Lektor Vektor

Notes to self regarding this experimental rack:
- Case to be used: 8U 10,5 half-rack cabinet, i.e.: http://www.allmetalparts.co.uk/690-8u-105-half-rack-cabinet-435mm-deep-with-handles-5055726206217.html
- LEFT side represents front, RIGHT side represents back. Effective Eurorack HP yield is approximate

The idea is to make an entirely self-contained rescan setup to complement the direct video synth. The Cadet modules represent the basic functionality of a Rutt-Etra scan processor. Certain of them, i.e. Ramps, may be built as 1U tiles to make space for more fun Eurorack modules, i.e. oscillators, modulation or Castle-series modules. The currently shown 1U tiles are not necessarily the ones that will be used.

The 1340A has 9.5 rack mounting ears, but I intend to use a wider rack and simply mount it on a rack shelf to make it feasible to switch to other displays in the future.

The BOTTOM FRONT 1U row will contain mounting hardware (16mm stud) for the rescanning camera and connectors for video and power.

The REAR of the rack includes a TBC2 that will be used both for video input to the scan processor, and for synchronising the rescan camera feed and converting it to LZX 1V video for further processing. (I may try to find a cheaper solution as colour video is not really needed here)

Other available space on the back will be used for a drawer for storing the rescan camera and related cables, as well as power input (PowerCon) and video IO.

EDITED Mar 14th 2019, 09:27

I'd suggest dropping the HP 1340A altogether. Instead, check some of the Eurorack LCD displays that can be mounted as a normal module. This would give you a smaller screen, but since this also means a smaller objective for the feedback cam, you can then use a smaller surveillance-type camera and mount this closer to the front panel for better ergonomics. Go with something bigger for your external mix monitor (again, LCD is better, especially if you want portability here, since a CRT monitor won't like being hauled around all that much), and then consider something like a Tektronix 1740A to monitor your image vectoring for diagnostics.

Ah, but that display is the whole point! :-) The 1340A is an X-Y display with brightness modulation, similar to the Leader LBO-51, Tek 608 and suchlike. It's not a video waveform monitor for diagnostics, but used for Rutt/Etra-style mangling of video images, like this:

A raster display, be it LCD or CRT, is not able to do this – without a vector-to-raster scan converter, that is, but that's a whole different game. This rack is intended specifically for vector image manipulation, all the raster stuff happens elsewhere. I think I already have enough LCD and CRT monitors for that – including an 8" PVM CRT which I haul to gigs. Can't do that tasty composite glitching on an LCD ;-)

Rescan cameras are Blackmagic Micro Studio Camera 4K for the final output (off the 8" CRT) and a small Pelco surveillance camera for the HP vector display. May replace the latter with something that can be genlocked.

Ah-HAH! Yep, that's quite different from a typical CRT display. It reminds me of my days back years ago as a broadcast control engineer; the TV control had a number of displays which would show the spectral content or something of that sort (I worked in radio...not my department as such) which looked sort of like this might as viewed from the side. Very strange...I did do some experimentation with video feedback and oscillator injection techniques back in the late 1970s, trying to shoot for some of the ideas that I'd seen as a kid when PBS was showing some early video synthesis art circa 1970-71-ish. I know they had footage generated by the Paik/Abe rig at WGBH in that, plus some Dan Sandin and Steven Beck clips, etc. Eventually, it's something I'd like to get back toward as budget allows.