Embedded, AES, Balanced analogue Stereo Audio
With our unique Which-Wire? detector's operation extended to 3G format, the portable Test Chest automatically awakes from slumber when any video signal is applied to it’s IP BNC port. The 800x480 pixel high resolution LCD screen displays the video image from any TV format, with a banner strip declaring the detected standard, in less than one second! Audio is powerfully supportedas well, with the stereo speakers bursting into action when embedded audio is present.
Test Chest 3G is configured via an intuitive touch-screen Menu. With virtually instant configuration of the required mode by only the light "tap" of a finger tip, the Menu changes to provide you with the next field of context-sensitive options. When, a few milli-seconds later, the on-screen banner refreshes to confirm your revised setting, the operational mode HAS already changed. It really IS that fast! There are NO unlabeled "configurable hot-keys" here, just incredibly fast, intuitive configuration and operation.
................the Show must go on!
SIMULTANEOUS GENERATION & MONITORING
The Test 3G's Generation Logic and the Monitoring Logic have the very powerful ability of being able to function totally independently. This means, for example, that it is entirely possible to generate a Test signal with embedded audio in 3G format, whilst simultaneously examining a Composite video input on the LCD monitor, and monitoring balanced analogue stereo on the twin speakers! To assist Operational use by Staff when a variety of Standards are in common use, Test Chest 3G supports 10 separate preset set-ups, instantly recalled from non-volatile memory..........how versatile is that?
VIDEO DETECTION MODE.
Just plug your unknown source into the "Which-Wire?" (WW?) input BNC #1 and your Test Chest 3G awakens, showing the TV picture (with embedded sound) and an informative detected standard banner. That's it, all done, hands free, in less than one second!
When the input video is removed the Test Chest 3G automatically RESUMES hibernation, conserving battery power, awaiting it's next 'mystery input' source.
NO buttons to press, or forget to turn off.....what could possibly be quicker or easier?
Test Chest 3G incorporates HS/SD-SDI & CVBS WFM and Vectorscope facilities. In SDI mode, the WFM may be H-locked to an External Colour Black Reference, and the gain of the vectorscope may be increased too, to assist when checking camera Black & White Balance set up. A useful analogue oscilloscope (using the WFM TimeBase speeds) feature is included too, with a very practical 25Hz ~ 10MHz frequency response. The Scope IP uses a dedicated BNC input port for it's high impedance input (1M ohm and 20pF), wich fully supports the use of a switchable X1/X10 low capacitance scope probe if required. A neat trick offered by the Test Chest 3G is the ability to listen to an audio signal presented to this scope IP, and this feature enables the Unit to be used as a very high impedance audio signal tracer.
VIDEO GENERATION MODES.
Test Chest 3G is extremely fast to use when generating signals. Using new-generation Logic configured via the LCD Touch Screen, rather than the much slower process of configuration via an on-board computer, Test Chest 3G generates Test Signals or performs Measurements for you on any Standard, 3G-HD, 1.4G-HD, SD or CVBS, immediately following the entry of your command, no fibbing..........wow!
Test Chest 3G generates a wealth of Industry standard video signals, each with 10 bit precision, in 3G-HD, 1.4-HD or SD. A continuously moving puck may be added to any of the test signals generated, to catch downstream MPEG motion artifacts and Synchroniser freezes. A circle of 16:9 or 12:9 format may be inserted, confirming the aspect ratio of the following Programme material or for checking local Monitors. For all those "down the line" applications, a local User-programmed Alpha-Numeric Ident may be overlaid too, providing a unique source identification that is easily field modified. On 50i & 60i SD standards, a high quality 625 or 525 Composite Video output is available simultaneously too.
Frightmare?
Audio-POD
Monitoring of both digital and Composite analogue video input signals embrace the Industry standard Vector display and H & V Waveform modes, whilst YRGB, RGB, or YCrCb sequenced Parades are crisply presented.
