Ensemble Designs BrightEye 57 3G/HD/SD/Analog Test Signal and Sync Pulse Generator - Manual (Page 10)

www.ensembledesigns.com BrightEye 57
TM BrightEye 57 3G/HD/SD/Analog Test Signal and Sync Pulse Generator User Guide
Page 10
Timecode Generator
The output of the BrightEye 57’s Timecode Generator is available simultaneously in multiple output
types through multiple output connectors as shown in the Timecode Output Types and Output
Connectors table on the next page.
The Timecode Generator will always run at the same frame rate as the main SDI outputs. If that output
is in the NTSC family (29.97 or 59.94), you can configure for the choice of Drop Frame or non-Drop
Frame operation. Drop Frame is necessary if you want the timecode value to track the actual time of
day. By dropping specific frames, it makes up for the fact that the frame rate is just shy (by 1/1.001) of
60 Hz.
You can load the Timecode Generator with a preset value through the control system. When a
BrightEye 57 powers up, the Timecode Generator starts at 0:0:0:0. Alternatively, the BrightEye 57
can read VITC present on the reference input. This timecode value will be used continuously by the
BrightEye 57’s internal generator. When this option is selected, the timecode presented on the many
different outputs will all match the timecode on the reference input.
Outputting Timecode
The BrightEye 57 has one timecode generator. The timecode that it produces can be output through a
number of methods:
1. Routing LTC (linear timecode) to one of the Programmable Output BNCs (Aux 1, Aux 2, Aux 3). This
is an analog, unbalanced, single-ended 1V P-P signal at 75 Ohm impedance.
2. Routing LTC to the Analog Audio Output connector. This will be exactly the same signal as when it
is routed to a BNC, but it will be a differential (balanced) twisted pair analog signal coming out of
the green Phoenix connector on the rear of the unit. Choose Timecode LTC on one of the 16 audio
channel selectors, then route that audio to the Analog Audio Output connector.
3. Routing LTC as an audio channel in an AES bitstream. Choose Timecode LTC on one of the audio
channel selectors, then select AES on any of the Programmable Outputs (Aux 1, Aux 2, Aux 3).
There are 9 different AES choices which correspond to channel pairs 1/2, 3/4, 5/6, etc, and the
choice of AES Silence. Choose the appropriate audio pair so that the particular AES stream being
fed to an output includes the timecode signal.
4. Routing LTC as one of the audio signals embedded in the SDI Output stream.
5. Routing VITC (vertical interval timecode) on an analog composite output.
6. Routing DVITC (digital vertical interval timecode) on an SD SDI output.
7. Routing ATC (ancillary timecode) on an HD SDI output.
You can output an analog timecode signal with any of the methods described above. The difference
between them is a choice between balanced or unbalanced. If you need to feed timecode to a device
with an XLR input, you would generally want to use the balanced output. However, it is also possible
to use the unbalanced output through Programmable Outputs (Aux 1, Aux 2, Aux 3) and connect it to
the destination with a balancing transformer. This would be much like the DATS adaptors for AES.
The advantage of using the unbalanced output through the Programmable Outputs (Aux 1, Aux 2,
Aux 3) is that you can run it through a BrightEye 41 Distribution Amplifier to make more copies.