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Astral Remote

Remote Control App for Astral Transmitters

User Guide v8.20

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Contents

Introduction ................................................................................................................................................... 3

Interface Overview ........................................................................................................................................ 4

Manage Devices ........................................................................................................................................... 7

Device List .................................................................................................................................................. 10

Device View ................................................................................................................................................ 14

Group Control ............................................................................................................................................. 22

Frequency Authorization ............................................................................................................................. 26

Astral Remote User Guide Introduction

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Introduction

Astral Remote is an application for Android/iOS mobile devices designed to wirelessly remote-control individual or

groups of Astral (Astral HH, Astral TX, and Astral Mini) transmitters. Astral Remote also pairs with Astral

Receivers (Astral ARX32, Astral ARX16, and Astral ARX8) to allow easy setting of country, authorization of

restricted frequencies, and synchronization of date/time across all Astral devices.

Astral Remote offers Bluetooth remote control and display of the following:

● Power On/Off, RF On/Off

● Monitor battery status

● Frequency, Modulation, and RF power setup

● Monitor audio signal presence

● Microphone mute

● Record/Stop

● Timecode display

● Media formatting and monitoring of remaining space

● Group control of multiple transmitters

● Various Astral transmitter settings including Name, Mode, Display, LEDs, Switches, Control Rings, and

more

Download and install the Astral Remote app from the Google Play Store or Apple App Store.

Astral Remote has the following minimum operating requirements:

 Android tablets and phones running Android 8+

 iPad and iOS devices running iOS 13+.

The device must have Bluetooth and Location Services enabled to connect with an Astral transmitter.

IMPORTANT: The mobile device’s location is used to determine available frequencies and RF power levels of

paired Astral transmitters and receivers. The Country setting is automatically set using the mobile device’s

Location Services.

Paired transmitters use the mobile device’s system date/time as the creation date/time stamp for recorded files.

When Astral Remote is used to control a transmitter, we recommend disabling its NexLink to improve range from

the app to the transmitter. See Enable NexLink

Terminology used throughout this guide:

● Astral device refers to any Astral transmitter or Astral receiver

● Astral transmitter refers to the Astral Mini, Astral TX, and Astral HH

● Astral receiver refers to the Astral ARX32, Astral ARX16, and Astral ARX8.

Astral Remote User Guide Interface Overview

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Interface Overview

Tablet View

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Astral Remote version – 8.20

Astral Remote User Guide Interface Overview

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Phone View

1. Device List

Lists all paired and enabled devices (Astral transmitters and receivers) and transmitter groups. The list order can

be changed by dragging a device vertically to a new position in the list. Only Devices that are enabled in the

Manage Devices view appear in the Device List. Tap a device to display its full Device view. Tap a Transmitter

Group to display its Group View. The Device List also displays paired Astral receivers. See Device List for more

details.

2. Manage Devices

Touch the Gear icon to show the Manage Devices view from which you can pair and enable transmitters and

receivers, set Country, set up groups, unlock restricted frequencies with Frequency Authorizations, access Astral

transmitter User Guides, and view Astral Remote version information. See Manage Devices for more details.

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Astral Remote version – 8.20

Astral Remote User Guide Interface Overview

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3. Transmitter Quick List (Phone View Only)

From a phone, the Transmitter List and Transmitter View are not displayed simultaneously. The Quick List is a

simplified version of the Device List allowing for quick selection of transmitters from the Device View. The list is

horizontally scrollable and lists transmitters by name with their Status indicator. Tap the Back button to return to

the Device List.

4. Selected Device or Group

Tap any transmitter, receiver, or Group in the Device List to show its Device view. From a tablet, the highlighted

device or group in the Device List indicates the device or group shown on the right-hand side of the app. From a

phone, the selected device or group is the one displayed in the Device View and underlined in the Transmitter

Quick List.

5. Device View

Displays the selected device’s status window and provides access to the device’s settings. See Device View for

further details.

6. Transmitter Status Window

Displays the active transmitter’s name, transmitter status, battery life, power source, frequency, RF power level,

licensed frequency icon, and Bluetooth signal strength meter.

7. Record and Timecode Window

Displays the current timecode value, frame rate, absolute time of recording, and the remaining time and space of

media. The window is red when the transmitter is actively recording. This window is not displayed when the Astral

transmitter Mode is set to RF Only.

