Multi Function 2D and 3D Signal Monitoring Capability

Bob Pank#

Author: Bob Pank#

Published 1st December 2011


We find ourselves in a constantly evolving industry with an ever increasing variety of video sources and devices that require monitoring.
There is still a significant amount of analogue equipment requiring both composite and component monitoring, and then there is the whole raft of digital video equipment supporting SDI, HDSDI, 3G and now HDMI connectivity. If that was not enough there is now an ever increasing amount of 3D acquisition and content that will require detailed monitoring.
This large variety of sources can present a significant logistic and fiscal problem for the Broadcaster or Studio and more so for Rental Companies, namely what type and quantity of monitoring devices do they purchase or stock?
Of course, the user’s demands of the monitoring equipment have also increased considerably in recent years. Not only are they demanding high quality monitoring of the wide range of sources, but they also now want to do more with the monitors. For example, modern monitors are being shipped with audio level metering. Ideally it should be possible for the monitor to de-embed and display up to 16 channels of audio using an Audio Meter per channel, with user-adjustable reference levels. The Audio Level Meters ideally should provide numerical indicators and headroom levels, as well as peak hold function.

Another common requirement is Waveform Monitoring. Units should have a built-in Waveform Monitor,(including adjustable White and Black clip level indicators) which can be displayed in various aspect ratios, positions, and transparency options. The Waveform Monitor should not only monitor luminance, but also warn the user of out-of-range conditions such as overexposure or “blacker-than-black” errors with fully user-adjustable warning limits.
Equally as important as Waveform Monitoring is a Real-Time Vectorscope that will allow users to monitor colour gamut range in real-time. The requirement demanded is for the Vectorscope to display in full colour and in various sizes, positions, and transparency options.
A few monitors are supplied with a Clip Guide function that operates with both the Waveform display and Monochrome or Colour picture display. Both the upper and lower Clip Guide levels should be user-adjustable in order to accurately display over-and-under exposures during different shooting conditions. For example, the upper Clip Guide limit may be set to 85 IRE and the lower limit to 10 IRE. With these settings, any exposures over the set limit of 85 IRE should change colour, typically red, on both the Waveform and picture (if selected). The same will be true for blacks under 10 IRE.
Finally, it is important that LCD monitors match the colour and gamma characteristics of a CRT monitor. To emulate CRT gamma, the non-linear curves should be corrected by software algorithms. This process is complicated because the three non-linear colours (RGB) should be corrected simultaneously. The manufacturer’s gamma correction should enable the problem to be overcome and ensure correct matching between panels and channels.
White balance adjustment is of equal importance in order to render colours correctly. In order to display colours correctly, greyscale should maintain identical colour temperature. LCD monitors have colour-matching issues because white balance can be affected by a change in the luminance level. Ideally this should be achieved with a simple “one button” calibration procedure using an industry standard colour analyser.
One manufacturer, Marshall Electronics, listened to the demands of their customers and produced a rack mountable and portable field monitor that has all the features described above that customers have asked for, including fully automatic HD-SDI to HDMI / HDMI to HD-SDI cross conversion.
One unit, the OR-901-XDI is 4RU and has 9 user-assignable function keys as well as a rotary menu system. The unit has a built-in Waveform Monitor (including adjustable White and Black clip level indicators) and the video can be displayed in three different aspect ratios including Full Screen. A built-in Vectorscope displays in full colour, can also be displayed in three different ratios and has adjustable gain from 1x to 5x.
Not only that, the monitor will de-embed and display up to 16 channels of audio, allowing the user to monitor any two channels at once through the headphone jack or rear line output jack. The monitor also includes a built-in front panel speaker and rear panel stereo input for audio monitoring. The 64-segment tri-colour bar graph meters have user-adjustable reference levels.
The ORCHID series now includes 3D production tools including four Anaglyph 3D modes as well as five 3D analytic views. In order to make use of this feature, the source can be formatted as a single Side-by-Side Half Horizontal input.
Image showing the 3D Luminance Difference Display Output

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