Sony HDW 900 Installation and operating instructions

1
Colorimetric and Resolution requirements of cameras
Alan Roberts
ADDENDUM 1 : Sony HDCAM, HDW900
In boxes with numeric settings (e.g. –99~99), the values indicate the range, and zero means factory setting,
not zero effect, and no scales are given. For each item, the set value is given (if set), then the range offered
by the camera. Where two values are given, they are for film- or video-look, e.g. ON {f} OFF {v}.
OPERATION MENUS
OPERATION/1 VF DISPLAY viewfinder indicators for switch settings
Item Switch description BBC
EX 3S/ON/OFF
ZOOM 3S/ON/OFF
ND 3S/ON/OFF
CC 3S/ON/OFF
IRIS 3S/ON/OFF
WHITE 3S/ON/OFF
D5600K 3S/ON/OFF
GAIN 3S/ON/OFF
SHUTT 3S/ON/OFF
BATT 3S/ON/OFF
TAPE 3S/ON/OFF
TC 3S/ON/OFF
AUDIO 3S/ON/OFF
MESSAG ALL/WRN/AT/OFF
Each item can be set to be on or
off, or on for 3 seconds each
time its value changes
OPERATION/2 !IND warning indicators of abnormal settings
Item Switch Range description BBC
ND ON/OFF 1~4
CC ON/OFF A~D
WHITE ON/OFF P/A/B
D5600K ON/OFF ON/OFF
GAIN ON/OFF L/M/H
SHUTT ON/OFF ON/OFF
FAN ON/OFF AUTO1/AUTO2/MIN/MAX
EXT ON/OFF ON/OFF
Each item can be on
or off. Any item not at
the NORMAL setting
(in the Range column)
raises the ! indicator,
but there’s nothing to
say which one caused
it.
FORMAT ON/OFF 23.98/24/25/29.97/30 (PsF) /50/59.97/60 (I) Frame/field rate 24/25 for film
OPERATION/3 MARKER viewfinder markers
Item Switch Range description BBC
MARKER ON/OFF
CENTER ON/OFF 1~4 type of centre marker
SAFETY ZONE ON/OFF 80%/90%/92.5%/95% Dim outside zone
EFFECT ON/OFF
ASPECT MODE 16:9/15:9/14:9/13:9/4:3/ VAR H
/VAR V/ 1035/VISTA1/VISTA2/
MASK ON/OFF 0~100 Dim outside zone
VAR WIDTH 0:1920 (VAR H) /0:1080 (VAR V) User box in pixels./lines
OPERATION/4 GAIN SW video gain switch
Item Range description BBC
LOW -3/0/3/6/12/18 0dB
MIDDLE -3/0/3/6/12/18 6dB
HIGH -3/0/3/6/12/18 12dB
OPERATION/5 ZEBRA/View Finder DeTaiL zebra and v/f detail enhancement
Item Switch Range description BBC
ZEBRA ON/OFF 1/2/1&2 ON, 1&2
ZEBRA1 58%~82% Set for skin tone 65%
ZEBRA2 88%~112% Allows 1 stop over 100% 100%
VF DTL ON/OFF -99~99 this doesn't seem to work OFF

