#PAR, TBC IV and Y/C Plus
14 messages in this thread
Hello all,
Maybe somebody can give me a hand with this problem. I have two T4000s, one
each in an Amiga4000. In one of the A4000s I have the Y/C Plus card attached
to the Toaster card, and it's with this computer and Toaster switcher that I
edit our videos. I also have the Z3 FastLane SCSI controller in this Amiga
talking to our Bernoulli 150 Box. On the other side, the other Amiga is used
mostly for 3D (this was bought before NewTek unbundled LW, so it also has a
T4000 card). This other Amiga has the Ethernet card required to talk to the
Screamer, and the PAR board from DPS. I also have the Toaster Toolbox, which
has the Micropolis 2217A drive in it as well as the TBC IV from DPS. These two
are in communication with the PAR board in the second Amiga.
Now, can anyone tell me how to hook it all up so that I can have live-video
capture with the TBC and the PAR, and also have the output (animations) of the
PAR go into Input 2 of the first Amiga (the one actually used for switching and
editing) without losing reference and timing? This input must go in the Y/C
Plus, not in the Toaster.
I have tried doing it several ways, just from looking at the PAR manual, but
the configurations it shows do not have the Y/C Plus card. Every time I tried,
the video coming in would not be visible. I have the PAR working as animation
playback, but would really like to incorporate it as an Input to be able to
overlay CG's, etc. And I got the TBC IV mainly for the live-video capability
if used with the PAR… Hell, the TBC is not even doing anything, surely
because my connections are all messed up!
Well, I appreciate all your help in advance!
POlo
Polo,
If I am not mistaken, one of the downside's of the YC plus card is the fact
that you MUST use YC signals for ALL the inputs if you are going to use YC at
all to process any YC inputs. IF this is the case, and you aren't feeding the
TBCIV/PAR a composite reference signal, it would explain why they aren't
marching in step with the rest of your system.
Try using the output of one of the Toaster's preview bus as a reference timing
signal for the PAR/TBCIV combo. There is a special loop cable that came with
the PAR that should allow you to feed that signal to both units.
Frank
Frank,
whoa, whoa, whoa… slow down! I think I go lost in the shuffle somewhere 🙂
Can you repeat that, in more basic, plain terms? I have a somewhat primitive
brain that only likes to think about more human tasks… not very technical if
you catch my drift.
Thanks for the help, I really need it! 🙂
POlo
You might want to call or FAX DPS, and I'm sure they'll talk you through
or send a diagram…
Trent/ReAnimators
Trent,
Uh, I hadn't even thought about that… that's a good idea! 🙂
I'll call them tomorrow most likely.
POlo
Polo,
Let's see if I can simplify the explanation a bit.
In order to bring multiple video sources into the Toaster's switcher, they must
all be genlocked together using a signal with the same time base. Something
like a black burst signal or color bars from your camera will do nicely. This
signal is sent to the genlock or sync input of the various devices such as
TBC's, cameras, and in your particular case, the PAR & TBCIV. You can either
use a video distribution amplifier to split the signal off to the various units
where they are then terminated, or you can feed the signal from your sync
source into the loop thru or genlock inputs of the units terminating the signal
at the last device.
From your previous posting it appeared to me that your problem may be the fact
that you are using the Y/C plus internal board with your main Toaster. Because
this unit can only use ONLY Y/C or composite inputs at any given time (it can't
mix both types of signals at the input stage of the board) you might be running
into a problem attempting to "loop thru" the composite sync signal to the
PAR/TBCIV. Since you have two Toasters and they are apparently synced together,
I suggested that you use the composite signal from one ot the Toaster's preview
output to use as a sync source for your PAR/TBCIV combination. Hope this clears
things up a bit.
Frank
Frank,
I'm gonna give your suggestion a good try, and I hope I understood enough to
fix the problem.
In case I can't, would it be too much to kinda sketch it out with some
graphics? They don't have to be detailed at all, just enough for me to
download it, look at it, and get to work.
Thanks in advance Frank! I hope I don't have to bother you again tomorrow!
POlo
Polo,
Please give me some specific info on your system. Such as what TBC's and VTRs
you are using for your master sync source and whether or not you are using a DA
or looping it thru. Without that info, I can't really help you out with a
sketch or diagram. Quite honestly, from what you have said previously about
your gear this is something that should be done by a knowledgable person on
site. Are there any freelance TV engineering types where you are?
Frank
Frank,
Sorry for not answering sooner, but I had some trouble logging on.
Let me find out that info (DA and such) and I'll get back to you as soon as
possible. I have this engineer friend of mine coming in to look at my decks'
heads, and maybe he can also help me out.
Again, I'm sorry for the delay. Thanks much.
POlo
Frank,
The Y/C Plus has jumpers to select which inputs will be Y/C. I have mine
set so inputs 2 & 3 are Y/C and an input 4 to the Toaster composite(4) in.
I have sucessfullye edited a Y/C to the composite in using the Y/C Plus
Y/C out. Since all sources have their own TBCs it was simply a matter of
timing them at input to the Toaster and adjusting chroma phase at the
swithcher out for each source.
wmc – via Autopilot!
Wayne,
Thanks for the input info on the Y/C Plus board. Perhaps you can shed more
light on Polos problem than I can being that you actually have the same board
in your setup.
Frank
Frank,
I think I saw his second message in the set and not the original problem
description. Based on your reply to him, his problem sounds more
complicated than the issue I addressed: namely you can connect both Y/C
and composite sources to Toaster-Y/C Plus arrangements. The restriction
is that each of the 4 inputs can only be Y/C or composite (no transcoding,
as it were). But I run with input 1 composite (house synch) inputs 2 & 3
Y/C and input 4 composite. I do the system timing at the inputs to the
Toaster and the chroma phasing at the Toaster output. For the Y/C
sources, I run composite cable of the same length as the Y/C cable to a WF
monitor to do system timing. Match frame edits with AmiLink controlling
the sources has not been a problem using this scheme. So hopefully that
tid-bit makes the solution to Paolo's problem simpler.
wmc – via Autopilot!
Wayne,
Thanks again for taking the time to explain about the Y/C Plus board. I was
uncertain about the mutually exlusive nature of the transcoding inputs to the
board itself, but I thought it might be a problem relative to the fact that
Polo is probably using the ribbon cable connections to the Toaster board's
inputs. In that particualr instance setting up a reference signal for system
timing might be a bit more complex than just looping thru a sync signal to all
devices and having it end up on input one as it is in my particular setup.
Frank
Frank,
I don't know about looping synch. I took the chicken's way out – each
genlocked device has its own synch line from the house BB.
wmc – via Autopilot!