Include a genlock and/or timecode device

You can include in your Vicon system supported third-party external video devices that provide HD- and SD-compliant genlock and timecode to an external PAL, SECAM, NTSC, or HD video standard. In addition, Lock Studio supports SDI video, which can carry embedded timecode.

For information on genlock and timecode support, see Understand Vicon system genlock functionality and Understand Vicon system timecode functionality.

You can include such devices to synchronize your Vicon system using genlock (a third-party device acts as the primary video-timing generator).

If no external video sources are connected (including a VESA Stereo source), the Vicon Lock unit acts as the synchronization source for the Vicon system by controlling its own reference clock. For details on genlock support, see Understand Vicon system genlock functionality.

To timestamp your Vicon system with external timecode, you must have a genlock device connected to the system. You can use a single genlock/timecode video source with its embedded VITC, a synchronized video source with an associated LTC source, or SDI video with embedded timecode. You need specialist cables to connect these third-party devices to the Vicon Lock unit. For details, contact Vicon Support or see the system cable descriptions in the documentation for your Vicon cameras.

The connections you use depend on whether you are using a separate timecode device:

• Connect a genlock source with embedded VITC timecode
• Connect a genlock source with a separate LTC timecode
• Connect an SDI genlock source

For details of Vicon Lock connectors, see the relevant Lock rear panel. For details on genlock and timecode cables, contact Vicon Support or see the system cable descriptions in the documentation for your Vicon cameras. For details on connectors on your genlock/timecode device, see the documentation supplied by the device manufacturer.

Connect a genlock source with embedded VITC timecode

The following steps describe how to connect a genlock source with embedded VITC to your Vicon system.

To include a genlock source with embedded VITC timecode:

1. Plug the end of your video cable from your external video source with its embedded VITC signal into one of the two Video Reference Input BNC sockets. (The following image shows the rear panel of a Lock Studio.)

    

2. Depending on whether the Vicon Lock unit is the terminal device or not, connect the other BNC connector appropriately:
   
   • If a Vicon Lock unit is the only or end device in the chain, place a 75 Ω (ohm) terminator on the other BNC connector.
   • If a Lock unit is mid-chain, connect the other BNC connector to the next device.
     
     

Connect a genlock source with a separate LTC timecode

The following steps explain how to connect a genlock source with a separate LTC timecode to your Vicon system.

To include a genlock source with a separate LTC timecode:

1. Plug the end of your video cable from your external video source into one of the two Video Reference Input BNC sockets. (The following images show the rear panel of a Lock Studio.)

    

2. Depending on whether the Vicon Lock unit is the terminal device or not, connect the other BNC connector appropriately:
   • If a Vicon Lock unit is the only or end device in the chain, place a 75 Ω (ohm) terminator on the other BNC connector.
   • If a Lock unit is mid-chain, connect the other BNC connector to the next device. Depending on whether the Vicon Lock unit is the terminal device or not, connect the other BNC connector appropriately (see the following Important note).
3. Plug the male LTC XLR connector from your external timecode device into the LTC In.

    

Connect an SDI genlock source with embedded timecode

The following step describes how to connect a genlock source with embedded timecode to your Vicon system.

To include an SDI source with embedded timecode:

Plug the end of the video cable from your external SDI source with its embedded timecode signal into the SDI In BNC socket on a Lock Studio.