2
OPERATION/6 AUTO IRIS metering area
Item Range description BBC
WINDOW 1~6 Six window shapes
OVERRIDE -99~99 Manual control on lens
OPERATION/7 BATT ALARM battery alarm levels
Item Range description BBC
BATT Heading
TYPE LITHIUM/ANTON/OTHERS1/ OTHERS2/AC ADP LITHIUM
BEFORE END
END Reflects voltage settings in maintenance menu
DC IN Heading
TYPE LITHIUM/ANTON/OTHERS1/OTHERS2/AC ADP AC ADP
BEFORE END
END Reflects voltage settings in maintenance menu
OPERATION/8 OTHERS sets user switch and colour rebalancer
Item Switch Range description BBC
D5600K ON/OFF Shifts P3200 to D56 OFF
ASSIGNABLE 1 OFF
ASSIGNABLE 2 OFF/D12dB/D24dB/VTR/ LENS RET/RETURN D12/24=extra gain in digital processing, VT=start/stop OFF
OPERATION/9 OPERATOR FILE read/write camera settings
Item Switch Range description BBC
READ (MS to CAM) Press rotary encoder to execute Memory stick read
WRITE (CAM to MS) Memory stick write
PRESET Factory reset
FILE ID Text field, enter what you like
CAM CODE User set
DATE
OPERATION/10 LENS FILE
Item Switch Range description BBC
FILE 1~16 Select lens file number
LENS Text entered in maint menu
APERTURE Only stores max aperture data
PAINT MENUS
PAINT/1 SW STATUS parallel with switches in other menus
Item Switch Range description BBC
FLARE ON/OFF ON
GAMMA ON/OFF ON
BLK GAM ON/OFF ON {f} OFF {v}
KNEE ON/OFF ON
WHT CLIP ON/OFF ON
DETAIL ON/OFF ON {f} OFF {v}
LVL DEP ON/OFF ON
SKIN DTL ON/OFF OFF
MATRIX ON/OFF ON

3
PAINT/2 VIDEO LEVEL some parallel with controls in other menus
Item Switch Range description BBC
WHITE [R] -99~99
WHITE [G] -99~99
WHITE [B] -99~99
White balance settings. Reports
values set by auto-white
balance, or enter values directly
WHITE [M] -99~99 Effectively master gain
BLACK [R] -99~99
BLACK [G] -99~99
BLACK [B] -99~99
Black balance settings. Reports
values set by auto-white
balance, or enter values directly
BLACK [M] -99~99 Effectively master black
FLARE [R] -99~99
FLARE [G] -99~99
FLARE [B] -99~99 Depends on lens used
FLARE [M] -99~99 Master flare correction
GAMMA [R] -99~99 0
GAMMA [G] -99~99 0
GAMMA [B] -99~99 0
GAMMA [M] -99~99 0
V MOD [R] -99~99 0
V MOD [G] -99~99 0
V MOD [B] -99~99 0
V MOD [B] -99~99 0
FLARE OFF/ON OFF
V MOD OFF/ON Vertical shading modulation ON
TEST OFF/1/2 Sawtooth, 1=digital,
2=analogue
PAINT/3 GAMMA
Item Switch Range description BBC
LEVEL [R] -99~99 0
LEVEL [G] -99~99 0
LEVEL [B[ -99~99 0
LEVEL [M] -99~99 0
COARSE 0.40/0.45/0.50 Degree of curvature 0.45
TABLE 1~6
1=ENG (3.5 slope), 2/3=EFP
(4.0), 4=SMPTE240 (4.0),
5=ITU709 (5.5), 6=BBC (5.0) 5
GAMMA ON/OFF ON
TEST OFF/1/2 Duplicate of PAINT/2 item
PAINT/4 BLK GAMMA black stretch
Item Switch Range description BBC
LEVEL [R] -99~99 0
LEVEL [G] -99~99 0
LEVEL [B] -99~99 0
LEVEL [M] -99~99 Set for max slope about 7.2 -60
RANGE [RGB] OFF/ON 15%/25%/35%/50% Upper limit of stretch ON,35% {f} OFF
{v}
LEVEL [Y] -99~99
RANGE [Y] OFF/ON 15%/25%/35%/50% Upper limit of stretch OFF
TEST OFF/1/2 Duplicate of PAINT/2 item
PAINT/5 LOW KET SAT saturation in black stretch area
Item Switch Range description BBC
LEVEL -99~99 Saturation in stretched part
BLK CLIP ON/OFF -99~99 Value in Y curve where it stops OFF

