Pinnacle Systems Dekocast Technical Reference And Service Manual
DEKOCAST
Technical Reference And Service Guide
Pinnacle® Systems, Inc.
280 N. Bernardo Avenue
Mountain View, CA 94043
July 2004
Copyright© 2004 Pinnacle® Systems, Inc.
P/N 322100119
Rev. A
Preface
This manual is a technical reference for the DekoCast workstations. A technical overview for the workstations are
provided, as well as information on troubleshooting a workstation and replacing software and hardware components
within a workstation.
This manual is intended for the person who sets up and uses the DekoCast workstation, and the Pinnacle Systems
Customer Support Engineer who provides technical support for the workstations over the phone.
Important: This manual references only newer DekoCast systems that were shipped after July 2004 and includes the
model numbers listed below:
• Model: 322202000 -- DekoCast
If the model number of your DekoCast system does not appear in the list above, please refer to the Quick Install
document that was provided on the Application CD with the original shipment of your system.
Trademarks
All brand or product names mentioned her e in are used for identification purposes only and may be trademarks or
registered trademarks of their respective companies.
DekoCast Technical Reference And Service Guide
Copyright © 2004 Pinnacle Systems, Inc.
All Rights Reserved.
Reproduction, adaptation, or translation of this document without pri or written permissio n is prohibited, except as
allowed under copyright laws.
Printed in the United States.
Note: The information in this document is subject to change without notice or obligation.
Pinnacle Systems Part #322100119
Revision A
15 July 2004
JML
2 DekoCast Technical Reference And Service Guide
Official Notices And Warranties
Software License Agreement
IMPORTANT—READ CAREFULLY: This Software License Agreement is a legal agreement
between You and Pinnacle (or its suppliers). This System contains certain Pinnacle computer
software (“Software”), associated media, printed materials, and electronic documentation. By
using the Software, You agree to be bound by the terms of this Software License Agreement. If
You do not agree to the terms of this Software License Agreement, Pinnacle is unwilling to
license the Software to You. In such case, You may not use or copy the Software. This system
also contains certain third party software, which is provided to You upon the condition that You
agree to the terms outlined in the third party software licenses included with the materials shipped
with the System.
License: Pinnacle grants to You a nonexclusive, personal, perpetual, nontransferable, limited license
to use the installed Software exclusively on hardware on which Pinnacle has loaded the Software, or
other hardware on which Pinnacle has authorized it to be loaded, but solely in connection with the
operation of Your internal business, and not for the benefit of any third party. Such Software may
only be enabled by Pinnacle or its authorized agent. Pinnacle and its licensors retain all right, title and
interest in and to all Software, but title to the media on which the Software is delivered is transferred
to You.
Restrictions: The Software is copyrighted and may contain material that is protected by patent, trade
secret or other laws pertaining to proprietary rights. You may not copy the Software, except that it
may make a single copy for archival purposes. You may not modify the Software or permit or assist
any third party in doing so. You may not decompile, reverse engineer, disassemble, or otherwise
reduce the Software to source code or other human-readable form, or attempt or permit any third party
to do so. Any violation of this Software license shall be a material breach and shall immediately entitle Pinnacle to exercise any remedy that may exist at law or in equity.
Copyright: All title and copyrights in the Software (and any copies thereof) and the accompanying
printed materials are owned by Pinnacle. All rights not specifically granted under this Software
License Agreement are reserved by Pinnacle.
Limited Warranty: Pinnacle warrants that (a) the Software will perform substantially in accordance
with the published specifications for a period of one year
hardware will be free from defects in materials and workmanship under normal use and service for a
period of one year
This warranty will not apply to repair or replacement necessitated by accident, disaster, improper or
inadequate maintenance, customer or customer-supplied interfacing or machines, unauthorized modifications or repairs, improper electrical current, misuse, abuse or improper installation. This warranty
is personal to You and may not be assigned or transferred. Pinnacle does not warrant that the Software will operate error-free.
THE LIMITED WARRANTY SET FORTH HEREIN IS THE ONLY WARRANTY, EXPRESS,
IMPLIED OR STATUTORY THAT PINNACLE MAKES WITH RESPECT TO THE PRODUCTS.
ALL IMPLIED WARRANTIES, INCLUDING, BUT NOT LIMITED TO, THE IMPLIED WARRANTIES OF MERCHANTABILITY, FITNESS FOR A PARTICULAR PURPOSE AND NONINFRINGEMENT, ARE DISCLAIMED.
from the date of receipt.
from the date of receipt and (b) any Pinnacle
DekoCast Technical Reference And Service Guide
3
Official Notices And Warranties
Limitation of Liability
PINNACLE SHALL NOT BE LIABLE FOR INDIRECT, SPECIAL, INCIDENTAL, OR
CONSEQUENTIAL DAMAGES; FOR DAMAGES THAT DIRECTLY OR INDIRECTLY
ARISE FROM YOUR USE OF, OR INABILITY TO USE, THE SYSTEM; FOR
COMMERCIAL LOSS OF ANY KIND; FOR THE PROCUREMENT OF SUBSTITUTE
GOODS--WHETHER ARISING IN TORT, CONTRACT OR ANY OTHER LEGAL THEORY,
EVEN IF PINNACLE HAS BEEN ADVISED OF THE POSSIBILITY OF SUCH DAMAGES.
