• Broadcasting

  Chroma Key Noob with a Sony Switcher BVS-3100

  Posted by Keith Parkansky on February 6, 2012 at 5:18 pm

  I am attempting to set up a studio at work for shooting talking head type Web videos using some inherited old equipment. I was volunteered to do this and have no experience at it.

  I understand the theory of chroma key but I’m at a loss as to the implementation. On the back of the Sony BVS-3100 switcher are three chroma key RGB inputs. In the manual they show a cmaera with component outputs plugged into these inputs labeled as the chroma key source. (The video inputs are labeled as chroma key fill.)

  Do I need to dedicate a separate camera with RGB outputs to point at the green background whenever I want to do a chroma key effect ?

  Thanks in advance for any enlightenment.

  Keith Parkansky replied 14 years, 5 months ago 2 Members · 2 Replies
• 2 Replies

• 

  Tom Matthies

  February 6, 2012 at 8:31 pm

  You will need a camera of some sort that will provide the component outputs that the chroma keyer in the switcher requires. I’m not sure about the Sony switcher, but most Grass Valley switcher of a similar vintage would also accept Y, R-Y, B-Y component signals from the camera as well as RGB.
  You could use a decoder that would convert composite video back to RGB, but the results are likely to be pretty bad when used for the chroma key.
  What kind of camera do you have available to use?

  E=MC2+/-2db
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  Keith Parkansky

  February 6, 2012 at 9:24 pm

  Unfortunately cameras were not included in the equipment that I inherited. We only have I camera that I picked up on eBay, a Panasonic WV-3260.

  I know I can do chroma key in post for saved videos (I picked up a copy of Vegas Pro 8 on eBay also). I just thought it would be nice to have the capability if they ever wanted to do a live stream – but it’s not worth going out and getting another camera for.

  Thanks for the info!

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