Screen RTSA View

● From any RX View, show the single screen RTSA View on screen 4 by tapping the RTSA icon at the bottom of screen 4.

● Hide the single screen RTSA view by tapping the ‘X’ at the top right of the view.

● Change the vertical ‘dBm’ scale by tapping the up/down arrows.

● Switch to the expanded RTSA view by tapping the center of the screen.

● The single screen RTSA view is also displayed in the RF menu.

Expanded RTSA View

● Access the expanded RTSA View by tapping the center of the single screen RTSA View or by tapping the RTSA icon in

the Main Menu or bottom of screen 1 in other menus.

● Exit the expanded RTSA View by pressing the triangle button.

A20-Nexus User Guide

1. Shows the minimum frequency of the display.Minimum Frequency:

2. Tap anywhere in the top half of the three OLEDs to locate the blue frequency marker at any desiredFrequency Marker:

frequency. To more precisely position the marker, rotate the Control knob with the Zoom Tool set to horizontal scroll mode

(blue Zoom Tool icon). The marker can be used to identify a specific frequency and its received signal strength.

Press the Control knob to display the “Assign Frequency To:” list. Assign the blue frequency marker’s current frequency to

any receiver channel or select ‘Auto Assign All’ to automatically scan and assign multiple clean frequencies at once. See

AutoAssign for more information.

3. Displays the Frequency Marker’s current frequency and dBm value.Marker MHz/dBm:

4. Shows the maximum frequency of the display.Maximum Frequency:

5. Selects which antenna (Ant) signals are displayed.Antenna Options:

a. Ant A: Only antenna A (red line)

b. Ant B: Only antenna B (white line)

c. Ant A+B: Highest of Ant A and Ant B.

d. Ant A,B: Both Ant A and Ant B.

6. Tuning Band: Sets the A20-Nexus’s Tuning Band and displays its trace across the first three screens. The Tuning Band

can also be set from the RF Menu.

A Tuning Band is a tightly-filtered frequency band from within which Nexus’s receiver channels must operate. RF signals

outside the selected tuning band are sharply attenuated to significantly reduce unwanted out-of-band RF interference. See

Architectural Overview for further information

● Tap the Tuning Band button. If System > More > ‘Show Audio Off Warnings’ is enabled, a popup appears to

warn that audio will stop on all channels if the Tuning Band is changed. Select OK to display a list of the

currently selected Country’s Tuning Bands and their width in MHz. Country is set from the System menu.

Tuning Band List

A20-Nexus User Guide

● With the Tuning Band list open, rotate the Control knob to scroll through the list. To make it easy to select a

Tuning Band with the least amount of RF congestion, the Tuning Band and its RTSA display switches ‘live’ as

the list is scrolled.

● Tap the Tuning Band list title bar to close the Tuning Band list.

Quick Recall of a Tuning Band’s Assigned Frequencies

Each Tuning Band’s assigned receiver channel frequencies are stored and automatically recalled when selecting a Tuning

Band. This is particularly useful for:

a) Quickly comparing the RF performance of assigned frequency groups as you switch between tuning bands.

b) Pre-configuring alternate tuning bands with pre-assigned frequencies to prepare for unforeseen changes in the

RF environment.

Note: Each Tuning Band’s assigned frequency cache is cleared when Nexus is powered down.

7. Trace Type: Sets the trace characteristic. Choose from Normal, Average, or Peak Hold.

8. Tap the Zoom icon to cycle the Control knob’s rotate function between the three zoom modes - marker locateZoom Icon:

(blue), zoom horizontal (yellow), and zoom vertical (pink). Tapping to locate the frequency marker automatically changes

the Zoom icon to the blue marker locate function.

9. Tap to start or stop the RTSA or Scan mode. Pressing stop freezes the current display.Stop/Start Button:

Tip: Use the Nexus Web App to export RTSA data as a .csv and .png file.

10. Tap to switch between RTSA and Scan modes. When switching to Scan mode, the following popupScan/RTSA Button:

is displayed if System > More > ‘Show Audio Off Warnings’ is enabled.

“Changing to Scan Mode will stop audio on ALL channels. Continue? [OK, Cancel]”

11. Indicates the frequency and channel number of a NexLinked receiver channel. The channelNexLink Channel Indicator:

number and frequency portion of the trace that is associated with that number, is highlighted orange. Tap the orange

number to jump directly to that channel’s 1RX View.

