SIST EN 60958-4-4:2016

Digital audio interface - Part 4-4: Professional applications - Physical and electrical parameters (IEC 60958-4-4:2016)

IEC 60958-4-4:2016 specifies the physical and electrical parameters for different media. This part together with IEC 60958-1, IEC 60958-4-1, and IEC 60958-4-2 specify an interface for the serial digital transmission of two channels of periodically sampled and linearly represented digital audio data from one transmitter to one receiver. This first edition, together with IEC 60958-4-1 and IEC 60958-4-2, cancels and replaces the IEC 60958-4 published in 2003 and its Amendment 1:2008 and constitutes a technical revision. This edition includes the following significant technical changes with respect to IEC 60958-4:2003 with its Amendment 1:2008:
- support for a wider range of physical media;
- support for a wider range of audio sampling frequencies;
- deprecation of "minimum implementation" of channel status data.

Digitalton-Schnittstelle - Teil 4-4: Professioneller Gebrauch - Physikalische und elektrische Eigenschaften (IEC 60958-4-4:2016)

Interface audionumérique - Partie 4-4: Applications professionnelles - Paramètres physiques et électriques (IEC 60958-4-4:2016)

L'IEC 60958-4-4:2016 spécifie les paramètres physiques et électriques des différents supports. Cette partie avec l'IEC 60958-1, l'IEC 60958-4-1 et l'IEC 60958-4-2 précisent conjointement une interface de transmission numérique en série de deux voies de données audionumériques échantillonnées de façon périodique et représentées de façon linéaire entre un émetteur et un récepteur. Cette première édition, avec l'IEC 60958-4-1 et l'IEC 60958-4-2, annule et remplace l'IEC 60958-4 parue en 2003 et l'Amendement 1:2008 et constitue une révision technique. Cette édition inclut les modifications techniques majeures suivantes par rapport à l'IEC 60958-4:2003 et son Amendement 2008:
- prise en charge d'une gamme plus large de supports physiques;
- prise en charge d'une gamme plus large de fréquences d'échantillonnage audio;
- "mise en oeuvre minimale" des données de la voie de signalisation déconseillée.

Digitalni avdio vmesnik - 4-4. del: Profesionalna uporaba - Fizični in električni parametri (IEC 60958-4-4:2016)

Ta del standarda IEC 60958 opredeljuje fizične in električne parametre različnih medijev. Ta del skupaj s standardi IEC 60958-1, IEC 60958-4-1 in IEC 60958-4-2 opredeljuje vmesnik za serijski digitalni prenos dveh kanalov periodično vzorčenih in linearno predstavljenih digitalnih zvočnih podatkov od določenega oddajnika do določenega sprejemnika.
Transportni format, opredeljen v standardu IEC 60958-1, je namenjen za uporabo z oklopljeno parico na razdalji do 100 m brez uravnavanja prenosa ali drugega posebnega uravnavanja pri sprejemniku v okvirnih vrednostih do 50 kHz. Lahko se uporabijo večje dolžine kablov in višje okvirne vrednosti, vendar to zahteva dodatno previdnost pri izbiri kablov in morebitno uravnavanje sprejemnika ali uporabo aktivnih ponavljalnikov, ali oboje. V tem standardu je določba za prilagoditev simetričnih terminalov za uporabo koaksialnega kabla 75 Ω, obravnavan pa je tudi prenos prek optičnega kabla. Ta standard ne zajema povezave z opremo običajnega operaterja. V tej specifikaciji vmesnika je omenjen tudi vmesnik za potrošniško uporabo. Vmesnika nista identična.

