Operation Manual

The American Video Equipment, Quarter Quad, is a state of the art picture in a picture device. This new unit is designed especially for the security industry. Automatic inset picture enabling or swapping the pictures full screen can be initiated by alarm input .

How the PIP Works

The Quarter Quad is a picture in a picture (PIP) device. The parent channel of a PIP device is merely passed thru the unit. That means the video is electronically routed from the input to the output. The inset picture is treated totally differently. This video signal is fed into an analog to digital (A/D) converter. The digital representation of the inset picture is then stored in an electronic memory. A digital to analog (D/A) converter then converts this memorized picture to an analog video signal synchronized to the parents' video signal. This is why no special cameras are needed for the Quarter Quad to genlock the two input signal together in one. To freeze the picture on the screen, the input A/D is disabled so the memory is not updated with a new picture. The ouput D/A then just replays the memory over and over which gives the effect of a frozen picture.

Powering up the Quarter Quad for the first time.

The Quarter Quad has an internal rechargeable NiCad battery that can hold your programming setups for up to 90 days. If the battery becomes depleted for any reason the on-screen PIP may not be visible.

If the PIP is not visible, issue a master reset to the unit.

To issue a master reset to the Quarter Quad do the following;

Hold down the "Swap", "On/Off", and "Freeze" buttons simultaneously press and release the "Reset" button. Then release all other buttons. Wait a couple of seconds and the PIP will reappear. Leave the unit powered for at least 24 hours to fully charge the internal battery.

There are two types of picture groups , the frame mode or the field mode. The field mode is the more normal aspect ratio and probably the more pleasing for viewing normal camera scenes. This mode only shows every other field of video and is refreshed 30 times per second. In this mode the sizes are 1/9 and 1/16.

In the frame mode each field of video is added together yielding double the number of video lines of the inset picture. This causes a stretched picture with an incorrect aspect ratio for video camera scenes. This mode is useful when displaying text in the inset window such as Time & Date generators, ATM or cash register interfaces. This doubling of the scan lines yields a more legible text. In this mode the sizes are 1/4 or 1/8 the screen size.

To change the PIP size

To enter in the size programming mode do the following; Hold down the "Freeze" button and simultaneously press and release the "Reset" button. Then release the "Freeze" button. To verify you have entered the size programming mode the border of the PIP will be flashing rapidly. If the border is not flashing, try the above sequence again slowly until you get the flashing border.Pressing the "Swap" button toggles between the field and frame modes.

The PIP Position

The PIP can be positioned almost anywhere on the screen. The screen is divided into four quadrants. First you select the course position by putting the PIP in your desired quadrant. The PIP is then finely adjusted in that quadrant to the final position.

To Change the PIP Position

To enter in the position programming mode do the following;

Press and hold the "On/Off" button. Then simultaneously press and release the "Reset" button. To verify you are in the position programming mode the border around the PIP will be flashing rapidly.If the border is not flashing, try the above sequence again slowly until you get the flashing border.

Pressing the "Swap" button will sequence the PIP around the screen from quadrant to quadrant clockwise.

Pressing the "Freeze" button will finely move the PIP to the right until the maximum position is reached.And then the PIP will wrap around to the left most position within the selected quadrant.

Pressing the "On/Off" button will move the PIP finely in the downward direction and also wrap around when the maximum lower position is reached.Press "Reset" to exit this programming mode.

The PIP border

The PIP can be selected to have a bright white or a medium gray border. This border can also be completely eliminated is desired. A border around a PIP is useful to identify where the PIP is quickly upon alarm call up or in panning or tilting operations of the parent picture.

To change the PIP border

To enter the programming mode to change the border do the following;

Press and hold the "Swap" button down while simultaneously pressing and then release the "Reset" button. Then release the "Swap" button. To verify you are in the border programming mode, the border around the PIP will be flashing rapidly. If the border is not flashing repeat the above steps slowly.

Pressing the "Swap" button will toggle the border on and off. Pressing the "On/Off" or "Freeze" button will toggle between the white or gray borders. To exit the border programming mode, press and release the "Reset" button.

Normal Operation

The front panel buttons are labeled according to their normal functions.

Freeze

The freeze button will hold or freeze the last picture until it is pressed again. A slowly flashing border signifies the picture is frozen. If the picture is swapped while the inset picture is frozen, the swapped inset picture will also be frozen. The Quarter Quad samples the new picture once and then freezes it everytime the swap is executed.

On/Off

The On/Off button toggles the inset picture off then on. If the PIP is selected off, it will remain off even if the picture is swapped. The inset must be selected off for the On/Off Alarm input to activiate it on.

Swap

The swap button changes the parent picture to the inset picture and vice versa. Each swap mode of the Quarter Quad has an independent set of setup variables that are battery backed up. This means that you can adjust the inset size, border and position different from one swap mode to the other. This is useful in normal camera views since the same corner of the screen is not normally free on the two cameras used.

Alarm Inputs

The Quarter Quad has two hardwired alarm inputs. The Swap and PIP On alarms can be activated indepent of each other.

Swap Alarm

The swap alarm will cause the Quarter Quad to swap the pictures to the opposite sense for as long as the alarm is true. When the alarm is released the pictures resume the normal sense. This swapping is vertical interval switched to provide for roll free switching for line locked cameras.

PIP On Alarm

The PIP on alarm when asserted will turn on the inset picture. For this alarm to function the inset must have been in the off mode. If the inset is on when the alarm is asserted no change occurs. The PIP on alarm turns the PIP on regardless of which swap mode the unit is in.

Adjustments

The Quarter Quad has two user adjustments accessable through the rear panel. The inset balance which is located between the two video inputs, adjusts the contrast of the inset picture. This allows the installer to balance the two video pictures on screen. The video level adjustment allows the user to amplify or attenuate the overall video output signal to compensate for strong or weak video signals.

Cautions:

WARNING: TO PREVENT FIRE OR ELECTRIC SHOCK, DO NOT EXPOSE THIS APPLIANCE TO RAIN OR MOISTURE

The lightning flash with the arrowhead symbol, within an equilateral triangle, is intended to alert the user to the presence of uninsulated "dangerous voltage" within the product's enclosure that may be of sufficient magnitude to constitute a risk of electrical shock to persons.

The exclamation point within an equilateral triangle is intended to alert the user to the presence of important operating and maintenance (servicing) instructions in the literature accompanying the appliance.

WARNING

This equipment generates, uses, and can radiate radio frequency energy and if not installed and used in accordance with the instructions manual, may cause interference to radio communications. It has been tested and found to comply with the limits for a class A computing device pursuant to subpart J of part 15 of FCC rules, which are designed to provide reasonable protection against such interference when op- erated in a commercial environment.

Operation of this equipment in a residential area is likely to cause interference in which case the user at his own expense will be required to take whatever measures may be required to correct the interference.

WARRANTY

During the period of twelve months from the date of sale to the original end-user, the manufacturer will repair or replace (at manufacturers option) all necessary parts, except the outside cabinet trim, without charge for parts or labor required to make the repair of replacement