MXPro

User Guide

STATEMENT OF WARRANTY Videonics, Inc. warrants this product against defects in materials or workmanship as follows: For a period of TWO years from the date of purchase, Videonics Inc. will repair or replace the unit, at our option, without charge for parts or labor. After the period of TWO years you must pay all parts and labor charges. The limited warranty is extended only to the original purchaser and is valid only to consumers in the United States and Canada. It does not cover damage or failure caused by or attributable to Acts of God, abuse, misuse, improper or abnormal usage, faulty installation, improper maintenance, lightning, or other incidences of excessive voltage, or any repairs or tampering by other than a Videonics-authorized repair facility. It does not cover replacement of batteries or other consumable parts, transportation costs, or damage in transit. This warranty will become void if the serial number or model number identication has been wholly or partially removed or erased. Repair or replacement under the terms of this warranty do not extend the terms of this warranty. This warranty can not be modied by any agent of Videonics, Inc. unless in writing and signed by an ofcer of Videonics, Inc. Should this product prove defective in workmanship or material, the consumer's sole remedies shall be such repair or replacement as provided by the terms of this warranty. Under no circumstances shall Videonics, Inc. be liable for any loss or damage, direct, consequential, or incidental, arising out of the use of or inability to use this product. Some states do not allow limitations on how long an implied warranty lasts or the exclusions or limitations of incidental or consequential damages, so the above limitations or exclusions may not apply to you. This warranty gives you specic legal rights. You may also have other rights which vary from state to state. To obtain warranty service, call or write Videonics HelpLine for a Return Authorization (RA) number. Please mark the RA number clearly on the outside of the package. Include a copy of your sales receipt, a brief description of the symptoms, your name, address, phone number and any special shipping instructions. Then deliver or ship the product, postage or shipping costs prepaid, to a Videonics-authorized repair facility. For the name of the nearest repair facility, Contact Videonics, Inc. HelpLine. See Contacting Videonics on page 8 for instructions.

DISCLAIMER Television screens are simulated and subject to change without notice. This device is not to be used for the unauthorized copying of copyrighted material. TRADEMARKS MX-Pro, the Videonics logo, Thumbs Up, MX-1, and Videonics Video TitleMaker are trademarks or registered trademarks of Videonics, Inc. Hi8 is a trademark of Sony Corporation. VHS is a registered trademark of JVC. Other product and brand names might be trademarks or registered trademarks of their respective companies and are hereby acknowledged. FCC Statement This equipment has been tested and found to comply with the limits for a Class A digital device, pursuant to part 15 of the FCC Rules. These limits are designed to provide reasonable protection against harmful interference when the equipment is operated in a commercial environment. This equipment generates, uses, and can radiate radio frequency energy and, if not installed and used in accordance with the instruction manual, might cause harmful interference to radio communications. Operation of this equipment in a residential area is likely to cause harmful interference, in which case the user must correct the interference at his/her own expense.

Declaration of Conformity
Application of Council Directive(s) Standards to which conformity is declared Manufacturer's Name Manufacturer's Address 73/23/EEC, 89/336/EEC EN60950, EN55022 Class A, EN50082-1 Videonics 1370 Dell Avenue Campbell, CA 95008, USA Videonics GmbH Industriestrasse 2 90765 Furth/Bay, Germany Video Mixer MXPro MX-3000 PAL

Importer's Name Importer's Address

Type of Equipment Name of Equipment Model No. Serial No. Year of Manufacture

1998 I, the undersinged, hereby declare that the equipment specified above conforms to the above directive(s) and standard(s).

Place Date

Campbell, California, USA March 25, 1998

(Signature)

Parminder Gillon
(Full Name)

Test Engineer
(Position)

Notes

Contents
1
Introduction
Major Features 2 Common Uses for MXPro 3 MXPro Package Contents 4 About this User Guide 5 Contacting Videonics 8

Basic Operations
Starting and Stopping MXPro 32 Understanding the Keyboard 32 Using the Preview Screen 35 Changing the Display Configuration 35 Input Source Previews 36 Active Source Highlights 36 Color Selector 37 Transitions Menu 37 Selected Transition 37 Using CURRENT and NEXT Sources 38 Selecting Sources 39 Using the Video/Audio Selector 40 Swapping Sources 41 Simple Cuts 41 Swapping Between Two Sources 41 Working with Colors 42 Identifying Colors 42 Using Color Backgrounds 43 Changing Colors and Styles 43 Creating Custom Colors 44 Using Borders 45 Changing Border Styles 46

Quick Start
Quick Start Steps 10 Setting Up 10 The Preview Screen 11 Running the Demo 12 Cutting Between Sources 13 Borders and Solid Color Backgrounds 13 Setting up a Transition 14 Running Transitions 14 Using CUT Transitions 15 Choosing Transitions 15 Using Transition Categories 16 Other Features 16

Installing MXPro
Sources and Output 18 Preview and Program Monitors 19 Preview Monitor 19 Program Monitor 19 Number of Monitors 19 Understanding MXPro Connectors 20 Power Connector 22 Cables and Adapters 23 Installation Examples 24 Correlating Input Sources to MXPro Jacks 25 Using Headphones 25 VCR Selector Switches 25 General Notes 25 Live Broadcast Configuration 26 Post Production Configuration 28 Using a Microphone with MXPro 30

Transitions
Basic Transition Concepts 50 Transition Categories and Menus 52 Basic Transitions Category 53 Edges Transitions Category 53 Trailing Transitions Category 53 Shapes Transitions Category 53 User Transitions Category 53 Changing User Transitions Menu 54 Selecting Sources to Use During Transitions 55 Setting the CURRENT Source 55 Setting the NEXT Source 55 Selecting Transitions 56 Using the Transitions Menu 56 Using Transition Numbers 57 Adjusting Transitions 58 Changing Transition Speed 58 Changing Transition Direction 59 Running Transitions 61 Running Transitions Automatically 61 Running Transitions Manually 61

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Videonics MXPro User Guide

Contents

Input Effects
Input Effects Menu 64 Special Key Combinations 65 Using Input Effects 66 B&W 67 B&W Neg 67 Posterize 67 Flip Horizontal 67 Mosaic 68 Color Correct 68 Color Neg 69 Chroma Key 69 Flip Vertical 69 Strobe 69

Compose
Basic Composition Steps 94 Backgrounds 94 Foreground Tiles 95 Creating Color Tiles and Lines 95 Creating Moving Video Tiles 95 Creating Still Image Tiles 95 Manipulating Tiles 96 Positioning Tiles 96 Sizing Tiles 96 Composition Rules 97 Creating a Composed Image 98 Playing the Composition 99 Exiting from Compose Mode 100

Functions
Demo 72 Running a Locked Demo 72 Display 73 Setup 75 Force Field Freeze 76 GPI Out Mode 76 Comb Filter 76 Black Level 76 Route 77 Configuring MXPro 77 Re-directing Input Signals 80 Routing Audio through Color Channel 81 Navigating the Route Menu 81 Learn 82 Compose 82 PIPs 82 Audio Mix 82 Freeze 83 Field and Frame Freezes 83 Major Freeze Functions 83 Freeze Examples 84 Freeze and Transitions 86

10

Chroma Key
Preparing the Background Footage 102 Preparing the Keyed Footage 103 Preparing the Chroma Key Footage 103 Performing the Chroma Key 105 Fine-Tuning Key Colors 105 Ending Chroma Key 105

11

Learn Mode
Learned Environments 108 Learned Scripts 109 Using Learn Mode 111 Other Useful Information 112 Aborting a Playback Session 112

12

Working with Audio

Audio Devices You Can Use 114 Ways You Can Control Audio 114 Controlling Audio Transitions 114 VIDEO/AUDIO Selector 114 Selecting Audio Sources 115 Ways to Use Audio 116 Audio Accompanies Video 116 Continuous Audio 117 Using the Audio Mixer 118 Audio Mixer Controls 119 Using Background Audio 119 Using Headphones 120 Advanced Audio Setups 120

PIPs
Single PIP 88 Background Tile 88 Foreground Tile 88 Using Other Effects with Single PIPs 90 Multi-PIP 91 Using Freeze Effect with Multi-PIPs 92

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Videonics MXPro User Guide

iii

13

Advanced Operations
Using Titles 122 Using Color Bars 122 Performing Roll Edits 123 Cutting Between Scenes 123 A/A Roll Edits 123 A/B Roll Edits 124 Transitions TO and FROM Solid Colors 125 Transitions to Modified Sources 125 Operating in Live Environments 126 Security Monitoring 126 Using a GPI Device 126 Instructions for Building a GPI Trigger 127 Using a GPI Trigger Device 128 Calibrating the T-BAR 128 Resetting MXPro Factory Defaults 129

APPENDIXES & BACK MATTER

Transitions List
Basic Transitions 132 Edge Transitions 137 Trailing Transitions 138 Shape Transitions 139 Default User Transitions 143

Time Base Corrector

Dual TBC Mode 145 Vertical Interval Data 146 TBC Technical Information 146

Video Quality
Preview Image Quality 147 Video Scaling Artifacts 148 Freeze Quality 148 Upside-Down Video 148 Video Processing Artifacts 149

D E

Technical Specifications Information for MX-1 Users Glossary Index

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Videonics MXPro User Guide

Contents

LIST of TABLES
Table 1 Table 2 Table 3 Table 4 Table 5 Table 6 Table 7 Table 8 Table 9 Table 10 Table 11 Table 12 Table 13 Table 14 Table 15 Table 16 Table 17 Table 18 Table 19
User Guide Contents 5 Videonics Contacts 8 Default Colors and Numbers 42 Border Styles (Defaults) 45 Keys for Changing Border Attributes 47 MX-1 Compatibility Hot Keys 53 Input Effects Mode Key Combinations 65 Main Mode Input Effects Key Combinations 65 Setup Menu Navigation Keys 75 Manipulating PIPs Tiles 89 Manipulating PIPs Mask 90 Multi-PIP Screen Configurations 91 Selecting Mixer Channels 119 Adjusting Audio Levels 119 Descriptions of Basic Transitions 133 Edge Transitions 137 Trailing Transitions 138 Shape Transitions 139 MXPro Technical Specifications 151

1
Introduction

Welcome to MXPro, and thank you for buying Videonics products. This chapter contains: Brief descriptions of major MXPro features Typical uses for the MXPro How to contact Videonics An inventory of package contents Description of the contents of this User Guide

Please take a few moments to read the material so you can take full advantage of all MXPro benets.

Chapter 1

Videonics MX-Pro User Guide

MAJOR FEATURES
MXPro contains features found on most video mixers. In addition, it contains the special features described in this section. Superb Video Quality To ensure highest video quality, MXPro uses 10-bit (4:2:2) video technology for Y/C applications, and 8-bit 4:2:2 for Composite applications. Four Input Synchronized Switcher MXPro provides four input channels. This makes MXPro useful in live production settings where up to four cameras or other sources might be in use. MXPro synchronizes the inputs, so picture disruptions do not occur when switching between sources. Each channel has a composite video input, a Y/C video input, and a set of stereo audio inputs. Pictures-in-Pictures (PIPs) PIP allows multiple pictures to share the screen in various congurations. For example, one source might take the entire background while another image appears inside a separate, smaller window, both sharing the screen at the same time. You can use up to 16 images in a PIP conguration. Effects Generator Use a variety of effects to enhance a source or transition between sources. Select from over 500 effects, including natural shapes (diamonds, stars, and so forth), fancy edges, and borders. And, you can build your own custom menu for quick access to those effects you use most often. Time Base Corrector (TBC) MXPro automatically corrects the outputs time base. MXPro stabilizes the output signal even when the input sources are not stable. Chroma Key Keying replaces parts of one picture with another, based on their color. Here the solid background behind Kong keys out and subsequently gets replaced with the picture of the bridge. The chroma key version shows Kong contemplating the bridge. Frame Synchronizer and Digital Video Mixer Mix any two input sources together using a variety of transitions wipes, dissolves, ips, and so forth. With the frame synchronizer you can mix independent video signals. Compose MXPro provides a video painting system you can use to combine video stills, color shapes, and moving video on one screen. You can create a screen that contains a video still of a football coach (with a surrounding red border), combined with a moving video of the players in action on the eld. Audio Mixer MXPro provides basic audio control. You can change the sound along with the video, or play a constant sound while the video plays. Audio can come from a video source or from external audio devices. Connectivity MXPro provides multiple video/audio outputs, including two Y/C Program outputs, two composite Program outputs, one composite Preview output, one set of stereo audio outputs, and a Headphone output. Joystick The joystick gives you ne control over color adjustments and positioning of PIP (picture-in-picture), compose, and the chroma key cursor. Color Correction Apply true RGB color correction to any or all input sources. Color correction parameters can be set separately for each channel. Input Effects Apply special effects such as ips, mosaics, and others to the signals coming in from any input source.

Introduction

Common Uses for MXPro

COMMON USES FOR MXPRO

Multiple-Source Video Production In a video production setup, you can connect one or more video sources (VCRs, camcorders, video disc players, cameras, title generators, computer graphics systems, and so forth) to MXPros four input channels. The Program output can then be sent to a VTR or directly to a monitor. You determine what is sent to the output. While the original inputs play, you can switch between any of MXPros channels. You can use dissolves or other transitions to go from one channel to another. You can add special effects to any channel, and use advanced features such as compose and chroma key to enhance the production. Single-Source Use MXPro supports A/A roll, a method for creating interesting transitions with a single source. Its digital effects (such as picture freeze, posterization, and zooms) give added life to productions. You can use MXPro with a titler to mix and superimpose titles. Time Base Correction improves the picture (especially when making multiple-generation copies) by removing the jitter common to most VCRs. Live Video In live production setups, MXPro processes events as they occur. Good coverage requires seeing the events from different vantage pointswhich means you need multiple input sources. MXPro gives you the ability to connect up to four sources simultaneously. For example, at a sporting event, camera one might focus on the playing eld, camera two on the team benches, camera three on the announcer, and camera four on the scoreboard. Using MXPro you can easily switch between the sources whenever necessary.
Note

MXPro is not an edit controller that is, it does not control VCRs, camcorders, and similar devices. You can control the sources manually, or use external edit controllers such as those manufactured by Videonics.

Chapter 1

Videonics MX-Pro User Guide

MXPRO PACKAGE CONTENTS

The MXPro package contains the items shown below. Check your package against the illustration. If anything is missing, contact the dealer where you purchased MXPro for the necessary replacements.

MXPro Unit

Power Adapter and Cord

User Guide

Introduction

About this User Guide

ABOUT THIS USER GUIDE

This User Guide contains the chapters, appendixes, and other sections shown in the following table. Table 1: User Guide Contents
Chapter Description

Chapter 1 Introduction Chapter 2 Quick Start

Basic overview of MXPro features, description of package contents, description of manual, and so forth. Brief steps to setting up MXPro with your equipment. Provided for people quite familiar with connecting video equipment. Instructions for setting up MXPro to work with your video equipment. Explains most common procedures and functions used with MXPro. Complete description of and instructions for using MXPro transitions. Also see Appendix A, Transitions List. How to use various effects with video input material. Descriptions of and instructions for using MXPros built-in functions. Instructions for using the Picture-inPicture functions. How to create composed images consisting of rectangles, lines, still images, and/or moving images. Instructions for creating chroma key images where specic colors (such as a blue screen) can be keyed out and replaced with a video sequence or other image. How to use MXPros Learn Mode for recording your mixing steps then playing them back. How to use audio sources (tapes, CDs, and so forth) with MXPro. Descriptions of operations used infrequently, but still of substantial use for mixing video programs.

Chapter 3 Installing MXPro Chapter 4 Basic Operations Chapter 5 Transitions Chapter 6 Input Effects Chapter 7 Functions Chapter 8 PIPs Chapter 9 Compose Chapter 10 Chroma Key

Chapter 11 Learn Mode Chapter 12 Working with Audio Chapter 13 Advanced Operations

Chapter 1 Table 1: User Guide Contents (Continued)

Chapter Description

Videonics MX-Pro User Guide

Appendix A Transitions List Appendix B Time Base Corrector Appendix C Video Quality Appendix D Technical Specications Appendix E MXPro | MX-1 Differences Glossary

Complete list of transitions available with MXPro, along with their assigned code numbers and descriptions. Explains the time-base corrector feature built into MXPro. Discusses issues concerning the level of quality in videos that is, what to expect and what you can do to improve quality. MXPro product specications. Summarizes operational differences between MXPro and Videonics MX-1 Video Mixer. Denitions of terms frequently used in conjunction with MXPro and video mixing procedures. Standard index to topics in this manual.

Index

Conventions The User Guide employs the conventions described in this section. Tips, Notes, Cautions, and Warnings use the following formats.
Tip

A tip provides useful information for doing various tasks and procedures.

Note

Notes contain information to supplement the other information contained throughout the guide.

CAUTION

Cautions warn that if you continue with what you are doing there is a danger of losing information.

WARNING!

Warnings mean stop what you are doing because there is danger of losing information and, possibly, damaging your equipment.

Introduction

About this User Guide

MXPro Buttons When referencing the various buttons (or, keys) and other controls on the MXPro keyboard, they appear in uppercase, boldface characters. For example, the keyboard contains the PLAY button and T-BAR. In some cases you use two buttons together to perform a function. This is normally done using the shift button in combination with some other button. A plus (+) symbol indicates this. For example, you might be asked to enter SHIFT+PIPS. This means press and hold down the SHIFT button, press the PIPs button, then release both.

SHIFT

PIPs

Sources, Channels, and The terms Source, Channel, and Output appear extensively throughout this guide. Its Outputs important to understand the differences between them. A Source is a physical device, such as a VCR, that provides a video and/or audio signal. A Channel is an internal MXPro component. The video and/or audio signal originating from a source travels along one of the channels. An Output displays or records a mixed signal (such as the video on one channel, a transition, and the video on another channel) on an output device. The output device might be a recording VCR or a live broadcast signal.

Chapter 1

Videonics MX-Pro User Guide

CONTACTING VIDEONICS
Videonics provides technical and general support for all of its products. The following table provides information for contacting us with your suggestions, questions, and problems. Table 2: Videonics Contacts
Department Contact Information

Corporate Headquarters Main Phone Number Main Fax Number Product Information Information via E-Mail Technical Support Support via E-Mail Compuserve Internet World Wide Web International Ofces

1370 Dell Avenue Campbell, CA 95008 (408) 866-8300 (408) 866-4859 (800) 338-3348 [email protected] (408) 370-9963 [email protected] GO VIDEONICS Compuserve ID 72662,3115 http://www.videonics.com Contact Videonics for your local distributor

2
Quick Start

This chapter contains brief instructions for setting up MXPro with basic equipment. The instructions do not go into detail. If you feel comfortable connecting video and audio equipment, you can probably get started quickly using these instructions. If you are upgrading from the Videonics MX-1, see Appendix E, Information for MX-1 Users, for helpful information in setting up your MXPro. Skim the instructions in this chapter. If you have any questions about any of the steps, turn to Chapter 3, Installing MXPro, and follow the detailed instructions for setting up your equipment.

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Videonics MX-Pro User Guide

QUICK START STEPS

Setting Up
Input Source
00:00

Input Source

00:00

Preview Monitor IN 1 PREVIEW OUT OUT Jacks

IN 2 Output Monitor

VIDEO IN AUDIO IN

00:00

Output Device Connect a COMPOSITE-type monitor to MXPros PREVIEW OUT jack. Connect an Input Source (such as a VCR or camcorder) to MXPros IN 1 jacks. Connect a second Input Source to MXPros IN 2 jacks. MXPro is set up, by default, to expect S-Video (Y/C) devices to be connected to the IN 1, IN 2, IN 3, and IN 4 input jacks. If you connect Composite devices to any of the jacks, you must tell MXPro this fact. See Using the Route Function below after completing the following steps. Connect a VCRs VIDEO IN and AUDIO IN jacks to the OUT jacks on the MXPro rear panel. This is the device where you record the program. Connect a television or monitor to the recording VCR according to their instructions. Having this monitor available lets you see exactly what is being recorded (or, output).
Note

These instructions assume a two-monitor setup. If you are using only one monitor, connect it to PREVIEW OUT. Connect the MXPro power supply to the power supply jack on the rear panel. Connect the MXPros power cord to a suitable outlet. Turn on all devices (the MXPro power switch is located on the right end of the unit) and let the tapes roll.

Quick Start

The Preview Screen

11

The Preview Screen

You should see the following (with some slight differences) on the Preview screen. NEXT Source

CURRENT Source

Transitions Menu

Note

MXPro displays small previews of the sources you have attached. The images are scaled down both in size and frame rate and, therefore, dont play as smoothly as they would in a single-source video monitor image. This does not affect the quality of the video going to the output it is always highest quality. The PREVIEW screen contains the elements you need to run transitions: CURRENT Source The signal currently playing on the Output monitor. MXPro highlights the CURRENT source in Yellow (just above the preview images). NEXT Source The signal that will play on the Output monitor after the transition runs. MXPro highlights the NEXT source in Green. Transitions Menu Rows and columns of icons representing some of the transitions available. MXPro highlights the currently selected transition in Blue. The icons also show the speed and direction for the selected transition. Near the upper-right corner of the Preview screen is the Color Channel. The swatch shows samples of the current background color, border color, and border style. The numbers represent the current selection of color codes and styles.

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Chapter 2

Videonics MX-Pro User Guide

Using the Route The Route functions ensures that MXPro understands where your input devices are Function connected on the rear panel. If you connect S-Video (Y/C) devices to the IN 1, IN 2, IN3, and/or IN 4 jacks, re-routing is not necessary. Go on to the next section, Running the Demo. Otherwise: After starting MXPro with all devices connected and turned on, press ROUTE to display the Route screen.
This display indicates the SVideo (Y/C) and R/L audio connections from IN 2 are routed to Channel B.

Press NEXT/X where X is the channel (A, B, C, or D) TO WHICH you want to route the signals. MXPro highlights the channel you select.

MUTE

The following instructions explain how to change the video routing for channel B from the S-Video (Y/C) connection on IN 2 to the Composite connection on IN 2.

Press LEFT ARROW. Note that the S highlight (for S-Video, or Y/C) under IN 2 moves left to highlight the V (Composite Video) option. To route other inputs to different channels, press NEXT/X, where X is the channel to which you want to route. Then repeat the preceding step. Press ROUTE again to exit from the Route screen.

Running the Demo

The Demo gives you a quick look at some of MXPros important features and assortment of transitions. Press SHIFT+DEMO. You should see the two sources alternating, with a variety of transition effects in between. Press any key to stop the Demo whenever you want.

Quick Start

Cutting Between Sources

13

Cutting Between Sources

Press CUT/A.

COLOR

CUT

When you press one of the cut buttons, the small light below the buttons glows steadily to indicate it is the CURRENT source. When you press one of NEXT buttons, the small light above that buttons blinks to indicate it is the NEXT source.

NEXT A B C D COLOR

The light below the A button comes on and the Output monitor displays the signal from whatever device is plugged into the inputs labeled IN 1. The yellow highlight above preview image A tells you it is the currently active input. Press CUT/B. The light below the B button begins ashing (indicating B is both the CURRENT and NEXT source) and the Output monitor displays the signal from whatever device is plugged into the inputs labeled IN 2. The yellow highlight above preview image B tells you it is the currently active input. If you have anything plugged into IN 3 or IN 4, press CUT/C and CUT/D, respectively, to display their signals.

Borders and Solid Color Backgrounds

Press CUT/COLOR. MXPro highlights the speaker, headphone, or color block above the channel indicator, but does not show the channel letter. The Output monitor shows a solid color screen. To change the color, press BG COLOR. Each time you press the button the color changes in the background color sample and at the Output. Continue pressing the button until you see a color you like. You can also dene a border color and style to use at the edge of most transitions and PIPs. Press BORDER COLOR and the color around the background color sample shows you the new choice. Press BORDER STYLE to select from different styles for the border.

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Videonics MX-Pro User Guide

Setting up a Transition
To set up a transition you need to select the sources you want to use and the transition you want to use when switching between them. Heres how to transition from source A to source B using a horizontal wipe. Press CUT/A to set A as the CURRENT source. MXPro shows a steadily glowing light below the CUT button you press. Press NEXT/B to set B as the NEXT source (the one you want to see after the transition nishes running). The LED light above the button you press ashes to indicate it is the NEXT source. Use the ARROW keys to highlight the Wipe transition in the Transitions Menu, as shown in the following example. Use LEFT and RIGHT ARROWs to move the selection horizontally. Use UP and DOWN ARROWs to move the selection vertically: or, press 2 then OK to select the transition by number.

Selected Transition

The screen shows: The CURRENT source (A), the NEXT source (B), and the desired effect (the horizontal wipe).