General Information

• Status: Published
• Publication Date: 18-Oct-2016
• ICS: 33.160.30 - Audio systems
• ICS: 35.200 - Interface and interconnection equipment
• Technical Committee: AVM - Audio, video and multimedia systems and equipment
• Current Stage: 6060 - National Implementation/Publication (Adopted Project)
• Start Date: 29-Jul-2016
• Due Date: 03-Oct-2016
• Completion Date: 19-Oct-2016
• Directive: 2009/125/EC - Directive 2005/32/EC of the European Parliament and of the Council of 6 July 2005 establishing a framework for the setting of ecodesign requirements for energy-using products and amending Council Directive 92/42/EEC and Directives 96/57/EC and 2000/55/EC of the European Parliament and of the Council
• Ref Project: EN 60958-4-4:2016 - Digital audio interface - Part 4-4: Professional applications - Physical and electrical parameters

Relations

• Replaces: SIST EN 60958-4:2004 - Digital audio interface -- Part 4: Professional applications
• Effective Date: 05-Apr-2016
• Replaces: SIST EN 60958-4:2004/A1:2008 - Digital audio interface -- Part 4: Professional applications
• Effective Date: 05-Apr-2016
• Revised: SIST EN 60958-4:2004/A1:2008 - Digital audio interface -- Part 4: Professional applications
• Effective Date: 07-Jun-2022
• Revised: SIST EN 60958-4:2004 - Digital audio interface -- Part 4: Professional applications
• Effective Date: 07-Jun-2022

Overview

EN 60958-4-4:2016 (IEC 60958-4-4:2016) is a European adoption of the IEC international standard that defines the physical and electrical parameters for professional digital audio interfaces. It, together with IEC 60958-1, IEC 60958-4-1 and IEC 60958-4-2, specifies an interface for serial digital transmission of two channels of periodically sampled, linearly represented audio from one transmitter to one receiver. This 2016 edition updates and expands the 2003 series to support a wider range of physical media and audio sampling frequencies and deprecates the “minimum implementation” of channel status data.

Key topics and requirements

• Physical media support: Normative guidance for balanced (e.g., XLR/8-way modular), coaxial (BNC/50 Ω) and optical transmission, including short-, medium- and long-haul optical considerations.
• Line driver and receiver characteristics: Requirements for output impedance, signal amplitude, balance, rise/fall times, terminating impedance and receiver equalization.
• Jitter management: Definitions and limits for intrinsic jitter, jitter gain and receiver jitter tolerance; includes measurement/filter characteristics and jitter-transfer masks.
• Signal integrity: Eye diagrams, equalization templates and common-mode rejection requirements to ensure reliable serial data transmission over specified cabling.
• Connector and cabling references: Normative references to connector standards (e.g., IEC 61169-8 for BNC, IEC 60603-7 series for 8-way modular connectors) and cabling guidance for professional audio installations.
• Metadata and format context: Works in conjunction with EN/IEC 60958-4-1 (audio content) and -4-2 (metadata and subcode) for complete professional-interface definitions.

Applications

• Professional studio and broadcast interconnections for two-channel digital audio links.
• Design and manufacturing of audio equipment: line drivers, receivers, interface cards, patch panels and converters.
• System integration for live sound, broadcast facilities and recording studios where reliable, standards-compliant digital links are required.
• Test laboratories and compliance engineers validating physical/electrical conformance, jitter performance and connector/cable implementations.

Who uses this standard

• Audio equipment designers and electrical engineers
• Broadcast and studio system integrators
• Compliance and test labs
• Cable and connector manufacturers
• Procurement and specification writers in professional audio and broadcast sectors

Related standards

• IEC 60958-1 (General digital audio interface)
• IEC 60958-4-1 (Professional audio content)
• IEC 60958-4-2 (Metadata and subcode)
• IEC 61169-8 (BNC connector) and IEC 60603-7 (8‑way modular connectors)

Keywords: EN 60958-4-4:2016, IEC 60958-4-4, digital audio interface standard, professional audio, physical and electrical parameters, jitter tolerance, balanced transmission, coaxial transmission, optical transmission, XLR, BNC.