8. Transmitter Settings

This menu offers control of the Astral transmitter Name, RF Frequency, Mute Mic, RF Power, RF On/Off, XLR

Input Type (Astral TX only), Lav Mic Type (Astral TX Only), Modulation, Privacy, Mode, Options, and access to

Astral transmitter Information.

9. Transmitter Controls

Allows control of the active transmitter’s Power On, Power Off, Record, Stop, and Identify mode.

10. Transmitter Groups

Transmitter Groups enable control of multiple transmitters with a single command. The ‘All’ and ‘Custom’

Transmitter Groups are displayed at the top of the Device List. They can be hidden from the Manage Devices >

Group Setup menu. See Group Control for further details.

Astral Remote User Guide Manage Devices

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Manage Devices

Manage Devices is the first page displayed when launching the Astral Remote app if no Astral devices have been

paired to the mobile device.

Access the Manage Devices list by tapping the Gear icon at the top of the Device List.

Manage Devices displays all Astral devices within range that are in Pairing mode and any that have been

previously paired to the mobile device. Devices appear in Manage Devices with name, model, and current

firmware version. Paired devices that are not in communication (out of range or connected to another mobile

device) are displayed in italics and their Enable switch is grayed out.

Pairing an Astral Device with Astral Remote

Put the device into pairing mode. Please refer to each Astral device’s user guide for instructions on how to put

them into pairing mode. Make sure all instances of Astral Remote are fully closed on other mobile devices before

attempting to pair to a new mobile device.

Access the Manage Devices view. Astral devices that are in pairing mode and are within range appear in the list.

Tap the Pair checkbox to pair the Astral device to the mobile device. The Astral device automatically exits Pairing

mode once it has been paired with the mobile device. Agree to any Terms and Conditions displayed in the app to

continue.

Astral Remote version – 8.20

Astral Remote User Guide Manage Devices

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To unpair/remove an Astral device from the mobile device, tap the Pair checkbox to clear the checkmark.

Enabling an Astral Device for Control

From the Astral Remote Manage Devices view, enable an Astral device by toggling on the Enable switch.

Enabled devices are added to the Device List and can be controlled from Astral Remote. Since only one mobile

device can be used to control an Astral device at a time, be sure to disable the Enable switch prior to handing

over control from one mobile device to another.

Power Off from App Requires Confirmation

When ‘Power off from app requires confirmation’ is active, tapping the Power button in a transmitter’s Device View

displays a confirmation pop-up to avoid accidentally powering off the selected Astral transmitter. Deactivate this

option when you want the Power button to power off Astral transmitters immediately without confirmation.

Max (Simultaneous) Connections

All mobile devices have a maximum number of supported Bluetooth devices (smartwatches, headphones etc.)

that they can connect to simultaneously. The maximum number of simultaneous connections is dependent on

iOS/Android hardware and operating system version. When Astral Remote attempts to control Astral devices

exceeding the maximum number of supported simultaneous connections by the mobile device, there is the

potential for communication errors.

The Max Connections setting enables Astral Remote to maintain reliable Bluetooth communication with all Astral

devices in situations where there are more devices than the maximum number allowed by the mobile device. It

does this by automatically staggering communication. The top devices in the Device List are treated as priority,

then communication steps through the remaining devices in the list, one at a time. All of this is managed

automatically by Astral Remote.

Determining the Max Connections Value:

Start by setting Max Connections to 7.

If Astral Remote can simultaneously connect to 7 Astral devices, then try setting a higher Max Connections value.

If Astral Remote is unable to simultaneously connect to 7 Astral devices, the following warning is displayed:

Connection Failed

Astral [transmitter name] failed to connect.

Consider reducing Max Connections to 6

Reduce Max Connections to 6. If the ‘Connection Failed’ warning keeps being displayed, then decrease Max

Connections until the warning no longer appears.

An Astral device has an active connection if a dot is displayed between the transmitter’s Bluetooth symbol and

signal strength meter.

Astral Remote User Guide Manage Devices

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The maximum number of available connections is dependent on all Bluetooth devices currently connected to the

smartphone/tablet. For this reason, it may be necessary to change Max Connections from time to time and/or

disconnect other Bluetooth devices (such as watches, headphones, smart speakers, etc.) not currently in use.

