VIDEO MIXER

PART 1: VIDEO SWITCHING BOARD 11.r

81 30V \'
A. Rigby

Recent developments in consumer electronics have boosted the

popularity of video recorders, portable cameras and camcorders to
such an extent that the film camera has become a thing of the past.
Video enthusiasts who want to edit and mix recorded material from
various video sources, and in addition require special fade-in and
fade-out effects, will delight in building and using the advanced
mixing desk presented here.

Not so lang ago. a small fortune would (three scurces) must have an external syn- as used in most portable cameras. Hence,
buy a bulky video recorder effering mono chronization input. One video source al- a single synchronization source is re-
sound, a primitive programming facility ways serves as the master sync source, the quired to prevent the two pictures 'float-
and just acceptable pieture quality if the other (one or two) are externally syn- ing' with respect to one another in the
tracking control was re-adjusted frorn chronized. mixed image.
time to time. Today's camcorders The mixer always mixes two signals. It would not be fair to say that the
(camera-recorders) cost less than these old even when three signals are applied. 1t video mixer is a sirnple-to-build project.
VeRs, but offer significantly improved does not allow three signals to be shown The final design is relatively complex, and
sound and picture quality. Stereo sound. simultaneously. The mixing options are: construction is only recommended to
Super- VHS and all-digital recording rech- readers who have experience in working
niques are already available but will take video 1 with video 2 with video stgnals. and who are confident
some time to become established in the video 1 with video 3 of their soldering skills.
consumer markets. video 2 with video 3
In spite of all its technological benefits,
the camcorder has one disadvantage Again remember that video SOUTcesthat
when compared to, say, an 8-mm film lack an external synchronization input
camera: editing reeordings requires a can not be mixed. The reason for this is
mixer, of which there appear to be few probably familiar to those who have ex-
around that can be purchased read y-made perience working with video signals. but
at a reasonable price. may be less obvious to many other
The video mixer / effects unit described readers. Mixing video signals is essen-
here allows a up to three video signals to tially alternate switching between lines of
be combined into one video output signal. two TV pictures. To rnaintain phase syn-
The mixer also offers a number of special chronism between the two pictures, their
effects which result in attractive fade-in, picture line content must start at the same
fade-out and superimpose effects. instant. The synchronization pulses in the
An irnportant proviso must be men- video signal serve to time this Instant. The
tioned at the outset: depending on the sync pulse frequencies of the two video Lozenge-insertion: one 01 the many picture
number of video sources connected to the sources will not be equal if the syncs are mixing effects.
mixer, at least one (two sources) or two derived from free-running dock circuits
ELEKTOR ELECTRONICS JANUARY 1990
 RADIO AND TELEVISION

Two block diagrams

The basic operation of the video mixer is
best understood by looking at the block
diagram in Fig. 1. The three blocks shown

I~~
in the drawing represent the three circuits ( X X X )
that make up the video mixer. Each circu it
is constructed on aseparate pr inted-cir- QMains - = "1;\
.:
cuit board. This first instalment of a four- a
C
0
w
C ac
part article deals with the video switching
board. Part 2 discusses the modulation
-. s: s:
s:
PROGRAM __
board, and Part 3 the keyboard. Part 4,
finally, addresses matters related to the SC1- SC18 "" rI Video MONITOR '><
adjustment and practical use of the video
V
> Switching
Board
PREVIEW '><
mixer. I I BB VIDEO '><
The block diagram shows four inputs, I I ~
VIDEO I, VIDEO H, VIDEO III and VIDEO EXP. I I > >
'l' m -t
The first three accept the video stgnals
that are to be mixed. Input VIDEO I takes
I I + I
•
~
••
I I
the master signal that ensures the central
I I Vsync
synchronization. The video source con-
I I Vsync
nected to this input does not require an Keyboard
I I Hsync
extern al synchronization Input, and must
always be present to provide the master I-I HSW
sync signals for the other video sourcefs). I I vsw
-
-s,
•
The other two inputs, VIDEO 11 and
VIDEO JII, are identical, and take signals
from sources synchronized with VIDEO 1.
I I
I I
I I
1 ~

