BCD Associates, Inc. SB-100 Updates

Firmware Revision History

• 20 November 2002 - Version S211120    S21120h.zip
  Improved STIL xxxx for for JVC SR-S365 (TYPE 6).
  

• 17 October 2002 - Version S21017a    S21017ah.zip
  Rewritten and optimized for JVC SR-S365 (TYPE 6), which is now one of only two RS-232 controlled VHS machines available. Numerous improvements including STIL and 'jam-sync' for multiple-VCR recording. The same revisions are planned for the Sony SVO-9500MD as soon as we can get another one in-house.
  

• 28 March 2002 - Version S20328    S20328h.zip
  Numerous improvements, especially with Panasonic STIL command.
  

• 18 January 2002 - Version S20118    S20118h.zip
  Disabled auto drop-frame/non-drop-frame detection. (Unreliable at variable speeds with AG-5700.) Disable auxiliary interrupt timer. Includes S20118.txt README file.
  

• 21 December 2001 - Version S11221    S11221h.zip
  Forced Genlock to incoming video. This version will NOT generate LTC or VITC without video going to the SB-100.
  

• 19 December 2001 - Version S11219    S11219h.zip
  Improved jam sync capability for multi-unit implementations. Controls Panasonic AG-5700/AG-5710 & Sony BVU RS-422 machines. (Sony SVO-MD9500 on request.)
  

  Synchronizing notes:

  • Set 'DECK 1' to 'CODE 7', VITC. This is the Master Generator. Set all other units to 'CODE 2', LTC.
  • Connect an RCA-RCA cable from the Master 'LTC Out' jack to the 'DECK 2' jack 'LTC In'. Do the same 'daisy chain' between all other units.
  • OPERATIONAL NOTE: When a slave unit is commanded to 'RECS' (RECord Start), it will generate new, unsynchronized time code. To make it 'Jam Sync', re-issue the 'CODE 2' command to all slave units.
  • Be certain to use the Signal Cable Set correctly!
    'VTR Vid Out' connects to the tape machine's Video Out.
    'Mon Vid In' connects to the monitor Video In.
  
  

• 12 December 2001 - Version S11212    S11212h.zip
  Revised from S10605B. Panasonic AG-5700 in particular. Improved STIL [frame]. (Worked around a machine characteristic that prevents it from transitioning from variable speed (SRCH +/-) to PLAY unless it goes through STOP first). Fixed by going through stop very quickly.
  

  NOTE: We believe that these changes affected only the AG-5700 and not the AG-5710, AG-830, Sony SVO-MD9500, JVC BR-S365, nor the RS-422 machines. Please perform your usual testing before applying this version to your machines.
  

  For ALL Machines: STOP [frame] and PAUS [frame] now work better.
  INIT is now faster and more reliable. If both types of time code are present, VITC takes precedence and is reported as the CODE type.
  

• 5 June 2001 - Version S10605B    S10605bh.zip
  Includes Sony BetaCam RS-422 Protocol, Panasonic RS-232 Tape Protocol (AG-5700/5710/MD830), Sony RS-232 Tape Protocol (MD9500).
  

  Same as S10605 below, with refined GPI Trigger Out commands: TRGI & TRGO. With no parameter, TRGI causes immediate pull-down of the TTL Output (on the Signal Cable Set. With a frame parameter, causes activation at a certain video tape frame number (TYPE 2/BetaCam/RS-422). Conversly, TRGO causes release of the trigger.
  

• 5 June 2001 - Version S10605    S10605h.zip
  Includes Sony BetaCam RS-422 Protocol, Panasonic RS-232 Tape Protocol (AG-5700/5710/MD830), Sony RS-232 Tape Protocol (MD9500).
  • Improved reporting of User Bits in LTC and VITC. Now returns 8 hex digits at nearly 30 fps.
    

  • Additional Continuous Frame features with 'CONT x' command. /* Cont 0 nothing */
    /* Cont 1 VCR integer continuous w/VCR TC Change */
        No Carriage Return before the ">" prompt.
    /* Cont 2 VCR smpte continuous w/VCR TC Change */
        With Carriage Return before the ">" prompt.
    /* Cont 3 VCR SMPTE continuous - always (frames may repeat) */
        With Carriage Return before the ">" prompt.
    /* Cont 4 TC integer continuous - w/TCR Change */
        With Carriage Return before the ">" prompt.
    /* Cont 5 TC smpte continuous - w/TCR Change */
        With Carriage Return before the ">" prompt.
    /* Cont 6 TC smpte continuous - always (frames may repeat) */
        With Carriage Return before the ">" prompt.
    /* Cont 7 TC integer & UBITS continuous - w/TCR Change */
        With Carriage Return before the ">" prompt.
    

• 28 December 2000 - Version S01228t
  S01228th.zip
  Custom Power-On Defaults: Video Standard (VSTD):PAL. BURN: on, small, white-on-black, lower right corner. GPI Inputs: #1 closed = Generate, #1 open = Stop Generate, #2 closed = TC Reset
  Otherwise, same as S00622 below.
  

• 22 June 2000 - Version S00622
  S00622H.zip
  Added/improved Sony RS-232(SVO-9500MD2). Also contains machine control for basic Sony RS-422 protocol (TYPE 2), Panasonic RS-232 (AG-5700 TYPE 4, AG-5710 TYPE 4, AG-MD830 TYPE 8), JVC-BR-S365(TYPE 6).
  

• 24 May 2000 - Version S00524
  S00524h.zip
  A version very popular with some of out clients. They standardized on this one.
  

• 03 December 1999 - Version S91203
  S91203H.zip
  Contains machine control for basic Sony RS-422 protocol (TYPE 2), Panasonic RS-232 (AG-5700 TYPE 4, AG-5710, AG-MD830), JVC-BR-S365(TYPE 6).
  

• Flash Rom Program: FLASHBCD.ZIP, MS-DOS program to update flash ROM. (You could try Hyperterm to upload the hex file to the SB-100, but we have only had good results at slower speeds like 9600bps. We like to use 38.4Kbps with Flashbcd.)