PIX 270i Rack Mount Production Video Recorder User Guide Firmware rev. 2.10 E7556 State Rd. 23 and 33, Reedsburg, WI, USA +1 (608) 524-0625 • Toll-Free: (800) 505-0625 • fax: +1 (608) 524-0655 www.sounddevices.com support@sounddevices.
PIX 270i User Guide and Technical Information Table of Contents Introduction 1 Manual Conventions . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 1 Video Mode and Audio Mode . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 1 Panel Descriptions 2 Front Panel. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 2 Rear Panel. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
PIX 270i User Guide and Technical Information Playback Rate of Audio Files. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 38 Non-Native File Playback. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 38 Playing Back Files on a Computer . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 38 Synchronization and Timecode Sync Reference . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 40 Timecode Reader . . . . . . .
PIX 270i User Guide and Technical Information Specifications Analog Audio . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Digital Audio. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . File Storage. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Timecode and Sync. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
PIX 270i User Guide and Technical Information Copyright Notice and Release All rights reserved. No part of this publication may be reproduced, stored in a retrieval system, or transmitted in any form or by any means, electronic, mechanical, photocopying, recording, or otherwise, without the expressed written permission of SOUND DEVICES, LLC. SOUND DEVICES is not responsible for any use of this information. Microsoft Windows is a registered trademark of Microsoft Corporation.
PIX 270i User Guide and Technical Information Introduction The PIX 270i is a rack-mountable, production video recorder with extensive audio and video processing capabilities. The foundation of the PIX 270i is hardware-based, 10-bit video up/down/cross conversion, and hardware-based encoding to Apple ProRes and Avid DNxHD codecs.
PIX 270i User Guide and Technical Information Panel Descriptions Front Panel Panel Descriptions 1 2 15 14 3 4 5 13 1) Control Knob The Control Knob can be both turned and pressed. Use the Control Knob to navigate between menu settings and to select menu items. Pressing during playback or stop will toggle Shuttle mode. Turning while playback is paused will jog forward or backward by single frames. 2) AUDIO Button Displays the Audio Screen.
PIX 270i User Guide and Technical Information 10) Fast Forward Button When Stopped, press to cue up the next file for Playback. During Playback or Pause, press once to jump to the next Cue Marker, press and hold to increase playback speed. Continue to hold for faster speeds. 13) Headphone Volume Knob Adjusts the overall volume of the headphones. NOTE: the headphone output is capable of ear-damaging levels. Take care when adjusting among signal sources.
PIX 270i User Guide and Technical Information 4) MADI I/O (BNC) Input (top) accepts up to 64 channels of MADI (AES10) digital audio. Output (bottom) provides MADI (AES10) digital audio. 5) Timecode I/O (BNC) Input (top) accepts SMPTE timecode. Output (bottom) provides SMPTE timecode. 6) SYNC I/O (BNC) Output (bottom): Selectable genlock or wordclock output. Configured with Setup Menu option [Timecode/Sync - Sync Out]. Input (top): Selectable Genlock or Wordclock input.
PIX 270i User Guide and Technical Information PIX-CADDY 2 (Optional) The PIX-CADDY 2 is an accessory to connect approved 2.5” drives to the front-panel drive bays. When removed from a PIX 270i, the PIX-CADDY 2 operates as a high-speed drive interface to Mac OS and Windows computers via the onboard FireWire800, USB 3.0, or the optional PIX-DOCK Thunderbolt interface. For reliable operation, it is imperative that the 2.5” drive be firmly screwed to the PIX-CADDY 2 with the supplied screws.
PIX 270i User Guide and Technical Information Menu and Navigation Main View The Main View displays the live or playback video and the On-Screen Display. The Main View is the default view which appears when no other views or menus are selected. On-Screen Display The On-Screen Display (OSD) provides information superimposed over the Main View. From the Main View, LCD will toggle the OSD on and off. Items included in the OSD are configured with the Setup Menu option On-Screen Display.
PIX 270i User Guide and Technical Information Item Description 9. Cue Marker Cue marker and playback looping information is displayed here during record and playback. 10. Timecode Current timecode and frame rate of the recording or playing file. 11. Audio Source Audio sample rate, bit depth, and channel count. In Audio Mode, flashes red to indicate [Audio - Sample Rate] does not match [Timecode/Sync - Sync Ref - Audio Only]. 12.
PIX 270i User Guide and Technical Information Audio Screen From any screen, press AUDIO (keyboard: F3) to view the Audio Screen. The Audio Screen displays all audio input levels and provides configuration of Track Arming, Track Naming, Input Source selection, Input Gain, and Input Delay. The Audio Screen by default displays 16 tracks at a time. This can be changed to 8, 16, or 32 track displays in [Audio - Audio Screen Meters]. To make adjustments in Audio Screens: 1.