IN ANY EVENT, PINNACLE’S LIABILITY SHALL BE LIMITED TO THE AMOUNT
ACTUALLY PAID BY YOU FOR THE SYSTEM GIVING RISE TO ANY SUCH DAMAGE.
THIS LIMITATION IS INTENDED TO LIMIT PINNACLE’S LIABILITY AND SHALL
APPLY NOTWITHSTANDING ANY FAILURE OF ESSENTIAL PURPOSE OF ANY
LIMITED REMEDY.
4
DekoCast Technical Reference And Service Guide
Table of Contents
OFFICIAL NOTICES AND WARRANTIES . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 3
Software License Agreement . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 3
Limitation of Liability . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 4
CHAPTER 1: INTRODUCTION TO DEKOCAST . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 7
Contents . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 7
Introduction . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 8
Using This Manual . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 8
CHAPTER 2: DEKOCAST SYSTEM OVERVIEW . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 9
Contents . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 9
Hardware Configuration . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 10
TARGA 3200 Board . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 10
Daria Bypass Board . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 10
RS-422 Board . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 10
Signal Flow . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 11
Workstation Front Panel . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 12
Workstation Back Panel . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 13
CHAPTER 3: INSTALLATION AND SETUP . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 15
Contents . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 15
Unpacking . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 16
DekoCast Workstation Initial Setup . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 17
Repacking A DekoCast Workstation . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 20
DekoCast GPI Input Connections . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 21
DekoCast RS-422 Automation Control . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 22
Daria Board Signal Flow . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 23
Over-Ride Switch Pinouts . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 24
Network Configuration . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 24
C
HAPTER 4: TROUBLESHOOTING . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 25
Contents . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 25
I/O Diagnostic Utility . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 26
Modes Of Operation . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 26
Setup Before Testing . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 26
Automatic Test Procedure . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 27
Manual Test Procedure . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 32
Deko Manifest Utility . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 37
Deko Manifest Test Procedure . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 37
Interpreting Deko Manifest Test Results . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 40
CHAPTER 5: SYSTEM MAINTENANCE . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 43
Contents . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 43
Replacing Workstation Components . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 44
Replacing A TARGA Card . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 45
DekoCast Technical Reference And Service Guide 5
Table Of Contents
Replacing The Daria Bypass Card . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 50
Replacing The RS-422 Card . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 53
Replacing The SVGA Card . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 56
Replacing A Hard Drive . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 58
Replacing A Power Supply . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 61
Replacing The Fan . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 63
Replacing The DVD/CD Drive And/Or Floppy Drive . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 66
System Recovery Procedures . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 71
You Have The Software Disks Supplied By Pinnacle Systems . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 71
Configuring A Restored DekoCast OS . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 73
Installing The DekoCast Software . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 79
Installing The Daria Bypass Card Software . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 80
Recreating A DekoCast Drive Image Restore DVD . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 81
Configuring A New “System” Hard Drive . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 87
Configuring A New “Media” Hard Drive . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 93
APPENDIX A: PINNACLE SYSTEMS CUSTOMER SUPPORT . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 99
About Deko Support . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 99
Troubleshooting Questionnaire . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 99
Contacting Pinnacle Systems . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 99
Upgrade Information on the Internet . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 100
APPENDIX B: USING SHAPED AND UNSHAPED KEYING . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 101
About Shaped And Unshaped Keying . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 101
Shaped vs. Unshaped Compositing . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 101
Shaped . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 101
Unshaped . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 102
Mathematical Equations . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 102
Comparison Matrix . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 103
APPENDIX C: DEKOCAST TECHNICAL SPECIFICATIONS . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 105
Technical Specifications . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 105
DekoCast Base Configuration . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 105
6 DekoCast Technical Reference And Service Guide
Chapter 1: Introduction To DekoCast
Contents
This Chapter provides an introduction to the DekoCast Workstation Technical Reference and
Service Guide. A brief description of all of the Chapters and Appendices that can be found in this
document is also described in this section.
This Chapter contains the following sections:
• Introduction
• Using This Manual
DekoCast Technical Reference And Service Guide
7
Chapter 1: Introduction To DekoCast
Introduction
DekoCast is an advanced, cost-effective solution for a wide range of master control, channel
branding and localization applications. From weather alerts to coming attractions, DekoCast
handles video, audio, clips and graphics all in one box. DekoCast is a turnkey combination of
real-time character generator, video and audio clip player, audio mixer and router, multi channel
DVE and advanced keying engine. It is the complete solution for automated squeeze and crawl,
squeeze and tease, credit sequences, and other broadcast combinations of re-scaled and positioned
video with real-time playback of clips, graphics, and effects.
This document provides detailed technical information about the DekoCast workstations. It is
meant to be used for initial setup and installation as well as a reference guide for system
maintenance and troubleshooting.
The DekoCast is configured to be a single channel system. This configuration type is described in
“Chapter 2: DekoCast System Overview.”