The fourth mixer input, VIDEO EXP (ex-

pansion Input), takes an additional signal
... I I
Modulation
)
that may be routed to the monitor when Board
MC1. MCB V I_I
none of the other inputs is being used.
This 'stand-by' signal may be supplied by
a test chart generator or Iogomat. It can
MODULATION IJ
not be mixed with the other channels.
87304·1·12
The video mixer has four outputs. The
BLACK-BURST (Bß-video) output supplies
the composite synchronization signal for
the video sources. Outputs PROGRAM and
MONITOR are electrically identical and
Fig. 1. Block diagram of the video mixer. The circuit is accomodated on three printed-cir-
supply the mixed video output signaL The
cuit boards.
PREVIEW output, finally, allows the video-
1, video-2, video-S, or the mixed video
signal to be viewed independently of the
other outputs.
The video switching board divides the
synchronization signal recovered from
video-l between the sub-circuits, The con-
trol signals for the modulation and the
switching board emanate from the key-
board circuit (to be discussed in Part 3).
The function of these control signals,
marked SCxx, will be reverted to in due
course.
Figure 2 shows the block diagram of
the video switching board. The input buf-
fers are at the left, the outputs at the right.
Electronic switches at a number of Joca-
tions select the required signals. The con-
trol blocks at the top of the diagram are
used to generate the sync signals and en-
able the colour burst in the master signal
to be inserted a t the right instant into the
output stgnal. In the mixer circuit, the
horizontal and vertical sync signals are
available separately in true as weIl as in-
verted form. The KEYOUT output allows a
kind of picture-in-picture effect to be
aehieved: one particular colour 1S
removed from the picture on one channel,
to be filled in by corresponding areas in
the picture on the other channeL This ef-
feet is often used in TV news broadcasts to
Fig. 2 Block diagram of the first module, the video switching board.
create a background for (apparently Iargel
ELEKTOR ELECTRONICS JANUAR\' 1990
 VIDEO MIXER PART I: VIDEO SWITCHING BOARD I

~
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•

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Fig. 3. Circuit diagram of the video switching module in the mixer.

ELEKTOR ELECTRONICS JANUARY 1990

• RADIO AND TELEVISION
Eil asa well as the outputs of the buffers are will be reverted to in Part 2. For now, it is
in series with parallel combinations of a sufficient to say that ccntrol lines SCl
solid (MKM) and an electrolyttc capacitor thraugh SC8 are connected to switches
to ensure a low reactance over a wide that select the video signal that is to be fed
frequency range, which ensures that both to the ou tput.
the verticai and the horizontal sync pulses As will be seen in Part 2 of this articJe,
are passed undistorted. Each buffer out- the pattern generator on the modulation
pu t can be short-circuited by an electronic board controls lines SC15 through SC18 to
switch to give the required reference black enable two pictures to be mixed via an
level. The electronic switches are contrcl- intermediate effect.
led by the clamping pulse. The circuit around opamp rcs raises
There is a fair number of electronic the video signal at the VIDEO Il input to a
switches between the buffers and the out- level suitable for driving the keying input
put. These switches are control1ed from on the modulation board.
1 lInellme
the keyboard cireuit and select the two The power supply is quite simple.
2 Une.)'n~
® '" video signals that are to be mixed. The Every board has Its own regulator, whieh
3 eetcur burst dela)'