Standards Content (Sample)

SLOVENSKI STANDARD
01-december-2016
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SIST EN 60958-4:2004
SIST EN 60958-4:2004/A1:2008
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Digital audio interface - Part 4-4: Professional applications - Physical and electrical
parameters (IEC 60958-4-4:2016)
Digitalton-Schnittstelle - Teil 4-4: Professioneller Gebrauch - Physikalische und
elektrische Eigenschaften (IEC 60958-4-4:2016)
Interface audionumérique - Partie 4-4: Applications professionnelles - Paramètres
physiques et électriques (IEC 60958-4-4:2016)
Ta slovenski standard je istoveten z: EN 60958-4-4:2016
ICS:
33.160.30 Avdio sistemi Audio systems
35.200 Vmesniška in povezovalna Interface and interconnection
oprema equipment
2003-01.Slovenski inštitut za standardizacijo. Razmnoževanje celote ali delov tega standarda ni dovoljeno.

EUROPEAN STANDARD EN 60958-4-4

NORME EUROPÉENNE
EUROPÄISCHE NORM
July 2016
ICS 33.160.30 Supersedes EN 60958-4:2003 (partially)
English Version
Digital audio interface -
Part 4-4: Professional applications -
Physical and electrical parameters
(IEC 60958-4-4:2016)
Interface audionumérique -  Digitalton-Schnittstelle -
Partie 4-4: Applications professionnelles - Teil 4-4: Professioneller Gebrauch -
Paramètres physiques et électriques Physikalische und elektrische Eigenschaften
(IEC 60958-4-4:2016) (IEC 60958-4-4:2016)
This European Standard was approved by CENELEC on 2016-04-28. CENELEC members are bound to comply with the CEN/CENELEC
Internal Regulations which stipulate the conditions for giving this European Standard the status of a national standard without any alteration.
Up-to-date lists and bibliographical references concerning such national standards may be obtained on application to the CEN-CENELEC
Management Centre or to any CENELEC member.
This European Standard exists in three official versions (English, French, German). A version in any other language made by translation
under the responsibility of a CENELEC member into its own language and notified to the CEN-CENELEC Management Centre has the
same status as the official versions.
CENELEC members are the national electrotechnical committees of Austria, Belgium, Bulgaria, Croatia, Cyprus, the Czech Republic,
Denmark, Estonia, Finland, Former Yugoslav Republic of Macedonia, France, Germany, Greece, Hungary, Iceland, Ireland, Italy, Latvia,
Lithuania, Luxembourg, Malta, the Netherlands, Norway, Poland, Portugal, Romania, Slovakia, Slovenia, Spain, Sweden, Switzerland,
Turkey and the United Kingdom.

European Committee for Electrotechnical Standardization
Comité Européen de Normalisation Electrotechnique
Europäisches Komitee für Elektrotechnische Normung
CEN-CENELEC Management Centre: Avenue Marnix 17, B-1000 Brussels
© 2016 CENELEC All rights of exploitation in any form and by any means reserved worldwide for CENELEC Members.
Ref. No. EN 60958-4-4:2016 E
European foreword
The text of document 100/2454/CDV, future edition 1 of IEC 60958-4-4, prepared by Technical Area 4
"Digital system interfaces and protocols", of IEC/TC 100 "Audio, video and multimedia systems and
equipment" was submitted to the IEC-CENELEC parallel vote and approved by CENELEC as
The following dates are fixed:
• latest date by which the document has to be implemented at (dop) 2017-01-28
national level by publication of an identical national
standard or by endorsement
(dow) 2019-04-28
• latest date by which the national standards conflicting with
the document have to be withdrawn

This document, together with EN 60958-4-1:2016 and EN 60958-4-2:2016, supersedes EN 60958-4:2003.
Attention is drawn to the possibility that some of the elements of this document may be the subject of
patent rights. CENELEC [and/or CEN] shall not be held responsible for identifying any or all such
patent rights.
Endorsement notice
The text of the International Standard IEC 60958-4-4:2016 was approved by CENELEC as a
European Standard without any modification.
In the official version, for Bibliography, the following notes have to be added for the standards indicated:
IEC 60958 NOTE Harmonized in EN 60958 series.
IEC 60958-3 NOTE Harmonized as EN 60958-3.

