How to Level Shift Video Signals for DC-Coupled Video Amplifiers/Filters

Maxim offers chips for filtering and amplifying analog video signals. Many of these chips are designed to be connected to the output of a video digital-to-analog converter (DAC). To characterize the video performance of these video amplifiers/filters, standard video test signals such as color bars are applied. Although the video test signals from most video test-pattern generators range between -0.3V and 0.7V, many Maxim chips expect a video signal between 0 and 1V. This application note discusses a method of level shifting the output of the video test generator so that the resulting signal is within this range.