Important: This manual references only newer DekoCast systems that were shipped after July 2004 and
includes the model numbers listed below:
• Model: 322202000 -- DekoCast Single Channel System
If the model number of your DekoCast system does not appear in the list above, please refer to the Quick
Install document that was provided on the Application CD with the original shipment of your system
Using This Manual
Here is a quick overview of this manual’s Chapters and Appendices
• Chapter 1: Introduction To DekoCast -- Provides an overview of this manual.
• Chapter 2: DekoCast System Overview -- Provides a basic overview of the DekoCast system. The
hardware and channel configuration a DekoCast workstation can have are detailed here.
• Chapter 3: Installation And Set Up -- Explains how to set up a DekoCast workstation after it has
been initially received. This includes installing the hard drives, attaching peripheral devices, testing
the workstation, DekoCast software setup, and control and network connections.
• Chapter 4: Troubleshooting -- This Chapter describes how to use the I/O Diagnostic Utility, and the
Deko Manifest Utility. These two software utilities are provided within the DekoCast workstation
system software as a means to quickly and easily troubleshoot a workstation.
• Chapter 5: System Maintenance -- This Chapter details how to remove and replace various Deko-
Cast workstation components, and the methods for system recovery.
• Appendix A: Pinnacle Systems Customer Support -- Information about additional Deko resources,
a troubleshooting questionnaire, and regional worldwide e-mail and internet contact information is
included here.
• Appendix B: Using Shaped and Unshaped Keying -- An explanation about the methodology and
differences between shaped and unshaped keying when combining video an d key elements is given
here.
• Appendix C: DekoCast Technical Specifications -- Gives the technical specifications for the Deko-
Cast. Specifications for the DekoCast base configuration and ClipDeko option can be found here.
8
DekoCast Technical Reference And Service Guide
Chapter 2: DekoCast System Overview
Contents
This Chapter provides a basic overview of the DekoCast system. The hardware configuration and
channel configuration for a typical DekoCast workstation is discussed and also detailed via
illustrations. The inputs and outputs on the front and back panel of the DekoCast workstation are
also described.
This Chapter contains the following sections:
• Hardware Configuration
• Signal Flow
• DekoCast Workstation Front Panel
• DekoCast Workstation Back Panel
DekoCast Technical Reference And Service Guide
9
Chapter 2: DekoCast System Overview
Hardware Configuration
The DekoCast workstation is built with a high performance motherboard configuration that is
driven by powerful plug-in cards that manage the video and graphics data that flows through the
system. Each DekoCast workstation is also equipped with a state of the art graphics card that
processes all of the real-time graphic effects that are created in a Deko application. The primary
plug-in cards in a DekoCast workstation are as follows:
• TARGA 3200 Board
• Daria Bypass Board
• RS-422 Board
TARGA 3200 Board
The main Input/Output (I/O) module in the DekoCast system is Pinnacle’s TARGA 3200 plug-in
card. The TARGA 3200 board is an advanced real-time video and audio processing engine that
manages all of the I/O and graphics functions in a DekoCast. A single TARGA 3200 card is
installed on a DekoCast system. It is the TARGA 3200 card that provides the channel output for a
DekoCast system.
Daria Bypass Board
The Daria Bypass card enables DekoCast to pass the SDI Input through to the SDI output of the
system when the system is powered off or not functioning. It serves as a failover mechanism to
assure that valid video is output from the DekoCast even when any portion of the DekoCast
hardware or software malfunctions. The board can be set up so that its bypass functionality will
run automatically, or an optional over-ride switch (not included from the factory) can be installed
to manually force the DekoCast workstation into bypass mode at will. Information on the DB9
connector pinouts used to control the Daria board by a passive bypass switch, and the signal flow
of the TARGA 3200 to Daria, can be found in the “Daria Board Signal Flow” section within
“Chapter 3: Installation And Setup.”
RS-422 Board
A RS-422 plug-in card, which provides two industry standard RS-422 ports to the DekoCast
workstation for automation control, is factory installed on each DekoCast workstation. Additional
information can be found in the “DekoCast RS-422 Automation Control” section within “Chapter
3: Installation And Setup.”
10
DekoCast Technical Reference And Service Guide
Chapter 2: DekoCast System Overview
V
Signal Flow
The main hardware processing engine of the DekoCast is the TARGA3200 board. All I/O, clip
processing, effects output, and keying is processed on the TARGA 3200 board. An illustration
that is representative of the signal flow for the DekoCast system is shown in Figure 2-1.
Video
Input
DVE
Deko CG
CAP
CAP
DVE
Internal
Objexs Processing
Clip
CODEC
DVEDeko CG
DVE
DVE
DVE
DVE
Keyer
Bypass
Relay
Daria Board
Video
Output
Key
Output
ideo/Key
Input
DVE
TARGA
3200
Board
Clip
CODEC
Clip Storage
Figure 2-1: DekoCast Signal Flow
Note: For DekoCast systems, the Clip option may or may not be installed. (It depends on how the system was
ordered.)
DekoCast Technical Reference And Service Guide
11
Chapter 2: DekoCast System Overview
Workstation Front Panel
Figure 2-2 shows the front of the DekoCast workstation with the front cover removed.
