ViewCast Osprey PCI User manual

© 2012 ViewCast Corporation. All rights reserved.
Osprey®and SimulStream®are registered trademarks of ViewCast Corporation. Microsoft®,
Windows®XP, Windows Server®2003, AVStream®, DirectShow®, Intel®CoreDuo®, and Windows
Media®Encoder are trademarks or registered trademarks of Microsoft Corporation. Any other
product names, trademarks, trade names, service marks, or service names owned or registered by
any other company and mentioned herein are the property of their respective companies.
No part of this specification may be reproduced, transcribed, transmitted or stored in a retrieval system in any part or by any means without
the express written consent of ViewCast Corporation. ViewCast Corporation reserves the right to change any products herein at any time and
without notice. ViewCast Corporation makes no representations or warranties regarding the content of this document, and assumes no
responsibility for any errors contained herein.
UL Statement
Underwriters Laboratories Inc. has not tested the performance or reliability of the security or signaling aspects of this product. UL has only
tested for fire, shock and casualty hazards as outlined in UL’s Standard for Safety UL 60950-1. UL Certification does not cover the performance
or reliability of the security or signaling aspects of this product. UL MAKES NO REPRESENTATIONS, WARRANTIES OR CERTIFICATIONS
WHATSOEVER REGARDING THE PERFORMANCE OR RELIABILITY OF ANY SECURITY OR SIGNALING RELATED FUNCTIONS OF THIS PRODUCT.
To maintain UL compliance, this product to be used only with UL Listed computers that include instructions for user installed accessories.
FCC Notice
WARNING: Connections between this device and peripherals must be made using shielded cables in order to maintain compliance with FCC
radio emission limits.
WARNING: Modifications to this device not approved by ViewCast Corporation could void the authority granted to the user by the FCC to
operate the device.
The Osprey PCI video capture device has been tested and found to comply with the limits for a Class B digital device, pursuant to Part 15 of the
FCC Rules. These limits are designed to provide reasonable protection against harmful interference in a residential installation. This equipment
generates, uses and can radiate radio frequency energy and, if not installed and used in accordance with the instructions, may cause harmful
interference to radio communications. However, there is no guarantee that interference will not occur in a particular installation. If this device
does cause harmful interference to radio or television reception the user is encouraged to try to correct the interference by one or more of the
following measures:
Reorient or relocate the receiving antenna.
Increase the separation between the equipment and receiver.
Connect the computer into an outlet on a circuit different from that to which the
receiver is connected.
Consult the dealer or an experienced radio/TV technician for help.
If the above measures are unsuccessful, please consult the dealer or manufacturer of your radio or television receiver, or speak with an
experienced radio/TV technician.
Note: This reminder is provided to call to the CATV installer’s attention Section 820-40 of the NEC, which provides guidelines for proper
grounding and, in particular, specifies that the cable ground shall be connected to the grounding system of the building, as close to the point of
cable entry as practical.
Shielded Cables: Connections between this device and peripherals must be made using shielded cables in order to maintain compliance with
FCC radio emission limits.
Modifications: Modifications to this device not approved by ViewCast Corporation could void the authority granted to the user by the FCC to
operate the device.
Note to CATV Installer: This reminder is provided to call to the CATV installer’s attention Section 820-40 of the NEC, which provides guidelines for
proper grounding and, in particular, specifies that the cable ground shall be connected to the grounding system of the building, as close to the
point of cable entry as practical.
Product Disposal Information
Dispose of this product in accordance with local and national disposal regulations (if any), including those governing the recovery and
recycling of waste electrical and electronic equipment (WEEE).
RoHS Compliant: ViewCast Corporation is committed to compliance with the European directive on the Restriction of the Use of Certain
Hazardous Substances in Electrical and Electronic Equipment, Directive 2002/95/EC, the RoHS directive.
For current RoHS statement, visit www.viewcast.com.
ViewCast Corporation 3701 W. Plano Parkway, Suite 300, Plano, TX 75075-7840 USA

