Snell & Wilcox TBS24 Kudos TBC Synchroniser 4:2:2 Analog Video Broadcast 1U

Snell & Wilcox TBS24 Kudos TBC Synchroniser 4:2:2 Analog Video Broadcast 1U

The Snell & Wilcox TBS24 is a professional broadcast-grade time base corrector and synchroniser from the Kudos product line. It accepts analog video in multiple formats and standards, corrects timing errors, and outputs clean, synchronized video — making it a core tool in any analog broadcast chain. The unit processes video at 8-bit 4:2:2 throughout and supports decoding and encoding between component, composite, Y-C (S-Video), and SECAM signal types.

Specifications & What's Included

• Brand: Snell & Wilcox (Kudos product line)
• Model: TBS24 — TBC Synchroniser
• Processing: 8-bit 4:2:2 throughout
• Form factor: 1U rackmount
• Supported input video standards: PAL, NTSC, SECAM, SECAM DrDp; Auto-detect available
• Input select: Component (Y, Pb, Pr), Y-C (S-Video), Composite, SECAM — rotary switch on front panel
• Video outputs (rear): Component (Y, G, B, R, Sync via BNC), Y-C (S-Video), Composite BNC, Serial D1 (4-pin XLR)
• Reference inputs (rear): 625-line × 2 BNC, SECAM DrDp BNC
• Video inputs (rear): Component (Y, A, B, Pb, Pr BNC), Y-C (S-Video), Composite BNC
• Remote control: DB9 serial port on rear panel
• Front-panel controls: Luma Gain, Black Level, Chroma Gain, NTSC Hue, Horz, Vert, Enhance, Vidiplex (with On/Source/level controls)
• Front-panel indicators/buttons: Sync Loss, Ref Loss, Black/Bars, Freeze, Overscan, Chroma Shift
• Power: 90–250V AC, 50/60Hz, 0.4A; Fuse 1A(T); IEC inlet
• Cooling: rear-mounted internal fan
• Standards: CE marked
• Country of manufacture: United Kingdom
• Includes: unit only — no cables or accessories

Applications

Time base correctors and synchronisers like the TBS24 are standard equipment in broadcast facilities, post-production suites, and tape-based video playback chains. A TBC corrects the timing instability (time base error) inherent in analog tape transports — VTRs, U-matic, Betacam, and similar — and re-clocks the video to a stable, house-sync-locked signal suitable for broadcast or recording. The TBS24's synchroniser function goes further, allowing the corrected output to be locked to an external reference, which is essential when mixing multiple video sources in a live or edited production. The multi-format decode/encode capability — handling PAL, NTSC, and SECAM along with component, composite, and Y-C formats — made the Kudos TBS24 particularly useful in facilities dealing with international broadcast standards. The Serial D1 output is notable, enabling the processed analog signal to feed directly into SDI-based digital equipment without a separate A/D converter. This unit dates from the late 1990s to early 2000s era of analog-to-digital broadcast transition, when hybrid analog/digital facilities needed flexible, high-quality processing tools of exactly this type. Snell & Wilcox (later Snell, then acquired by Ross Video) was a well-regarded UK broadcast technology manufacturer whose Kudos line was aimed at cost-effective but broadcast-quality signal processing.