SignVideo PA-100 vs DR-1000 - What's the difference?
 

Hi, I have been reading a lot on here but have a couple questions.

are the

Sign Video PA-100 Single Proc Amp and
Sign Video DR1000 Image Enhancer

2 totally different items? would both these items be good to use in conjunction with the TBC-1000? I have pretty much decided on that for my TBC and am now looking at other units to do a bit more fixing up where needed, before either tansfering to PC and doing further corrections with software or going straight to a Panasonic DVD recorder.

The only thing i dont know is if the Sign Video gear works with PAL and NTSC. I really hope so. I have about an equal amount of PAL/NTSC tapes and am not really keen on converting them.

I can not find a 'Studio 1' website mentioned in this thread
http://www.digitalfaq.com/forum/vide...html#post18971

Any other suggestions for processing/correction devices other than Sign Video and Elite? I prefer to buy brand new items too.

No doubt i will have more questions but at this stage i am focussed on collecting the gear i need first.

May upgrade to 'premium member' too but i am not exactly sure what that will really entitle me to yet so i wanted to just try the 'free' option first.

Thanks

The PA-100 is a proc amp -- a device that alters color (luma, chroma, IRE). In layman's terms, that's contrast, saturation, tint, hue, etc.
The DR-1000 is a detailer -- a device that adds false sharpening to an image. Compare it to the "unsharp mask" filter in Photoshop.
Two completely different devices, two completely separate purposes.

SignVideo gear is generally NTSC only, though some PAL models may exist.

Studio 1 is a long-gone distributor of SignVideo (formerly Vidicraft) gear.

You're not going to find any new items, outside of SignVideo. This kind of high-end hardware was niche, meaning production was likely in the five-digit range (at most). It wasn't mass produced junk from China or wherever, like consumer TV sets. Very few companies had the skill and desire to create such specialized hardware.

Premium Member benefits are outlined here: http://www.digitalfaq.com/forum/news...oin-forum.html
Definitely worth it. (It's about the price of a magazine sub, but far more customized!)

Ok thanks for that. So yes the 2 devices could be linked together in series? what one would you uconect first after the TBC?

Thats a shame they are NTSC only, real shame :(

What to do what to do??? I guess i could buy a PAL to NTSC converter but all i hear about standards conversions is that lessens the quality so thats why i prefer not to convert.

I have emailed Sign Video anyway to ask if they do a combined PAL and NTSC version. Even if they did one of each i dont think i could afford one of each.

So then what do people use for PAL then if you cant get Proc amps and Image enhancers for PAL?

I know there is the AVT tool/cypress/TV one/Hall research TBC's with a few buttons to adjust colour, saturation etc but is that it? Is everyone just using a TBC and A-D box and then everything else done on computer?

Yes, they can be linked in a series. I don't think Sign Video / Studio 1 references the order for multiple products in either manual, so it may be somewhat flexible, but most people seem to run the video through the detailer first (DR-1000) and the proc amp second (PA-100/200). There may be some logic to that ordering, as many follow closely to it, although I have known some that reverse it. I'll have to experiment sometime to see if it makes any difference in the quality of the output.

Ok thanks but its looking unlikely that i will get them now if they are not PAL compatible. I know its to do with the IRE black levels but i dont know if that can be changed.

No, don't do it. You WILL lose a lot of quality.
It'd be better to a lesser-quality PAL capable proc amp, as opposed to a better NTSC proc amp and butchering the video PAL>NTSC.

A lot of higher-end TBCs -- studio-grade units -- have embedded proc amps. Look for PAL capable models available from Leitch, or its predecessor Digital Processing Systems. While the name of the company changed a few times, the one constant is that all TBC models started with "DPS-", so look for DPS model PAL-capable TBCs with proc amps. Search eBay.

I've unfortunately never had to buy a lot of PAL proc amps, so my knowledge is a bit thinner than it is with NTSC models.

Thanks, I will look for those.

Regarding PAL capability of sign video gear...
More conflicting info? I have emailed Sign Video AGAIN today and hope they will answer me and get a definitive answer if their detailer and proc am is PAL compatible or if it at one point was.

Yes, it is. Multiple tests conducted -- and with the same unit -- have apparently varied.
As such, all tests were thrown out, and the status is unknown.

So that is YES yours is PAL comaptible but the new ones are not? You post was a little confusing sorry.

I wish they would just answer me. How can we order one when they dont reply to emails? Is the sign video sold by other dealers? I did read comments somewhere about a recommendation to ge tthe sign video gear from some other cheaper video guy but i lost the link.

I did buy a couple processors the otherday. I wont have them for a while but i will show them when i get them. Hope you guys approve.

Just like a politician: "I approve this message." :cool: :thumb:

Tests to date have had varied results for whatever reason, so there's neither a YES or a NO at this moment.
I plan to re-test mine when time is available, and it's not in use on projects.
In all honesty, these devices (DR-1000) are not useful too often, which is why there's only one here -- not one per rack.

We have Elite Video BVP-4 units for proc amps. No PA-100's to test.

Well i bought a Vidicraft detailer 2 and a Vidicraft proc amp. The blue ones. Fingers crossed they run on 12volt though otherwise i will need a 220v step down converter. They were not too expensive so thought i might grab them. Who knows if they will work (ebay buys). They are not the ones mentioned in last post though. Got some PAL specific ones comming that have s-video and have some more features and are not asian built! When i can take photos of them then i will post them on here.

Might still get the sign Video gear too as most of my NTSC tapes are SP i think and in good condition.