DVD CD-ROM
SYSTEMSYSTEM
Floppy Drive
MEDIAMEDIA
USB
Power
On/Off
LED LED
Not Used
USB
Figure 2-2: Front Panel of DekoCast workstation (front panel cover removed)
The DekoCast workstations contain a floppy disk drive and a DVD/CD-ROM drive. The right
front panel has openings for inserting floppy disks and DVDs or CDs. To power on the machine,
first turn on the Power Supply switches on the back of a unit, then press the Power On/Off button
on the left side of the front panel. To power off the machine, first close all applications and shut
down the Windows operating system. Then turn of f the Power Supply switches on the back of the
machine. When a machine is powered On, the power light stays lit. A green light flashes
whenever the hard drive accesses data.
12
DekoCast Technical Reference And Service Guide
Workst ation Back Panel
Figure 2-3 shows the back of the DekoCast workstation.
Chapter 2: DekoCast System Overview
REDUNDANT POWER SUPPLIES
MOUSE
KEYBRD
SVGA
USB
RS422A RS422A
MANUAL
BYPASS
PARALLEL
SERIAL
UNUSED
NETWORK
USB
REFERENCE
ALARM
SILENCE
VIDEO
IN
VIDEO
OUT
KEY
IN
KEY
OUT
Figure 2-3: Back Panel of DekoCast workstation
The DekoCast workstation back panel (Figure 2-3) has two power supplies on the left, and AGP
and PCI card ventilation covers on the right. BNC connector plates for each TARGA 3200 board
in the workstation also double as ventilation covers. The cables from the TARGA 3200 cards are
fastened to the inside BNCs of the connector plates, which is labeled on the corresponding BNCs
on the outside the connection plates for each connection.
Each DekoCast workstation includes a pair of redundant hot-swappable Power Supplies. In the
event that one of the Power Supplies fails, the other will automatically take over to assure
continued operation of the workstation. A replacement Power Supply can be installed without
disrupting operation.
Important: Pinnacle Systems highly recommends that you purchase at least one spare Power Supply to
use in the event of a Power Supply failure. Contact Pinnacle Systems Customer Support (refer to
Appendix A) for ordering information.
Turn on the Power Supply switches before pressing the Power On/Off switch on the front panel.
When the power supplies are running, the Power LED on each power supply is green. When a
power supply is turned off or is not operational, the LED for that power supply is not lit. If a
power supply is not operational and the Power On/Off switch on the front panel is turned On, an
alarm will sound for the workstation. The workstation alarm can be turned off by pressing the
Alarm Silence button. Instructions for replacing a power supply can be found in Chapter 5:
System Maintenance.
The upper-middle part of the back panel contains the SVGA interface and the Genlock Reference
Input, which is internally connected to the TARGA 3200 board(s).
The recessed lower-middle panel has connectors for a keyboard and mouse, four available USB
ports, one parallel port, one serial port, and one LAN connector.
Important: A dongle which is necessary for the DekoCast software program to run is installed on the
parallel port. Do not remove the dongle.
DekoCast Technical Reference And Service Guide
13
Chapter 2: DekoCast System Overview
14
DekoCast Technical Reference And Service Guide
Chapter 3: Installation And Setup
Contents
This Chapter describes how to set up a DekoCast workstation after it has been initially received.
Information on installing the hard drives, attaching peripheral devices, testing the workstation,
DekoCast hardware settings software setup, and GPI control and network connections.
This Chapter contains the following sections:
• Unpacking
• DekoCast Workstation Initial Setup
• DekoCast Hardware Settings Window
• DekoCast GPI Input Connections
• DekoCast RS-422 Automation Control
• Daria Board Signal Flow
• Network Configuration
DekoCast Technical Reference And Service Guide
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Chapter 3: Installation And Setup
Unpacking
Please check to make sure that the following items have been included in the DekoCast packages
that were shipped:
-- Software CDs and DVDs
• DekoCast Software Application CD
• DekoCast Restore Image DVD
• Deko Fonts CD
• Instant CD/DVD Software CD
• Windows 2000 CD
These CD's are critical for the proper support of a DekoCast system. Please put them in a safe
location to insure timely support in the event that system maintenance is necessary. Misplacing
any of these CD's may result in a delay in servicing your DekoCast system.
-- Documents
• DekoCast Release Notes
• DekoCast Quick Install Guide
• Product Registration Card
Please read the Release Notes for important information about your new DekoCast System.
Also, take the time to fill out the Product Registration Card and return it to Pinnacle Systems.
Your filling out and sending the registration card enables Pinnacle Systems to inform you of any
important updates for your DekoCast system.
-- Hardware Components
• Main DekoCast Chassis
• System Drive (packed in separate box)
• Media Drive (packed in separate box)
• DekoCast Front Panel Cover
• Standard Mouse
• Standard Keyboard
• Two AC Power Cords (USA)
• Two AC Power Cords (International)
Note: Only two of the supplied power cords will be necessary for the DekoCast workstation. The type used is
dependent on the type of power outlet used in the facility where the DekoCast workstation will be located.