Running Transitions
You can run transitions automatically or manually. Automatic Transitions Press PLAY. MXPro runs the transition at a pre-determined speed. MXPro transitions between the two sources using the horizontal wipe transition. Both the Preview and Output screens show the results.
PLAY

At the end of the wipe, B is on the OUTPUT monitor it has become the CURRENT source. The yellow highlight above the preview images has changed to reect that. Furthermore, A is now the NEXT source and the green highlight has been changed to A. To wipe back and forth between sources A and B, press PLAY repeatedly. To change the speed at which a transition runs, press the SPEED button. The Speed indicator under the transition icon changes. Press the button again until the desired speed appears. 0 is the slowest speed, 9 is the fastest.

Speed

Try this with various speeds: Change the speed and press PLAY.

Quick Start

Using CUT Transitions

15

Manual Transitions Use the TAKE BAR to run transitions and control their speed and direction. Set up the transition as you would normally. However, instead of pressing PLAY, simply move the T-BAR. The transition begins running as soon as you move the T-BAR. You can even move back and forth by moving the T-BAR in different directions. Give it a try!

Using CUT Transitions

Most video productions use simple cuts a majority of the time. To cut between any two sources (for example, you could cut from A to C to COLOR to D), use the CUT buttons. Theres a quick way to cut back and forth between two sources (such as A to B to A to B) using just the PLAY button, instead of having to alternate between two CUT buttons: Press 0 to select transition 0, a simple cut. Press PLAY again and again. A solid color screen can be used as if it were a separate source. Press the NEXT/ COLOR button and run any transition, or press CUT/COLOR.

Choosing Transitions
The Preview screen contains the Transitions Menu. This menu contains icons and other information for all MXPro transitions. A blue highlight indicates the transition selected for the next transition. Select Transitions in the following ways: ARROW keys Simply use the arrow keys to highlight the desired transition. NUMBER keys MXPro assigns a unique number to every transition. The number appears below the transition icon on the PREVIEW screen (in the following example, the checkerboard transition is number 29). You can use the number to select a transition. (When you select/highlight a transition in the menu, MXPro shows the transitions speed and direction. At this point, the transition number is no longer visible.)

Transition Number 29 Enter 106 using the number keys (press 1, then 0, then 6), then press OK to highlight the transition icon. MXPro replaces the current Transitions Menu and shows the one that contains the transition you selected. Press PLAY.

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Chapter 2

Videonics MX-Pro User Guide

Using Transition Categories

MXPro categorizes transitions into ve major groups User, Basic, Edges, Trailing, and Shapes. You can access any category at any time by pressing one of the Transition Category buttons.

USER

BASIC

EDGES

TRAILING

SHAPES

When you press one of the buttons, the content of the Transitions Menu (see The Preview Screen on page 11) changes. Press the TRAILING button. The Transitions Menu display a completely different set of transition icons. Use the ARROW keys to highlight a transition youd like to see run, then press OK. Press PLAY or use the T-BAR to run the transition. The USER transition category is slightly different from the others. It originally contains a default set of transitions, each of which also exists in the other categories. You can tailor the content of the USER category to your specic needs and preferences. Youll learn more about this in later chapters.

Other Features
Refer to the rest of this User Guide to learn about the many additional MXPro features, including: Using the DISPLAY button to change the content of the Preview screen. Freeze the picture. Separately control the sound. Apply input effects, such as mosaic, paint (posterization), negative, and more. Use chroma key to combine parts of one picture with parts of another. Compose your own pictures, made up of several stills, color rectangles, and a moving picture. Rearrange the inputs so A, B, C, and D, and their audio channels come from different rear panel jacks. Memorize a sequence of transitions and play them back.

3
Installing MXPro

This chapter explains how to install (or, set up) MXPro to use with other equipment. Major topics include: Understanding Sources and Output Understanding Preview and Program monitors Understanding the MXPro connectors Identifying Cables and Adapters you might need Installation Examples Installing a Microphone

If you are upgrading from the Videonics MX-1, see Appendix E, Information for MX-1 Users, for information that will be helpful setting up your equipment.

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Chapter 3

Videonics MX-Pro User Guide

SOURCES AND OUTPUT

Source and Output refer to the way you use devices with MXPro. You can simultaneously connect up to four source devices and two output devices to MXPro.

00:00

Source

Source

Source

Source

Output

Output

Source A source is an input device. Each source provides a video signal, audio signal, or both. You use MXPro to combine and (optionally) animate these signals. Output An output is a device on which you record and/or broadcast a signal. The signal might contain video, audio, or both. This signal is often a mix of signals coming into MXPro from one or more of the sources. The output device might be a VCR with an optional monitor attached, or it might be a live broadcast.

Installing MXPro

Preview and Program Monitors

19

PREVIEW AND PROGRAM MONITORS

MXPro designates monitors as either Preview or Program to indicate how a particular monitor may be used. This manual uses the following pictures to distinguish between the two monitors.

Preview Monitor

Program Monitor

Preview Monitor
The Preview monitor is your working monitor. Most of the time it contains controls for managing Source and Output devices. For example, it shows miniature versions of images coming from the attached VCRs and camcorders. The Preview monitor also shows a menu of transitions and other effects from which you can choose. See Using the Preview Screen beginning on page 35.
CAUTION

The Preview monitor must be a Composite device. Do not attempt to connect any other type of monitor to the PREVIEW OUT jack on the MXPro rear panel.

Program Monitor
The Program monitor shows the production exactly as recorded on the output device or displayed in a live video environment. The Program monitor shows the program complete with transitions and other effects. You normally connect the Program monitor to the output device. The Program monitor can be either a Composite or S-Video device.

Number of Monitors
You can operate MXPro with only one monitor connected to the Preview out. However, to greatly simplify your work you should have at least two monitors one Preview and one Program. Instructions in this manual assume you have separate Preview and Program monitors.

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Chapter 3

Videonics MX-Pro User Guide

UNDERSTANDING MXPRO CONNECTORS

To properly set up MXPro, you need to know how and where to connect external components such as VCRs, camcorders, and so forth. You use cables to connect video devices to MXPros rear panel. See Cables and Adapters on page 23. Remove MXPro from its package and set it so you can see the rear panel. Refer to the panel and the illustration on page 21 while reading this section. The MXPro rear panel has numerous connectors and they vary by type. You can connect input sources in any combination up to a maximum of four. You can process just the video signal from a device, just the audio signal, or both. You can connect two separate output devices to MXPro. You might, for example, direct one output to a recording device and the other to a live broadcast. Note the labels associated with each and every connector on the MXPro rear panel. POWER An electrical power connector. Use the power cord and adapter in the MXPro package to connect the unit to an electrical outlet. VIDEO IN (Y/C) Connect S-Video sources to these connectors. VIDEO IN Connect Composite sources to these connectors. AUDIO IN Connect audio devices to these connectors. Each set of connectors has L (Left) and R (Right) jacks for stereo input. SeeAudio Connectors on page 24. There are a total of six output connectors one Preview, two Composite, two S-Video, and a Headphones jack. PREVIEW OUT Connect a Composite video monitor to this jack. You cannot use an S-Video monitor as Preview. This monitor serves as your visual interface with MXPro: its where you do most of your work. OUT Y/C Connect an S-Video output device. You record productions on this device, use it to display a live broadcast signal, or both. OUT Connect a Composite output device. Same as above, but use this connector if your output device is composite-type. AUDIO OUT Connect a suitable audio cable from this jack to the audio input on your output device. CONTROL (GPI) Connect a General Purpose Interface (GPI) device to this jack to control the MXPro from an external device or remote location. See Using a GPI Device beginning on page 126. HEADPHONES See Using Headphones on page 25.

Installing MXPro

MXPro Rear Panel

POWER

OUT Y/C S-Video

AUDIO OUT Left and Right

POWER

1 VIDEO IN (Y/C)

2 L 1 R 2 AUDIO IN 3 4 R L DIGITAL VIDEO IN (FUTURE UPGRADE) PREVIEW OUT OUT (Y/C) OUT L AUDIO OUT R R L CONTROL (GPI)

1 3 4

VIDEO IN

Understanding MXPro Connectors

VIDEO IN (Y/C) S-Video

VIDEO IN Composite

AUDIO IN Left and Right

PREVIEW OUT Composite

OUT Composite

CONTROL (GPI)

21

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Power Connector
The MXPro package contains the required Transformer and Power Cord for the unit. Male Socket Power Adapter Plug Transformer
WARNING!

Female Plug Male Plug Power Cord

Use only the power cord and transformer provided in the package. Do not use this power cord and transformer with any other equipment. Failure to observe these conditions can damage your equipment and void your warranty.

Procedure To connect the power cord and transformer:

1 2 3 4

Connect the Female Plug on the Power Cord into the Male Socket on the Transformer. Connect the Male Plug on the Power Cord to a suitable power outlet. Connect the Power Adapter Plug on the Transformer cord into the Power connector on the MXPro rear panel. Turn the MXPro Power Switch (located on the right side of the unit) to the ON position.

Installing MXPro

Cables and Adapters

23

CABLES AND ADAPTERS

To connect video devices to MXPro you need specic types of cables. You might also need one or more adapters, depending on your equipment. Look closely at the jacks on the MXPro rear panel and note that they accept RCA Composite or S-Video connectors.

RCA Composite

S-Video (Y/C)

Before connecting any device to the MXPro, make sure the cable you are using has the right type of tting for the jack you intend to use.
WARNING!

When making connections, always connect the OUT from one device to the IN on the other device. NEVER connect OUT to OUT or IN to IN.

OUT

IN

IN

OUT

OUT

IN

IN

OUT

Microphones

You can connect a microphone to any MXPro input jack, but you need a special adapter to make the connection. The type of adapter needed varies depending on the type of microphone you want to use. If you do not have the adapter you need, take your microphone to a local electronics supply store to make sure you select the correct adapter.

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Audio Connectors To connect a stereophonic audio device to MXPro, you need two separate audio cables one for the Left channel and one for the Right. To connect a monaural audio device you need a Y-Adapter cable. Connect the single end of the adapter to the line input or output on the device. Connect the two remaining ends to the Left and Right channel inputs or outputs on the MXPro rear panel. The Y-Adapter cable does not provide stereophonic audio. It simply directs the mono signal to or from both MXPro channels. You can also connect a mono audio device using a single cable. Connect one end to the line in or out on the audio device, then connect the other end to either the Left or Right MXPro channel connector using the IN 3 set of inputs (only IN 3 can be congured for mono). Once connected, use the MXPro ROUTE function to specify which connector (Left or Right) you used. See Route beginning on page 77.

INSTALLATION EXAMPLES
This section shows examples of two common MXPro congurations, but does not describe every possibility. Before proceeding, study the following diagram (MXPro Installation Concept) that shows overall conguration concepts. MXPro Installation Concept Channel A Channel B SOURCES Channel C
FONT

Channel D
LETTER OUTLINE BORDERS BACKGROUND EFFECTS

POWER DEMO

FONT & SIZE

STYLE

COLOR

PATTERN

COLOR

PATTERN

COLOR

STYLE

COLOR

PATTERN

IN

OUT

copy

move

mark start

mark end

00:00

tab

Q
caps lock

shift

X
accent

C
PLAY

.
1 2

/
new page

cmd

page index

IN IN

IN IN

MXPro

OUT
EH DA HP NO SE

Headphones
OUT

Program

OUT

Preview

Output

You can have up to four separate audio/video input sources. MXPro designates them as sources A, B, C, and D. You can use any mix of devices as necessary to complete your work so long as they are valid MXPro devices. For example, you can use VCRs, VTRs,

&

* "

delete

2 W

6 T Y

9 I O
n

0 P
:

=
}

undo

U
H u

[ ;
"

] '
new line

\
OK

posn

K
<

L
>

page up

shift

page down

PLAY

Installing MXPro

Correlating Input Sources to MXPro Jacks

25

camcorders, laserdisc players, satellite tuners, broadcast tuners/receivers, character generators (CGs), video-equipped computers, and audio devices (such as a CD player or tape deck). MXPro sends the output signal to a recording device (such as a VCR) and/or a Program monitor. A second monitor, Preview, can be used to display preview images of all input sources. The Preview monitor also displays the on-screen controls you use to operate MXPro.

Correlating Input Sources to MXPro Jacks

IMPORTANT INFORMATION

As stated above, MXPro designates your input sources as A, B, C, and D. However, if you examine the jacks on the MXPro rear panel youll see they are labeled 1, 2, 3, and 4. Initially, there is a direct correlation between the letter and number designations: jack 1 corresponds to source A, jack 2 corresponds to source B, jack 3 to source C, and jack 4 to source D. You can re-route inputs to other channels. For more information, see Route beginning on page 77.

Using Headphones
To use headphones, connect them to the Headphone jack, which is located on the right end of the unit, near the power switch. The jack accepts standard stereo headphones with a miniature plug however, output is monaural (a mix of right and left channels), not stereo. If your headphones have a large plug, you need an adapter to switch it to a miniature plug.

VCR Selector Switches

Many VCRs have an input selector switch that routes between Line (or AUX, EXT, A/V, or S) and Tuner. Here are some examples.
AUX SC TUNER S-VHS LINE TUNER

SOURCE SELECT TV / LINE

INPUT SELECT CAMERA EXT TUNER AUDIO 2

If you have such a switch on a device, set the switch to Line. Some VCRs have more than one VIDEO IN jack (for example, one might be Composite and the other S-Video). Set the switch to match the jack you are using as the connector to MXPro.

General Notes
When connecting video and audio outputs from source devices, most of the time youll probably connect to corresponding jacks on the MXPro rear panel. For example, if you connect the video to the VIDEO IN jack labeled 1, youll most likely connect the audio to the AUDIO IN jack also labeled 1. However, this is not a requirement. You might use non-corresponding jacks for example, you might connect the video from one source to VIDEO IN 1 but connect the audio from the same source to AUDIO IN 2 if you want to control the audio and video separately.

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Live Broadcast Conguration

This conguration is useful in a live broadcast environment.

1 2 3 4 5 6

Connect the VIDEO OUT from Camera 1 to VIDEO IN 1 on the MXPro rear panel. Connect the AUDIO OUTs from Camera 1 to AUDIO IN 1 on the rear panel. Connect the VIDEO OUT from Camera 2 to VIDEO IN 2 on the MXPro rear panel. Connect the AUDIO OUTs from Camera 2 to AUDIO IN 2 on the rear panel. OPTIONAL Connect an audio source (CD player, tape deck, or microphone) to AUDIO IN 4 on the MXPro rear panel. Connect a Composite-type monitor to the PREVIEW OUT jack on the rear panel. OPTIONAL Connect a GPI trigger device to the GPI CONTROL on the MXPro rear panel. OPTIONAL Connect a Character Generator (CG) to the OUT Y/C jack on the rear panel. With this conguration you can superimpose titles from the CG atop the output signal.

Connect a recording VTR to the OUT Y/C jack on the rear panel. If you are using the optional Character Generator (described above), connect the output from the CG to the VTR input.

8 9

Connect an Output Monitor to the recording VTR so you can see the signal being recorded. Connect the Power Cord and Transformer to the MXPro rear panel. See Power Connector on page 22 for instructions.

Use the Route function (see page 77) to make sure your devices are directed to the correct MXPro channels.

Installing MXPro

Live Broadcast Conguration

4 1 2 3

Preview Monitor

POWER

1 VIDEO IN (Y/C)

2 L 1 R 2 AUDIO IN 3 4 R L DIGITAL VIDEO IN (FUTURE UPGRADE) PREVIEW OUT OUT (Y/C) OUT L AUDIO OUT R R L CONTROL (GPI)

1 3 4

VIDEO IN

6 9
Live Broadcast Conguration

Program Monitor

27

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Post Production Conguration

This conguration is useful in a Post-Production environment where you mix two or more programs together.

1 2 3 4 5

Connect the VIDEO OUT from VTR 1 to VIDEO IN 1 on the MXPro rear panel. Connect the AUDIO OUTs from VTR 1 to AUDIO IN 1 on the rear panel. Connect the VIDEO OUT from VTR 2 to VIDEO IN 2 on the MXPro rear panel. Connect the AUDIO OUTs from VYR 2 to AUDIO IN 2 on the rear panel. OPTIONAL Connect an audio source (CD player, tape deck, or microphone) to AUDIO IN 4 on the MXPro rear panel. Connect a Composite-type monitor to the PREVIEW OUT jack on the rear panel. OPTIONAL Connect a Character Generator (CG) to the OUT Y/C jack on the rear panel. With this conguration you can superimpose titles from the CG atop the output signal.

Connect a recording VTR to the OUT Y/C jack on the rear panel. If you are using the option Character Generator (described above), connect the output from the CG to the VTR input.

7 8

Connect an Output Monitor to the recording VTR so you can see the signal being recorded. Connect the Power Cord and Transformer to the MXPro rear panel. See Power Connector on page 22 for instructions.

Use the Route function (see page 77) to make sure your devices are directed to the correct MXPro channels.

Installing MXPro

Post Production Conguration

4 3

Preview Monitor

POWER

1 VIDEO IN (Y/C)

2 L 1 R 2 AUDIO IN 3 4 R L DIGITAL VIDEO IN (FUTURE UPGRADE) PREVIEW OUT OUT (Y/C) OUT L AUDIO OUT R R L CONTROL (GPI)

1 3 4

VIDEO IN

Post Production Conguration

Program Monitor

29

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USING A MICROPHONE WITH MXPRO

This section explains how to connect a microphone to MXPro. You need the following equipment: Professional quality microphone Microphone cable (male-XLR to female-XLR connectors) An audio Direct Box (which you can purchase from any professional audio equipment dealer) A 1/4 inch (Phone Jack) to RCA cable A female RCA to dual-male RCA Y Adapter

Procedure To connect a microphone:

1 2 3 4

Using the microphone cable, connect it to the XLR (balanced) input on the Direct Box. Plug the 1/4-inch-to-RCA cable into the 1/4-inch (unbalanced) output on the Direct Box. Attach the RCA Y adapter to the 1/4-inch-to-RCA cable. Plug the two male ends of the RCA Y Adapter into the Channel 4 R and L audio inputs on the MXPro rear panel.

To control the volume of the microphone, use the Background Music slider on the Audio Mixer screen (see Using the Audio Mixer beginning on page 118).

4
Basic Operations

This chapter describes several basic MXPro operations, including: Starting and stopping MXPro Using the MXPro keyboard Using the Preview screen Using CURRENT and NEXT sources Selecting Sources Using the VIDEO/AUDIO selector Cutting Between Sources Working with Color Using Backgrounds Using Borders

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STARTING AND STOPPING MXPRO

Press the Power switch to start or stop MXPro. The switch, located on the right-end of the unit, is a rocker-type switch. Also power on or off all sources and output devices.

UNDERSTANDING THE KEYBOARD

Use the MXPro keyboard to control how the unit operates. The better you understand all of the functions available from the keyboard the better your results. This section briey describes the button groups and, in some cases, individual buttons and controls. Additional information appears throughout this User Guide. Some of the following descriptions provide a reference to the page where you can nd details. Refer to the illustration on the next page while reading this material.

1 2

T-Bar (or, Take Bar) Use to manually control the way transitions run. See Chapter 5, Transitions. Function Buttons Provide immediate access to built-in functions, including DISPLAY, SETUP, ROUTE, LEARN, COMPOSE, PIPS, AUDIO MIX, and FREEZE. You can also access the built-in demo using these buttons. See Chapter 7, Functions, for details. Source Selectors Use to select the CURRENT (CUT) and NEXT sources for a production. Normally, you select the CURRENT and NEXT sources, select a transition to use between the two, then run it. For example, you might select a camcorder as one input source (CURRENT) and a VCR as the other (NEXT). You then select a transition, such as a dissolve or wipe. When you reach the point in the CURRENT source where you want to change to the NEXT source, press PLAY or use the T-BAR to instruct MXPro to play the transition. The CURRENT source becomes the new NEXT source, and the old NEXT source becomes the new CURRENT source. (See Using CURRENT and NEXT Sources beginning on page 38.) Use the COLOR buttons to create solid colored backgrounds and other effects. (See Working with Colors beginning on page 42.) Video/Audio Selector Determines whether VIDEO, AUDIO, or both VIDEO and AUDIO are affected when you run a transition. When set to VIDEO, the video changes but the audio does not. When set to AUDIO, the audio changes but the video does not. When set to both, the video and audio both change. See Using the Video/Audio Selector on page 40. Joystick Provides an easy way to make ne adjustments to various components. For example, when using PIPs the joystick positions the various picture elements on the screen when using color correction, use the joystick to adjust the color. The joystick has other uses youll learn about in later chapters. Power Switch and Headphone Jack These two components are located on the right-hand side of the unit, not on the top. The Power Switch is a rocker-type switch for turning the unit on and off. The Headphone Jack provides a means for connecting a set of headphones to the unit. Transition Category Buttons Gives you immediate access to the ve, major categories of transitions, including USER, BASIC, EDGES, TRAILING, and SHAPES. All MXPro transitions fall into one of these categories. After pressing a button, you can search through the transitions in that category to nd the one you want to use. See Transition Categories and Menus beginning on page 52.

Basic Operations

MXPro Keyboard 6 2
A B C D COLOR

3 4
VIDEO

MX Pro

DIGITAL VIDEO MIXER - TBC

SHIFT-DEMO CUT DISPLAY

SETUP NEXT AUDIO

ROUTE

COLOR

LEARN

INPUT EFFECTS

7
COMPOSE USER BASIC TRAILING EDGES SHAPES PIPs
REVERSE

B&W

COLOR CORRECT

1
AUDIO MIX
SPEED

B&W NEG

COLOR NEG

FREEZE 4
BG COLOR

POSTERIZE

CHROMA KEY

13

FLIP
BORDER COLOR

FLIP

9 MOSAIC STROBE OK SHIFT

PLAY
BORDER STYLE

8 9 10

11

12

14
Understanding the Keyboard

33

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Play Button Press to invoke the next command, complete with transition if specied. In other words, set up your CURRENT and NEXT sources, select a transition, then press PLAY at the moment you want MXPro to perform the step. Control Buttons Use these buttons to reverse transition direction, change transition speed, specify background and border colors, and set border styles.

10 Numeric Keypad Use for various functions, such as entering the number of a transition you want to use, setting a precise speed for a transition, and so forth. 11 OK Button Generally used to indicate to MXPro that you have completed some operation and want the unit to prepare for or perform it accordingly. 12 SHIFT Button A modier key that invokes special functions when used in conjunction with other keyboard keys. 13 Arrow Keys Primarily used for selecting effects and functions. For example, use the arrow keys to highlight a transition you want to use in the Transitions Menu. 14 INPUT EFFECTS Buttons Provides access to effects you can apply to input sources. The light below the INPUT EFFECTS button glows when MXPro is in Input Effects mode. See Chapter 6, Input Effects, for more information.

Basic Operations

Using the Preview Screen

35

USING THE PREVIEW SCREEN

The Preview Screen is your control center for MXPro operations. This section describes individual items on the Preview screen. The Preview screen appears on the monitor attached to the MXPro PREVIEW OUT jack. Preview Monitor and STANDARD Preview Screen Active Source Highlights Input Source Previews Color Selector

Selected Transition

Transition Number

Transitions Menu
Note

MXPro always processes the output at the highest possible quality. The Input Source Previews, however, appear in reduced quality because MXPro must reduce the images to t the smaller window. Playback of the images is also of reduced quality because MXPro must do a lot of additional work to play them. This becomes more evident when you display multiple moving images because MXPro must do even more work to handle all of the images simultaneously. What you see on the Preview screen is not indicative of what gets recorded or displayed on the output.

Changing the Display Conguration

Press the DISPLAY button to repeatedly cycle through ve different congurations for the Preview screen, or use the shortcut key indicated for each: STANDARD as shown above (SHIFT+1). TWO CHANNEL Shows only enlarged CURRENT and NEXT Input Source Previews and the rst two rows of the Transitions Menu (SHIFT+2).

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Videonics MX-Pro User Guide FULL Displays only the Input Source Preview windows, each in a larger size. Transitions Menu not displayed (SHIFT+3). NEXT Displays full-screen image of the NEXT input source. Transitions Menu not displayed (SHIFT+4). CURRENT Displays full-screen image of the CURRENT input source. Transitions Menu not displayed (SHIFT+5).

See Display beginning on page 73 for examples of these congurations. Unless stated otherwise, this guide assumes you are using the STANDARD preview.

Input Source Previews

A small, preview image from each input source appears in a separate window. Use the previews to direct the action, position cameras, nd a particular sequence on a video tape, and so forth. The preview images do not show Input Effects (see Chapter 6, Input Effects).

