RTW has announced the European debut of its TouchMonitor series, an range of products that marks a new generation in professional audio-signal metering, at AES London 2010.
The TouchMonitor TM7 has a 7-inch touchscreen and the TouchMonitor TM9 has a 9-inch touchscreen, both with a redesigned GUI (graphical user interface) that is equipped with a touch-sensitive 16:9 high-resolution screen.
New instruments and functions can be added as software modules to the device at any time. Many display functions known from existing RTW products are available to choose from: the unique Surround Sound Analyzer, the Real-Time Analyzer (RTA), an ITU/EBU-compliant loudness meter and an intelligent ident analyzer. A true-peak meter is available as a software option as well.
The TouchMonitor TM7 and the TouchMonitor TM9 handle input signals of various formats: analog, AES3 and AES3id (TouchMonitor TM9 also accepts 3G SDI signals as an option.) All versions feature a LAN port, a VGA output for connecting external screens, GPIO interfaces and two USB ports.
Another highlight of this new audio metering series is the redesigned GUI (graphical user interface) that is equipped with a touch-sensitive 16:9 high-resolution screen.
Especially appealing to television broadcasters faced with managing new loudness control standards, thanks to the continued transition to HD and surround sound, this new screen also comes with an optional digital 3G SDI interface (TM9 only).
Controlled simply using a finger or a mouse, this exciting feature offers users a new dimension of freedom for positioning and scaling individual instruments.
For example, when multiple instruments of the same type are assigned to different input channels, they are displayed simultaneously and configured separately.
With the introduction of the touchscreen, an interactive, context-sensitive help feature will support the user by allowing quick and efficient configuration changes all with the touch of a finger.
“With the launch of the TouchMonitor series, RTW is defining an entirely new category of product that will not only help audio professionals meet current loudness standards, but does so in a more interactive, intuitive way,” says Andreas Tweitmann, managing director, RTW. “We are excited to share such a sophisticated, powerful solution with our friends in the audio industry.”
The TouchMonitor’s inventive modular software components allow it to be customized so the user only purchases what is absolutely necessary, making this new series of audio meters a truly cost-effective solution.
In addition, RTW and Lawo, a German-based manufacturer of consoles, recently announced that the new RTW TouchMonitor TM7 will be available as a fully integrated OEM product for the Lawo mc² range of digital audio consoles.
Also, RTW and TC Electronic recently announced a partnership to develop new audio metering products. RTW will also offer TC Electronic’s unique Loudness Radar Meter LM5D, a popular tool for predictable loudness management, as a software option for the TouchMonitor series.
Shipment of the new TouchMonitor units is expected to start in the fourth quarter of 2010.