Osprey PCI User Guide
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Contents
Contents ..................................................................................................................iii
Overview...................................................................................................................1
Warranties...................................................................................................................... 1
System requirements...................................................................................................... 2
Audience........................................................................................................................ 2
Installation steps......................................................................................................3
Installing the driver ......................................................................................................... 3
Installing the video capture card..................................................................................... 4
Multiple board types ....................................................................................................... 5
Setting driver properties .........................................................................................7
Osprey Config’s initial processing sequence .................................................................. 8
Understanding the device properties window.................................................................10
Common buttons .....................................................................................................................11
Devices and global controls.....................................................................................................12
Input tab........................................................................................................................14
Video Input...............................................................................................................................15
Video Standard........................................................................................................................16
Input Format ............................................................................................................................18
VideoCheck .............................................................................................................................20
VideoGraph..............................................................................................................................21
VbiGraph..................................................................................................................................22
Video Proc Amp tab.......................................................................................................24
Video Decoder tab.........................................................................................................27
RefSize tab....................................................................................................................29
Horizontal Format....................................................................................................................30
Horizontal Delay ......................................................................................................................31
Reference Size for Crop and Logo Placement........................................................................32
Source Width...........................................................................................................................33
Filters tab ......................................................................................................................35
SimulStream............................................................................................................................36
Show N filters per device.........................................................................................................37
Mode........................................................................................................................................39
Deinterlace...............................................................................................................................40
Device tab .....................................................................................................................45
No Video Test Pattern .............................................................................................................46
Buffers Requested...................................................................................................................46
Diagnostic Logging..................................................................................................................47
Board numbering.....................................................................................................................48
Extras.......................................................................................................................................49
Device Info...............................................................................................................................52

Contents
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Captions tab..................................................................................................................53
Pin Select.................................................................................................................................54
Render.....................................................................................................................................55
Closed Caption DirectShow Pin ..............................................................................................56
Logo tab........................................................................................................................57
Pin Select.................................................................................................................................59
File and Color ..........................................................................................................................59
Enable Key Color.....................................................................................................................60
Weighting.................................................................................................................................60
Position and Size.....................................................................................................................62
Size and Crop tab..........................................................................................................63
Pin Select.................................................................................................................................66
Reference Size........................................................................................................................66
Granularity...............................................................................................................................67
Enable Cropping......................................................................................................................68
Default Output Size .................................................................................................................70
AVStream driver reference information...............................................................72
Overview of Direct Mode and PostProcessing Mode.....................................................74
Direct Mode .............................................................................................................................74
PostProcessing Mode..............................................................................................................75
Efficient Video Rendering........................................................................................................76
Preview Pin to Video Renderer ...............................................................................................77
Preview Pin to Overlay Mixer to Video Renderer....................................................................77
Preview Pin to VMR7...............................................................................................................78
Preview Pin to VMR9...............................................................................................................79
Video standards and sizes ......................................................................................................80
Color Formats..........................................................................................................................80
YUV Format Details.................................................................................................................81
Closed Captioning (CC)...........................................................................................................82
Vertical Interval Timecode (VITC) ...........................................................................................84
Vertical Blanking Interval (VBI) Capture..................................................................................86
Audio driver............................................................................................................87
Selecting the audio source and input volume..........................................................................87
Audio properties ......................................................................................................................89
Audio Playback........................................................................................................................90
Audio Configuration.................................................................................................................90
Appendix A: Osprey hardware specifications.....................................................93
Osprey 100....................................................................................................................93
Environmental specifications...................................................................................................93
Osprey 100 backplate..............................................................................................................93
Osprey 210....................................................................................................................94
Osprey 210 backplate..............................................................................................................94
Osprey 230....................................................................................................................95
Osprey 230 backplate..............................................................................................................95
Osprey 300....................................................................................................................96
Osprey 300 backplate..............................................................................................................96
Osprey 440....................................................................................................................97
Osprey 440 backplate..............................................................................................................97
Osprey 530....................................................................................................................98

