Meinberg IMS-VSG181 User manual

SETUP GUIDE
IMS-VSG181
Hot-Plug Module
March 1, 2022
Meinberg Funkuhren GmbH & Co. KG

Table of Contents
1 Imprint 1
2 Change Log 2
3 Introduction 3
4 Important Safety Information 4
4.1 AdditionalSafetyInformation........................................ 4
4.2 PreventionofESDDamage......................................... 5
4.3 PowerSupply................................................. 6
4.4 Cabling..................................................... 6
5 IMS-VSG181 Module Connectors and Indicators 7
5.1 StatusLEDs.................................................. 8
5.2 BlackOutOutput............................................... 10
5.3 LTCOutput .................................................. 10
5.4 DARSOutput................................................. 11
5.5 WordClockOutput.............................................. 11
6 Before You Start 12
6.1 ContentsofDelivery............................................. 12
6.2 DisposalofPackagingMaterials...................................... 12
7 System Installation 13
7.1 Important Information Regarding Hot-Pluggable IMS Modules . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 13
7.2 Installation of Hot-Pluggable IMS Modules. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 14
7.3 DataandSignalCables........................................... 15
8 Configuration and Setup via Web Interface 16
8.1 Output1:BlackOut............................................. 17
8.2 Output2:LTC................................................. 19
8.3 Output3:DARS ............................................... 20
8.4 Output4:WordClock ............................................ 21
8.5 Misc ...................................................... 22
9 Troubleshooting 23
10 Your Opinion Matters to Us 24
11 RoHS and WEEE 25
12 List of Abbreviations 26
Date: March 1, 2022 IMS-VSG181

1 Imprint
1 Imprint
Meinberg Funkuhren GmbH & Co. KG
Lange Wand 9, 31812 Bad Pyrmont, Germany
Phone: + 49 (0) 52 81 / 93 09 - 0
Fax: + 49 (0) 52 81 / 93 09 - 230
Website: https://www.meinbergglobal.com
Email: [email protected]
Date: February 23, 2022
Manual
Version: 1.11
IMS-VSG181 Date: March 1, 2022 1

2 Change Log
Version Date Revision Notes
———————————————————————————————————————————————
1.0 1/14/2021 Initial version
———————————————————————————————————————————————
1.1 2/8/2022 Changelog, new translation, changes to presentation of specifications,
new troubleshooting section, list of abbreviations, system
compatibility list, updates to safety chapter, overhaul of web
interface chapter to reflect new features
———————————————————————————————————————————————
1.11 2/23/2022 Clarification of information regarding LEDs, on-board oscillator and
time zone setting
2 Date: March 1, 2022 IMS-VSG181

3 Introduction
3 Introduction
This Setup Guide is a systematically structured guideline to assist you with the set-up of your Meinberg product.
The IMS-VSG181 is used to provide a reference video or audio signal for studio equipment, with generated sig-
nals output through four BNC outputs. These respectively output a bi-level sync (black & burst)/tri-level-sync
signal, a linear time code (LTC) signal, a Digital Audio Reference Signal (DARS), and a word clock signal.
To ensure that the output signals remain highly precise even when switching between clocks using the RSC
module (in IMS systems with receiver redundancy), the IMS-VSG181 may be fitted with its own oscillator.
Features.
The IMS-VSG181 is synchronized against an external reference frequency (10 MHz), a pulse-per-second signal
(PPS), and a time string from an upstream clock. These synchronization signals are essential to maintaining
the precision of the output signals. The Web Interface provides a wide range of adjustment and customization
options for all output signal types. The signal outputs are phase-matched with the PPS signal.
Please refer to the LANTIME Firmware Manual for a more detailed description of all of the status moni-
toring configuration options and features available for your Meinberg product.
LTOS7 Firmware Manual Download:
http://www.mbg.link/docg-fw-ltos
Compatibility
The IMS-VSG181 is an IMS module that is compatible with the following systems in the IMS product family
and can be used in the following slots.
PWR
CLK
CPU
MRI
ESI
I/O
M500
M1000
M1000 S
M2000 S
M3000
M3000 S
M4000
System-Kompatibilität - IMS VSG181
IMS-System
Kompatibel
Einsetzbar
IMS-Slot
Slot-Kompatibilität - IMS VSG181
To eliminate any risk of compatibility problems, your IMS system should have at least LANTIME OS Version
7.04 installed.
IMS-VSG181 Date: March 1, 2022 3

