Sencore VP300 User Manual
VP300
VideoPro
Multimedia Video Generator
Operation Manual
(Firmware version 2.00)
SENCORE, INC.
3200 Sencore Drive, Sioux Falls, SD 57107
Table of Contents
Specifications ................................................................................................................2
Battery Information and Installation .............................................................................3
Making Connections .....................................................................................................4
Front Panel Controls and Indicators ..............................................................................5
Signal Type, Format, and Pattern Menus ......................................................................6
Pattern Description and Usage ......................................................................................7
Gating Menu ................................................................................................................17
Test Menu ....................................................................................................................17
Sequence Sub-Menu...............................................................................................18
Burn-In Sub-Menu.................................................................................................18
Horizontal Frequency Shift Sub-Menu..................................................................19
Audio Sub-Menu ...................................................................................................19
DDC Step Sub-Menu.............................................................................................19
ColorPro Sub-Menu...............................................................................................20
Options Menu ..............................................................................................................21
Learn Formats Menu ...................................................................................................21
Appendix A - Calibrating TV User Controls...............................................................22
Brightness Control..................................................................................................22
Sharpness Control...................................................................................................23
Contrast Control.....................................................................................................24
Color Control..........................................................................................................25
Hue Control............................................................................................................26
Appendix B - Video Display White Balance Adjustment ...........................................28
Entire Contents Copyright ©2001
Sencore, Inc. All rights reserved
Page 1
Specifications
Video Formats:
Storage: 100 Total
Factory Default Formats:
HDTV – 720p59, 720p60, 1080i25, 1080i29,
1080i30, 1080p50, 1080p59, 1080p60
SDTV – 480i29, 480i30, 480p59, 480p60
VESA/Mac – 38 standard formats from
640x350 to 1920x1440
NTSC – standard NTSC, luminance only NTSC
PAL – standard PALm, luminance only PALm
Patterns
White Raster, Black Raster, Crosshatch, Overscan,
Regulate, Window (8 IRE levels), Focus, Color Bar,
Split Bar, SMPTE Bar, Staircase, Checker, Pluge,
Multiburst, Ramp, ANSI Gray
Horizontal Timing
Frequency: 1 kHz to 250 kHz
Total Pixels: 144 to 4096
Active Pixels: 16 to 4096
Vertical Timing
Frequency: 1 Hz to 650 Hz
Active Lines: 1 to 4096
Scan Types: Progressive, 2:1 Interlace
Audio Outputs
Connector: 2.5mm stereo phone jack
See page 4 for wiring information
Signals: Left - 1 kHz tone
Right - 2 kHz tone
User Interface
Display: 20x4 character backlit LCD
Buttons: 9 function buttons, 8 Menu buttons,
2 page scroll buttons.
See page 5 for more information.
Computer Interface
Type: RS-232, DTE, 9 pin D-sub
See page 4 for pinout
Protocol: 9600 Baud, 8-N-1, Xon/Xoff
VESA EDID/DDC Support
Reads a monitor's EDID data and displays a list of
VESA formats supported. DDC Step function cycles
through supported formats.
Battery Power Operation
Type: Four internal AA batteries.
1500 ma/H rated rechargeable NiMH
batteries supplied with unit.
Use Time: 8 hours with supplied NiMH batteries
when fully charged
Sync Types
Separate Digital Horizontal and Vertical Sync
Digital and Analog Composite Sync
Tri-level HDTV Sync
Video Outputs
HDTV: YPbPr, RGBHV
SDTV: YPbPr, RGBHV
VESA/Mac: RGBHV
NTSC: Composite, S-Video
PAL: Composite, S-Video
Timing Accuracy: 2%
Connectors: See diagram on page 4.
AC Power Operation
Type: External Charger / Power Supply
supplied with unit
AC Input Range: 86 to 250 VAC @ 46 to 66 Hz
Size and Weight
Size: 5.5 x 8.25 x 2 inches
140 x 210 x 51 mm
Weight: 4 lbs. w/ supplied batteries installed
Page 2
Preparation for first time use
Battery Types Used
The Model VP300 generator is supplied with four (4) internal size AA rechargeable Nickel
Metal Hydride (NiMH) cells. These 1500 mA/H rated cells will operate the generator for about 8
hours on a full charge. They can normally be recharged about 1000 times before needing
replacement. No other type of rechargeable battery can be used in the generator!
You can use non-rechargeable alkaline AA cells with the generator, provided that you never use
the external power supply with the generator while the alkaline cells are in the unit. Attempting
to operate the generator or recharge the alkaline cells with the external power supply may cause
operator injury and/or damage to the generator! Never mix battery types in the generator.
