Vela FAQ

1. General
1.1 Disabling Index File Usage
1.2 Installing a License Key
1.3 Installing Decoder/Encoder Card
1.4 Product Close Captioning Support
1.5 Sony SRW Triggering
1.6 Upgrading Software
1.7 VDCP Logging Procedure
1.8 Version Checking

2. Argus Encoder
2.1 Argus MX Firmware Upgrading
2.2 Cueing the Encoder
2.3 Argus MX VGA
2.4 Verify Argus MX Firmware

3 Cineview Decoder
3.1 Auto-detect on HDPro
3.2 Changing XLe Firmware Through XLe Client application
3.3 HDPro Revisions
3.4 HDPro Firmware Installation
3.5 HDPro Machine Control
3.6 HDPro Closed Captioning Support
3.7 Enabling 4 Channels of CineView Quad to Start Together
3.8 Loading OSD Graphics
3.9 Updating Drivers in Windows 2000
3.10 Updating XLe Firmware Using Media Advantage
3.11 Verifying XLe Firmware Through XLe Client Application
3.12 Machine Control Setting Documentation
3.13 HDPro Genlock

4 TFT EAS
4.1 General Information

General

1.1 Disabling Index File Usage

Note: Disabling the use of index files will remove reverse trick modes and segment creation capabilities from the XLe.

1. Go to Start -> Programs -> Vela Research -> Media Advantage -> Server Configuration
2. You may be present with an error message about logging similar to ‘must be one, none ,or both..’ disregard this message and click OK
3. In the Configuration Options interface expand the ‘Index File Settings’ node and set ‘Use Index Files’ to ‘False’
4. Close the Configuration Options interface.
5. Close the Server Control interface and relaunch Media Advantage.
6. You can play files without indexing them.
7. Note that indexing is now off for everything. Including indexing files created by the MX encoder.

1.2 Installing a License Key

1. Close all Vela applications
2. Go to Start -> Vela Research -> Licensing application
3. Select ‘New Key’
4. Copy and paste the key into the application. Note that you must use the ‘Paste’ button on the licensing app to get the formatting correct
5. Close the licensing applications
6. You are now ready to go

1.3 Installing Decoder/Encoder Card

1. Download the Installation 4.1.0.11.zip file to the target machine
2. Uninstall any currently installed Vela Software through Control Panel -> Add/Remove Programs
3. Reboot if required
4. Turn off the machine and insert the card(s) into PCI slot(s)
5. Reboot computer
6. Ignore Windows messages about recognizing new hardware or installing drivers (the software will take care of this)
7. Unzip the 4.1.0.11 file
8. Double Click on ‘setup.exe’ (NOT the ‘velasetup.exe’) to start the installation.
9. Take the default installation settings
10. Note that the drivers will be installed during the software installation process.
11. Reboot if required.

1.4 Product Close Captioning Support

1.5 Sony SRW Triggering

Some of the VITC triggering issues you run into may be caused by a bug in the SONY SR 5000 series decks where the first VITC timecode inserted by the SONY on play is incorrect. There is a more drawn out explanation below, but there are two methods to resolve this:

Method 1. If you are manually controlling the deck.
1. Preroll the deck to 8 to 15 seconds before the trigger in point.
2. Select Play on the deck and let the deck play for 1 or 2 seconds then select stop (this is the workaround step)
3. Start the ArgusHD encoder.
4. Select Play on the deck and everything will work.

Method 2. Have the RecordAdvantage software control the deck
The RecordAdvantage Software can control a VTR using BVW commands. If the RecordAdvantage Software is controlling the deck it will perform the workaround step during the preroll process.
A more detailed description of the issue:
Basically, what appears to be happening is that the first VITC timecode from the SRW 5000/5500 is the timecode from it’s previous stop point. For example:
1. The deck is sitting at 01:03:20:00 (so the last stop command to the deck was at say 01:03:19:20)
2. The first encode in the list is at 01:00:00:00
3. You Preroll the deck to 00:59:50:00
4. The encoder cues and starts looking for the VITC timecode
5. You hit play on the deck and the timecodes received by the ArgusHD look like this
01:03:19:20
00:59:50:00
00:59:50:01 ..etc
6. The encoder hardware stops because it received a timecode greater than the mark-in. Consequently, the encoder fails to trigger.
7. If you employ the workaround:

7.1. Rewind from 01:03:20:00 to 00:59:50:00
7.2. Hit play for 1 or 2 seconds and the timecodes look like this:
01:03:19:20
00:59:50:00
00:59:50:01 ..etc
7.3. The first timecode is incorrect, but since the encoder isn’t cued up, it has no effect.
7.4. Start the encoder
7.5. Hit play on the VTR and the ArgusHD sees these timecodes:
00:59:52:00
00:59:52:01
00:59:50:02..etc
7.6. So the trigger process occurs correctly.