4 Important Safety Information
Please ensure that IMS modules designed for "hot-plugging" (modules that are removable and insertable while
a system is in operation) are always handled with the utmost care.
Before performing any maintenance work on the system:
•We recommend making a backup of any stored configurations (e.g. using a USB flash drive or from the
Web UI)
•Take note of the chapter "Prevention of ESD Damage".
•Take note of the chapter "Power Supply".
4.1 Additional Safety Information
This manual contains important safety information regarding the installation and use of the device. Please read
it through fully before setting up the device for use.
This device may only be used for the purpose described in this manual. In particular, the specified operat-
ing limits of the device must be heeded. The person setting up the device is responsible for safety matters in
relation to any larger system in which the device is installed!
Failure to observe these instructions may have an adverse impact on device safety!
Please keep this manual in a safe and accessible place.
Target Readership
This manual is only intended to be used by qualified electricians, or by persons who have been appropriately
instructed by qualified electricians and who are familiar with applicable national standards and safety rules &
regulations, especially in relation to the installation of low-voltage (< 1000 V) installations.
4 Date: March 1, 2022 IMS-VSG181

4 Important Safety Information
4.2 Prevention of ESD Damage
ATTENTION!
An ESDS device (electrostatic discharge-sensitive device) is any device at risk of damage or
malfunction due to electrostatic discharges (ESD) and thus requires special measures to prevent
such damage or malfunction. Systems and modules with ESDS devices usually bear the following
symbol:
Symbol Indicating Devices with ESDS Components
The following measures will help to protect ESDS components from damage and malfunction.
When preparing to dismantle or install devices:
Ground your body (for example, by touching a grounded object) before touching sensitive devices.
Ensure that you wear a grounding strap on your wrist when handling such devices. These straps must
in turn be attached to an uncoated, non-conductive metal part of the system.
Use only tools and devices that are free of static electricity.
When transporting devices:
Devices must only be touched or held by the edges. Never touch any pins or conductors on the device.
When dismantling or installing devices:
Avoid coming into contact with persons who are not grounded. Such contact may compromise your
connection with the earth conductor and thus also compromise the device’s protection from any
static charges you may be carrying.
When storing devices:
Always store devices in ESD-proof ("antistatic") bags. These bags must not be damaged in any way.
ESD-proof bags that are crumpled or have holes cannot provide effective protection against
electrostatic discharges.
ESD-proof bags must have a sufficient electrical resistance and must not be made of conductive
metals if the device has a lithium battery fitted on it.
IMS-VSG181 Date: March 1, 2022 5

4.3 Power Supply
WARNING!
The IMS system in which the module is used is operated at a dangerous voltage. Please refer to your IMS
Manual for more information about safety.
When removing a hot-pluggable power supply unit, always disconnect its power cable before removing it from
the IMS system.
Never open a power supply unit—there may still be hazardous residual voltages present even after disconnec-
tion from the mains supply. In the event that a power supply unit is no longer working (e.g. defective), please
return it to Meinberg for repair.
Failure to observe these safety instructions may result in serious injury and/or property damage. The IMS
system must only be installed, set up, and operated by qualified personnel.
4.4 Cabling
WARNING!
Danger of death from electric shock! Never work on the system while the power is live! Always disconnect the
cables from the devices at both ends before working on the plugs and terminals of connected cables!
6 Date: March 1, 2022 IMS-VSG181

5 IMS-VSG181 Module Connectors and Indicators
5 IMS-VSG181 Module Connectors and
Indicators
1
2
3
4
5
The numbering in the drawing above relates to the relevant subsection in this chapter.
IMS-VSG181 Date: March 1, 2022 7

5.1 Status LEDs
Statusanzeige
LED "St": Status of IMS-VSG181 in operating
system
LED "In": Status of synchronization against
reference signal
LED "A": Status of "Black Out" output
LED "B": Status of "LTC" output
St In A B
The status LEDs "A" and "B" only provide information about whether the outputs have been
enabled and properly configured in the LANTIME Web Interface. They do not provide any
information about the output of the signal itself.
8 Date: March 1, 2022 IMS-VSG181

