1/5/2013 Pocket Ultrascope frustration

it is possible that I install more Ultrascopes than anyone. But no more - at least not the Pocket Ultrascope.

As many of you know, there is no updated list on what CURRENT hardware works, and what does not work (I am not talking about going on ebay and finding old graphics cards, but buying NEW products, or new PC's). For the Pocket Ultrascope, I have been using the SONY VAIO 24" Touchscreen PC's, but today marks the end of an era. Sony has changed from the Renesas (NEC) chipset to the INTEL USB3 chipset, and when you launch the Blackmagic Ultrascope software, the computer locks up. The Sony has a compatible NVidia graphics card, but alas, no longer does the USB3 chipset work any longer.

SO, while I am building a COMPLETE 53" REMOTE TRUCK with Blackmagic Broadcast Videohub, SmartView monitors, HyperDeck Shuttle Pro's, and a slew of assorted BMD mini converters, the one component I can no longer use is the Pocket Ultrascope. I could TRY using a HP Z420 (the Z400 is no longer manufacturered, and I am not going to eBay), but there is no verification from Blackmagic that this computer in fact works, and I am not going to have my client order another 3 computers, just to have it fail again.

What a shame.

Bob Zelin

1/6/2013

Well, once again, Blackmagic documentation is lacking, but of course, they make such incredible products at such low prices, perhaps they can be forgiven (naaaaah..........) -

I am in such a panic to get the Ultrascopes to work, so after reading the Teranex manual, I have just ordered TWO Teranex 2D unit's specifically because of the Ultrascope software -

It APPEARS that I can load the Blackmagic Ultrascope software on a Mac Mini (this is an ASSUMPTION I am making, because it does not state anything of the sort in any manual) and plug in the Thunderbolt port of the Teranex into the Thunderbolt port of the Mac Mini, and use the Teranex as an input device to be my waveform monitor (instead of the now useless Pocket Ultrascope) - but at under 2 grand, it's still cheaper than anything else that I can do -

from the Blackmagic Design Teranex manual, that I am making all these assumptions from -

"This section guides you through how to set up your Teranex 2D Processor hardware with your computer for
waveform monitoring of your video input signal.
Connecting the Teranex 2D Processor to your Computer
Step 1. Connect power to one or both power sockets. The easiest way to power the Teranex 2D Processor
is to connect an IEC cable to its AC power socket. Alternatively the 12V DC military grade port
can be used for external battery power and/or failover redundancy with an optional “brick” DC
adapter.
Step 2. Connect a Thunderbolt cable between the Teranex 2D Processor and a Thunderbolt port on your
computer, or to a Thunderbolt disk array which is attached to your computer.
Step 3. Connect cables between the video and audio connections on your Teranex 2D Processor and
your video source equipment.
Step 4. If you are using analog or AES/EBU audio, rather than SDI or HDMI embedded audio, connect
common third party breakout cables to the DB-25 audio connectors for analog and AES/EBU
audio. Pinout diagrams for the DB-25 audio connectors can be seen in the "Connecting Video
and Audio Hardware" section of this manual.
Step 5. On the front panel press the IN button and set the video source to SDI, HDMI or Analog. If you
are using embedded SDI or HDMI audio, set the audio source to Embed. Otherwise select from
AES or Analog audio. The processor will detect the format of the video input and automatically
configure the unit. The integrated LCD will show the incoming video signal.
Step 6. Press the OUT button on the front panel and use the buttons to select your desired output
format, frame type, frame rate and also set the output aspect ratio if needed. You can set the
output format to match the input format if you don't want any conversion. Press “Accept” on
the integrated LCD to confirm the new selection. You will notice that all video and audio output
buttons will be lit, indicating that all output types are active simultaneously.
Step 7. Launch the Blackmagic UltraScope software on your computer. The video scopes will appear after
a few seconds and will allow you to monitor the converted output of your Teranex 2D Processor."

I will report my results, and I MUST get this to work as soon as possible. YES, I have installed Teranex's before but never used it as a front end for an Ultrascope.

Bob Zelin

One of the main reasons I got the Teranex was for the ultrascope, and it functions on my MacBook Pro 17".
However, I now only use the Teranex as a converter (a very good inexpensive converter - I mean its a Teranex!).
Ultrascope (in teranex) is always seeing a processed signal which makes it unsuitable as a standalone scope. There is also a sizable signal delay due to the processing. As confirmed by BMD, there is no passive pass through mode from input to thunderbolt to ultrascope software. So, the included ultrascope is basically for monitoring the converted signal (even if you set input and output to same standard, there is some processing and clipping).
So to make a long story long - no it won't work and it is such a bummer. It boggles my mind why it seems there has been no further ultrascope development. So much potential.
So get a Mac mini, scopebox 3, and a BMD ultra studio mini recorder, and let us know how that works...