4
PAINT/6 KNEE
Item Switch Range description BBC
POINT [R] -99~99 0
POINT [G] -99~99 0
POINT [B] -99~99 0
POINT [M] -99~99 30
SLOPE [R] -99~99 0
SLOPE [G] -99~99 0
SLOPE [B] -99~99 0
SLOPE [M] -99~99
Set for 2.5 stops overload.
CCDs can just deliver 2.5 stops
before clipping, knee starts at
about 85%, so keep skin tones
low to avoid unnatural faces.
Crucial element of film look. -52
WHT CLP [R] -99~99 0
WHT CLP [G] -99~99 0
WHT CLP [B] -99~99 0
WHT CLP [M] -99~99 About 106% 30
KNEE SAT LEVEL ON/OFF -99~99 saturation in compressed zone OFF
KNEE ON/OFF Vital for film look ON
KNEE SAT ON/OFF OFF
WHT CLIP ON/OFF Both not needed, pictures look better without OFF
TEST OFF/1/2 Duplicate of PAINT/2 item
PAINT/7 DETAIL 1
Item Switch Range description BBC
LEVEL -99~99 -14 {f} 0 {v}
LIMITER [M] -99~99 0
LIMITER [WHT] -99~99 0
LIMITER [BLK] -99~99 0
CRISP -99~99 0
HV RATIO -99~99 0
FREQ -99~99 0
LVL DEP -99~99 0
DETAIL ON/OFF default values are ok OFF {f} ON {v}
LVL DEP ON/OFF default values are ok ON
PAINT/8 DETAIL 2
Item Switch Range description BBC
FINE DTL ON/OFF -99~99 HF detail OFF
KNEE APERTURE ON/OFF -99~99 Detail in knee compressed parts ON, 0
PAINT/9 SKIN DETAIL
Item Switch Range description BBC
SKIN DTL ON/OFF if this is on, chan 1 can’t be off OFF
SKIN GATE ON/OFF
CHAN SW [1] ON/OFF
GATE [1] ON/OFF
PHASE [1] AUTO 0~359
WIDTH [1] -99~99
SAT [1] -99~99
LEVEL [1] -99~99
CHAN SW [2] ON/OFF
GATE [2] ON/OFF
PHASE [2] AUTO 0~359
WIDTH [2] -99~99
SAT [2] -99~99
LEVEL [2] -99~99
CHAN SW [3] ON/OFF
GATE [3] ON/OFF
PHASE [3] AUTO 0~359
WIDTH [3] -99~99
SAT [3] -99~99
LEVEL [3] -99~99

5
PAINT/10 USER MATRIX main matrix page
Item Switch Range description BBC
USER R-G -99~99
USER R-B -99~99
USER G-R -99~99
USER G-B -99~99
USER B-R -99~99
USER B-G -99~99
Hand-crafted matrix, no clues
given about the scale of
coefficients. This needs a lab to
set up sensibly
MATRIX ON/OFF Main matrix switch ON
PRESET ON/OFF SMPTE-240M/ITU-
709/SMPTE-
WIDE/NTSC/EBU/ITU-601
Standard matrices, only
ITU709 makes sense ON, ITU709
USER MATRIX ON/OFF Off unless DoP has strong
views OFF
MULTI MATRIX ON/OFF Avoid at all costs OFF
PAINT/11 MULTI MATRIX
Item Switch Range description BBC
PHASE 0~338 (22.5° steps)
HUE -99~99
SAT -99~99
Adjust hue and saturation of
22.5° segments independently
ALL CLEAR Resets all hue/sat settings to 0
MATRIX ON/OFF ON
PRESET ON/OFF SMPTE-240M/ITU- 709/SMPTE-
WIDE/NTSC/EBU/ITU-601 Same item as PAINT/10 ON, ITU-709
USER MATRIX ON/OFF Off unless DoP has strong
views OFF
MULTI MATRIX ON/OFF Avoid at all costs OFF
PAINT/12 SHUTTER
Item Switch Range description BBC
SHUTTER ON/OFF see below ON {f} OFF{v}
ECS FREQ see below Avoids light/monitor strobing
S-EVS ON/OFF 0~100%
Enhanced Vertical res for
interlace, 50%=film shutter OFF, 50%
Shutter speeds 50I 1/60,1/125,1/250,1/500,1/1000,1/2000
30PsF/29.97PsF 1/40,1/60,1/125,1/250,1/500,1/1000
25PsF 1/30,1/50,1/100,1/250,1/500,1/1000
24PsF/23.98PsF 1/32,1/48,1/96,1/125,1/250,1/500,1/1000
ECS frequencies 60i/59.94I 30.0~5600Hz
50I 25.0~5600Hz
30PsF/29.97PsF 30.4~2800Hz
25PsF 25.3~2300Hz
24PsF/23.98PsF 24.3~2300Hz
PAINT/13 SCENE FILE standard features
Item Switch Range description BBC
STORE 1~5
STANDARD
FILE ID
CAM CODE
DATE