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DekoCast Technical Reference And Service Guide
Chapter 3: Installation And Setup
DekoCast Workstation Initial Setup
Before installing the DekoCast in your rack, the system should be put together, powered up, and
tested via a diagnostic test that comes pre-installed on the system. The steps for initially setting up
the workstation, powering it up, and testing it are as follows:
1. Visually inspect the hardwar e c omponents listed in the “Unpacking” section on the previous page to make sure that none of them were damaged during shipment
If you received a hardware component that was damaged, contact Pinnacle Systems
Customer Support. Contact information can be found in Appendix A of this document.
2. Insert the System hard drive and Media hard drive into their respective drive bays on
the front panel of the DekoCast workstation. Refer to Figure 3-1.
When placing a hard drive into its respective bay, align the drive so that it will properly slide
into the drive bay. Then push the drive so that it completely slides into the bay. This will
connect the drive to its connectors at the back of the bay. Use a screwdriver to completely
tighten the two thumbscrews. To insure that the connection stays intact, tighten the
thumbscrews as much as possible with the screwdriver.
DVD CD-ROM
Power
On/Off
LED LED
SYSTEMSYSTEM
MEDIAMEDIA
Not Used
Floppy Drive
USB
USB
Figure 3-1: Front Panel of DekoCast Workstation (front panel cover removed)
3. Attach the mouse and keyboard to the back panel of the workstation.
The mouse and keyboard connections on the workstation are shown in Figure 3-2.
REDUNDANT POWER SUPPLIES
SVGA
RS422A RS422A
MANUAL
BYPASS
REFERENCE
VIDEO
IN
VIDEO
OUT
MOUSE
USB
KEYBRD
Figure 3-2: Back Panel of the DekoCast Workstation
DekoCast Technical Reference And Service Guide
SERIAL
PARALLEL
UNUSED
NETWORK
USB
ALARM
SILENCE
KEY
KEY
OUT
IN
17
Chapter 3: Installation And Setup
4. Attach the front panel cover (supplied) to the front of the DekoCast workstation.
The panel cover is the large plastic front panel cover that has the word DekoCast in red
lettering.
5. Connect a monitor (not supplied) to the DekoCast workstation.
The monitor attaches to the SVGA connector on the back of the DekoCast Workstation.
Refer to Figure 3-2.
6. Connect both AC Power Cords (supplied) the DekoCast workstation.
The AC power cords connect to both Power Supplies located at the back of the workstation.
Refer to Figure 3-2. Use the power cords appropriate for the electrical voltage range used by
the electrical outlet.
7. Turn on the monitor, and then power up the DekoCast workstation.
The workstation is power up by first pushing the Power Supply switches where the AC
Power Cords are connected to “On.” Then push the On/Off button located on the front panel
of the workstation to power up the workstation. When the operating system boots up, the
DekoCast background is displayed on the monitor.
8. Run the automatic mode of the I/O Diagnostic Utility to insure that the TARGA card is
functioning within the workstation.
For the TARGA card to be tested, the SDI channels for that card must be set to loop back.
This is done by taking two BNC cables (75 ohm) and connecting the Input/Output of each
channel as shown in Figure 3-3. The TARGA card BNC connectors are located on the back
panel of the workstation. The cable connection on the card for the test should be: Video Out
to Video In, and Key Out to Key In. Refer to Figure 3-3.
VIDEO IN
VIDEO OUT
KEY IN
KEY OUT
Figure 3-3: Loop Back Connections on each SDI Channel
Running the I/O Diagnostic Utility on a T ARGA card in a DekoCast workstation is a two step
process. First the “Fail Safe Test” software application program for the Daria Bypass Card
must be started. Once the “Fail Safe Test” application is running, the I/O Diagnostic Utility
program can be started and performed.
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DekoCast Technical Reference And Service Guide
Chapter 3: Installation And Setup
To start the “Fail Safe Test” application, navigate the following path within Windows:
Start menu >> Programs >>Pinnacle Systems >> Daria Passthrough
Then click the program “DariaPassthrough Test Procedure” to open it. Refer to Figure 3-4.
Figure 3-4: Daria Fail Safe Test
Important: Make sure that the “Emulate timeout failure” box is unchecked.
To start the I/O Diagnostic Utility application, navigate the following path to the Diagnostic
software program within Windows:
C:\ >> Program Files >> Pinnacle Systems >> TARGA Tester
Then click the program “I-O Diagnostic” to open it. Refer to Figure 3-5.
Figure 3-5: I/O Diagnostic Utility
Use the pull-down selection box on the upper left-hand side of the I/O Diagnostic window to
select “Board 1.” If you are facing the back panel of the workstation and looking at the
BNCs, then TARGA Board 1 would be the row of BNC’s on the far left. Then click the
“Start Full Test” button on the I/O Diagnostic window to run the automatic mode of the test.
If nothing fails on the test, the channel tested is fine.
A more detailed explanation of the I/O Diagnostic Utility program can be found in “Chapter
4: Troubleshooting” of this manual.
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Chapter 3: Installation And Setup
9. If the workstation is to be rack mounted or moved to another location, disconnect all of
the components and rack mount the workstation chassis.
Each DekoCast workstation chassis is designed so that industry standard rails can be
connected for rack mounting purposes. Each workstation will fit on 19-inch standard
instrument racks.