Country

The Country setting determines available unrestricted frequencies and RF Power options. It is the user’s

responsibility to operate on allowed frequencies in their region. Make sure to set Astral receivers and Astral ARX2

receivers to the same country as the Astral transmitters. The Country of operation is automatically set by the

mobile device’s Location Services.

The quickest way to change the country on an Astral receiver and multiple paired Astral transmitters is as follows:

1. Pair the Astral receiver to Astral Remote. The receiver’s pairing command is in its System Menu.

2. Select the Astral receiver in Astral Remote’s Device List.

3. Tap 'Synchronize Date/Time and Country’ in the Device View.

“Country Changed. Changing country will not take effect until the Astral receiver is restarted. OK”

Tap OK

4. Restart the Astral receiver. Upon reboot, the Astral receiver will send the new country setting to all its

NexLink’d transmitters.

Group Setup

Enters the Group Setup menu. See Group Control for more information.

User Guides

Tap to open the User Guide selection view with links to the Astral transmitter User Guides.

Frequency Authorizations

The Frequency Authorizations menu allows the unlocking of restricted frequencies that require proof of a valid

license before they can be used. See Frequency Authorization for more information.

Astral Remote Version

Displays the current Astral Remote software version.

Astral Remote User Guide Device List

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Device List

The Device List is a scrollable list of all paired and enabled devices (Astral transmitters, Astral receivers) and

transmitter groups.

Each Astral device is listed with a high-level view of its status.

1. In the case of an Astral transmitter, status includes the transmitter’s name, RF frequency, Bluetooth

connection status and RSSI meter, battery level/charging status, Group assignment, and an Astral

transmitter status indicator that displays the Astral transmitter’s power, audio presence/mute, record, RF

transmission, and ID state.

2. In the case of an Astral receiver, status includes the receiver’s name and Bluetooth connection status and

RSSI meter.

3. Groups appear at the top of the Device List. The All Transmitter and Custom Groups can be hidden from

the Device List from the Group Setup menu

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Astral Remote User Guide Device List

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Astral Transmitter Status Indicator

Icon

(Astral Mini

Astral TX)

Icon

(Astral HH)

Description

On

The Astral transmitter is on.

Recording

The Astral transmitter is recording.

Transmitting

The Astral transmitter is transmitting.

Audio Presence

Audio signal is present.

Mic Muted

The Astral transmitter is muted.

Identify Mode

The Astral transmitter is being identified using the ID command from Astral

Remote or an Astral receiver.

Off

The Astral transmitter is powered off.

Off, Holding Timecode

The Astral transmitter is powered off and holding accurate timecode.

ID

Astral Remote User Guide Device List

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Unknown State

The Astral transmitter appears with ‘?’ when the status is unknown. This could

be displayed because the unit is out of range, or the power source has been

removed or depleted.

Custom Group Indicator

The Custom Group indicator is displayed next to the transmitter icon when the Astral transmitter is a member of

the custom group. See Group Control for more information.

Bluetooth Signal Strength Indicator

Displays the signal strength of the Astral transmitter Bluetooth signal received by the mobile device. The

Bluetooth meter border is red when the mobile device is not communicating with the transmitter. A blue dot

appears after the Bluetooth icon when the transmitter is connected.

Battery/Power Status Indicator

Icon

Description

Battery Level Indicator

Displays the level of the battery.

Green = Good level

Orange = Medium level

Red = Low level. Replace with charged battery

Flashing Red = Critically low. RF, audio, and recording are

disabled.

Battery level is also displayed directly above the battery icon as a

voltage for the Astral TX, and as a % for the Astral HH and the Astral

Mini powered via NP-BX1.

Astral Remote User Guide Device List

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Battery Charge Indicator

Displays the charging status of the battery.

Orange = Charging

Green = Charging complete

USB Power

Displays when USB is powering the transmitter and there are no

batteries inserted.

Device Name

Displays the name of the Astral device. If the device is a transmitter, its name can be changed in the Device View.

Transmitter Timecode

Displays the timecode values in hours:minutes:seconds:frames of the connected transmitter. This allows you to

quickly see that the connected Astral transmitters are running the same timecode. It is normal to observe a few

frames difference between transmitter timecode displays.

