Guide to installation and operation Copyright 2007 by Algolith Inc.
Flea Table of Contents Table of Contents Warning ........................................3 Electromagnetic Compatibility .................. 3 Adjusting 2D Spatial Filtering .................. 22 Adjusting 3D Temporal Filtering ............... 23 Introduction ..................................4 Blocking Artifacts ...............................24 Detail Enhancement ............................25 Dynamic Range Stretching ..................25 Recommended settings ......................
Flea Warning Warning WARNING: To prevent fire, shock hazard or product damage, do not expose the unit to rain or moisture, dripping or splashing of any liquids. CAUTION: - Ensure this unit is well ventilated. To prevent hazard due to overheating, ensure that curtains and any other type of materials do not obstruct the ventilation vents. - Do not place on another apparatus that might be heating.
Flea Introduction Introduction Compression Artifacts Digital video compression has introduced a new set of picture artifacts known in the industry as «mosquito noise» and «blocking artifacts». These new degradations coexist with analog video noise and become quite objectionable when seen on today’s large screen displays (see images below). Algolith’s Flea has been engineered to reduce the appearance of noise and compression artifacts, allowing for a much better viewing experience.
Flea Getting Started Getting Started Accessories Your Flea comes with the following: • 1 Power Supply DC 12V • 1 Stand • 1 Operation Manual • 1 Demo DVD Connecting your Flea Typical Set-up Flea should be installed between your video sources and your display device. See figure below for a typical set-up. Flea Video output Video input SD/HD Component/S-Video Satellite TV, Digital Cable, DVD player, PVR... Display devices Audio connections • Flea does not have audio processing capability.
Flea Getting Started • People owning a Dragonfly Video Scaler should always install the Flea between the Video Sources and before the Video Scaler. Flea Video scaler Video sources Display devices • To enhance your Home Theatre listening experience, the Flea is fanless and achieves cooling through natural convection and dissipation of heat. Therefore, when installing the Flea, do not obstuct any of its air vents, nor place it over heat dissipating devices such as amplifiers.
Flea Video Connections Getting Started The Flea accepts SD or HD analog video signals. 1 set of component input terminals and 1 S-Video input terminal are provided (cables are not supplied). 6)$%/ RED RED 3 6)$%/ component cable s-video cable RED ). 3 6)$%/ Pb 3 6)$%/ Pr Y 6)$%/ ). Display Device(s) RED GREEN BLUE /54 BLUE GREEN ).
Flea Getting Started • A signal received at the Flea component input in 480p, 720p and 1080i, will only go out from the component output, in the same format. component video (480p, 720p, 1080i) component video (480p, 720p, 1080i) no signal at output USB Port The USB port can be used to update the Flea to the latest available firmware using your PC’s USB port and a USB cable. Visit Algolith’s website (www.algolith.com) for availability of the latest firmware updates and download instructions.
Flea Stand Getting Started The Flea comes with a stand.
Flea Operating Flea Operating Flea Front panel keys The front panel keys used in conjunction with the On Screen Display (OSD) allows you to change parameters on the Flea.
Flea Input Selection Operating Flea Use the Input Selection function to select between the component input and the S-Video input. 1- Press to access the menu. 2- Press the Up or Down keys to move through the menu and access the Input Selection command. Input Selection Component Input Selection S-Video 3- Press to change the selected input. You will get a checker board pattern if no video signal is present at the selected input. 4- The menu will disappear by itself after a few seconds.
Flea Split Image Operating Flea Use the Split Image function to view the input image before and after processing. The two images appear side by side on your screen. This function is useful to perform processing evaluation and adjustments. Left side of screen is unprocessed. 1- Press to access the menu. 2- Press the Up or Down keys to move through the menu and access the Split Image command. Split Image 3- Press off to turn Split Image on and off.
Flea Processing Operating Flea Use the processing function to enable or disable noise reduction, block artifact reduction, dynamice range stretching and detail enhancement (the «processing» of the video image). When Processing is off, your image is displayed as received from the source. 1- Press to access the menu. 2- Press the Up or Down keys to move through the menu and access the Processing command. Processing on 3- Press to turn Processing on and off.
Flea Test Pattern Operating Flea A color bar test pattern has been included in your Flea to ease display adujstments. 1- Press to access the menu. 2- Press the Up or Down keys to move through the menu and access the Test Pattern command. Test Pattern on Test Pattern on 3- Press to turn the Test Pattern on. 4- Press again to turn the Test Pattern off. (This command will not disappear by itself to allow you all the time necessary to perform the color adjustments).
Flea Block Artifact Reducer Operating Flea The Block Artifact Reducer function sets the level of block artifact reduction in the image. 1- Press to access the menu. 2- Press the Up or Down keys to move through the menu and access the Block Artifact Reducer command. Block Artifact Reducer off 3- Press to enter the Block Artifact Reducer edit mode. Notice that 2 arrows will appear over the menu. Block Artifact Reducer 2 4- Press the Up or Down keys to adjust the level of filtering from 0 (off) to 4.
Flea 2D Spatial Filter Operating Flea The 2D Spatial Filter function sets the level of 2D, or spatial noise filtering 1- Press to access the menu. 2- Press the Up or Down keys to move through the menu and access the 2D Spatial Filter command. 2D Spatial Filter 10 3- Press to enter the 2D Spatial Filter edit mode. Notice that 2 arrows will appear over the menu. 2D Spatial Filter 10 4- Press the Up or Down keys to adjust the level of filtering from 0 (off) to 15 (max).
