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06-11-2011 07:24 AM |
It doesn't really help here, but here's a possibly-interesting read on the SD-3, the SD-11 predecessor:
Quote:
Ten Copies at Once, SD-3 Duplication Station ($599)
Elite Video, 321 Ouachita Ave., Hot Springs, AR 71901, (501) 321-0440, http://www.elitevideo.com
What's a videographer to do when everyone wants a copy of his or her latest video project? Worse yet, what if you're a wedding videographer, and everyone from the parents of the bride to the fifth cousin of the groom wants his own copy of the wedding video? In situations like these, you can either set aside a few workdays to make the copies one at a time, or you can use a device like Elite Video's SD-3 duplication station and finish the job in a few hours.
In essence, the Elite Video SD-3 is a distribution amplifier. What's a distribution amplifier? It's a device that streamlines the task of making multiple copies of a video or audio tape. The amplifier portion of its name comes from the fact that whenever you split a single video and/or audio signal into multiple outputs, it's necessary to boost (amplify) each individual output to a level that your recording equipment can process without difficulty.
In practice, the SD-3 turns out to be much more than just a distribution amplifier. It incorporates a number of features that were developed in other Elite Video products (the BVP-4 Broadcast Video Processor, especially). Owing primarily to Elite Video's prior experience in the video enhancer/proc amp market, the SD-3 incorporates features like a robust 72dB video signal-to-noise ratio and RTX resolution enhancement.
Along the front of the SD-3's rugged metal frame is a series of switches. The RTX Resolution Enhancer's purpose, as stated in the product documentation, is to massage the video signal as it passes through the SD-3 in such a way as to make copies come out with greater resolution than the original. If this sounds fishy to you, then give yourself a pat on the back, because it's theoretically impossible to increase the resolution of a video signal once it's recorded onto tape. Even so, the RTX Resolution Enhancer does serve to increase the apparent clarity of some types of video images by pulling the resolution already present in the signal out of the electronic noise that threatens to swamp it. We don't recommend using it for every project you're copying, but if you keep a sharp eye on what it's doing to your signal, it can produce some impressive results - especially with footage shot on a poor-quality VHS or 8mm camcorder.
Next is the Long Lines Compensator (LLC), which simply boosts the output of the signal by a few percentage points in order to make up for long cable throws (12 feet or more). Like all of the other features on the SD-3, the LLC control is best left switched off unless you really need it, because it significantly increases the amount of noise present in the signal.
The Black Burst switch has two functions. The most common use is to lay down a black signal on as many as ten tapes at once in order to prepare them for duplication. The second use is listed in the manual as the ability to "provide a black burst signal for your entire video system with no looping." This is something of a joke, as any video system that required a black burst signal to synchronize a number of cameras and/or decks would probably exist only in a market several rungs above that of the SD-3.
The last two switches on the SD-3 are provided as a way to alert you with an audible alarm if your copying system encounters problems. One switch enables the alarm, and the other determines which condition must be met before the alarm is tripped - either loss of sync (no signal) or uniform field sync (representing the blue screen that many VCRs display when a tape is finished playing).
Inputs on the SD-3 include one RCA-style composite video connector, one S-video connector and a set of standard stereo audio connectors. Outputs include ten sets of composite video and stereo audio connectors, but curiously, the S-video connections were omitted on the output side. This is perhaps the SD-3's biggest drawback. There might be some benefit to using an S-video input to help with the SD-3's resolution enhancement, but when it comes time to make straight, unenhanced copies, the lack of S-video connections on the output side all but defeats the purpose of including one on the input side.
Copies made by the SD-3 come out looking crisp and clean, with audio and video intact. The location of all controls is convenient, and the placement of inputs and outputs is logical and easily accessible. For those who need even more outputs for more copies at a time, the SD-3 includes a Super Link Configuration option, which allows you to hook as many as ten SD-3 Duplication Stations together without significantly degrading the quality of the output. In general, we found the SD-3 Duplication Station to be an excellent product, keeping Elite Video's track record for quality merchandise. The lack of S-video outputs is a serious concern, but still, the quality of the copies it makes is easily good enough for the prosumer marketplace.
Elite Video SD-3 Duplication Station
Inputs - S-video, composite video, stereo audio
Outputs - Composite video, stereo audio (x10)
Video signal-to-noise ratio - 72dB
Audio signal-to-noise ratio - 68dB
Features - RTX Resolution Enhancement, Long Lines Compensation, Black Burst Generator, Loss of Sync Alarm, Super Link Configuration
Strengths - Robust S/N ratio, Easy to expand outputs using Super Link Configuration
Weaknesses - No S-video output
Summary - A good low-cost distribution amplifier with some ex
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It's a shame that Elite Video got out of the processor business. It's even worse than their old site was not archived on-site. While the Wayback Machine is good about archiving sites, it's often full of holes. Hopefully you'll come across a PDF manual of some kind. Then again, based on the recently post BVP-4 manual, which shows how cheap Elite was, I doubt it.
Happy hunting, all the same. I hope you find something useful. |
