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Last updated on Thursday, 5th December 2002.

What type of support do you need?

Pre-sales/General help
Post-sales help

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Please select:

What does a scan convertor do?
Choosing a scan convertor
VineGen vs DeltaScan GL
iMac compatiblity
Do our units work with 16:9?

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What product are you having problems with?

PC-TV Adaptor
CORIO Control Panel
CORIOscan unit
CORIOgen unit
DeltaScan unit
VineGen unit
Splitter 525/550/1125

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What problem are you having with the CORIO unit?

Big border around image
Excessive flickering
Unit appears to be 'dead'
Unit is on but gives no output
Rolling image
Horizontal bars on screen
Image appears very bright
Image appears very dark
Poor quality video output
Not responding to IR remote
Unit not responding to RS232
Comp/sync-on-green not working

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Is it a problem with the video overlay on the CORIOgen?

Video overlay problem
Not related to CORIO overlay

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What problem are you having with this unit?

Big border around image
Excessive flickering
Control software not working
Unit appears to be 'dead'
Unit is on but gives no output
Rolling image
Horizontal bars on screen
Image appears very bright
Image appears very dark
Poor quality video output
Not responding to IR remote

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Is it a problem with the video overlay on the VineGen?

Video overlay problem
Not related to VineGen overlay

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This (very old) unit relies on DOS-based software to ensure the scan rate is suitable for a TV set, and such DOS-based software cannot function properly in a Windows environment.

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What problem are you having?

Big border around image
Control software not working
Unit appears to be 'dead'
Unit is on but gives no output
Horizontal bars on screen
Software error with DDEML.DLL

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In simple terms, it converts a video-type signal from one format to another. This could be conversion between two different TV formats (eg. PAL and NTSC), in which case the scan convertor is often called a 'standards convertor'. Or it could convert computer video signals from one resolution to another - and when the resolution you're converting to is a TV format, you've got a 'PC to video convertor'.
Inside the unit, there's the ability to store the whole incoming picture in memory, and the ability to read it back out again at a different 'scan-rate'. The storing and reading-back can happen at the same time, so the whole system is 'real-time'. Where the incoming and outgoing video resolutions don't match, pixels are added or removed as necessary - often without the user even noticing.

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If you're using large graphics and text, any of Vine's range should be fine. Very detailed graphics (eg. CAD/CAM drawings) would require a top of the range unit with a high degree of flicker reduction. For anything in-between, price, features and compatibility should be checked.
Vine's units are designed for ease of use, with the CORIO range featuring AutoSet, exceptionally wide scan-rate compatiblity (up to 100kHz horizontal, and virtually any vertical rate), and infra-red remote control. Vine scan convertors also feature RGB outputs, for optimum video quality.

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Both are the same unit - there's no difference except the name.

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All units using CORIO technology will work.
However, due to the high scanning rate of this computer (60kHz), the DeltaScan and VineGen ranges will not be able to display the image correctly as they have a limit of 50kHz. CORIO units can work with inputs up to 100kHz (and virtually any vertical refresh rate), making them work reliably with virtually any computer source.

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Sort of - depends what you mean(!)
Typically, a proper 16:9 TV (ie. the tube is wider than normall) can switch to 16:9 mode when receiving a 16:9 signal. Some can also be manually switched to 16:9. Some 'normal' (4:3) TVs have a 16:9 button, so that the image is squashed vertically.
Almost all normal (4:3) or 16:9 TVs can receive a standard composite video signal, and so therefore you can connect our units (with composite video outputs) to them. However, a 16:9 TV will normally just show you the normal-sized (4:3) image from this with the left and right-hand borders remaining blank. You might be able to press the 16:9 button to stretch it out horizontally, but that's up to the TV - it won't happen automatically as it might with a satellite or aerial signal.
To sum up, our units will work, but with no added functionality - ie. you'll still get a 4:3 image, but you may be able to press a TV remote control button to stretch it out horizontally.

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If you are having problems installing this software, where the installation constantly asks you to insert disks, please refer to the following details on the Microsoft website:

http://support.microsoft.com/support/kb/articles/Q216/1/58.ASP

Refer to the Resolution "Testing for Left-Over Setup Files" - the 'CAB' files referred to are CORIOC1.CAB and CORIOC2.CAB.

We apologise for this problem, but it appears to be a known bug in the Package & Deployment Wizard included with Visual Basic 6.

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Is the power light on or off?

The power light is on
The power light is off

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Are you using this with a laptop computer?

Being used with a laptop
Not being used with a laptop

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Are you using a long video cable?