6
MAINTENACE MENUS
MAINTENANCE/1 AUTO SETUP software action mimicing hardware switches
Item Switch Range description BBC
AUTO BLACK
AUTO WHITE
AUTO LEVEL
TEST OFF/1/2 Duplicate of PAINT/2 item
MAINTENANCE/2 WHITE SHADING
Item Switch Range description BBC
V SAW [R] -99~99
V SAW [G] -99~99
V SAW [B] -99~99
V PARA [R] -99~99
V PARA [G] -99~99
V PARA [B] -99~99
H SAW [R] -99~99
H SAW [G] -99~99
H SAW [B] -99~99
H PARA [R] -99~99
H PARA [G] -99~99
H PARA [B] -99~99
WHITE [R] -99~99
WHITE [G] -99~99
WHITE [B] -99~99
VMOD [R] -99~99
VMOD [G] -99~99
VMOD [B] -99~99
VMOD [M] ON/OFF -99~99
MAINTENANCE/3 BLACK SHADING
Item Switch Range description BBC
V SAW [R] -99~99
V SAW [G] -99~99
V SAW [B] -99~99
V PARA [R] -99~99
V PARA [G] -99~99
V PARA [B] -99~99
H SAW [R] -99~99
H SAW [G] -99~99
H SAW [B] -99~99
H PARA [R] -99~99
H PARA [G] -99~99
H PARA [B] -99~99
BLK SET [R] -99~99
BLK SET [G] -99~99
BLK SET [G] -99~99
BLACK [R] -99~99
BLACK [G] -99~99
BLACK [B] -99~99
BLACK [B] -99~99
MASTER GAIN -3/0/3/6/12/18dB
MAINTENANCE/4 OHB MATRIX optical head block matrix
Item Switch Range description BBC
PHASE 0~338 (22.5° steps)
HUE -99~99
SAT -99~99
Adjust hue/sat in 22.5 degree
wedges, for matching cameras
together, AVOID this
ALL CLEAR Resets all hue/sat settings to 0
MATRIX ON/OFF This controls all matrix settings ON
OHB MATRIX ON/OFF OFF

7
MAINTENANCE/5 AUTO IRIS
Item Switch Range description BBC
WINDOW 1:6 Choice of window shape
OVERRIDE -99~99
IRIS LEVEL -99~99
APL RATIO -99~99
IRIS GAIN -99~99
MAINTENANCE/6 CAM ID/DATE
Item Switch Range description BBC
CAM ID Text
DATE/TIME Date and time
MAINTENANCE/7 MULT-FORMAT scanning standard, field/frame rate
Item Switch Range description BBC
CURRENT Current frame/field rate
NEXT 60/59.94/50 I /
30/29.97/25/24/23.98 PsF Select then cycle powert 24/25PsF {f} 50I {v}
MAINTENANCE/8 VTR SETUP normal items
Item Switch Range description BBC
FF/REW AUDIO CUE/EE
PB AUDIO CH 1&2/3&4
AU REC CH3/4 AUTO/1&2CH/MUTE
AU REC 1KHz MUTE/0dB/-20dB
AU EMPHASIS ON/OFF
TC OUT TCG/PB
CTL TIMER 24H/+-10H
REAL TIME AUTO/MANU Auto=DF/NDF for e.g. 59.94/60, Manu follows side
switch MANU
MAINTENANCE/9 BATT ALARM these settings appear in OPERATION/7
Item Switch Range description BBC
BATT TYPE LITHIUM/ANTON/OTHERS
1/OTHERS2/AC ADP LITHIUM
BEFORE END 11.0~17.0V
END 11.0~17.0V
DC-IN TYPE LITHIUM/ANTON/OTHERS
1/OTHERS2/AC ADP AC ADP
BEFORE END 11.0~17.0V
END 11.0~17.0V
MAINTENANCE/10 OTHERS 1
Item Switch Range description BBC
H PHASE -3072:1023 Horizontal timing
MONITOR OUT [Y] -30~30 0
MONITOR OUT [Pb/Pr] -30~30 Signal gain controls for BNC monitoring outputs 0,0
MAINTENANCE/11 OTHERS 2
Item Switch Range description BBC
FAN MODE AUTO1/AUTO2/MIN/MAX fan speed
MENU RESUME OPE MENU/OFF/ALL How menus reopen. OPE=last
used, OFF=operator menus only
ALL
DATE TYPE 1:6 Usual choice of date formats
WHITE MEMORY 2/8 How white balances are stored