If the transmitter is either off or not connected, timecode values are displayed as --:--:--:--. Timecode values are

not displayed in RF Only mode.

Transmitter Frequency

Displays the RF frequency on which the Astral transmitter is transmitting. The transmitter RF frequency can be

changed in the Device View.

Reordering the Device List

Reorder Device List by touching and holding an Astral device, then dragging it into the desired position. Groups

cannot be reordered. Groups can be removed from the Device List in the Group Setup menu.

Astral Remote User Guide Device View

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Device View

Tap a device in the Device List to select its Device View. The Device View displays detailed information, controls,

and menus for the selected Astral device. The settings displayed are dependent on whether the device is an

Astral receiver or Astral transmitter.

Astral Remote version – 8.20

Astral Remote User Guide Device View

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Quick List (Phone Only)

The Quick List (located at the top of the view) is a horizontally scrollable list of all enabled Astral transmitters

along with their Status indicator and transmitter name. Touch a transmitter in the Quick List to display its Device

View. Tap the back arrow to exit back to the Device List.

Transmitter Status Window

The Transmitter Status window displays detailed information of the selected transmitter. The Astral transmitter

Status indicator, Battery/Power status indicator, and Bluetooth Signal Strength meter are described in detail in the

Device List section. In addition, the Transmitter Status window shows the active power source (battery type,

USB), RF Transmission Details and License Required status.

Power Source Details

The battery level meter, battery voltage (‘%’ if the transmitter is an Astral Mini that is powered by NP-BX1), and

battery type are displayed in the top right corner of the Transmitter Status Window. USB is displayed when

powering the Astral transmitter from USB-C.

RF Transmission Details

RF Transmission details (RF Power and Frequency) are displayed when the Astral transmitter mode is set to RF

Only or REC + RF (not available in the U.S. with lav or guitar input sources). The set frequency is displayed in

MHz and the RF Power setting is listed below.

License Required

Some frequencies may require a license to operate in your area. The License icon appears as a reminder to the

user if the set frequency requires a license for the current Country.

Recording & Timecode Status Window

Recording & Timecode details are displayed when Astral transmitter mode is set to REC Only or REC + RF (not

available in the U.S with lav or guitar input sources). Timecode values, frame rate, absolute record time counter,

file format (32-bit float, 48 kHz), and remaining record time / space of the media. This window is red when

recording.

Controlling the Astral Transmitter from Astral Remote

From the Device View you can set parameters of the Astral transmitter while it is powered on. The transmitter

continues to communicate with the app when powered off. While off, the Astral transmitter’s current settings are

displayed. The transmitter can be powered on or put into Identify mode from the app while it is powered off.

Astral Remote User Guide Device View

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Transmitter Controls

The far right-hand side of the Device View provides easy access to Power On, Power Off, Identify mode, Record,

and Stop.

Icon

Description

Transmitter Power On

Touch the Power ON button to power the Astral transmitter on. The button is black

when the transmitter is off and green when on.

Transmitter Power Off

Touch the Power OFF button to power the Astral transmitter off. The button is gray

when the transmitter is off and black when on.

By default, a confirmation pop-up message appears when powering off the Astral

transmitter from the app. This can be deactivated in ‘Manage Devices’ by deactivating

‘Power off from app requires confirmation’.

Record

Touch the Record button to start recording. The button is red while recording. The

button is gray when recording is not permitted.

Stop

Touch the Stop button to stop recording. The button is yellow while recording is

stopped. The button is gray when recording is not permitted.

Identify Mode

Touch the Identify button to put the Astral transmitter into Identify mode. This makes it

easy to locate the transmitter. The transmitter’s LEDs flash alternating red, green,

blue. The Astral TX also vibrates. When Identify mode is active, the Identify button

flashes blue and the transmitter Status indicator shows “ID” in blue text. Tap the

Identify button again or press the transmitter power button to disable Identify mode.

Identify mode is available when Astral transmitters are powered on or off.

ID

Astral Remote User Guide Device View

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Transmitter Settings (Astral Mini, Astral TX, Astral HH)

The table below details the various transmitter settings that are displayed beneath the Transmitter Status window

in the Device View. Settings are dependent on the type of Astral transmitter.

