Help with a "Decimator" downconvertor?? I'm lost..

[conrad gaunt]

Has anybody got a Decimator downsampler working yet, I'm struggling with mine and I'm starting to think I'm missing something, either with the hardware, or my camera settings.

i'm obviously trying to get a SD preview signal out of the camera, and here's what I've been trying

For input I've got:
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The Decimator input is a Male BNC, so I have a "Male to male BNC coupler attached", which has a Red supplied "DIN to BNC" cable plugged into it, coming from the R1s preview output.

For output I've got:
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The Decimator output is a Male BNC, so I have a "BNC to phono" adapter, which has a shielded phono cable running to a composite TV input.


Results:
-------
I did get a signal momentarily, but then lost it. I've tried three TVs, and several phono cables. Going around in circles now. "Open gate" is off in camera, preview settings on 720p.

Questions:
----------
->Do I have the correct settings?

->What camera settings do i need to use?

->Should I be able to get a constant live feed, or only when recording or during playback. During recording is what I'm after..

Any help very much appreciated, I need a preview for a director to monitor action with quite soon, not sure what I'm doing wrong, couldn't afford a proper HD monitor. Thanks in advance

 

[Cail Young]

Make sure your HDSDI frequency is correct.

 

[conrad gaunt]

Make sure your HDSDI frequency is correct.

I've tried 50hz and 59.9hz?

 

[Cail Young]

I've tried 50hz and 59.9hz?

Sometimes I've needed to cycle the test pattern after an HDSDI frequency change to get it to stick. Give that a shot.

 

[conrad gaunt]

First, thanks for your suggestions

Ok, I have an update.

Tested my R1 preview on someone elses HDSDI monitor. All fine. R1 settings good. Then tested all my cables. All fine. so..

Why wouldn't it work on any of the six!! TVs I tried it on? I don't know..

So the upshot is..

1) The R1 isn't at fault, its compatible
2) Most TVs aren't?

The point of getting a Decimator was to use cheap monitoring solutions, but now it looks like I'll have to spend about 600sterling on a portable LCD monitor (with hood and battery) to guarantee it works. I can't tell a client I have a composite SD preview, only to find it doesn't like their gear.

This kinda defeats the object, as the combined price of the Decimator and a good portable SD LCD is almost the same as a HDSDI monitor!

Thought I'd share my findings. Hopefully I'll find a cheap monitor it likes before I have to sell my other leg.. I better hop to it before my next job..

 

[conrad gaunt]

Ok, update. Its working.

Tried it at the retailers, with same cables and Red settings as at home, and it worked on a broadcast monitor.

Took it home with the same cables and Red settings, again, it didn't work?! (very strange)

Send it to the distributor, who confirmed that it does work with his projector, so..

Got it sent back (same unit), now it does work (neighbours TV)?

Maybe I have a loose connection in my unit causing an intermitant problem?, but at least I've seen it working with at least one domestic TV, at last!! .. and with three days to go before its needed.. now to see if it works on one of MY OWN TVs, now that my credibility is zero and the distributor feels the need to send instructions on using SCART plugs, along with Photos of them! (thanks for that, but really not necessary..i'm keeping my eye on this unit..)

 

[Scott Staton]

PAL switch

PAL switch

There is a recessed switch for PAL or NTSC. Perhaps that is in the wrong position. If it is, that could be why your local consumer TV would not work, but the broadcast monitors did, since they are usually auto-sensing for PAL/NTSC.