| VERSION | Default Behaviour of "Digitise" | Output Type Held In Momentarily | Held In 2.5 Secs | Held In 5.0 Secs |
| (normal) | Digitise | Video Zoom | Letterbox | Pillarbox |
| W | Digitise | Letterbox | Video Zoom | Pillarbox |
| Z | Video Zoom | Letterbox | Pillarbox | Digitise |
| ZW | Letterbox | Video Zoom | Pillarbox | Digitise |
| VERSION | Default Behaviour | Invert Option Held In Momentarily |
| (none) | Colour Lock OFF | Colour Lock ON |
| L | Colour Lock ON | Colour Lock OFF |
| VERSION | Default Behaviour | Invert Option Held In Momentarily |
| (none) | Auto Input Switching OFF | Auto Input Switching ON |
| S | Auto Input Switching ON | Auto Input Switching OFF |
| VERSION | Default Behaviour | Colour Shift^ Held In Momentarily |
| (none) | Timebase Disable OFF | Timebase Disable ON |
| T | Timebase Disable ON | Timebase Disable OFF |
| VERSION | Default Behaviour | Output Type Button Effect |
| (none) | SCART Output is RGB | Switches Output to YUV and back |
| Y | SCART Output is YUV | Switches Output to RGB and back |
| VERSION | Special Behaviour |
| I | Inverse Zoom for Image Reduction lets normal monitor act like underscan monitor |
| J | Professional Contrast Control makes Contrast work from Black rather than Mid-level |
| B | Output Colour Burst Permanently Enabled allows colouring of Monochrome Video |
| C | Colour BLACK Screen Instead Of RED Screen can be useful for preparing new tapes |
| G | GREEN Screen Instead Of RED Screen can be useful for colour background keying |
| Q | Quicker Video and Audio Automatic Fade: 0.5 to 2.5 Secs instead of 1.0 to 5.0 Secs |
| (H) | (Horizontal Zoom Permanently Disabled: original option for Anamorphic Conversion) |
| M | Left/Right Mirror Imaging set by INVERT OPTION with Simplified Video Inversion |
| N | For Noisy TV Signals,
e.g. for Amateur TV Reception or ATV Repeater Stations
INVERT OPTION sets Long Time Constant and/or AGC instead of Video Inversion |
| O | Alternative to "N"
using "AUDIO" for Time Constant and "MANUAL" for AGC
This keeps normal INVERT OPTION. Fading is Permanently Automatic with Audio |
| E | Freeze Frame (Still Frame) plus
Fixed 3200K Colour Temperature Options
Uses "AUDIO" & "MANUAL" controls. Fading is Permanently Automatic with Audio |
| P | Comprehensive Widescreen Signals
using the "AUDIO" and "MANUAL" controls
for 4:3/16:9 and FullScreen/Letterbox. Fading is Permanently Automatic with Audio |
| R | Rights Protection & Widescreen Signal
using "AUDIO" and "MANUAL" controls
for 4:3/16:9 and CGMS Copy Protection. Fading is Permanently Automatic with Audio |
| U | Horizontal/Vertical Position on Letterbox/Pillarbox
using Speed/Manual control
Converted image movement to make room for captions. Uses "MANUAL" as Enable |
| X | Horizontal/Vertical Panning on Letterbox/Pillarbox
using Speed/Manual control
Selective cropping of converted images when zoomed. Uses "MANUAL" as Enable |
| X_V | As "X" but with Vertical Panning on Normal Zoom
using Speed/Manual control
Selective cropping of expanded images when zoomed. Uses "MANUAL" as Enable |
Option "I" replaces the Digitise function with an Inverse Zoom function
created by combining Letterboxing with Pillarboxing. In this mode the ACE Converter's
normal video zoom function starts from an initial 25% size reduction, i.e. from an
underscan position. The standard 5.5% zoom steps then allow the image to be expanded
upwards to full size. At a setting of 2 or 3 steps below this the image will be
10% to 15% below normal size so fully visible on all normal (non-underscan) monitors.
This new facility thus allows the use of normal monitors as underscan monitors.
