Chameleon TV

Chameleon TV is a stereo loudness processor for television and streaming audio. Adaptive multi-band processing analyzes the program and continuously adjusts its own parameters, holding a fixed −24 LUFS for ATSC A/85 (CALM Act) or any target from −24 to −16 LUFS for EBU R 128 and streaming platforms. Analog and AES/EBU I/O on XLR and StudioHub+; 4 ms latency; $999.

An alternative to five-figure multiband program processors for facilities that need loudness compliance without surround, metadata management or a specialist to configure it.

• Adaptive processing — no thresholds, attack or release to set
• Fixed −24 LUFS mode for ATSC A/85 / CALM Act
• Adjustable −24 to −16 LUFS for R 128 and streaming
• Switchable dialog enhancer
• Three density settings plus bypass
• 4 ms latency — no lip-sync compensation
• Automatic AES-to-analog input failover
• Analog and AES/EBU on XLR and StudioHub+
• Analog input pass-through to feed other devices
• High and low impedance headphone amplifier
• Internal power supply, no wall wart
• Powder-coated steel, fanless, made in USA

• Frequency response: 20 Hz – 20 kHz, ±0.25 dB — +4 dBu, analog in to out, bypassed
• Dynamic range, analog: 96 dB, A-weighted — Ref. 0 dBFS, audio bandwidth
• Dynamic range, AES/EBU: 139 dB, A-weighted — 20 Hz – 20 kHz
• THD+N, analog: 0.015% / 0.005% — At +4 dBu / +24 dBu
• THD+N, AES/EBU: −120 dB — Sample rate converter limited
• Nominal level: +4 dBu — Analog in and out
• Maximum level: +24 dBu — Analog in and out
• Latency: 4 ms — Input to output, all modes
• Loudness measurement: ITU-R BS.1770 — Basis of A/85, R 128, AES
• Channels: Stereo (2 channel) — Not surround capable

• Analog input: Balanced +4 dBu stereo. XLR-F and RJ45F (StudioHub+)
• Analog through: Parallel to analog input. RJ45F (StudioHub+)
• Analog output: Balanced +4 dBu stereo. XLR-M and RJ45F (StudioHub+, includes ±15 VDC)
• Digital input: AES/EBU, transformer isolated. RJ45F (StudioHub+). ASRC, 44.1–48 kHz
• Digital output: AES/EBU, transformer isolated, 48 kHz. RJ45F (StudioHub+)
• Headphones: ¼″ and 3.5 mm TRS, front panel, mutually exclusive
• Input selection: Automatic. AES priority; falls back to analog after 20 s of AES silence

• Density selector: Four-position rotary: bypass, open, medium, dense
• Calibration trimpot: Multi-turn, no end stops. Output trim in fixed mode; loudness target in adjustable mode
• Loudness switch (DIP A): Up: fixed −24 LUFS. Down: adjustable −24 to −16 LUFS
• Dialog enhancer (DIP B): Up: engaged. Down: bypassed
• Headphone volume: Front panel, both jacks
• Activity LEDs: Amber: gain lock / gating. Green: processing. Red: input clipping

• Power input: 120 VAC 50/60 Hz (NA) or 240 VAC 50/60 Hz (AU, EU, UK)
• Power supply: Internal, permanently attached 6 ft cord
• Power consumption: 15 VA
• Operating temperature: 0° to 40° C (32° to 104° F)
• Storage temperature: −20° to 45° C (−4° to 113° F)
• Relative humidity: 0% to 90%, non-condensing
• Cooling: Venting chassis, fanless

• Dimensions: 8.5 × 6.25 × 1.7 in (21.6 × 16 × 4.32 cm)
• Weight: 3.5 lb (1.59 kg)
• Shipping: 12 × 9 × 6 in (30.5 × 22.9 × 15.3 cm), 5 lb (2.27 kg)
• Enclosure: Powder-coated steel
• Mounting: Desktop on included feet; optional rack, wall, desktop and under-counter kits

• United States: FCC Rules Part 15, Subpart J, Class A
• Canada: Class A, Radio Interference Regulations
• Europe: EEC Directives 93/68/EEC (CE), 73/23/EEC, 89/336/EEC; EN50081-1, EN50082-1
• United Kingdom: CE marking recognized for the Great Britain market
• Materials: RoHS compliant
• HTS code: 8543.70.98.60
• Origin: Engineered and assembled in Nashville, USA

• 991038 — Chameleon TV — 120 VAC, North America plug
• 991038A — Chameleon TV — 240 VAC, Australia plug
• 991038E — Chameleon TV — 240 VAC, Europe plug
• 991038U — Chameleon TV — 240 VAC, United Kingdom plug
• 992001 — Rack Mount Kit — two gadgets in 1RU, filler panel and hardware
• 992002 — Wall Mount Kit
• 992003 — Desktop Mount Kit
• 992004 — Under Counter Mount Kit

Full Callouts

Shipping now, sold through authorized resellers worldwide. Two-year warranty on parts and workmanship, plus a 45-day return guarantee. Support: angryaudio.com/contact or +1 (615) 763-3033.

• Chameleon TV processor with attached AC power cord
• Pocket trimpot adjustment tool

• TV station master control, ahead of the encoder
• House of worship livestream
• LPTV and translator operations
• Podcast and voice production
• Live sports and event streaming
• Any stereo feed with a loudness target at the far end

Use the digital path where you can. AES/EBU in to AES/EBU out bypasses the analog converters for improved performance. Connecting both gives automatic failover at no extra cost.

SDI. CTV has no video connections. Place it between a de-embedder and an embedder — a Blackmagic Design SDI to Audio converter feeds CTV over AES/EBU, an Audio to SDI converter re-embeds the result, and the video loops from the first converter’s SDI output to the second’s SDI input. Converters sold separately; about $1,600 all in.

What CTV does not do. Stereo only, no 5.1 or surround. PCM only — will not pass Dolby E or Dolby Digital. No dialnorm or metadata handling. No SDI or HDMI connections. No network control, remote monitoring or Ethernet.

Does it have a built-in embedder and de-embedder?
No — use external Blackmagic converters as described above.

Does it do 5.1?
No. CTV is a two-channel stereo processor.

Will it pass Dolby E?
No. The AES input has a sample rate converter, so PCM only.

Will it affect lip sync?
No. 4 ms is under a fifth of a frame at 30 fps; no video compensation needed.

Analog or digital?
Either — both are fully supported. Choose digital where you have it, for improved performance.

Why is it only $999?
It does one job. Five-figure processors — the Linear Acoustic AERO series, for instance — add surround, upmixing, metadata management and multiple program chains. CTV controls loudness and stops there.

Can it hit −23 LUFS for R 128?
Yes. Adjustable mode, trimpot set against a downstream LUFS meter.

• Chameleon C4 — Same processing aimed at livestreams, targets to −14 LUFS
• Chameleon C-Level — Radio pre-processor, feeds an over-the-air processor
• Chameleon C3 — Low-latency processor plus headphone amp for talent monitoring

• Chameleon TV product page and user guide (PDF)
• Cornelius Gould, Audio Loudness in the Age of Digital Media — white paper on LUFS, true peak and platform targets