5 IMS-VSG181 Module Connectors and Indicators
The LEDs show the following colors and patterns to indicate the following states:
"St" LED: System Status
Blue Internal operating system is initializing IMS-VSG181
Green Internal operating system has initialized IMS-VSG181
———————————————————————————————————————————————–
"In" LED: Reference Signal Status
Reports status after initialization by operating system
Green, not flashing IMS-VSG181 is synchronized (accurate to ≤200 ns against reference)
Green, flashing IMS-VSG181 is synchronized against reference signal, but module
oscillator is not yet warmed up
Yellow IMS-VSG181 is not yet synchronized against the reference signal, but a
signal has been found
Red IMS-VSG181 cannot find a stable reference signal and therefore cannot be
synchronized
———————————————————————————————————————————————–
"A" LED: Black Out Output Status
This LED will usually display the following color pattern when the IMS system is booted:
1 second red -> 1 second yellow -> 1 second green -> 1 second off
Off Black Out signal output is disabled or has not been configured
Green, flashing Adjusting timing pattern of Black Out signal
Yellow, flashing Adjusting timing pattern of Black Out signal, module oscillator is not
yet warmed up
Green, not flashing Output enabled, module oscillator is warmed up (timing is being
fine-tuned)
Yellow, not flashing Output enabled, but module oscillator is not yet warmed up (timing is
homing in to approximate levels)
———————————————————————————————————————————————–
"B" LED: LTC Out Output Status
This LED will usually display the following color pattern when the IMS system is booted:
1 second red -> 1 second yellow -> 1 second green -> 1 second off
Off LTC signal output is disabled or has not been configured
Green, flashing Adjusting timing pattern of LTC signal
Yellow, flashing Adjusting timing pattern of LTC signal, module oscillator is not
yet warmed up
Green, not flashing Output enabled, module oscillator is warmed up (timing is being
fine-tuned)
Yellow, not flashing Output enabled, but module oscillator is not yet warmed up (timing is
homing in to approximate levels)
The status of the DARS and word clock outputs are not indicated by the status LEDs. Please refer to
the LANTIME Web Interface for more information on the status of these signal outputs.
Please refer to the chapter "Configuration and Setup via Web Interface" for more information.
IMS-VSG181 Date: March 1, 2022 9

5.2 Black Out Output
Output Signal: NTSC (525i @ 59.94 Hz)
"Black & Burst" ITU-R BT.1700/
SMPTE ST 170M
PAL (625i @ 50 Hz)
"Black & Burst", ITU-R BT.1700
720p @ 50 Hz
Tri-Level Sync, SMPTE ST 296
1080i @ 50 Hz
Tri-Level Sync, SMPTE ST 274M
720p @ 59.94 Hz
Tri-Level Sync, SMPTE ST 296
1080i @ 59.94 Hz
Tri-Level-Sync, SMPTE ST 274M
PAL & NTSC signals can include embedded VITC
SMPTE ST 12M-1/SMPTE ST 309M
Signal Level: 300 mVpp,
75 Ωtermination (unbalanced)
Connector Type: BNC Connector, Female
Cable: Coaxial Cable, Shielded
5.3 LTC Output
Output Signal: LTC
Signal Level: TTL, 2.5 Vpp (MARK/SPACE),
75 Ωtermination (unbalanced)
Formats: 24 fps (23.976 Hz and 24 Hz)
25 fps
30 fps (with or without drop frame
support for adapting 30 fps time code
to 29.97 fps content)
Connector Type: BNC Connector, Female
Cable: Coaxial Cable, Shielded
10 Date: March 1, 2022 IMS-VSG181

5 IMS-VSG181 Module Connectors and Indicators
5.4 DARS Output
Output Signal: DARS
Signal Level: TTL, 2.5 Vpp,
75 Ωtermination (unbalanced)
Signal Type: Digital audio with base sample rate of
44.1 kHz or 48 kHz
Connector Type: BNC Connector, Female
Cable: Coaxial Cable, Shielded
5.5 Word Clock Output
Output Signal: Word Clock
Signal Level: TTL, 2.5 Vpp,
75 Ωtermination
Frequency Range: 24 Hz – 12.288 MHz
Sample Frequencies: 44.1 kHz and 48 kHz
Scale Factors: At sample frequency 44.1 kHz
-1/32, 1/16, 1/8, 1/4, 1/2, 1, 2, 4, 8, 16, 32
-Frequency range: 1.378125 kHz to 1.4112 MHz
At sample frequency 48 kHz
-1/32, 1/16, 1/8, 1/4, 1/2, 1, 2, 4, 8, 16, 32
-Frequency range: 1.5 kHz to 1.536 MHz
Connector Type: BNC Connector, Female
Cable: Coaxial Cable, Shielded
IMS-VSG181 Date: March 1, 2022 11

6 Before You Start
6.1 Contents of Delivery
Unpack the IMS-VSG181 carefully and check the contents of the delivery against the enclosed packing list to
ensure that no parts are missing. If any of the listed items are missing, please contact our sales department:
[email protected]
Check that the product has not been damaged in transit. If the product is damaged or fails to operate upon
installation, please contact Meinberg immediately. Only the recipient (the person or company receiving the
system) may file claims or complaints against the forwarder for damage caused in transit.
Meinberg recommends that you keep the original packaging materials in case the product needs to be shipped
or transported again at a later date.
6.2 Disposal of Packaging Materials
The packaging materials we use are fully recyclable:
Material Use for Disposal
————————————————————————————————————————
Cardboard Shipping, Paper recycling
packaging of accessories
Plastic Wrapping Shipping, Household waste or
packaging of accessories recycling depot
————————————————————————————————————————
12 Date: March 1, 2022 IMS-VSG181

