Comparison

LDX Scanner vs LTC Detective M

Price, ratings, monetisation and update history for both apps, side by side โ€” with what reviewers say about each.

Head to head
About

LDX Scanner

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The LDX Scanner is an app that uses NFC to wirelessly communicate with the Grass Valley LDX 100 Series broadcast cameras. This app allows you to read-out diagnostics of the LDX 100, even when the camera is powered off completely. This is important, because this means that during the logistical part of the operation, there is no need to build-up the camera, power it and go through the camera's menus (although they have been build-up ergonomically as well). The information you can read-out with the LDX Scanner includes things like the serial number, installed package version, the IP address where the camera can be reached, installed Options/Licenses and the last known configuration. All the things you need to successfully integrate the camera into your infrastructure. You can also easily export the retrieved information by sharing it as a PDF via the phone's communication methods, like mail. In addition to reading-out these diagnostics, the same app can also be used to install new so-called Options (Licenses). Yes, again even when the camera is switched off. Once the Option is cut via the customer's on-line License Management tool, it can be sent to the operator and he or she can then use the LDX Scanner to transfer the Option to the LDX 100 Series. In case the camera is powered-off at the moment of transfer, the camera will validate and install the new Option at the next boot cycle of the camera. The LDX Scanner app fits with the logistical reality of Broadcast Operation and is the ideal tool to get your LDX 100 broadcast camera up-and-running in any IP infrastructure within minutes. Please make sure you have iPhone 7 or newer model with at least iOS 14 installed.

About

LTC Detective M

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LTC Detective reads SMPTE linear timecode (SMPTE ST 12-1) from any audio input on your iPhone or iPad and displays the decoded timecode alongside detailed signal quality measurements. Most LTC readers show you the timecode and stop there. LTC Detective also shows you what the signal itself is doing. WHAT IT READS โ€” SMPTE LTC at 23.976, 24, 25, 29.97 drop-frame, 29.97 non-drop, and 30 fps โ€” Drop frame flag, color frame flag, BGF0/BGF1/BGF2 user bit flags โ€” User bits (8 hex characters) โ€” Forward and reverse playback, with playback speed measured against the audio sample clock WHAT IT MEASURES โ€” Peak level (dBFS) โ€” RMS level (dBFS) โ€” DC offset โ€” Jitter (RMS, in microseconds) โ€” Frame error rate โ€” Edge quality โ€” Sync word validity โ€” Bit rate โ€” Parity check These are the measurements you need to diagnose a marginal LTC feed: a tape head that needs cleaning, a cable run picking up induced noise, a sample-rate mismatch causing drift, an AC-coupled output adding DC offset, a generator drifting against house sync. WHAT IT SHOWS โ€” Live waveform of the LTC signal (240 ms scrolling window) โ€” Input level meter with -60 to 0 dBFS scale โ€” Locked / no-signal / drifting / frozen status โ€” Capture timestamp, dropout count, uptime โ€” Time since last valid LTC frame INPUTS โ€” Built-in iPhone microphone โ€” Any USB-C or Lightning audio interface that's class-compliant with iOS โ€” Loopback input for testing with the built-in reference LTC generator The reference LTC generator plays a clean test signal out of the selected output channel so you can verify your input chain is working before you go to set. NO ACCOUNTS, NO TELEMETRY, NO ADS The app does not collect data, does not phone home, and works fully offline. There is no account to create. There is nothing to sign in to. PLATFORM โ€” Requires iOS 17 or later โ€” Built with native AVAudioEngine and the Accelerate framework for sub-microsecond timing accuracy โ€” LTC decoding via libltc (LGPL, dynamically linked; license notice in the About screen) This is version 1.0. Coming in future updates: capture logs, exportable measurement data, and an iPad landscape layout.

Screenshots

LDX Scanner3 screens
LTC Detective M4 screens

Verdict

The call

The clearest difference is iOS requirement: LDX Scanner at 14.0 against LTC Detective M's 17.0. On price, ads, in-app purchases and device support there is nothing between them.

Scored on Price ยท Rating ยท Positive reviews ยท Number of ratings ยท Update frequency ยท Ads ยท In-app purchases ยท Monetization ยท Best chart rank ยท Devices ยท Requires iOS

CostPrice ยท In-app purchases ยท Ads ยท Monetization

Both are free to download. Neither carries in-app purchases, so what you see is what you pay.

Scorecard1 real difference ยท 5 level
LDX Scanner versus LTC Detective M: the parameters behind the verdict, then further details
ParameterLDX ScannerLTC Detective M
PriceFreeFree
Update frequencyEvery 21 monthsโ€”
AdsNoNo
In-app purchasesNoNo
DevicesiPhone, iPod โ€” betteriPhone
Requires iOS14.0 โ€” better17.0
Further details โ€” not scored
Size1 MB16 MB
Age rating4+4+
DeveloperGrass Valley USA, LLCKarst Lok

In-app purchases

None

LDX Scanner

No in-app purchases

None

LTC Detective M

No in-app purchases

Questions

Is LDX Scanner free?
LDX Scanner is free to download, with no in-app purchases.
Is LTC Detective M free?
LTC Detective M is free to download, with no in-app purchases.
Do LDX Scanner or LTC Detective M have ads?
Neither LDX Scanner nor LTC Detective M shows ads.

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