8
FILE MENUS
FILE/1 OPERATOR FILE as OPERATION/9
Item Switch Range description BBC
READ MS to CAM Memory stick read/write
WRITE CAM to MS
PRESET
STORE PRESET FILE
FILE ID
CAM CODE
DATE
FILE/2 SCENE FILE as PAINT/13
Item Switch Range description BBC
STORE 1~5
STANDARD
FILE ID
CAM CODE
DATE
FILE/3 REFERENCE reference file
Item Switch Range description BBC
STORE FILE
STANDARD
FILE ID
CAM CODE
DATE
FILE/4 LENS FILE not the same as OPERATION/10
Item Switch Range description BBC
STORE FILE Action to store lens data
FILE
NO 1~16 File number
NAME e.g. HJ18x7.8B Enter lens name
F NO F1.0~F3.4 Enter max aperture
CENT MRK H POS -20~20
CENT MRK V POS -20~20 Move lens centre markers
STORE CENTER Action to store new values
FILE/5 OHB FILE
Item Switch Range description BBC
STORE FILE Action to store OHB matrix
settings, crashes hardware
FILE/6 FILE CLEAR reset to factory settings, probably
Item Switch Range description BBC
PRESET OPERATOR Operator settings to factory
REFERENCE (ALL) 10 SEC CLEAR ON/OFF Reference settings to factory
LENS (CURRENT)
OHB WHITE SHAD
OHB BLACK SHAD
OHB ND OFFSET
OHB MATRIX

9
DIAGNOSIS/1 HOURS METER reports from the vtr
Item Switch Range description BBC
DRUM RUNNING
TAPE TRAVEL
OPERATION
THREADING
DIAGNOSIS/2 VTR STATUS reports and controls for vtr
Item Switch Range description BBC
CURRENT MOD UNTHREAD/STOP/PLAY/FF/REW/
THREAD/REC/R.PAUSE/R.PREVIEW
TAPE POS TOP/TAPE OUT/STOP/PLAY/REC/REC PAUSE/
SEARCH/REW/EJECT/FF/REC REVIEW/END
HUMID DET/---
REC INHIBIT ON/OFF
SLACK
DIAGNOSIS/3 ROM VERSION report of card software versions
Item Switch Range description BBC
IF
SV
SY
DIAGNOSIS/4 BOARD STATUS pcb reports
Item Switch Range description BBC
CAM OHB OK/NG
CAM VA OK/NG
CAM DPR OK/NG
CAM AD OK/NG
CAM IF OK/NG
CAM SG OK/NG
CAM DA OK/NG
VTR SV OK/NG
VTR SY OK/NG
VTR DEC A OK/NG
VTR DEC B OK/NG
VTR VN OK/NG
VTR EN OK/NG
VTR ENC OK/NG
DIAGNOSIS/5 TELE FILE
Item Switch Range description BBC
ID 20 characters
SIZE **KBYTE Memory stick capacity
REMAIN **% Free space
STATUS STANDBY/NO LABEL/WRITE PROTECT/
LABEL/UNKNOWN FORMAT