IQ series modules from Snell & Wilcox

By Dmitry Ivanov

Snell & Wilcox Company is one of leading world manufacturers of the peripheral equipment for the decision of various problems. Modules of IQ series, also as well as other Snell & Wilcox production — processors of signals, videomixers and other products, — are characterized by high degree of quality and reliability and provided for round-the-clock continuous work for many years. Equipment from Snell & Wilcox Company is delivered to Russia already more than 10 years and has well recommended even in severe conditions of operation. The wide nomenclature and opportunity of combination of modules of series IQ allow solving practically any problems in conversion of signals which can arise in TV production and broadcasting.

A series of modular components IQ totals about 150 various devices, each of which is produced in several modifications:

• IQAVDA and IQAVDR — distribution amplifiers of analog video signals 1×3, 1×5, 1×8;
• IQDSDA, IQDSDR, IQDSDES, IQDSDED — distribution amplifiers of digital video signals SDI 1x5—1x10 (with the built-in coder of composite video signal for tranmission to the monitor);
• IQDAVM — distribution amplifiers of digital video signals SDI with the built-in monitor coder and the module of extraction of the built-in audio with its conversion to analog signal;
• IQSDA01 (1×7) and IQMDA00 (1×4) — distribution amplifiers of digital video signals HD-SDI with built-in monitor converter to SDI;
• IQMDDA (1×4… 1×8), IQMDDA-T (with the built-in monitoring transport stream MPEG-2), IQDASI (1×4) — distribution amplifiers of digital video ASI signals;
• IQBDA7S, IQBDA7, IQBDA3S — distribution amplifiers of analog audio 1×3/1×7;
• IQBDDAS and IQBDDAD — distribution amplifiers of digital audio AES/EBU 1×3…1×9;
• IQSRT20 (4×1) and IQSRT21 (8×1) — routing matrixes of signals SDI;
• IQSRT00 (5×2) and IQSRT10 (8×2) — routing matrixes of signals HD-SDI;
• IQDRT — routing matrixes 6×4 and 8×8 for ASI signals;
• IQBRT — routing matrixes of AES/EBU signals;
• IQACO, IQBCO, IQDCO, IQMMX2 — bypass switchboards of 2×1 signals SDI, AES/EBU, ASI.

Cabinet with IQ modules

All modules are intended for installation in cabinets 1U (on 6 modules) or 3U (on 16 modules) with built-in redundancy power supplies, active control panels, boards of network interfaces. Management and monitoring of modules condition can be carried out from active panels or over interfaces RollNet, RS-422, local Ethernet network by means of software RollCall. For visual representation of block diagram and monitoring of their condition the software RollMap is used.

Since autumn of 2004 Snell & Wilcox Company has started the production of new multipurpose modules, allowing carrying out some operations with audio and video signals simultaneously:

• Automatic switching of input signals (function firewall — the electronic switch of bypass) depending on presence of input signal and/or presence of the built-in audio;
• Adjustment of level of the built-in audio (separately on pairs and general);
• Delay of the built-in audio (separately on pairs and general);
• Reassignment of channels of the built-in audio (shuffling);
• Frame synchronization (including synchronization of the built-in audio);
• Embedding/extraction of audio.

A new series of modules — 25 models — allows to solve some problems at once by means of single module (instead of three of four as it was required earlier). For example, using frame synchronizer IQSYN00, it is possible to organize automatic routing of two nonsynchronous SDI signals with the built-in audio (the electronic switch of bypass) and synchronization of output signal with basic signal. Thus, routing on the basic/backup channel will be absolutely “pure”, without picture disruption and audio hindrances.

The material is provided by Moscow office of Snell & Wilcox Company