New Setup Help/Questions

[dneveu]

We are planning to upgrade our projector systems.

We are currently running SongPro on a Windows 7 PC with 4GB RAM and an i3 processor (can't remember the speed of it). The visuals are output to a VGA splitter and is sent to 2 projectors ant the front, 1 at the rear and a TV in an overflow room.

We plan to purchase Pro Presenter in the coming weeks.

We are aiming to add video as well.

Having spoke to some people we have come up with the following setup:

ATEM Television Studio and dedicated PC
2/3 HD Cameras with HDMI output
considering remote pan/tilt units depending on budget

I only have 1 question about the ATEM which I don't seem to be able to find an answer: Is it possible to mix two sources while constantly having propresenter keyed over it.

The workflow would be:
ProPresenter -> Stage Display ->Rear Projector
|
v
ATEM TVS <- Cameras
|
v
HDMI - VGA Convertor
|
v
VGA Splitter
|
v
Front projectors and overflow room.

Thanks for reading and your future comments, can you recommend if this is a suitable system.

[tdangelo]

Originally Posted by dneveu

I only have 1 question about the ATEM which I don't seem to be able to find an answer: Is it possible to mix two sources while constantly having propresenter keyed over it.

Dneveu,

If you want to transition between two sources in the background (cuts, dissolves, wipes) while having a constant source keyed over the transitioning sources, the switcher feature you are looking for is a "down-stream keyer."

Note that for this down-stream key to look its best you will want ProPresenter to output two signals which go to your switcher. (1) fill. (2) key (aka: alpha channel, aka: HiCon). I believe this is an option (not standard) with ProPresenter.

[waynehoskins]

The ProPresenter Alpha Key module is an extra option that works with one (or maybe more than one) of the Blackmagic cards. I don't know whether it'll work in a Windows environment or not at this point.

I also don't recall whether Atem Studio will do DSK or not.

[Paris MkVI]

Details on the alpha key module for ProPresenter are here. Mac only at this time.

It's a little long in the tooth, but here's a thread on this hardware/software from some time back.

[petereit]

For what it's worth, the ATEM has a full chroma-keyer, so it would be possible to key text over video without buying ProPresenter's alpha module.

We have a basic Panasonic HD-SDI switcher that does luma-keying. We just create our slides with white text on black backgrounds and key lyrics over live video without ProPresenter's alpha module. It works fine.

[tdangelo]

Originally Posted by petereit

We just create our slides with white text on black backgrounds and key lyrics over live video without ProPresenter's alpha module. It works fine.

Yes Mark, there is definitely more than one way to skin a cat.

Whether or not the key is cut using a luma keyer (in this case defined as a key cut based on luminance level of a single signal and filled either by a switcher’s internal matte generator or using the key signal as the fill source), chroma key (in this case defined as a key cut based on chrominance phase and chroma level and filled either by a switcher’s internal matte generator or using the key signal as the fill source), or a key & fill (aka HiCon or Alpha key, defined as a key being cut with a high contrast (white on super black, or white on zero black) signal and then filled with a second signal all from the same character generator or computer system), the switcher will still need to support downstream keying to do the effect that dneveu inquired about (maintaining the key over a transition of two other input sources).

In general, edges will be much cleaner using key (HiCon, Alpha) & fill. It also opens up the possibility to do backplates, motion backplates or linear (graduated) keys.

[dneveu]

Thanks for the replies guys. It looks like we're going to have to go without being able to switch between feeds behind the lyrics, as I doubt our budget would stretch to getting a switcher with a DSK, the ATEM only has an upstream keyer (dont really know the difference).

I would love to convert the system to Mac (so would the rest of the media team), it's just not in our current budget, maybe in the future.

[tdangelo]

I just took a quick look a Blackmagic's website and it says that the ATEM 1M/E switcher has two downstream keyers.

http://www.blackmagic-design.com/pro...tem/techspecs/

[dmerchen]

The TV Studio model lists as having two dsk's. See ths BMD specs here: http://www.blackmagic-design.com/pro...dio/techspecs/