True Downstream Alpha Keying from ProPresenter
For some time now I have been looking for an affordable solution to keying lower third graphics. We’re tried the luma key on our Ross Synergy 100, but without the drop shadow option on the switcher, it makes drop shadows difficult, or for us, really impossible. We are currently using a chroma key on our sermon support slides, but also have difficulty with nice, clean edges, or the feathered edges we’d like to use.
While at NAB I was talking with Brad Weston, of Renewed Vision, about Propresenter and he told me some very exciting news. A handful of churches are now testing ProPresenter with the Black Magic Video card for achieving true alpha channel keying. Many worship presentation software apps will do alpha keying, but only by running video from a switcher THROUGH their software. My problem with this is that is takes director functions, (or TD functions) out of the hand s of the director and places it into the hands of the graphics operator. By using the black magic card we’ll be able to use ProPresenter as a downstream key source, and have all the beauty that method of keying affords.
What Reniewed Vision has done is to effectively make ProPresenter not just a worship presentation application, but also an easy to use character generator. They’ll be making some tweaks for a couple of months, but expect to see this new feature soon.
I asked Brad and he said they’ll be selling the Black Magic cards, along with the Macintosh computers to support their software.
April 17, 2008 at 8:09 pm
AWESOME!!! I cant explain how stoked I was to read this! I’ve been hopeful that Renewed Vision would add this feature (but I’ve honestly thought that it was a long shot… thus I’ve been looking into purchasing some CG equipment) If this pans-out this not only makes ProPresenter the best worship presentation software, but it also become an incredibly AMAZING value!
April 18, 2008 at 12:04 am
AWESOME! I’m emailing Brad now…
May 19, 2008 at 10:04 pm
This is a great concept, I love it. But I think this is fundamentally flawed for one big reason. Delay. All mixers and DSK’s have a delay, but it will be much greater once it is ran through pro presenter. This may not deter some people who have side screens since the difference would almost be impossible to notice.
But at out church, where I am in charge of IMAG - I have a 20′ X 12′ screen dead center and I think the delay would be distracting and annoying. I just don’t think it’s powerful enough to pull off for some people, although I am sure it works in others.
June 28, 2008 at 1:13 pm
Brian - Thanks for the e-mail. I talked to Brad at Infocomm08 about giving this a whirl -I hope we’ll be making the switch soon.