PIX 270i User Guide and Technical Information Other audio related settings are accessible from the Setup Menu option Audio. File List Press FILES (keyboard: F2) to display the File List; A list of all of the recorded takes. Takes are arranged chronologically and grouped by Reel. Turn the Control Knob to highlight an item. Press Play to start playback of the highlighted take. Press the Control Knob (Press and hold for multi-file clips) to perform functions based on which item is highlighted.
PIX 270i User Guide and Technical Information The selected drive is displayed on the top of the screen. To view the contents of other drives, scroll to the top of the list; A pop up box appears with a list of all available drives. Select the desired drive and press the Control Knob. While in the File List press FILES to collapse all Reel folders and multi-file takes to ease file navigation.
PIX 270i User Guide and Technical Information • Remove from Play List: Removes the audio or video take from the Play List. (See “Play List”, page 37) • Empty Play List: Empties the entire Play List. (See “Play List”, page 37) Metadata Screen The Metadata screen gives you quick access to certain metadata for the previous, current, and next WAV recordings, letting you change the data in an instant. The metadata you can edit includes: Scene Use any alphanumeric value to name the scene.
PIX 270i User Guide and Technical Information Phrase List Menu & Navigation The phrase list is a feature that lets you predefine a list of up to twenty most commonly used phrases, which can be added to WAV files as part of the Notes metadata. This list, once defined, can be used via the Metadata screen or the Take Details screen. To define the phrase list: 1. Press the MENU button. 2. Select File Storage > Phrase List Manager. The Phrase List appears. 3. Select Add New Phrase. 4.
PIX 270i User Guide and Technical Information Inputs and Outputs Video Inputs The PIX 270i accepts video input signals over HDMI, HD-SDI, and single link 3G-SDI Level A and B. The PIX 270i does not accept analog video signals. See the Specifications section for a complete list of supported frame rates. HDMI The PIX 270i accepts HDMI version 1.4a video and audio. Supported video resolutions and rates are listed in the Specifications section.
PIX 270i User Guide and Technical Information Standard Definition video is always output using HD Mode because 3G does not support Standard Definition. The output video stream contains up to 16 tracks of embedded audio for SDI and 8 tracks for HDMI. Timecode and record start and stop flags are included on the SDI output. Timecode overlay can be added to the HDMI and/or SDI output signal in [Video - Video Output OSD].
PIX 270i User Guide and Technical Information AES3 The PIX 270i accepts AES3 (AES/EBU) digital signals with sampling rates from 32 kHz up to 192 kHz and bit depths up to 24-bits. In Video mode, AES3 inputs are sample rate converted to 48 kHz. In Audio Mode, the sample rate conversion is determined by Setup Menu option [Timecode/Sync - Sync Ref- Audio Only]. see Audio Mode All AES3 input signals must be clocked to the same rate.
PIX 270i User Guide and Technical Information Inputs & Outputs Dante Redundancy When [Network - Dante Redundancy Mode] is set to On, the PIX 270i’s Primary and Secondary Ethernet ports both transmit Dante Audio data over separate networks. This provides a fail safe of the Dante system if one of the networks should fail. In Dante Redundancy Mode, two separate networks must be run and they CANNOT be connected to one another.
PIX 270i User Guide and Technical Information 5. Press the Control Knob to open the Audio Source options window. Select the general type of input to be used from Off, Line In, HDMI/AES In, MADI In, or SDI In and press the Control Knob again to open up all options for that input type. 6. Press the Control Knob to make a selection and exit the Audio Input Source options window. Dante sources must be connected in order to select them as audio input sources.
PIX 270i User Guide and Technical Information Audio Outputs Analog Audio Outputs The eight analog outputs of the PIX 270i are active-balanced, line-level outputs (+18dBu max). At factory default, the source of the Analog Line Outputs 1-8 is tracks 1 to 8, respectively. Any of the available 64 Tracks can be sent to the Line Outputs. Line Output routing is set in [Audio - Line Output]. Digital Audio Outputs (HDMI/AES) AES and HDMI Outputs are active at all times but these two outputs share the same source.
PIX 270i User Guide and Technical Information Ethernet The PRI and SEC Ethernet ports on the rear panel of the PIX 270i are used for a variety of PIX 270i functions/features: • Dante (64-Channel Audio I/O over network) (See “Dante Audio Inputs”, page 15) • Network Grouping (See “Network Grouping”, page 47) • File Transfer (Samba) (See “Transferring Files”, page 66) • Web Browser Control (See “Web Interface - PIXNET”, page 50) Up to four PIX 270i units can be daisy-chained using their built-in Ethernet swit
PIX 270i User Guide and Technical Information Video Monitoring Features The PIX 270i includes various monitoring features to assist with exposure and focus. These functions only affect signal on the LCD display and will never affect the recorded video or the video output signal. Exposure Assist LCD + FILES Video Monitoring Features Exposure assist features mark areas of the video image based on the exposure level.
