Cel-Soft introduces Reel-Check Solo-QC multi-mode broadcast signal analyser

January 6, 2012

Source: Cel-Soft

Cel-Soft announces a major new addition to its suite of quality-control and monitoring software

Designed to run on a standard desktop PC or workstation, Reel-Check Solo-QC enables a complete set of quality-control tests to be performed on live or file-based video and audio. It is compatible with all signal standards and media file-types currently in common use, including webcast, broadcast and 444 digital-film formats up to 4K.

“Reel-Check Solo-QC is the facility’s equivalent of a Swiss Army knife,” details Cel-Soft managing director Robin Palmer. “It allows a very wide range of video and audio checks to be performed both on live and file-based signals without the cost and space overheads of traditional test equipment.”

Reel-Check Solo-QC can perform automatic checking of ingested or finished file content on local or networked drives. The operator can preset a table of test parameters and tolerances. Any excursions outside these defined limits are automatically logged with associated timecodes and details. A thumbnail image generated at the time of detected events can be inserted in an easy-to-read RTF log. This facility can also be used as a shot-logger.

Alternatively or simultaneously the operator can view full waveform, vectorscope and image displays in any desired combination. Embedded audio, stereo or multi-channel surround-sound can be extracted and checked on a frame-by-frame basis alongside the video for audible or visible impairments. Audio, video and timecode can be displayed at any size on-screen.

Reel-Check Solo-QC provides live display of video waveform, colour vector, YRGB histograms, RGB parades, YUV parades, gamut, individual R/G/B channels, luma, chroma as well as special picture monitoring modes.

Audio displays include bar-graphs in any common scale as well as full 5.1 surround-sound GMO and spectrogram. These can be supplemented by audio waveform (channels 1 to 16), audio phase vectors, audio phase balance and frequency analysis spectra. Integral audio loudness monitoring allows checks to ITU-R BS1770/1, R128 and the USA-mandated ATSC A/85.

Automated video test capabilities include gamut, field dominance/reversal, average picture level, blocking artefacts, stuck frames, odd frames, blank frames, noise, focus, horizontal blanking, aspect ratio, colour balance, timecode discontinuity, interlace presence, contrast, picture shift, pixel format and (optionally) PSE photosensitive epilepsy flashing (also known as 'The Harding Test').

Each test can be enabled or disabled by the user from a simple menu. Test parameters can be saved as a named test profile. Audio test capabilities include loudness, clipping, silence, channel phase, stereo balance, audio format and test tone detection.

For live sources on HD-SDI or HDMI, Reel-Check Solo-QC can be used with most PC compatible capture cards or devices as well as DV or HDV over IEEE 1394 (Apple Firewire). Taped media can be quality-controlled in this configuration with timecode readouts. Media files can be analysed at normal play-speed or faster than real-time.

Given a suitably powerful PC platform, Reel-Check Solo-QC can be run as a multi-channel system with two, three or four different live sources. It can also operate as a multi-viewer as well as delivering its supervising QC functions and displays when needed.

Reel-Check Solo-QC will be launched on the Cel-Soft stand, M15, at Broadcast Video Expo, Earls Court, London, 14-16 February.

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