Name

While in the Device View, touch the Name button and use the pop-up QWERTY keyboard to

rename the transmitter. Up to twelve alphanumeric characters can be used for the transmitter’s

name. Transmitter names are sent to Astral Receivers & are also embedded in metadata as the

Track Names of recorded WAV files.

Frequency

Touch the Frequency button to enter the Frequency menu. From the frequency menu, use the

scroll wheels to select a frequency (integer and fractional of MHz) or use the +400 kHz and -400

kHz buttons. Touch the ‘Set Frequency’ button to set the frequency and exit back to the Device

View.

For the Astral Mini and Astral TX, ensure an antenna with a length specific to the frequency in use

is attached to the SMA connector. Using the wrong length of antenna reduces RF range. Tap the

Information button for details on what length antenna to use.

RF Power

Astral transmitters offer the following RF power settings:

● Low - 2 mW

● Normal - 10 mW

● High - 20 mW

● Extra High - 40 mW. This setting only appears when Options > ‘Allow Extra High RF Power’

is active.

● Extra High - 100 mW (Astral HH Only). This setting only appears when Options > ‘Allow

Extra High RF Power’ is active.

Tip: Use Long Range Modulation to increase RF range before considering increasing the RF Power

setting.

Astral Remote User Guide Device View

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Modulation

Select Standard, Long Range, or T&M Modulation. When compared to Standard Modulation, Long

Range Modulation has better sensitivity. This increased sensitivity results in more robust

performance in challenging RF environments. The Modulation setting must match between the

Astral transmitter and Astral receiver for the transmitted signal to be received.

Mode

Tap the Mode button to select Mode. Select between RF Only, REC Only, and REC + RF.

When Audio Input Type is set to Lav or Guitar, Simultaneous Record and Transmit mode is not

available on Astral TX units sold or operated in the United States of America.

REC+RF is not available on the Astral HH

Record & Timecode details are not displayed in the Transmitter Status Window when ‘RF Only’ is

selected. RF Transmission details are not displayed in the Transmitter Status window when REC

Only is selected.

Mute Mic

Tap the Mute Mic button to mute the microphone. When muted, no audio is present in the

recordings or transmitted. Mute status is indicated by a blue Mute Mic menu button, a blue dot in

the Astral transmitter Status indicator, and the Astral transmitter Audio and Status LEDs turn solid

blue.

XLR Input Type (Astral TX Only)

Tap the XLR Input Type button to select the balanced XLR Input Type. When a Lav or Guitar is

connected, the Astral TX’s XLR Input Type is automatically set, and the button is grayed out.

Lav Mic Type (Astral TX Only)

Select between Normal and 3-Wire. Note that the Astral TX’s auto-input type sensing is disabled

when set to 3-Wire.

Privacy

Tap the Privacy button to generate or clear a privacy key. The receiver must be set to the same

Privacy key to decode the signal. The Privacy button goes green when the Privacy is active

(Privacy key is non-zero).

Information

Displays the recommended antenna and TV Channel (where applicable) of the set frequency, the

Astral transmitter’s firmware version and serial number, and compliance documentation for local

government requirements, if applicable.

Astral Remote User Guide Device View

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Options

The Options menu provides access to less frequently changed transmitter settings:

Auto-Power with Lemo Connection (Astral Mini and Astral TX only)

The Astral Mini and Astral TX can auto-detect the presence of a Lemo connection and

power on and off accordingly. When ‘Auto-power with Lemo Connection’ is active,

connecting a Lemo automatically powers the transmitter on. Removing the Lemo

connection automatically powers the transmitter off. This feature can be turned on or off.

Resume Record Upon Powering On

When ‘Resume Record Upon Powering On’ is active, the Astral transmitter resumes the

state of the recorder when it was previously powered off. This menu item is not available

when in RF Only mode.

Allow Extra High RF Power

Activate this option when you want the Extra High RF Power settings available in the RF

Power menu. See RF Power

Enable NexLink

Activate this option when using Astral Receivers to control the transmitter via NexLink. It is

recommended to disable NexLink when Astral Remote is to be used as primary control

interface as this will improve range.

