Live Production

[eBrito]

Hi everyone;

I'm considering to buy VT[2]-VT[3] in a couple of days but i still have some questions and i hope you can help me:
I'll buy a complete workstation with dual monitors and 3 DVCams.

It's for a live production at our church.
So I need 2 video outputs, for my video projector and my video duplication system and 3 inputs for my digital cameras.

So, thats my questions:

1- I need SX-8 Expansion or can I do that without it?
2- The SX-8 Expansion have no digital inputs, i'll conect my DVCAM using a Y/C or can I add some other FireWire cards and get DV Inputs for live production? I just talking about video quality, if the quality will be good with Y/C it's ok, but I'm buying some very good DVCAM.
3- I'll need external video monitors or fo live production can i do a good job using just my two computers monitors?
4- Can I insert the Digital Juice (www.digitaljuice.com (http://www.digitaljuice.com) ) stuffs like lower thirds in my live productions?
5- Finally, for post production, can i work with Pinnacle Commotion, Discreet Combustion and After Effects?

Wow! That's a lots of questions, i'm sorry about that :D

Thanks

[kleima]

1. If you didn't get SX-8, you would need a Distribution Amplifier to send signals to multiple outputs. The VT has only one output and one input without the SX-8. I would recommend it. By the way, NewTek just announced a new product for doing live production at churches called Genisis. It sounds like it will have an 8 input switcher, so you may save some money by going this route. They have not announced pricing yet, and I don't know how quickly you need to buy, but you should check it out.
2. With the VT[3] you would have the ability to accept multiple firewire inputs (with 3rd party firewire card) and switch between devices with or without the SX-8, as I understand it. The SX-8 does not include firewire inputs because 3rd party cards are so cheap. However, you won't see any apreciable difference between footage captured via firewire and that captured via Y/C. I use DVCAM and do everything via Y/C.
3. If you want to see every camera at all times, you will need external monitors. If seeing Program and Preview is adequate for your needs, then just the computer monitor would be workable.
4. Yes, Digital Juice works well with the VT. If using the Quick Time version of a Jump Back, they need to be imported via Aura (which comes with VT) because VT doesn't support Quick Time directly yet. If using the PNG version of a Jump Back, you would just set the default still length to 1 frame in preferences and drag the sequence of PNG's into the timeline.
5. VT[3] will have an AVI wrapper that will be able to wrap a VT project or clip as an AVI, so it can be shared with any software on the same machine with zero render time. (You cannot transfer this "wrapped file" to other machines because it is simply pointing to the original RTV files. This is how they achieve zero render time. If you require the file on another machine you can always render to an uncompressed AVI.) I don't know why you'd need them, though. VT can do just about everything you'd ever want to do.

[Jim Capillo]

You can check out Genesis here: http://www.newtek.com/products/genesis/index.html

[Paul Lara]

Originally posted by eBrito
It's for a live production at our church.
So I need 2 video outputs, for my video projector and my video duplication system and 3 inputs for my digital cameras.



Since this is for live production, I'd recommend the SX-8, since the delay with firewire switching is noticeable, where analog switching out from SX-8 is not.

The SX-8 offers multiple Program outputs as well. You always have 4 composite out, and can have either 4 Y/C or Component out as well.

While Genesis has been announced we don't yet have pricing or a shipping date for this product.

[eBrito]

I visited Genesis page, it looks good but i prefer VT because it looks better.

I'll use it to live production at the services but I'll also use it to post production (we do some documentaries), that's why I asked about compatibility with some other visual effects softwares.

So; now I got the information to buy exactly what i need.
I'll buy the SX-8 and use Y/C cables.

Thanks a lot guys.

I'll se you around when i buy my new system ;)
(that's a great community)

[Paul Lara]

Originally posted by eBrito
... for post production, can i work with Pinnacle Commotion, Discreet Combustion and After Effects?


VT [2] & [3] offer hardware frame-buffer support for all of them!

[eBrito]

it's veeeery good;
thanks:)

[bingyao]

The Genesis page says that it integrates MS Powerpoint. Can anyone tell me about this? Is this inherent in T[3] as well or is it unique to Genesis?

Also, does the Toaster support chinese fonts?

We are thinking about using the Toaster for our church but we have need to integrate Powerpoint.

[bingyao]

The Genesis page says that it integrates MS Powerpoint. Can anyone tell me about this? Is this inherent in T[3] as well or is it unique to Genesis?

Also, does the Toaster support chinese fonts?

We are thinking about using the Toaster for our church but we have need to integrate Powerpoint.

[Paul Lara]

Genesis is a prototype for Church switching and live production.
VT [3] doesn't offer integration with PowerPoint...but you can use MS Producer, which is a free download (http://office.microsoft.com/downloads/2002/prstudio.aspx) and works with PowerPoint 2002 to export avi or wmv video clips of your PP presentation.

[bbeanan]

Originally posted by bingyao
The Genesis page says that it integrates MS Powerpoint.

I know I may be treading on thin ice here given how nice VT3 is and all (I'll stop due to NDA)... but is this PowerPoint integration maybe going to be added to VT3?

[bbeanan]

ok I think I figured it out... to use PowerPoint you need to export your slides as a graphic file (which looses the transistions, and slide builds in more complex presentations)

[Paul Lara]

Again, I believe if you use MS Producer to convert your PowerPoint projects, they include the transitions you set up.

[bbeanan]

Yea I just downloaded it and it looks like it fits the bill...

I have not played with it as of yet but from what I understand you can set PowerPoint to record the timing between "clicks" then when you go into MS Producer it will have those timings which you can then creat an AVI file of the slide show... Line up your first slide in VT-Edit and the rest will fall into place. Then you just need to add in your cuts from the PowerPoint AVI to your Video (or just us MS Producer to do the PIP format.

Good find on MS Producer... and it's free!!:D

[jackz]

I've worked with MS Producer and was even an early Beta Tester.

It does not make a AVI from PowerPoint. It allows you to combine Video, audio, html and PowerPoint into an html activex presentation. It can run from CD or the WEB.

It includes customizable templates that allow you to use the Audio/Video html and PowerPoint in different combinations and you can change templates on the fly. The video or audio can be indexed with hyperlinks to jump around within your presentation.

For example you can start with small video in upper left, with Large PowerPoint (includes animation, requires a MS quick download), and html. Then at a designated point in the timeline the small video can be replaced with audio narration as a large 800x600 video from (screen grab) replaces the PowerPoint.


I believe the Microsoft site has some demonstations

Here's some stuff I was testing
http://videokahuna.net/Producer/TSHOW4.htm

I was experimenting to see how well it would play from my site. The problem was how to generate cash, streaming video can get expensive...

I figure 4 ways to use PowerPoint with VT.

1) with the VT you can make great video that can play within a PowerPoint presentation.
2) Use a second PC with a Scan Converter to display the PP Presentation in NTSC, then live switch or capture with VT.
3) Capture or export the individual slides from PP and switch in the VT DDR using VT Effects or use TED.
4) Use Camtasia, Snagit or try Windows Media Encoder to capture the displayed PP presentation with PP effects to an WMV or AVI.

I do ALOT of PowerPoint Stuff. If you have any questions please email me.

Let me know what you think of my MS Producer sample...
The interface might look familiar.

Jack Z.
zab at videokahuna dot com