High Resolution Computer-to-Video Scan Converter

with Genlock and Optional SDI Output (Scan Do Pro II/D)

USER’S MANUAL

WORLD HEADQUARTERS

55 Cabot Court

Hauppauge, NY 11788 USA

TEL: (631) 273-0404 FAX:(631) 273-1638

WWW: http://www.commspecial.com

EMAIL: info@commspecial.com

Communications Specialties Pte Ltd

100 Beach Road

#22-09 Shaw Tower

Singapore 189702

TEL: +65 6391 8790

FAX: +65 6396 0138

EMAIL: csiasia@commspecial.com

Copyright



2000

P/N 120860 Rev. E

Scan Do Pro II

User’s Manual



CONTENTS

Introduction ......................................................................................... 3

Installation ........................................................................................... 4

Operation ............................................................................................ 6

Tips for Improving Your Converted Computer Images ...................... 9

Troubleshooting ................................................................................. 11

Accessories ...................................................................................... 12

Rear Connector Pin-outs .................................................................. 13

Statement of Warranty ..................................................................... 14

Certification Information ................................................................... 15

INCLUDED WITH THIS PRODUCT

YOU SHOULD HAVE:

1 -

Scan Do

®

Pro II

Computer-to-Video Scan Converter

1 - AC power line cord

1 - 6 foot Computer input cable for VGA and Macintosh

1 - 12 foot composite video output cable

1 - 12 foot S-Video output cable

1 - User’s Manual

1 - Product Registration card

AVAILABLE OPTIONAL

ACCESSORIES

• RF Modulator for North America channels 3 and 4

• AC line cords for North America, Japan, UK, Europe or Australia

• Rack mounting kits

Scan Do

is a registered trademark of Communications Specialties, Inc.

Macintosh

and

Mac

are registered trademarks of Apple Computer, Inc.

Page 1

Scan Do Pro II

User’s Manual



INTRODUCTION

Communications Specialties, Inc.

55 Cabot Court

Hauppauge, NY 11788 USA

TEL: (631) 273-0404

FAX: (631) 273-1638

WWW: http://www.commspecial.com

EMAIL: info@commspecial.com

Communications Specialties Pte Ltd

100 Beach Road

#22-09 Shaw Tower

Singapore 189702

TEL: +65 6391 8790

FAX: +65 6396 0138

WWW: http://www.commspecial.com

EMAIL: csiasia@commspecial.com

T

hank you for purchasing

Scan Do Pro II,

the amazingly affordable,

high-performance, computer-to-video scan converter. With

Scan Do Pro II, you now have the ability to convert your high-

resolution computer video signal into a form suitable for recording on

a VCR, displaying on a conventional TV or video monitor, or integrating

into a professional video production system.Scan Do Pro II does not

require any special software and operates completely externally from

your computer.

We advise that you read the section entitled

Tips for Improving Your

Converted Computer Images

later in this manual. It provides some useful

suggestions for obtaining the best possible image from your Scan Do Pro

II. It also explains what you should expect, in terms of image quality, when

your computer images are recorded on a VCR or displayed on a

conventional video monitor or TV.

Like all the products from Communications Specialties,

Scan Do Pro II comes with our continuing commitment to provide

support. In order to assist us in this process, please be sure to mail in your

product registration card. This will make it easier for us to notify you

with any new product announcements or other information concerning

our product line. Should you need to contact us for support, our office

is open Monday through Friday, from 8:30 AM to 5:00 PM Eastern Time.

We also offer a comprehensive web site for your added convenience.

Thank you for choosing Scan Do Pro II. As always, we welcome your

comments and suggestions.

Page 3

Scan Do Pro II

User’s Manual



INSTALLATION

INSTALLATION STEPS:

1.

2.

Disconnect your monitor from the monitor port on your PC.

Using the reversible 6-foot input cable provided with Scan Do Pro II, connect

one end to the monitor port on your computer and the other to the connector

on the rear panel of Scan Do Pro II marked either

VGA In

or

Mac In.

Connect your monitor, if you have one, to the Scan Do Pro II connector

labeled

VGA Out

or

Mac Out.

Use the cable that is attached to your monitor

for this purpose.

Connect the AC line cord provided with Scan Do Pro II to the connector

labeled

Power.