Astral TX Switch (Astral TX Only)

Determines the function of the optional bayonet-style Astral TX on/off switch. Select from:

● None

● Mute

● Record

● Power

● RF On/Off

● Aux On/Off

Display (Astral TX, Astral HH Only)

Accesses settings pertaining to the ePaper display:

● Orientation: Allows the display to be flipped so that it can be read easily when the

transmitter is upside down.

○ Normal

○ Flipped

● Background: Selects between light and dark background colors.

● Display LEDs (Astral HH only): Selects what the Astral HH’s display LEDs indicate.

Choose from:

○ Off

○ Battery Level

○ Audio Level

○ Mute

○ Record

○ RF Off

○ Aux

Astral Remote User Guide Device View

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● Display Name: Top or Center. Determines whether the transmitter name appears

top or center in the ePaper display.

LEDs

Transmitter LEDs can be turned on or off. Turn the LEDs off when you need the transmitter

to be discreet. Available options:

● All Off

● All On

● Top Only (Astral TX Only)

● Front Only (Astral TX Only

Battery Type (Astral Mini Only)

Select whether a Battery Doubler is in use or not.

● Normal Battery

● Battery Doubler

Battery Chemistry (Astral TX Only)

To ensure accurate battery level threshold monitoring (green, orange, red, flashing red,

and shutdown voltage), set the chemistry to match the type of battery being used. When

using 1.2 to 1.5V battery types, the following options are available:

● Alkaline

● NiMH

● Lithium (primary)

Format Media

Formatting the transmitter media deletes all recorded files. It is good practice to periodically

format the recording storage media. Make certain to transfer any files before formatting.

The first eleven characters of the transmitter name are used as the volume name of the

storage media.

Restore Defaults

Touch the Restore Defaults button to restore the transmitter to factory defaults.

Astral Remote User Guide Device View

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Astral Receiver Settings (Astral ARX32, Astral ARX16, Astral ARX8)

The table below details the receiver commands that are displayed in the Device View when a paired Astral

receiver is selected in the Device List.

Synchronize Date/Time and Country

Tap the button to synchronize the mobile device’s Country, Date, and Time to the Astral Receiver.

Once synchronized, the Astral receiver must be rebooted. Upon reboot, the Astral receiver sends the

Country, Date, and Time to its NexLinked transmitters. This ensures that Astral transmitters and

receiver are correctly set to the same Country which is a requirement for proper operation.

Send Frequency Authorization

Tap the button to send an Authorization to an Astral receiver.

See Frequency Authorization for more information.

Astral Remote User Guide Group Control

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Group Control

Multiple Astral transmitters can be controlled as a group from the Astral Remote app. Group Control drastically

simplifies the workflow and saves time when changing settings of multiple Astral transmitters.

Two groups are available: The ‘All Transmitters’ group for controlling all enabled transmitters and a ‘Custom

group’ for controlling a select user-defined group of transmitters.

Groups appear at the top of the Device List. When selected, the Group Control View is displayed.

Group Control View

The Group View displays a scrollable list of all available Astral transmitters in the group. Transmitters are

displayed with the same information shown in the Device List. Tapping a transmitter accesses the Astral

Transmitter’s View.

The Recording and Timecode window displays timecode, frame rate, and an absolute record time counter. The

window is red when recording and black when stopped. This window is not displayed in RF Only mode. The first

transmitter in the group list is used to display the details of the Recording and Timecode window.

Astral Remote User Guide Group Control

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Controlling a Group of Astral transmitters

Touch any button in the Group View to apply the function to all available transmitters in the group.

Icon

Description

Group Power On

Touch the Group Power ON button to power on the group of transmitters. The button

is black when the transmitters are off and green when on.

Group Power Off

Touch the Group Power OFF button to power off the group of transmitters. The button

is gray when the group is off and black when on. By default, a confirmation pop-up

message appears when powering off Astral transmitters from the app. This can be

deactivated in ‘Manage Devices’ by deactivating ‘Power off from app requires

confirmation’.

Group Record

Tap the Group Record button to start recording on the group of Astral transmitters.

The button is red while the group is recording and black when stopped. The button is

gray when recording is not permitted.

Group Stop

Tap the Group Stop button to stop recording on the group of Astral transmitters. The

button is yellow while stopped and black when recording. The button is gray when

recording is not permitted.