Existing aspect ratio conversion and zoom facilites are unaffected. The only loss
is the Digitise facility, often unused. All other ACE Converter facilities remain
unchanged and this new option can be combined with special options Z and/or W and in
each case will replace Digitise with Inverse Zoom. In fact we recommend adding Option
"Z" to Option "I" unless you wish to use the ACE regularly in Inverse Zoom mode.
Option "J" Changes this so that reducing Contrast makes the video darker and
eventually black at zero Contrast. This is typical of the way Video Gain controls work
on professional equipment. The only loss is the ability to create a Full White screen
by reducing Contrast to zero and Brightness to maximum. This is because the brightness
range with this option cannot cancel the brightness reduction caused by setting
Contrast to Zero and with Zero Contrast the maximum Brightness will be a mid grey level.
The option of creating a coloured blank screen using the Red, Green and Blue controls
still exists but at Mid Grey rather than White level. This option can be added to any other.
Option "B" ensures the colour burst is always ON. The main disadvantage is
that a TV monitor on the output of the ACE will then show colour noise when the ACE
is fed with a noisy monochrome video input as the TV's colour decoding circuitry
will not be turned off.
Option "C" replaces the RED Screen with a Colour Black Screen. This is
ideal for recording onto new tapes to give continuous timecode for easier editing.
Please note that a Colour Black screen can also be generated on the normal ACE
using the fader but only if you provide a continuous colour video source.
Option "G" replaces the RED Screen with a GREEN Screen. For colour
background keying Blue and Green are the normal colours chosen with Red very rarely
used. So this option may be of use to those wishing to use the ACE to generate
colours for background keying.
Option "Q" reduces the range of the automatic fade times by a factor of 2
from the standard 1.0 to 5.0 Seconds to 0.5 to 2.5 Seconds.
Alternatively Option "H" permanently disables the horizontal expansion so
that vertical-only expansion is possible. The only disadvantage is that the normal
combined vertical and horizontal zoom is no longer possible. Now superceded for most
applications by Pillarboxing.
Normally the INVERT OPTION button cycles around 4 combinations of video and
colour inversion. For many people using computer editing this independent control
of video and colour inversion, provided mainly for special effects, is no longer
required and total video+colour inversion is all that is needed to capture from negatives etc.
Option "M" uses the INVERT OPTION button to cycle through 4 combinations
of Video+Colour Inversion and lateral, i.e Left/Right, inversion of the video image.
Control Cycling Order is:
Normal / Video Invert + Mirror Imaging / Mirror Imaging Only / Video Invert Only.
Secondly, since fading TV signals can result in video level changes it is also
useful to be able to use the Automatic Gain Control features of the ACE which are
normally disabled for optimum performance in normal video applications.
Option "N" uses the INVERT OPTION button to cycle through 4 combinations
of Slow and Fast horizontal time constant plus AGC On and Off. The only disadvantage
is that the normal video invert options are lost. Control Cycling Order is then:
Normal (Fast + AGC Off) / Slow + AGC On / Fast + AGC On / Slow + AGC Off.
Option "O" uses the AUDIO button to control the horizontal phase-locked
loop (HPLL) time constant and the MANUAL button to control the Automatic Gain Control.
The automatic fader is still available with variable speed using the FADE button
and SPEED control but fading is always automatic and audio is always faded with
the video. Of course audio can be left unfaded simply by connecting audio directly
and not taking it via the ACE. Loss of the manual fade is thus the only disadvantage.
Option "E" offers a flexible Freeze Frame (Still Frame) facility controlled
by the AUDIO button and a Fixed 3200K (incandescent lighting) White Balance / Colour Temperature
setting controlled by the MANUAL button. (This option is a spin-off of the ACE24 development.)
The automatic fader is still available with variable speed using the FADE button
and SPEED control but fading is always automatic and audio is always faded with
the video. Of course audio can be left unfaded simply by connecting audio directly
and not taking it via the ACE. Loss of the manual fade is thus the only disadvantage.