Annex ZA
(normative)
Normative references to international publications
with their corresponding European publications
The following documents, in whole or in part, are normatively referenced in this document and are
indispensable for its application. For dated references, only the edition cited applies. For undated
references, the latest edition of the referenced document (including any amendments) applies.
NOTE 1 When an International Publication has been modified by common modifications, indicated by (mod),
the relevant EN/HD applies.
NOTE 2 Up-to-date information on the latest versions of the European Standards listed in this annex is
available here: www.cenelec.eu.

Publication Year Title EN/HD Year
IEC 60268-12 -  Sound system equipment - EN 60268-12 -
Part 12: Application of connectors for
broadcast and similar use
IEC 60603-7 series Connectors for electronic equipment - EN 60603-7 series
Part 7: Detail specification for 8-way,
unshielded, free and fixed connectors
IEC 60958-1 2008 Digital audio interface - EN 60958-1 2008
Part 1: General
+ A1 2014 +A1 2014
IEC 60958-4-1 -  Digital audio interface - EN 60958-4-1 -
Part 4-1: Professional applications -
Audio content
IEC 60958-4-2 -  Digital audio interface - EN 60958-4-2 -
Part 4-2: Professional applications -
Metadata and subcode
IEC 61169-8 -  Radio-frequency connectors - EN 61169-8 -
Part 8: Sectional specification - RF
coaxial connectors with inner diameter
of outer conductor 6,5 mm (0,256 in)
with bayonet lock - Characteristics
impedance 50 ohms (type BNC)
ISO/IEC 11801 -  Information technology - Generic cabling - -
for customer premises
IEC 60958-4-4 ®
Edition 1.0 2016-03
INTERNATIONAL
STANDARD
NORME
INTERNATIONALE
Digital audio interface –
Part 4-4: Professional applications – Physical and electrical parameters

Interface audionumérique –
Partie 4-4: Applications professionnelles – Paramètres physiques et électriques

INTERNATIONAL
ELECTROTECHNICAL
COMMISSION
COMMISSION
ELECTROTECHNIQUE
INTERNATIONALE
ICS 33.160.30 ISBN 978-2-8322-3233-0

– 2 – IEC 60958-4-4:2016  IEC 2016
CONTENTS
FOREWORD . 4
INTRODUCTION . 6
1 Scope . 7
2 Normative references. 7
3 Terms and definitions . 7
4 Common features . 8
5 Jitter . 8
5.1 Output interface jitter . 8
5.1.1 General . 8
5.1.2 Intrinsic jitter . 8
5.1.3 Jitter gain . 9
5.2 Receiver jitter tolerance . 10
Annex A (informative) Symbol rates and UI . 11
Annex B (normative) Balanced transmission . 12
B.1 General characteristics . 12
B.1.1 Configuration . 12
B.1.2 Equalisation . 12
B.1.3 Cable . 12
B.2 Line driver characteristics . 13
B.2.1 Output impedance . 13
B.2.2 Signal amplitude . 13
B.2.3 Balance . 13
B.2.4 Rise and fall times . 13
B.3 Line receiver characteristics . 13
B.3.1 Terminating impedance . 13
B.3.2 Maximum input signals . 14
B.3.3 Minimum input signals . 14
B.3.4 Receiver equalization . 14
B.3.5 Common-mode rejection . 15
B.4 Connector . 15
B.4.1 XLR connector . 15
B.4.2 8-way modular connector . 15
Annex C (normative) Coaxial transmission . 17
C.1 General . 17
C.2 Line driver characteristics . 17
C.2.1 General . 17
C.2.2 Output impedance . 17
C.2.3 Signal characteristics . 17
C.3 Coaxial cable characteristics . 18
C.4 Line receiver characteristics . 18
C.4.1 General . 18
C.4.2 Terminating impedance . 19
C.4.3 Maximum input signals . 19
C.4.4 Minimum input signals . 19
C.5 Connector . 20

