LOCATION LOG SHEET
For logging videotapes

For those old-school runners and scripters who still work with pen and pencil, this is a basic log sheet.

Of course you remembered to pack the expensive calibrated greyscale charts? Like you remembered to check the back-focus before you left home? But just in case, this is a handy aid to have in the bag - print it and laminate it, and keep it with your kit!

COMPARISON OF AUDIO SCALES
For deciphering the mysteries of different audio equipment

We are never 100% sure of how the audio reference standards of different broadcasters and different equipment manufacturers correspond to each other - so when we're in doubt, this is where we look it up. 

THE CHANNEL 6 CONNECTION PINOUT GUIDE
A comprehensive manual of all popular standard connector pinouts - most for audio and video, but also some IT and serial control applications.

These are the diagrams we use to help us to adhere to industry standards. If the application is specific to us, we define the standard for ourselves the first time we need it, then follow it next time. Some of the diagrams may be specific to our company, but most of them are common throughout the industry.

A useful reference work for the workbench or tool box.

THE BBC dB-dBu-dBv COMPARISON TABLE
Another useful reference chart for the workbench

Reference levels are wonderful - if you know what you are referring to - and with the many decibel references and scales, this can be a handy chart. 

First we had videotape - all in 4:3 format - then we got widescreen, in several flavours, eventually landing with 16:9 - then some player and monitor manufacturers began to get smart and delivered multi aspect ration screens, some of which could switch between rations automatically, some of which couldn't. Those years before DVD and flat screens took over, and led us to HD formats, were often a puzzle when mastering a 16:9 film for VHS - this was our cookbook for such projects. Those were the days, eh?

Patching RS422 serial control cables between VTR's, edit controllers and Non-linear editing systems is much easier and cheaper using common Cat 5e network cables and RJ45 connectors and patchfields. This is the standard we have adopted

This diagram shows the correct wiring and colour coding for the two most common 4-pair network cable configurations - TIA 568A and TIA 568B - Note that TIA 568 B is the most common configuration today for cables between network switches and clients. 

The TIA 568A standard was a so-called "crossed cable" for interconnection between duplex sending and receiving devices - such as between two switches or modems - but with the advent of auto-sensing this standard is less used today - but still seen on the "yellow" crossed cables that still seem to be delivered with every modem or internet router.

If in doubt - use TIA 568B