Omnitek LAB

in Video Test & Measurement

Signal generator window

Advanced Signal Generator and Waveform Monitor for Video Engineers

Introducing OmniTek LAB, the world's most advanced digital TV test signal generator and data analyzer. Supporting all SDTV and HDTV serial digital video formats, the LAB is unique in providing all the functions of a high-end signal generator totally integrated with a full-featured waveform monitor and audio/video data analyzer. With the LAB, video engineers now have access to a complete test and measurement system in a single, easy-to-use, PC-based package. The system is completely software-programmable, to allow new features and formats to be installed via a download.

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Digital Signal Generator

Internal Line Patterns

The advanced signal generator in the LAB contains 64 industry-standard test patterns including bars, sweeps, ramps, pathological, pulse & bar etc. Up to 6 patterns may be on-screen at once.

Zone Plates

LAB contains a full-motion zone plate generator, providing a complete set of X, Y, and T adjustments. The basic waveform is adjustable to sine, square, or triangular. User settings can be saved in custom setup files.

Frame Images

The PC internal hard disk can store thousands of full-frame images, which can be read by the generator in any standard PC file format (.bmp, .jpg, .tif, .gif, .avi, .wmv, .yuv, .yuv10, .dpx, etc.). The images can be re-sized to fit the current video format, and the correct colour matrix is used when converting from RGB (i.e. BT.601 or BT.709).

Full-Motion Capture & Playback

LAB contains a real-time uncompressed video capture and playout system capable of storing up to 45 seconds of SD, or 7 seconds of HD source material. Image sequences may be loaded as individual frames, .avi or .wmv files, or captured from the live SDI input.

Playlists

LAB can play out a user-defined sequence of images or motion segments. Each image has programmable duration, and can have different embedded audio tones or engineering settings such as gain or noise. The playlist can be executed in a continuous loop or as a single sequence, and is fully remote-controlled via SNMP network commands.

Embedded Audio Generator

LAB contains a programmable tone generator supporting 8 channels (2 groups) of embedded audio, with 20- or 24-bits per sample at 48kHz. Frequency and wave shape is user-selectable, and the generator can create single-frame "blips" synchronized to the video sequence playout.

Timecode, Video Index & Widescreen Signalling

Captured full raster image

LAB contains VITC and ATC timecode generators, which may free-run or be slaved to timecodes from the SDI input. When set to 525 or 625 line formats, the LAB can also generate user-configurable Video Index (SMPTE RP186) and Widescreen Signalling (EN 300294) codes. Protocol extensions from ARDSPEC1 are also supported.

Raster Video Files

A unique feature of the LAB is the ability to capture, edit, and playout “full-raster” video files, which contain the entire video signal including all blanking and ancillary data. This allows the user to analyze all aspects of a signal, or to create signals containing data errors or proprietary ANC data packets.

Waveform Monitor & Data Analyzer

LAB contains an advanced, high-resolution waveform monitor and data analyzer. This provides a full range of real-time video and audio status monitoring displays, plus SNMP network alarms may be configured to alert external systems to detected errors.

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Waveform Displays

Vectorscope with 100% graticule

High-resolution waveform displays are provided in both YCbCr and RGB colour spaces. Each video component may be displayed individually or together as a parade, using a single selected line or integrating all raster lines together. ?A vertical frame-rate display is also available. Horizontal timebase and vertical amplitude gain controls are provided, plus adjustable interpolation, colour, persistence, and decay of the display traces. A range of graticules are provided, and accurate timing and amplitude cursors are available for detailed measurements.

RGB parade with user-adjustable gamut error highlights
 

Proxy in “pulse-cross” mode

Vectorscope

LAB provides a high-resolution vectorscope display, available with 75% or 100% graticule and luma-masking capability. Graticules are automatically adjusted for the appropriate 601 or 709 colour matrix.
 