• colour bure.
87304-1-14
selected signals are first buffered for the takes the unregulated supply voltage
5 clamplng 1101
benefit of two mixing effects. from the central power supply. The video
First, the opamps used allow the sig- switching board has two local regulators,
nals to be mixed by potentiometer P4. The rC22 and IC23 to provide the symmetrical,
mixed video signal at the wiper is passed regulated supply voltages 01 +5 V and -
through a series of electronic switches be- 5 V.
Fig. 4. Plctureline timing.
fore it arrtves at the output buffers, IC13,
weather maps. IC" and ICI5.
Second, the amplifier that follows the
Construction
mixer stage is used for the superimpose The printed-circuit board for this part of
Switching unit: the effect. Although the circuit around poten- the project is a relatively large, double-
practical circuit tiometer Pr looks similar to the mixer sided and through-plated type, which is
stage, it works altogether differently. available ready-made. The component
Although the circuit is fairly complex, the Transistors T4 and Te ensure sufficient overlay shows that the board is fairly
diagram in Pig. 3 gtves a good insight into buffe ring between the mixer and the densely popula ted.
the operation of the video switching superimpose stage, while potentiometer Use F'Cß-mount phono sockets for the
board. Pi forms an adjustable short-circuit be- video inputs and outputs as indieated on
The video signal applied to the VIDEO I tween the two video stgnals. which are the component mounting plan. The syn-
input, socket 1<3, serves to synchronize all mixed in a way that ensures that their chronization signals, the supply voltage
other sources. Opamps Ie2, IC3a and 1Ub brightest picture areas are passed to the and the potentiometers are eonnected via
form a synchronization separator. Circuit output. Effecttvely. a relatively dark area solder pins. rCB headers KSWI and KSW,
IC2 clamps the input signal, while IC3<1and in one picture is covered by a brighter one mate with roc sockets fltted on short flat-
the associated filter recover the line sync at the same location in the other picture. cables that cannect the video switching
pulses. These trigger IC5a, a monostable Switches N20 and N22 determine the video board to the keyboard unit and the mod u-
multivibrator (MMV), whose outpur pul- channel selection if the superimpose func- lator board.
ses have a fixed length of 60 us. These tion is not used (Pt set to maximu m). Start the construction with fitting all
pulses keep a second MMV, lCsb, from Circuits rell and TCll have a number of connectors, solder pins and phono soc-
being started by interference during the funetions related to the control of the kets. Then follow the passive camponents.
picture line time, and ensure that a 4 us video switching board. These functions Arnple decoupling is provided by inex-
horizontal sync pulse is genera ted by ICsb
at the end of the Une only. This gives a
total time of 64 us for the Iine content and
the sync pulse, as shown in Fig. 4. The first
picture information appears in the line
121.1s after the start of the Une sync pulse.
The third MMV, IC6a, ensures that the line
sync pulse and the colour burst recovered
from video 1 are applied to a11other video
signals. This is achieved by NAND gate
N9 switching multiplexers ICll and Iel2 in
a way that video-I signals present during
an 11 IlS interval around the line sync
pulse are passed to the output (by pre-se-
lection on the A/B input).
Circuit IC6b generates a clamp pulse of
approximately 1 us before the start of the
picture line content. The clamp pulse ser-
ves to define the absolute black Ievel as a
direct-vottage reference in the video stg-
nal.
The analogue circuitry on the video
switching board starts at the left of the
circuit diagram with three input buffers
around transistors Tl, T2 and T3. These
ensure tha t the video sources are termi-
nated into the correct impedance, and fur-
ther ensure sufficient drive for use at Completed prototype of the video switchlng board.
various points in the circuit. The Inputs
ELEKTOR ELECTRONICS JANUARY 1990
 VIDEO MIXER PART 1: VIDEO SWITCHING BOARD I
~~m~
O@§IDO G-IBZID-O o-cäZID-O
R67 R72 "77
RSS R70

Fig. 5. Component mounting plan of the video switching board. The input and output cables are connected 10 pce-mcunt phono sockets.

Parts list RZ5~2700 Dz-o.= lN4001

Pt = 2k5logarithmic potentiometer IC,;jC~;ICt3;IC";IC15 = MAX452
Pz;p, ,. lOk preset H ICz=LF356N
Resistors: P. ~ 2k5linear potennometer IC3= lM3l9N
R,;R sa;R73;R1. = 6&l IC.=74LS05
R2:R2ß:R61:R12;Rn= 6190 (E96) Capacllo,S: IC.;IC •• 74HCT123
A3;As:Rs;R1S;R2a;A35;R39;R6S;R6&;R70; Ct - C1;C9;Ct6;C17;C30;C3t;C34:C35: IC.;IC,o • lM31 ON
R1j;R75;R76.1ko Cas - C43:C .. - C ••• l00n ICt1;ICt. = 74HCT157
R4:R2.;R64;R69;R14 = 150k C.~ 100 IC,. -IC., = 74HCT4066
Re. 220k C60:C .. = 4701': 16 V; radial IC22= 7805
R7;R18"- R21;R23,.. 4k7 C".820p IC23.7905 .
R9 .. 22k Ctz.2n2 Tt - T5 = BC547B
R1O;Rtt = 47k C13 =r560p
Rt2;R17 = 4700 C10;C15;C1S;C20;C22;C24;Cre;C2.8;C33; Misce/laoeous:
R32jR36;R40;R4ß~R49 ""2k2 C37"'" iOn K j - K•• PCS-mount phono socket,
R2, =27k C,.;C23;CZ1. 1001'; 16 V; radi1\! KSWt • 26-way pln header.
Rts;R16;R4z- R.. :R.. ;R5t - Re!>. lOk C14;CZ,;C25;C29;C3z;C"" = l0i'; 16 V: radial KSW2 = 20-way pln header.
R22.6k6 C44;C.5 • 330n PCS Type 87304·1 (see Readers Services
R24;R30;R34;R38.:= 820 page).
R,1.2k7 Semiconductors:
Rt4;R:n;R37;R4,;R47. lOOk D, = 1N4148
.