10. Make any other connections to the workstation that are necessary for the working
environment.
Other connections would include Genlock Reference, Video Input/Output BNCs, RS-422
automation, network cable, etc.
Note: The Audio connections (Speakers, Mic) on the back of the DekoCast chassis (refer to Figure 3-2) are
disabled at the factory and should not be used.
Repacking A DekoCast Workstation
When repacking your DekoCast system for shipment, please be sure to first remove the System
and Media drives and properly pack them with the system. This will protect the drives from
damage during shipment.
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DekoCast Technical Reference And Service Guide
Chapter 3: Installation And Setup
DekoCast GPI Input Connections
GPI’ s (General Purpos e Interface) can be us ed to interf ace DekoCa st with peripheral devices that
are capable of sending and receiving GPI pulses. A GPI Input can be selected from the Deko
Sequencer to trigger through a graphics sequence manually . For details on how to use GPIs within
the Deko application, refer to the “DekoCastCentral Guide” provided with your system.
The RS-232 port on the back of your DekoCast system can be repurposed to provide a pair of GPI
inputs. The diagram in Figure 3-7 below shows the pin connections on the RS-232 port that are
used as GPI’s.
12345
6789
Pin 6
Figure 3-6: DekoCast RS-232 Port Pinout
GPI_2
Pin 7
GPI_1
Pin 8
Pins 7 and 8 of the RS-232 connector are mapped to GPI-1 and Pins 6 and 7 are mapped to GPI-2
and can be used to detect a GPI from a standard contact closure (such as a GPI output from a
switcher). These GPI inputs can be selected from the DekoCast Central application to trigger
various events within the DekoCast system. Refer to the User documentation that can be found on
your DekoCast Software Application CD.
If you need more than 2 GPI inputs for your DekoCast, two external boxes are available from
Burst Electronics to provide up to 10 GPI inputs. The specific model numbers and ordering
information is listed as follows:
Model Number Description Ordering Information
GPI-10 RS-232 to GPI Converter, 10 GPI Inputs Must Specify “Pinnacle Firmware” when ordering
GPI-10K RS-232 to GPI Converter, 10 GPI Inputs Must Specify “Pinnacle Firmware” when ordering
(Includes built in Keypad)
For more information, refer to the Burst Electronics website at: www.burstelectronics.com
DekoCast Technical Reference And Service Guide
21
Chapter 3: Installation And Setup
d)
R
d)
T
)
G
DekoCast RS-422 Automation Control
Your DekoCast system comes equipped with two industry standard RS-422 ports that can be used
for connecting to an automation system or for other control applications. These ports are labeled
as RS-422A and RS-422B on the back of the DekoCast chassis. Refer to Figure 3-2.
The pinouts for the RS-422 ports for automation control are shown in Figure 3-8.
Chassis
GND RX-
TX+
NC NC
12345
6789
GND
X- Receive (Negative End) NC (No Connect_Not Use
X+ Transmit (Positive End) RX+ Receive (Positive End
ND Ground
RX+ NC
TX-
TX- Transmit (Negative En
Figure 3-7: RS-422 Port Pinouts for Automation Control
These RS-422 ports will appear as standard COM3 (RS-422A) and COM4 (RS-422B) ports that
can be selected from the DekoCast Central Application or from a custom application that is
written for your DekoCast. Please refer to the DekoCast User documentation provided on the
application CD for more information.
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DekoCast Technical Reference And Service Guide
Chapter 3: Installation And Setup
Daria Board Signal Flow
The Daria Bypass Card provides a passive bypass relay to the video signal being provided to and
from the TARGA card. That is, the Daria card operates in pass through mode where it passes an
incoming video signal to the TARGA card, and receives an outgoing video from the TARGA
card. The Daria Bypass Card will provide a continuous video signal for the following three
conditions:
1. Loss of power
2. Software lock-up
3. Over-Ride activation (available only if an over-ride switch is installed)
Important: The key output is not affected by the Daria Bypass Card, and therefore not protected from
the above three conditions.
A diagram showing how the TARGA and Daria Bypass Card are connected and thus the signal
flow for video signal protection to occur is shown in Figure 3-9.
TARGA
Inside Of Workstation Chassis
REF
DARIA
IN A
IN B
OUT A
REDUNDANT POWER SUPPLIES
SVGA
MOUSE
KEYBRD
RS422A RS422A
USB
SERIAL
PARALLEL
MANUAL
BYPASS
SERIAL
NETWORK
REFERENCE
SPEAKERS
OUT B
OUT A
VIDEO
VIDEO
ALARM
SILENCE
MIC
IN A
OUT
KEY
KEY
OUT
IN B
OUT B
OVER
RIDE
IN
IN
Figure 3-8: Signal Flow Connections Between TARGA and Daria Bypass Card within DekoCast Workstation
V ideo In and Video Out on a DekoCast system is always active. With that in mind, refer to Figure
3-9 above. The Video connections on the back of the DekoCast workstation are connected
directly to the Daria card. Thus, a video input signal coming into the “VIDEO IN” on the back of
the DekoCast workstation is routed to Daria “IN A.” The signal is then passed within the Daria
Bypass Card to Daria “OUT B” which in turn routes the signal into the TARGA card at TARGA
“IN A.”