12. Vertical dBm scale: Displays the vertical dBm scale. Adjust the scale using the Pink Zoom Tool. Choose from +10 to

-130dBm, -10 to -130 dBm, -30 to -130 dBm, and -50 to -130 dBm

13. Trace: The real time trace of the received RF spectrum.

14. Vertical gray region indicates unselectable restricted frequencies.Restricted Frequency Band:

RTSA showing restricted frequency band

A20-Nexus User Guide

Scan Mode

Use Scan mode to view the whole Nexus 169 MHz - 1525 MHz spectrum and zoom in to see smaller sections in more detail.

The complete scan trace is refreshed a few times a second. Scan mode makes it quick and easy to find and select a clean Tuning

Band.

● The scan plot width is adjusted using the zoom horizontal (yellow zoom icon) tool. Scroll Control knob clockwise to zoom

in and counter-clockwise to zoom out.

● Tapping the '>' banks to the next range of frequencies with the same width. For example, if 470 to 616 MHz is currently

displayed, tapping ‘>’ will display 616 to 762 MHz.

● Tapping the '<' banks to the previous range of frequencies with the same width.

● When entering Scan mode, the last selected range is shown.

● The scan plot shows tuning bands as colored regions at the bottom of the display. Many tuning bands have overlapping

frequencies. These overlapping frequencies are shown as gray regions.

● To select a Tuning Band:

○ Locate the vertical blue frequency marker within a Tuning Band, then press the Control knob to select the

Tuning Band that the marker is located in.

○ If the blue frequency marker is located within an overlapping Tuning Band ’gray’ region, pressing the Control

knob will display a prompt asking to select the Upper or Lower Band. Cancel the popup by pressing the triangle

button.

● When a Tuning Band is selected, the RTSA mode is automatically selected for that Tuning Band.

AutoAssign

Tap the Main Menu > AutoAssign icon to analyze the whole or part of the current tuning band for multiple clean frequencies and

automatically assign them to active* channels. If System > NexLink Tuning Mode is set to ‘Push to transmitter’, those frequencies

are automatically assigned to NexLinked transmitters. *An active channel is 1) a NexLinked channel or 2) a non-NexLinked channel

that has a frequency assigned.

1. Tap the AutoAssign icon. The RTSA View appears with the full tuning band range highlighted blue. The AutoAssign Range

popup is displayed in screen 4 with the Start button already selected.

A20-Nexus User Guide

TX List

The A20-Nexus TX List is an inventory of all paired A20 transmitters and which RX channels, if any, they are assigned to. Up to 64

transmitters can be paired with the A20-Nexus. ‘Pairing’ is a process that establishes a NexLink wireless connection between the

A20-Nexus and A20 transmitter. Once paired, an A20 transmitter can be controlled and monitored from its TX View and, if assigned

to a receiver channel, from its associated 1RX View.

One or more A20 transmitters can be assigned to a receiver channel. When the A20-Nexus is set to ‘Push’ mode (see

System>NexLink Tuning Mode), all transmitters assigned to a receiver channel are sent that channel’s RX Frequency, Modulation,

and Privacy settings. This makes it easy to quickly switch between transmitters assigned to the same receiver channel, particularly

useful in live scenarios such as switching to a backup transmitter or switching between a performer’s different mics or instruments

that are being fed to the same channel on an external mixer.

NOTE: When multiple transmitters are assigned to the same receiver channel, ensure that only one of those transmitters is powered

on, otherwise signals from these multiple transmitters will interfere with each other since they will all be operating on the same

frequency.

Pairing an A20 Transmitter to the A20-Nexus

To establish NexLink wireless control between an A20 transmitter and the A20-Nexus, the transmitter must be added to the TX List

in a process called ‘pairing’. Once paired, a transmitter can be assigned to a receiver channel. Paired transmitters that are not

assigned to a receiver channel can still be controlled over NexLink via the TX View.

1. Enter the TX List by tapping the TX List icon in the Main Menu.

2. Connect the A20 transmitter’s USB-C port directly to the A20-Nexus USB-A port or via a USB hub. It is not necessary for

the A20 transmitter to be powered on or for it to have a battery installed.

3. Wait for several seconds while the A20 transmitter pairs to the Nexus. The A20 transmitter will appear at the top of the list

once paired.

4. Disconnect the USB cable connecting the A20 transmitter to the Nexus.

Pairing automatically assigns the transmitter to the next available receiver channel number. Should that transmitter not be required

for a particular production or job, simply un-assign it by setting its channel number to ‘-’.