AC Power Supply
The AC power supply that comes with the generator has an input voltage range of 100-240 VAC
from 47 to 63 Hz. The output is rated at 9.0 VDC @ 1.67 Amp. This is sufficient to operate the
generator and recharge the batteries at the same time. Attempting to operate the generator or
recharge the batteries with any other type of external power supply may cause operator injury
and/or damage to the generator!
Battery Installation
1) Place the generator face down on a suitable padded surface.
2) Remove the two back cover screws shown in the top figure.
3) Lift the back cover off the generator and locate the four
battery holders, as shown in the middle figure.
4) Install the batteries, making sure to match up their polarities
for each battery holder. The supplied batteries may not have
any printed polarity indication. The outer metal can is the
negative terminal. The insulated metal button, as shown in the
end view in the lower figure, is the positive terminal.
5) Replace the back cover and retaining screws.
6) When the generator is shipped from the factory, the supplied
batteries may not be fully charged. Connect the supplied AC
power supply and charge the batteries for at least 8 hours.
Low Battery Indication
A "BATTERY LOW" message blinks on the LCD when the NiMH
batteries need recharging or alkaline cells need replacement.
Page 3
Making Connections
Page 4
Front Panel Controls and Indicators
ON/OFF
SIGNAL TYPE
FORMAT
PATTERN
+ / -
BACKLIGHT
LCD Window
The LCD window either displays messages to the operator or shows a selection menu. The figure
shows an example of a selection menu.
Controls
Toggle generator
power on and off
CHARGE
External charger
connected when lit
Toggle LCD
backlight on and off
GATING
Menu for gating video and
sync components on and off
See page 7
Video signal types menu
See page 6
TEST
Menu of available
test functions
See page 7
Video formats menu
See page 6
OPTIONS
Unit’s configuration
options
See page 11
Video patterns menu
See page 6
Page through
menu screens
LEARN FORMATS
Capture monitor’s DDC
format data
See page 11
Page 5
Signal Type, Format, and Pattern Menus
Signal Type Menu
Select one of the video types shown,
then press the FORMAT button to display a
menu list of matching formats. The format
list can be scrolled to select formats of other
video types.
NOTES:
VESA/Mac = Red, Green, Blue component color video per VESA and Apple standards.
(VGA connector used for all outputs)
NTSC/PAL = Composite color baseband video signal (BNC connector) and Separate
Luminance and Chrominance video signals (S Video connector) or RGB component video (VGA
connector) per NTSC and PAL standards
HDTV/SDTV YPbPr = Luminance plus color difference signals per EIA standards
HDTV/SDTV RGB = RGB component color video signals per EIA standards
USER = User defined video formats
Format Menu
Select from the list of all (factory
default and user defined) video formats stored
in the generator's memory. Use the +/buttons to page through the list. For the
future, custom editing software is planned to
allow you to add your own formats. A total of 100 video formats can be stored in the generator's
non-volatile memory. Unused locations are labeled on the format menu as being empty.
Pattern Menu
Select from the list of available
patterns. Use the +/- buttons to page through
the menu screens.
Page 6
Pattern Description and Usage
SMPTE Bar
Pattern Description: The upper two-thirds of the pattern consists of seven equal-width vertical
bars, with 75% white (gray) at left, followed by three primary and three seconday colors. Color
bars are at 100% saturation with 75% amplitude. Just below these bars is a section of short bars
containing the blues complement color for each of the large bars containing blue. Under those
color bars containing no blue (yellow, green, and red), the short bar is black. The bottom onefifth of the pattern consists of the following seven signals, starting from left to right; 1) -I, 2)
100% white, 3) -Q, 4) black, 5) slightly blacker than black (0 IRE for NTSC, -4 IRE for other
formats), 6) black, 7) slightly whiter than black (10 IRE for NTSC, +4 IRE for other formats).
Pattern Usage: Use to adjust color and hue through a blue filter with composite, S-video, or
YPbPr signal inputs. The bar transitions in the top part of the picture may be an advantage with
some on-screen-display formats. While viewing the pattern through a blue filter (Wratten 50),
adjust the color control for equal brightness white/blue bars. Adjust the hue control for equal
brightness cyan/magenta bars. Note: RGB input signals aren’t processed through a color
decoder, thus no color adjustments with an RGB input signal; also, YPbPr inputs may not have
both color and hue adjustments.
Also use this pattern to adjust a display’s black level at a medium APL. With the brightness
(black level) control first adjusted to a slightly higher than normal setting, reduce the brightness
control setting until the slightly blacker than black bar (under the large cyan bar) and the black
bar (under the large red bar) are both just black. The slightly whiter than black bar (under the
large blue bar) should still be slightly visible.