Osprey 530 backplate..............................................................................................................98
Osprey 540....................................................................................................................99
Osprey 540 backplate..............................................................................................................99
Osprey 560..................................................................................................................100
Osprey 560 backplate............................................................................................................100
Appendix B: Digital video on the Osprey 300....................................................102
Specifics of Osprey 300 DV capture............................................................................103
Graphs ........................................................................................................................104
Appendix C: Troubleshooting.............................................................................109
Scrambled Video Image ..............................................................................................109
Poor Video Quality at Large Frame Sizes....................................................................109
Multiple Horizontal Lines Across Video Image.............................................................109
No Closed Captions on DV..........................................................................................110
Cannot Play Back Recorded Audio..............................................................................110
DV Audio Is Too Slow/Low-Pitched or Fast/High-Pitched............................................110
Audio Recording Control Comes Up With Wrong Device and Wrong Inputs................110
Index .....................................................................................................................113

Osprey PCI User Guide
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Overview
Thank you for purchasing the ViewCast Osprey PCI video capture card. This user guide provides step-
by-step instructions for installing and using your new video capture card. For the latest ViewCast
product information and news, visit our website at www.viewcast.com.
Warranties
For complete warranty details, refer to the specific warranty included with each product. General
warranty information includes the following:
Limited Warranty
ViewCast warrants its hardware products against
defects in material and workmanship under normal use
for the period of one year (12 months) from date of
sale. Where specific warranties exist that provide more
substantial coverage, notwithstanding the warranty
provisions herein, such product warranties control and
preempt or supersede the warranty provisions herein.
Reseller Pass Through of
Standard Limited Warranties.
Resellers pass the ViewCast standard limited warranties
for the products through to the customer without
modification. Any modification of a product voids the
ViewCast warranties or any other existing or available
warranty.

Overview
2 ViewCast
System requirements
Please note that the following system requirements relate to your Osprey® video capture card only.
The video capture or encoding applications you use will likely require a much more powerful system
than that which is listed below. Please consult your software documentation for applicable system
requirements.
Direct Mode: 2 GHz Intel® Pentium® 4 processor or better
PostProcessing Mode and SimulStream®: 2 GHz Intel® Pentium® 4 processor or better, Dual Core
or better recommended
Microsoft® Windows® 7 Professional
Up to 7.5 MB of available hard disk space
256 MB of RAM, 512 MB recommended
One available PCI-X™ slot
Audience
The audience for this user guide includes anyone who uses or administers the Osprey 100, 210, 230,
300, 440, 530, 540, and 560 cards. Users should have a basic technical understanding of streaming
media. This user guide provides information only on these cards.

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Installation steps
Use the installer package file (.msi) whether you obtained the driver on a CD or through download.
The file automates the Plug and Play steps needed to install the drivers and ensures that they are
performed correctly. The installer package file also installs OspreyConfig and the User’s Guide. If you
have multiple Osprey video capture cards in the system it configures all of the boards at the same
time.
ViewCast recommends this method especially if Osprey software does reside on your host
computer. After the installer is run, the software detects the card and its drivers initiate
automatically.
If updating Osprey software, then uninstall the previous software version, reboot your computer
and install the update.
Installing the driver
Insert the Osprey software CD into your CD-ROM drive. The main menu for the Osprey software will
appear if autoplay is enabled. If the main menu does not automatically appear, click on the
Window’s computer Icon and select the CD-ROM and the msi icon. The Osprey AVStream –Install
Shield Wizard will engage and will guide you through the installation process.

