COMM 3650 Lecture Notes - Lecture 2: Smpte Color Bars, Digital Video Effect, Flash Memory
9 May 2018
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Chapter 2
The primary responsibility of the TD in a studio production environment is to operate the video
switcher.
Video Tape Recorders (VTRs), digital disk recorders (DDRs), video clip and/or video file-
servers, satellite feeds, microwave feeds, graphic computers, and the switcher itself is a video
source: color bars, color backgrounds, black, and internal still images and pre-recorded video
clips.
A group of three busses together is called a Mix Effects Bus (M/E). Typical video switcher will
have a group of 3 rows of buttons located on the lower left area of the panel. Each individual
row is called a Bus. Many switchers have more than one M/E Bus.
The bottom row of buttons is called the Preview Bus and then the next row up/middle row is
called the Program Bus, while the top row is the Key Bus. Preview is preview, Program is
live/”hot”/is going on air. A key is a video layer that is independently selected and controlled
from the “video background”. Any video source can be a key and any video source can be a
background. Therefore any video source can be “keyed over” any other. Commonly, a graphic
computer is selected as a key source. Keys are the GFX overlayed on top of the video.
A switcher can manipulate 2D images and 3D objects. Digital Video Effects (DVE) effects
really began, historically, as an after-market “magic box” external to the switcher. Video signals
could be routed to the DVE (through an aux bus), manipulated (resized, repositioned, moved,
etc.) nd brought back into the switcher as a new and independent video source (which could be
used “straight” or as the source for a key layer - as seen in the typical over-the-shoulder “box
shot”). Today the DVE/DPM/DME function is internal to the switcher and is part of the keyer.
The ability for the switcher to “remember” set-ups is a function of the eMem (effects memory)
area, typically located on the far right of the panel. It’s essentially a flash memory computer
controllled by a numeric keypad. Macros remember commands (button pushes or menu-driven
commands) given to the switcher. They have separate functionality and work together. A macro
can recall an eMem and an eMem can trigger a macro. The role of a macro is to enable the TD
to operate the switcher efficiently.
An aux bus is comprised of rows of buttons that are of either fixed functionality or
programmable functionality. To change between images you can do flip-flop switching, through
cuts, wipes, or dissolves. You can either have this happen with the “auto” feature or use the
Fader Bar to do it manually (for really slow or fast ones).
A key (GFX, overlayed visual) is a video layer that can be cut/wiped/dissolved on and off the
screen.
find more resources at oneclass.com
find more resources at oneclass.com
Document Summary
The primary responsibility of the td in a studio production environment is to operate the video switcher. A group of three busses together is called a mix effects bus (m/e). Typical video switcher will have a group of 3 rows of buttons located on the lower left area of the panel. Many switchers have more than one m/e bus. The bottom row of buttons is called the preview bus and then the next row up/middle row is called the program bus, while the top row is the key bus. Preview is preview, program is live/ hot /is going on air. A key is a video layer that is independently selected and controlled from the video background . Any video source can be a key and any video source can be a background. Therefore any video source can be keyed over any other. Commonly, a graphic computer is selected as a key source.
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