PIX 270i User Guide and Technical Information 12-step 100-108 Red 95-99 Orange 85-94 Yellow 79-84 Light Yellow 59-78 Light Grey 53-58 Pink 49-52 Medium Grey 43-48 Green 23-42 Dark Grey 13-22 Light Blue 3-12 Blue 0-2 White Video Monitoring Features 12-step False Color mode divides the monitor signal into 12 luminance ranges and assigns a color to each. 4-step False Color mode divides the monitor signal into 4 ranges and assigns a color to all but one range (this range is displayed without chroma).
PIX 270i User Guide and Technical Information Zebra 2 70 IRE (+/- 5%) Zebra 1 85 IRE Video Monitoring Features Focus Assist LCD + MENU Focus Assist features mark sharp edges in the video image to assist in focusing on the desired subject. Focus assist is enabled pressing LCD + MENU. The word “FOCUS” is displayed in yellow text on the OSD when Focus Assist is enabled. There are two available Focus Assist modes: Peaking and Edge Enhance.
Video Monitoring Features PIX 270i User Guide and Technical Information Edge Enhance The Edge Enhance filter uses an algorithm which enhances the variation of the luminance of all edges present in the video image. The following image comparison demonstrates the effect of Edge Enhance on an image with a shallow depth-of-field and a short focal length (top) and a longer focal length (bottom).
PIX 270i User Guide and Technical Information Zoom LCD + AUDIO The Zoom function enlarges the video image to a 1:1 pixel ratio. To toggle Zoom on and off, press LCD + AUDIO. When Zoom is enabled, “ZOOM” is displayed on the OSD in yellow text and all other OSD elements are hidden. When zoomed, turning the Control Knob moves vertically and Rewind and Fast Forward buttons move left and right, respectively.
PIX 270i User Guide and Technical Information Recording The PIX 270i can record video and audio together to a QuickTime .mov file (Video Mode) or audio only to a .wav file (Audio Mode). File type is selected in [System - Video/Audio Mode]. The PIX 270i can record to up to four drives simultaneously or in sequence (Setup Menu option [File Storage - Video Record Mode]).
PIX 270i User Guide and Technical Information file is “finalized” to a standard Quicktime (.MOV extension) for video takes or a standard Broadcast Wave format (.WAV extension) for audio takes. The Sound Devices file format allows for reliable recovery of content in situations where power was lost or a drive was removed during recording. Upon powering up, the PIX 270i will search for any .SDA or .SDV files on all drives and finalize them to their respective .WAV or .MOV formats. .SDV and .
PIX 270i User Guide and Technical Information ** Not supported over HDMI Progressive Segmented Frames (PsF) Some cameras output video signal in progressive segmented frames (PsF). PsF is a method for transmitting progressive video in an interlaced stream. A device generates PsF signal by splitting each frame into two segments. PsF segments are the same as interlaced fields in that one segment represents the even lines of a frame and the other segment represents the odd lines of a frame.
PIX 270i User Guide and Technical Information If recording camera audio embedded on HDMI or SDI, then the audio/video alignment will be excellent provided the alignment is proper on the camera. If recording audio using the dedicated audio inputs (Analog, AES, MADI, or Dante), then a delay may need to be dialed in. The reason for this is that some cameras have a delay of one or more frames from lens to SDI/HDMI output. The PIX 270i on the other hand has no appreciable delay between audio and video.
PIX 270i User Guide and Technical Information For example, if Reel=141001, Scene=101A, Take=001, Track=01, and the Track 1 Name is Boom, then the file’s name would be 14001-101A-001_01Boom.WAV Mono Wave files can be written to a maximum of 2 SSD’s. Recording Mono Wave files to a mechanical (spinning) hard drive is not supported. Poly (Wave) File Format writes a single file to each target drive per take. All armed audio tracks are interleaved into a single file.
PIX 270i User Guide and Technical Information F Sampling Rate Modes 48.048k and 48.048kF The 48.048kF mode (F can stand for “fake”, “faux”, or “Fostex”) is a specific compatibility mode for use with the Fostex DV40 software (1.74 and previous), Avid, Final Cut Pro, and other post-production environments that do not recognize audio files written at 48.048 kHz. In this mode WAV files are recorded at a 48.048 kHz sampling rate but are stamped at 48 kHz. When played, they will play back 0.