Active Source Highlights

You can have up to four input sources. MXPro labels the sources A, B, C, and D. (There is also a fth, built-in source the mixers own background color generator.) All transitions start with one source, called the CURRENT source, and end with another, called the NEXT source. Colored highlights help identify one video source from another. Yellow highlights the CURRENT video source (above the preview image), and green highlights the NEXT video source (below it) Some sources provide audio only, others provide both video and audio. The speaker icon (rather than a colored highlight) indicates the CURRENT and NEXT audio selections. The headphones icon identies the channel to which the headphone output is currently directed. In addition to the highlights described above, indicator lights between the CUT and NEXT buttons indicate the currently selected video sources.
A B C D COLOR

CUT

NEXT A B C D COLOR

Indicator Lights A steady light identies the CURRENT video source. A blinking light identies the NEXT video source.

Brief descriptions of the Transitions Menu, Highlights, and Indicators follow. For more detailed information, see Chapter 5, Transitions.

Basic Operations

Color Selector

37

Color Selector
The Color Selector shows current choices for background color, border color, and border style. The selector shows the actual colors, and also shows the numeric values associated with each. This example shows a background color 5, border color 7, and border style 5. Background Color Border Style Border Color If you turn off the border (that is, set the border style to zero), the border color swatch and number do not appear in the Color Selector.

You can cycle through all available colors for each component using the BG COLOR, BORDER COLOR, and BORDER STYLE buttons. See Working with Colors beginning on page 42.

Transitions Menu
The Transitions Menu shows up to 30 transitions at a time. MXPro groups the 500+ available transitions into distinct categories. To access any transition category, press the appropriate Transition Category button.

USER

BASIC

EDGES

TRAILING

SHAPES

See Transition Categories and Menus beginning on page 52 for more information. Use the ARROW keys to navigate through the transitions in the current menu. If a category contains more transitions than can appear in the Transitions Menu at one time, continue pressing DOWN ARROW or UP ARROW to scroll the other transitions into the menu. When the transition you want appears in the Transitions Menu, use the ARROW Keys to select (or, highlight) it.

Selected Transition
When you select a transition in the menu, MXPro highlights it in blue. It also shows the current speed and direction for the transition. In this example, speed is 5 and the direction is forward (as indicated by the arrow). You can change the speed at which a transition runs, and you can also change the direction in which it runs. See Adjusting Transitions beginning on page 58.

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USING CURRENT AND NEXT SOURCES

The concept of CURRENT and NEXT sources is fundamental to MXPro operations. As you go about creating productions, you always have a CURRENT and NEXT source.
Example

Suppose you want to create a sequence of transitions from Kongs thoughtful gaze to footage of a ghter plane contemplating take off and, nally, a shot of Stonehenge for a mystic closing.

CURRENT

NEXT

Source A

Source B

Source C

Procedure To identify the CURRENT and NEXT sources:

1 2 3

Begin with the footage of Kong staring thoughtfully upward. Press CUT/A to make this (Source A) the CURRENT source. Press NEXT/B to make the ghter plane (Source B) the NEXT source. Select a transition to use when switching from the CURRENT to NEXT source, such as a right-to-left wipe. Use the ARROW keys to highlight the transition in the Transitions Menu. See Selecting Transitions beginning on page 56 for details.

Roll the CURRENT source to the spot where the transition should run, then press PLAY. Immediately upon completion of the transition, MXPro makes the CURRENT source (Kong) the NEXT source, and makes the NEXT source (the ghter plane) the CURRENT source.

Tip

You can use this automatic swapping of CURRENT to NEXT and vice versa to your advantage. When you want to cut back and forth between only two sources, the automatic swapping always selects the next source for you. For this procedure, however, you need to make Stonehenge the NEXT source so that when transitioning out of the ghter plane, Stonehenge comes on screen.

Basic Operations

Selecting Sources

39

Press NEXT/C to select Stonehenge as the NEXT input source.

CURRENT

NEXT

Source A

Source B

Source C

Select a transition to use this time to switch from CURRENT to NEXT source, such as a slow dissolve. The CURRENT source (the ghter plane) continues running, and being sent to the output device. To transition to Stonehenge, hold down the SHIFT button and move the T-BAR to the top of its slot, then drag it down at whatever speed you want the dissolve to happen. The T-BAR and the PLAY button run the same transition, except that the T-BAR lets you manually control the speed at which the transition runs.

SELECTING SOURCES
Now that you understand the distinction between the CURRENT and NEXT source, you need to know how to select sources for each. Use the CUT and NEXT buttons on the MXPro keyboard to select sources.
A B C D COLOR

CUT

Use to select CURRENT source

NEXT A B C D COLOR

Use to select NEXT source

Use the CUT buttons to select the CURRENT source. The four buttons labeled A, B, C, and D correspond directly to the Input Source Previews on the Preview Screen (see page 36) and to MXPros four channels. Use the COLOR button to select a solid color background rather than an image coming from a source device (see Using Color Backgrounds on page 43). When you press any CUT button, the indicator light below that button glows steadily. After selecting the CURRENT source, use the NEXT buttons to select the NEXT source. The buttons are labeled the same as the CUT buttons. When you press any NEXT button, the indicator light above that button ashes.

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USING THE VIDEO/AUDIO SELECTOR

VIDEO

The VIDEO/AUDIO selector controls which parts of the input signal get used from any given source. You can set the VIDEO/AUDIO selector to any of three positions VIDEO only, AUDIO only, or both. Press the button as required to turn on the Video, Audio, or both lights. VIDEO Video changes, audio does not. AUDIO Audio changes, video does not. BOTH Audio and Video both change. Many sources (such as pre-recorded video tapes) carry both video and audio signals. Other input sources (such as a compact disc player) carry only audio signals, and some sources carry only video signals.

AUDIO

Example

You are producing a documentary on hot air ballooning. You want to over-dub the video footage of hot air balloons with a narrative audio track. Using the VIDEO/AUDIO selector you can process only the video from the VCR and combine it with the audio from an audio tape containing the voice-over material.

Procedure To do this type of mixing:

1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9
Note

Connect the VCR to one of the MXPro inputs on the rear panel such as set number one. Connect the audio tape deck to a different set of inputs such as set number two. Press CUT/A to select the VCR input. Press the VIDEO/AUDIO selector until only the VIDEO light is on. Press CUT/B to select the audio deck input. Press the VIDEO/AUDIO selector until only the AUDIO light is on. Press CUT/A to make it the CURRENT source, then press NEXT/B to make it the NEXT source. Start both input devices rolling. Press PLAY to begin outputting the program.

To designate any part of a signal with the VIDEO/AUDIO selector, an input device must be set up accordingly. For example, to process only the audio signal from a video tape in a VCR, the VCRs audio output must be connected to MXPros audio input jacks. See Chapter 3, Installing MXPro, and also see Route beginning on page 77.

Basic Operations

Swapping Sources

41

SWAPPING SOURCES
This section discusses common ways to switch between source devices.

Simple Cuts
To switch to a specic source, press the CUT button for that source. The CUT buttons cause the switch to occur almost immediately. For example, press CUT/A to immediately switch to that input. You dont need to press PLAY or use the T-BAR when you use the CUT buttons. To immediately switch to a colored background, press CUT/COLOR. MXPro displays the currently selected background color on the output. Set the background color to the color you want before pressing CUT/COLOR. See Working with Colors beginning on page 42 for further instructions. When you perform a cut, the Preview screen shows the cut, then holds the picture for a moment so you can see the result on both the Preview and Program monitors. You dont have to wait for the Preview screen to reappear you can switch to a different source whenever you want.

Swapping Between Two Sources

To switch back and forth between two sources (for example, A to B to A to B, and so on), use the PLAY button to automatically switch between the two.
Tip

When using this back-and-forth switching process, you might nd it helpful to use the TWO CHANNEL mode for the Preview screen. See Display beginning on page 73.

Procedure To switch sources using this method:

1 2 3

Press the CUT button for the source with which you want to begin for example, press CUT/A. Press the NEXT button for the other source for example, press NEXT/B. Use the ARROW keys to highlight and select a transition, or enter the transition number on the numeric keypad. When you need a very quick switch between sources such as when doing a live broadcast of two individuals debating use the Cut transition (zero).

4 5 6

Roll the input sources. To run the transition, press PLAY. At this point, MXPro switches the sources source A becomes the NEXT source, and source B becomes the CURRENT source. To switch between sources A and B, press PLAY again.

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WORKING WITH COLORS

Common uses for color include solid colored backgrounds and colored borders around objects. So, you need to know how to choose colors and identify those youve chosen. MXPro gives each color a unique number ranging from 0 (zero) to 9. The following table denes these colors and their code numbers. Table 3: Default Colors and Numbers
Code Color Code Color

0 1 2 3 4

Blacka White Gray Red Yellow

5 6 7 8 9

Green Bright Blue Light Blue Purple Medium Blue-Green

a. You cannot modify Black (color code 0).

The maximum number of colors in the MXPro palette is ten. You can change nine of the ten colors. You cannot change Black.

Identifying Colors
Background Color

Border Style

The Color Selector appears in the upper-right corner of the Preview screen. It indicates colors selected for the background and borders as well as border style. The inner-most rectangle shows a sample of color assigned to the background as well as the color number. The border around the rectangle shows both the current border style and color and their associated color and style codes.

Border Color

Basic Operations

Using Color Backgrounds

43

Using Color Backgrounds

Colored backgrounds have many uses. For example, to dissolve to a solid black background when transitioning out of the CURRENT source, hold the black for a moment or two, then dissolve from the black background into the NEXT source.
Tip

Use the solid color background to lay down ten seconds of Black at the beginning of your video. Transition into and out of solid colored backgrounds basically the same way as transitioning between sources. The difference is that you must select the background color you want to use before running the transition. Procedure To make the selection:

1 2

Press BG COLOR until the color you want appears in the Color Selector. To immediately cut to the colored background, press CUT/COLOR. To transition into the colored background, press NEXT/COLOR, then press PLAY or use the T-BAR to switch to the colored background.

Changing Colors and Styles

Use the BG COLOR, BORDER COLOR, and BORDER STYLE buttons to change colors and styles. In each case, press the button repeatedly to cycle through all of the available options for that particular setting.
BG COLOR

The following sections describe the BG COLOR, BORDER COLOR, and BORDER STYLE buttons.

BORDER COLOR

BORDER STYLE

Procedure If you already know the color number of the color you want to assign:

1 2

Press and hold either BG COLOR or BORDER COLOR, depending on which you want to change. Enter the color number on the numeric keypad. For example, press and hold BG COLOR, then press 6 to specify bright blue.

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Creating Custom Colors

You can change any color other than Black (see Table 3 on page 42) to create custom colors. You cannot add more colors, but you can change the existing ones. Once you create a custom color, it stays permanently in the MXPro unit until and unless you change it again. BG COLOR and BORDER COLOR share the color palette. Therefore, changing any color affects both the background and border colors. Procedure To create a custom color:

1 2

Press BG COLOR or BORDER COLOR until the color you want to change appears in the Color Selector. Press LEARN+BG COLOR or LEARN+BORDER COLOR (depending on which one you want to change). These key combinations activate Learn Color mode. MXPro blinks the VIDEO/ AUDIO selector lights to indicate you are in the proper mode.

Use the JOYSTICK and T-BAR in combination to dene the new color.

a b

Move the T-BAR up and down its slot to adjust luminance. Move the JOYSTICK relative to its color ring to adjust chrominance (or, color value).
Red Yellow Magenta

Green Cyan

Blue

When the color you want appears in the Color Selector, press OK. You exit from Learn Color mode and the VIDEO/AUDIO lights cease blinking. If you decide you dont want to change the color after manipulating the JOYSTICK and T-BAR, press SHIFT+0 (zero) to revert back to the original color. MXPro restores the original color and exits from Learn Color mode (the VIDEO/ AUDIO lights cease blinking).

Basic Operations

Using Borders

45

USING BORDERS
Borders have many uses, such as providing a distinct separation between two sources while running a transition.

Wipe Transition No Border

Wipe Transition White Border

You can also use borders to frame images in a picture-in-picture (PIP) image, and so forth. Whatever purpose you use a border for, you can specify the color and style for the border.
Note

For the two following procedures, note that not all border styles can be applied in all cases. Single PIPs as well as Edge and Shape transitions accept any border style. Basic transitions accept only color borders. You cannot apply border styles to Trailing transitions, nor can you use them in Compose or Multi-PIP modes.

Procedure To specify border color: Repeatedly press BORDER COLOR to cycle through the available colors. The Color Selector shows the current color. Press BORDER STYLE+0 (zero) to immediately turn off the border. Procedure To specify border style: Repeatedly press BORDER STYLE to cycle through the available styles. The Border Style indicator in the Color Selector increments by one each time you press the button. You can specify ten different styles (0 through 9).

Table 4: Border Styles (Defaults)

No. Result Notes

0 1-3 4-6

Border and Edges Off Soft Edge Border Colored Border Use LEARN+UP/DOWN ARROW keys to soften and harden border edges. LEARN+RIGHT/LEFT ARROW keys adjust border thickness. LEARN+UP/DOWN ARROW keys soften the border. LEARN+ARROW keys reposition drop shadow.

7-9

Drop Shadow Border

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Changing Border Styles

This section explains how to specify different edges, color borders, and drop shadows to use in conjunction with border styles. Procedure To change a border style setting

While the Preview screen is displayed, enter BORDER STYLE+# where # can range from 1 to 9 (inclusive) and is the number of the border style you want to change, as shown in Table 4, Border Styles (Defaults), above. Select the shape or edge to which you want to add a border or shadow by selecting an appropriate transition.

Tip

Try using transitions 300-305 for edges and 554-562 for shapes.

3 4
Tip

Move the T-BAR to its mid point. Press LEARN+BORDER STYLE to select a soft edge, color border, or drop shadow

Make note of the border style number you are changing for future reference. You can also use PIP to select and modify border styles for shapes.

Use LEARN+ARROW KEYS (as indicated in Table 5, Keys for Changing Border Attributes, below) to specify what you want to change thickness, softness, or position. Return the T-BAR to its full up or full down position.

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Changing Border Styles

47

MXPro automatically stores the border style so that it is available until and unless you change it again. Table 5: Keys for Changing Border Attributes
Function Key Combination

Toggle through Soft Edges, Color Border, and Drop Shadow Soft Edges Increase Softness Decrease Softness Color Border Increase border width Decrease border width Increase border softness Decrease border softness Drop Shadowa Move shadow Right Move shadow Left Move shadow Up Move shadow Down

LEARN+BORDER STYLE

LEARN+UP ARROW LEARN+DOWN ARROW

LEARN+RIGHT ARROW LEARN+LEFT ARROW LEARN+UP ARROW LEARN+DOWN ARROW

LEARN+RIGHT ARROW LEARN+LEFT ARROW LEARN+UP ARROW LEARN+DOWN ARROW

a. Drop Shadows created for edges do not translate well to shapes, and vice-versa. Therefore, you should specify one set of drop shadow styles for shapes and another for edges.

Notes

5
Transitions
Using too many transitions of varying styles can be like taking a rollercoaster ride after eating a nine-course meal messy and unpleasant.

MXPro contains over 500 transitions from which you can choose. Furthermore, you can manually control any transition to change the way it works, thereby creating your own versions of the supplied set. Transitions artistically switch from one scene to the next in a production. MXPro transitions range from simple cuts, dissolves, and wipes to sophisticated zooms, y-ins, and ips. You can change the speed (either manually or automatically) at which transitions run, and run them in reverse. Combine these features for many different variations. In this chapter youll learn about: Basic transition concepts what is a transition and how to use it Transition Categories and Menus Selecting Sources to use during Transitions Selecting Transitions Adjusting Transitions Running Transitions

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BASIC TRANSITION CONCEPTS

Transitions create on-screen effects used when switching from one source to another (that is, one scene to another). The most basic type of transition is the cut, where the rst frame from the NEXT source immediately replaces the last frame from the CURRENT source. Cuts produce abrupt changes. Other types of transitions use special effects to produce a smoother, more artistic change from one source to the next. The following illustration shows a horizontal wipe transition.
CURRENT Transition in Progress NEXT

a
Note

When discussing transitions, we use the letters a and b to differentiate the beginning scene (a) from the ending scene (b). These letters often appear in the transition icons to indicate the direction in which the transition travels. These letter indicators have no relationship to the A, B, C, and D letters used to differentiate between MXPro channels. The following basic steps explain how to run a transition with MXPro. Each step is described in more detail later in this chapter. Procedure To run a transition:

1 2

Display the CURRENT source on the output screen. For example, press CUT/A to make A the current source. Select the NEXT source the one you want to appear on the output following the transition. For example, press NEXT/B to make that the next source.

Highlights above and below the source previews indicate CURRENT and NEXT sources, respectively.

3 4 5

Select a transition to use. For example, press the BASIC Transition Category button, then select a wipe transition from the menu. Prepare the sources (such as VCRs and camcorders) and let them roll. At the right moment, use either the T-BAR or the PLAY button to run the transition.

Transitions

Basic Transition Concepts

51

As you can see, you rst set up the transition, then execute it. Nothing happens until you use the T-BAR or PLAY button to run the transition. So, you set everything up, then run the transition at the precise moment you want it to occur. As soon as one transition nishes, immediately set up the next one so that all you have to do is press PLAY or use the T-BAR to proceed. You can select the CURRENT source, the NEXT source, and the transition in any order, and change them as many times as necessary before actually running the transition. At the completion of the transition, the CURRENT and NEXT sources swap places that is, CURRENT becomes NEXT, and NEXT becomes CURRENT. CURRENT NEXT

Before

CURRENT

NEXT

After

At this point, you can do one of the following: Leave the CURRENT and NEXT sources as they are and switch back and forth between them; or, Select a new NEXT source and, optionally, a new transition, then repeat the process.

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TRANSITION CATEGORIES AND MENUS

To help manage the 500+ transitions, MXPro separates them into ve logical categories User, Basic, Edges, Trailing, and Shapes. Use the Transition Category buttons to access the different categories. Transition Category Buttons

USER

BASIC

EDGES

TRAILING

SHAPES

When you press a Transition Category button, MXPro displays the transitions available in that category in the Transitions Menu*. The content of the menu differs depending on which category you select. However, the menus have a common structure and always appear in the same place. The content of the Transitions Menu differs depending on the Category selected.

Transitions Menu

Note

* The Transitions Menu does not appear when you work with the FULL, CURRENT, or NEXT Preview screen. See Display beginning on page 73 for more information. Use the ARROW keys to navigate the Transitions Menu. If the category contains more transitions than can appear in the menu at one time, use the UP and DOWN ARROW keys to scroll through them. You can scroll through only those transitions in the current category. MXPro color codes the transition icons in the menu: Basic Edges Trailing Shapes White Blue Yellow Red

Transitions

Basic Transitions Category

53

Basic Transitions Category

This category includes common transitions, such as wipes and dissolves. The transitions in this category are color coded White. See page 132 for samples of the icons in this category. MX-1 Compatibility If you are upgrading to MXPro from the Videonics MX-1 Video Mixer, the transitions in the Basic category are the same as the MX-1. MXPro provides a set of hot keys that directly correspond to the MX-1 Effect buttons. Using the hot keys (in the following table) causes the MXPro Preview screen cursor to appear at the beginning of each section within the Basic (MX-1) category. Table 6: MX-1 Compatibility Hot Keys
MX-1 Function MXPro Hot Key

Fades and Dissolves (Positions cursor at transition 160) Wipes (Positions cursor at transition 30) Zooms (Positions cursor at transition 188) Flips (Positions cursor at transition 210)

SHIFT+BASIC SHIFT+EDGES SHIFT+TRAILING SHIFT+SHAPES

Edges Transitions Category

These transitions move a curved or jagged edge across the screen when transitioning to a different picture source. Transitions in this category are color coded Blue. See page 137 for samples.

Trailing Transitions Category

The transitions in this category leave a trail of images on the screen as a change occurs. The trailing images go away once the transition nishes. Transitions in this category are color coded Yellow. See page 138 for samples.

Shapes Transitions Category

These transitions occur as a wipe in the shape of a geometric object, such as a heart, a ve-pointed star, a circle, and so forth. Transitions are color coded Red. See page 139 for samples.

User Transitions Category

Its unlikely youll use all of the available transitions but it is likely that youll have a limited set you use most of the time. With this in mind, MXPro makes it easy for you to access your favorite transitions by creating your own personal menu the User menu. MXPro comes with a default set, but you can add and remove them to tailor the User menu to your preferences and needs.

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During production planning, determine which transitions you want to use, then set up the User category to contain those transitions. This gives you quick, immediate access to the transitions you intend to use without having to search through the other categories. See the following section (Changing User Transitions Menu) to learn how to tailor the menu to your preferences.

CHANGING USER TRANSITIONS MENU

The rst time you power up MXPro and press the USER Transitions Category button, the default transitions appear in the menu. The default set contains a variety of transitions from the other four categories, as dened by Videonics at the factory. If you are satised with the default set, there is no need to change them. The USER category does not contain distinct transitions that is, all transitions in the USER category actually exist in other categories (Basic, Edges, Trailing, and Shape). Think of the USER category as a collection of references to other transitions. You can change as many transitions in the USER menu as you want. Procedure To change a transition in the User menu:

1 2

Decide which transition you want to add to the USER category. Refer to Appendix A, Transitions List, for a list of valid numbers and their associated transitions. If necessary, press DISPLAY to set the Preview screen to STANDARD or TWO CHANNEL mode. In the other Preview modes (FULL, CURRENT, or NEXT), MXPro does not display the Transitions Menu. See Display beginning on page 73.

3 4 5 6

Press the USER Transition Category button to display the menu on the Preview screen. Use the ARROW keys to highlight the transition you want to replace in the USER category. Enter the number of the transition you selected in step 1, above. You can enter the number of any transition from any category. Press OK.

Restoring Default User You can easily restore the default set of transitions in the User category. Transitions Procedure To restore the default set of transition to the User menu:

1 2

If necessary, press the USER Transition Category button to display that menu on the Preview screen. Enter SHIFT+0 (zero). This restores the default set of transitions for this category.

Transitions

Selecting Sources to Use During Transitions

55

SELECTING SOURCES TO USE DURING TRANSITIONS

An important step in setting up a transition is to identify the CURRENT and NEXT sources. Use CUT and NEXT to choose the two sources. MXPro provides feedback in a couple of different ways to conrm your choices. Selecting Sources and Getting Feedback
A B C D COLOR

CUT

NEXT A B C D COLOR

The lights between the rows of CUT and NEXT buttons act as indicators. A steady light identies the CURRENT source (A) a ashing light identies the NEXT source (C).

Yellow highlights the CURRENT source (A)

Green highlights the NEXT source (C)

MXPro identies the CURRENT source by a yellow highlight on the Preview screen and a steady light beneath the corresponding CUT button. It identies the NEXT source by a green highlight on the Preview screen and a ashing light above the corresponding NEXT button. If you make CURRENT and NEXT the same source, the source light (between the two rows of buttons) ashes as though it were just the NEXT source.

Setting the CURRENT Source

In many cases you dont need to select the CURRENT source because the ending source from the previous transition automatically becomes the new CURRENT source (see the diagram on page 51). However, if you want to change the CURRENT source, press the corresponding CUT button. For example, pressing CUT/D makes D the CURRENT source, and the Program monitor immediately displays Ds signal.

Setting the NEXT Source

To specify the NEXT source, press the corresponding NEXT button. For example, to make D the next source, press NEXT/D.

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SELECTING TRANSITIONS
To select a transition to use between the CURRENT and NEXT sources, do one of the following: Use the ARROW keys to select from the Transitions Menu on the Preview screen; or, Enter the transitions assigned number on the MXPro numeric keypad, then press OK.
Use ARROW keys to select a transition from the Transition Menu on the Preview Screen or Preview Screen enter the transition number on the keypad then press OK.
7 8 9

OK

Numeric Keypad

Note

When selecting from the USER category, you must always use the ARROW keys to select a transition from the Transition Menu on the Preview screen. Entering a transition number and pressing OK replaces the current transition with the one you select.

Using the Transitions Menu

The Transitions Menu appears just below the preview images on the Preview screen when you set the Preview to STANDARD or TWO CHANNEL mode (see Display beginning on page 73 for more information about Preview modes).
Blue highlights the selected transition

Each icon in the menu represents one transition.

Transitions Procedure

Using Transition Numbers

57

To select a transition from the Transitions Menu:

1 2

If necessary, press the appropriate Transition Category button to display the set of transitions containing the one you want. Use the ARROW keys to highlight the transition you want to use. Blue highlights the currently selected transition. Use the LEFT and RIGHT ARROWS to move the highlight horizontally. Use the UP and DOWN ARROWS to move the highlight vertically. When you reach the bottom row of icons in the current menu, press DOWN arrow to display additional transitions in the category, if present.

