360 Systems MAXX-2400SD - Manual (Page 73)

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MAXX 2400 Owners Manual Page 73
There is no provision for automatic loading of similar named clips on more than two channels - the
Master channel and the next higher numbered Ganged channel. Additional channels must be
loaded manually, after loading the master channel.
Proper key and fill operation requires two clips of identical length. This can be accomplished by
editing with head and tail trim. Long GOP mpeg clips should not be used if editing will be
required to allow precise head point positioning.
Channel 2 is ganged to Channel 3 in the following example.
When a clip is opened/cued on Channel 2, Image Server automatically looks for another clip with
the same name, plus a trailing underscore. If the clip is found, it is loaded on Channel 3. The
Channel 2 clip contains the “fill” material, while the Channel 3 clip has the “key” (or alpha) file.
An automation system, could, for example, issue a VDCP Cue command to Channel 2 for a clip
called “logo”. Channel 3 would automatically be loaded with clip “logo_”. A Still or Play
command sent to Channel 2 would cause both Channels 2 and 3 to display the fill and key clips,
respectively.
Note that the VDCP checkbox option to “show first frame” for a Cue command is ignored for
channels in ganged mode. The automation system must issue a Still command to Channel 2 to
achieve this effect.
Ingesting a TARGA file via FTP automatically creates a key clip and a fill clip, each a single frame
in length. For example, if file “xyz.tga” is transferred to an Image Server via FTP, then a pair of
single-frame clips is created: “xyz” and “xyz_” containing the fill and key material.
Using DV Video and Graphics
Playback of DV-format video and TARGA Graphics is included in MAXX 2400. It plays DV-25
files in native format, and TARGA graphics files including those with key and fill. DV and
Graphics enables direct FTP import from Photoshop®, After Effects®, Final Cut Pro®, Xpress
DV/Pro™, Liquid Edition and Vegas video.
With DV and Graphics, Image Servers are able to function as both a graphics still-store and an
animation playout server. Its four simultaneous outputs give it the power to combine video,
graphics and animation playback. Channels can be ganged in various combinations to provide key-
and-fill playout, while Channel 1 plays background video. Refer to Channel Ganging on Page 72.
The following capabilities are included:
Importing TARGA Graphics Files
The Image Server will recognize and ingest single-frame TARGA files via FTP from most network-
attached graphics workstations. TARGA files have a .tga extension, and may contain an alpha (or
key) channel. During transfer, the Image Server will split the TARGA file into a Fill frame, and a
Key frame if it exists. These will be converted to high-resolution MPEG-2 files, one frame in
length.
For example, if an original file is named Logo.tga, the MPEG-2 files created will be named
Logo.mxf (the fill file) and Logo_.mxf (the key file). Note the trailing underscore “_” added to the
file name of the key. This allows the TARGA file to be used for key and fill applications when
channels 2 and 3 are ganged together.
Once a TARGA file is ingested, it exists only as an MXF MPEG-2 file. The processed file may be
transferred to-and-from network-attached storage, another Image Server, or a graphics workstation,
as two separate MXF MPEG-2 files.