IEC 60958-4-4:2016  IEC 2016 – 3 –
Annex D (informative) Optical transmission . 21
D.1 Short haul . 21
D.2 Medium haul . 21
D.3 Long haul . 21
Bibliography . 22

Figure 1 – Intrinsic-jitter measurement-filter characteristic . 9
Figure 2 – Jitter transfer-function mask . 10
Figure 3 – Jitter tolerance template . 10
Figure B.1 – Simplified example of the configuration of the circuit (balanced) . 12
Figure B.2 – Eye diagram, balanced receiver . 14
Figure B.3 – Suggested equalizing characteristic for a receiver operating at 48 kHz
frame rate . 15
Figure C.1 – Output signal waveform . 17
Figure C.2 – Eye diagram, coaxial receiver . 19
Figure C.3 – Eye pattern for long-distance transmission . 20

Table A.1 – Symbol rate versus sampling frequency . 11
Table A.2 – UI (ns) versus sampling frequency . 11
Table C.1 – Output signal characteristics . 18

– 4 – IEC 60958-4-4:2016  IEC 2016
INTERNATIONAL ELECTROTECHNICAL COMMISSION
____________
DIGITAL AUDIO INTERFACE –
Part 4-4: Professional applications –
Physical and electrical parameters

FOREWORD
1) The International Electrotechnical Commission (IEC) is a worldwide organization for standardization comprising
all national electrotechnical committees (IEC National Committees). The object of IEC is to promote
international co-operation on all questions concerning standardization in the electrical and electronic fields. To
this end and in addition to other activities, IEC publishes International Standards, Technical Specifications,
Technical Reports, Publicly Available Specifications (PAS) and Guides (hereafter referred to as “IEC
Publication(s)”). Their preparation is entrusted to technical committees; any IEC National Committee interested
in the subject dealt with may participate in this preparatory work. International, governmental and non-
governmental organizations liaising with the IEC also participate in this preparation. IEC collaborates closely
with the International Organization for Standardization (ISO) in accordance with conditions determined by
agreement between the two organizations.
2) The formal decisions or agreements of IEC on technical matters express, as nearly as possible, an international
consensus of opinion on the relevant subjects since each technical committee has representation from all
interested IEC National Committees.
3) IEC Publications have the form of recommendations for international use and are accepted by IEC National
Committees in that sense. While all reasonable efforts are made to ensure that the technical content of IEC
Publications is accurate, IEC cannot be held responsible for the way in which they are used or for any
misinterpretation by any end user.
4) In order to promote international uniformity, IEC National Committees undertake to apply IEC Publications
transparently to the maximum extent possible in their national and regional publications. Any divergence
between any IEC Publication and the corresponding national or regional publication shall be clearly indicated in
the latter.
5) IEC itself does not provide any attestation of conformity. Independent certification bodies provide conformity
assessment services and, in some areas, access to IEC marks of conformity. IEC is not responsible for any
services carried out by independent certification bodies.
6) All users should ensure that they have the latest edition of this publication.
7) No liability shall attach to IEC or its directors, employees, servants or agents including individual experts and
members of its technical committees and IEC National Committees for any personal injury, property damage or
other damage of any nature whatsoever, whether direct or indirect, or for costs (including legal fees) and
expenses arising out of the publication, use of, or reliance upon, this IEC Publication or any other IEC
Publications.
8) Attention is drawn to the Normative references cited in this publication. Use of the referenced publications is
indispensable for the correct application of this publication.
9) Attention is drawn to the possibility that some of the elements of this IEC Publication may be the subject of
patent rights. IEC shall not be held responsible for identifying any or all such patent rights.
International Standard IEC 60958-4-4 has been prepared by technical area 4: Digital system
interfaces and protocols, of IEC technical committee 100: Audio, video and multimedia
systems and equipment.
This first edition, together with IEC 60958-4-1 and IEC 60958-4-2, cancels and replaces the
IEC 60958-4 published in 2003 and its Amendment 1:2008 and constitutes a technical
revision.
This edition includes the following significant technical changes with respect to
IEC 60958-4:2003 with its Amendment 1:2008:
a) support for a wider range of physical media;
b) support for a wider range of audio sampling frequencies;
c) deprecation of “minimum implementation” of channel status data.