After highlighting the transition you want, press OK.

Using Transition Numbers

Every transition has a number assigned for reference and identication. The number appears in the Transitions Menu just below each transition icon.

The transition number in this example, number 14 Procedure To select a transition using transition numbers:

1 2

Enter the transition number on the keyboard. Press OK. To immediately play back the transition, press PLAY rather than OK.

Refer to Appendix A, Transitions List, for a complete listing of transitions and their assigned numbers. If you make a mistake entering a number, press OK, enter the number correctly, then press OK again.
Note

When you highlight a transition in a Transitions Menu, the highlighting obscures the transition number. The number below the transition icon represents the speed at which the transition plays. The following section, Adjusting Transitions discusses this.

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ADJUSTING TRANSITIONS
Every transition runs at a pre-set speed and direction. Symbols appear below the transition icon in the Transitions Menu indicating the current speed and direction. Transition Icon Transition Speed Transition Direction

Use the SPEED and REVERSE buttons to change the speed and/or direction of a transition. Transition Direction
REVERSE

Transition Speed
SPEED

BG COLOR

Note

When you change a transitions speed and/or direction, the change applies to all other transitions until you specically change it. For example, if you set the speed of the current transition to 4, all subsequent transitions run at this same speed until you again change the speed factor. This also applies to transition direction.

Changing Transition Speed

Transition speed values can range from 0 (slowest) to 9 (fastest). Procedure To change the transitions speed: Press SPEED. Each press increases the speed by one unit. Press SHIFT+SPEED to decrease the speed by one unit.

MXPro changes the Transition Speed indicator below the transition icon to the currently selected value. You can change the speed any time either prior to running the transition, or while it runs (which allows you to make adjustments on the y.)
Tip

To directly set the speed to a specic value, press and hold the SPEED button while entering a value from 0 to 9 on the numeric keypad.

Transitions

Changing Transition Direction

59

Changing Transition Direction

Transitions can run in two directions forward and reverse. If you use the PLAY button, transitions run, by default, in the forward direction. If you use the T-BAR, moving it up runs the transition forward; moving it down runs it in reverse. For example, a simple wipe transition might move a vertical border across the screen from right-to-left or left-to-right, replacing scene a with scene b.
Example

Suppose youre producing a video showing renovations to a building. Occasionally you want to go back and show how the building looked originally. When going back in time, use a wipe transition that moves from left-to-right. When going forward in time (to show the new modications), reverse the wipe so that it moves from right-to-left.

Procedure To reverse a transition: Press REVERSE. Remember, all transitions run in reverse until you press REVERSE again. Reverse has no effect on a simple Cut or Dissolve transition because reversing those transitions produces no visible result. MXPro changes the Transition Direction indicator below the transition icon to the currently selected direction. When the arrow points right, the transition runs in its normal direction. When the arrow points left, the transition runs in reverse.

Forward

Reverse

The Reverse function does not change the relationship between the sources. For example, a vertical wipe from source A to B moves from the top of the screen to the bottom, replacing source A with B. If you apply the Reverse function, source B still replaces A, but the transition wipes from the bottom of the screen to the top.
Note

Mosaic, dissolve, and trailing transitions work in only one direction at all times, including when you press FREEZE before running the transition.

Note

You cannot run Trailing-type transitions in a reverse direction. If you select a Trailing-type transition, then move the T-BAR from its up or down position, MXPro performs a simple dissolve (transition 160).

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Using Auto-Reverse Auto-Reverse automatically reverses the direction of transitions each time they run. In the previous building renovation example, you press REVERSE at the conclusion of each transition to alternate between left-to-right and right-to-left wipes. When you use Auto-Reverse, MXPro handles switching automatically. For example, if the transition is set to run from left-to-right, it automatically alternates between left-to-right and rightto-left each time it runs. Procedure To invoke the Auto-Reverse feature: Enter SHIFT+REVERSE.

With Auto-Reverse activated, MXPro displays a distinct arrow below the transitions icon in the Transitions Menu. To manually reverse the current direction even with Auto-Reverse activated, press REVERSE at any time.

Auto-Reverse Forward

Auto-Reverse Backward

Auto-Reverse remains active until you press SHIFT+REVERSE again to go back to oneway transitions. Auto-Reverse has no effect on dissolve and trailing transitions.

Transitions

Running Transitions

61

RUNNING TRANSITIONS
After selecting the CURRENT and NEXT sources and the transition to use, you can run the transition either automatically or manually. Use PLAY to run transitions automatically, when you want them to run smoothly and always the same way. Use the T-BAR to run transitions manually, when you want ne control over the way it runs. For example, you can make the transition speed up, slow down, or even reverse itself at any point.

Note

If you apply the strobe effect to a source, MXPro automatically turns it off while the transition runs (see Strobe on page 69).

Note

Running a Trailing-type transition to either the Color channel or a channel with no video source executes a simple dissolve (transition 160).

Running Transitions Automatically

Procedure To run a transition automatically at a predetermined speed:
PLAY

Press PLAY.

You can pause an automatic transition by pressing PLAY again. Each time you press the button, the transition alternately stops and starts until you nally allow it to nish. Although the transition pauses, the video continues to play.
Note

Compare this procedure with FREEZE function (see Freeze on page 83), which freezes the entire picture, transition, and video image.

Running Transitions Manually

Use the T-BAR to manually control transitions. You can change a transitions speed and reverse its direction. Operating the T-BAR The T-BAR operates as follows: Moving the T-BAR from the DOWN to UP position runs the transition forward. Moving the T-BAR from the UP to DOWN position runs the transition in reverse. Holding down the SHIFT button while moving the T-BAR disables T-BAR operation. Use this method to reposition the T-BAR without running a transition or effect.

Notes

6
Input Effects
Use Input Effects to alter the signal coming into MXPro from a source device. You can create many different effects by combining Input Effects.

Flip

This chapter describes MXPro Input Effects, which are available in the following button group on the MXPro keyboard.
INPUT EFFECTS

You can use Input Effects in the following ways: Apply input effects to any source. Combine as many different input effects as you want to create entirely new effects. Apply input effects to some, none, or all sources, in any combination.

B&W

COLOR CORRECT

B&W NEG COLOR NEG

You cannot use Input Effects:

POSTERIZE CHROMA KEY

With trailing transitions. With Multi-PIPs. In Compose mode.

FLIP

FLIP

MOSAIC

STROBE

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INPUT EFFECTS MENU

Press any input effects button to display the Input Effects Menu or, press the INPUT EFFECTS button. B&W B&W NEGATIVE POSTERIZE FLIP VERTICAL MOSIAC

MXPro does NOT update the preview images to show Input Effects

0 0 0 0 0 0 0
COLOR CORRECT COLOR NEGATIVE

0 0
FLIP HORIZONTAL STROBE

When you press one of the input effects buttons (such as POSTERIZE), MXPro automatically selects that effect in the menu. When you press the INPUT EFFECTS button, MXPro selects the rst item in the menu B&W.
Note

The menu does not contain an icon or settings for the Chroma Key option. When you press the CHROMA KEY button, MXPro takes you directly to the Chroma Key screen. See Chapter 10, Chroma Key, for details.

Input Effects

Special Key Combinations

65

Special Key Combinations

Use the following key combinations while working with the Input Effects menu. Table 7: Input Effects Mode Key Combinations
Key Combination Result

ARROW KEYS Numeric Keypad INPUT EFFECTS EFFECTS buttons

Moves cursor (or, highlight) between the different Input Effects. Directly sets the parameter value for the highlighted effect. Exits from Input Effects mode. Moves the cursor directly to that effect for example, press POSTERIZE to highlight that effect: press MOSAIC to highlight that effect: and so on. If the selected effect matches the currently highlighted one on the Input Effects menu, pressing the EFFECTS button increments the effects parameter value by one. Resets all effects to 0 (off) for the selected channel.

SHIFT+0 (zero)

When you are not working at the Input Effects menu, use the following key combinations. Table 8: Main Mode Input Effects Key Combinations
Key Combination Result

SHIFT+EFFECTS button SHIFT+INPUT EFFECTS

Increments the parameter value by one for the selected effect and applies it to the CURRENT source. Temporarily disables Input Effects from being sent to Program out. See the following paragraph.

When the Input Effects LED light is lit, Input Effects are enabled. MXPro applies the effects according to the parameter values for each effect. When you use the SHIFT+INPUT EFFECTS key combination to disable Input Effects, MXPro turns off the LED light. It does not change any effects parameter values, but it does prevent the current Input Effects from being used. Press SHIFT+INPUT EFFECTS again to enable them.

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USING INPUT EFFECTS

Input effects arent visible in the small Preview thumbnails. To make them visible:

1 2

Make the channel to which the input effects are applied the NEXT source. That is, press NEXT/A, B, C, or D. Press the DISPLAY button to display the NEXT Preview option (see Display beginning on page 73); or use the shortcut SHIFT+4.

Once you apply an input effect to a channel, it remains in effect at all times (even during transitions) until you specically change it, with these exceptions: Some effects do not apply to the foreground image while using PIPs, Chroma Key, and Compose. MXPro Color Correction turns off during transitions if it is enabled on more than one channel. See Color Correct on page 68 for more information. MXPro turns off Strobe during transitions. MXPro turns off all Input Effects during Trailing transitions.

With the exception of Chroma Key, each input effect has associated with it a parameter value. In some cases, the value can be either 0 (zero) or 1. In others, it can range from 0 to 9. The Color Correction option also works a little differently: see Color Correct on page 68. Procedure To apply a parameter value:

1 2 3 4 5

Press INPUT EFFECTS or one of the input effects buttons to display the Input Effects menu. If you havent already done so, use the ARROW keys or INPUT EFFECTS button to select the Input Effect to which you want to apply parameter values. Set the parameter value to 0 (zero) to turn it off, or to 1 to turn it on. Use one of the NEXT buttons to select the source to which you want to apply the effect. For example, press NEXT/B to apply the effect to channel B. Type the parameter value on the MXPro numeric keypad, or continue pressing the corresponding effects key until the parameter value you want appears in the menu. Press OK to exit from Input Effects mode.

MXPro stores the most recent set of input effects. Therefore, when you turn the unit off, then turn it back on again, the most recent selection of input effects is still active.

Input Effects

B&W

67

B&W
Changes the input picture to black and white. Removes all color from the image. Parameter Values Zero or one. 0 = Off: 1 = On

B&W NEG
Reverses all black and white values in the image. If applied to a color image, reverses all black and white values but does not change any color values in the image. Parameter Values Zero or one. 0 = Off: 1 = On

Note

To create a black and white negative effect, also turn on the B&W effect.

POSTERIZE
Reduces pictures continuous tones to fewer levels. Creates a painted look. Parameter Values Zero through nine. Zero turns off the effect. High values produce an extreme paint effect: low values create a subtle effect.

FLIP HORIZONTAL
Flips picture left-to-right, creating a mirror image. Parameter Values Zero or one. 0 = Off: 1 = On

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MOSAIC
Divides picture into tiles. Parameter Values Zero through seven. Zero turns off the effect. Low values create numerous, small tiles. High values create fewer, larger tiles. Highest values might make image difcult to recognize.

COLOR CORRECT
Adjusts overall color values throughout the entire image. You cannot, however, apply Color Correction to PIP tiles. You can set Color Correction values separately for each channel. Parameter Values Zero or one. 0 = Off: 1 = On
CAUTION

Apply Color Correction BEFORE going live or rolling tape. Because of the way MXPro implements Color Correction, the Program Output might be affected temporarily.

Procedure To use Color Correct:

1 2 3

Press COLOR CORRECT to display the Input Effects menu, or press INPUT EFFECTS then use the ARROW keys to highlight the Color Correct icon. Press the NEXT button that corresponds to the source you want to correct. For example, to apply color correction to channel C, press NEXT/C. Turn on the Color Correct option. That is, either press 1 on the keyboard, or press COLOR CORRECT so the parameter value equals 1. MXPro replaces the Input Effects menu with a preview of the color corrected image.

4 5 6

Use the JOYSTICK to adjust the RGB (Red, Green, and Blue) values in the image. Use the T-BAR to adjust the luminance of the image. When the image looks the way you want, press OK to exit from Input Effects mode.

Tip

When you apply Color Correction to only one channel, it remains On during all transitions. When you apply it to more than one channel, it turns Off while the transition runs, then back On again when it nishes. Use Cut transitions only when applying Color Correction to more than one channel.

Input Effects

Color Neg

69

COLOR NEG
Inverts all colors in the image. Parameter Values Zero or one. 0 = Off: 1 = On

CHROMA KEY
Chroma key replaces all occurrences of a color in an image with a different image. In this example, (1) the block of color in the rst image (the area behind Kongs head) gets replaced with the image of the Golden Gate Bridge (2). The resulting image (3) is Kong superimposed over the bridge. See Chapter 10, Chroma Key, for complete details.

1 3

FLIP VERTICAL
Flips picture top-to-bottom. Parameter Values Zero or one. 0 = Off: 1 = On

STROBE
Slows down the pictures video frame rate. Motion appears halting, or jerky like that produced by a strobe light. Parameter Values Zero through nine. Zero turns off the effect. Higher values increase the effect. Setting 1, for example, produces the look of lm: setting 2 makes video look like an old movie. All settings, except 1, temporarily disable strobe during transitions.

Notes

7
Functions
Route Menu Setup Menu

MUTE

This chapter describes the Function buttons, which give you access to MXPros built-in functions. The function button group contains eight buttons, but gives you access to more than eight functions.
SHIFT-DEMO

DISPLAY

SETUP

ROUTE

LEARN

COMPOSE

PIPs

AUDIO MIX

FREEZE

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DEMO
Press SHIFT+DEMO to run a demonstration of several MXPro transitions and other effects. Demo works in conjunction with the CURRENT and NEXT sources. (If you have one source selected as CURRENT and NEXT, the Demo works with that source only.) The Demo shows many of the effects you can produce with MXPro. The demo runs automatically and, upon reaching the end, starts over from the beginning. Procedure To run the demo:

Select the CURRENT and NEXT sources to use for input to the demo. To use a single source (such as channel A), press CUT/A and NEXT/A. To use two different sources (such as channels A and B), press CUT/A to make it the CURRENT source, then press NEXT/B to make it the NEXT source.

2 3
Tip

Press SHIFT+DEMO (or, SHIFT+DISPLAY) to start the demo running. To exit from the demo, press any key.

If you see a transition you like while the demo runs, immediately press any key to stop the Demo. When the Preview screen returns, the last transition run is highlighted in the Transitions Menu. Make note of the transition number then add it to your custom User Transitions Menu. See Changing User Transitions Menu beginning on page 54.

Running a Locked Demo

You can run the demo in locked mode, which prevents it being stopped by pressing any key on the keyboard. This might be useful for running the demo in a kiosk, a trade show, or anyplace where someone might interrupt it. Procedure To run the demo in Locked mode:

1 2 3

Complete step 1 described above. Press LEARN+DISPLAY to start the demo. To exit from the locked demo, press LEARN+DISPLAY again.

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DISPLAY
To control what appears on the Preview monitor, use the DISPLAY function. Press DISPLAY to cycle through the different display configurations. See samples of these configurations on the next page. The illustrations show the key combination you can use to directly access any display conguration. STANDARD Provides most extensive display. Shows preview images of all active input sources and a menu of up to 30 different transitions from which you can choose. TWO CHANNEL Displays preview images only for the CURRENT and NEXT sources. Preview images increase in size, but Transitions Menu shows only 20 transitions. FULL Divides preview screen into four sections. Each section shows a preview image of the currently active input sources. The Transitions Menu is not available. NEXT Displays only a full-screen preview image of the NEXT source. CURRENT Displays only a full-screen preview image of the CURRENT source. When you run a transition, the Preview screen shows a full-screen image, running at full frame-rate the same as the signal going through the output channel.

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Note

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For all examples on this page, assume source A is CURRENT and source B is NEXT. Input sources C and D show up only when using STANDARD or FULL options.

TWO CHANNEL SHIFT+2

FULL SHIFT+3

Flashing white border indicates CURRENT source, unless that source is the COLOR channel. NEXT SHIFT+4 CURRENT SHIFT+5

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Setup

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SETUP
The Setup functions control various aspects of the way MXPro operates, including Force Field Freeze, GPI Out Mode, Comb Filter, and Black Level. To access the Setup functions, press SETUP.

Force Field Freeze

1 0 1 1

Black Level (NTSC only)

GPI Out Mode Table 9: Setup Menu Navigation Keys

To do this function: Enter

Comb Filter

Notes

Select a menu option Enter specic option value

LEFT or RIGHT ARROW NUMBER keys

Wraps through all options If value entered is not valid, MXPro sets to nearest valid value.

Restore setup values to factory defaults. Exit from Setup menu

SHIFT+0 OK

Each channels setting can be different. Use the NEXT buttons to select the channel you want to affect. For example, to set options for channel C, press NEXT/C (MXPro highlights that channel on the Setup screen), then set the options as you want.

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Force Field Freeze

The Force Field Freeze option lets you specify whether you want MXPro to perform a frame or eld freeze. This option works in conjunction with the Freeze feature (see Freeze on page 83). Frame Freeze produces best quality, but it might produce a jittering effect when trying to freeze objects in motion. In such cases, use a Field Freeze Field Freeze MXPro freezes only every other line of the image. This produces a fast freeze, but image quality degrades somewhat. To use Field Freeze, set the Force Field Freeze option to 1. Frame Freeze MXPro freezes every line in the image. The freeze takes slightly longer, but the image quality matches the original because it uses all of the video signal. To use Frame Freeze, set the Force Field Freeze option to 0 (zero).

GPI Out Mode

This setting determines whether MXPro provides a GPI output to an external device, such as a character generator, thereby allowing you to trigger an external event based on an action from the MXPro. Set the value to 0 (zero) to use MXPro with an edit controller, such as the Videonics Edit Suite or Video ToolKit. Set the value to 1 to enable GPI output to trigger a Character Generator, such as the Videonics TitleMaker.
CAUTION

MXPro also accepts values 2 through 4 for this option. However, using any of these values might cause your equipment to malfunction and should not be used. See Using a GPI Device beginning on page 126 for relevant information.

Comb Filter
This option can be used in some cases to affect the quality of the video coming from and input source. Normally, you should leave this set at the default 1 or On. Change it only if asked to do so by a Videonics Customer Support Representative.

Black Level
Video equipment commonly uses one of two black level settings: 7.5 IRE The traditional black, which is the MXPro default setting. 0 IRE A darker black level favored by a variety of modern equipment.

To use the darker black (0 IRE) for the MXPro background and border colors, set Black Level to 0 (zero). If you are working with equipment that requires 7.5 IRE, set Black Level to 1.
Note

Black Level is not available on PAL versions of MXPro.

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Route

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ROUTE
The Route function has the following, primary purposes: Congure MXPro to match your equipment. Re-direct signals coming from an input device to different or multiple MXPro channels. Split the audio input on IN 3.

Conguring MXPro
MXPro ships from the factory with the following default options: Source Input 1s video and stereo audio are assigned to channel A, with the video signal routed through the S-Video connector. Source Input 2s video and stereo audio are assigned to channel B, with the video signal routed through the S-Video connector. Source Input 3s video and stereo audio are assigned to channel C, with the video signal routed through the S-Video connector. The audio inputs for Input 3 have a special feature. You can split the audio to two different channels. Then use the Route function to indicate which connector (Left or Right) you used. Source Input 4s video and stereo audio are assigned to channel D and the Background Music channel, with the video signal routed through the S-Video connector. The Background Music channel is permanently assigned to Audio Input 4 and cannot be changed. See Chapter 12, Working with Audio, for additional information.

Unless you tell MXPro otherwise, it assumes your sources are connected exactly as described above and shown in the following diagram.

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Default Settings for Route Function IN 1 routes to Channel A IN 2 routes to Channel B

POWER

1 VIDEO IN (Y/C)

2 L 1 R 2 AUDIO IN 3 4 R L DI

1 3 4

VIDEO IN

IN 3 routes to Channel C

IN 4 routes to Channel D

If your set up does not match the default options, you need to change the Route settings. For example, assume you have an S-Video VCR attached to the input jacks marked 1 (IN 1), and a Composite VCR attached to the input jacks marked 2 (IN 2). You dont need to change anything for the rst input because it matches the default settings. However, because the second source is a Composite device (rather than SVideo) you need to notify MXPro of this fact. Procedure To recongure Route settings:

1 2

Turn on both source devices and the Preview monitor. Start the source devices rolling. Turn on MXPro. The introduction screen appears on the Preview monitor and, after a moment or two, the Preview screen replaces the introduction.

Press ROUTE to display the Route menu.

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Conguring MXPro

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MXPro highlights the currently selected NEXT channel in this case, channel B. To select a different channel, press the corresponding NEXT button. For example, to select channel C, press NEXT/C. MXPro then highlights that channel in the menu.

MUTE

MXPro highlights the appropriate R, L, V, and/or S connectors in the corresponding diagram showing the current conguration for the current channel. Note above that channel B is currently selected. The IN 2 diagram indicates that the audio signals route to the Right and Left jacks and the video signal routes through the S-Video jack. This is the correct conguration for this source, so no change is necessary.

4 5

Press NEXT/A to select that channel. Press LEFT ARROW to highlight the V (Composite Video) option in the IN 1 diagram.

Channel A Selected

Channel A Settings

MUTE

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6 7
Note

Repeat this process (if required) for any and all devices in your conguration. When nished, press ROUTE to exit from the Route menu.

If you do not see the proper image previews on the Preview screen, it might be that your conguration is not set up correctly.

Re-directing Input Signals

Use the Route function to re-direct signals coming from source devices to different MXPro channels. This gives you the ability to create interesting special effects.
Example

After routing a single input device (such as a VCR) into both the A and B channels on MXPro, you can change the image to black and white at various times to add drama to the production by assigning the B&W Input Effect to channel B. When you want the scene to change to black and white, press CUT/B. When you want to switch back to the original, color version of the scene, press CUT/A. To carry this example further, suppose you also want to ip the image upside down, or apply a red tint to a hot scene, or use any other effect. You can route the input VCR through channels A, B, and C. The procedure is the same as above: just assign whatever effect you want to channel C, then cut (or use any transition) to display the effect. And, of course, you can also include channel D the same way you include the others.

Procedure To re-direct a signal to multiple channels: For this example, assume that the source device is properly set up for channel A that is, an S-Video VCR with stereo sound is directed to that channel. Your objective here is to set channel B so that it also receives the same signal from the same VCR at the same time.

1 2 3 4 5

Make sure the VCR is turned on. If necessary, turn on MXPro. Press ROUTE to display the Route menu. Press NEXT/B to select the B channel. Press LEFT ARROW or RIGHT ARROW as many times as necessary to highlight the V (Composite Video connector) option under the IN 1 diagram. This routes the video signal from the input 1 video jack to the B channel. Press the UP ARROW or DOWN ARROW as many times as necessary to highlight the R and L (Right and Left Audio) options under the IN 1 diagram. This routes the audio signal from the input 1 audio jacks to the B channel. The Route menu should look similar to the following when you complete these changes.

Functions

Routing Audio through Color Channel The Preview Image window for both the A and B channels should show the same source image.

81

The input signals (video and audio) connected to the MXPro inputs labeled 1 have now been directed through channel B.

MUTE

You can now apply whatever effects you want to the B channel. For example, to ip the image horizontally, go to the Input Effects menu and activate the Flip effect for channel B. During playback, alternately pressing CUT/A and CUT/B ips the image on the screen. You can apply any of the other Input Effects to channel B, or to any channel for that matter.

Routing Audio through Color Channel

You can route an audio signal through the Color channel. This is useful, for example, if you want to fade to a solid color and would like to have a corresponding audio source. Procedure To route audio through the color channel:

1 2

Press NEXT/COLOR to select the color channel. Make the proper settings for the appropriate IN options (1, 2, 3, or 4) for the audio source you want to use, the same way you select for the other channels.

Navigating the Route Menu

Use the LEFT and RIGHT ARROW keys to move the Video selector between the input diagrams IN 1, IN 2, IN 3, and IN 4. Use the UP and DOWN ARROW keys to move the Audio selector between the input diagrams. After cycling through all of the inputs, MXPro highlights the Mute option. With this option selected, MXPro mutes the audio for the selected channel.