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Chapter 3: Installation And Setup
A video output signal from the TARGA card comes out of TARGA “OUT A” and goes into the
Daria Bypass Card at Daria “IN B.” The signal is then passed within the Daria Bypass Card to
Daria “Out A” and sent to “Video Out” on the back of the workstation
Over-Ride Switch Pinouts
Pins 1 and 2 on a DB9 connector are used to force the Daria bypass board into fail-over mode
(video input hardwired to the output). Refer to Figure 3-10. A simple contact closure will trigger
the bypass mode.
12345
6789
Figure 3-9: Pinouts on a DB9 Connector
Network Configuration
Contact the IT System Administrator at the facility where the DekoCast workstation is to be
installed to obtain detailed information about how to configure your system for the Network.
The following guidelines are outlined for the IT department to use to protect your DekoCast
system from virus infection. While it is understood that all of these guidelines may not be
practical, following them will provide the best level of protection against system infection.
1. NEVER share a folder or drive to “Everyone” with full-access.
2. ALWAYS assign a local Administrator password on every machine. Not assigning a local
Administrator password can introduce a serious security risk.
3. Do not store files with a .exe extension in directories with write permissions.
4. If possible, keep all Pinnacle Live Production equipment on a separate network that is isolated from other machines in the facility.
5. Disallow Internet access on any Pinnacle Live Production machines that do not require it.
6. Do not install anti-virus software on any of the Pinnacle supplied hardware components that
are used on-air.
7. Install and run anti-virus software on all PC components that are not used for on-air play out.
This includes Pinnacle products such as DekoCast Authoring Station, PostDeko, DekoMOS
Clients, Lightning Browse, and Thunder Browse.
24
Note: Please refer to the “Virus Protection Recommendations for Pinnacle Systems Live Production
Products” white paper for additional guidelines on how to protect your Deko system from virus infection.
This and other White Paper and Application Notes can be found on Pinnacle’s website at
www.pinnaclesys.com
DekoCast Technical Reference And Service Guide
Chapter 4: Troubleshooting
Contents
This Chapter describes how to use software utilities provided with each DekoCast Workstation
system software as a means to quickly and easily troubleshoot the workstation. Troubleshooting
tips are also provided. Performing these procedures will help streamline the process of getting
your DekoCast Workstation up and running again.
This Chapter contains the following sections:
• I/O Diagnostic Utility
• Deko Manifest Utility
DekoCast Technical Reference And Service Guide
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Chapter 4: Troubleshooting
I/O Diagnostic Utility
The Input/Output (I/O) Diagnostic software test utility provides a range of tests if you, or Pinnacle
Systems Customer Support, suspect that there is a problem with the TARGA 3200 card in a
DekoCast Workstation. The procedures described for performing the I/O Diagnostic should be
perform before contacting Customer Support. If a TARGA card is the problem, downtime is kept
to a minimum since the problem is quickly identified.
Problems that may lead one to run the I/O Diagnostic Utility are as follows:
• No picture being output from the workstation
• Video looks bad or rolls continuously (no genlock)
• Effects of clips stutter
• Video capture and playback not working
• Audio is scrambled
Modes Of Operation
The I/O Diagnostic test can be used in two different modes: automatic or manual. The automatic
testing runs a list of tests until either an error is detected, or until all the tests are successfully
completed. In most instances, the automatic test mode is used. Manual testing allows you to
select a test individually from the list of tests and run it. You can run each test individually by
manual selection if directed to do so by Pinnacle Systems Customer Support.
Setup Before Testing
The setup procedures given below for automatic and manual test modes should be perform before
running the I/O Diagnostic test.
Setup for automatic test mode:
For a TARGA card to be tested, the SDI channels must be set for loop back. This is done by
taking two BNC cables (75 ohm) and connecting a TARGA card that is to be tested to itself. The
cable connection on the card should be: Video Out to Video In, and Key Out to Key In. Refer to
Figure 4-1.
VIDEO IN
VIDEO OUT
KEY IN
KEY OUT
26
Figure 4-1: Loop Back Connections on a TARGA Card
DekoCast Technical Reference And Service Guide
Chapter 4: Troubleshooting
Setup for manual test mode:
If the NTSC Genlock or PAL Genlock test is to be done, then an input black burst signal must be
connected to the REF input connector on the back of the DekoCast chassis. An input NTSC
signal source must be used for the NTSC Genlock test. An input PAL signal source must be used
for the PAL Genlock test.
If manual testing of the SDI channels is to be done, the SDI channel to be tested must be set for
loop back. Refer to “Setup for automatic test mode” above and Figure 4-1. Channel 1 is Video
Out (Out A) to Video In (In A). Channel 2 is Key Out (Out B) to Key In (In B).
Automatic Test Procedure
The following steps should be performed for automatic testing of T ARGA card within a DekoCast
Workstation by way of the I/O Diagnostic Utility test:
1. Turn on the DekoCast Workstation.
Only the Windows OS should be running. If any other programs are running on the
workstation, then you should exit out of those programs.
Important: If your workstation is corrupted to the point where it will not boot up when turned on,
contact Pinnacle Systems Technical Support. Contact information can be found in Appendix A.
