Switched input video device

Abstract

A switched input video device has a switched input, video improvement circuitry and/or transcoder circuitry, and a switch for communicating a switched input to at least one of the video improvement circuitry and the transcoder circuitry.

1 .- 5 . (canceled) 
   
   
       6 . A method for improving video, the method comprising:
 receiving a video signal that complies with a standard;   sensing one or more blanking portions of the video signal; and   altering the video signal during a portion of the video signal other than the one or more blanking portions, wherein the altered portion of the video signal does not comply with the standard and the alterations improve a characteristic of the video signal.   
   
   
       7 . The method of  claim 6 , wherein altering the video signal comprises increasing a portion of the video signal at 0.7 volts above a baseline to a level higher than 0.7 volts above the baseline. 
   
   
       8 . The method of  claim 6 , wherein altering the video signal comprises setting a black portion of the video signal below a baseline. 
   
   
       9 . The method of  claim 6 , wherein altering the video signal comprises setting a black start at approximately 10% to approximately 12% below base line for component RGB video. 
   
   
       10 . The method of  claim 9 , wherein altering the video signal further comprises setting a white stop between approximately 1 volt and approximately 2 volts above the baseline. 
   
   
       11 . The method of  claim 10 , wherein altering the video signal further comprises retiming the video signal. 
   
   
       12 . The method of  claim 6 , wherein altering the video signal comprises increasing an IRE upper expanded range. 
   
   
       13 . The method of  claim 6 , wherein altering the video signal comprises processing the video signal with a plurality of noise removal diodes and a filter having a bell shaped bandpass characteristic. 
   
   
       14 . The method of  claim 13 , wherein the noise removal diodes are shunted with a circuit having variable resistance. 
   
   
       15 . The method of  claim 6 , wherein video equipment performing the method can accommodate a signal with transitions having a maximum slope, and wherein altering the video signal comprises increasing a slope of a portion of the video signal to a slope not exceeding the maximum slope. 
   
   
       16 . The method of  claim 15 , wherein altering the video signal comprises adding frequency components to the video signal that are higher than permitted in the standard. 
   
   
       17 . A video improvement circuit, comprising:
 a first circuit for sensing one or more blanking portions of an input video signal that complies with a standard;   a second circuit for altering a chroma portion of the input video signal;   a third circuit for altering a contrast of a luma portion of the input video signal;   a fourth circuit for altering high frequency portions of the altered luma portion from the third circuit;   a fifth circuit for combining the altered chroma portion from the second circuit, the altered luma portion from the third circuit, and the altered luma portion from the fourth circuit to produce an output video signal, wherein the output video signal does not comply with the standard,   wherein the second circuit, third circuit, and fourth circuit, in response to the first circuit, alter the video signal only during a portion of the video signal other than the one or more blanking portions.   
   
   
       18 . The video improvement circuit of  claim 17 , wherein the third circuit sets a black start below a baseline of the standard. 
   
   
       19 . The video improvement circuit of  claim 18 , wherein the third circuit sets a white stop above a white stop of the standard. 
   
   
       20 . The video improvement circuit of  claim 17 , wherein the third circuit increases an IRE upper expanded range of the video signal. 
   
   
       21 . The video improvement circuit of  claim 17 , wherein the fourth circuit further removes noise from the altered luma portion. 
   
   
       22 . The video improvement circuit of  claim 21 , wherein the fourth circuit comprises a plurality of noise removal diodes and a filter having a bell shaped bandpass characteristic. 
   
   
       23 . The video improvement circuit of  claim 17 , wherein the noise removal diodes are shunted with a circuit having variable resistance. 
   
   
       24 . The video improvement circuit of  claim 17 , adapted for use in a video device having circuitry that can accommodate a signal with transitions having a maximum slope, wherein one or more of the second circuit, third circuit, and fourth circuit is adapted to increase a slope of a portion of the video signal to a slope not exceeding the maximum slope.