P164: Difference between revisions

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The P164 is a video effects unit and framestore.
{{Outofdate}}
{{Equipment}}


===List of Cards===
This is the processing engine behind the [[Maurice]] control unit, a fact that has lead to some confusion, and many people calling a [[P164]] a [[Maurice]].
* BIM
* SPF1
* SPF2
* CPU
* OIO
* SYNC


===Framestoring===
It provides range of video processing functions in real time, thus making a very useful machine to have around in the days before computer edit suites, or for live events. As a result whilst the unit in the studio vision path is rarely used in the way it used to be, units are regularly used on outside broadcasts either to Genlock a free-running video source or to provide some urgently needed video manipulation like zooming a projector feed or keystoneing a warped picture. It can also be used for aspect ration conversion, for example, a 4:3 video source can now be fed into the anamorphic 16:9 vision path, after being "squished" to 75% space horizontally.
The P164 can genlock a free running signal onto an external sync.
* Place the free signal in one of the P164's 4 inputs. If it is valid video, then the corresponding Red L.E.D will light.
* Connect a lock signal to the P164's Genlock/Sync Inputs.
* Navigate menus tree, set genlock to ON.
* Navigate menus tree, select the video source.
* Job done.
 
===Mixing===
This P164 Has the Built in mixer Card installed. but the control panel doesn't know that, so until the P152 is going, you cant do this.
 
===Aspect mirphing===
Aspect ratio change:
* Choose source
* EFX1 in menu tree
* Hsize > change so picture is:
** 0.75x original for 4:3 into a 16:9 vision path (squish so black down sides)
** 1.33x original for 16:9 into a 4:3 vision path (stretch, no black), or 0.75x on the Vsize instead. (stretch, bars top & bottom).
 
===Useful places===
http://oldvcr.tv/collection/index.html?Mode=View&Brand=CEL%20Electronics&Model=P164&Ref=2 Is the only place on the internet you'll find out about these things anymore.
 
 
===Current Status===
The P164 doesn't seem to be talking with its front panel - The Panel doesn't seem to know the machine isn't listening. I think we can conclude then, that there is little to no handshaking and verification going on
The Panel continues as if everything were fully functional, but after boot, the machine just stays on the last test panel. Juding by the speed at which the test frames are being wrote to the frame RAM, the machine is running in "18 mode", despite it being a 38PXB model. In 18 mode, that machine bypasses a particular card, although it isn't known which. For line repetitive test cards, the CPU writes 1 line, which is (in 38 mode) then copied off to all lines in the stores. In 18 mode, this copying doesn't happen (on said board), so the CPU has to write everything again and again to the stores which make everything noticably slower (~1/2 a sec per card, rather than almost instant). Hence why I think it's in 18 mode...

Latest revision as of 12:57, 6 August 2023

cancel.png Information on this page may be out of date or apply to old equipment. Use with caution.
This article is about a piece of equipment. For more information on what it is for or how to use it, try its documents wiki article.

This is the processing engine behind the Maurice control unit, a fact that has lead to some confusion, and many people calling a P164 a Maurice.

It provides range of video processing functions in real time, thus making a very useful machine to have around in the days before computer edit suites, or for live events. As a result whilst the unit in the studio vision path is rarely used in the way it used to be, units are regularly used on outside broadcasts either to Genlock a free-running video source or to provide some urgently needed video manipulation like zooming a projector feed or keystoneing a warped picture. It can also be used for aspect ration conversion, for example, a 4:3 video source can now be fed into the anamorphic 16:9 vision path, after being "squished" to 75% space horizontally.

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