7 System Installation
7 System Installation
7.1 Important Information Regarding Hot-Pluggable IMS Modules
The following information should be strictly observed when replacing IMS modules during operation. Not all
IMS modules are fully hot-pluggable. For example, it is naturally not possible to replace a power supply unit in
a system without PSU redundancy without first having installed a second power supply unit while the system
is in operation.
The following rules apply for the individual IMS slots:
PWR Slot: "Hot-Swappable" If you operate your system with only one power supply unit,
a second power supply unit must be installed before removing
or replacing it in order to keep your system on.
I/O, ESI and
MRI Slots: "Hot-Pluggable".
CLK1/CLK2 "Hot-Pluggable" When a clock module is replaced or installed, it is important to rescan
Slots: the reference clocks ("Rescan Refclocks") in the "System" menu
of the Web Interface.
RSC/SPT Slots: "Hot-Pluggable" It will not be possible for your IMS system to switch between signal
generators while the RSC/SPT is not installed.
——————————————————————————————————————————————
CPU Slot: "Not Hot-Pluggable" Before the CPU is removed, the IMS system must be powered down.
Please note that after powering on and rebooting the LANTIME
Operating System, the configuration of some IMS modules may be reset
to factory defaults!
The NTP service and access to the web interface will be unavailable while the CPU
is not installed. Management and monitoring functions will also be disabled.
IMS-VSG181 Date: March 1, 2022 13

7.2 Installation of Hot-Pluggable IMS Modules.
If the system is supplied with an antenna and antenna cable, it is advisable to first mount the antenna in
a suitable location (refer to the chapter "Mounting the Antenna" in your IMS system manual) and to lay the
antenna cable.
Please use a Torx screwdriver (T8 x 60) to remove and install IMS modules.
1. Follow the safety instructions at the beginning
of this manual!
2. Remove the two marked Torx screws from the
module holder plate or the cover plate of
the empty slot.
3. Please note when removing modules:
The module must be pulled carefully out of the
guide rail. Note that the module will be
securely seated in the connector block inside
the chassis—a certain amount of force must
be applied to release the module. Once the
module has been detached from the connector
block in the system backplane, the module can
be easily pulled out.
4. Please note when installing modules:
Ensure that the module is correctly inserted into the two guide rails of the system chassis. Failure
to do so may result in damage to the module and chassis. Ensure that the module is securely seated
in the connector block inside the chassis before you fasten the two screws.
5. The installed module is now ready for use.
Locations of fixture screws in a 1RU IMS system
14 Date: March 1, 2022 IMS-VSG181

7 System Installation
7.3 Data and Signal Cables
Coaxial Cable
The IMS-VSG181 module provides four BNC connectors which respectively output an analog bi-level or tri-level
sync signal, a digital DARS signal, a digital LTC signal, and a digital word clock signal.
The signal outputs should be connected to your receiver device using coaxial cable with the proper char-
acteristic impedance and adequate shielding.
A mismatched cable impedance will result in signal distortion, while poor shielding can cause signal inter-
ference.
IMS-VSG181 Date: March 1, 2022 15

8 Configuration and Setup via Web Interface
This chapter describes the initial setup of a IMS-VSG181 using the Web Interface.
The IMS-VSG181 is configured by selecting the menu I/O Config →Output Configuration in the Web In-
terface.
The configuration options addressed in this chapter represent a IMS-VSG181 with Firmware Version V1.11
running under LANTIME OS Version 7.04.
16 Date: March 1, 2022 IMS-VSG181

8 Configuration and Setup via Web Interface
8.1 Output 1: Black Out
—————————————————————————————————————————-
Output Type: "Video Out" (Analog Bi-Level-Sync ("Black & Burst") or Tri-Level-Sync Video Signal)
Epoch: Start epoch of the video signal.
TAI D1970-01-01 T00:00:00
Format: "NTSC (525i)" (59.94 Hz, "Black & Burst", ITU-R BT.1700/SMPTE ST 170M)
"PAL (625i)" (50 Hz, "Black & Burst", ITU-R BT.1700)
"720p 50 Hz" (Tri-Level Sync, SMPTE ST 296)
"1080i 50 Hz" (Tri-Level Sync, SMPTE ST 274M)
"720p 59.94 Hz" (Tri-Level Sync, SMPTE ST 296)
"1080i 59.94 Hz" (Tri-Level Sync, SMPTE ST 274M)
Vertical Offset: Approximate configuration of phase offset in lines
Horizontal Offset: Fine adjustment of phase offset in 10 ns increments
IMS-VSG181 Date: March 1, 2022 17