SD to HD problem with updowncross converter

Hi,

We noticed that there is a problem with the UpDownCross Converter when we want it to upscale 576i SD to 1080i 50 as the output is progressive and not interlace. We notified Blackmagic and was told it was a known fault which is unfortunate for us as this why we bought the product and if we had known we would have got a product from someone else. Anyway we were told that a solution would be found but we haven't heard anything since and that was 2 months ago. Is there any news on whether a firmware update to solve this is available.

Regards
Frank

I posted this request last week does anyone at BMD have any info yet on when a upgrade for the UpDownCross because at the moment it is only a DownCross.

I have the same problem as you, for me i need to translate 525I5994 to 1080I50 and it doesn't work.

Sadly many black magic products don't support interlacing properly..........

Smartview HD - drops 1 field when displaying 576i

H.264 pro recorder - doesn't support ANY interlaced format, it will just drop a field.


The smart view HD is sold ad supporting SD interlaced video, but this is false.

I reported the problem with the h.264 over a year ago, it seems they have no plans to fix it.

after some new test :
NTSC ->PAL : OK
NTSC -> 720P5994 OK
NTSC -> 720P 50 Not OK
NTSC -> 1080I 5994 OK
NTSC -> 1080I50 Not OK

Pal -> NTSC ok
Pal - > 720P50 Ok
Pal -> 1080I50 Ok
Pal -> 720P5994 Not Ok
Pal -> 1080I5994 Not Ok

Sir blackmagic, tell me why please, you do not tell about this in your website, when we bought your product !!!!
thank's for your reply !!!

[Hersh Burston]

All format conversions (from every format to every format possible) are tested as part of our test plan. The mentioned conversions have been tested and confirmed to be functioning. Unfortunately 'not ok' is not enough information. Can you please describe the issue in more detail so we can provide an accurate investigation.


Hersh Burston
Senior Product Manager
Blackmagic Design

Hi,
Thank's for your reply
The workflow is :
Sony BRC300 NTSC ->BMD analog (composite or Svideo) to SDI -> BMD UPDOWNCROSS(SW 720 or 1080) -> ATEM TVS (720P50 or 1080I50) and i test with and old
Sony PD170 Pal ->BMD analog (composante) to SDI-> BMD UPDOWNCROSS(SW 720 or 1080) -> ATEM TVS (720P5994 or 1080I5994).
Regards
Hugues

after some new test :
NTSC ->PAL : OK
NTSC -> 720P5994 OK
NTSC -> 720P 50 Not OK
NTSC -> 1080I 5994 OK
NTSC -> 1080I50 Not OK

Pal -> NTSC ok
Pal - > 720P50 Ok
Pal -> 1080I50 Ok
Pal -> 720P5994 Not Ok
Pal -> 1080I5994 Not Ok

Sir blackmagic, tell me why please, you do not tell about this in your website, when we bought your product !!!!
thank's for your reply !!!

Hugues, the updowncross doesnt convert standards, only converts when outputting pal or ntsc. but if you input a pal signal you only can output a 50 HD signal.
Also as I read before, its true that when upconverting from pal to 1080i50, the signal loses a field, it seems progressive though the output is 1080i.... that is something for blackmagic to correct.

Diego

[Hersh Burston]

UpDownCross will not do frame rate conversion except when down converting to PAL or NTSC. If the input is PAL the output can be set to NTSC and it will do the frame rate conversion. This unit is designed to set the output to be PAL, NTSC, 720 or 1080. The input is then converted to the selected output at the same rate as the input.

If you want to do frame rate conversion you will need a Teranex or similar converter.


Hersh Burston
Senior Product Manager
Blackmagic Design

Thanks for the clarification, I am sure you can see how your comment

"from every format to every format possible" might lead to a different conclusion

Thanks
Sharyn

Thank you Hersh, for replying to the posts. My problem and the reason I posted the thread is that there is a problem with converting from 576i PAL to 1080i 50 PAL which produces a shutter like effect where it appears that there is only half the number of fields being produced on the 1080i output. 720P is fine it's just 1080i where there is a problem. 1080i is the most common form of HD in the UK at the moment so this unit doesn't do what it is advertised to do or what I bought it for.

Frank

I didn't get a response to my problem 18 months ago and the unit has been sitting in a box since. I put it down to upscaling not working in PAL. I have since tried the unit to downscale and it produces rapid black banding on the screen. If I switch to NTSC it still bands but it is a thick black band which goes up the screen slowly. I just want to know if it's worth getting a replacement or whether the blackmagic units just don't work.

That banding sounds like it could be a reference problem

I too purchased the opengear Up/Down/Cross to upscale from 576i to 1080i and have exactly the same fault as described. The card doesn't handle interlacing and produces a progressive output.
It's pretty poor that this basic use of the card doesn't work and there's seemingly no attempt to fix it.

I would add, BlackMagic Designers, that I appreciate that you have a reference input on this unit. But couldn't you utilize this reference input to perform re-clocking so that you actually CAN cross-convert to different frame-rates? I mean, if you have a 50 fps video input and a 59.94 fps reference, you should use that reference input as the output frame rate.

Make it so.