Partial

Partial is displayed in between the ON and OFF buttons and in between the Record

and Stop buttons when there is a mismatch between transmitters in the group. For

example, if the group is powered on and an individual Astral transmitter is then

powered off, “Partial” flashes between the ON and OFF buttons.

Group Status Screen

A Group Status screen appears while Astral Remote is sending commands to transmitters in the group. The

status of the command sent is displayed for each Astral transmitter in the group. The status text is green while

sending the command, white when successful, and red if the Astral transmitter was unable to accept the

command. Tap the Cancel button to abort the group command. Canceling a command does not revert any

changes already applied and may result with the group in a “Partial” state.

Astral Remote User Guide Group Control

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Group Menu

The Group Menu provides access to Mute, RF Power, Mode, RF, LEDs, Modulation, XLR Input Type, Lav Mic

Type, Display (Orientation and Background), Format Media, and NexLink On/Off commands for all transmitters in

the group. Partial is displayed in the menu button when transmitters in the group have mismatched settings. Tap

the Group List button at the bottom of the view to return to the Group Control View.

Astral Remote User Guide Group Control

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Group Setup

Navigate to Manage Devices > Group Setup to change group options and create a custom group.

Show “All Transmitters” Group in the Device List

When active, the All Transmitters group is displayed and accessible from the Device List. Deactivate to remove

the All Transmitters group from the Device List.

Show Custom Group in the Device List

When active, the custom group is displayed and accessible from the Device List. Deactivate to remove the

custom group from the Device List.

Custom Group Name

Tap the text box and use the pop-up QWERTY keyboard to rename the custom group. Up to twelve alpha-

numeric characters can be used for the custom group name. Custom Group is the default name.

Assigning Astral Transmitters to the Custom Group

All Astral transmitters paired to the Astral Remote application are displayed in the Group Setup list. Tap the Group

checkbox to assign or unassign an Astral transmitter to the custom group.

Use the ‘Select All’ checkbox to assign or unassign all paired transmitters to the custom group. Astral transmitters

assigned to the custom group appear with a Custom Group Indicator in the Device List and Transmitter view.

Selecting a Group from the Device List

Groups appear at the top of the Device List. Groups are shown with the number of available transmitters in the

group. Tap a group to enter the Group View.

Astral Remote User Guide Frequency Authorization

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Frequency Authorization

The wireless system operator needs to be aware of local regulations and comply with all applicable laws

regarding operation of wireless devices.

The Frequency Authorizations menu allows the unlocking of restricted frequencies that require proof of a valid

license before they can be used. Once a license has been granted, please contact Sound Devices

(RF_Request@SoundDevices.com) to obtain the necessary authorization. An Authorization ID and License Code

will be generated by Sound Devices based on the license provided. The Authorization ID or License Code can be

entered into the Astral Remote App and then synchronized with an Astral ARX8, Astral ARX16, or Astral ARX32

receiver and its paired Astral transmitters.

An example of a frequency band requiring an unlock code in the United States is 1435-1525 MHz. Program

Making and Special Events (PMSE) wireless operators typically call 1435-1525 MHz the "AFTRCC band".

AFTRCC stands for Aerospace and Flight Test Radio Coordinating Council. This organization coordinates several

frequency bands for use by air and spacecraft in the United States. This includes 1435-1525 MHz.

Per the United States Federal Communications Commission (FCC) rules, wireless microphones are allowed as

secondary users in the 1435-1525 MHz AFTRCC band. This is detailed in the FCC Part 74 rules:

https://www.ecfr.gov/current/title-47/chapter-I/subchapter-C/part-74

One section of the Part 74 rules that is of particular interest to operators seeking an AFTRCC band license is

74.803(d):

https://www.ecfr.gov/current/title-47/chapter-I/subchapter-C/part-74#p-74.803(d)

Generally speaking, a wireless operator needs to show they've used all other available spectrum before the

AFTRCC will consider a license request in the 1435-1525 MHz range. If granted, the license is normally assigned

for a specific location and a specific time range.

Sound Devices encourages all wireless operators to obtain a Part 74 license, and specifically to make sure

applicable parts of the 600 MHz and 950 MHz range are included with their license application. This can help

show an operator is aware of the available spectrum and is utilizing it responsibly.

More information on Part 74 licensing can be found here: https://www.local695.com/fcc-licensing/