Plug the AC line cord to the wall outlet to provide power.

Connect Scan Do Pro II’s Video, S-Video or component output to your video

equipment. If desired, you may use all outputs simultaneously. (Refer to the

next section.)

Complete the installation by turning your computer on, if it is not on already.

The front panel green LED labeled

Input

should illuminate, indicating the unit

is receiving a valid signal from the computer.

Composite:

This is a single composite video signal and is compatible with

the “video” input on consumer TVs, monitors and VCRs as well as on all

professional video equipment. It cannot be connected to the “antenna” input.

S-Video:

This is an advanced form of video where the brightness and color

parts of the image are actually on two separate signals. This signal is

sometimes called S-VHS, S-Video or Y/C. It is also compatible with

Hi-8 and the Beta-ED standards. Using this output will result in a better

quality picture than using the

video

output.

Component:

This is another advanced form of video used in professional

video applications. The luminance and two color difference signals are used.

Scan Do Pro II may also output seperate red, green, blue and sync signals

instead of Y, R-Y, B-Y component signals.

SDI:

This is a SMPTE-259M compatible serial digital signal. It is standard on

the Scan Do Pro II/D model only. A Scan Do Pro II may be upgraded at the

factory for this SDI option.

3.

4.

5.

6.

AVAILABLE OUTPUTS:

SYNC TYPES SUPPORTED:

Scan Do Pro II will automatically lock to any one of three different sync types:

separate H & V; composite sync; and sync-on-green.

NTSC/PAL:

This switch selects the video timing standard to be used for the

Video

and

S-Video

outputs. NTSC is the standard for the USA, Canada,

Mexico, Japan and parts of South America. PAL is used throughout most of

Europe, the Middle East, Southern Asia and the Pacific Rim.

VIDEO STANDARD

SELECTION:

Page 4

Scan Do Pro II

User’s Manual



REMOTE CONTROL:

Scan Do Pro II provides for a hard-wired RS-232 remote control connection using

a 3-pin Phoenix-type connector on the rear panel. The baud rate is 9600 baud, no

parity, 1 start bit, 1 stop bit. The pin out is as follows:

1 - Ground

2 - Receive Data

3 - Transmit Data

1

2

3

Please contact the sales department at Communications Specialties or our web

site at www.commspecial.com for detailed specifications on the command

structure for this remote control port.

GENLOCK MODE:

The genlock button turns the mode on and off. When the genlock mode is on, the

unit looks at the genlock input and determines if a signal is present. If a signal is

present, it determines if it is the correct format (525 or 625) according to the

personality of the rear panel output format switch.

When the genlock mode is off, the LED is off. The LED is on steady when the

genlock mode is on and a valid signal is present on the genlock input connector.

The LED blinks slowly when genlock mode is on and a valid signal is not present

on the connector. The LED blinks fast for 3 seconds when the genlock mode is

on, there is no valid signal and the genlock phasing button is pressed.

The factory default setting is genlock mode off.

GENLOCK PHASING:

The genlock phasing button turns the mode on and off only when the genlock

mode is on and a valid signal is present on the genlock input. When genlock mode

is off, the genlock phasing mode is automatically off. Pressing the button in this

case does not initiate any action. In the case where the genlock mode is on but

no valid signal is present, genlock phasing cannot be turned on. Pressing the

genlock phasing button in this instance causes the genlock mode LED to blink fast

for 3 seconds as described in the section above.

The LED is on when the genlock phasing mode is on and off when the genlock

phasing mode is off.

When the genlock phasing mode is on, the arrow buttons become the Horizontal

and Subcarrier phasing advance and delay buttons. Panning the image, moving to

a quadrant and centering the image horizontally and vertically are not available

from the front panel when genlock phasing mode is on.

HORIZONTAL PHASING:

When the unit is in genlock phasing mode, the right and left arrows are the

horizontal phase delay and advance buttons respectively. They are auto-repeat

functions and will single step for approximately 2 seconds then step in increments

of 10 after that as long as the button is held down.

The factory default is the center of the horizontal phasing range.

The up and down arrows are the subcarrier phase advance and delay buttons,

respectively, when the genlock phasing mode is on. They are also auto-repeat

functions and will single step for about 2 seconds then step in increments of 10

as long as the button is held down.