Long video cable being used

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On VineGen units, the remote control may become inoperable if no video input is fed into the unit when in Overlay or Mix mode. Either restore a video input, or reset the unit by temporarily removing power to the unit.
Try replacing the batteries.


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RS232 can be fairly difficult to get running in some circumstances, since there are so many different types of cable.
Make sure CORIO units are not in Mouse mode, in which case use the on screen display to switch it back to Control mode.
Make sure you know which COM port you're plugged into on your PC. In general, COM ports are always male connectors on the back of the case (ie. they have pins showing - not holes). If there are two of different sizes, the one with 9 pins is usually COM1, and the other is COM2 - otherwise check your PC manual. The default baud rate for our units is 9600 with no parity, 8 data bits, and one stop bit. Start with no flow control, as some leads won't support Hardware flow control. Also, if you're testing with Hyperterminal, the Windows 98 version appears to have a bug in it where no text can be echoed back - this is fixed with a software upgrade.
New CORIO Control Panel and ActiveX Control is now at our Support/Download page.

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What overlay problem are you having?

Image distortion
No output in overlay mode
Colours are not correct
Key-level problems

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What problem are you having with this unit?

Big border around image
Excessive flickering
Control software not working
Unit appears to be 'dead'
Unit is on but gives no output
Rolling image
Horizontal bars on screen
Image appears very bright
Image appears very dark
Poor quality video output
Not responding to IR remote

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The cause my be an incompatible mains adaptor being used to power the unit:
All Vine Micros' external units require a +12 DC volt power source, and the current consumption of the unit is specified on the label on the underside of the box. If you use a mains adaptor incapable of suppling a smoothed (or regulated) +12v DC voltage at the required current rating, you may get this problem.
This problem will also show itself if you use an AC (alternating current) mains adaptor instead of a DC one. Smoothing on a DC mains adaptor is also required to prevent the mains' AC ripples resulting in the output voltage dipping below +12v. Most mains adaptors have adequate smoothing, but some do not.
Use a correctly-specified mains adaptor (12v DC, with a current rating of at least that shown on the label on the underside of the unit).

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The unit may be outputting the wrong video standard. All CORIO units are switchable between PAL and NTSC, whilst earlier DeltaScan / VineGen units are either one standard or the other (as detailed on the base of the unit). Whilst some modern televisions can cope to some degree with being fed the wrong video standard, most will simply give a rolling image, or a black and white one.
Check the video standard that your TV or VCR needs, and switch the CORIO unit into the right mode - in general, America and Japan use NTSC, whilst most of the rest of the World use PAL. (For almost all CORIO units, hold down the - button whilst powering up to switch to NTSC. Do the same with the + button to switch to PAL.) DeltaScan and VineGens units are fixed, and their video standard cannot be changed - seek help from your supplier.

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You can safely ignore this error message. It simply means that this file is already present, and could not be overwritten.

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Two possibilities:
1) The unit is not 'terminating' the PC's RGB signals correctly, because the auto-termination has been turned off (CORIOscan units only, except CORIOscan Connect). This means that the signal is at roughly double it's usual level. Go into the Advanced menu and change RGB Term. to Auto.
2) The PC IN cable (ie. from the computer) is wrongly connected to the PC OUT connector on the unit. This makes the unit think that a monitor is attached and terminating the RGB signal - thus the Vine unit does not need to, and thus the image appears very bright.

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The unit thinks no monitor is attached, and is terminating the RGB signals itself. Since the VGA monitor is also doing this, the RGB signals become darker than normal. On a CORIOgen or VineGen, this can also prevent the luma-key from working properly. Pin 11 on a VGA monitor's 15-pin plug should be grounded to tell the VGA card (or our unit) that a connection is made, but sometimes this is either not present or broken.
CORIOscan Select / Pro / Pro S / Pro SG and CORIOgen Eclipse units all have a feature under the Advanced menu called RGB Term, and turning this Off will prevent our unit from terminating the RGB signal - thus curing the problem. Other units affected do not have any such adjustments, so you should either try another VGA monitor, or contact the VGA monitor's supplier.
For CORIOscan Pro units of serial number 00860 and earlier, you must use the grey cable supplied with the unit, and not any other cable. (The way the VGA IN and VGA OUT connections are linked within the unit means you must use the correct cable for this unit.)

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If a laptop's internal screen has 800x600 pixels, and is switched to a lower resolution such as 640x480, it might do so by displaying the 640x480 image WITHIN the 800x600 display - thus there will be a big border present.
The border problem only happens when displaying the lower resolution on the laptop's display, so switch the laptop to ONLY display to the external VGA monitor connection (see laptop manual on how to do this). This will prevent it from needing to use a border, and solve the problem.