AUDIO MODES
The ultra-flexible Test Chest 3G satisfies your immediate day-to-day Operational audio requirements, covering Embedded audio, AES streams, and Balanced analogue Stereo as well. These Audio Ports are most easily accessed via the versatile AUDIO-POD interface which is included with Test Chest 3G, mating with the audio D25 I/O on the side of the main Unit and latched firmly home for complete security. Test Chest 3G furnishes simultaneous AES and balanced Analogue Stereo streams too if required. The internal test generator, or menu selected external signals are effortlessly routed for embedding onto the output video stream, whilst signal streams to the AES and analogue OP ports (together with selective enabling or disabling of embedded Ch1-4, on Groups 1-4 as may be desired), provide a highly flexible audio feature set.
Catering too for your other Operational requirements, Stereo audio level measurement is standard on the Test Chest 3G, in both the digital and balanced analogue domain. A fast acting audio histogram is provided for “real time” peak audio level measurement, and offers selectable BBC PPM, Nordic and Digital scales. An alternative VU scale with associated ballistics, and a choice of 2 Reference Levels, are menu selectable too. Test Chest 3G will accept 48/96/192KHz 75 ohm AES IPs directly, and generates a110 ohm balanced AES OP stream. Test Chest 3 G also provides an "AES Locked?" Utility, to ensure 48KHz & Video Clocks are synchronous. The Audio POD shown above provides a highly intuitive and robust XLR interface for every day requirements, and uniquely contains a very handy bi-directional 75:110 ohm matching transformer too, so that every AES interface requirement is covered! Display of analogue audio envelopes and monaural loudspeaker monitoring, is possible using the Scope feature.
Test Chest 3G provides convenient monitoring of stereo sources on dual loudspeakers. Jacking into the side mounted 3.5mm socket with a pair of 30 ohm headphones will provide automatic LS muting and a quality of audio monitoring that is not possible using just the modest front panel mounted loudspeakers. Unlike competitative Products, at no time is the 'headphone' output ever used for any other purpose; after all, just how do you compete with the Test Chest 3G's stereo balanced analogue line I/O ports, purpose built specifically for that service?
AUDIO PHASE DETECTION
Test Chest 3G includes Audio Polarity error detection for each of Ch1/Ch2 and Ch3/Ch4 pairs of the selected Group. With embedded audio both channel pairs are presented; whilst with balanced analogue input only the single stereo pair can be monitored. Either detector will instantly "RED" flag a phase inversion of one channel, with respect to the other; and whilst the effect is instantly recognisable with steady state test tones, it could take a moment or two before an error is apparent on Programme Audio, due to the varied nature of the real-world signals encountered. On normal Programme material, with correctly phased stereo, one would anticipate only an occasional, and momentary, "RED" flag; whilst in the presence of a phase inverted channel, one might anticipate a near continuous "RED" flag. In the presence of an error, one would be left with little doubt that a serious audio phasing problem existed, and that immediate remedial action was required. To prevent nuisance triggering of the alarm, amplitude sensitive detector gating is employed, and the Phase display is muted at low signal levels.
AES/VIDEO: LOCK CONFIRMATION
Test Chest 3G includes a Utility to confirm that the Word Clock of an input AES input signal on BNC#3, is locked to the Video Reference fed on BNC#1, the main input port.
To use this feature, the AES INPUT mode should first be selected on the 'Monitor Audio' sub-menu. The reference Video, with which synchronism is being checked, is applied to the 'Which-Wire?' input via BNC1. Should these signals be asynchronous, the "AES LOCK" flag on the audio monitor page will pulse at a 'beat' frequency dependent upon their difference at 48KHz. A 1Hz pulse rate equates to a difference of approximately 20 parts per million.
Ident Generator, Real Time Clock and VITC
Test Chest 3G includes an Identification strap that is easily inserted along with Time-Of-Day onto outgoing Test Signals. The default factory setting 'Test Chest 3G' for the Ident may be easily overwritten, and fresh text stored for on-board use.
If present on an incoming SDI signal, VITC will be displayed on the local LCD.
Video/Audio transit delays
Clapper Board, Murraypro's unique Video/Audio delay test tool,
allowing an error resolution as low as one TV frame, is included too.