1.6 Upgrading Software

1. Download the Installation 4.1.0.10.zip file to the target machine
2. Uninstall the currently installed Vela Software through Control Panel -> Add/Remove Programs
3. Important Note for CommandAdvantage Users: You must manually delete the files located in the C:\Program Files\Vela Research\Command Advantage folder (if this directory exists) if upgrading from a version earlier than 4.1.0.9. You do not need to delete the User Manual PDF located in that directory.
4. Reboot if required
5. Unzip the 4.1.0.10 file
6. Double Click on ‘setup.exe’ (NOT the ‘velasetup.exe’) to start the installation.
7. Take the default installation settings
8. Note that the drivers will be installed during the software installation process.
9. Reboot if required.

1.7 VDCP Logging Procedure

1. Close all Vela programs and any programs that launch or control Vela devices.
2. Go to C:\Documents and Settings\All Users\Application Data\Vela Research\APILogs and delete all of the files in this directory
3. Go to C:\Documents and Settings\All Users\Application Data\Vela Research\XML and edit the following settings in the MachineControlServer.xml file
3.1. Set MachinceControl.Advanced.DebugLog.Enabled to 1
3.2. Set MachinceControl.Manager.EventVerbosity to 4
4. Reproduce the Bug/Failure
5. Go to to C:\Documents and Settings\All Users\Application Data\Vela Research\APILogs and zip all of the files in this directory up and send to Vela.

1.8 Version Checking

1. Open MediaAdvantage
2. Select Help > About MediaAdvantage
3. Read the Version
4. Goto the Record Advantage tab. The MX Firmware versions will be displayed. I’m particularly interested in the PPC Firmware version. You will have to scroll up to see this version.

Argus

2.1 Argus MX Firmware Upgrading

1. Extract the contents ArgusMX.zip file to a local drive
2. Start the Media Advantage software and go to the RecordAdvantage node.
3. Select “Update Firmware”.
4. Select the “Browse” button and browse to the directory containing the unzipped update files; select “Index.fdx” then “Open”.
5. Select “Update”.
6. When you see the bootflash.bin completed successfully message in the firmware upgrade dialogue box, WAIT 60 SECONDS (the Argus MX will automatically reboot), then select “Close”.
7. Verify the new firmware is loaded by scrolling up the text box located under the “Update Firmware” button and confirming the “PPC firmware revision”.

2.2 Cueing the Encoder

1. Select the ‘Cue Encoder’ checkbox on the Argus 200/250 Record Advantage.
2. Select ‘Start’ to Cue up the encoder. Once Cued, the Argus 200/250 Record Advantage will open a message box indicating the encoder is cued.
3. Press ‘OK’ to start encoding. Encoding will now start without the delays associated with loading encode parameters and starting the encoder without a Cue.
Note: Cueing should not be used when using VITC, LTC, or RS422 triggers. In these instances the encoder is cued automatically while waiting for the desired trigger.

2.3 MX VGA

1. Open Properties
2. Click on the Capture Tab.
3. Enable Capture Video and the Direct Draw settings in MX Props. Also enable the Server Owned VGA Display setting.
4. Before you start the encode, be sure to create and enable Capture

2.4 Verify Argus MX Firmware

1. Open the ‘Encoder Client’ application
2. Select ‘Connect’
3. Select ‘Initialize’
4. Select ‘Firmware Version’
5. Locate the PPC version. This is the Firmware Revision