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LEARN
MXPro Learned Script

The Learn feature consists of one or more Learned Environments. Within each Learned Environment you can create a Learned Script. In a Learned Script you teach MXPro about a series of transitions and edits you want to include in a production. This is similar to using an Edit Decision List (EDL), though not as exible or powerful. Once you activate the Learn feature, MXPro remembers each step you go through in preparing a production including all transitions, input effects, and other operations. Thereafter, you can play back this Learned Script to automatically perform all of the steps and functions it contains. See Chapter 11, Learn Mode, for further information.

COMPOSE
Use Compose to create screen images made up of several different graphic elements. For example, a composed screen might show two still images (polar bears in passionate embrace and Kong contemplating the meaning of the universe) placed atop solid colored rectangles and a solid colored background. With a character generator (or, titlemaker), you can also add text elements to composed screens and use the screen as subtitles or whatever need you might have. See Chapter 9, Compose.

PIPS
PIPs (Picture-In-Picture) let you combine images from separate sources and place them on the screen at the same time in separate windows (or, tiles). You have many options for arranging the PIP windows on the screen. See Chapter 8, PIPs.

AUDIO MIX
COLOR
+6 +3 0 -3 -6 -10

MIX

Use Audio Mix to adjust audio levels for any channel. See Chapter 12, Working with Audio.

-20

-30 -

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Freeze

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FREEZE
The Freeze effect immediately freezes the selected video source. You can freeze up to two video sources, then transition between them while retaining the freeze that is, the freeze stays in MXPros memory until you specically release it. This section describes the types of freeze effects you can produce with MXPro and how to use Freeze with transitions. You can also use the Freeze effect with the MXPro PIP and Compose features. Refer to Chapter 8, PIPs, and Chapter 9, Compose, for further information.

Field and Frame Freezes

You can freeze either a video Field, or a full Frame. Field Freeze Captures every other horizontal line of the video. This is ideal for capturing anything in motion. Frame Freeze Captures all horizontal lines, thereby producing a higher resolution (better quality) image. Use Frame Freeze when working with still images, such as photographs. Using Frame Freeze with images in motion normally produces jitter in the movie. MXPro captures using Field Freeze, by default. See Force Field Freeze on page 76 to learn how to change the default setting.

Major Freeze Functions

MXPro provides three major freeze functions: Freeze Current, Freeze Next, and Freeze During (Transitions). Freeze Current Freezes the image on the Program Output device. To freeze the video on the current source, press FREEZE. To unfreeze the video on the current source, press FREEZE again, or press the CUT button that corresponds to the current source.

Freeze Next Freezes the video on the Next source. This is useful for freezing an image, then transitioning to it. Procedure To use the Freeze Next function:

1 2 3

Enter SHIFT+4 to set your Preview monitor to Preview Next mode. To freeze the video on the Next source, enter SHIFT+FREEZE. To unfreeze the video on the Next source, do one of the following: Enter SHIFT+FREEZE, again. Press the NEXT button that corresponds to the Next source that is, the one below the ashing LED indicator near the top of the keyboard.

To unfreeze the Next source in Preview modes other than Preview Next, press any of the NEXT buttons A, B, C, D, or COLOR.

Freeze During Stops the current transition and freezes both the Current and Next video sources. (Transition) To restart the transition and unfreeze the Current and Next sources, press FREEZE or PLAY.

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Freeze Examples
This section discusses some common uses for the Freeze function. As you use MXPro over time, youll probably create many others ways to use this function. Single Source (A/A) When working with a single source, use the Freeze function to transition to or from the Editing second image. Procedure To use Freeze with Single Source Editing:

1 2 3

Route a video source to Channel A. Use the CUT/A and NEXT/A buttons to specify source A as both the Current and Next source. Press FREEZE to freeze the Current source. MXPro freezes the Current source on the Program monitor, and the Next source (on the Preview monitor) continues moving even though there is only one source.

4 5

Enter 1+PLAY to run a simple dissolve transition. The frozen image dissolves to moving video. Press NEXT/A to release the freeze on the Next source. If you want, repeat steps 3 through 5 to freeze and dissolve back and forth. The following steps explain how to transition from moving video to a still image.

6 7 8 9

Enter SHIFT+4 to select Preview Next mode on the Preview monitor. Enter SHIFT+FREEZE to create a still frame on the Next source. Enter 1+PLAY to dissolve from the Current moving video to the Next still image. Press FREEZE to release the freeze on the Current source.

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Freeze Examples

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Creating Still Montages You can use the Freeze function to transition between a series of still images to create a still montage. You can use anywhere from one to four sources. Procedure To create a still montage:

Route at least one video source to Channel A. Remember, you can use up to as many as four sources for this procedure. This example starts from a black screen, then transitions to a still image. Enter BG COLOR+0 (zero) to set the background color to black. Press CUT/COLOR to set the Color Channel as the Current source. You now have a black screen on the Program monitor. Press NEXT/A to set Channel A as the Next source. Enter SHIFT+4 to set the Preview monitor to Preview Next mode. Youre now ready to create and transition to the rst still image. Enter SHIFT+FREEZE to create a frozen image on the Next channel. Enter 1+PLAY to dissolve from black to the rst frozen image. The Next and Current sources swap positions. Youre now ready to select the second still image.

2 3 4 5 6 7

8 9

Press any NEXT button to release the freeze on the Next source and select a new source to freeze. Enter SHIFT+FREEZE to freeze the Next image.

10 Enter 1+PLAY to dissolve to the Next image.

To transition to other still images, repeat steps 8 through 10.

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Freeze and Transitions

The preceding examples used the dissolve transition to move between frozen images. You can use any MXPro transition to move between freezes, with the following exceptions: MXPro cannot perform a Trailing-type transition TO a frozen image. It releases the Next source prior to running the transition. MXPro can perform a Trailing-type transition FROM a frozen source to a moving source. However, it loses the freeze once the transition nishes. MXPro cannot compress frozen images. If you select a compression effect, MXPro automatically runs the selected effect without compressing the video; resulting in a wipe transition. To hold frame freezes, press SHIFT+4 (to set the Preview monitor to Preview Next mode) or SHIFT+5 (to set to Preview Current mode). In any other Preview mode, a Frame freeze reverts to a Field freeze once the transition begins to run.

8
PIPs

Single PIP

Multi-PIP

PIPs (Picture-In-Picture) provides a way to combine images on the same screen. For example, one image appears inside a small rectangle, and the other image lls the remainder of the screen, as shown by Single PIP, above. You can freeze the background or foreground, or make either one a solid color. You can create Single PIP congurations where two images appear on the screen at the same time. You can also create Multi-PIP congurations where up to sixteen images appear on the screen at the same time. Single PIP and Multi-PIP work differently. PIP images consist of a tile (the video image) and a mask (the window or shape through which the tile shows).

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SINGLE PIP
In a Single PIP conguration, one tile lls the background while another tile and its mask oat atop the background. The CURRENT source always serves as the background tile; the NEXT source always serves as the PIP image.

Background Tile from CURRENT Source

Foreground Tile and Mask from NEXT Source

Background Tile
The background tile always lls the entire screen. You can apply Input Effects (Strobe, Freeze, and so forth) to the background tile, or make the tile a solid color. You cannot otherwise change the background tile in any way.

Foreground Tile
You can manipulate the foreground tile and mask in different ways, such as: Position the tile anywhere on screen. Change the size and shape of the tile and its mask. Create a border around the tile. Reposition, resize, and otherwise change the mask without changing its corresponding tile.

Procedure To create and apply a Single PIP:

Assume the background image originates on input source A. Press CUT/A to make source A the CURRENT source. It serves as the background tile. If you want, instead, to make the background a solid color, press CUT/COLOR. See Using Color Backgrounds on page 43 to learn how to select colors.

2 3 4 5 6 7

Press PLAY to display the PIP on the Output. Assume the image of the Star Fighter originates on input C. Press NEXT/C to make source C the NEXT source. It serves as the foreground tile. Press PIPs to enter PIP mode. The Preview screen shows the background video with the foreground video inset in a small tile. Press NEXT/A, NEXT/B, NEXT/C, NEXT/D, or NEXT/COLOR to change the image in the PIP window. Press PLAY again to remove the PIP from the output. To exit PIP mode, press PIPs.

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Manipulating the This section explains how to change the position, size, shape, and so forth of the foreForeground Tile ground tile. In each case, do the steps after pressing PIPS, as described in the preceding steps. You can do any of these steps while the PIP plays on the Output. Table 10: Manipulating PIPs Tiles
To change tile Use or press Notes

Position
JOYSTICK SHIFT+ Moves tile around screen. Snaps PIP tile to correct aspect ratio, based on current horizontal dimensions. Snaps PIP tile to correct aspect ratio, based on current vertical dimensions.

SHIFT+

Size (Resizing the tile normally distorts the image it contains.)

T-BAR Dynamically resizes foreground tile and its mask. Use the T-BAR to manually zoom the image while maintaining correct aspect ratio. Increases the height of the foreground tile and its mask. Decreases the height of the foreground tile and its mask. Increase the width of the foreground tile and its mask. Decrease the width of the foreground tile and its mask. Restore PIP tile to default size, shape, and position.

UP ARROW DOWN ARROW RIGHT ARROW LEFT ARROW SHIFT+0 (zero)

Shape
SHAPES SHIFT+SHAPES n Cycles through available shapes for foreground tile. Cycles backward through shapes. Applies a specic shape to the tile, where n corresponds to the numbers shown in the shapes following this table.

Mosaic
SHIFT+OK+T-BAR Increases/decreases granularity of the mosaic.

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To select a shape, press the numeric key (0 through 9) that corresponds to the shape you want, as indicated below.

Manipulating the Mask The mask changes shape, size, and position when you change the corresponding attribute of the foreground tile. You can, however, manipulate the mask independently, as described in this section. Table 11: Manipulating PIPs Mask
To change mask Use or press Notes

Position
SHIFT+JOYSTICK Change mask position.

Style (Press keys repeatedly to cycle through available colors and styles.)
BORDER COLOR BORDER STYLE Change mask border color. Change mask border style.

Size
SHIFT+T-BAR SHIFT+UP ARROW SHIFT+DOWN ARROW SHIFT+RIGHT ARROW SHIFT+LEFT ARROW Change mask size. Increase vertical size of mask. Decrease vertical size of mask. Increase horizontal size of mask. Decrease horizontal size of mask.

Using Other Effects with Single PIPs

Input Effects You can apply any of the input effects (see Chapter 6, Input Effects) to the background and/or foreground tile. Apply the input effect(s) you want prior to entering PIP mode. The Freeze Effect You can apply the Freeze effect (see Freeze on page 83) to the background and/or foreground tile. Press FREEZE while in PIPs mode to freeze the background. Press FREEZE again to release the freeze effect. Press SHIFT+FREEZE while in PIPs mode to freeze the foreground tile. Press SHIFT+FREEZE again to release the freeze effect. When you exit PIPs mode, MXPro removes the freeze effect from the foreground source.

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MULTI-PIP
In a Multi-PIP conguration, as many as 16 separate images can share the screen at the same time, with each image inside a separate tile.

You can use any of the four input sources to provide the images that appear in the tiles. You might, for example, have the same image appear in eight of the tiles, and another image appear in the remaining eight tiles in a 16-tile conguration. You can choose from 9 different multi-PIP congurations by pressing the number keys shown in the following table. Table 12: Multi-PIP Screen Congurations
No. Conguration No. Conguration No. Conguration

When using congurations 1 through 4, the background always appears as a solid color. When using congurations 5 through 9, the tiles ll the entire screen, so there is no background. The following procedure explains when to specify which conguration you want to use.

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To create a Multi-PIP image such as the one shown above:

Assume the image of Kong originates on input source A. Press CUT/A to make source A the CURRENT source. It serves as the primary input. If you want, instead, to make the background a solid color, press CUT/COLOR. See Using Color Backgrounds on page 43 to learn how to select colors.

2 3

Assume the graphic of the word Kong originates on input C. Press NEXT/C to make source C the NEXT source. It serves as secondary input. Press SHIFT+PIPs to enter Multi-PIP mode. The Preview screen defaults to show conguration 1 (two horizontal tiles). One of the tiles has a ashing border to indicate it is the current tile. One tile shows the primary input Kongs head. If this is the Multi-PIP conguration you want to use, move on to the next step: otherwise

Press the number on the keyboard that corresponds to the PIP conguration you want to use. (See Table 12, Multi-PIP Screen Congurations, at the beginning of this section.) MXPro displays the conguration on the Preview screen.

Use the ARROW keys to move the ashing border to a tile where you want to display the secondary input source: or, press SHIFT+ARROW KEY to move to the beginning or end of a row or column. Press NEXT/C. Channel C, in this example, carries the video of the graphic word Kong. That image appears in the tile you selected in the preceding step. Repeat the two preceding steps for any other tile or tiles you want to carry the secondary input signal. You can direct any input signal (primary or secondary) to any tile. When the Preview screen looks the way you want, press PLAY to cut to the Multi-PIP on the output; or use the T-BAR to fade the Multi-PIP to the output. Press SHIFT+PIPs to return to the Preview screen.

6 7

8 9

Using Freeze Effect with Multi-PIPs

You can apply the Freeze effect (see Freeze on page 83) to any Multi-PIP tile. Procedure To use the Freeze effect with Multi-PIPs:

1 2 3

Use the ARROW keys to select a Multi-PIP tile. Press FREEZE. Press FREEZE again to release the effect.

9
Compose
A Composition consists of individual tiles placed on the screen. A Composition can contain up to 16 separate tiles and one background. Tiles can be solid color rectangles, moving video sequences, or still (frozen) images.

COMPOSE provides a way to create screens containing picture elements, solid colors, and rectangles. A composed screen consists of a background and one or more objects (called tiles) placed atop the background. The background lls the entire screen. Tiles can vary in size and appear anywhere on the screen.
IMPORTANT INFORMATION

You cannot save composed screens. Therefore, once you set up the composed screen the way you want it, you must immediately record or display it on the output device. If you move on to other functions without recording or displaying the composed screen, it is lost and cannot be recovered. MXPro provides a limited set of drawing tools in Compose mode to help you create backgrounds and tiles.

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BASIC COMPOSITION STEPS

This section explains the steps involved in creating the composition screen shown at the beginning of this chapter. Further details for each of the steps then follow.

1
Select the background. This example uses a still image of a mountain range. You can use still images, moving video, a solid color background, or color bars.

2
Create a solid color tile. This rectangle serves as a background for the next element and separates it from the main background image.

3
Create the next tile, which is a moving video of two polar bears jousting.

Create another solid colored tile. You might eventually use this tile as a background for a text title.

Create one last solid color tile, but make it long and thin so that it looks like a simple, wide line.

BACKGROUNDS
The background for a composition can be any of the following: A moving video sequence A still image (that is, a frozen frame from a video sequence) A solid color A set of color bars

As youll learn later in this chapter (under Creating a Composed Image), you must establish the background before entering Compose mode.

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FOREGROUND TILES
Creating Color Tiles and Lines
Color tiles can be rectangles of any size and shape. Colored lines are simply thin rectangles. You can create horizontal and vertical lines, but not diagonal ones. When you place a color tile on the screen, it can overlap other tiles. If the other tile is a color tile, the new tile obscures the previous one wherever they overlap. However, if the other tile is a moving video, the color tile does not cover any portion of the moving video. Once you create a color tile you can use BG COLOR to change its ll color. Tiles cannot have borders.

Creating Moving Video Tiles

A tile can contain video originating from any of the MXPro input sources. The tile can be a rectangle of any size. MXPro scales the incoming video to t within the tile, it does not crop the image. Having more than one moving video source in a composition (such as a moving video background and one or more moving video tiles) normally reduces the overall frame rate, incrementally. That is, the more moving video you have on the screen, the choppier each one looks during playback. When placing multiple moving video tiles on the screen, it is normally best if they do not overlap one another. When overlapping occurs, video in the common area ashes. When moving video tiles overlap on the screen, the common area ashes.

Creating Still Image Tiles

Still image tiles can contain a frozen image from any of the input sources.

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MANIPULATING TILES
You can place foreground tiles anywhere you want on the screen. You can set their size, ll them with color or images, and set their border characteristics.
IMPORTANT INFORMATION

Remember, once you place and dene a foreground tile you cannot change it. Placing the tile occurs once you move the Compose Cursor (or, rectangle) to any other position on the screen. Youll learn about the Compose Cursor in this section.

Positioning Tiles
When you press the COMPOSE button to enter Compose mode, MXPro shows your choice of background on both the Preview and Output monitors. MXPro also displays a ashing rectangle at the center of the Preview screen. This ashing rectangle is called the Compose Cursor. The Compose Cursor (a ashing rectangle) appears on the Preview screen when you enter Compose mode.

JOYSTICK positions Compose Cursor

Use the JOYSTICK to move the Compose cursor where you want it on the screen. You can also use the ARROW keys to make ne adjustments.

Sizing Tiles
You can make foreground tiles any size you want, from covering the entire screen to a thin horizontal or vertical line. Always establish the size of the tile before lling it with a solid color, moving video, or a still image. Use the SHIFT key in conjunction with one of the ARROW keys to adjust tile size. Enter SHIFT+0 (zero) to restore the tile to its default size.

SHIFT

SHIFT

SHIFT

SHIFT

Enter SHIFT+FLIP to reproportion the tile based on its current width. Enter SHIFT+FLIP to reproportion the tile based on its current height.

Compose

Composition Rules

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COMPOSITION RULES
Observe the following rules when creating compositions. Select and dene the image you want to use as the background before entering Compose mode. A composition can contain one background and anywhere from one to 16 foreground tiles. When you create a foreground tile that overlaps an existing solid color rectangle or still image, the overlapping portion erases whatever it overlaps.

The larger tile is drawn rst. When the second tile is drawn, it overlaps part of the larger one. The overlapping portion of the smaller tile erases that portion of the larger tile where the two overlap.

Reducing the size of a still or moving video image normally introduces minor pixel artifacts, thus reducing quality. Once you place (or, stamp) a foreground tile into place, you cannot move or change it. To use a composed image, you must record or display it on the output. There is no other way to save the composition. You cannot use composed screens in conjunction with Learn mode.

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CREATING A COMPOSED IMAGE

Procedure To create a composition:

Create or choose the background on the Preview screen. Do this before entering Compose mode because the CURRENT source at the time you enter Compose mode automatically becomes the background for the composition.

Solid Color Background Use the BG COLOR button to select the color you want. Then press CUT/COLOR or use a transition to make COLOR the CURRENT source. Moving Video Sequence Use the appropriate CUT button to make the desired input source the CURRENT one. For example, to use a moving video sequence from source C as the background, press CUT/C. Still Image Use the appropriate CUT button to make the desired input source the CURRENT one. For example, to use a frame from source B as the background, press CUT/B. When the frame you want to use as the still image appears on the Preview screen, press FREEZE to create the still image. Color Bars Press SHIFT+NEXT COLOR while in Compose mode to display color bars in the background. Input Effects Apply any Input Effects you want to use before entering Compose mode.

d e 2

Press COMPOSE to enter Compose mode. A full screen image of the CURRENT source (the one on the Output) replaces the Preview screen. The Compose Cursor appears on the Preview screen.

Tip

To use color bars as the background, enter SHIFT+NEXT COLOR now before creating foreground tiles.

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Playing the Composition

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3 4 5

Use the JOYSTICK or ARROW KEYS to position the Compose Cursor where you want it on the screen. Size the Compose Cursor to the size you want for the foreground tile. You can do the two preceding steps in either order. Press one of the NEXT buttons to ll the tile with whatever color or image you want.

Solid Color Background Press NEXT/COLOR to ll the tile with the currently selected color. To specify a different color from the one currently selected, press BG COLOR until the color you want lls the tile. To create a custom color for the tile, press LEARN+BG COLOR, then use the JOYSTICK and T-BAR to create a new color. Press OK when the tile color is the one you want.

Moving Video Sequence Press the appropriate NEXT button to select source A, B, C, or D. If the dimensions of the tile and video do not match, the video appears distorted. Frozen Image Fill the moving video tile with the image you want, then press FREEZE.

c 6 7

Repeat steps 3 through 5 until your composition is complete. Use the PLAY button or T-BAR to send your composition to the Program.

PLAYING THE COMPOSITION

Procedure To play a composition on the output device: Press PLAY or use the T-BAR. Moving the T-BAR from the top-to-bottom in its slot transitions the composition to Program. Moving it from bottom-to-top dissolves out. Pressing PLAY produces a cut from the CURRENT source to the composed screen using the T-BAR produces a dissolve. Pressing PLAY or using the T-BAR again lets you switch back and forth between the CURRENT source and the composed image.
Note

If you cut to any source or exit from Compose mode, your composed screen will be lost and cannot be recovered.

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EXITING FROM COMPOSE MODE

Remember, if you do not record your composed image to the output device before exiting Compose mode, your composed image will be lost and cannot be recovered. To exit from Compose mode, press COMPOSE.

10
Chroma Key
Using Chroma Key you can combine two completely separate images to create a composite image that might be impossible to create any other way.

Youve probably seen the Chroma Key effect used in television weather reports. The weather person stands in front of a blue screen (a solid blue background) and the weather map then keys onto the background from some other source. CHROMA KEY combines two sources to create a composite image. 1 One source has a solid colored background, such as a blue screen. 2 The other source can be any video image.

The Chroma Key effect replaces the solid colored background in the rst image with the video signal from the second image. The second image replaces the background only where the designated color appears.

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This chapter explains how to prepare footage for use with the Chroma Key feature. Of course, screen images appear in grayscale in this book.

Background Footage Chroma Key Footage

Keyed Footage

The Background footage shows trafc moving along a freeway or highway. The Keyed footage, specially prepared, shows our intrepid hero ying against a solid colored background. The Chroma Key footage is the result of combining the Background footage and Keyed footage using the MXPro Chroma Key feature.

PREPARING THE BACKGROUND FOOTAGE

Preparation of the Background footage does not require anything special. It might be footage of automobile trafc taken from a bridge.
Tip

The more unusual or dramatic the Background footage the greater the nal effect of the Chroma Key.

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Preparing the Keyed Footage

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PREPARING THE KEYED FOOTAGE

Preparation of the Keyed footage presents a challenge. It is the most important and most difcult step, because the solid colored background is so crucial to the success of the illusion. To achieve the required background requires, in most cases, special props, lighting, and other materials. In this example, we placed our ying hero atop a platform centered on the set. Heres how the footage used in this example was prepared: Uniquely colored fabric was draped over the back, sides, and bottom of the set. The same fabric was used to wrap completely around the platform on which we posed our ying hero. When choosing the fabric color, it was important to try and select a fabric that did not contain any of the colors in our ying heros wardrobe. A professional studio would most likely use a blue screen in place of the colored fabric. Blue screen paint is a very unique color that minimizes (though might not eliminate) glaring and shadowing. Key lights and ll lights were positioned so as to minimize glare and shadows during lming. Light bouncing off an area produces different shades of the background color. Likewise, shadows also produce varying shades. The key to successful Chroma Keys is to reduce as much as possible the colors in the background. The use of lighting lters, umbrellas, lighting stands, and similar tools can make a tremendous difference in the quality of the Chroma Key as well as the amount of post production work you must do to produce the exact illusion you want. Several test shots were made, then lighting was adjusted, the actor was repositioned, and so forth, until the optimum results were produced. Final footage was then shot.

PREPARING THE CHROMA KEY FOOTAGE

With the Background footage and Keyed footage recorded and available, youre ready to combine them into the Chroma Key effect. The following steps assume that source A is the Background footage (the trafc sequence) and source C is the Keyed footage (the ying hero). Procedure To prepare the Chroma Key footage:

1 2 3 4

If necessary, turn on MXPro and all sources. Start both sources (A and C) rolling. Select the Background footage as the CURRENT source that is, press CUT/A. The image appears on the Program monitor. Select the Keyed footage as the NEXT source that is, press NEXT/C.

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Press CHROMA KEY to activate the effect. The Preview screen displays a fullscreen picture of the Keyed footage from source C. A cursor (a small ashing circle) appears atop the image.

Chroma Key Cursor

Once you activate Chroma Key it stays in effect until you specically deactivate it (which youll learn to do later in this procedure). To change the selected color or colors for the Chroma Key, press SHIFT+CHROMA KEY. This instructs MXPro to discard the current set of colors so you can specify different ones.

Use the JOYSTICK or ARROW keys to move the cursor so that it is directly over the area that contains the color to key out that is, to specify the area in which the other video source is going to play. Press OK. Those areas in the picture that match the color under the cursor get replaced by the background source.