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The incoming VGA signal might be interlaced, whereas our units expect a non-interlaced signal. Since an interlaced signal is composed of two seperate fields, each slightly offset from one another, it causes the video output to 'jump up and down'.
Switch to a non-interlaced resolution.

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Please make sure you have selected the correct "Sync In" type in the Advanced menu. Without doing so, you will not be able to use sync-on-green or composite sync inputs.

Early CORIOscan Pro SG units showing "SW 29 HW 21, 4" or "SW 29a HW 21, 4" on power-up had a problem with sync-on-green. Please contact your reseller for information on how to have your unit updated.
CORIOscan Pro S units showing "SW 37 HW 25, 13", and CORIOscan Pro SG units showing "SW 37 HW 25, 4" on power-up had a problem with certain types of composite sync signals (including sync on green). If you experience picture break up when using one of these inputs, please contact support for how to update your unit.

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What problem are you having with the CORIO unit?

Big border around image
Excessive flickering
Unit appears to be 'dead'
Unit is on but gives no output
Rolling image
Horizontal bars on screen
Image appears very bright
Image appears very dark
Poor quality video output
Not responding to IR remote
Unit not responding to RS232
Comp/sync-on-green not working

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This software performs the control function by programming the VGA card to put pulses in the vertical sync signal. This normally works correctly on standard IBM-compatible VGA graphic cards.
Problems arise on some Windows platforms such as Windows NT and Windows XP, where the programming of the VGA graphic card is not allowed by the operating system.
Problems can also arise when the VGA graphic card itself protects itself against having certain registers programmed by other software.
In both of the above cases there is no solution, other than to use different operating systems or VGA graphics card - or to simply use the remote control instead.

Our newer range of scan convertors (CORIOscan and CORIOgen) can provide control over features using an RS232 link - and this also provides feedback to the control software that the desired feature has been selected.

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Are you using this with a laptop computer?

Being used with a laptop
Not being used with a laptop

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Is the power supply switched on and connected?

PSU is on and connected
Power supply is off

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Most laptop computers should detect that our unit is connected, and output a signal on the laptop's VGA output. In some cases this does not happen, and you will have to manually tell the laptop to output a signal. Please refer to you laptop's manual on how to do this.
Also, if the VGA cable provided has one end (with the large ferrite core on it) marked COMPUTER, this MUST be the end plugging into the computer.

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Are you connecting via a video recorder?

Yes, via a video recorder
No video recorder connected

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For a CORIOgen unit, you need to specify which input (composite video or S-Video) you want to use. This is done from the on-screen menu, or from an RS232 command. For a VineGen unit, the composite video input takes precedence over the S-Video input. If you want to use S-Video, make sure nothing is plugged into the composite video input connector.

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Make sure that if the unit is working in PAL, you're feeding a PAL signal in - and likewise for NTSC. On the VineGen, alter the 'sub-carrier' adjustment with a plastic screw-driver until colour 'lock' is acheived. This problems is very rare on a CORIOgen unit, and either indicates a fault with the unit or a non-standard video input.

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For VineGen units, the key-level is not stored in memory until you come out of overlay mode and back to computer to video mode. For CORIOgen units, you need to STORE the value in order for it to be remember the next time the unit is powered up.

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All video signals suffer when going over long lengths of cable, so you should keep such cable runs as short as you can.
In general, the thicker the cable the better, as it usually means a lower resistance & capacitance, and better shielding. In particular RGB 'triple-coax' cables are the best.

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This may be due to Macrovision protection in your source signal.

Macrovision's protection mechanism would be interpreted by our unit as extra horizontal synchronization signals, and therefore cause the picture disturbance you've seen.

Always ensure the video signal you feed the unit is standard, and not subject to any protection system.

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Is the power supply warm or cold?

Power supply is warm
Power supply is cold

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Please switch on the power supply, and connect to the unit.

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You must make sure that the video recorder has the right input selected. Most will default to an aerial/UHF connection, and may require having 'AV1' or 'AUX' selected before the correct input is used.

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You must make sure that the TV or video monitor has the right input selected.

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(Please check that the power connector plugging in to our unit is pushed all the way home.)
Our units have internal fuses, and it would appear that the fuse in your unit has blown.
The most likely cause of a blown fuse is an incorrect voltage used to feed the unit. Please contact your supplier for repair details, and double-check your power supply.

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Normally a mains adaptor will get slightly warm when operating. If it's cold (but has been left on for a while), the power supply's fuse may have blown, or it may be faulty.
Please contact your supplier.

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