PIX 270i User Guide and Technical Information Video Scaling and Frame Rate Conversion The PIX 270i features powerful, hardware-based video scaling, frame rate conversion, and de-interlacing. This allows for converting the resolution and frame rate of input video signal to the recorded file and to the HDMI and SDI outputs in real-time.
PIX 270i User Guide and Technical Information Orange: No 3:2 pulldown sensed in 60i/59.94i input signal. Input video is being converted to 24p/23.976p using a conversion process which drops frames and may introduce judder. White: 3:2 pulldown sensed in 60i/59.94i input video signal. Input video signal is being converted to 24p/23.976p using 3:2 pulldown removal which recreates 24p/23.976p as it is captured from the camera’s shutter. It is important that 3:2 pulldown be sensed before beginning a recording.
PIX 270i User Guide and Technical Information Up-Conversion Anamorphic: Image is horizontally stretched to fit into 16:9. Results in a wide looking image. Pillarbox: Increases size and maintains same ratio. Results in blank bar at right and left of image and picture cropped at top and bottom. Zoom 14x9: Maintains same size but fills in remaining screen space with blank bar on the right and left of image. Zoom Wide: Increase size and maintains ratio to full screen 16:9.
PIX 270i User Guide and Technical Information Playback The PIX 270i has a very powerful playback engine that allows for playback of QuickTime .mov files and PCM .wav files whether the files were generated by the PIX 270i or elsewhere (See “Appendix A - Supported Files”, page 85). Playback video is shown on the onboard LCD display and is sent to the video outputs. The PIX 270i’s video playback clock is determined by the setting in [Timecode/Sync - Sync Reference -Video Playback].
PIX 270i User Guide and Technical Information File Skip From Stopped Mode, press Fast Forward to skip to the next file on the current Playback drive. Press Rewind once to skip to the previous file on the current Playback drive. During Playback, press Fast Forward (>>) to jump to the next Cue Marker (if applicable) or begin playback of the next clip (if it exists). Press Rewind (<<) to jump to the previous Cue Marker (if applicable) or to the beginning of the current file.
PIX 270i User Guide and Technical Information Looping Playback Playback Looping is available in Video Mode only. Looping playback can be enabled for a segment or the entire clip. To toggle looping playback and begin looping the entire currently playing clip, hold Play () for 1 second. Loop: Clip will be displayed in the bottom left-hand corner of the OSD if [On-Screen Display - Cue Marker] is set to On.
PIX 270i User Guide and Technical Information Play List Files can be added to a Play List to be played back in a specific order. Play List functions are accessed from the File Detail view of any file. By default, the PIX 270i will play files in the order that they are arranged in the File List. To play back files in the order of the Play List, [System - Playback Mode] must be set to one of the Play List modes. To add a file to the Play List: Press FILES to view the File List. 2.
PIX 270i User Guide and Technical Information It is recommended that files in the same Play List or reel be of the same resolution, frame rate, and codec. Playback Rate of Audio Files Audio files (WAV) are always played back at the sample rate of the PIX 270i.
PIX 270i User Guide and Technical Information Synchronization and Timecode Synchronization of video, audio, and associated timecode while recording video and audio has long been a problematic area. Situations where several cameras are used can complicate issues further. There may be sync issues between two (or more) cameras and/or between audio recorders because of a) offset and b) drift.
PIX 270i User Guide and Technical Information features an internal clock which has an accuracy of +/-0.2ppm (½ frame per 24 hours). Numerous PIX 270i recorders can be used to maintain extremely tight synchronization. Sync Reference The following table lists the available sources for sync reference. Depending on the current Mode (Audio or Video) and the transport state, some of these sources might not be available.
PIX 270i User Guide and Technical Information Timecode Reader The PIX 270i includes a timecode reader which can accept incoming SMPTE timecode. The PIX 270i can read timecode from embedded SDI/HDMI or linear timecode fed into the TC IN BNC connector. The timecode reader is enabled whenever the Setup Menu option [Timecode/Sync - Timecode Mode] is set to any Ext TC mode which indicates that it will read external timecode.
PIX 270i User Guide and Technical Information Timecode Modes Freerun Timecode Mode Generator mode. Timecode runs continuously. The value can be set by “jamming value” in the Setup Menu option [Timecode/Sync - Jam Received TC] or by manually setting a value from the Setup Menu option [Timecode/Sync - Set Generator TC]. Freerun Auto Mute Functions the same as Freerun mode except timecode signal is muted from the timecode output when the PIX 270i is in Stopped mode.