If you need to include other colors in the keyed-out area, repeat the two preceding steps. You can repeat the steps as many times as necessary to key-out the entire background. To remove the last keyed color change, enter SHIFT+0 (zero). To ne-tune the keyed color, use SHIFT+ARROW KEY.

b c

If you arent able to successfully isolate the background from the subject, you might have to re-shoot the scene using a background of a different color or, you might just need to change the lighting to eliminate glare and shadows. Cancelling the Selections If you need to start over, you can cancel all of the chroma key selections made thus far by pressing SHIFT+CHROMA KEY, as explained above.

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Performing the Chroma Key

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PERFORMING THE CHROMA KEY

When the Preview screen shows the desired chroma key results: Press PLAY. The Output monitor shows the Chroma Keyed image. Press PLAY again to cut back to the background source. You can also dissolve between the Background footage and the Chroma Key footage using the T-BAR, rather than pressing PLAY.

Using Freeze and Other You can apply Input Effects (including Freeze) to the Background footage, but not to the Input Effects Keyed footage. To apply the freeze effect, press FREEZE either before or after pressing CHROMA KEY or SHIFT+CHROMA KEY. To apply any of the other Input Effects, apply them to the CURRENT source before pressing CHROMA KEY. MXPro ignores effects applied to the NEXT source during Chroma Key.

Fine-Tuning Key Colors

You can ne-tune the chroma key effect so that more or less of the keyed footage gets keyed. You can separately adjust the range of colors and video brightness that get keyed. To adjust the brightness range, enter SHIFT+UP ARROW to increase the range of brightness values that get keyed, replacing more of the keyed footage with the background footage. Use SHIFT+DOWN ARROW to decrease the brightness range, reducing the portion of the image that gets keyed. To adjust the color range, enter SHIFT+RIGHT ARROW to increase the range of colors that get keyed, replacing more of the keyed footage. Use SHIFT+LEFT ARROW to decrease the range of key-colors, reducing the portion of the image that gets keyed.

Ending Chroma Key

When you nish using chroma key, press CHROMA KEY.

Notes

11
Learn Mode
MXPro Learned Script

In Learn Mode, MXPro remembers most of what you do, such as which transitions you used and how you used them. You can subsequently instruct MXPro to re-play those steps, at which time MXPro creates the production on the output device. The basic steps involved in using Learn mode include:
WARNING!

Create a Learned Environment. Place MXPro in Learn mode. Create the production, complete with transitions, freezes, input effects, and so forth. MXPro records each action to a Learned Script. Instruct MXPro to replay the Learned Script.

MXPro saves Learned Environments in memory, so they are available even when you turn the unit Off then back On again. On the other hand, MXPro DOES NOT save Learned Scripts in memory. Once you turn the unit Off, all Learned Scripts get erased.

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LEARNED ENVIRONMENTS
A Learned Environment can be thought of as a snapshot of your current MXPro conguration, including input effects, functions, styles, and so forth, that are in effect when you create the Learned Environment. You can subsequently recall a Learned Environment whenever you want to use it. You might, for example, have one environment you use for mixing three VTR input sources; another for broadcasting from live cameras; another for applying special input effects; and so forth. You can create up to eight separate Learned Environments, each with their own conguration, as shown by this illustration.

LEARNED ENVIRONMENT #1
INPUT EFFECTS
B&W B&W NEG POSTERIZE FLIP MOSAIX COLOR CORRECT COLOR NEG FLIP STROBE

Learned Environment Configuration

CHROMA KEY DISPLAY SETUP ROUTE AUDIO MIX FREEZE REVERSE SPEED BG COLOR BORDER COLOR BORDER STYLE LEARNED SCRIPT

Each Learned Environment can contain an optional Learned Script

LEARNED ENVIRONMENT #1
INPUT EFFECTS
B&W B&W NEG POSTERIZE FLIP MOSAIX COLOR CORRECT COLOR NEG FLIP STROBE

LEARNED ENVIRONMENT #1
INPUT EFFECTS

LEARNED ENVIRONMENT #1
INPUT EFFECTS

LEARNED ENVIRONMENT #1
INPUT EFFECTS

B&W B&W NEG POSTERIZE FLIP MOSAIX COLOR CORRECT COLOR NEG FLIP STROBE

B&W B&W NEG POSTERIZE FLIP MOSAIX COLOR CORRECT COLOR NEG FLIP STROBE

B&W B&W NEG POSTERIZE FLIP MOSAIX COLOR CORRECT COLOR NEG FLIP STROBE

DISPLAY SETUP ROUTE AUDIO MIX FREEZE REVERSE SPEED BG COLOR BORDER COLOR BORDER STYLE LEARNED SCRIPT

DISPLAY SETUP ROUTE AUDIO MIX FREEZE REVERSE SPEED BG COLOR BORDER COLOR BORDER STYLE LEARNED SCRIPT

DISPLAY SETUP ROUTE AUDIO MIX FREEZE REVERSE SPEED BG COLOR BORDER COLOR BORDER STYLE LEARNED SCRIPT

DISPLAY SETUP ROUTE AUDIO MIX FREEZE REVERSE SPEED BG COLOR BORDER COLOR BORDER STYLE LEARNED SCRIPT

LEARNED ENVIRONMENT #1
INPUT EFFECTS
B&W B&W NEG POSTERIZE FLIP MOSAIX COLOR CORRECT COLOR NEG FLIP STROBE

LEARNED ENVIRONMENT #1
INPUT EFFECTS

LEARNED ENVIRONMENT #1
INPUT EFFECTS

B&W B&W NEG POSTERIZE FLIP MOSAIX COLOR CORRECT COLOR NEG FLIP STROBE

B&W B&W NEG POSTERIZE FLIP MOSAIX COLOR CORRECT COLOR NEG FLIP STROBE

DISPLAY SETUP ROUTE AUDIO MIX FREEZE REVERSE SPEED BG COLOR BORDER COLOR BORDER STYLE LEARNED SCRIPT

DISPLAY SETUP ROUTE AUDIO MIX FREEZE REVERSE SPEED BG COLOR BORDER COLOR BORDER STYLE LEARNED SCRIPT

DISPLAY SETUP ROUTE AUDIO MIX FREEZE REVERSE SPEED BG COLOR BORDER COLOR BORDER STYLE LEARNED SCRIPT

Learn Mode Procedure To create a Learned Environment:

Learned Scripts

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Set up MXPro the way you want for this particular environment. This includes setting any input effects you want, selecting the initial CURRENT and NEXT sources, dening color, dening borders, and so forth. Enter LEARN+<number>, where <number> can be any value from 1 to 8. MXPro saves all current settings under the number you enter. Note that the INPUT EFFECTS LED (or, light) flashes to let you know MXPro is in Learn Mode. At this point, you can create a Learned Script to save with the current Learned Environment. See the following section for further instructions. You can also save the environment without a Learned Script. To do so, just press LEARN to disengage Learn Mode.

LEARNED SCRIPTS
Learned Scripts exist only within Learned Environments. Although you can create a Learned Script without rst specically creating a Learned Environment, MXPro automatically creates a Learned Environment using the current settings. You can record one Learned Script for each Learned Environment. So, because you can create 8 Learned Environments, you can also create 8 Learned Scripts. The total number of actions (or, steps) in all of the combined Learned Scripts cannot exceed 250. If you attempt to exceed this number, MXPro simply stops recording steps when it reaches capacity. You can replay all steps learned up to that point. MXPro does not retain Learned Scripts when you turn the unit off, but it does retain the Learned Environment. Therefore, if you create a Learned Script within a Learned Environment then turn off MXPro, the Learned Environment is retained, but the Learned Script is not. MXPro does not record the following steps while in Learn mode: Create or transition to Compose screens Use Chroma Key Use PIPs Use the Demo

You cannot modify a Learned Script after creating it. If you need to modify a Learned Script, you must re-record it from the beginning. If youre familiar with the video-related term Edit Decision List, MXPro is not an EDL. MXPro simply records certain steps, then replays them at your direction. About Steps Most individual actions count as one step. For example, if you enter a two-digit transition number on the keyboard, that counts as two steps: each time you press PLAY or use the T-BAR, that also counts as one step: and so forth.

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Example

The following Learned Script consists of 7 individual steps:

1 2 3 4 5 6
Tip

Press NEXT/B to select that device as the NEXT source (step one). Press SPEED to increase the speed of the transition (step two). Press SPEED again to increase the transition speed one more unit (step three). Press SPEED once more to increase transition speed another unit (step four). Enter 55 to designate that transition (steps ve and six). It requires two steps to enter the two digits. Press PLAY (step seven).

Using ARROW keys to select a transition consumes one step for each key pressed. In most cases, to t as many transitions as possible into a Learned Script, use the numeric keypad to enter transition numbers rather than using the ARROW keys.

Tip

Select the CURRENT and NEXT sources before entering LEARN mode. LEARN mode interprets pressing the CUT button as a transition.

Learn Mode

Using Learn Mode

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USING LEARN MODE

Procedure Learn mode involves the following steps:

1 2

Activate all devices. Turn on MXPro and all devices you intend to use, if necessary. Press LEARN+<number> to engage Learn mode, where <number> can be any value from 1 to 8. The number designates the Learned Environment you want to use. Note that the INPUT EFFECTS LED (or, light) ashes while MXPro is in Learn mode.

Enter production steps. Create the production in the same way you would even if you werent using Learn mode.

Stop recording press LEARN again to disengage Learn Mode. Learn mode disengages automatically if you exceed 250 total steps, the maximum allowed in all combined Learned Scripts.

Play back the Learned Script.

Enter SHIFT+LEARN+<learned script #> on the keyboard, where <learned script #> is the number of the Learned Environment and Learned Script you want to play back. Remember, the Learned Environment/Learned Script numbers can range from 1 through 8, inclusive. Press PLAY or use the T-BAR to run each step in a Learned Script. When you use the T-BAR, you can manually control any transition in the Learned Script.

MXPro begins replaying the Learned Script and displays and/or records the results to the output device. (If the MXPro Preview screen is not currently visible on the Preview monitor, press DISPLAY until it appears.) You can also use a GPI trigger device to play the steps in a Learned Script. A GPI trigger device works exactly the same as pressing SHIFT+LEARN. See Using a GPI Device beginning on page 126 for more information.
CAUTION

You cannot edit a Learned Script. The only way to change a Learned Script is to reenter it from the beginning. If you recall a Learned Script and begin entering commands, MXPro OVERWRITES the previous script.

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OTHER USEFUL INFORMATION

When MXPro comes to the end of a Learned Script, it stops. You can re-initiate the same or any other Learned Script by entering the SHIFT+LEARN+<learned script #> for the script you want to run. You can do the following in a Learned Script: Perform transitions, including use of Reverse and Speed settings. Choose CURRENT and NEXT sources. Use the Freeze function. Transition audio, video, or both.

You cannot do the following in a Learned Script: Create or transition to Compose screens. Use Chroma Key. Use the Demo. Use PIPs.

MXPro memorizes a manual transition (such as when using the T-BAR) as an automatic transition at the currently set speed that is, it is remembered as if you had used the PLAY button rather than the T-BAR. MXPro erases a Learned Script when: You turn off MXPro. MXPro loses power (such as a power failure). You overwrite an existing Learned Script.

ABORTING A PLAYBACK SESSION

Once MXPro begins playing back a Learned Script, you can abort the playback session, by pressing LEARN. Once you end playback of a Learned Script, the PLAY button and the T-BAR act normally, playing the effect indicated on the screen rather than the Learned Script.

12
Working with Audio
COLOR MIX

VIDEO

+6 +3 0 -3 -6 -10

AUDIO
-20

-30 -

MXPro provides exible control for audio sources. You can: Easily switch between devices. Record video and/or audio from a device, in any combination. Allow or disallow transitions to affect audio. Automatically or manually fade the sound between sources. and more

Before using audio sources, make sure they are properly connected to the MXPro. See Chapter 3, Installing MXPro, for instructions. You might also have to visit the Route menu to set up the audio devices correctly. See Route beginning on page 77 for more information and instructions.

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AUDIO DEVICES YOU CAN USE

You can: Use dedicated audio input sources, such as audio cassette players, compact disc players, and even live microphones. (See Using a Microphone with MXPro on page 30 for installation instructions.) Use the audio signal coming from combined input sources, such as the audio track contained on a video tape. Separate the audio signal to record only the audio track from a video tape, laser disk player, and so forth.

WAYS YOU CAN CONTROL AUDIO

Basically, you can: Control the way audio transitions between scenes. Mix the audio coming from input sources

CONTROLLING AUDIO TRANSITIONS

You control audio transitions somewhat the same as video transitions. However, MXPro gives you the ability to control audio and video separately. The two components for managing audio transitions are the VIDEO/AUDIO selector (on the keyboard) and the top of the Preview screen.

VIDEO/AUDIO Selector
VIDEO

AUDIO

Small lights appear above and below the VIDEO/AUDIO selector labeled VIDEO and AUDIO. The lights tell you whether the next transition will affect the video, the audio, or both. By pressing the VIDEO/AUDIO selector you can choose between the following states: To have the next transition affect both the video and audio, press VIDEO/ AUDIO until both lights are on. To have the next transition affect only the audio (leaving the video unaffected), press VIDEO/AUDIO until only the AUDIO light is on. To have the next transition affect only the video (leaving the audio unaffected), press VIDEO/AUDIO until only the VIDEO light is on.

Youll learn more about using the VIDEO/AUDIO selector to achieve a sound mix later in this chapter under Ways to Use Audio.

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Selecting Audio Sources

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Selecting Audio Sources

Select audio sources the same way you select video sources, using the CUT and NEXT buttons and the highlights at the top of the Preview screen. CURRENT Audio Source

Indicates that source can be monitored through MXPros headphone jack

NEXT Audio Source

Remember, MXPro highlights the CURRENT video source in yellow (above the Preview window). The speaker icon inside the highlight indicates that the current audio is on channel A. MXPro highlights the NEXT video source in green (below the window). The speaker icon in this location means after you run the next transition, channel Cs audio plays through. In addition, the headphones icon indicates you can monitor this particular audio through the MXPro headphone jack, located on the right side of the unit.

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WAYS TO USE AUDIO

You can manage audio in several different ways during video transitions. This section explains some of the more useful methods.

Audio Accompanies Video

When you transition from one source to another, you might want the native audio (that is, the sound recorded on the original media) to transition right along with the video.
Example

Suppose you want to dissolve from a shot of a car arriving in front of a house, to a shot of the person entering the house through the front door. In this case, you might want to hear the car drive up, then hear the door to the house open.

Procedure To have audio accompany video and follow the same transition:
VIDEO

1 2 3

Set up the CURRENT and NEXT sources, and choose a transition. Press VIDEO/AUDIO until both the VIDEO and AUDIO lights are on. Press PLAY or use the T-BAR to run the transition.

AUDIO

Both the video and audio transition, together. The audio mixes together that is, audio from the rst video scene fades away gradually as the audio from the next scene fades in and mixes with the original audio. You can control the duration of the fade by adjusting the speed of the transition. A slow transition fades the sound slowly, whereas a fast transition fades the sound quickly. (See Changing Transition Speed on page 58.) If you use a Cut transition, the sound switches abruptly.

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Continuous Audio

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Continuous Audio
Example

Suppose you taped a musical concert using two cameras. The rst camera focuses on the musicians and picks up the audio. The second camera focuses around the audience to get the reactions of different listeners. You want to mix together the footage from both cameras, but have only the audio from the rst camera play through all transitions.

Procedure To use continuous audio:

Set up the CURRENT and NEXT sources, and choose a transition. Assume the tape from the rst camera is on channel A, and the tape from the second on channel B. Press CUT/A to make it the CURRENT source, press NEXT/ B to make it the NEXT source.

Press VIDEO/AUDIO until only the VIDEO light is on. This tells MXPro that when the transition runs, only the video changes. For example, press CUT to jump from the stage to the audience and the video on channel A continues to play during the transition and into the next scene.

Continue pressing CUT (or using other transitions) to switch back and forth between the stage and the audience.

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USING THE AUDIO MIXER

MXPros Audio Mixer provides extensive control over all audio channels. You can, for example, subdue the audio on one channel (such as background music) and pump up the audio on another (such as the narrative). To access the Audio Mixer, press AUDIO MIX in the Functions button group. Channel Sliders
COLOR
+6 +3 0 -3 -6 -10

MIX

Channel Mixer
-20

-30 -

Background Music

Headphones

Channel Sliders Control the audio on the four standard MXPro channels A, B, C, and D. You can also control audio coming through the COLOR channel if you rst route the audio through that channel on the ROUTE screen. See Route beginning on page 77 for further instructions. Background Music This control works in conjunction with Input 4 to provide constant audio from a source (whether it be music, narrative, or whatever). That is, if you connect an audio source to channel D, you can control that source using the Background Music slider. If you connect a microphone to MXPro, use the Background Music slider to control microphone volume. Headphones Controls the output through the MXPro headphones jack. Note that the headphones monitor only one channel at a time, except during transitions. Channel Mixer Controls the mix between the Background Music channel and the channel audio.
Tip

When not using the Background Music feature, set the MIX channel slider all the way to the bottom.

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Audio Mixer Controls

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Audio Mixer Controls

The default settings in the Audio Mixer have all channels at 0 (zero) db. The MIX channel, however, is set at its mid-way point. Channel A is selected, as indicated by its highlighting. The following tables explain how to operate the Audio Mixer controls from the MXPro keyboard. Table 13: Selecting Mixer Channels
To Use these keys

Select consecutive channels Select a specic channel

LEFT ARROW and RIGHT ARROW NEXT/A NEXT/B NEXT/C NEXT/D NEXT/COLOR SHIFT+LEFT ARROW SHIFT+RIGHT ARROW

Select left-most channel Select right-most channel Table 14: Adjusting Audio Levels
To

Use these keys

Raise level one tick Lower level one tick Raise level ten ticks Lower level ten ticks Raise/Lower level arbitrarily Control mix between Background Music and channel audio Restore previous slider positions

UP ARROW DOWN ARROW SHIFT+UP ARROW SHIFT+DOWN ARROW T-BAR SHIFT+T-BAR SHIFT+0 (zero)

Using Background Audio

MXPros Input 4 has a special feature you can use it for background music. To control the level of the music, use the Background Music slider in the Audio Mixer. Use the keyboard controls shown in the preceding table to adjust the audio level. Depending on how you set things up, the CURRENT source transitions to the NEXT source and the background music plays uninterrupted between them. The audio from the CURRENT and NEXT sources normally follows the video transitions for example, if you set up a dissolve transition, audio from the CURRENT source fades away, then the audio from the NEXT source fades in.

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USING HEADPHONES
You might nd headphones helpful for monitoring audio input signals. You can plug a set of headphones directly into the MXPro by connecting them to the Headphone jack located on the right side of the unit, next to the Power switch.
Note

You can use stereophonic headphones, but the audio is always monaural that is, MXPro mixes the left and right channels together. However, stereo quality is retained when sending the audio to the output device. Normally, headphones carry only the main sound that is, the sound coming from the CURRENT input source. You can, however, monitor the sound from the NEXT source without disturbing the audio going to the output device. Procedure To monitor the audio on the NEXT source: Press SHIFT+AUDIO MIX. Each time you press SHIFT+AUDIO MIX you toggle between the audio on the CURRENT source and that on the NEXT source.

ADVANCED AUDIO SETUPS

If you have an external audio mixer device available, we recommend you use that device to manually control all sound. You can: Bypass the MXPro completely and connect the external mixers output directly to the outputs audio input; or, Connect the external mixers output to any MXPro audio input, and permanently set that source as your sound input source. This lets you to use the external mixer when you need exibility, or use MXPro when you want control of the audio. The latter gives you the ability to do more things, like fading audio automatically while video transitions run.

13
Advanced Operations

This chapter discusses operations you might not use very often, but are quite helpful when you need them. They include: Using Titles with MXPro Using Color Bars Performing Roll Edits Operating in Live Environments Security Monitoring Using a GPI Device Calibrating the T-BAR Resetting MXPro to Factory Defaults

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USING TITLES
In Chapter 3, Installing MXPro, you learned how to install a character generator (CG) to use with MXPro (see Live Broadcast Conguration on page 26). Using a set up where you connect the CG between the MXPro and the output device (downstream), you can create titles for your productions. Using any of the Videonics TitleMaker products or PowerScript, you can superimpose titles over video and use transitions for sophisticated titling.

With a Videonics TitleMaker or PowerScript you can create high-quality, professional-looking titles for your productions.

Most CGs work in similar ways. Following is an example using a Videonics TitleMaker.

1 2

Use TitleMaker to create the pages you need for the titles. Insert a blank page between each title page. The page should not contain any characters, its background should be set to video, and its duration should be set to innite. Press PLAY on the TitleMaker and the next title page appears superimposed over the MXPro output. At this point, you can run a transition and the title continues to superimpose while the transition runs.

You can also use other TitleMaker features, such as tinted backgrounds, patterns, scroll, and crawl. Because MXPros TBC (Time Base Corrector) creates a stable time base, TitleMaker can lock to it securely to produce an excellent picture.

USING COLOR BARS

MXPro provides a set of standard color bars built into the unit. You can display the color bars on the Preview monitor. Procedure To display the built-in color bars:

1 2 3 4

Press COMPOSE. MXPro enters Compose mode, and a ashing rectangle appears. Press SHIFT+NEXT/COLOR. A set of color bars appears on the Preview monitor. Press PLAY to apply the color bars to Program out. Press COMPOSE to remove the color bars and the ashing rectangle.

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Performing Roll Edits

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PERFORMING ROLL EDITS

Two types of roll edits are commonly used in video editing A/A rolls, and A/B rolls. You can do both types of rolls with MXPro. A/A rolls can be accomplished with relative ease. As youll learn later in this section, you can also do A/B roll editing with MXPro, although it does require good preparation and manual control of the devices. If you intend to do a lot of A/B roll editing, we recommend you consider a dedicated device, such as a Videonics A/B Roll Editor.

Cutting Between Scenes

Simple cuts between scenes do not require special features. All you have to do is pause the recording VCR at the end of one scene, then release pause when the next scene begins.

A/A Roll Edits

A/A roll edits can be dened as Single-Source editing because all of the original materials come from a single videotape. MXPro offers special features designed specically for these types of situations. An easy way to add interest to a single-source transition is to use the A/A roll edit (sometimes called an A/X/A edit). In this situation, the video freezes at the end of one scene, then a dissolve or other effect transitions to the next scene.
Example

You are producing a murder mystery. The door opens and the villain sneaks into the room. Slowly he moves toward the camera, then you press FREEZE to freeze the killers menacing glare! Next, you pause the recorder and set up MXPro to perform a dissolve. Then you nd the next scene and start it playing a bit before the scene starts. Theres the victim its granny, sitting in a rocking chair with her back to the camera. You start the recorder. Its still recording the frozen picture. At the correct moment you transition from the frozen closeup of the murderer to granny in her chair. As the killers face dissolves away, granny turns and we discover its the constable, ready to arrest the scoundrel!

Procedure To perform a roll edit such as this:

1 2 3 4 5 6

Roll the tape and press FREEZE at the appropriate moment to freeze the end of the scene. Pause the recording device. Set up the transition you want. Position the source tape just before the next scene and let the scene play. Release pause on the recording device to record more of the frozen picture. At the appropriate moment, run the transition between the frozen picture and the rolling video from the next scene.

This type of A/A roll works best when the recording device has ying-erase heads a feature that lets the VCR make a clean break when you pause the recording.

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Videonics MX-Pro User Guide You can perform an A/A roll with an automatic editing system. Press FREEZE at the end of one scene and wait for the editing system to start the next scene. While the controller locates the next scene, set up the transition you want. When you see the editor release the recorder from the pause state, press PLAY on the MXPro to run the transition.

Limitations on A/A Roll Slide transitions, compresses, most zooms, and scaling effects automatically convert to Transitions wipes. Other transitions might not produce the impact you want when the frozen picture is similar to the incoming video. Experiment with various transitions to determine which ones produce the results you want.

A/B Roll Edits

A/B roll editing involves editing scenes from multiple sources. When doing A/B roll edits, you must manually synchronize the sources so that they are timed correctly. Normally, you record a countdown before each scene so you know when it starts, then back-time the transition accordingly.
Example

Scene 1 is playing on VCR A. You know it ends soon, so you start VCR B, and pause it at a point 5 seconds before its action starts. When VCR A is 5 seconds from its end, you release VCR B and let it roll. At this point, both VCR A and B are rolling. At the desired moment, you perform the transition from VCR A to VCR B.

Another method of A/B roll editing involves the use of working copies. You copy the original footage to new tapes, placing every other scene on a different tape. The result might look similar to this:
VTR A

2
VTR B

Accurate placement of the scenes (1 through 5 in this example) allow both tapes to roll simultaneously so you can transition between scenes without having to start and stop each VCR at the correct moment in time. When you want to use a transition between scenes, you should overlap them by a couple of seconds to ensure the proper effect. The advantage to this method is that it makes it easy to get exactly what you want on tape. It has two disadvantages, however (1) it requires careful preparation and planning, and (2) it requires an extra generation in the tapes (that is, productions are a copy of a copy rather than a copy of the original).