Once transmitters are paired, they remain permanently in the TX List until unpaired.

Tip: Use a USB Hub (or PowerStation-8M) to pair multiple A20 transmitters simultaneously by connecting it to the

A20-Nexus’s USB-A port.

Unpairing Transmitters from the A20-Nexus

Rotate the Control knob to select a transmitter in the list, then tap the Unpair button in OLED 4. An ‘Are you sure …” popup appears.

Tap OK to unpair and remove the transmitter from the TX List.

TX List Description

The TX List displays the following columns:

● Name: The name of the paired transmitter. Tap to edit the name.

● Chan: The receiver channel number to which the transmitter is assigned. Tap to assign. Unassign by setting to ‘-’.

● Power: Displays the transmitter’s power status and battery level. A battery icon with gray fill is powered off.

● NexLink: Displays NexLink status.

○ ---: Waiting to hear from the A20 transmitter

○ Connecting: Establishing NexLink communication.

A20-Nexus User Guide

○ Initializing: Initializing connection.

○ NexLink RSSI icon: NexLink communication established. Displays the quality of the NexLink signal.

■ When TX is on, the RSSI level display is green

■ When TX is off but NexLink is active, the RSSI level display is white

■ When TX has no Nexlink communication, the RSSI level display is gray.

● Freq: Displays the transmitter’s frequency.

The TX List is sorted according to ascending receiver channel (Chan) number. When multiple transmitters are assigned to the same

receiver channel, they are sorted in alphabetical order within that channel number’s group.

Assigning a Paired Transmitter to a Receiver Channel

Assigning a paired transmitter to a receiver channel enables synchronization of frequency, modulation, and privacy settings between

the transmitter and that receiver channel. Up to 16 transmitters can be assigned to the same receiver channel.

1. Rotate the Control knob to select a transmitter, then tap the ‘Chan’ box.

2. Rotate the Control knob to choose a channel number, then press the Control knob to store.

a. If the selected receiver channel has no transmitters already assigned, the selected transmitter is immediately

assigned to that channel.

b. If the selected receiver channel already has one or more transmitters assigned to it, a popup is displayed in

OLED 3 prompting whether the selected transmitter should be assigned to that receiver channel too. Click OK

to assign.

c. If you are only working with a single transmitter per receiver channel, you can select that single transmitter

directly from that channel’s 1RX View. In the 1RX View, tap the NexLink Icon to display the ‘NexLinked

Transmitter’ List from which you can select an A20 transmitter.

Tip: Rotate the Control knob to scroll through the TX List. Select a transmitter by highlighting its row, then press the

Control knob to jump directly to its receiver channel’s 1RX View.

Tip: The TX List icon in the Main Menu is yellow if not all transmitters are connected and green when all transmitters are

successfully connected or when no transmitters have been paired. If using the A20-Remote app for control, it is best

practice to fully close the A20-Remote app or disable transmitter control in the app’s Manage Transmitters view until

transmitters are shown as connected in the TX List.

TX View

Tap the TX View button to access the selected transmitter’s settings. The button is grayed out when the transmitter is not connected

via NexLink. TX settings can also be accessed via the 1RX View of the receiver channel that the transmitter is assigned to.

For a detailed description of many of the TX View’s controls which it shares in common with the 1RX View and its Gear menu, see

1RX View.

Power All Transmitters On/Off Buttons

Tap On to power on all NexLinked transmitters. Tap Off to power off all NexLinked transmitters. Other transmitter group commands

are available in the TX Group menu. See TX Group.

Note: If multiple transmitters are assigned to a receiver channel, only the last transmitter being received over the forward link is

powered on.

A20-Nexus User Guide

RF Menu

The RF Menu accesses antenna, tuning band, and RF History settings.

From the Main Menu, tap the RF icon to enter the RF Menu.

Antenna A/B Setup

The antenna inputs A and B can be switched as a pair between the front or rear panel BNCs. When set to front, the antenna’s

matching rear BNC can be set to Cascade Out, ideal for daisy chaining units.

When daisy chaining A20-Nexus, it is recommended to use an external powered antenna to overcome the 3 dB splitting loss in the

Nexus so that the receivers maintain excellent range.

● Tap to toggle between the Front and Rear BNCs for the A and B antenna inputs.Antenna In button:

● Tap to access settings for the A and B antennas.A,B Gear Icons:

○ Provides 12 VDC bias power for active or smart antennas.Power (Bias): When On, a lightning power icon

appears next to the antenna’s icon in the RF Menu. When setting Power (Bias) to On, a “Turn on Antenna Bias

Power” prompt is displayed. Select OK to turn on bias power.