pensive miniature 100 nF ceramic capa ci- Iators at right angles and secure these de- parts and short-circu its. The adjustment
tors. TC sockets may be used, but are not vices with a short M3 bolt. The regulators of P2 and P3 will be discussed in Part 4 of
strictly required. Note that many electro- remain cool under normal canditions, and this article.
lytic capacitors are radial (PeB-mount) da not require heat-sinks.
types to save board space. Pinally, check YOUf work so far.lnspect Ta be ccntinued next month
Bend the terminals of the voltage regu- the completed reB for incorrectly fitted
ELEKTOR ELECTRONICS JANUARY 1990
 8031 SINGLE BOARD COMPUTER

COMPONENTS LIST
SPRINTplus listing cf file A:8Q31.prm ,n device National Semi DH7t.Sto72
~:
I 47K RI
00000: 02 00 CO 02 1F FD FF
FF FF FF FF 02 1F FA FF FF
I 4K7 R2 00010, FF FF FF 02 IF F7 FF
FF FF FF FF 02 00 3A FF FF
3 1000 R3;R4;R9 00020- C2 FO 90 01 00 D2 B5
75 9B 50 75 89 20 75 BO FO ....... u. Pu. u.
00030, D2 8E 02 AF 02 AB 80
FE 80 FC 20 B5 09 75 09 00 .. u.
I l3kn2 R5 000-'<0, 75 08 00 C2 BE 32 30
98 s i C2 BE C2 98 ES 99 "u . .. 20_
I 101<0 R6 00050,
00060,
7F
32
F5
25
90
70
12
FO
00 68 10
A3 02 SE 32
FO 08 C4 F5 70 02 FO 02 "
8E .... h , o. .p .
0 •••••• T'

F8 54 FO 84 30 02 80 18 '2'l'l.p. .. . 2 T. .0 .
I 5kn6 R7 00070: B4 40 06 C3 ES 94 47 40 02 80 13 E8 B4 40 02 80 .@. .. . G@. .••. @•
I 1kn5 RB 00080· F8 C3 94 37 22 00 00 00 E8 C3 94 3A 40 02
00090, E8 94 2F 40
80 OB ... 7" . ..... :@ .
.,
~:
OOOAO:
00080:
00 AB
1F BF
74
00
88
Fe
06 C3 E8 94
FS 90 12 00
BE 00 F6 22
30 80 E9 74 00 F5
AB 80 FO 7E 80 lE
FF FF FF FF FF FF
90
7F
FF
12
FF
FF
./@
.. t-
.. 0.
.. -
OOOCÜ, 74 00 F5 90 02 00 20 FF FF FF FF FF FF FF FF FF " ...
2 10p.F 16V 1antaIum CI;C4 00000 : 12 00 AB C2 es 02 01 00 FF FF FF FF FF FP FF FF o.
bead OOOEO, FP FP FF FF 1"1"1"1"FF FF FF FF 1"1"1"1"FF FF FF FF
OOOFO; FF FF FF FF FF FF FF FF FF FF FF FF FF FF FF FF
2 33pF C2;C3 00100, 02 00 6B 02 IF 1"0 1"1"FF FF 1"1"FF 02 IF FA FF FF .. k .
7 I OOnF ceramle C5-C11 00110, FF FF FF 02 11" 1"7 FF FF 1"1"1"1"FF 02 00 3A FF FF
00120, C2 FO 90 0' 00 02 B5 75 98 50 75 89 20 75 BO FO ....... u.Pu. uo.
00130; 02 BE 02 AF 02 AB 80 FE 80 FC 20 B5 09 75 09 00 .u ..
Semlconductors: 00140; 75 08 63 C2 8E 32 30 98 Fl C2 8E C2 98 ES 99 F5 'u.c. .20 ..
00150, 90 FO A3 02 8E 32 7E 80 lE 7F FP IF BF 00 Fe 8E ..... 2~.
I 8031 or 8OC31 ICI 00160, 00 F6 22 12 00 56 C2 85 02 0' 00 74 00 F5 90 02 '" V. .... t .
I 74HC373 00170, 00 20 FF FF FF FF 1"1"1"1" FF FF FF FF FF FF FF FF
IC2
00180, FF FF FF FF FF FF FF FF FF FF FF FF FP FF FF FF
I PROM 748472 IC3 00190, FF FF FF FF FF FF FF FF FF FF 1"1"FF FF FP FF FF
(see note) OOlAO, FP FF FF FF FP FF FF FF FF FF FF FF FF FP FF FP .... .. ..... ....
I 6264 1C4
001BO, FF FF FF FF FF FF FF FF 1"1"FF FF FF FP FF FF FF ..... ' ... o.
001CO; FF FF FF FF FF FF FF FF FF FF 1"1"FF FF FF FF FF
I 74HCOO 00100' FP FP FF FF FF FF FF FF FF FF FF FF FF FF FF FP
IC5 001EO, FP FF FP FF FP FP FF FF FF FF FF FF FF FF FP FF ...
2 74HC32 IC6;IC7 001FO; FP FF FF FF FF FF FF FF FF FF FF FF FF FF FF FF
2 IN4148 01;03 910012· I~