(Diagramatic representation, for clarity)
One of the bains of long distance digital signal transport is the distinct possibility of the audio stream suffering a lower transit delay than that of the video stream, due to reduced en-route processing. The inevitable result of this is the distinct possibility of "Lip sync" timing errors that are observable on the Programme. Test Chest's "Clapper Board" signal generated, and inserted at the distant origination point, is designed to offer an immediate visual indication of the presence of A/V delay errors at the destination. No down-stream equipment requirement more demanding than the presence of a functional picture Monitor and a Loudspeaker is required. At the source, the travelling puck test signal is generated, and at Graticule "Time point Zero" on the screen, a simultaneous audio click and screen bright-up are produced too; this sequence is repeated continuously. At the destination an observer is rapidly able to produce an empirical, but impressively accurate assessment of delay errors, and whether corrective measures are required, due to the repetitive nature of the presentation. Time/division is preset to 100mS, and is independent of the TV Frame Rate being used.
Finger tip control
The Test Chest 3G is configured by means of the LCD's touch screen, and if hibernating, the Unit will awaken instantly upon a touch, displaying the Menu Home Page. Test Chest 3G retains it's last test configuration in non-volatile memory so that the previous Test set up, for example, is instantly reproduced at power on. From this point on, navigation to a revised configuration is both speedy and intuitive.
16:9/4:3 Aspect
The 800x480 high resolution LCD monitor has automatic processing which ensures that 1920, 1280, 720 and 702 pixel 16:9 sources are correctly displayed and scaled to fit the bright 5” screen. There's a Menu setting too, correctly scaling 4:3 images when required, which is our only non-automatic display mode!
Dual-port: DVI-I
The 29 pin Dual-Link DVI port provides simultaneous DVI-Digital & VGA-Analogue outputs, enabling the use of virtually any external PC monitor display via an appropriate cable.
Cable Length
The Test Chest 3G, provides a ready comparison of coaxial cable lengths against a preset Reference length. Users may care to pre-set this so that for a chosen Clock-Rate and Cable-Type the threshold is, perhaps, 80% of the system's Digital Cliff. To calibrate this feature, simply set the TX Standard and loop the chosen length of your Reference cable type between the SDI OP BNC and the WW? input, and tap "SDI CAL". That's it! Cables lengthier will indicate as "long" on the LCD, whilst cables under your 'Reference length' flag up as "short". When shipped, the Test Chest 3G is preset for 100M of 'Belden 1694 with SD-SDI. CAUTION: please be aware that some "Cable Clones" do not accurately simulate a nominated cable type, especially at 3G frequencies, and different results are possible with a length of real cable! The Test Chest 3G uses only high quality 75 ohm precision 'in-line' BNC connectors which are specifically rated for operation at 3G frequencies, nothing else will do.
TDR cable integrity check
Faults on coaxial cables can be speedily resolved using the integral TDR pulse & display with a choice of 16/32/64nS Test Pulse widths) The 16 & 32nS pulses enable open/short circuits & iterative impedance problems to be instantly identified on shorter cables, and their distance down the cable to be determined. A wider, higher energy TDR pulse is provided for use when testing cables up to about 600M length, as the reflected energy will suffer significant attenuation.
The Test Chest 3G's TDR cable test has the fundamental advantage of using the Installation's actual equipment and it's input coax cable together with their own BNC connectors as the actual terminating load, rather than the temporary imposition of the input of a measurement device which is quite alien to the usual configuration of circuit under test. Consider the 'Real World' case reported here where investigation of a problem, using the TDR's 32nS pulse, instantly revealed the imperfect mating of a poor quality BNC connection at the end of a 100M run of high quality coaxial cable. It is most unlikely that an "Eye" waveform could have localised this problem in this way, or indeed even being capable of showing it at all; let alone, as the Test Chest 3G did, localising the fault precisely, and in a matter of seconds Yes Sir, we said it was fast!
Consider this also, no more tedious re-terminating what may well turn out to be the wrong end of a cable, “just in case”..............What a time saver!
Integral Flashlight
The popular integral LED flashlight introduced earlier in our Test Chest SD Unit has been retained. The new Test Chest 3G continues to support this feature which has been much appreciated by all those Users who have experience of those dark corners that seem to be a feature of all Installations.
Custom carrying case
Test Chest 3G is supplied packed in an extremely strong ABS carrying case that has been customised internally with precision cut high density foam to provide the maximum protection. An additional foam cutout (behind the hinged flap secured by a Velcro tab) is provided in the lid compartment to accommodate the Audio POD. There is room in the lid adjacent to the POD for the odd test cable, or even to keep your sandwiches safe and secure!
