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Old 22nd Sep 2020, 4:28 pm   #5
FRANK.C
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Join Date: Feb 2006
Location: Roscommon, Ireland
Posts: 732
Default Re: Future Supplies of Standards Converters?.

Personally I don't think there is any danger of us been without standards converters as none of the potential problems raised are insurmountable.

The Hedghog II uses the TVP5150 video decoder. It is available from RS, Farnell, Mouser, etc. As far as I know is still in production. It uses a EP4CE6E22C8N FPGA which is in current production. The MC44BS373 modulator which it uses has been out of production for years but is still available from China etc. The Hedghog or Hedghog II can be built without the modulator and used with an external modulator.
Using the MC44BS373 is not ideal when it is no longer in production but there is no other chip that I know of that comes any where near what it does. There are other ways of modulating a TV signal including doing the modulating within the FPGA. But there is none that I know of that can give the range of channels, is as cheap and is a easy implemented as the MC44BS373.

I am currently doing some work on a programmable standards converter. When completed it should be able to generate any standard with a 50Hz field rate. If it is to have a modulator I will most likely use the MC44BS373.

In my opinion I don't think that there is any point in doing things a harder more expensive way when there are chips like the TVP5150 and MC44BS373 still available.
When they are no longer to be got we will find a way around the problem then.

If anyone is thinking of designing a standards converter this thread on Golborne Vintage Radio Forum would be a good read. In it Jeffrey Borinsky gives all the information needed to design one.

Anyone can build a Hedghog or Hedghog II just follow the link below for all the information needed.

Frank
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Last edited by FRANK.C; 22nd Sep 2020 at 4:39 pm.
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