○ When the Front/Rear antenna input button is set to Front, the rear BNCs can be set as cascadeCascade out:

outs for daisy chaining units. The Cascade out option is grayed out when the antenna BNC inputs are set to

Rear.

○ Tap to enable remote control of the Wisycom LFA smart antenna. The LFA control settings areSmart Antenna:

grayed out when Smart Antenna is disabled. After turning power bias On, allow about 20 seconds for the smart

antenna fields to become accessible.

○LFA Gain Mode: Sets gain of Antenna A or B in 1 dB steps. [Off, Bypass, -12 to 27dB].

○LFA Gain: Sets gain of Antenna A or B in 1 dB steps. [Off, Bypass, -12 to 27dB].

○LFA Filter Type: Sets the filter type of Antenna A or B. [WB (Selected in Freq field: 410-810, 410-700, 410-600,

470-810, 470-700, 470-600, 510-810, 510-700, 510-600); NB (940-960MHz, freq is fixed at 940-960 and cannot

be changed).

○LFA Filter Freq: Sets the filter freq of Antenna A or B. [When Filter is set to NB, Frequency is fixed at 940-960

and cannot be changed. When Filter is set to WB, Freq can be set to 410-810, 410- 700, 410-600, 470-810,

470-700, 470-600, 510-810, 510-700, 510- 600. When Filter is set to Tunable, Filter Frequency can be adjusted

in 40 MHz blocks from 410-450 to 690-730 in 1 MHz steps.]

○LFA Name: Displays name of Antenna A/B.

○LFA Display Brightness: Sets Antenna A/B display brightness in increments of 1. [1-10]

○LFA Display Color: Sets Antenna A/B display color. [White, Black]

○LFA Display Timeout: Sets the duration of Antenna A/B display timeout in steps of 1 second. [5 to 240

seconds]

○LFA Display Rotate: Sets the rotation of the Antenna A/B display. [0 or 180]

○LFA LED: Sets Antenna A/B LED activity. [On or Off]

○LFA Version Info: Displays system information about the Wisycom LFA- B-F1.

● Tuning Band: Sets the A20-Nexus’s Tuning Band and displays its trace across the rightmost screen. The Tuning Band

can also be set from the RTSA. See RTSA and Architectural Overview for more information.

● RF History: The RF History plot is displayed in the 1RX, 4RX, and 8RX Views. It displays RF signal level (RSSI) or link

quality history over a specified duration.

A20-Nexus User Guide

● Set from 30 to 600 seconds in 10 second steps.Duration:

●Type: Choose from the following:

○ RSSI: Displays Antenna A or B’s RSSI, whichever is the highest. Displayed a green bars.

○ Link Q: Displays Link Quality. Displayed as purple bars.

○ RSSI + Q: Displays RSSI, Link Quality, and RF overload status.

■ Purple bars for Link Q

■ Blue line for Ant A RSSI and

■ White line for Ant B RSSI.

■ Orange bars indicate that the antenna inputs are approaching overload and

■ Red bars indicate that the antenna inputs are overloading.

See Antenna RF Overload Indication below.

Antenna RF Overload Indication

The A20-Nexus indicates whether its A and B antenna inputs are approaching overload or overloading.

● Red = Overload

● Orange = Approaching overload

● Left indicator (in OLED 1) = A antenna overload status

● Right indicator (in OLED 4) = B antenna overload status

● The red and orange indicators are held for a minimum of 2 seconds. Tap the indicator to manually clear it for at least 10

seconds.

Tip: Things to try when an RF signal is approaching overload or overloading an antenna input:

● Increase the distance between transmitter and receiver antennas

● Reduce RF power on the transmitter

● If using amplified external antennas, reduce the amplifier gain

● Use the RTSA screen to examine from where the interference is coming. If the interference is not from the transmitters in

use but rather some other sources, consider changing the tuning band and frequency such that the interfering RF signal is

moved out of band.

A20-Nexus User Guide

Audio Outputs

When standalone, the A20-Nexus delivers its multichannel receiver audio via analog, AES, and Dante outputs. It can also be set up

to convert incoming Dante audio and output it as analog or AES.

When docked to an 8-Series mixer/recorder, the Nexus’s multichannel receiver audio is output via the expansion port to the 8-Series

and Nexus’s analog, AES, and Dante outputs are disabled.

Audio Outputs are configured in the Audio Out Menu.