PIX 270i User Guide and Technical Information Timecode Input Sources Timecode BNC The Timecode Input BNC accepts standard SMPTE timecode signal. SDI or HDMI Input Embedded Timecode The PIX 270i can use timecode embedded in the SDI or HDMI (Sony) input signal. [Timecode/Sync - Timecode Mode] must be set to Ext TC (SDI, HDMI). Synchronization/Timecode Examples The following examples illustrate common scenarios where timecode and synchronization can be employed with the PIX 270i and other devices.
PIX 270i User Guide and Technical Information Multiple Cameras with Genlock Input, all Genlocked from a Single PIX A SDI/HDMI Genlock B A SDI/HDMI B In this scenario, a PIX 270i is the master sync source for multiple cameras, each with or without their own PIX acting as a recorder. Because of this locked connection, the cameras can be run indefinitely and be assured of frame-accurate sync with no possibility of drift.
PIX 270i User Guide and Technical Information Camera to PIX with Wordclock Connection to Audio Recorder SDI/HDMI Wordclock INPUT MENU 3 1 2 5 4 7 6 8 HDD ARM R 788T C L D A E PWR ARM F B 0 dBFS IN CF EX REC 0 dBFS Synchronization & Timecode The wordclock output on the PIX 270i is synchronous with incoming video signal. The wordclock output can be used to sync external audio recorders to any camera.
PIX 270i User Guide and Technical Information Powering The PIX 270i features an advanced powering system with 2 redundant DC Inputs (on rear XLR4M connections) and PowerSafe technology. Two power sources can be attached simultaneously. When multiple power sources are connected, the PIX 270i will use only one source at a time. The order of precedence for power sources is: 1. DC Input 1 (Primary power source) 2. DC Input 2 (Secondary power source) 3.
PIX 270i User Guide and Technical Information Network Grouping When multiple rack-mounted PIX video recorders (PIX 250i, PIX 260i, or PIX 270i) or the 970 Audio Recorder are in use on an Ethernet network, they can be grouped together for transport control and linking of most setup options. Setup Menu option [Network - Grouping - Network Group] assigns the PIX 270i to one of four available groups.
PIX 270i User Guide and Technical Information Pushing Settings to Group When a unit is assigned to a group, none of its settings are immediately changed. Subsequent settings changes to any unit in the group will be applied to all units in the group. To copy all settings from one unit to the rest of the units in the group, access Setup Menu option [Network - Grouping - Push settings to group]. This will copy all grouped settings to all other units in the group.
PIX 270i User Guide and Technical Information 5. Repeat step 4 for all units in the group. Now when jumping to a cue marker on one unit all units in the group will also jump to the cue point and remain in sync. 1. With Loop Mode on and Cue Markers all set, locate the cue point in which the loop will begin. 2. Press Play + Fast Forward to change the Loop behavior from Loop Clip to Loop Segment mode. The OSD will display the loop points (for example Cue 1 - Cue 2). 3.
PIX 270i User Guide and Technical Information External Control RS-422 The PIX 270i conforms to the Sony P2 (9-pin) machine control standard over RS-422. The PIX 270i acts as a slave only, not as a master. To enable RS-422 set [Remote Control - RS-422] to On. The following table lists all commands supported by the PIX 270i as well as how those commands are supported on three popular RS-422 controllers.
PIX 270i User Guide and Technical Information current versions of Chrome and Safari. Multiple PIX 270i’s can be accessed at the same time from the same web browser window using tabs. PIXNET only supports a single client (browser) connection to a PIX 270i at one time. Accessing PIXNET on a single PIX 270i from multiple clients simultaneously is not supported. Control access to PIX 270i units with Setup Menu option [Network - Authentication]. 1.
PIX 270i User Guide and Technical Information PIXNET All Units Page When PIXNET is launched the first page displayed is the All Units Page. This is a quick overview of all units connected to the network. Information available is PIX Name, IP Address, File, Video Input details, Format details, and assigned Group number. From this page, a unit can be allotted to a particular group (See “Network Grouping”, page 47). Click on the Name to open the Unit Page for that particular unit.
PIX 270i User Guide and Technical Information PIXNET Unit Page The Unit page allows for near full remote control of the 970 via the web browser. 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 1 10 11 22 21 12 20 13 19 14 18 1) All Units Page button Click to return to All Units Page. 2) Previous During playback, jumps to the beginning of the file or previous cue marker. In Stopped mode, loads previous file. 16 15 11) File Format Displays current file format (poly or mono WAV files). Click to change format.
PIX 270i User Guide and Technical Information 20) Bit Depth Displays the current audio bit depth. 22) Headphone Source Audio source for headphone output. 21) Sample Rate Displays the current audio sample rate. PIXNET Unit Page Metadata View To show the Metadata View, click the Arrow button located on far end of the Metadata bar, which acts as a toggle that expands or contracts the view for the previous, current, and next takes.
