Blackmagicdesign Pocket UltraScope, Operation Manual

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Blackmagic UltraScope
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6. Picture Display
The Picture Display is a handy confidence monitor so you can see the video that is being received by
Blackmagic UltraScope. The Picture Display has three settings: COLOR, B/W (black & white) and BLUE
(Blue Only).
Set to COLOR or B/W depending on the needs of your facility. Black & white is popular for use in
color-correction studios so clients don’t get confused when seeing multiple color displays, and not
understanding which color display is the correct, color-calibrated display. You may wish to select B/W so
there is only a single, calibrated, color display in the room. The black & white display can also provide a
useful visual reference.
Blue Only is used with color bar test signals for setting hue on playback decks. When adjusting hue,
make sure all the blue bars are a constant brightness to attain the correct hue level.
Blue Only can also used for evaluating noise levels in cameras and telecines. Blue has the least amount
of signal level, in a color video signal, and so is more susceptible to noise. The BLUE setting can provide
a good way to check on noise levels in a video signal.
Use the SDI and OPTICAL buttons to select whether UltraScope will receive video from the SDI input or
the optical fiber SDI input. Regardless of which input is chosen, the video input will always loop through
to both the SDI and optical fiber SDI outputs.
The Picture Display will also decode RP-188 HD and VITC SD timecode information, from the SDI video
input signal, and display it on the right side of the display. If the timecode information is incorrect, check
your deck to ensure it is outputting the correct timecode signal encoded as VITC or RP188.
It is worth noting that some standard definition broadcast decks let you “re-stripe” the timecode track
independently of the VITC, which was encoded as part of the image. This meant the VITC could not be
changed without copying the video down another generation. Consequently some standard definition
decks had different timecode in the VITC to the normal LTC track on the SDI video output. It is always
worth checking master tapes if you think the displayed timecode is incorrect.
Lastly, the video standard is displayed on the left side of the Picture Display, so you can verify the video
standard, and confirm you’re monitoring the correct video feed.