The Best Analog Composite Decoder Just Got Better!

Ross Video has recently enhanced the ADC-8032A Analog Composite to SDI Decoder to create the ADC-8032B. Two models are available for immediate delivery:

• ADC-8032B Analog Composite to SDI Decoder
• ADC-8032B-S Analog Composite to SDI Decoder with Frame Synchronizer

The ADC-8032A and ADC-8032A-S are no longer available.

What’s New?
The primary change is in the composite decoding algorithms. The ADC-8032B supports 3D adaptive decoding (4-field based), which results in near perfect composite (NTSC) to SDI conversion.

In the words of John Ross: "That's the best NTSC decoding that I have ever seen...wow!".

The ADC-8032B also supports 3-line adaptive decoding (5-line in PAL), with 1-line and comb modes of operation

Additionally, the ADC-8032B module’s analog reference (color black) input is now looping.

What is an Adaptive Decoder?
Most composite decoders use a digital technique called a comb filter to separate the luminance and the chrominance information. Comb filters use pixels near a target pixel to help in this separation process. These comb filters processes the video using 1-line, 3-lines, and sometimes even 5-lines of video to add some vertical information to the decoding process.

An adaptive decoder processes the video using several techniques (ie: notch filter, 1-line comb, and 3-line comb) simultaneously, and then determines which decoding algorithm performs best on that particular video sample. Good adaptive decoders can select algorithms on a pixel by pixel basis.

What is 3D Decoding?
In most video sources, differences in image content between pixels and between lines results in a non-perfect luma/chroma decode.

The 3D decoding process performs color separation using two sequential frames of video. In NTSC video, the color information between successive frames is exactly 180° out of phase. So for image content which is the same in two successive frames (ie: static images), it is possible to separate the luminance and the chrominance with almost perfect results.

To avoid a 2 field delay in decoding, the 3D Decoder looks backwards by a frame to perform it’s decoding.

What about 3D Adaptive Decoding?
Similar to adaptive comb filtering, the 3D Adaptive Decoder processes the video using several techniques simultaneously, including a 3D algorithm, and picks the best results on a pixel by pixel basis. To improve on this technique, the Ross decoder determines the best decoding algorithm on a weighted area average basis, which eliminates potential artifacts when switching between decoding techniques too frequently.

The Results?
3D Adaptive Decoding is nearly perfect for static images, and this is most evident on fine text and/or image detail. For video sources which contain motion, the 3D Adaptive Decoder will pick the best decoding technique as required. Most images have a mix of static and motion video, and the 3D Adaptive Decoder is the ideal decoder.

What About Other ADC-8032A Features?
The ADC-8032B retains all the popular features of the ADC-8032A, including:

• Jumper-selectable NTSC / PAL-B / PAL-M / PAL-N or Auto-Detect
• 12-bit analog to digital conversion with 4x oversampling and 10-bit analog decoding
• Handles difficult signals such as satellite or microwave feeds
• Heads-Up Display overlays key parameters in text on the video output
• Extensive Proc Amp controls, Freeze modes, Handles hot-switches
• Programmable Vertical Blanking Interval
• Setup adjustment, Black level offset, Passes Super Black
• Choice of reference inputs: frame reference or local looping reference
• Four SDI serial digital outputs (270 Mb/s)
• Tracking Delay Output for companion audio synchronizer
• Built-in test signals

Any Other Changes?
If you are replacing an ADC-8032A with an ADC-8032B, the minimum delay in the Line Delay or Frame Delay modes will change from 3 Lines + 23uS to 1 Line + 52.1uS (NTSC) or 1 Line + 15.7uS (PAL).

Also, the power consumption has decreased from 7.9W (max) to 4.2W (max).

Some Decoding Examples:
Note: these images were captured using a film camera and monitor. Some herringbone artifacts which can be seen are a result of the camera-monitor interaction.