PIX 270i User Guide and Technical Information File Storage Menu File Storage Menu settings are displayed and can be edited directly from the web browser. In this menu the Ethernet File Transfer option can be remotely activated. This allows for remote transfer of files from the unit. Video Menu External Control Video Setup Menu settings are displayed and can be edited directly from the web browser. Audio Menu The Audio Menu provides quick access to the various audio settings and windows.
PIX 270i User Guide and Technical Information 5) Armed Track (On) Track is armed with an active input source and will be written during recording. Click to unarm. 7) Armed Track (Off) Track is armed with input source set to Off and will be not be recorded. Click to unarm. 6) Unarmed Track Track is not armed. Click to arm. Audio Output Matrix When Output Matrix is selected, a comprehensive track-to-output matrix appears. From this view route any track to any output.
PIX 270i User Guide and Technical Information Triggering from external timecode will not cause the PIX 270i to automatically stamp external timecode to recorded files. The timecode stamped to files is determined by the setting [Timecode/Sync - Timecode Mode] Triggering Recording from SDI Flag Bits Start and stop flags embedded in the SDI signal from some cameras can be used to start and stop recording of the PIX 270i.
PIX 270i User Guide and Technical Information USB Keyboard The PIX 270i supports standard USB keyboards connected to the USB A connector on the front panel. The keyboard can be used to navigate menus, enter text, and control PIX 270i Transport functions. The following table shows common functions for an attached keyboard: Keyboards with integrated USB hubs are not supported. Key Function External Control F1 Functions the same as MENU button. F2 Functions the same as FILES button.
PIX 270i User Guide and Technical Information Storage and File Management Storage The PIX 270i records on up to four separate storage devices simultaneously. There are two PIX-CADDY slots on the front panel that are accessed by pulling the LCD Handle forward and tilting the LCD down. Additionally, there are two eSATAp connections on the rear panel. The four drive connections are numbered 1 to 4. Functions on the PIX 270i will refer to the drives using these numbers.
PIX 270i User Guide and Technical Information Mac OSX 10.6.4 and below does not support exFAT volumes. Formatting To format a drive: 1. Make sure the drive to be formatted is connected to the recorder and note which drive number it is. 2. Open Setup Menu option [File Storage - Erase/Re-format]. 3. Choose the Erase/Re-format: Drive Number for the drive to be formatted or Erase/Re-format: All Drives option. 4. A confirmation dialog will appear: “All data will be erased. Continue?”.
PIX 270i User Guide and Technical Information Metadata Several parameters can be set within the Setup Menu File Storage to aid in the organization of files. Some of this metadata can be used in naming the file which is to be recorded. Folders are created on the drives based on the Reel number. QuickTime files contain reel and timecode metadata. Broadcast Wave files contain bEXT and iXML chunks that store various metadata information such as timecode, scene, take, notes, and audio track names.
PIX 270i User Guide and Technical Information Take The Take field consists of a numeric value between 1 and 999. It is intended to indicate what take number the clip is, relative to the scene. This field can be set manually and will increment each time a new file is recorded. The Take number will reset to 1 when the Scene name is changed. Audio Track Name (Audio Only) Audio Track Names are stored in the metadata of the Broadcast Wave File only.
PIX 270i User Guide and Technical Information Start Time Code iXML, bEXT M: Stored as a sample count since midnight M 4 4 U-Bits iXML, bEXT U: [Timecode/Sync - Set Generator UBits] 4 4 Time Code Sample Rate iXML M 4 Channel Index iXML M: Track Number 4 Interleave Index iXML M: Order of armed tracks.
PIX 270i User Guide and Technical Information Next Take Current (recording)Take Previous (recorded) Takes Storage & File Management 3. Press the Control Knob to access the Take Details screen. (For multi-file entries, hold the Control Knob) 4. Rotate the Control Knob to select the desired field for editing. 5. Press the Control Knob and use the on-screen keyboard or attached USB keyboard to enter text. 6.
PIX 270i User Guide and Technical Information File Management The PIX 270i provides several tools for file management and metadata entry. File management of files to be recorded is managed in File Storage. File management for files previously recorded material is handled in the File List. See File List and Take Details for navigation and basic overview.
PIX 270i User Guide and Technical Information Folder Structure All files generated by the PIX 270i are placed into a Reel folder. The Reel Folder name/number is defined by the Reel metadata, which is set in [File Storage - Reel]. When using the RED or Arri File Formats, the PIX 270i will generate a Reel folder based on the camera’s reel metadata. Deleting a File Any file that appears in the Take List can be deleted directly from the PIX 270i. To delete a file: 1. Press FILES to enter the File List. 2.
