D2 Signal path assessment tapes – Professional test media for troubleshooting
Reliable digitisation starts with a clean, consistent source – and our D2 signal path assessment tapes provide exactly that. Whether you’re restoring a digital archive or testing your playback setup, these tapes help you maintain signal clarity and diagnose issues before they escalate.
Why use D2 signal path assessment tapes?
The D2 format is fully digital, but problems can still arise in playback and signal transfer. Digital dropout, audio errors, or timing issues may not be immediately visible – yet they can cause serious data loss downstream. That’s why it’s crucial to assess your entire signal path, from the playback D2 VTR through the A/D converter/interface card to your ingest system.
Our D2 test tapes help you detect and isolate these issues early. Moreover, they support routine equipment calibration and serve as a benchmark when testing cables, converters, and software settings.
Professionally produced using calibrated D2 VTR
Each signal path assessment tape is recorded on a calibrated SONY DVR-18/P VTR using virgin, unrecorded tape stock. As a result, the test patterns and tones reflect the full potential of the format – free from inherited errors, distortion, or damage from reuse.
In contrast, buying used test tapes of unknown condition introduces unnecessary risk. You may encounter signal degradation or intermittent faults that are nearly impossible to trace. Our tapes avoid that problem entirely.
What’s on the tape?
The content of each D2 signal path assessment tape includes:
- SMPTE color bars and grey fields for visual signal evaluation
- Multi-burst patterns to assess frequency response
- Live-action clips for motion and playback testing
- Reference tones (1 kHz, 10 kHz) for audio channel mapping and level checks
- Timecode for stability and alignment testing
These features enable full signal chain analysis, from chroma accuracy to audio sync and field order.