foc.us Harmony 2ES User manual

Harmony
2ES and 4ES
User Manual

Trademarks
The Focus Enhancements, Visual Circuits, and Harmony logos are
trademarks in the United States and other countries. All other
products, services or company names mentioned herein are
claimed as trademarks and trade names by their respective
companies.
©Focus Enhancements, 1999-2005. All rights reserved.
No portion of this manual may be copied by any means without the
prior consent of Visual Circuits.
Focus Enhancements
5155 East River Road, Suite 401
Minneapolis, MN 55421 USA
http://www.visualcircuits.com
Publication Number: 813-0048b
All specifications, notices and warnings are subject to change
without notice.

i
Class A Statement
FCC Part 15 (EN61000-3-2)
This equipment has been tested and found to comply with the
limits for a Class A digital device, pursuant to Part 15 (EN61000-3-
2) of the FCC Rules. These limits are designed to provide
reasonable protection against harmful interference when the
equipment is operated in a commercial environment. This
equipment generates, uses, and can radiate radio frequency
energy and, if not installed and used in accordance with this
instruction manual, may cause harmful interference to radio
communications. Operation of this equipment in a residential area
is likely to cause harmful interference in which case the user will
be required to correct the interference at his or her own expense.
The Harmony 4ES complies with Part 15 (EN61000-3-2) of the
FCC rules.
Operation is subject to the following two conditions:
1. This device may not cause harmful interference.
2. This device must accept any interference that may cause undesired
operation.
Industry Canada
This Class A digital apparatus meets all requirements of the
Canadian Interference-Causing Equipment Regulations.
Cet appareil numerique de la classe A respecte toutes les
exigences du Regulement sur le materiel brouilleur du Canada.
Changes or modifications to this unit not expressly
approved by the party responsible for compliance
could void the user’s authority to operate the
equipment.

ii
EMC and Safety Directive Compliance
The CE mark is affixed to this Visual Circuits Corporation product
to confirm compliance with the following European Community
Directives:
Council Directive 89/336/EEC of 3 May 1989 on the approximation
of the laws of Member States relating to electromagnetic
compatibility.
And
Council Directive 73/23/EEC of 19 February 1973 on the
harmonization of the laws of Member States relating to electrical
equipment designed for use within certain voltage limits:
Each amended by Council Directive 93/68/EEC of 22 July 1993 on
the harmonization of CE marking requirements.
Class A Warning (EN55024, EN55022)
In a domestic environment this product may cause radio
interference in which case the user may be required to take
adequate measures.
All specifications are subject to change without notice.

iii
CONTENTS
Overview . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 1
Harmony 2ES and 4ES . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 1
Technical Description . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 2
Audio/Video Distribution . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 3
Application Interface (API) for the Harmony 4ES . . . . . . . . . . 4
Installation Guide . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 5
Card Installation . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 6
Cable Installation (A/V Breakout) . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 7
Driver Installation for Windows 2000/2003/NT 4.0/XP . . . 8
Starting Playback . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 18
Obtaining File Information. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 20
Using On Screen Displays . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 21
Testing Genlock and External Audio/Video . . . . . . . . . . . . . 22
Editing Driver Settings . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 23
Driver Editing Utility: Harmony VccReg.exe . . . . . . . . . . . . . 23
Common Driver Parameters. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 23
General . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 24
Performance. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 25
Audio/Video . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 28
Special . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 29
Multi-Card Servers . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 31
Multi-Threading and Drive Mapping . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 31
MaxDisks drive parameter . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 31

iv
Contents
Encoding Parameters . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 33
Encoding Recommendations . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 34
Cross-Channel Synchronization . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 37
Cross-channel Sync Commands . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 38
mpgPlay, mpgPlayAll, mpgStop, mpgStopAll. . . . . . . . . 38
Troubleshooting . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 39
Overview . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 39
Server Setup Check . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 39
Getting Started . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 40
Troubleshooting Tips . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 41
BIOS Settings . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 41
Blue screen. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 41
'' Harmony Driver not found!'' when Vidserve started . . 42
No video or audio output . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 42
Stuttering files during Playback . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 43
"Latent Images" or "Flashing" during playback. . . . . . . . 44
SMPTE time codes are not recognized properly . . . . . . 44
Video blocks or stutters when starting playback. . . . . . . 44
Overall block or distorted playback. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 45
Problems using the API . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 45
Mouse lags and overall poor system performance. . . . . 45
MPEG will not play on mapped network drive . . . . . . . . 45
Harmony Vidserve does not work at all . . . . . . . . . . . . . 46
All channels pause when new file is started . . . . . . . . . 46
No audio . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 46
More than one board will not play . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 46
PCIX System Hangs with Harmony . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 46
Contacting Focus Enhancements . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 47
Support for Users . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 47
Before calling for support . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 47