Routing A20-Nexus Receiver Audio when Docked to an 8-Series Mixer/Recorder

From an 8-Series channel screen, select any one of the A20-Nexus’s receiver outputs as channel source. A20-Nexus receiver

outputs are only shown when an A20-Nexus is docked via the expansion port and enabled via the 8-Series System > Expansion

Port menu.

888 Mixer/Recorder Channel Screen

Routing A20-Nexus Receiver Audio to Dante Outputs

The A20-Nexus receiver’s outputs [1-8] are hardwired to its Dante transmit channels [1-8] respectively.

Nexus’s Dante transmit channels are named A20Nexus_Tx1, A20Nexus_Tx2, A20Nexus_Tx3 etc.

Use Dante Controller running on a MAC or PC computer to route Nexus’s Dante outputs to any Dante device on the network.

See https://www.audinate.com/products/software/dante-controller

Note: A20-Nexus stores its Dante routing to/from other Dante devices, even after power cycling. As such, once setup, the computer

running Dante Controller is no longer required unless the routing needs to be changed.

The A20-Nexus is identified on a Dante network by its ‘A20-Nexus Name’. The default A20-Nexus Name is A20-Nexus-[last 6

characters of the Nexus’s MAC address]. This name can be changed using Dante Controller or from the A20-Nexus’s Network

menu.

Routing A20-Nexus Receiver Audio or Dante Inputs to Analog or AES Outputs

A20-Nexus User Guide

The A20-Nexus’s top and bottom D-Sub 25-pin connectors can be set to output receiver channel audio or incoming Dante audio as

analog (line, -10, mic level) or AES signal. By default, the D-Sub outputs are set to output receiver channels.

Configure what to output from the top and bottom D-Sub connectors in the Audio Out > ‘Top D-Sub Output’ and ‘Bottom D-Sub

Output’ lists. The options for both D-Subs are:

● Disabled

● RX 1-8 → Line

● RX 1-8 → 10

● RX 1-8 → Mic

● RX 1-8 → AES

● RX 1-8 → Guitar

● Dante 1-8 → Line

● Dante 1-8 → -10

● Dante 1-8 → Mic

● Dante 1-8 → AES

● Dante 9-16 → Line

● Dante 9-16 → 10

● Dante 9-16 → Mic

● Dante 9-16 → AES

Note: RX 9-12 or RX 9-16 options are available to select if 4-channel expansion licenses have been installed.

Headphone Output

The A20-Nexus’s 3.5 mm stereo headphone output provides monitoring of the Nexus’s receiver channels or Dante inputs.

● Set headphone volume [-40 to 40 dB when mounted on 8-series; -40 to 20 dB when standalone] by rotating the Control

knob. HP volume is briefly displayed in screen 4.

● Headphone Output Routing

○ RX 1-8 St: Monitors receivers 1-8 with odd receiver output routed to the left ear and even receiver output routed

to the right ear. (RX 1-12 or RX 1-16 St options are offered if 4-channel expansion licenses are installed)

○ RX 1-8 Mono: Monitors receivers 1-8 mono’d to both ears. (RX 1-12 or RX 1-16 Mono options are offered if

4-channel expansion licenses are installed).

○ Dante 1-16 St: Monitors Dante In 1-16 with odd Dante channels routed to the left ear and even Dante channels

routed to the right ear.

○ Dante 1-16 Mono: Monitor Dante In 1-16 mono’d to both ears.

● When viewing a receiver channel’s 1RX View, that receiver channel is solo’d in both ears.

Audio Out Sample Rate

● The sample rate of the AES and Dante digital outputs is determined by the Audio Out > Sample rate and Sync Reference

settings.

● The Nexus outputs digital audio at 44.1, 48, or 96 kHz sample rates. Factory default is 48 kHz.

● The sample rate can only be set when the Sync Reference is set to Internal or BNC In (when receiving timecode).

Otherwise, the sample rate field is read-only.

Audio Out Sync Reference

The A20-Nexus’s Dante and AES outputs can be sync’d to the following sync reference sources:

● Internal

● BNC In (Word Clock or LTC). The A20-Nexus auto-detects whether the incoming signal is wordclock or timecode

● Dante

● 8-Series (automatically selected when docked to an 8-Series)

The following table indicates how the digital output sample rate is determined for each type of sync reference source:

A20-Nexus User Guide

Produktspezifikationen

Marke:	Sound Devices
Kategorie:	Empfänger
Modell:	A20-Nexus

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