IEC 60958-4-4:2016  IEC 2016 – 5 –
The text of this standard is based on the following documents:
CDV Report on voting
100/2454/CDV 100/2583/RVC
Full information on the voting for the approval of this standard can be found in the report on
voting indicated in the above table.
A list of all parts in the IEC 60958 series, published under the general title Digital audio
interface, can be found on the IEC website.
This publication has been drafted in accordance with the ISO/IEC Directives, Part 2.
The committee has decided that the contents of this publication will remain unchanged until
the stability date indicated on the IEC website under "http://webstore.iec.ch" in the data
related to the specific publication. At this date, the publication will be
• reconfirmed,
• withdrawn,
• replaced by a revised edition, or
• amended.
– 6 – IEC 60958-4-4:2016  IEC 2016
INTRODUCTION
The two-channel digital audio interface has been widely used in a variety of professional
audio applications that have reached beyond the vision of the original standard. In particular,
applications using increased sampling frequencies and alternative physical media.
Separating the standard into independently-maintainable parts allows, for example, additional
transmission media to be introduced in the future by revising IEC 60958-4-4 without affecting
the other parts of the IEC 60958-4 series. The parts comprise:
Part 4-1: Audio content: defines the format for coding audio used for the audio content. It
specifies the semantics of the audio data, including the "validity" flag. It also
specifies the sampling frequency by reference to AES5.
Part 4-2: Metadata and subcode: specifies the format for information, metadata, or subcode
transmitted with the audio data: principally the channel status but also user data
and the auxiliary bits. Implementors will note that the current implementation
options ("Standard" and "Enhanced") both require that status data be
implemented correctly in compliant equipment.
Part 4-4: Physical and electrical parameters: specifies the physical signals that convey the
bit stream specified in IEC 60958-1. The transport format is intended for use with
shielded twisted-pair cable of conventional design over distances of up to 100 m
at frame rates of up to 50 kHz. Longer cable lengths and higher frame rates may
be used, but with a rapidly increasing requirement for care in cable selection and
possible receiver equalization, or the use of active repeaters. Provision is made in
this standard for adapting the balanced terminals to use 75 Ω coaxial cable.
Transmission by fibre-optic cable is under consideration.

IEC 60958-4-4:2016  IEC 2016 – 7 –
DIGITAL AUDIO INTERFACE –
Part 4-4: Professional applications –
Physical and electrical parameters

1 Scope
This part of IEC 60958 specifies the physical and electrical parameters for different media.
This part together with IEC 60958-1, IEC 60958-4-1, and IEC 60958-4-2 specify an interface
for the serial digital transmission of two channels of periodically sampled and linearly
represented digital audio data from one transmitter to one receiver.
The transport format defined in IEC 60958-1 is intended for use with shielded twisted-pair
cable of conventional design over distances of up to 100 m without transmission equalization
or any special equalization at the receiver and at frame rates of up to 50 kHz. Longer cable
lengths and higher frame rates may be used, but with a rapidly increasing requirement for
care in cable selection and possible receiver equalization or the use of active repeaters, or
both. Provision is made in this standard for adapting the balanced terminals to use 75 Ω
coaxial cable, and transmission by fibre-optic cable is under consideration. This standard
does not cover connection to any common carrier equipment. In this interface specification,
an interface for consumer use is also mentioned. The two interfaces are not identical.
2 Normative references
The following documents, in whole or in part, are normatively referenced in this document and
are indispensable for its application. For dated references, only the edition cited applies. For
undated referen
...