Originally Posted by Steve(MS) (Post 12826)

Concerning the Sony 900, I did some more tests with it using S-video connections. It does reduce noise moderately from what I can tell however when using VCRs with TBC and picture controls, I don't see any advantage using the Sony, I would rather use the Studio 1 and BVP, the Sony is not even close due to the proc amp controls arn not as good as those. This Sony I have has been around the block more than a few times, it might be more interesting if it was in mint condition. Surprisingly, there are service manuals floating around that can be purchased for this model. Like all those old TBCs and broadcasting Proc amps, wear and tear and age is likely to be a factor on Sony's Color Correctors.

Originally Posted by Mr. Budwar (Post 1195211)

The XV-C900 was sony top model of video corrector - they call it Video Multi Corrector. It cost just below $1000. It is not only corrector but it has also wipes and fades which I will not go to since that is today mostly irrelevant. It uses two joystick controllers for color compensation one for black and the other for white ballances together with regulated black and white clip. It has Hue and Color adjustment, Gamma Compensation and Chroma NR. Now the unit is not just some integrated circuit packed into a plastic box. It is large and quite heavy. Unlike older models, this works fully with S-Video. I would say from my experience the C900 is one of a hell processor. It may not be exactly for damaged tapes, rather for color correcting good footage. But it does the job very well. I have few digital correctors and equalizers such as Video Equalizer from Videonics and I would say the VE is almost never produces better output than input. On C900 with the black and white ballance you can really change the picture. You can for example warm the picture, but still have whites white. You can also spice up the images where you for example correct black toward blues and whites towards red etc. That's not all, there is black and white clip. This makes the whole range of manipulation even more interesting. Let's say you want correct the picture on lower midtones and so shift the black joystick to warmth. Of course, while the whites stay white, the dark black changes to redish cast. But you don't want that so turn the black clip level up. this will pull blacks back to pitch black and gradually change lower blacks toward warmth. Same with whites but from other side and since you have two joysticks for color you can separately control color from whites! This way you can really compensate the picture and make it warmer or cooler at will without actually introducing any ugly color cast to blacks and whites. Or simply make it more colorfull - warmth to land area and cool bright sky. The Color (Saturation) works also exeptionally well. A normally if you oversaturate the image degrades, colors start leaking etc. The C900 does not exhibit such effect in normal range. You can up saturation bit, pull blacks and whites and kick the mids to warmth. Then you can compensate Gamma if the camera over/underexposed. Your normally dull miniDV picture will get a look of a quite serious production. Switch split screen and the difference is just amazing. Other functions on C900 are less of importance. Things like wipes etc. A normal price for C900 today is between $100 to $150. I hope this will be useful.

Originally Posted by kpmedia (Post 14276)

Well, the SignVideo DR-1000 does NOT work with PAL signals.
SignVideo has confirmed this.

Elite Video only made proc amps from what I know -- not detailers.

What is it, exactly, that you're wanting to do?
I know what a detailer (aka "SignVideo image enhancer") does, but sometimes people confuse its function and would be better off using another piece of hardware or software -- or sometimes nothing at all. Detailers can be ineffective, or simply add or enhance noise, depending on your source signal/format and its inherent quality.