The factory default is the center of the Subcarrier phasing range.

SUBCARRIER PHASING:

Scan Do Pro II

User’s Manual

Page 5



OPERATION

can Do Pro II not only offers high performance and reliability, but

also provides an extremely easy, intuitive user interface. Please read this

section in its entirety. If, after becoming familiar with the unit’s operation

and features, you still have questions and need to contact us, please refer to

Page 3 for our phone, fax, email and web address.

DIAGNOSTIC LEDS:

S

Power:

This indicator tells when power is present and

Scan Do Pro II is ON. If this light is glowing dim or not at all, it is an indication

that something might be wrong with the internal power supply.

Input:

This indicator tells when a valid computer signal is present at the

VGA

In

or

Mac In

connector on the rear panel.

VGA AND MAC RESOLUTIONS

SUPPORTED:

Scan Do Pro II will support any computer resolution having a horizontal sync

frequency within the range of 31-71 kHz. Generally, this will include PCs up to

1280 x 1024 at 60 Hz. Interlaced resolutions are not supported.

Test:

This button will force Scan Do Pro II to generate a color bars test signal

on its outputs. Press once to activate it. Press it again to turn it off. The green

LED on the

Test

button indicates when the test pattern generator is in operation.

From time to time, your Scan Do Pro II may output color bars even though you

have not pushed the

Test

button on the front panel. If your unit is generating

color bars but the LED on the

Test

button is not illuminated, there is either no

input signal from the computer or the input signal from the computer is not in

a resolution or mode supported by Scan Do Pro II.

Zoom:

The zoom feature performs two important functions. First of all, it

provides an “underscan” function, which shrinks the image display both

horizontally and vertically by 15%. This ensures that no edges of your image are

lost beyond the borders of your screen when converted to a TV video format.

Secondly, the zoom feature provides three

settings which enlarge your image display

while also enhancing its resolution. By

repeatedly pressing the zoom button, you can

cycle through the different image sizes shown

on the chart to the right.

Zoom Ratio

85%

100%

130%

160%

200%*

Indicator LED

ON

OFF

ON

ON

ON

HOW TO ACTIVATE

TEST SIGNALS:

COLOR BARS WHEN TEST IS

NOT ACTIVATED:

SIZING THE IMAGE:

*The

200% zoom ratio may not be available

at the highest input frequency.

Zoom Shortcut Buttons:

Scan Do Pro II provides the option to go directly

to three of the zoom settings using the following button combinations. Both

buttons must be pushed simultaneously to access this feature.

Zoom

85%

100%

200%

Ratio

(lowest zoom; "underscan mode")

(standard "overscan mode")

(highest zoom mode)

Button Combination

ZOOM &

↓

ZOOM &

→

ZOOM &

↑

Page 6

Scan Do Pro II

User’s Manual



REDUCING FLICKER IN

THE IMAGE:

Anti-Flicker:

This button will activate one of four levels of flicker reduction. To

turn on the flicker filter, push the

Anti-Flicker

button once. This activates level one

of the filter. The green LED should illuminate, indicating that this feature is now

active.

Press the button repeatedly to cycle through levels two, three and four of the

flicker filter. The green light will remain lit for all four stages. Pushing the button a

fifth time will turn off the flicker filter and extinguish the green LED.

Try the different settings for this button to see which gives the best results for the

application you are viewing. You’ll discover that depending on the type of image,

different settings provide the maximum benefit.

VERTICAL FILTER:

This button toggles the vertical fliter on and off. The LED is lit when the vertical

filter is on and off when it is off. The factory default setting is vertical filter off.

Freeze:

Scan Do Pro II gives you the ability to freeze or stop the image on your

video screen without halting your computer application. When you push the

Freeze

button, the images output by Scan Do Pro II will freeze and the green LED will

illuminate. (The loop-through support to your local computer monitor will remain

active.) Press the button again to deactivate the freeze feature and extinguish the LED.

While in the freeze mode, all keypad functions are still active. However, you will

not see the effects from using any other features, such as

Zoom,

until the

Freeze

mode is turned off.

FREEZING THE IMAGE ON

YOUR VIDEO SCREEN:

YUV/RGB COLOR SPACE:

This button toggles between YUV and RGB color space. The LED is lit when in

YUV and off when in RGB. YUV is the factory default setting.

