Transmission - Testing the Timecode Feed

The timecode has been installed in the TX suite and all thats left to do is a few minor checks and tweaks.

Initially the feed worked perfectly, the clock and VTR's remained on station time (we didn't have time to get into Pharos and check) however after returning a couple of days later we found that none of the equipment was receiving timecode anymore. After tracing the signals back we found that the problem was the SDA, so we switched the back panel over to the redundant unit and removed the original SDA.

The makeshift connectors into the back of the VTR's work really well (BNC to female XLR) which was another surprise as we all reckoned we would need some kind of impedance transformer. Ideally these connections are still only a temporary measure until we can purchase some proper connections for the VTR's. Another minor job is to properly earth the inside the krone connections, although the feeds are working fine at the moment doing this means that the project has been completed properly along with reducing the risk of things going wrong at a later date.

The biggest thing that we discovered during this installation was how a krone block works, essentially each audio feed has its own position on a krone block and jumpers are used to take feeds from one place to another. We thought that each feed was connected on the same krone block, with an input on the top connection and an output on the bottom, essentially minimising the use of jumpers, but also making the wiring a lot messier and more complex (more chance for things to go wrong).

The connection between the line from the krone block (green cable) and the makeshift connection into the back of VT18

The counter on VTR17 showing station timecode

More information on Pres, TX and this project can be found on the Presentation Suite Wiki.