Cineview

3.1 Auto-detect on HDPro

By default this is the way Autodetect on the unit works:
1. Since you can upconvert/downconvert video we do NOT automatically set the output timing/resolution, you must set this manually. If the output of the decoder is set to 1080i@29.97 then that is what the output will be regardless of the file being decoded.
2. When receiving a Transport Stream the TS is demux’d and the first program is found.
3. The first video ID (the video with the lowest PID value) within the first program is found and decoded
4. Up to 4 PIDs (8 discreet channels) of audio are found and decoded. The audio is decoded and routed lowest PID value first.
5. How audio is handled:
    a. MPEG1 L1 or L2 is decoded
    b. SMPTE 302M PCM is decoded
    c. SMPTE 331M PCM is decoded
    d. DVD LPCM is decoded
    e. Dolby AC3 2.0 is decoded
    f. Dolby AC3 5.1 is handled in one of 2 ways
        i. Decoded and downmixed to Dolby 2.0 (by default)
        ii. Output as a digital bitstream for an external Dolby Decoder (must select an option to do this)
        iii. NOTE that as a Professional Broadcast decoder we CANNOT decode Dolby 5.1 into 6 discreet channels of audio. This is not a technical limitation, this is a limitation imposed by Dolby on ALL Professional Broadcast decoders.
    g. Dolby E is output as a digital bitstream for an external Dolby Decoder (again…a limitation imposed by Dolby)
For example…if you have a Multi Program Transport Stream with Programs 1, 2, and 3…ulti Program Transport Stream with Programs 1, 2, and 3…
Program 1 has the lowest value and will be selected…
The video for program 1 will be decoded.
Assume program 1 has 2 Channels of MPEG1L2 audio in PID 481 and Dolby AC3 5.1 in PID 482 then…
PID 481 has the lowest value and is handled first. Since it is MPEG1L2 it is decoded and routed to Channels 1 and 2.
PID 482 has the next lowest value so it is handled next. Since it is Dolby AC3 5.1 it is decoded and downmixed to 2 Channel audio and routed to channels 3 and 4. Optionally the Dolby AC3 5.1 can be output as a bitstream in which case it is placed on Channels 3 and 4 as a digital bitstream.
Audio is routed to all outputs…meaning in the example above the decoded MPEG1L2 audio is placed on Ch1 and 2 of the HD SDI output, CH 1 and 2 of the SD SDI output and the AES1 XLR connector. Likewise with the AC3 audio, it is routed to CH3 and 4 on the HD and SD SDI outputs and the AES2 XLR connector.

3.2 Changing XLe Firmware Through XLe Client application

1. Go to Start > Programs > Vela Research > Decoders and launch the XLe Client
2. On the XLe Client select ‘Settings’ then ‘Options’
3. On the left hand side of the ‘Options’ form expand ‘Hardware Tools’ the select ‘Programming’
4. Select ‘…’ and browse to the .bin file
5. Select ‘Start’
6. The XLe will reboot itself after successfully updating the firmware. Rebooting the PC is not necessary.

3.3 HDPro Revisions

Rev A4
•Base model Cineview HDPro
•First Production Release of HDPro
•Supports only 608 Standard Definition CC inserted on line 21 in SD modes.

Rev A4 Board Modifications
Mod A4A
• Applies pre-screened serializers to HD output circuit to improve HD-SDI electrical characteristics.
Mod 2000-187-3LB
• Enables HD Closed captioning (708 CC and 608 CC) support on the Primary (SDI 1) output.

Rev B
• Is a board layout change. Therefore a Rev A cannot be upgraded to a Rev B.
• Includes all of the features, functions, and modifications of the Rev A4A + 3LB.

Hardware differences between Rev A and Rev B
• Board layout changes. No upgrade from Rev A to Rev B is possible.
• Utilizes next generation of MPEG2 Decoder ASIC which is not pin compatible with previous generation.
• Incorporates larger FPGA (1.5x larger) to support more features such as increased VANC insertion and separate genlock circuits.

Features supported by the Rev B that cannot be supported by the Rev A
• Separate Genlock circuits for Primary SDI and Secondary SDI outputs. With this feature both the HD-SDI and the SD-SDI outputs can be Genlocked independently.
• 708/608 CC insertion is now supported in both the Primary (HD-SDI) and Aux (SD-SDI) outputs. Additionally Standard Definition 608 CC can be transcoded to 708 CC and inserted into both the upscaled HD output and the SD output.

Rev C
• Is a board layout change. No upgrade from Rev A or Rev B to Rev C is possible.
• Includes all of the features and functions of Rev B
• Sole purpose was to accommodate CBS Labs qualification

Hardware differences between Rev B and Rev C
• Board layout changes. No upgrade from Rev A or Rev B to Rev C is possible.
• New clock circuits and serializers to improve HD-SDI electrical characteristics, specifically Jitter.
• Faster FPGA memory.

Features supported by the Rev C not supported by the Rev B
• No new features over the Rev B
• Rev C could potentially support 1280x720P @ 50 Hz (PAL) if there were a case to be made for doing so. The Rev A and Rev B serializers are not capable of supporting 1280 x 720P @ 50 Hz. Note that all HDPro revisions support 1920 x 1080i @ 50 Hz (PAL).

3.4 HDPro Firmware Installation

1. Download the zip file
2. (Optional) Rename the original firmware files (CineviewHD_Pro.bin and cvHdProG10.bin) located in C:\Windows\Vela directory to filename_Install.bin so that you can revert to these files if necessary.
3. Unzip and copy the new CineviewHD_Pro.bin and cvHdProG10.bin files to the C:\Windows\Vela directory.
4. Hard Reset the HDPro or Reboot the PC.