Installation Steps
4 ViewCast
Installing the video capture card
All computer cards are sensitive to electrostatic discharge. Slight electrostatic discharges from
clothing or even from the normal work environment can adversely affect these cards. By following
these simple guidelines, however, you can minimize the chance of damaging the Osprey video
capture card.
Handle cards only by the non-conducting edges.
Do not touch the card components or any other metal parts.
Wear a grounding strap while handling the cards (especially when located in a high static area).
Properly ground your computer to avoid static discharge.
Ensure the workstation is powered off before installing any components.
If you are not familiar with how to install a PCI bus card, refer to the system’s documentation for more
complete, step-by-step instructions.
Install the card only in UL Listed computers that include instructions for user-installed accessories
To install the video capture card:
1.
Power down your computer.
2.
Remove the computer’s cover and locate an empty PCI or PCI-X slot.
WARNING! Be sure to install the card in the PCI or PCI-X slot. This slot is usually
black. Refer to the following diagram as a guide. Placing the card in the wrong slot
can damage the card.
3.
Remove the cover screw from the empty PCI slot’s cover, set the screw aside.
4.
Remove the slot cover.
5.
Remove the Osprey video capture card from its anti-static bag.
6.
Insert the Osprey card into the desired PCI slot and make sure it is seated evenly.
7.
Secure the back panel of the card with the slot’s cover screw.
8.
Replace the computer cover.
9.
Plug in and turn the computer on.

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Multiple board types
There are a number of Osprey devices. Each class requires its own driver.
class 1: o100, o200, o210, o220, o230
class 2: o300
class 3: o440
class 4: o530, o540, o560
class 5: o700e HD and later DSP-based PCI-Express products
class 6: o240e, o450e and related non-DSP PCI-Express products
class 7: o260e, o460e
class 8: o820e, o845e
Each device class has a separate driver. This user guide applies only to classes 1 through 4.
If you have both an Osprey 230 and an Osprey 240e in the same machine, then you need drivers to
accommodate the different cards.
When you add or move boards after the AVStream drivers are already installed, and then move a
board from one slot to another, the following sequence begins.
To move a board from one slot to another:
1.
The New Hardware Wizard runs and displays the Found New Hardware window followed
by the Digital Signature Not Found window (Figure 1).
Figure 1. Digital Signature Not Found Screen
2.
Click Continue Anyway.
The Controller installing window displays, and the text inside this window changes to
Osprey Video Capture Device, Installing .... Then the Digital Signature Not Found window
displays on top of it.

Installation Steps
6 ViewCast
3.
Click Continue Anyway. The Completing the Found New Hardware window displays.
4.
Click Finish. The Digital Signature Not Found window displays.
This window displays once for each Osprey board you are installing. The Systems Setting
Change window displays.
5.
Click Finish and restart the system (Figure 2).
Figure 2. System Settings Change dialog box

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Setting driver properties
After you install the Osprey card and driver, you will be able to access the card’s properties through
most major DirectShow applications (such as WME). Access card property pages through Osprey
Config, the utility bundled with our latest driver suite. Once installed you can see the card’s default
settings and change them as needed.
To open Osprey Config, select All Programs in the start menu of your Windows computer, then
select ViewCast Osprey AVStream Osprey x 32 bit or (Osprey x 64 bit) Osprey Config x 86
or (Osprey Config x 64).
Note: Other Direct Show applications can find the property page too. If you use a third-party
application, you will find how to access the card’s settings in the documentation for that
application.

Setting Driver Properties
8 ViewCast
Osprey Config’s initial processing sequence
After you open Osprey Config the application displays (Figure 3) showing the cards and devices
installed on your computer. The main window depicts a tree view of Osprey audio and video capture
filters installed in the system. They are organized by device –each device has an Audio Filter and
Video Filter.
Figure 3. Initial Osprey Config user interface
In this example, the computer has two cards, each with an audio and a video filter. The cards are the
Osprey 230 and the Osprey 5X0. Both cards can take a single input and stream its content
differently. For example, you can use several bit rates, sizes and formats. You can set the defaults of
a card by clicking the +icon on the left side of the device you want to configure (Figure 4).

Osprey PCI User Guide
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Figure 4. Selecting a device for configuration
When you select a device and filter, the Show Properties for Selected Filter button becomes active.

Setting Driver Properties
10 ViewCast
Understanding the device properties window
The Osprey device window allows you to view and change the default settings of your driver. If you
familiarize yourself with the video card’s properties you can make changes to get the optimum
performance from your card and change settings in real time.
Device properties are visible through tabs with different controls. Figure 5 illustrates the Device
Properties window with tabs that take advantage of the driver’s functionality.
Figure 5. Osprey’s Device Properties window
Note: The Vbi Graph button is only for analog boards. If you installed an analog and a digital board
(such as the Osprey 530), the graph will not display for the Osprey 530.