3. Select the drive to be mounted and set its mode to Ethernet File Transfer. This drive is now attached to the Network and unavailable to the PIX 270i for read or write actions. The Drive Status field on the OSD will read “Network” in this mode. 4. Now the drive is ready to be accessed via the network. The IP address to use for network access to the PIX 270i is shown on the OSD and in Setup Menu [Network - IP Address].
PIX 270i User Guide and Technical Information Download the FileSafe utility from the Sound Devices website: http://www.sounddevices.com/products/filesafe/downloads/ Sound Reports Sound reports are comma-delineated CSV files based on WAV file metadata. The headers for these reports are customizable. You can create sound reports in a specific folder to a single drive only or in a current folder for all applicable drives. Sound reports (CSV files) do not appear in the File list.
PIX 270i User Guide and Technical Information Formatting a storage device will also remove any setup files that are on the drive. Setup files can be stored on a computer and copied back to the root of a PIX 270i drive to be loaded on the PIX 270i. Custom Defaults and Setup Menu Option Visibility The Setup Menu option [Quick Setup - Load Factory Settings] loads a setup that is saved internally to the PIX when it leaves the factory.
PIX 270i User Guide and Technical Information 8. When finished, press Esc or F1 on the keyboard. This will show the Settings Customization Menu again. Select any of the save options. Keep a record of the password if it is changed. A lost password could result in undesirable limitations. The Settings Customization Menu option Reset to Factory Settings will make all Setup Menu items visible and revert default settings to factory defaults.
PIX 270i User Guide and Technical Information Setup Menu Options The Setup Menu controls a wide range of parameters for the PIX 270i. The parameters are organized into categories, making the Setup Menu easy to navigate. The following tables show the parameter name, a description, options available, and the factory default setting where applicable. Default settings can be altered.
PIX 270i User Guide and Technical Information # Parameter Name Description Options 10 Scene/Shot Current Scene name. When the Scene name is altered, the Take number is reset to 1. »» “Scene 1” (multi alphanumeric) 11 Take Current take number. When the Scene name is altered, the Take number is reset to 1. »» 1 (numeric) 12 Scene Increment Mode • Disabled The method used to increment the Scene/Shot value when Stop+Fast Forward is pressed on the Main View.
PIX 270i User Guide and Technical Information # Parameter Name Description Options 6 Input PsF Detect When set to “Auto”, the PIX will sense PsF signal based on a flag within the signal stream. Most devices »» Auto with SDI output will provide this flag, however some SDI outputs and all HDMI outputs will not provide this • Interpret 1080i as PsF flag.
PIX 270i User Guide and Technical Information # Parameter Name Description Options HP Source Choose the source for Headphone output and the 2 channel meters on the OSD. 9 Line Output Sub-menu. Choose output source for each line output (1-8) • Track 1 - Track 64 (per output) »» Track 1-8 (per output) 10 HDMI/AES Output Sub-menu. Choose output source for HDMI and AES outputs (1-8) • Track 1 - Track 64 (per output) »» Track 1-8 (per output) 11 SDI Output Sub-menu.
PIX 270i User Guide and Technical Information 16 Parameter Name Audio Input Quick Setup Description Choose from preset audio input source schemes.
PIX 270i User Guide and Technical Information # 3 Parameter Name Timecode Mode Description Options Sets the running mode for the internal timecode generator and/or the method which the PIX 270i receives SMPTE timecode.. • Off • Freerun • Freerun Auto Mute • Record Run • 24h Run • 24h Run Auto Mute • Ext TC (LTC) • Ext TC (LTC Halt) »» Ext TC (SDI, HDMI) Setup Menu Options 4 Frame Rate (Audio Only) The frame rate of timecode stamped to .wav files (Audio Mode).
PIX 270i User Guide and Technical Information # Parameter Name Description Options 11 UBits Format Sets the four-field format for the UBits Generator to the default, which is user definable fields, or so that the first three fields are automatically populated with numerical values based on the system date.
PIX 270i User Guide and Technical Information On-Screen Display # Parameter Name Description Options 1 ABS Time Display of absolute record time.
PIX 270i User Guide and Technical Information Remote Control Parameter Name Description Options 1 RS-422 Enable or disable RS-422 capability • On »» Off 2 RS422 Interface Device ID Set the DeviceID communicated to attached RS422 controllers. »» Sony BVW75 • Sound Devices Rec Start/Stop Determines what method the PIX 270i uses to automatically start and stop recordings.