3.5 HDPro Machine Control

1. Verify your connections as per the following diagram if the controlling device (That is the VTR, VDCP Controller, BVW Controller, etc, that will control the HDPro) is RS422. [diagram]
2. For RS232 to RS232 connections use a Null Cable with no converter.
3. Launch the PlaylistClient
4. In the Machine Control Section select the protocol
5. Select the com port
6. Select Start
7. Create the playlist by dragging items from the left list to the right playlist.
8. Select Load Playlist
9. You should now be able to control the HDPro.

3.6 HDPro Closed Captioning Support

3.7 Enabling 4 Channels of CineView Quad to Start Together

1.For each Channel Listed under the Play Advantage, Under the Settings Tab locate the Playback drop down section. In this section make sure that PauseOnFirstFrame is checked. [img]
2.Once all 4 channels have the Pause on First Frame option selected, locate the Group option under the Timing drop down. Here you can select any group 1-16 you would like the channels to have. For all four channels to run in synchronization together, you can select any of the channels 1-16, just as long as you make sure all four channels are set to the same group number. Another example. If you would like 2 of the channels to start together and the remaining 2 channels to start together, then you need to set the first 2 channels to a group number and set the remaining two channels to a different group number. This gives you the opportunity to select which channels you want synchronized. [img]
3.Once all 4 channels are grouped accordingly, press start on all 4 channels for queuing purposes. Press start on only one of the grouped channels in order to start the decode process. The same goes for stopping the grouped channels.

3.8 Loading OSD Graphics

1. On the Property Client: Click ‘Show Reserved’ checkbox and select the ‘Graphics’ tab.
2. Set the X and Y position of where you want the PNG object displayed.
3. On the Cineview Client:
    a. Click ‘OSD Load File’ and browse to the file
    b. Click ‘OK’ to set the Handle.
    c. Click ‘Create PNG Object’
    d. Click ‘OK’ to set the Handle.
    e. Click ‘Show Object’
    f. Click ‘OK’ to set the Handle.
4. The PNG Object will now be displayed when an MPEG file is played.
5. To ‘Hide’ the object (and still retain it in memory) click ‘Hide Object’. To redisplay the object click ‘Show Object’ again.
6. To destroy the object click ‘Destroy Object’ then click ‘OSD Delete All’ to remove the object from memory.

3.9 Updating Drivers in Windows 2000

1. Right click on ‘My Computer’ and select ‘Properties’ -> ‘Hardware’ tab -> ‘Device Manager’ button.
2. Expand the ‘Sound, Video, and Game Controlers’ node and locate the ‘Cineview HD Pro Decoder’
3. Right click on the ‘Cineview HD Pro Decoder’ and select ‘Properties’ -> ‘Driver’ tab -> ‘Update Driver…’ button.
4. Select ‘Next’
5. Change the criteria to ‘Display a list of known drivers so that I can choose a specific driver’
6. Select ‘Next’
7. Select ‘Have Disk’
8. Browse to the x\Drivers\Cineview HD\CineviewHD.inf file and select ‘Open’ then ‘Ok’. Where x is the directory where you unzipped the download to.
9. You will be presented with a list of drivers. Select the ‘Cineview HD Pro Decoder’ and select ‘Next’.
10. Select ‘Next’
11. Select ‘Yes’
12. Select ‘Finished’
13. Select ‘Closed’
14. Reboot the system.

3.10 Updating XLe Firmware Using Media Advantage

1. Launch the MediaAdvantage application and select the ‘PlayAdvantage’ node in the ‘Servers’ tree control
2. Select the ‘Diagnostics’ tab for the XLe to be updated.
3. Select the ‘Update Firmware’ button
4. Browse for and select the CVProXLe200.bin file located in the ‘Firmware > Cineview XLe & LT’ folder of the download software.
5. Select ‘Update’ button
6. The update may take a minute or so. When the update is complete, you will see the following:
7. Select ‘Close’
8. Verify the firmware update by clicking the refresh button located beside the ‘Update Firmware’ button. Then reading the Firmware Version in the TextView window

3.11 Verifying XLe Firmware Through XLe Client Application

1. Go to Start > Programs > Vela Research > Decoders and launch the XLe Client
2. On the XLe Client select ‘Settings’ then ‘Options’
3. On the left hand side of the ‘Options’ form expand ‘Hardware Tools’ the select ‘General’
4. Select ‘Get Info’ to retrieve the FW version

3.12 Machine Control Server Documentation

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3.13 HDPro Genlock

TFT EAS

4.1 General Information

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5.1 Vela Product Manuals

• ArgoNavis Decoder





• ArgoNavis Encoder





• CineView HD Pro





• CineView II





• CineView Quad





• Argus 200-250





• HD Play Advantage
• HD Play Advantage Plus
• HD Pro Command Advantage

• CineView XLe/LT





• Argus MX





• Argus Family





• Argus Family API
• Argus MB API





• CineView Pro Family





• CineCast API


• CineCast Prime

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