Monday, 26 September 2011

VCube Crash in Forward Wind

Goldcrest recently reported that the VCube would crash when in forward wind. This was traced to the RM-6 converting the Forward Wind command from the DFC to a forward shuttle command. This is necessary with tape based video machines as there is often no picture in Fast Forward.

To correct change the option in the RM-6 as follows

Setup / Root / Ext/ Menu 097 - Rmt FWD/RWD Cmds to Video Mcn
Set to 0=Normal


The Default is 1=Convert to Shuttle

Tuesday, 6 September 2011

IBC 2011: Hall 8 Stand A04

CB are showing three new products -

TC-5
LTC-Midi Timecode display/Converter,
A very versatile unit with LTC In/Out, Midi In/Out/Through, USB Midi IN/Out and Virtual Machine.Locking to Crystal, Video or Wordclock with simultaneous conversion between formats

UR422-USB 
A complete redesign of the UR-422, now includes USB, Video Sync input, Timecode Output and Virtual Machine. We have implemented the Odetics extensions to the Sony P2 protocol and plan to add the VDCP protocol to this product.

T-Bar 
We are showing the T-Bar control fitted to the UR422-USB but it may be fitted to any of our keyboard designs and we welcome discussing with customers and agents the optimum keyboard and port configuration.


Saturday, 27 August 2011

Dynamic Offset & Edit Offset - What are they? Why do you need them?

Dynamic Offset +/- 4 frames
An offset that is used only in play, unlike the normal offset this is removed in stop. Dynamic Offset is occasionally required to correct for errors in devices (I remember one DAW that required 4 attemps to get the LTC and RS422 in sync). Dynamic offset can also be used to correct for projector/screen delay if the video is on a different device to the audio.

Edit Offset +/- 4 frames
An offset that is only used in playback or record when one or more tracks are armed. A number of digital video devices switch to confidence mode when recording. The timecode switches to be in sync with the playback and is then several frames out of sync with the record. Edit offset is used to correct for this, if not then when you layback the audio it is out of sync.. 

Wednesday, 13 April 2011

ADR Taker Updates to CBServer and SR software

CBServer has been updated to make it easier to download loops to the Streamer and to SR-Keyboards

We have also added  Setup|Auto/ADR|Options|"Menu 093- Loops from?" to the on SR keyboards, this allows the user to select loops from  the keyboard memory or directly from CBServer using the <> or Prev and Next keys. When using the ID keys the user should also check that Setup|Unit|Generic|"Menu 038- ID<> Key Function" is selected to "2=Loop". 

Using the new software you can prepare or import loops into the cue list on CBServer, then download them to the Streamer and or keyboard and if selected to "Loops from CBServer" you can use the mouse the computer keyboard or the ID<> keys on the keyboard to select the next loop. 

Tuesday, 15 March 2011

Using the VS-1 with different Video sources

I designed the VS-1 in 1985/6 and we are still making it 27 years later, for a product with a 27 year life we have not sold a great number, probably about 10 a year, and not that many now.

I have been asked a number of times to upgrade the VS-1 to work with HD video. My problem has always been which format? The market size will not finance a big development project. Here are some interim alternative solutions.


SD Component,
If setup for syncs on green, insert the streamer on the Green line

VGA
I have tried the Startech VGA to composite converter, this works well and is a cheap solution but the resolution is not as high as I would like. Kramer and TV One make more expensive boxes but I have not compared their resolution. 

S-Video
Insert into the Luminance line

Software Solutions
There are a number of cheap software solutions available but I find them jerky, possibly I need a super computer!

One way forward without investing a large amount of time would be to design a system for VGA, but with computers now using DVI, HDMI and SDI is this a viable approach?

Let me know your ideas


Thursday, 10 February 2011

Using HD Syncs with the MC-1, BS-1 and BS-2


Daniel my French agent set me this test, translate this information from French!

Like a all CB products the MC-1, BS-1 and BS-2 automatically detects the reference video standard, but on some products it is necessary to use the video standard and make make manual settings

The following standards are recognized by CB prioducs
.
SD:- Bi-Level:
PAL: 25fps
SLOW PAL: 24fps or 23.98fps
NTSC: 29.97fps
NTSC BW: 30fps

HD - Tri-level:
24 / 25 / 30 / 48 / 50 / 60Hz:
23.98 / 29.97 / 59.94Hz

The Standard Dependent settings on the MC-1, BS-1 and BS-2
UNIT parameters
Film Std:: 24; 25, 30.
Gen Std:: 24 ; 25, Drop  30.
ReF: : 48; 50, 60.

Normal settings for a 23.98 or 24 fps Video Reference
Film Std = 24 ; Gen Std = 24,  ReF = 48.

Normal settings for a 25 fps Video Reference

Film Std = 25 ; Gen Std = 25,  ReF = 50.

Normal settings for a 29.97 fps or 30fps Video Reference

Film Std = 24 ou 30 ; Gen Std = Drop or 30(Non Drop),  ReF = 60.



Always check the UNIT parameters after changing the video reference standard! The 6 configuration memories may be used to to save a different setting for each video standard


Wednesday, 9 February 2011

Raid Arrays 2

We fitted the best raid array controller we could find to our system yesterday and as expected there was a small improvement on running 4 discs in Raid 0, as the CPU usage also dropped then in actual use the improvement would probably be greater. Another advantage was that it allowed us to fitt an extra drive as the motherboard was limited to 5 drives only.
The connection from the raid card is mini-sas, a raid card with and external mini-sas can be used as a fast  low cost  external raid by using a suitable cable and 4 drives in a midi tower pc case.

A san is probably the preferred solution but it is more expensive and still requires management. Portable Raid Arrays make a low cost scalable entry into this technology and you can always use the drives in a san at a later date.