Flea 3D Temporal Filter Operating Flea The 3D Temporal Filter sets the level of 3D, or temporal noise filtering. 1- Press to access the menu. 2- Press the Up or Down keys to move through the menu and access the 3D Temporal Filter command. 3D Temporal Filter 3 3- Press to enter the 3D Temporal Filter edit mode. Notice that 2 arrows will appear over the menu. 3D Temporal Filter 3 4- Press the Up or Down keys to adjust the level of filtering from 0 (off) to 15 (max).
Flea Detail Enhancement Operating Flea The Detail Enhancement function sets the level of detail enhancement in the image. 1- Press to access the menu. 2- Press the Up or Down keys to move through the menu and access the Detail Enhancement command. Detail Enhancement 10 3- Press to enter the Detail Enhancement edit mode. Notice that 2 arrows will appear over the menu. Detail Enhancement 10 4- Press the Up or Down keys to adjust the level of detail enhancement from 0 (off) to 15 (max).
Flea Dynamic Range Stretcher Operating Flea The Dynamic Range Stretcher function turns the normalization of the image on and off. 1- Press to access the menu. 2- Press the Up or Down keys to move through the menu and access the Dynamic Range Stretcher command. Dynamic Range Stretcher on 3- Press to turn Dynamic Range Strectcher on and off. 4- The menu will disappear by itself after a few seconds. Note: The Dynamic Range Stretcher function is N/A (not available) when Processing function is set to off.
Flea Language Operating Flea The menu can be displayed in two languages. 1- Press to access the menu. 2- Press the Up or Down keys to move through the menu and access the Language command. Language English 3- Press to select between English and Français. 4- The menu will disappear by itself after a few seconds.
Flea Technical Tutorial Technical Tutorial The following section contains useful information about noise reduction and how your Flea will improve your viewing experience 2D Spatial and 3D Temporal Filtering Your Flea reduces mosquito noise by looking at and comparing the content of the spatial (2D) and temporal (3D) domains. You can set the filtering level for each. 2D Spatial Filtering With 2D spatial filtering, images are treated as static and mosquito noise is reduced on a picture by picture basis.
Flea Adjusting 2D Spatial Filtering Technical Tutorial Generally, 2D Spatial Filtering should be set to high values to remove mosquito noise. A good setting is higher than 8. However, reducing mosquito noise using the 2D Spatial Filter shouldn’t be so high as to blur image detail. 2D spatial filtering with proper settings. Too low a value of 2D filtering is likely to leave some mosquito noise in your image. Low filtering (residual noise). (Continued on next page).
Flea Too high a level of filtering can blur finer details in the image. Technical Tutoria 2D filter set too high, seen a with split image. (left image unprocessed). The finer details are lost. Adjusting 3D Temporal Filtering Generally, 3D filtering requires little adjustment and should be set to a value of about 3. If you experiment with the setting, note that a low value will work with medium and fast moving images, while a high value will work with slow moving images.
Flea Technical Tutorial Blocking Artifacts Blocking artifacts or «Macro-Blocking» occur whenever images are digitally compressed. These artifacts are most visible in fast moving images like sports scenes and action scenes, and in images that are high in detail and textures. Parts of your image appear to be divided into little squares. Typical Blocking Artifacts. Block artifact reduction will help blend in and reduce macro-blocks.
Flea Detail Enhancement Technical Tutoria Flea’s detail enhancement is achieved after MPEG noise reduction, so you can increase detail substantially without reintroducing artifacts. Once both 2D and 3D filters are set properly, the Flea will yield impressive images that are sharp and noise free. Dynamic Range Stretching Flea’s Dynamic Range Stretching function enhances the contrast of an image by ensuring that each image occupies the full dynamic range available.
Flea Specifications Specifications* Video Inputs: • 1 Component (Y/Pb/Pr) interlaced/ progressive SD/HD • 480i60 • 480p60 • 576i50 • 576p50 • 720p60 • 1080i60 • 1 S-Video interlaced SD • 480i60 • 576i50 • Automatic interlaced/progressive SD/HD input detection Video Outputs : • Component (Y/Pb/Pr) interlaced/ progressive SD/HD • 480i60 • 480p60 • 576i50 • 576p50 • 720p60 • 1080i60 (output follows input) • 1 S-Video interlaced SD • 480i60 • 576i50 • 14-bit processing • Proprietary 3D-MNR MPEG Noise Reduction
Flea Limited Warranty Limited Warranty Limited Warranty Coverage Algolith Inc. warrants that the equipment it manufactures shall be free from defects in material and workmanship for a period of one (1) year from the date of purchase. If equipment fails due to such defects, Algolith Inc. will, at its option, repair or provide a replacement for the defective part or product.
Flea Troubleshooting Troubleshooting Please read the following troubleshooting section carefully before calling Algolith’s support lines. Television screen is blank: 1- Is the Flea on? Source signals go through the Flea. When the Flea is off (power supply not connected), no picture can reach the display device. 2- Is a valid input selected? Selecting a vacant input (ex. no signal present at component input) will leave the screen blank.
Flea Screen shows a color bar image: Troubleshooting 1- The Test Pattern command is on. The Test Pattern command needs to be set to off. (See page 14). Stuck with a bad image: 1- Is Processing on? Even though the Flea is on, processing of the image could have been set to off and the source image is displayed with all of its moquito noise and blocking artifacts. Set Processing command to on. (See Processing on page 13). N/A - can’t modify parameters: 1- Processing is off.
Flea Contact us How to contact us Algolith Inc. 400 Isabey Montréal, Québec, Canada H4T 1V3 t. 514.335.9867 f. 514.333.9873 Via Internet Support Home Theater: Sales Home Theater: General Information: Visit us at: www.algolith.com 30 support-ht@algolith.com sales-ht@algolith.com info@algolith.
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