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FIELD REPORT
NEW PRODUCTS & REVIEWS
Blackmagic Teranex 2D
A format converter goes under the microscope.
Because of the many cross -
conversion capabilities of
the VC100 from Teranex,
I have long wanted one.
My most critical need was the high -
quality conversion of hours of analog
and digital tapes going back as far
as the early 1980s to pillarbox HD.
Unfortunately, the Teranex VC100
cost $90,000. Even after Blackmagic
bought the VC100 and began reselling
it, despite a huge price drop to
only $20,000, it remained an expensive
tool.
At the 2012 NAB Show, Blackmagic
announced a redesigned VC100 using
modern chips. The new price tag -
only $1995 for the standard model,
called the 2D. (A 3 -D version sells
for $3995.) The 2D unit offers all
conversions in 4:2:2 sampling for a
single channel.
Both models are small rack -mount
units and feature HDMI I /O, analog
composite and component I/O (unfortunately,
no Y/C input for legacy
camcorders and decks), 3Gb /s HD-
SDI in and out; eight independent
AES /EBU audio I/O connections; stereo
analog input /output; and a Thunderbolt
port, as shown in Figure 1.
These Blackmagic models still feature
high -quality Teranex processing,
including format (NTSC/PAL) conversion,
HD standards (720/1080)
conversion, and SD -to-HD and HDto-SD
crossconversion. The latter
two functions include aspect -ratio
conversion (pillarbox and letterbox)
and smart aspect (variable scaling
to stretch 4:3 to 16:9 with minimum
distortion). The 2D and 3D provide
additional functions such as noise reduction
and test signals, plus cadence
detect and remove.
The key to Teranex quality is that
it can process video in both spatial
and temporal domains. This is exemplified
by how the unit deinterlaces
BY STEVE MULI EN
incoming video to progressive video.
The converter implements a moving
window of four fields (two frames) to
determine which pixels are in motion
o .,
and which are not. Static pixels -
those showing no motion across fields
- are moved from the current frame
into a "progressive" output frame.
- .)^'L
Figure 1.The rear of theTeranex 2D features HDMI I/O and a Thunderbolt port.
Figure 2.Teranex 2D's display mode presents moving pixels as red pixels.
Figure 3. Shown here is Media Composer's capture window during ingest HD from
an SD camcorder. Blackmagic supplies capture drivers for a number of editors, but
no driver is available for FCP X.
74 broadcastengineering.com I March 2013