v
Contents
Support for VARs and Distributors . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 48
Contact Information for VARs and Distributors. . . . . . . . 48
VARs and Distributors Returning Materials to Focus . . . . . . 49
Appendix . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 51
AV Breakout Cables . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 52
Pinouts . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 54
Specifications . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 55
Vidcom Serial Command Interface . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 57
Connecting directly to the Server . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 57
Vidcom Interface. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 57
Vidcom Supported Serial Commands . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 58
Index. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 1

vi

1
OVERVIEW
Harmony 2ES and 4ES
The Harmony 2ES and 4ES share similar features and capabilities.
The primary difference between the two cards is the number of
channels they provide: the 2ES has two channels and the 4ES has
four. For simplicity, this manual refers to either the 4ES or
Harmony. Where differences between the two cards do occur, an
icon indicates 2ES information.
Figure 1 Harmony 4ES Card

Overview
2
Technical Description
The Visual Circuits Harmony 2ES™and Harmony 4ES™cards are
PCI MPEG decoder cards that support respectively, two or four
independent outputs (channels) of high-quality video playback.
These Harmony cards have their own unique driver and API
structure designed to offer maximum compatibility with Visual
Circuits ReelTime series cards.
The Harmony 4ES simultaneously outputs composite and high-
quality S-video, along with either Dolby Digital audio or Stereo
PCM audio via S/PDIF. Alternately, Harmony 4ES can also output
RGB (sync on green) or component video.
The Harmony also supports a dynamic On Screen Display (OSD)
of 256 colors with varying degrees of transparency. Since all video
decoding is performed through hardware, not only can a single
four-channel card run in four independent outputs, but six cards are
supported in the same server as well. The Windows 2000/NT
driver also includes a Software Developers Kit (SDK) with
libraries and a sample program allowing flexibility and
customization.
Maximum Number of Harmony Cards in a Server
The maximum number of Harmony cards supported by a server
depends on the method used to configure their operation.
6 Harmony with maximum of 24 Channels
Standard implementation using Vidserve allows for a maximum
number of 6 Harmony cards with a possible total of 24 channels.
8 Harmony Cards with maximum of 32 Channels
Using the Serial Commands interface and information provided in
the Harmony SDK, the server can contain 8 Harmony cards with a
possible total of 32 channels.

Overview
3
Audio/Video Distribution
There are two options for audio/video distribution. None of these
devices are powered and follow all standard audio/video cabling
procedures.
1. Universal Cable: This cable supports all board configurations
and comes as a 16-inch cable which attaches to each board’s
DB 25. All output connectors are RCA female type, requiring
appropriate adapters and patch cables.
2. Audio Cables: Cables with 1/8 inch (3.5 mm) stereo phone
plugs to two phono (RCA) plugs may be used to connect the
Harmony 4ES digital audio outputs to an external audio
receiver/decoder. The output labeled “CH1/2” is designated for
channels 1 & 2 and the output labeled “CH3/4” is designated
for channels 3 & 4.
Focus Enhancements does not carry cable adapters and accessories.
See “AV Breakout Cables” on page 52. for details.

Overview
4
Application Interface (API)
for the Harmony 4ES
The source code for the Harmony Vidserve demo program is
provided for developers as an example of how to access the driver.
The current version of the driver uses a proprietary C API interface
(instead of a standard interface like MCI or Direct Show).
Applications can use the driver by calling the dynamic link library
(4REELAPI.DLL). The files needed (4REELAPI.LIB and
4REELAPI.H) are provided in the Vidserve.ZIP file, along with
the source code and MS VC++ 6.0 project makefile for Harmony
Vidserve. 4REELAPI.H declares all of the functions available in
the driver library. (See the Harmony SDK manual for more
information).

5
INSTALLATION GUIDE
The Visual Circuits Harmony 4ES decoder board is a 3/4 sized PCI
card. The card is secured using an IO mounting bracket secured to
the chassis. This bracket is affixed to the 25-pin female D-Sub
output of the board.
If a card is not seated securely in the PCI slot when
the system power is applied, damage to the
Harmony 4ES board may occur.
It is possible to damage system components,
primarily the system's main board, if power is
applied to an improperly seated card.
Whenever installing a board, never force the board
into position.During the installation if pressure or
tension is noted, stop immediately and refer to the
chassis manufacturer's specifications for card
installation and placement.
ESD
Follow all necessary precautions when handling
electrical circuit boards. Damage can occur due to
frictional contact with board circuitry or due to
electrostatic discharge (ESD).