Advanced Operations

Transitions TO and FROM Solid Colors

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Transitions TO and FROM Solid Colors

You can insert a solid color background between two scenes for impact. For example, scene one dissolves to solid black, holds briey, then dissolves from black to the next scene. Procedure To run this type of transition:

1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8
Tip

Assume your CURRENT source is on Channel A press CUT/A to ensure it is the current one. Select the transition you want to use from the Transitions Menu in this example, select a slow dissolve. Press NEXT/COLOR to activate the Color Selector on the Preview screen. Press BG COLOR as many times as necessary to make the background black. Press PLAY to run the transition and fade to black. Assume your NEXT source (the one you are transitioning into) is on Channel C press NEXT/C to make that the next source. Select the transition you want to use from the Transitions Menu again, for this example select a slow dissolve. Press PLAY to transition from solid black to Channel C.

Use a wipe or dissolve to and from a solid colored background to indicate passage in time, a change in mood, or a change in scenery. For example, a red background might indicate anger or frustration; light green might indicate an open forest (tranquility) and dark green a rain forest (somber and cool).

Transitions to Modied Sources

Use MXPros Input Effects to create a modied version of a source. This lets you transition between the modied and unmodied versions. For the following procedure, assume you want to ip a source image to create a mirror image. Procedure To run this type of transition:

Use MXPros Route function to make the same source appear on two different channels. For example, route channels A and B to IN 1 on the ROUTE screen. (See Route on page 77.) Enter SHIFT+FLIP (horizontal) to apply the effect. Select a transition (such as number 6) to run between channels A and B. Press PLAY or move the T-BAR to run the transition.

2 3 4

Prior to running the transition, the source appears normal. After running the transition, the source appears as a mirror-image of itself.

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OPERATING IN LIVE ENVIRONMENTS

In most live environments you need the ability to quickly and easily switch between the various live feeds. MXPro serves this need well because you can view the four input sources on the Preview screen and easily run transitions from the CURRENT to the NEXT feed simply by pressing PLAY or moving the T-BAR.

SECURITY MONITORING
MXPro also serves well for monitoring security cameras. For example, you might set up four different cameras and train them on areas that require security coverage. The Preview screen shows small images from each camera. Switch to FULL Preview (SHIFT+3) to see larger previews from all cameras. When you want to see a full screen image of a specic area, simply press the CUT button for that camera.

USING A GPI DEVICE

You can connect a GPI (General Purpose Interface) device to MXPro. The GPI device can trigger an event from an external source, such as a push-button switch or an edit controller with GPI output. A GPI device is especially useful when you are positioned some distance away from MXPro but still want to be able to control its operation. A GPI pulse causes MXPro to behave exactly as if the play button were pressed. Normally, it starts a transition you previously set up. If you have created a Learned sequence (see Chapter 11, Learn Mode), it triggers the next event in the sequence. An edit controller or computer that provides a contact closure can also serve as a GPI triggering device.
WARNING!

Do not connect a power source of any kind to the Control GPI input connector on the MXPro. Doing so can damage the equipment and void your warranty. You can use a remote push-button device to trigger events on MXPro. If you already have a GPI device you want to use, refer to Live Broadcast Conguration on page 26 to learn how to connect the device. If you do not have a GPI device but would like to build one, refer to the instructions in the next section.

Advanced Operations

Instructions for Building a GPI Trigger

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Instructions for Building a GPI Trigger

This section contains a diagram of the GPI Trigger Button you can build and all associated instructions. Required Tools Soldering Iron and Solder and Parts Wire Cutters Electric Drill Parts Required
A

A normally open momentary push-button switch (A). One four-inch piece of 3/4-inch PVC pipe (C) and two end caps (B and E). 3-conductor, 22-24 gauge stranded wire cable (D).

F G H

A stereo 3.5-mm mini-pin plug (F)

D E

Instructions

1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8

Drill a 1/4-inch hole in the center of one PVC end cap (E) and a hole to match the push-button switch in the other end cap (B). Feed one end of the cable through the end cap with the 1/4-inch hole (E) and strip the end of each wire. Tie a single knot (D) about 8 inches from the end of the wire. Slide the wire through the PVC pipe, the nut and washer, and the other end cap (B). Solder the two wires at the knotted end to the two poles on the switch (A). Slip the switch into the end cap and secure it using the nut and washer. Solder the other ends of the cable to the plug (F). Connect to the tip (G) and the base (H) of the plug. Dont connect anything to the middle section of the plug. Base Tip Middle Section

Push the end caps in place.

10 After youve tested the unit, you can cement the end caps (A and E) into place, if you want. 11 Solder the wires of the other end of the cord to the poles from the tip and base of the stereo mini-pin plug (F). If you arent sure which poles are which, ask at the store when you make the purchase. 12 Plug your new remote trigger plug into the GPI jack on the MXPro rear panel.

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Using a GPI Trigger Device

If your edit controller is automatic and has GPI trigger, you can trigger each page in a project with the controller. You might need a special cable to connect the GPI jacks from the GPI device to MXPro.
WARNING!

Always turn off power before plugging into any GPI jack. The following instructions explain how to automatically trigger events using the device described above. Instructions for other devices should be similar, but you should check the device instructions beforehand. Procedure To use a GPI device as a trigger:

1 2

Connect the GPI device to MXPro using an appropriate cable. Press the GPI trigger button when you want to trigger an event. You can trigger events between scenes or anywhere in the middle of a scene. You can also trigger each event in a Learned Script (see Learned Scripts beginning on page 109).

CALIBRATING THE T-BAR

If you suspect that the T-BAR is not functioning properly, it might need re-calibration. A symptom of an incorrectly calibrated T-BAR might be that transitions do not run correctly from start-to-nish in each direction. Procedure To re-calibrate the T-BAR:

1 2 3 4

Turn MXPro off. Press and hold SHIFT+INPUT EFFECTS while turning the unit back on. When the LED light above INPUT EFFECTS comes on, release SHIFT and INPUT EFFECTS. Move the T-BAR near the top of its slot, then press the UP ARROW key. The Video LED (above the VIDEO/AUDIO selector) lights up. Video/Audio Selector
VIDEO

LEDs
AUDIO

Do not push the T-BAR hard against the top or bottom of its slot during calibration. This over-calibrates the T-BAR and might prevent transitions from executing properly.

5 6

Move the T-BAR near the bottom of its slot, then press the DOWN ARROW key. The Audio LED (below the VIDEO/AUDIO selector) lights up. Press OK.

All LEDs on the unit go out and MXPro automatically re-initializes itself. The T-BAR is now properly calibrated.

Advanced Operations

Resetting MXPro Factory Defaults

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RESETTING MXPRO FACTORY DEFAULTS

When you rst power up MXPro, it operates using settings dened by Videonics. As you go about using MXPro and changing its various settings, the unit stores your settings in its memory (called NVRAM). You can reset all settings to their factory defaults. Procedure To reset MXPro to its factory defaults:

1 2 3 4

Power down the unit (using the Power switch). Press down and hold the SHIFT and SETUP buttons. Turn on MXPros Power switch. After the unit powers up and you see the Preview screen, release all buttons.

Notes

A
Transitions List
This appendix shows the icons assigned to each MXPro transition, and identies them by number. Some transition descriptions use special terms and abbreviations to describe how the transitions work. (A) The CURRENT source: the one on the screen before the transition begins. (B) The NEXT source: the one on the screen after the transition nishes. Dissolve One image fades away as another fades in. Wipe A simple window or boundary that reveals the underlying video. The video image neither moves nor changes size. Slide Leaves the video full size but the picture moves with the transition. Comp, Exp (Compress, Expand) The video resizes to t the window. Normally, the entire picture scales to ll the window. H, V (Horizontal, Vertical) These refer to the direction in which the transition moves. For example, a V wipe is a horizontal line that moves vertically up or down the screen. When the effect runs in the forward (non-reversed) direction, vertical transitions move down the screen and horizontal transitions move from left to right, unless otherwise indicated. CW, CCW ClockWise and CounterClockWise movement. L, R, Ctr, T, B Left, Right, Center, Top, and Bottom, respectively. TLC, TRC Top Left Corner and Top Right Corner, respectively. BLC, BRC Bottom Left Corner and Bottom Right Corner, respectively. ; Divides multi-step transitions. / indicates two actions that occur simultaneously. * The transition always uses a xed direction when performed from frozen picture. They are not affected by the REVERSE button. # The transition operates differently when performed from a frozen picture. Simpler effects are substituted automatically.

BASIC TRANSITIONS

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Transitions List

Basic Transitions

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The Basic Transitions category contains transitions numbered from 0 through 239. The category contains a wide assortment of effects. Transitions 0 through 29 serve as the default assortment in the Transitions Menu. When you turn the unit on for the rst time, these transitions appear in the menu. They provide a unique assortment of transitions suitable for many purposes. In the following table, transitions marked with * (asterisk) always use xed direction when performed from a frozen picture. They are not affected by the REVERSE button. Transitions marked with # (pound sign) operate differently when performed from a frozen picture. Simpler effects are automatically substituted. Table 15: Descriptions of Basic Transitions
# 0 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10# 11* 12 13 14# 30 31* 32* 33 34 35 36 37 38 39 40 41 42 43 Description Cut Dissolve H Wipe V Wipe H Curtain Wipe (B) from Ctr to full V Curtain Exp. (B) from Ctr to full H Slide (A)/Exp. (B) H Slide (A)/Slide (B) V Comp. (A)/Exp. (B) V Slide (A)/Slide (B) H Slide (A) out L; Slide (B) in from L H Comp. (A) R to 1/2 screen slice; Slide to L; slide under Ctr line Ctr Exp. (B) Ctr Exp. & Dissolve (B) Comp. (A) to lower R of (B); Exp. (B) H Wipe H Comp. (A)/Wipe (B) H Slide (A)/Wipe (B) H Wipe (A)/Exp. (B) H Comp. (A)/Exp. (B) H Slide (A)/Exp. (B) H Wipe (A)/Slide (B) H Comp. (A)/Slide (B) H Slide (A)/Slide (B) H Picture Roll H Curtain Wipe (B) from Ctr to full H Curtain Exp. (B) from Ctr to full H Wipe (B) from L Ctr H Exp. (B) from L Ctr # 15# 16 17 18 19 20 21 22 23 24* 25* 26# 27 28 29 136 137 138* 139* 140 141 142 143 144 145 146 147 148* 149* Description H Comp. (A) alongside (B) in motion; Exp. (B) Comp. (A) to 1/2; roll R to (B); Exp Slide in slice (B) from L at T; Wipe slice to full V Comp. (A) to Ctr slice; H collapse slice to Ctr point Buttery from T L/random proportion Ctr Exp. (B) with 2 ips Ctr Comp. (A); swing back; out B Bounce off edges/Wipe Bounce in from T Comp. (A) to T; CW spiral out to T Comp. (A); CW spiral to Ctr Mosaic Zoom Random Sizes & Flips (B) Luminance Key 1 Checkerboard w/middle dissolve Diagonal Exp. (B) from TRC/Slide (A) to BLC Diag. Slide (B) from TRC/Comp. (A) to BLC Diagonal Comp. & Dissolve (A) to TRC Diagonal Slide & Dissolve (A) to TRC Diagonal Wipe (B) from BLC Diagonal Exp. (B) from BLC Diagonal Comp. (B) to BLC; Exp. Diag. Exp. (B) from BLC/Comp. (A) to TRC 143, with overlap Diagonal Slide (B) from BLC/Slide (A) to TRC Diagonal Exp. (B) from BLC/Slide (A) to TRC Diag. Slide (B) from BLC/Comp. (A) to TRC Diagonal Comp. & Dissolve (A) to BLC Diagonal Slide & Dissolve (A) to BLC

Default Transition Assortment

Other Basic Transitions

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Videonics MXPro User Guide Table 15: Descriptions of Basic Transitions (Continued)
# 44 45 46 47 48 49 50 51 52 53 54# 55# 56# 57 58# 59 60 61 62* 63* 64* 65* 66* 67* 68 69 70 71* 72* 73 74 75 76 Description H Exp. (B) from L Ctr/Comp. (A) to R Ctr H Exp. (B) from L Ctr/Slide (A) to R H Wipe (B) from R Ctr H Exp. (B) from R Ctr H Exp. (B) from R Ctr/Comp. (A) to L Ctr H Exp. (B) from R Ctr/Slide (A) to L H Slide & Wipe (B) from R Ctr/Slide (A) to L H Slide & Wipe (B) from L Ctr/Slide (A) to R H Slide (B) from L/Comp. (A) to R Ctr H Slide (B) from R/Comp. (A) to L Ctr H Comp. (A) to Ctr line; Exp. (B) from line H Comp. (A) to Ctr line; Exp. (B) from line H Slide (A) out L edge; Slide (B) in from edge H Slide (A) out R edge; Slide (B) in from edge H Comp. (A) to L edge; Exp. (B) from edge H Comp. (A) to R edge; Exp. (B) from edge H Wipe 1/4 slice (B); H Wipe 1/2 slice (B); H wipe (B) to R H Wipe 1/2 slice (B); V Wipe 1/2 slice (B); H wipe (B) to R H Comp. (A) L to 1/2 screen slice; Slide slice R H Comp. (A) L to 1/2 screen slice; Slide to R; slide under Ctr line H Comp. (A) L to 1/2 screen slice; Slide to R; Comp. to Ctr line H Comp. (A) R to 1/2 screen slice; Slide to L H Comp. (A) R to 1/2 screen slice; Slide to L; slide under Ctr line H Comp. (A) R to 1/2 screen slice; Slide to L; Comp. to Ctr line H Comp. line to L edge; Exp. to full screen H Comp. line to R edge; Exp. to full screen V Wipe V Comp. (A)/Wipe (B) V Slide (A)/Wipe (B) V Wipe (A)/Exp. (B) V Comp. (A)/Exp. (B) V Slide (A)/Exp. (B) V Wipe (A)/Slide (B) # 150 151 152 153 154 155 Description

Appendix A

Diagonal Wipe (B) from BRC Diagonal Exp. (B) from BRC Diagonal Comp. (B) to BRC; Exp. Diag. Exp. (B) from BRC/Comp. (A) to TLC 153 with overlap Diagonal Slide (B) from BRC/Slide (A) to TLC 156 Diag. Slide (B) from BRC/Comp. (A) to TLC 157 Diagonal Exp. (B) from BRC/Slide (A) to TLC 158* Diagonal Comp. & Dissolve (A) to BRC 159* Diagonal Slide & Dissolve (A) to BRC 160 Dissolve Ctr Exp. & Dissolve (B) Exp. & Dissolve (B) from R Ctr Exp. & Dissolve (B) from L Ctr Exp. & Dissolve (B) from T Ctr Exp. & Dissolve (B) from B Ctr Diagonal Exp. & Dissolve (B) from TRC Diagonal Exp. & Dissolve (B) from TLC Diagonal Exp. & Dissolve (B) from BRC Diagonal Exp. & Dissolve (B) from BLC Ctr Wipe Ctr Exp. (B) Ctr Wipe (B) with Slide from L Ctr Wipe (B) with Slide from R Ctr Wipe (B) with Slide from B Ctr Wipe (B) with Slide from T Ctr Wipe (B) with Slide from B L Ctr Wipe (B) with Slide from B R Ctr Wipe (B) with Slide from T L Ctr Wipe (B) with Slide from T R Comp. (A) to 1/2; roll R to (B); Exp. Comp. (A) to 1/2; slide R to (B); Exp.

161 162 163 164 165 166 167 168 169 170 171 172 173 174 175 176 177 178 179 180 181

Transitions List Table 15: Descriptions of Basic Transitions (Continued)

# 77 78 79 80 81 82 83 84 85 86 87 88 89 90 91 92 93 94 95 96 97 98 99 100 101 102* 103* 104* 105* 106* 107* 108 Description V Comp. (A)/Slide (B) V Slide (A)/Slide (B) V Picture Roll V Curtain Wipe (B) from Ctr to full V Curtain Exp. (B) from Ctr to full V Wipe (B) from T Ctr V Exp. (B) from T Ctr V Exp. (B) from T Ctr/Comp. (A) to B Ctr V Exp. (B) from T Ctr/Slide (A) to B V Wipe (B) from B Ctr V Exp. (B) from B Ctr V Exp. (B) from B Ctr/Comp. (A) to T Ctr V Exp. (B) from B Ctr/Slide (A) to T V Slide & Wipe (B) from B Ctr/Slide (A) to T V Slide & Wipe (B) from T Ctr/Slide (A) to B V Slide (B) from T/Comp. (A) to B Ctr # 182 183 184# 185# 186# 187# 188# 189# 190 191 192 193 194 195

Basic Transitions

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Description Comp. (A) to 1/2; roll down to (B); Exp. Comp. (A) to 1/2; slide down to (B); Exp. H Comp. (A) alongside (B) in motion; Exp. (B) H Comp. (A) alongside (B); shufe; Exp. (B) V Comp. (A) above (B) in motion; Exp. (B) V Comp. (A) above (B); shufe; Exp. (B) Comp. (A) to lower R of (B); Exp. (B) Comp. (A) to lower L of (B); Exp. (B) Bounce in from T Overshoot from T Bounce in from T with hammer effect on (A) Bounce off edges/Wipe Bounce off edges/Exp. Perimeter Slide/Exp.

196* Ctr Wipe (A) to 1/16 screen; CW spiral reveal 197* Ctr Wipe (A) to 1/16 screen; CCW spiral reveal V Slide (B) from B/Comp. (A) to T Ctr 198* Ctr Wipe (A) to 1/8 screen; CW spiral reveal V Comp. (A) to Ctr line;Exp. (B) from line 199* Ctr Wipe (A) to 1/8 screen; CCW spiral reveal V Comp. (A) to Ctr line;H Exp. (B) from 200* Comp. (A) to T; CW spiral out to T line V Slide (A) out T edge; Slide (B) in from T 201* Comp. (A) to T; CCW spiral out to T V Slide (A) out B edge; Slide (B) in from B 202* Comp. (A) to B; CW spiral out to B V Comp. (A) to T edge; Exp. (B) from 203* Comp. (A) to B; CCW spiral out to B edge V Comp. (A) to B edge; Exp. (B) from 204* Comp. (A) to L; CW spiral out to L edge V Wipe 1/4 slice (B); V Wipe 1/2 slice (B); 205* Comp. (A) to L; CCW spiral out to L V wipe (B) to B V Wipe 1/2 slice (B); H Wipe 1/2 slice (B); 206* Comp. (A) to R; CW spiral out to R V wipe (B) to B V Comp. (A) T to 1/2 screen slice; Slide 207* Comp. (A) to R; CCW spiral out to R slice to B V Comp. (A) T to 1/2 screen slice; Slide 208* Comp. (A); CW spiral to Ctr to B; slide under Ctr line V Comp. (A) T to 1/2 screen slice; Slide 209* Comp. (A); CCW spiral to Ctr to B; Comp. to Ctr line V Comp. (A) B to 1/2 screen slice; Slide 210 Ctr Exp. (B) with 2 ips to T V Comp. (A) B to 1/2 screen slice; Slide 211 Ctr Exp. (B) with 4 ips to T; slide under Ctr line V Comp. (A) B to 1/2 screen slice; Slide 212 Buttery from T L/random proportion to T; Comp. to Ctr line V Comp. line to T edge; Exp. to full 213 Buttery from T R/random proportion screen

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Videonics MXPro User Guide Table 15: Descriptions of Basic Transitions (Continued)
# 109 110 111 112 113 114 115 116 117 118 119 120 121 122 123 124 125 126 127 128* 129* 130 131 132 133 134 135 Description # Description

Appendix A

V Comp. line to B edge; Exp. to full 214 screen Slide in slice (B) from L Ctr; Wipe slice to 215 full Comp. in slice (B) from L Ctr; Exp. to full 216 Slide in slice (B) from R Ctr; Wipe slice to full Comp. in slice (B) from R Ctr; Exp. to full Slide in slice (B) from L at T; Wipe slice to full Comp. in slice (B) from L at T; Exp. to full Slide in slice (B) from L at B; Wipe slice to full Comp. in slice (B) from L at B; Exp. to full Slide in Ctr slice (B) from T; Wipe slice to full Slide in Ctr slice (B) from B; Wipe slice to full Diagonal Wipe (B) from TLC Diagonal Exp. (B) from TLC Diagonal Comp. (B) to TLC; Exp. Diag. Exp. (B) from TLC/Comp. (A) to BRC 123 with overlap Diag. Slide (B) from TLC/Slide (A) to BRC Diagonal Exp. (B) from TLC/Slide (A) to BRC Diag. Slide (B) from TLC/Comp. (A) to BRC Diagonal Comp. & Dissolve (A) to TLC Diagonal Slide & Dissolve (A) to TLC Diagonal Wipe (B) from TRC Diagonal Exp. (B) from TRC Diagonal Comp. (B) to TRC; Exp. Diag. Exp. (B) from TRC/Comp. (A) to BLC 133 with overlap Diagonal Slide (B) from TRC/Slide (A) to BLC 217 218 219 220 221# 222 223 224# 225# 226 227 228 229 230 231 232 233 234 235 236 237 238 239

Fly-in from T L/xed proportion Fly-in from T R/xed proportion Random Sizes & Flips (B); lls screen at end Random Wipes (B); Ctr wipe to full screen H Cube Roll V Cube Roll Zoom in on (A); zoom away from (B) Mosaic Zoom Ctr Comp. (A); swing back; out B Ctr Comp. (A); swing back; out T Ctr Comp. (A);Ctr Exp. (B) Ctr Comp. & Dissolve (A);Ctr Exp. & Dissolve (B) H Comp. (A) to Ctr slice; V Comp. slice to Ctr. V Comp. (A) to Ctr slice; H Comp. slice to Ctr. H Comp. (A) to Ctr slice; collapse to Ctr; Exp. Multi-direction Cube roll H variable stripes V variable stripes H stripe-wipe V stripe-wipe Checkerboard w/middle dissolve Checkerboard w/start to nish dissolve Checkerboard w/shrinking checkers Luminance Key 1 Luminance Key 2 (A) wanders out

Transitions List

Edge Transitions

137

EDGE TRANSITIONS
Edge transitions move a border across the screen between the outgoing and incoming images. Edge transitions group into sets of six. For example, transitions 300 through 305 perform the same type of effect, but using six different edges: transitions 306 through 311 perform the same type of effect, but using the same six edges as the preceding group: and so forth. Table 16: Edge Transitions Horizontal Wipes
300 301 302 303 304 305

Horizontal Compress (A)/Wipe (B) *

306 307 308 309 310 311

Horizontal Slide (A)/Wipe (B) *

312 313 314 315 316 317

Horizontal Wipe (A)/Expand (B)

318 319 320 321 322 323

Horizontal Compress (A)/Expand (B)

324 325 326 327 328 329

Horizontal Slide (A)/Expand (B)

330 331 332 333 334 335

Horizontal Wipe (A)/Slide (B)

336 337 338 339 340 341

Horizontal Compress (A)/Slide (B)

342 343 344 345 346 347

Horizontal Slide (A)/Slide (B)

348 349 350 351 352 353

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Appendix A

TRAILING TRANSITIONS
Trailing transitions leave duplicate versions of the image in their wake as they traverse the screen. Table 17: Trailing Transitions
No. 400 401 402 403 404 405 406 407 408 409 410 411 412 413 414 Icon Description Rectangle bounces off bottom of screen B bounces off bottom of screen Rectangle bounces off bottom of screen B bounces off bottom of screen Rectangle around screen perimeter Rectangle around screen perimeter Rectangle circles in from L middle Rectangle circles in from R middle Rectangle circles in from L middle Rectangle circles in from R middle A circles in from L middle A circles in from R middle A circles in from R middle A circles in from L middle A circles in from BLC No. 415 416 417 418 419 420 421 422 423 424 425 426 427 428 429 Icon Description A circles in from TLC A circles in from TRC A circles in from BRC A twirls in from edges A twirls in from edges Rectangle circles in from TLC Rectangle circles out from center Rectangle circles out from center Rectangle circles out from center A circles out from center A circles out from center Rectangle bounces off screen edges Rectangle circles screen perimeter A twirls away to BRC A twirls away to BLC

Transitions List

Shape Transitions

139

SHAPE TRANSITIONS
Shape transitions use various geometric and custom shapes (stars, hearts, and so forth) to transition from one image to the next. Table 18: Shape Transitions Slide in slice (B) from R Ctr; Wipe slice to full
500 505 501 506 502 507 503 508 504

Slide in Ctr slice (B) from T; Wipe slice to full

509 514 510 515 511 516 512 517 513

Diagonal Slide Dissolve (A) to TRC *

518 523 519 524 520 525 521 526 522

Diagonal Wipe (B) from BLC

527 532 528 533 529 534 530 535 531

Ctr Expand Dissolve (B)

536 541 537 542 538 543 539 544 540

Diagonal Expand Dissolve (B) from BLC

545 550 546 551 547 552 548 553 549

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Appendix A

Table 18: Shape Transitions (Continued) Ctr Wipe

554 559 555 560 556 561 557 562 558

Ctr Wipe (B) witHorizontal Slide from T

563 568 564 569 565 570 566 571 567

Bounce off edges/Wipe

572 577 573 578 574 579 575 580 576

Ctr Wipe (A) to 1/16 screen; CCW spiral reveal *

581 586 582 587 583 588 584 589 585

Random Sizes Flips (B); lls screen at end

590 595 591 596 592 597 593 598 594

Random Wipes (B); Ctr wipe to full screen

599 604 600 605 601 606 602 607 603

(A) wanders out

608 613 609 614 610 615 611 616 612

Transitions List Table 18: Shape Transitions (Continued) Horizontal Curtain Expand (B) from Ctr to full
617 622 618 623 619 624 620 625

Shape Transitions

141

621

Horizontal Compress (A) to Ctr line; Expand (B) from line

626 631 627 632 628 633 629 634 630

Horizontal Compress (A) L to 1/2 screen slice; Slide slice R *

635 640 636 641 637 642 638 643 639

Horizontal Compress (A) L to 1/2 screen slice; Slide to R; slide under Ctr line *
644 649 645 650 646 651 647 652 648

Horizontal Compress (A) R to 1/2 screen slice; Slide to L; Compress to Ctr line *
653 658 654 659 655 660 656 661 657

Horizontal Compress line to L edge; Expand to full screen ??