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The Properties are organized as tabs or pages in a dialog box entitled Video Capture Properties.
Input
Select the video input, NTSC / PAL / SECAM video standard and
Input Format.
Video Proc Amp
Set brightness, contrast, saturation, hue, gamma, and
sharpness.
Video Decoder
Select the video standard –NTSC, PAL, SECAM.
RefSize
Setting Horizontal format and delay, source width and so forth.
Filters
SimulStream®, deinterlace, and inverse telecine*.
Device
Test Pattern, Capture Buffers, Diagnostic Logging.
Captions
Set up on-video closed-caption rendering.
Logo
Set up on-video logos.
Size and Crop
Set the default size, enable cropping, and set the cropping
rectangle.
* Telecine refers to the technology used to transfer or repurpose analog film into electronic media.
Common buttons
The following information applies to controls that are not interactive.
OK
Commits the changes you have made on the currently displayed
page, and exits the dialog.
Cancel
Exits the window without committing the changes you have
made on the currently displayed page. Changes made before
the most recent click of Apply are not cancelled.
Apply
Commits the changes you have made on the currently displayed
page, without exiting the dialog.
Some controls are interactive –changes you make are immediately updated on the video. Examples are
the brightness, contrast, hue, saturation, and sharpness controls, the graphical gamma control; and the
graphical sizing and positioning controls for logos. OK, Cancel, and Apply have no effect on these
controls.
In all cases, Help accesses this help module. The button on each tab displays the description for that
page.
Note: OK and Apply commit only the changes on the currently displayed page. To set changes on
three different pages you need to click Apply twice and OK once.

Setting Driver Properties
12 ViewCast
Devices and global controls
Some of the Osprey AVStream driver’s controls work interactively. Changes in value immediately
update the video stream output. Examples include brightness, contrast, hue, saturation, and
sharpness.
In some applications, additional tabs may also display. The additional tabs are system supplied, for-
your information only; you cannot set these controls.
The groupings of Osprey board models to driver binaries are as follows (o100, and so on, are short
for Osprey 100, and so on).
o200avs
o100, o200, o210, o220, o230
o300avs
o300
o440avs
o440
o540avs
o530, o540, o560
Most Osprey video cards, with the exception of the 100 series, have the ability to present multiple
output streams from a single input device. For example, your company may wish to do a webcast
globally to resellers, users, or potential customers. Using the Filters tab, you can set up different
output streams to accommodate users with different rate modems.
Some changes, such as cropping, logos, and captions, may affect the filter. For example, if you
change the logo on one device and its filter, the logo changes only on that filter (Figure 6).
If you change the values on Video Proc Amp, Video Decoder, Input, Filters, Device and, or RefSize
tabs, the effect becomes global to the card. All characteristics on each device on the card change to
those changed on a single device. This change is limited to the card on which the device changed. If
you make changes on an Osprey 230 card residing with an Osprey 530 card, a change on the Osprey
530 will not affect the Osprey 230 devices.

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Figure 6. Osprey Config utility to access devices
You will see reference to “pins and filters” in DirectShow® discussions. These terms require technical
experience with Microsoft’s DirectX® 9 Software Developer’s Kit. References on tabs in the Osprey
Driver relate to terms used by Microsoft’s streaming video software application. They exist for users
with a high degree of technical expertise. You can simply ignore them and use the property tabs as
discussed in this manual.

Setting Driver Properties
14 ViewCast
Input tab
The source of data an Osprey AVStream card outputs to the Internet, can come from a number of
devices such as DVD players, digital cameras, camcorders, and so forth. The Input tab (Figure 7) has
three sections: Video Input, Video Standard, and Input Format. The Video Input control performs
the same function as a crossbar filter attached to the capture filter’s Analog Video In pin.
Figure 7. Input tab