2. Start the Daria Fail Safe Test software program.
The “Fail Safe Test” software application program for the Daria Bypass Card must be
started before the I/O Diagnostic software test for the TARGA can be run. Once the “Fail
Safe Test” application is running, the I/O Diagnostic Utility program can be started and
performed.
To start the “Fail Safe Test” application, navigate the following path within Windows:
Start menu >> Programs >>Pinnacle Systems >> Daria Passthrough
Then click the program “DariaPassthrough Test Procedure” to open it. Refer to Figure 4-2.
Figure 4-2: Daria Fail Safe Test
Important: Make sure that the “Emulate timeout failure” box is unchecked.
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Chapter 4: Troubleshooting
3. Start the I/O Diagnostic software program.
T o start the I/O Diagnos tic Utility application, navigate the following path to the Diagnostic
software program within Windows:
C:\ >> Program Files >> Pinnacle Systems >> TARGA Tester
Then click the program “I-O Diagnostic” to open it. Refer to Figure 4-3.
Figure 4-3: Initial start up screen of I/O Diagnostic Test
Note: Depending on the model of the TARGA card in your system, the “3210” indication may appear as a
different number.
Important: If the dialog shown in Figure 4-4 is displayed, then either the Deko program is also
running, or some other program is running that interferes with the I/O Diagnostic.
Figure 4-4: TARGA kernel driver interference dialog
Quit all other programs and restart the workstation. Repeat Step 2 so that only the I/O Diagnostic
program is running.
4. Select the channel that is to be tested.
There is a pull-down selection box on the upper left-hand side of the I/O Diagnostic
window. The default selection in the pull down is Board 1 (i.e., first channel). Refer to
Figure 4-3. The selection and identification of a board is as follows:
• Board 1 -- This is the TARGA card, which is essentially the channel. If you are facing the back
panel of the workstation and looking into the TARGA card bay area, then Board 1 would be the
T ARGA card on the far left. If the workstation top is lifted off, the TARGA card would be seated
right next to the Serial 422 card. (Refer to Figure 5-1 within the “Replacing Workstation Components” section of Chapter 5 for the TARGA card location)
28
DekoCast Technical Reference And Service Guide
Chapter 4: Troubleshooting
• Board 2 -- This pull down selection is not used with a DekoCast workstation because DekoCast
only uses one TARGA card.
• Board 3 -- This pull down selection is not used with a DekoCast workstation because DekoCast
only uses one TARGA card.
• Board 4 -- This pull down selection is not used with a DekoCast workstation because DekoCast
only uses one TARGA card.
Important: Loop back must be set up on the TARGA card channel before running the test. Refer to
the “Setup Before Testing” section above for automatic testing procedures.
5. Click the “Start Full Test” button on the I/O Diagnostic window.
Brief descriptions of the tests are as follows:
• 3210 Components Test -- This test checks that the various components on the TARGA card are
functioning in a normal manner.
Note: Depending on the model of the TARGA card in your system, the “3210” indication may appear as a
different number.
• Memory Tests -- This test performs extensive memory testing on the TARGA card.
• Hub Clock Rate -- This is a test to check that the TARGA’s “clock” locks to the oscillator.
• SDI Channel Tests -- This test loops a signal out of the SDI portion of a channel and checks that
the signal comes back into the card exactly the same.
• Codec Tests -- This test checks the encoding and decoding ability of a Codec by putting a fixed
image through the Codec.
When the “Start Full Test” button is clicked, the automatic testing sequence for the channel
(i.e., board) selected in the pull down will begin. The automatic test takes about 3 minutes
to complete. An example of automatic testing in progress is shown in Figure 4-5.
Figure 4-5: I/O Diagnostic automatic test in progress
DekoCast Technical Reference And Service Guide
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Chapter 4: Troubleshooting
If all automatic tests pass:
If automatic testing completes successfully, a dialog stating that the tests are done and all test
passed will be displayed. Click the “OK” button within the dialog. Refer to Figure 4-6.
Figure 4-6: Dialog shown when all automatic tests pass
If an automatic test fails:
The automatic testing sequence will stop at the point that a test fails, and the dialog shown in
Figure 4-7 will be displayed.
Figure 4-7: Dialog shown when an automatic test fails
Details about a test that fails can be viewed by clicking the “Show Details” button on the Failed
Test dialog. If it was one of the SDI Channel tests that failed, check that the loop through cables
are connected properly to the TARGA card. (Refer to the “Setup Before Testing” section above
for automatic testing setup procedures.)
Perform the following steps if a test fails:
1. After viewing the details, click “OK” on the dialog and repeat the automatic test.
Make sure that the TARGA card is properly seated, and loop through cables are secure and
properly connected before repeating the automatic test sequence.
Important: Power down the workstation before removing the cover to make sure that the TARGA
card is properly seated in its PCI slot.
2. If the test fails again, click “OK” on the Failed Test dialog and save results.
Results can be saved by right clicking on the blue title bar or red icon (upper left-hand
corner) of the I/O Diagnostic window and selecting “Save Results.” Refer to Figure 4-8.
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DekoCast Technical Reference And Service Guide
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