2 BC548 TI;T2
2 LEO (I green, I red) 02;04 Flg.4. Hexdump of the firtnware PROM, a type 745472.
Mlacellaneous:
2 keyboard rocker switch 51;52 socket. At the hast computer end, connect a Intel, detailing the programming of the 8031:
wi1h Indlealor (R5 319-843)
single screened cable to the ground and TXD
11.0592 MHz quartz crystal XI pins of the serial port. Also tie the RTS and (1) Intel S-blt Embedded Controller Hand-
16-way 10C box header KI crs pins together. book (1989) (RS code 910-749);
PCB-mounling 6-way K2
All the port 1/0, interrupf and power lines (2) Intel Embedded Controller Applications
OIN sockel
ofthe8031 computer are broughtout toa 16- Handbook (RS code 910-777);
I 3V6 NICd battery
way IDC pin header (KI), for connection via
O.8-mm pcb pins
ribbon cable toperipheral devices. As shown These books. and data sheets on the 8031, are
Note:
in the photograph of the prototype, the pin available from
The pre-programmed PROM and lha PCB
header is a box type connector with eject Intel Literature Sales • P.O. Box 7641 • Mt.
artwoI1< lor 1his projecl are available Irom: headers. Prospect • IL 60056-7641 • USA.
R. Grodtil< • 53 Chalmstord Road • BRAO- or, in the UK, from
FORO B03 8QN • ENGLANO. The price 01 For further reading Intel Corporation (UK) Ltd .• Pipers Way •
1he PROM Is EI5.00 Includlng P&P. Swindon • Wilts SN31RJ. Telephone: (0793)
Various publications are available from 696000. •

SLiDE POTENTIOMETERS IN THE VIDEO MIXER - AN UPDATE

We understand that the mounting of the
slide potentiometers in the video mixer pub-
lished last year has caused a small difficulty 1 2
with some constructors.
There appear to be two types of slide
potentiometer around, which, although they
have the same track length, are mounted dif-
ferently. In some cases, the type with two
mounting lugs (Pjg. 1) requires a few wa-
shers, or short reB spacers, to be positioned
at the right helght above the PCB. 111esec-
ond type (Pig. 2) has two holes through the
potentiometer body. To enable this type to be
secured to the reB, mount two small sup-
port plates and two spacers at the track side
of the PCB, as shown in Fig. 2. The length of
the spacers is determined by the required /

height of the slide potentiometer above the >,L-

PCB surface. •
1~
"Video Mixer", EJektor Electronics January,
February and March 1990.

ELEKTOR ELECTRONICS JANUARY 1991