Mini-Pic

A high-resolution real-time proxy of the SDI input or signal generator source is provided, with a “pulse-cross” function to allow viewing of the contents of the H & V blanking areas. Timing cursors can be overlaid on the proxy, and there are “burn-in” windows for VITC and ATC timecodes.

The proxy can also display closed-captions from the built-in EIA 608 and 708 closed-caption decoder modules.

Comprehensive system status display

Video Status Display

The video status display gives a comprehensive, real-time indication of the condition of signals being monitored by the LAB system. Parameters displayed in this window include the SDI input status (transport errors plus content checks), blanking width, closed-caption status, RGB and YCbCr range checks, timecode and widescreen signalling.

Structures such as active format descriptions and RP186/ARD video indexes are also identified and interpreted.

Audio Status Display and PPM Monitors

LAB monitors 16 channels (4 groups) of embedded audio. The AES parameters of all groups are presented on the Audio Status display, with per-channel peak-hold, overload, and silence detection.

A separate PPM display has user-adjustable meter ballistics and a choice of graticules including dBFS, DIN, EBU, BBC, and Scandinavian options.

Pixel Data Display

The pixel data display shows the exact values present on the SDI input in decimal, hex, or binary format. The different display colours indicate the type of video segment: active picture, blanking, ANC packets, TRS words etc. A red bar indicates an error has been detected at this pixel value.

The display can be extended to provide automatic interpretation of TRS and ANC packets detected in the input stream. This includes packet types such as embedded audio, SMPTE 352M payload ID, EDH, ?and RP188 timecode. In addition, the user can install XML-format descriptor files for decoding custom ANC packets.

Colour Gamut Display

The LAB monitors colour gamut in both RGB and YCbCr colour spaces. The results are displayed on a custom gamut display, which indicates the total excursion of the signals and also the percentage of pixels that are outside recommended limits (as specified, for example, in EBU Recommendation 103).

Event Logs

All the video and embedded audio parameters monitored by the LAB may be entered into an XML-format event log file, with time-stamping from input timecode or the PC internal clock. Thresholds and timeouts for each monitored parameter are adjustable.

Closed Caption and Teletext Subtitle Decoding

The LAB system is capable of decoding Line 21, EIA-608-A, and EIA-708-B closed caption data and OP-47 teletext subtitles from SD or HD input signals. The decoded captions may be “burned in” to the mini-pic proxy window. They can also be saved to an XML-format log file for archival purposes.

OmniTek full-motion test sequence

Audio/Video/Reference Delay Measurements

The LAB system has the capability to measure SDI loop delay through an external processing path, for both video and embedded audio signals. In addition, the LAB can also measure relative audio/video “lip-sync” delay when displaying the standard OmniTek full-motion test sequence. The LAB can also measure the time delay between analog sync reference and SDI input signals.

“Timeshift” Event-Based Video Capture

A feature of the LAB is the ability to capture live video sequences from the SDI input, based on detection of input errors or particular timecode ranges. The user may select which errors trigger a recording, and multiple recordings may be made up to the total memory capacity of the system. It is also possible to capture full-raster data including all blanking areas.

System Options and Configurations

The OmniTek LAB is a PC-based system, comprising a state-of-the-art real time signal processing PCI plug-in card plus application software running under the Microsoft® Windows® 2000 or XP operating systems.

OmniTek can supply the LAB system as card-plus-software only, for the user to install in the PC system of their choice, or alternatively LAB can be supplied pre-installed in a 1RU rackmount PC chassis, portable PC with integrated screen, or “Magma” laptop expansion chassis.

There are a range of options available with the LAB system – please contact your local dealer for more information.

PCI CARD CONNECTIONS
WARRANTY
OmniTek systems are warranted for one year from date of purchase. This includes all feature upgrades and bug fixes to the application software, plus repair or replacement of the hardware (at the discretion of OmniTek). Extended warranty agreements are also available, please consult your local OmniTek dealer.