Installation Guide
6
Card Installation
To install the card, carefully slide the board into the selected PCI
or PCIX slot of the main board. Ensure that the bracket is aligned
with the IO opening of the chassis and that the outer edge of the
card rests securely according to the chassis’ design. Consult with
the chassis manufacturer for specific guidelines
Figure 2 Installation of Harmony 4ES Card.
Adjust PCIX Bus Speed for Harmony Cards
Harmony cards may be installed in either PCI or PCIX slots.
However, with PCIX it is necessary to set the PCIX bus speed to
33 MHz to match the Harmony’s onboard clock.

Installation Guide
7
Cable Installation (A/V Breakout)
1. Back the set-screws off fully before attaching the cable. Do not
use the attaching screws to “pull” the cable onto the female D-
Sub connector of the board.
2. Orient the D-Sub on the cable properly and apply slight even
pressure while connecting the D-Subs.
3. Secure the Universal Cable in place with the two screws.
4. Attach the patch cables to the Universal Cable as per the
installation.
5. If required, connect the Y-adapter audio cables, (1/8 inch/3.5
mm stereo phone plug to two RCA plugs), from the Harmony
card’s digital audio output jacks to the proper inputs on an
external audio receiver/decoder. Note that the audio output jack
labeled “CH1/2” is designated for channels 1 & 2 and the
second audio output jack labeled “CH3/4” is designated for
channels 3 & 4.
Figure 3 Cable Installation
Ch 1 - 2
Ch3 - 4
Apply Strain Relief When Attaching Patch Cables
The set-screws will easily support the Universal Cable strain, but
will not take into account the weight and strain of any connected
cables.

Installation Guide
8
Driver Installation for
Windows 2000/NT 4.0 and
Windows 2003/XP
Table 1: Installation Instructions
Because the installation wizards for all operating systems are
similar, the following installation instructions use the Windows
2000 Installation Wizard for the example.
There are two parts to the installation process:
❏Installation of Hardware (Part 1, on the following page)
❏Running the Setup.exe application (Part 2, on page 16)
The sequence of these steps varies depending on the operating
system. Refer to Table 1 for the correct sequence to use.
OS Installation Sequence
2000 Part 1 Part 2
2003 Part 2 Part 1
NT 4.0 Part 2
XP Part 2 Part 1

Installation Guide
9
Part 1: Installation Instructions (Hardware)
To complete this installation, it is necessary to point the system to
the driver installation disc when prompted by Windows.
The harmony.inf file (included on the driver installation disc)
should be installed for each of the video channels.
Installation and use with Windows 2000, requires
Windows 2000 Service Pack 2 or higher.
Uninstall Earlier Versions of Visual Circuits Cards
If you have previously installed a different type of Visual Circuits
decoder card, or a different version for the Harmony decoder
series, it is recommended that you uninstall that driver before
proceeding.
System Identifies Harmony as Multiple Devices
Depending on the Harmony card installed, each channel on the
board appears as a unique device (2 or 4) to the system. During
installation, the Windows to installation wizard prompts for a
driver for each individual video channel.

Installation Guide
10
1. Install the decoder card(s) according to the board’s user
manual.
a. Power up the computer and log in to Windows.
b. The Hardware Manager recognizes that new hardware is in
the system and a message box appears stating that Windows
has found new hardware.
c. Click Next to continue.
Figure 4 Welcome to Found New Hardware Wizard Screen
2. Select the first option, Search for a suitable driver for my device,
and click Next.
Figure 5 Search For Suitable Driver For My Device Screen

Installation Guide
11
3. When Windows asks for the location of the driver file for this
device, select the location of the supplied driver disc and click
Next.
Figure 6 Search For Driver Locations Screen
4. A dialog box appears, stating that this device does not have a
digital signature and asks if the installation should continue:
click Yes.
Figure 7 Digital Signature Not Found Screen

Installation Guide
12
5. Once Windows has installed the driver for the channel, select
Finish.
6. The Welcome to Found New Hardware Wizard Screen reappears
indicating that more new hardware has been found: click the
Next button to continue.
Figure 8 Welcome to Found New Hardware Wizard Screen
Do Not Reboot System At This Time
If at this time, the system asks if it should reboot, click NO.
Continue to the next step and install the other channels and
cards.