1/16/2013 -
I now have the Teranex 2D, and a Mac Mini, and the Ultrascope software.
It works. I feel that this combination is "good enough" for a HD Waveform Monitor/Vectorscope.
This is solution # 1 for Ultrascope. If you set the Teranex for 1080i in and out, and don't change the
levels for processing (Unity) - it's "good enough" for an accurate representation for an HD Waveform Monitor/Vectorscope. Parts requires - cheap Mac Mini, keyboard, mouse, 24" LCD Monitor, Thunderbolt cable and dedicated Teranex 2D. Still dramatically cheaper than the cheapest Leader "rasterizer" waveform monitor, and makes clients happy.

What I HATE is Blackmagic's inability to hire a tech writer than can describe how to make this work. Certainly, the Teranex manual does NOT do this. To get this to work, you must not only install the Ultrascope software on the Mac Mini, but you MUST install the Mac Teranex software from the Blackmagic website on the Mac Mini.
Nowhere on the Blackmagic documentation does it even mention that you must install the Teranex Mac software on the Mac Mini to get this to work. I wasted several hours on this. But it works very well.

Now - solution # 2 - I have NOT tried the Blackmagic Mini Recorder yet (which I will - I have them ordered), but I have tried the Mac Mini running ScopeBox ($99) and used an AJA I/O XT, and this works "ok" as a cheap waveform monitor/vectorscope. It is NOT the same quality as the Ultrascope, but it's ok - and it's certainly better than nothing (and better than FCP or AVID software scopes). I am anxious to try it with the Blackmagic Mini Recorder, and will report my results, but it DOES work with the AJA I/O XT, so I would imagine that it will work with the Mini Recorder.

It's nice that there are now two solutions to buying a conventional hardware waveform monitor. I love Blackmagic products, and have recently built an entire remote editing truck for Kavis Production Services with almost 100% Blackmagic products, but Blackmagic REALLY needs to hire a tech writer that keeps up
how to get this stuff to work. It would not only help the end users who buy their products, but it would reduce their labor costs, for people tieing up their tech support lines, to ask stupid tech support questions that could be easily answered in a manual.

Bob Zelin

Hi Bob
I'm curious as to why the Mini Recorder/ScopeBox solution is a lesser option in your opinion, as it does not have the signal processing issue the Teranex/Ultrascope does. The Ultrascope is being clipped/clamped at something like 4-1019 in the "clip" menu function which I assume to relates to a 0-1024 10 bit range. I need to see over/undershoots on a scope obviously.
Believe me, I'd rather use my Teranex as a scope, but I guess I'll just have to spring for the $250 to try the other solution on my laptop and compare.

Hi,

I am trying to understand how badly this clipping effects what we see on the scopes with Teranex as the interface.

With 10bit video for broadcast, is legal black not 64 and legal white 940? With those numbers as the levels to stick within, would I not be able to see undershoots and overshoot easily even given the teranex's clipping at 4 and 1019?

Just trying to understand the issue better. Also, very badly wanting my Teranex to be a "good enough" solution.

- J

Well I'm sure it's better than nothing, but as it is going through a processing chain there is no way to tell what all is happening to the signal besides clipping if any.

Well I just did some tests here and yes - it is unusable if the goal is to be able to see overshoots. The teranex clips at legal levels. The monitors are useful as tools for balancing but are not at all suited for looking at any gamut issues. The ternaex will not allow you to see anything over or under legal and the alarms will not work at all.

BMD folks! Any chance of implementing a passive mode on the Teranex? This would be useful not only for scopes, but also for capture. I need my whole signal, not just the legal part.

I made an error in my tests by looking at scaled AVID MXF footage. Unscaled material does display the overshoots just fine. I just completed an animated interstitial series with lots of big color and it passed QC just fine after having showed no alarms using the Ultrascope alarm function.

Passive mode would still be idea as the processing makes me uneasy, but the system IS working.

- J

Yeah I see that too, but it is processed and delay is also a huge bummer for grading in resolve.

May I know where I can find the supply of optional “brick” DC adapter for fail over redundancy?