Waveform monitor

A waveform monitor is a special type of oscilloscope used in television production applications. It is typically used to measure and display the level, or voltage, of a video signal with respect to time. The level of a video signal usually corresponds to the brightness, or luminance, of the part of the image being drawn onto a regular video screen at the same point in time. A waveform monitor can be used to display the overall brightness of a television picture, or it can zoom in to show one or two individual lines of the video signal. It can also be used to visualize and observe special signals in the vertical blanking interval of a video signal, as well as the colorburst between each line of video. Waveform monitors are used for the following purposes: To assist with the calibration of professional video cameras, and to "line up" multiple-camera setups being used at the same location in order to ensure that the same scene shot under the same conditions will produce the same results. As a tool to assist in telecine (film-to-tape transfer), color correction, and other video production activities To monitor video signals to make sure that neither the color gamut, nor the analog transmission limits, are violated. To diagnose and troubleshoot a television studio, or the equipment located therein. To assist with installation of equipment into a television facility, or with the commissioning or certification of a facility. In manufacturing test and research and development applications. For setting camera exposure in the case of video and digital cinema cameras. A waveform monitor is often used in conjunction with a vectorscope. Originally, these were separate devices; however modern waveform monitors include vectorscope functionality as a separate mode. (The combined device is simply called a "waveform monitor"). Originally, waveform monitors were entirely analog devices; the incoming (analog) video signal was filtered and amplified, and the resulting voltage was used to drive the vertical axis of a cathode ray tube.