When in Freeze Frame mode by default both input fields are averaged to remove any
motion jitter and then repeated for both output fields. Pressing the INVERT OPTION
button allows you to choose from the other three alternatives: Both fields displayed
as normal (for best vertical resolution but motion will make the image jitter) or field
one or field two repeated (eliminates jitter and avoids the motion blurring caused by
averaging but only uses the data from one input field).
Option "P" has permanent widescreen signalling controlled by AUDIO and
MANUAL buttons so widescreen TVs will switch automatically to the correct mode.
The automatic fader is still available with variable speed using the FADE button
and SPEED control but fading is always automatic and audio is always faded with
the video. Of course audio can be left unfaded simply by connecting audio directly
and not taking it via the ACE. Loss of the manual fade is thus the only disadvantage.
This option is especially useful with pillarboxing as this will normally be used
with a 4:3 source and 16:9 output. Widescreen signalling can then be used to force
widescreen TVs into the correct mode. (This option is not usually needed for letterboxing
of 16:9 material for 4:3 TVs as they are unlikely to respond to widescreen signalling.)
All of the most common modes can be signalled:
Option "R" has a simplified widescreen signalling controlled by the
AUDIO button, so widescreen TVs will switch automatically to the correct mode,
and CGMS Copy Protection controlled by the MANUAL button.
The automatic fader is still available with variable speed using the FADE button
and SPEED control but fading is always automatic and audio is always faded with
the video. Of course audio can be left unfaded simply by connecting audio directly
and not taking it via the ACE. Loss of the manual fade is thus the only disadvantage.
This option lets you prevent customers from copying VHS tapes of weddings or
special interest videos to DVD or DV. It will thus force your customers to make
only poorer VHS copies rather than lossless digital ones.
The 16:9 widescreen signalling option can be used to force widescreen TVs into
the correct mode. All of the most common modes can be signalled:
Option "U" offers Vertical or Horizontal Positioning when using Letterboxing
or Pillarboxing with less than maximum Zoom. This allows control over image position
to allow the addition of captions or for combining images etc. The MANUAL button is
used as an Enable. The AUDIO button works normally. This option can be combined with
many other special options but cannot be combined with apparently compatible options
M, N, O, E, P or R due to software limitations.
The Speed/Manual control is then used for Positioning, with the Fade being always
set to maximum rate (1 second as standard or 0.5 seconds with "Q" Option):
Option "X" offers Horizontal or Vertical Panning when using Letterboxing
or Pillarboxing with additional Zoom. This allows control over zoom induced cropping
for cases where the main focal point of the image is not in the centre. If not combined
with Freeze Frame + Fixed 3200K Colour Temperature Option "E" or with Widescreen
Signalling / Rights Protection Options "P" and "R" the MANUAL button is used as an Enable,
otherwise the panning is permanently active.
The Speed/Manual control is then used for Panning, with the Fade being always
set to maximum rate (1 second as standard or 0.5 seconds with "Q" Option):
Option "X_V" gives the same benefits as Option "X" but also offers
Vertical Panning when using Normal Zoom. This allows control over zoom induced cropping
of expanded images in Letterbox, Pillarbox or Normal Zoom modes for cases where the main
focal point of the image is not in the centre. As with Option "X", if Option "X_V" is
not combined with Options "E", "P" or "R" the MANUAL button is used as an Enable,
otherwise the panning is permanently active.
The Speed/Manual control is then used for Panning, with the Fade being always
set to maximum rate (1 second as standard or 0.5 seconds with "Q" Option):
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Professional Contrast Control working as Video Gain
Normally the ACE uses the standard Philips chips Contrast control. This operates around
Mid level, i.e. if you reduce Contrast the video level approaches mid grey, typical of
normal domestic TVs etc.
Output Colour Burst Permanently Enabled
Normally the Colour Burst on the video output of the ACE will be present only if
there is a colour burst present on the video input, as per standard practice.
However this can prevent you from adding colour, e.g. sepia, to genuine monochrome
video which has no colour burst. Please note though that you can always convert
colour video to monochrome and then add colour tints without this special version.
There are also some other applications where a permanent colour burst might be useful.
