Jim Brown
Forum Replies Created
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One other very important caution is regarding the dvd player. Most dvd players now and all blur ray players support HDCP which is content protection. As far as I know all switchers which are capable of accepting a digital signal via HDMI or SDI will not accept an HDCP encrypted source. I would recommend playing your opening and closing segments using a PC or better a MAC running Playback Pro.
Jim Brown
M&M ProductionsUSA -
You did not mention if you would like to do high definition or if you are SD for now. Two suggestions based upon the answer to this question.
Suggestion 1: If you are planning to remain SD for the near future, look at getting a used Tricaster Pro or Studio by Newtek. These have recently been discontinued and are available used at quite good prices. I would strongly recommend you subscribe to their support program if you do this. These boxes accept composite, svideo, component and the computer can come in via ethernet.
Suggestion 2: BlackMagicDesign has the ATEM ME1 switcher which can operate in SD or HD mode. Inputs are via HDMI or SDI with a component or composite input available in input 1. You can switch from a PC or the control surface. The switcher is 2495 and the surface is 5k. So for 7.5k you are still in budget. ….and if you decide to use HD cameras the switcher provides a downscaled SD output. You can use consumer HD cameras with HDMI outputs and produce very high quality programming. Also, the switcher proides a multview output so you can use a consumer HDMI monitor(TV) and see all your inputs, preview, and program out. Saves a lot of money on monitors.
For the budget you mentioned you could have a first class operation with 3 consumer cameras, sticks, lighting, and a couple good mikes and mixer for audio. Originate it in HD and supply a downconverted SD signal and it will look as good as anything you will generate by starting with SD cameras.
Jim Brown
M&M ProductionsUSA -
Here is pinout info from the unit.
Pins 1,2,11,12,13,14,15,24 and 25 are ground.
GPI In 1 – 8 are pins 10 to 3 (yes, they are not in ascending order!
GPI outs 1-8 are pins 23-16 ie GPI1 is pin 23Inputs: Optical isolators triggered by connection to ground. Max 5v at 14ma
Outputs: Mechanical relay contact closure to ground Max 30v at 1ampConnector is a DB25 connector just like the old printer connector. I found an old one here and cut the other end off and made a fan out cable. I just had to meter the cable to get to the right pens.
This information is on the back of the unit, but I had to use a magnifying glass to read it. Typical BMD.
Hope this helps anyone considering the unit.
Jim Brown
M&M ProductionsUSA -
I got one of these boxes and could not find any documentation as to the pinouts. So….I cut and old 25pin printer cable and metered cam 1-8 selections until I had the wires identified. Still do not know the pinouts. It does give a contact closure. I then make an interface bos that supplied power to external leds located on remote cameras.
The instructions also show GPI triggers on the remaining pins, but I did not go through the exercise to identify since I was looking purely for tally light.
Could have been a whole lot easier with some simple documentation!
Jim Brown
M&M ProductionsUSA -
Avoid wireless from a camera, particularly if you are displaying the output from the Tricaster in the venue. The latency wuill drive you crazy and it is not necessarily the same from day to day and camera to camera.
Take a look at Blackmagic Design for a product called The ATEM television studio which converts to fiber. It provides your video, intercom and monitor feedback in one affordable box. It also converts hdmi to SDI and back allowing you to use consumer equipment.
Regards
Jim Brown
M&M Productionsusa -
I don’t know if you are doing any post production or not, but here is my “secret” for shooting this type of event. First try every way possible to use wireless lav. If you cannot then you must adjust in post. I use Final Cut Pro so I will describe how we do it.
Make certain to capture about 10 seconds of room noise. (No one speaking) Use it as a mask in Soundtract Pro to cancel that noise. If your air conditioning kicks on and off you will neeed a sample with the air off and one with the air on. That will help a lot,but never as good as not getting the noise on there in the first place.
Secondly on your lighting take a look at Presto from https://www.singularsoftware.com. You use two cameras. One to follow the speaker and another focused on the screen. (the screen camera can be a consumer type. does not have to be high quality). You then export the Power Point presentation to .jpg files. In Final Cut pro you lay the presenter on Track 1, the screen camera on track 2 and export it to Presto. You specify the location of the .jpg files. The software will then create a speaker mask with key frame locations, replace the shot powerpoint screen with high resolution jpgs that have a perspective angle on them and create a new sequence in your FCP project that is just awesome. Look at the examples on the web page. It is just as good as the examples.
Hope this helps
Jim Brown
M&M ProductionsUSA -
We have been installing the new ATEM switchers in several situations similar to yours. (Churches, municipalities, and schools). They are very affordable and seem to be quite reliable. They are either SD or HD and have a great deal of routing capability. Give us a call at 800 711 0140 and we would be happy to discuss it with you.
Jim Brown
M&M ProductionsUSA
Oak Ridge, TN -
Mark has valid points. I use a unit from The Prompter People which as an lcd screen and does through the lens glass. Started using it with a PD170, went to a Z1, and now an EX1. The unit works very well on small cameras such as yours. Would recommend a heavy duty tripod/head and something linke the Bogen 501 series works well and is very affordable.
Check out the prompter people at https://www.prompterpeople.com/
Jim Brown
M&M ProductionsUSA -
We have encountered the same thing. Would love to see a reassignment just like you do for the multi display.
Jim Brown
M&M ProductionsUSA -
We use a MacBookPro all the time with DVI to HDMI adapter and feed into an ATEM switcher. No problem.
Jim Brown
M&M ProductionsUSA