PIX 270i User Guide and Technical Information # Parameter Name Description 6 Subnet Mask Displays Subnet Mask, can be edited when Auto IP Settings is OFF. 7 Gateway Displays Gateway, can be edited when Auto IP Settings is OFF. 8 Authentication Set the user name and password to be used for PIXNET and Samba drive access. Options System # Parameter Name Description Options Video/Audio Mode Switch between Video Mode (audio and video information recorded to QuickTime .
PIX 270i User Guide and Technical Information # Parameter Name Description Options 15 Version Info Displays a dialog indicating firmware version and serial number. This is not a setting, but a helpful reference. 16 Update Software Searches attached drives for a .prg firmware file and begins the firmware update process.
PIX 270i User Guide and Technical Information Connector Pin Assignments Connector Pin Assignments Notes Connector Pin Assignments XLR4M (2) (Primary and Secondary DC Input) 1 –ground 2 –float 3 –float 4 –DC+ Pins 2 and 3 unused. When using a single power source, use Primary connector (top).
USB-A (1) Keyboard Input use with USB Keyboards only.
PIX 270i User Guide and Technical Information Connector Pin Assignments DB-25 (1) (CH 1-8 AES IN/OUT) 1 –Digital Out 4 signal (+) 2 –Digital Out 4 Ground 3 –Digital Out 3 signal (-) 4 –Digital Out 2 signal (+) 5 –Digital Out 2 Ground 6 –Digital Out 1 signal (-) 7 –Digital In 4 signal (+) 8 –Digital In 4 Ground 9 –Digital In 3 signal (-) 10 –Digital In 2 signal (+) 11 –Digital In 2 Ground 12 –Digital In 1 signal (-) 13 –unused 14 –Digital Out 4 signal (-) 15 –Digital Out 3 signal (+) 16 –Digital Out 3 Gro
PIX 270i User Guide and Technical Information Appendix A - Supported Files The PIX 270i supports the playback of various QuickTime .mov and Broadcast Wave .wav files. The PIX 270i will playback any file that it generates. Additionally, the PIX 270i can playback QuickTime and Broadcast Wave files generated by other 3rd party recorders/applications. The PIX 270i will import and playback up to 64 channels of polyphonic or monophonic Broadcast Wave files.
PIX 270i User Guide and Technical Information Specifications SDI Input • 4:4:4 or 4:2:2; 12, 10, or 8-bit • 3G-SDI (levels A and B), HD-SDI, or SDI Output • 4:4:4 or 4:2:2; 12, 10, or 8-bit • 3G-SDI (level A), HD-SDI, or SDI SMPTE 12M-1, 12M-2, 125M, 259M, 272M, 291M, 292, 296M, 299, 315M, 352M, 372, 424, 425 HDMI Input v1.4a, 4:4:4 or 4:2:2, RGB or YCbCr, 10 or 8-bit, HDCP-enabled Output v1.
PIX 270i User Guide and Technical Information Audio Recording and Playback Record/Playback • 64 channels record/playback @ 48.048 kHz sample rate and lower • 32 channels record/playback @ 88.2 kHz sample rate and higher (Audio Only Mode) • Simultaneous Analog, AES/EBU, HDMI, SDI, Dante, or MADI. Selectable per channel Inputs • 8 Balanced, line-level inputs on DB-25. • Ch1,2 also on XLR Outputs • 8 Balanced, line-level outputs on DB-25. • Ch1,2 also on XLR Frequency Response 10Hz-40kHz, +/- 0.
PIX 270i User Guide and Technical Information See Sound Devices’ website for a list of approved media: www.sounddevices.com/approved Timecode and Sync Modes Supported Freerun, 24 Hour run, Record run, External (LTC or SDI/HDMI) Frame Rates 23.976, 24, 25, 29.97DF, 29.97ND, 30DF, 30ND Accuracy • +/- 0.
PIX 270i User Guide and Technical Information Declaration of Conformity According to EN ISO/IEC 17050-1:2004 Manufacturer’s Name: Sound Devices, LLC Manufacturer’s Address: E7556 State Rd.
PIX 270i User Guide and Technical Information Software License End-user license agreement for Sound Devices PIX 270i Embedded Software / Firmware Important Read carefully: This Sound Devices, LLC end-user license agreement (“EULA”) is a legal agreement between you (either an individual or a single entity) and Sound Devices, LLC for the Sound Devices, LLC software product identified above, which includes computer software, embedded software, and may include associated media, printed materials, and “online”
PIX 270i User Guide and Technical Information Warranty and Technical Support Warranty & Service Sound Devices, LLC warrants the PIX 270i Video Recorder against defects in materials and workmanship for a period of TWO (2) years from date of original retail purchase. This is a non-transferable warranty that extends only to the original purchaser. Sound Devices, LLC will repair or replace the product at its discretion at no charge.
PIX 270i, v 2.10 - Printed in U.S.A.