BLACK Screen Instead Of RED Screen
The standard ACE Converter offers test patterns which cycle round Normal Video,
Colour Bars, Blue Screen and Red Screen. The Blue and Red screens are intended
mainly for colour purity checking of picture tubes for which they are the best
pair of colours to use.
GREEN Screen Instead Of RED Screen
The standard ACE Converter offers test patterns which cycle round Normal Video,
Colour Bars, Blue Screen and Red Screen. The Blue and Red screens are intended
mainly for colour purity checking of picture tubes for which they are the best
pair of colours to use.
Quicker Video / Audio Automatic Fade
Some people have asked for a faster automatic fade.
Horizontal Zoom Permanently Disabled
If you wish to convert widescreen video in letterbox format to anamorphic format
this requires a vertical expansion. For example to convert from 16:9 letterbox up to
full screen height anamorphic format a vertical expansion of 4/3 is required.
This can be achieved using the standard "Pillarbox" option which with the zoom in
its 6th position is correct for converting 16:9 letterbox to anamorphic.
Left/Right Mirror Imaging
In videophone applications if the local camera output is fed to the local monitor
a lateral inversion is needed for the users to see themselves as if seen through a
mirrror which is the normal way we see ourselves. Other applications for lateral
inversion include any situation where the camera must view an object or scene
through a mirror and this must be corrected.
For Noisy TV Signals
Amateur TV Reception or ATV Repeater Stations often have to cope with very
noisy signals. Optimum performance requires a long time constant in the horizontal
phase-locked loop so that the ACE can ignore the effects of noise on the sync pulses.
On the other hand the standard ACE has a short time constant which was specially
chosen for optimum performance with the relatively clean but often jittery video
coming off VCRs which must be tracked accurately.
Alternative to "N"
If you wish to have the same extra features as option "N" above, prefer not
to lose the normal INVERT OPTION features, but don't mind losing some of the
fader features and would prefer to have the two new functions on separate latching
buttons then please read on!
AUDIO
MANUAL
MODE
OUT
OUT
Fast HPLL + Fixed Gain
OUT
IN
Fast HPLL + Automatic Gain
IN
OUT
Slow HPLL + Fixed Gain
IN
IN
Slow HPLL + Automatic Gain
Freeze Frame + Fixed 3200K Colour Temperature
Comprehensive Widescreen Signals - Works on 625/50 Output Only
AUDIO
MANUAL
WSS MODE
OUT
OUT
4:3 Full Screen
OUT
IN
14:9 Letterbox
IN
OUT
16:9 Full Screen (Anamorphic)
IN
IN
16:9 Letterbox
Rights Protection & Widescreen Signal - Works on 625/50 Output Only
AUDIO
MANUAL
WSS & CGMS MODE
OUT
OUT
4:3 Full Screen
OUT
IN
As Above + Copy Protected
IN
OUT
16:9 Full Screen (Anamorphic)
IN
IN
As Above + Copy Protected
Vertical/Horizontal Position on Letterbox/Pillarbox
STATE
FADE/MANUAL KNOB EFFECT
DIGITISE
NONE - NO Positioning
ZOOM
NONE - NO Positioning
LETTERBOX
Vertical Positioning - Varies with Zoom Level
PILLARBOX
Horizontal Positioning - Varies with Zoom Level
Horizontal/Vertical Panning on Letterbox/Pillarbox
STATE
FADE/MANUAL KNOB EFFECT
DIGITISE
NONE - NO Panning
ZOOM
NONE - NO Panning
LETTERBOX
Horizontal Panning - Varies with Zoom Level
PILLARBOX
Vertical Panning - Varies with Zoom Level
Horizontal/Vertical Panning on Letterbox/Pillarbox plus Vertical Panning on Normal Zoom
STATE
FADE/MANUAL KNOB EFFECT
DIGITISE
NONE - NO Panning
ZOOM
Vertical Panning - Varies with Zoom Level
LETTERBOX
Horizontal Panning - Varies with Zoom Level
PILLARBOX
Vertical Panning - Varies with Zoom Level
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