Pluge
Pattern Description: The Pluge pattern ( Picture Line-Up Generator Eguipment – BBC
development) is arranged in four concentric rectangular zones. The innermost rectangle is fixed
Page 7
at black (7.5 IRE for NTSC, 0 IRE for other formats) and has a five-step gray scale positioned on
it. The second rectangular zone from the center alternates between two light levels, black and
slightly blacker than black (7.5/0 IRE for NTSC, 0/-4 IRE for other formats). The third
rectangular zone from the center is fixed at a light level slightly whiter than black (10 IRE). The
fourth, outer rectangular zone is fixed at black. The average picture level (APL) of this pattern is
very low.
Pattern Usage: Use this pattern to check the DC restoration (black clamping) performance of a
display device and to set the picture black level with a low APL pattern.
A display device with less than perfect DC restoration will exhibit alternating changes of
brightness in the outer two rectangular zones, due to the display’s inability to perfectly clamp
black to a fixed level. This can be seen especially well with the brightness (black level) control
adjusted to a slightly higher than normal setting. If the brightness level of the outer two
rectangular zones remain constant as the second zone from the center alternates between black
and blacker than black, the display has good DC restoration.
If a display has good DC restoration, its brightness (black level) control can be adjusted on either
a low APL or high APL pattern, with no change in black level as you switch from one pattern to
another. In that case, this pattern makes it very easy to accurately adjust the brightness control.
With the brightness (black level) control first adjusted to a slightly higher than normal setting,
reduce the brightness control setting until the brightness alternations in the second rectangular
zone from the center are just no longer visible. The third rectangular zone from the center should
still be visible as slightly whiter than black.
If a display device has less than perfect DC restoration, you will need to decide, based on the
primary use of the display, whether the black level should be adjusted on a pattern with low APL
or high APL. If the display will usually be viewed in a darkened room, adjust the brightness
control with a low APL pattern, such as this Pluge pattern. If the display will usually be viewed
in a bright room, adjust the brightness control with the pluge levels in a medium or high APL
pattern, such as the SMPTE Bar pattern or one of the Window patterns set to a high IRE level.
Needle
Pattern Description: This pattern is black on top and white on bottom with lines (needle pulses)
drawn from top to bottom on each side of the pattern, through the black/white transition.
Electrically, the needle pulse lines are the same width on the top and the bottom of the pattern. A
five-step gray scale is positioned on the center of the upper black pattern area. The top gray scale
block is 100% white.
Pattern Usage: This pattern makes it easy to detect whether scan velocity modulation (SVM) is
enabled on a display device. If SVM is enabled, the black lines on the bottom of the pattern will
be thicker than the white lines on the top of the pattern. It is also a good pattern for properly
adjusting the contrast/picture/white level control for maximum white luminance level. If the
Page 8
contrast/picture control is adjusted for a higher white level than the display device is capable of
producing properly, one of two distortion effects will be observed; blooming or raster distortion.
Blooming is especially prevalant in CRT displays and results in light from very bright pixels
(phosphors) spilling over to adjacent pixels. This causes bright picture areas to become
defocused and slightly larger than they should be. If a display blooms at high luminance levels,
as the contrast control is adjusted to maximum, the top, white block in this pattern’s gray scale
will become slightly wider than the gray blocks below it.
Raster distortion at high luminance levels are caused by high voltage power supply regulation
problems. If the contrast/picture control is adjusted for a higher white level than the display
power supply is capable of fully supporting on a short-term basis, the black lines on the bottom
of the pattern will hook or bend outward.
Ideally, for an acccurate picture, the contrast/picture control should be adjusted just below the
point at which either blooming or raster distortion is evident. This may result in an unacceptably
low white level for the picture, however, and a compromise white level adjustment may have to
be made between an accurate picture and a bright picture.
Staircase
Pattern Description: Eleven equal-width vertical bars step from black at the left (7.5 IRE for
NTSC, 0 IRE for all other formats) to 100 IRE white at the right.
Pattern Usage: Useful for visually checking gray-scale tracking performance of a display. Poor
performance is seen as a primary color tint (red, green, or blue), especially at the bright or dark
end of the pattern. Also useful for adjusting gray-scale tracking by eye, when a color analyzer is
not available. Adjust the display cutoff/bias controls for a neutral dark gray tone at the dark end
of the pattern. Adjust the display drive/gain controls for a neutral bright gray tone at the bright
end of the pattern. Also good as a reference input signal when troubleshooting and signal tracing
luminance or color amplifier problems within a display device.
Horizontal Staircase (H Stair)
Page 9
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