Cursor Buttons (Arrows):

As TV monitors and video projectors may not always

display the image in the center of the screen, you may use the four “arrow” buttons

on the front of Scan Do Pro II to position the image up, down, left and right. The

image will move one increment each time you push the button. If you continue to

push down any of the arrow buttons, the image will begin to move continuously, first

slowly and then more quickly.

Positioning Shortcut Buttons:

Pushing the following button combinations simul-

taneously will immediately position your image as follows:

IMAGE POSITION

Center image vertically

Center image horizonatally

Upper left corner

Upper right corner

Lower left corner

Lower right corner

BUTTON COMBINATION

↑

and

↓

←

and

→

↑

and

←

↑

and

→

↓

and

←

↓

and

→

POSITIONING THE

IMAGE ON THE

SCREEN:

Scan Do Pro II

User’s Manual

Page 7



RETURNING TO FACTORY

DEFAULT SETTINGS:

Reset:

You may quickly return all Scan Do Pro II functions to their

factory default settings by simultaneously pressing the

Test

and

←

buttons.

Lock/Unlock:

The button panel may be locked or unlocked by simulta-

neously pressing the following button combinations:

LOCK:

UNLOCK:

TEST AND

↑

TEST AND

↓

LOCKING THE BUTTON

PANEL:

SYNC-ON-GREEN, PEDESTAL ON/OFF,

PAL M AND PAL N:

An internal switch located on the Scan Do Pro II and Pro II/D board

allows you to configure the unit for several custom settings. To access the

switch, first disconnect AC power. Then, remove the two screws from the

front panel. Drop the panel, which is connected to the board by a ribbon

cable. The switch, labeled "S2", is blue with four white levers and is located

on the front left corner of the board. The unit comes preset with all levers

set to "OFF." Printed to the left of the switch, on the board, are instructions

for use. A summary is provided below:

Sync-on-Green:

Set "lever 1" to "ON"

Pedestal On/Off:

Unit is preset for Pedestal Use. To turn it off, set

the switch to "ON"

PAL M:

PAL N:

Set "lever 3" to "ON" and set exterior back panel

switch to NTSC.

Set "lever 4" to "ON" and set exterior back panel

switch to PAL.

LOCKING THE GENLOCK AND

GENLOCK PHASING BUTTONS:

Genlock Buttons Lock/Unlock:

Once the genlock timing has been set,

it may be desireable to lock the

Genlock

and the

Genlock Phasing

buttons so that nothing happens if they are accidentally pressed.This can

be accomplished by simultaneously pressing the following button combi-

nations:

GENLOCK BUTTON LOCK:

VERT FILTER AND

↑

GENLOCK BUTTON UNLOCK: VERT FILTER AND

↓

When the genlock keys are locked, the function of the arrow keys will

automatically become set to the panning mode. Once the genlock keys are

unlocked, the

Genlock Phasing

button must be pressed to put the arrow

keys back in genlock phasing mode.

Page 8

Scan Do Pro II

User’s Manual



TIPS FOR IMPROVING YOUR

CONVERTED COMPUTER IMAGES

t has been our experience, at CSI, that customers are sometimes

surprised that computer images converted to video do not look as

sharp and vivid as the original computer image does. Unfortunately,

this result is inevitable regardless of the scan converter you use, for the

technology behind TV video is far inferior to that behind newer computer

video standards. This is not to say that the quality of scan converter you

use doesn’t matter, but even the very best scan converter will not provide

output that matches the quality of your original computer picture.

Scan converters, like Scan Do Pro II, were created to bridge the

differences between the relatively new standards of computer video and

the 40-year old standards of conventional TV video. When using a scan

converter, there are several things you can do to get the best possible

results from the conversion process. These involve understanding the

limitations of standard TV video and creating images that “work around”

these shortcomings. The following tips apply whether you are displaying

your scan converter output directly on a monitor or recording it onto

videotape. While you should have realistic expectations regarding the

type of image you will be able to obtain, taking the following steps will

definitely improve your results:

I

KNOW WHAT YOUR CONVERTED

IMAGE WILL LOOK LIKE:

First of all, when

creating