662 667 663 668 664 669 665 670 666

Horizontal wipe
671 676 672 677 673 678 674 679 675

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Appendix A

Table 18: Shape Transitions (Continued) Horizontal Compress (A)/Wipe (B) *

680 685 681 686 682 687 683 688 684

Horizontal Wipe (A)/Expand (B)

689 694 690 695 691 696 692 697 693

Horizontal Compress (A) to L edge; Expand (B) from edge

698 703 699 704 700 705 701 706 702

Transitions List

Default User Transitions

143

DEFAULT USER TRANSITIONS

The User Transitions category contains a default set of transitions compiled from the other categories. You can tailor the User category to your particular needs see Changing User Transitions Menu beginning on page 54.

Notes

B
Time Base Corrector
The MXPro contains a Time Base Corrector (TBC) that ensures top quality results in your productions. The TBC operates automatically at all times. You dont have to do anything special to use the feature. TBC compensates for image shifting and wavering that occurs with many VCRs, camcorders, and other video devices. It modies the video signal so that all elements in the picture lines, elds, frames, and individual dots (or, pixels) appear on the OUTPUT screen exactly where they should. This improves video signal quality signicantly.

DUAL TBC MODE

You can use the MXPro TBC as a dedicated, two-channel device to induce time base correction on two separate channels. Set up your equipment as follows:

1 2

Set up the video devices normally that is, make one the CURRENT source and make another the NEXT source. Press DISPLAY so that the Preview screen shows the NEXT source. (See Display beginning on page 73 for instructions.)

The CURRENT source appears on the Output monitor. So the two sources each appear on separate monitors, and both have the benet of time base correction. While operating in Dual TBC Mode, MXPro can perform cut transitions as it normally does. Use the CUT buttons to change the CURRENT source the one displayed on the Output screen. Use the NEXT buttons to choose the NEXT source which appears on the Preview screen.

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Appendix B

VERTICAL INTERVAL DATA

Time code, closed captioning, and other data in the vertical interval should be added after mixing (downstream from MXPro). This is necessary because dissolves and other transitions mix the data signals, making them unreadable. The MXPro might remove vertical interval data from the sources, depending on how data has been added and the accuracy of a sources time base.

TBC TECHNICAL INFORMATION

The following information might be useful to video technicians. MXPros TBC has no control options. MXPro always applies TBC to the entire signal, including the horizontal and vertical intervals. MXPro provides a dual-eld TBC to correct two sources at the same time. Because all transitions and effects use only two of the four sources at any given time, the dual eld TBC can correct the time base of the entire output signal, transitions and all. The output sync of the TBC is independent of all inputs. There is no way to synchronize it with an external sync or with any of the inputs.

C
Video Quality
MXPro meets the highest video quality standards. However, video artifacts can appear in video productions, especially when you use sophisticated effects and transitions. This appendix describes some of the video artifacts that can occur.
Note

The situations and artifacts discussed in this appendix normally apply to advanced video concepts. They might, therefore, be of interest only to a selected audience.

PREVIEW IMAGE QUALITY

Images appearing on the MXPro Preview screen do not represent MXPros true quality because they serve only as a representation of the images. Furthermore, the images do not show input effects or the results of advanced setup options. Depending on the type of devices attached, you might occasionally see lines along the sides of the preview images. This is especially noticeable when using cue or review (search) with a VCR or camcorder attached to an input jack, using poor quality video tapes, experiencing bad reception, and so forth. In such cases, you might be able to improve video quality using one or more of the following methods: Use only high-quality video sources. When using a camcorder or VCR with an Edit switch, turn the switch On to disable playback processing circuits. Turn Off any sharpness controls and enhancement circuits.

Preview image quality does not affect video output quality. You can switch to a full-size, full frame-rate version of the NEXT or CURRENT source at any time using the DISPLAY button. See Display beginning on page 73 to learn about all of the display options.

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Appendix C

VIDEO SCALING ARTIFACTS

Reducing a video images size can create artifacts because some picture information must be discarded to reduce the number of pixels in the image. In some cases, picture information might disappear when eliminating pixels. For example, lines in the image might appear jagged when MXPro removes pixels and, therefore, parts of the line. Some MXPro transitions scale an image down gradually. This might cause small features to appear and disappear as the image scales down. The artifacts described here are normal when performing advanced effects. They are normally minor when running transitions at normal speeds.

FREEZE QUALITY
You can set MXPro to freeze either a frame or a eld (see Force Field Freeze on page 76). Freeze Field captures one eld (half a video frame) and duplicates it to make the two elds that comprise a frame. This eliminates ashing caused when an object occupies a different position in the two captured elds, or when an object is so small it appear in only one eld. MXPros Field Freeze eliminates ashing artifacts but reduces vertical resolution because it shows only one eld. Freeze Frame captures all elds in the image. This produces a higher quality image, but some ashing might occur.

UPSIDE-DOWN VIDEO
When you ip video upside-down (as occurs automatically with some transitions and when using the Flip (vertical) option on the INPUT EFFECTS menu), the picture resolution reduces slightly and the frame rate also reduces to make the video image more stable. The reduction is subtle with most video and most effects, especially those that move quickly.

Video Quality

Video Processing Artifacts

149

VIDEO PROCESSING ARTIFACTS

Video processing circuits (such as enhancers, sharpness controls, and the playback circuitry in some VCRs) can over-process the video. This might cause the video signal to interfere with the invisible sync portion of the signal, thus making the signal non-standard. Video lines might shift to the right, black lines might enter the picture area from the left edge of the screen, white ashes might appear, the video image might be shredded, or you might see video tearing.

Normal Picture

Picture with Video Tearing

When these types of artifacts occur, reduce or remove the processing to bring the signal back to normal. VCRs and camcorders often have controls that can disable extra processing. If your VCR or camcorder has a Sharpness control, set it to zero or turn it off. If the device has an Edit switch, turn it on.

Notes

D
Technical Specications

MXPro is a four-input video production switcher, mixer, frame synchronizer/TBC (Time Base Corrector), Manual Color Corrector, and special effects generator. Table 19: MXPro Technical Specications GENERAL Power Supply External in-line; 110VAC@60Hz/220VAC@50 Hz universal CE/FCC/UL/CSA Approved (Non-US/Canada versions meet local regulatory standards) Dimensions Weight Ambient Temperature Ambient Humidity INPUTS Video 4 x S-video (Y/C): Y=1 Vp-p, C=0.30 Vp-p, 75-ohm, 4-pin mini-DIN connectors 4 x composite: 1.0 Vp-p 75-ohm, RCA connectors 8 x RCA connectors, 15 k ohms Mini-jack 16.6 x 9.5 x 3 422mm x 241mm x 76mm 4 lbs. (1.8 kg) 32-104F 0-40C Less than 90%

Audio GPI OUTPUTS Video (PREVIEW & MAIN)

1.0 Vp-p, 75 ohm, PREVIEW=1x RCA; MAIN=2x RCA Connectors 2x S-Video (MAIN): Y=1.0 Vp-p, C=0.3 Vp-p; 75 ohm, 4-pin mini-DIN connector 1 k ohms, RCA connectors Stereo jack, 8-100 ohms, mono signal

Audio (L and R) Headphone

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Appendix D

Table 19: MXPro Technical Specications (Continued) EFFECTS Video Input Effects Special Effects Audio COLOR GENERATORS 2 (Background and Border) Millions of Colors VIDEO PERFORMANCE Meets long-haul video broadcast specs including CCIR-601 sampling and RS-170A Digital Conversion Time Base Compatibility Gain S/N Ratio Horizontal Resolution AUDIO PERFORMANCE Frequency Response S/N Ratio 20 Hz-20 kHz, 3 dB 80 dB Controls and Connectors 13.5 MHz, 4:2:2, 10-bit quantization (Y/C); 8-bit quantization (composite) Meets RS-170A standard Compatible with all NTSC video sources and tape formats (PAL version available) Unity Greater than 60 dB (Y/C); Greater than 56dB (composite) 480 TV Lines 501 Transitions Strobe, Mosaic, Flips, and Posterize Chroma Key and Compose Mix, Fade, Background

E
Information for MX-1 Users
This appendix helps Videonics MX-1 users make an easy transition to MXPro. It highlights key operational commands from the MX-1 that have changed with MXPro. MXPro offers many new features and expands the capability of some MX-1 operations. You wont be able to enjoy the full benets of the new features without reading the other chapters in this User Guide. MXPro Defaults to S-Video on All 4 Channels

If you use one or more Composite-type devices as input, you need to change the settings for those devices on the ROUTE screen. See Route beginning on page 77 for instructions.

154

Videonics MXPro User Guide Setup Mode Differences.

Appendix E

MX-1 Setup functions can be found on the MXPro ROUTE screen. MXPro Setup contains most of the functions found in MX-1 Advanced Setup, with the following changes and additions: GPI Mode Added See GPI Out Mode on page 76 and Using a GPI Device on page 126 for further information. Comb Filter Added See Comb Filter on page 76. Frame/Field Freeze Added See Force Field Freeze on page 76 and Freeze on page 83. Frame Rate Lock and Noise Filter Removed Headphone Control Moved Controls for adjusting headphones are now found on the Audio Mix screen. See Using the Audio Mixer on page 118 and Using Headphones on page 120.
+6 +3 0 -3 -6 -10

1 0 1 1

COLOR

MIX

-20

-30 -

MXPro Contains NVRAM.

MXPro uses NVRAM (Non-Volatile Random Access Memory) to store many different settings while the unit is powered down. When you subsequently turn the unit back on, all of the stored settings automatically reactivate.

Information for MX-1 Users Transitions Organized Differently

155

All transitions available with the MX-1 are also available with MXPro, but you can now select from more than 500 different effects. See Appendix A, Transitions List, for a complete description of what is now available. MX-1 buttons such as Flips, Wipes, and Fade/Dissolve no longer exist. Instead, MXPro categorizes transitions into these ve groups.

USER

BASIC

EDGES

TRAILING

SHAPES

Pressing any Transition Category button display the menu of transitions available in that category. The ARROW keys move you only within the current category. To get to a different one, press a different Transition Category button (see page 52).
Take Bar Operations

MXPros Take Bar provides added control over transitions by running it in the direction indicated by the transition direction setting.

Transition Direction Setting

See Operating the T-BAR beginning on page 61. Chapter 5, Transitions, contains several sections explaining use of the Take Bar.
Transitions Compatibility If you are upgrading to MXPro from the Videonics MX-1 Video Mixer, the transitions in the Basic category are the same as the MX-1. MXPro provides a set of hot keys that directly correspond to the MX-1 Effect buttons. Using the hot keys (Table 6, MX-1 Compatibility Hot Keys on page 53) causes the MXPro Preview screen cursor to appear at the beginning of each section within the Basic (MX-1) category.

Notes

Glossary
Some terms dened in this glossary might not appear in the body of the User Guide.

A/A Roll A term originating in the lm world. Normally describes rolling a single source into an effects device, such as the Videonics MXPro, and creating transitions between the individual scenes. A/B Roll Variation of A/A Roll (described above). Normally describes rolling two or more sources into an effects device, such as the Videonics MXPro, and creating transitions between the various source images. AV/Net A micro controller-based adapter offered by Videonics that can be daisy chained. It allows you to control multiple video devices using only one of your computers serial ports. Betacam An industry standard format that uses half-inch videotape running at high speed to produce high quality video. It is an evolving standard. There are currently three versions in common use: Betacam, Betacam SP, and Digital Betacam. Camcorder Combination camera and video recorder in one device. Normally contains video recording heads as well as a video playback unit (that is, a mini-VCR). Composite Video The format used by televisions, many VCRs, and laser disc players. Also see S-Video. Counter A relative indicator of tape position. On VCRs that do not support time code, the tape counter stores scene locations. Because it is a relative indicator of tape position, it is subject to drift. The same tape logged on one VCR and viewed on another might report different counter locations for the same scene. Deck A video cassette/tape player or recorder, also called a VCR or VTR.

Digital Still Camera A recording device for taking photographs and storing the information in digital form. The device is similar to a 35mm reex lens camera that uses traditional lm except that it stores the image on a silicon chip. Images can then be downloaded to a computer system. Drop Frame A variation on the SMPTE time code format. It refers to a scheme designed to compensate for the fact that NTSC actually runs at 29.97 fps. Normal Time Code (or, Non-Drop Frame Time Code) is recorded and calculated based on 30 fps. Because the actual number of frames per second is really 29.97, a discrepancy occurs causing a loss of slightly more than three seconds each hour. Drop frame corrects for this error by skipping two frames every minute, except on the tenth minute. FPS Frames Per Second. The number of picture frames that are recorded or played during a one second period. Television nominally uses 29.97 fps (NTSC) or 25 fps (PAL). Flying Erase Heads Standard erase heads are mounted along the tape path in a VCR. A ying erase head is built into the video head drum just ahead of the video heads. It makes it possible to erase the video each helical scan at a time resulting in clean video edits with no rainbow effect. It is a requirement for high quality video editing. IR InfraRed is one of several remote control protocols. It is a one way protocol that allows a device to send command to the VCR. Because this is a one-way communication, the VCR cannot send tape location information back. VCRs that offer this limited method of control are suitable only as record decks. LTC Longitudinal Time Code is an SMPTE-dened standard for time code, normally recorded onto a linear audio track of a VCR.

158

Glossary

Videonics MXPro User Guide

NTSC National Television Standards Committee. A body that denes television standards in the USA. NTSC is characterized by each frame being composed of 525 horizontal scanning lines per frame, occurring at 30 frames per second. The format is used in North America, Central America, Japan, and parts of South America. (Also see PAL and SECAM.) NVRAM Non-Volatile Random Access Memory. MXPro uses NVRAM to store unit settings so that they are available whenever you power up the unit. Normal (that is, volatile) RAM cannot store information once the power supply is turned off. OSD On Screen Display. A feature available on some consumer-level VCRs. When OSD is toggled ON, the VCR displays its status information on the connected video monitor. PAL Phase Alternating Lines. The dominant color television format in Western Europe, Australia, most of Asia, and parts of South America and Africa. PAL is characterized by each frame being composed of 625 horizontal scanning lines occurring 25 times per second. (Also see NTSC and SECAM.) RCTC Rewriteable Consumer Time Code (also referred to as RC). Commonly available on 8mm and Hi-8 format devices. S-Video A video standard used by camcorders and VCRs relative to video signal formats. S-Video separates the Y (luminance) and C (chroma) signals to improve signal quality. Also see Composite Video. SECAM The standard video signal used in France, Eastern Europe, and parts of Asia and Africa. Also see NTSC and PAL. SMPTE Society of Motion Picture and Television Engineers. (Pronounced simp-tee.) This committee of engineers and manufacturers establishes the most widely accepted standard for time code. They created specications for two version of time code: LTC and VITC.

Time Code A method of putting a unique number or address on each frame of a videotape. There are several formats of time code. The Society of Motion Picture and Television Engineers set the most common time code standard, called SMPTE. VCR Video Cassette Recorder. A video device normally used to record and play back video on cassettes. VCR is a consumer-level term: VCRs in the professional eld are normally referred to as VTRs (Video Tape Recorders). VCRs and VTRs perform the same functions, although VTRs usually provide many additional features and functions. Video Editing The process of applying special effects to video sequences and assembling those sequences into a video program. VITC Vertical Interval Time Code. (Pronounced vit-see.) An SMPTE-dened standard for time code, recorded into the video signal during the vertical blanking interval. VTR Video Tape Recorder. Similar to VCR (see above) except that VTRs are normally used in the professional video eld and contain enhanced features. VCR is normally used in conjunction with consumer-level electronics.

Index
A
adapters 23 arrow keys 34 audio accompanies video 116 adjust sliders 119 advanced setups 120 background music 118 continuous 117 control 114 devices 114 fade 116 headphones 120 mixer panel 118 monaural 24 monitoring 120 mute 81 source 115 highlight 115 speaker icon 115 stereo 24 transitions 114 using COLOR channel 118 AUDIO MIX 32 background music 118 channel mixer 118 slider 118 default settings 119 headphones channel 118 panel 118 select channel 119 Audio Mixer 118 auto-reverse transition 60 Black Level 76 blue screen 102 border color 37, 45 style 37, 45 using 45 BORDER COLOR 13, 37, 45 custom 43, 44 BORDER STYLE 37, 45 custom 43 borders 13 COMPOSE 32, 82, 93 background 94 solid color 98 basic steps 94 color bars 98 create 98 lines 95 still image tiles 95, 98 tiles 95 cursor 96, 98 move 96 exit from 100 manipulate tiles 96 playback 99 rules 97 tile position 96 size 96 video source 98 video tiles 95 configuration live broadcast 26 post production 28 connector 20 AUDIO IN 20 AUDIO OUT 20 CONTROL (GPI) 20 OUT 20 OUT Y/C 20 POWER 20 PREVIEW OUT 20 VIDEO IN 20 VIDEO IN (Y/C) 20 control buttons 34 CURRENT PIPS 88 selecting source 38 source 14, 38, 55 transition 50 CURRENT preview 73 CUT 13, 38, 39, 41, 43 AUDIO MIX 115, 117 buttons 36 CHROMA KEY 103 current source 55 highlight 55 lights 55

C
cables 23 character generator 122 CHROMA KEY 102 background 102 cancelling selections 104 cursor 104 defined 101 ending 105 fine-tune 105 perform 105 preparation 102 background 102 final footage 103 keyed footage 103 COLOR 39, 41 background 43 color 42 background 37, 43 bars COMPOSE 98 display 122 border 37 changing 43 custom 44 identify current 42 numbers 42, 43 ring 44 selector 37, 42, 45 color background 13 COLOR CORRECT 68 COLOR NEG 69 Comb Filter 76

B
B&W 67 B&W NEG 67 BACK COLOR 13 background color 37, 43 COMPOSE 94 music 118 tile 88 using 13 BASIC 32 basic transitions 53, 132 BG COLOR 37 background 43 COMPOSE 98 custom 43, 44

ii D

Index

Videonics MXPro User Guide

I
input effects 63 source highlight 36 preview image 36 INPUT EFFECTS 34, 63, 64, 66 B&W 67 B&W NEG 67 CHROMA KEY 105 COLOR CORRECT 68 COLOR NEG 69 COMPOSE 98 FLIP Horizontal 67 FLIP Vertical 69 key combinations 65 LEARN 110 menu 64 MOSAIC 68 parameter values 66 PIPS 88 single 90 POSTERIZE 67 STROBE 69 using 63 input selector switch 25 install concept 24 microphone 30

M
manual transitions 61 mask PIPs 90 microphone 23 connect 30 volume 118 monaural audio 24 MOSAIC 68 Multi-PIP 91 configurations 91 create 92 Mute 81 MX-1 53, 155

DEMO 12, 72 demo 12 run 72 locked 72 device input number of 20 output number of 20 DISPLAY 32, 73 user transitions 54

E
EDGES 32 edges transitions 53, 137

N
NEXT 38, 39 AUDIO MIX 115, 120 background 43 buttons 36 CHROMA KEY 103 highlight 55 INPUT EFFECTS 66 lights 55 PIPS 88 source 38, 55 select 38 transition 50 NEXT preview 73

F
FLIP Horizontal 67 FLIP Vertical 69 Force Field Freeze 76 foreground tile 88 change 89 freeze 90 FREEZE 32, 83 CHROMA KEY 105 COMPOSE 98 current 83 during transition 83 examples 84 exceptions 86 frame/field 76, 83 functions 83 LEARN 110 next 83 PIPS 90 transition 59, 61 FULL preview 73 function buttons 32, 71

J
JOYSTICK 32 CHROMA KEY 104 color correction 68 COMPOSE 96, 99 custom color 44

O
OK 34 output defined 18

K
keyed footage 102

G
GPI build 127 Out Mode 76 trigger 128 green highlight 14

L
LEARN 32, 107 abort 112 basic steps 107 COMPOSE 99 custom color 44 environments 108 INPUT EFFECTS light 111 locked demo 72 maximum steps 109 steps 109 using 111 live broadcast configuration 26 live environment 126

H
headphones 25, 120 icon 115 jack 32, 115

Videonics MXPro User Guide

Index

iii

P
PIPS 32, 82, 87, 88 mask 90 multiple 91 create 92 shapes 90 single 88 create 88 tile 88 PLAY 32, 34, 39, 41, 43 AUDIO MIX 116 CHROMA KEY 105 COMPOSE 99 LEARN 109 PIPS 88 transition 50, 61 number 57 post production configuration 28 POSTERIZE 67 power cord 22 switch 32 preview CURRENT defined 73 FULL defined 73 image 36 quality 147 monitor 73 NEXT defined 73 screen 39 STANDARD 54, 56 defined 73 TWO CHANNEL 54, 56 defined 73 PREVIEW monitor 11, 19 PREVIEW screen 11 PROGRAM monitor 19

S
security monitoring 126 SETUP 32, 75 LEARN 110 navigation keys 75 screen 75 SHAPES 32 shapes in PIPs 90 shapes transitions 53, 139 SHIFT 34 CHROMA KEY 104 single PIPs 88 solid color backgrounds 13 source alternate between 41 defined 18 highlights 50 select 39 selector 32 swap 41, 51 SPEED 14 LEARN 110 transition 58 STANDARD preview 54, 56, 73 starting MXPro 32 stereophonic audio 24 stopping MXPro 32 STROBE 69 S-Video 23

T
Take Bar See T-BAR T-BAR 32, 39, 41, 43 AUDIO MIX 116 calibrate 128 CHROMA KEY 105 color correction 68 COMPOSE 99 LEARN 109 transition 50 tile 88 background 88 foreground 88 change 89 Time Base Corrector 145 titler 122 TRAILING 32 trailing transitions 53, 138 transformer 22

transition adjust 58 audio 114 auto-reverse 60 basic category 53 category basic 53 defined 52 edges 53 shapes 53 trailing 53 user 53, 54 category button 32, 37, 52 color highlight 57 direction change 59 effect 15 highlight 37 menu 37, 52, 56, 73 using 56 number 56 defined 57 reverse 59 run 50, 61 automatic 61 manual 61 select 56 by number 57 from menu 57 sources 55 speed 39 change 58 TWO CHANNEL preview 54, 56, 73

U
USER 32 change transitions 54 user transitions 53 customizing 54 restore defaults 54 select by number 56

R
RCA Composite 23 REVERSE transition 58, 59, 60 roll edits A/A 123 A/B 124 ROUTE 32, 77, 78 configure MXPro 77, 78 defaults 77 menu 78 navigate 81 purpose 77 redirect signals 80

V
video quality 147 VIDEO/AUDIO AUDIO MIX 117 selector 32, 40, 114, 116

Y
Y-Adapter cable 24

Notes