2U RACKMOUNT Test Chest 3G-R
Introducing the 2U rackmount version of the Test Chest 3G
for Mobile & Fly-Away Kit
Suitable for use in many space limited applications, but specifically designed for use with OB vehicle Tail-boards and "Fly-Away" kit, this 175mm deep 2 U version has drawn heavily on the standard portable Test Chest 3G Unit. Staff already familiar with the operation of the portable Test Chest 3G will find that there is no learning-curve with this rackmount version. The larger loudspeakers fitted to this rackmount variant provide enhanced volume and offer an extended low frequency performance over the more modest transducers of the standard '3G Unit.
Whilst it is intended that this rackmount Unit is primarily operated off mains power, there are many situations where the internal lithium battery pack will be used to power the Unit for test signal generation and monitoring during preliminary rigging activities. Remember that with your Test Chest 3G, both generation and monitoring features are available simultaneously, even before regular mains power is available, so this self-powered Unit will prove to be indespensible.
For 3G integrity, the PCB-BNC connections are presented directly on the front panel (absolutely no place for right-angle BNC elbows in this application!). The XLR connectors too, including the (Ground isolated) utility 75:110 ohm matching transformer, are front-panel mounted for maximum usability, and completely replicate the function of the Audio-POD. The rear panel also includes an access hatch for the Test Chest's DVI output port. The rackmount Unit is fitted with a universal SMPSU (110~240V, 50~60Hz) which both charges the battery and powers the Test Chest 3G-R. Mains power, as ever with Murraypro, is applied via a 'real' IEC 320 style connector....no wall warts here!
'SDI Protocol', when present, error display added to the status text.
When present, input SDI-VITC replaces the local RTC.
In SDI-SD/HD input modes, the status line displays protocol errors.
a) TRS ERR means SAV or EAV errors have occured.
b) CRC ERR means Y or C checksum errors in SDI bitstream.
c) ANC ERR means errors in ancilliary data, eg embedded audio
d) EDH ERR means AP or FF CRC errors in SD video.
e) STD ERR means unknown standard.
Our cost effective Test Chest 3Gs provide the complete & practical one-stop, ultra-FAST Test and Measurement solution for all Engineers & Technicians who require reliable results quickly, all day, every day.
Specification
(Current Firmware:- PC:2V5 WPM:2V1 TSG2V1 PM: 2V1)
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1080p @ 50,59.94,60Hz 1080ps @ 23.98, 24, 25, 29.97, 30Hz 1080i @ 23.98, 24, 25, 29.97, 30, 50, 59.94, 60 Hz 720p @ 50, 59.94, 60Hz 625i @ 50 Hz + PAL CVBS 525i @ 59.94 Hz + NTSC CVBS |
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Osc: 125, 250, 500,Hz , 1K, 2K, 4K, 8KHz; Amplitude: -20, -18, -14, -12, -8, -6, -2, 0dBFS Embed to: Selectable to Ch1, 2, 3, 4 on Group 1, 2, 3, 4. AES : 110R ac coupled, balanced line. Analogue OP: Dual, balanced low impedance drive OP amplitude: -18dBFS = 0dBU. Balanced Analogue amplitude limited to +10dBU |
Audio IP
De-embed from Group 1, 2, 3, 4
AES: 48/96/192KHz, on 75ohm BNC
(110 ohm balanced via POD's AES transformer)
Analogue: Dual (stereo), Balanced Hi Z, lines.
OP Ports
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IP Ports
BNC3: AES @ 75 ohm.
BNC1: WW? @ 75ohm.
BNC2: 1M ohm Balanced dual (stereo).
12~24 Volt dc power to internal battery charger.
POD Interface* XLR3 I/O via D25 + AES 75:110 ohm
0-600M TDR Cable fault indicator @ 75 iterative impedance
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Testamonials
We put it (TC3G) to use last week on the Coronation Street live episode and used it on the SIS Scanner,
in our central areas to line up the outgoing circuits, in the individual studio areas, and outside in the
rubble, checking video feeds. The only problem I had with it was keeping track of it,
as each area tried to keep hold of it! It works perfectly for us.
Needless to say we'd like to buy! So, I'll send you a PO.
..........."S.C.", Manchester
o
© Murraypro Nov 2011
