[Jim Brown]

We have had great success with the Panasonic AG-HMR10 recorder. It records AVCHD on SD memory cards. We get about 3 hours with a 32gb card. Our Mac laptops have the card slot that allow us to physically remove from the recorder and import directly to the Mac. We do local sporting events for our local network affiliate and have found it to work quite well.

It also helps that those cards are about $30 and can be found at Walmart, etc.

Jim Brown
M&M ProductionsUSA

[Jim Brown]

Oops. I am bad. Yes, the Vaddio takes care of getting the external switcher into Skype. To get it ou depends somewhat on what kind of switcher you are using. We use the Black Magic ATEMs (both the one and two). We take the video output via hdmi into the switcher. It we are using a Mac the video will size itself accordingly. If a PC you need to make certain the video card will allow to format to a display size that matches video (1280×720) to match 720p. I am assuming you are using a HD capable switcher.

We also use Tricasters and with those we use the iVGA input to display the screen image. It is a little blocky if you have much motion in your source.

We have also used the Vaddio Production Viewer and take the VGA output of the PC and convert to a video resolution. The Ocean Matrix box (Markertek) also works quite well.

Hope this is closer to what you were looking for. Give me more info and I will help where I can. There are lots of boxes coming on the market that do this quite well and prices are going down.

Jim Brown
M&M ProductionsUSA

[Jim Brown]

Check out the AV Bridge from Vaddio. It is a new product that fills this need beautifully. https://www.vaddio.com

Regards
Jim Brown
M&M ProductionsUSA

[Jim Brown]

Your biggest problem is going to be “lip flap” associated with video delays at every point in your processing path. First of all you can use any composite video source as a gunlock source. You can use an old out of date camera or video source. Just route through a distribution amp to each device. This will prevent up to 2 frames of delay just in the synchronizing effort. Secondly you will have inherent delay in the switcher. Don’t know the specs for you switcher so I would proceed cautiously.

The biggest source of delay can be your projector. Manufacturers place very slow processors in them for conversion to their native display resolution and scan rate. You will want to send the picture to the projector which matches the display characteristics of that projector. Even then you will likely incur anywhere from 2 to 7 frames of delay.

You can minimize this by locating the imag screen as far from the speaker as possible so that an audience member does not have live and projected images in the same line of sight. The worst scenario is the imag behind the speaker. You will find that 3-5 frames is only noticeable to experts, 6 is visible to everyone if it is pointed out to them, and 7 of more is visible and annoying to everyone. You can adjust the audio in the room to offset some of the effect, however more that 1 frame (33ms) becomes noticeable to the speaker as delay. More that 1 frame typically just does not work. If you have delay speakers because of the room size you can increase the delay on those speakers, because the further back in the room, the more likely a participant can see the screen and the speaker simultaneously.

I would recommend running the cameras in HD and genlocking the cameras and switcher. Most likely your projector will be 1024 x 768 native which is 4:3 aspect ratio. That is most common with image. No matter which size screen you happen to have, just overproject so the screen is full size.

Sorry for the rambling reply, but I have lived this many times. Just ask if you would like any further advice.

My $.02 worth

Jim Brown
M&M ProductionsUSA

[Jim Brown]

The Apple site has a Thunderbolt to Firewire cable for 429. Got mine at the Apple store. It does provide firewire 800 interface and requires adapter which is readily available.

Jim Brown
M&M ProductionsUSA

[Jim Brown]

I have been somewhat disappointed with the SD out composite quality. You will probably notice quite a difference if you feed the projectors with component. If you have an issue with hum bars try video over cat5. We do that for corporate events and have found it makes video roll a nightmare in the past.

Jim Brown
M&M ProductionsUSA

[Jim Brown]

If you can up convert the sd camera and run the switcher in hd mode you will be more pleased with the graphics . Also, you would be surprised at the performance of consumer hdmi camcorders in most church environments and they are quite affordable. BTW. I have run 60 ft with good hdmi cable. If you need to go further get one of the BMD hdmi to sdi converters and run coax. Works very well and very affordable.

Jim brown
M&M ProductionsUSA

[Jim Brown]

Depends on the effect. ie If you want to do a green screen or matte effect, this can be done with a switcher. Also, a Tricaster does many real time effects including live sets where you could put the audience on the beach, etc.

Tell us more…

Jim Brown
M&M ProductionsUSA

[Jim Brown]

I use an M-Audio fasttrack pro for both input and output. 199 at Guitar Center.

Jim Brown
M&M ProductionsUSA

[Jim Brown]

We made the move to ATEM in our production trailer to get more inputs. Planning to move to ATEM2 this fall. Here is what we use.
1. Clip store and playback. PlaybackPro running on MAC. Very versatile program and solid as a rock. You can even rearrange the clip store while a clip is playing.
2. Streaming. Teradek is great. If you want a PC based solution then Vaddio has announced a box which takes HDMI or HD-SDI in and provides a USB connection. We are looking forward to that for a Skype connection, but should work with any streaming app that normally uses a usb camera.
3. Titling and lower thirds. The PhotoShop add-in in the ATEM to the media store works great. We let our graphics guy update the scoreboard in Photoshop (on a MAC), publish it to ATEM and then run the ATEM software and take his own effects. We do use the control surface to switch program.
4. We retained our Tricaster XD300 and used it as an instant replay box running RealPlay. We are planning on a Triple Play for this upcoming season.

Why do all this? 1. Cost is always an issue. To compare you would have to look at the 850 from Newtek.
2. It is not a PC and while the HD versions of products are very stable, there is always that nagging thought. More importantly, there is no hard drive except in the laptops that are very ruggedized. Also, we use two MACs that have the same software applications so either can back up the other.
3. The broadcast community more readily accepts the ATEM with a traditional looking surface. I don’t believe that is technically legitimate, but nevertheless the bias continues. Same with big box cameras vs cameras like EX1 or 3.

Hope this helps. Contact us anytime if we can help further. We have delivered quite a number of the ATEM ME1.

Jim Brown
M&M ProductionsUSA
Oak Ridge, TN