Congratulations on your purchase of RealTime Video Engineering’s PRO-FIFTY Upgrade Package ! These instructions cover use of the Downstream Keyer upgrade option,  the DSK-50.

The DSK-50 adds two powerful new features to the existing capabilities of Panasonic’s MX-50: 

“LogoMotion” (Downstream Self-Key), which allows luminance-keyed titles and graphics to be manipulated using any of the MX-50’s wipe / slide / compression / multi effects and External Key, which allows an unlimited variety of wipe patterns and wipe transitions to be “imported” via the MX-50’s External Camera input.

Getting Started – The Easy Way:

If you’re like me, you probably first want to take DSK-50 for a test drive and find out what it will do, saving the details for later.  live made this easy for you by pre-programming a variety of LogoMotion moves into the MX-50’s eight programmable Memories.  Follow these simple instructions and you’ll be experiencing the power of the LogoMotion feature within a few minute’s time.  When we’re done with this “confidence test” we’ll manually set up the LogoMotion and External Key features.

Eight pre-programmed examples of LogoMotion capabilities:

Note:  The pre-programmed demo assumes connection of your background video source to VIDEO1 and your keyable graphic to VIDEO2.  Use these inputs for now;  the Event Memories can be reconfigured later,  if you wish, when you’re comfortable with manually setting up the new features (and the Event Memories).

1. Connect your background video source to the VIDEO1 input.

2. Connect your luminance-keyable graphic source to the VIDEO2 input.  For the purposes of this demo this can be any full-screen, full-color subject with a background which is darker than the subject.  For now, use a camera pointed at a color graphic with a non-reflective black background. 

3. Select EVENT 1 from the MEMORY section.  (Be sure not to hit the MEMORY button, as this will set up the Memory function to overwrite the pre-programmed example.)

4. Tap the AUTOTAKE button to call up the EVENT 1 settings.

5. If the graphic doesn’t appear keyed over the background video, move the T-BAR until it does.

6. Clean up the edges of your keyed graphic by adjusting the Black Level of the graphic, using the new Bus-B BLACK LEVEL control.  (Normally this would be done with the DSK Key Level sliders.  Since, however, each of the Event Memories has been pre-programmed for use with a graphic with a 7.5 IRE background, the DSK Key Levels are automatically reset for the 7.5 IRE background each time you advance to the next Event by hitting AUTOTAKE.)  Once set up, the keyer shouldn’t require further adjustment (for a given graphic) as you experiment with the wide variety of new effects.

7. Now tap AUTOTAKE repeatedly to experience the following eight LogoMotion examples:

EVENT1: Zoom graphic from Top Center EVENT5: Slide Up from Bottom

EVENT2: Compress to lower right corner EVENT6: Transparent X Wipe (LtoR)

EVENT3: Fade “Bug” 50 Percent EVENT7: Soft Curtains Wipe

EVENT4: Wipe Bug w/ Soft-Edge Circle EVENT8: Squeeze to Center

new phone: (760) 945-3321 ï  new fax: (760) 945-3369 ï  new e-mail: BobRall@aol.com

8. These eight examples only hint at the potential of the DSK-50’s LogoMotion feature.  Use them as starting points for experimenting with different variations on each effect.  At the completion of the desired effect, move the T-BAR to return control to the key panel.  Now select the wipe options you wish to experiment with and move the T-BAR to test the modified effect.  (If you hit AUTOTAKE, the MX-50 will advance to the next pre-programmed effect.)

9. To exit the Memory mode, tap the SHIFT button. (Now you can use the AUTOTAKE button to experiment with effect durations.)

That was fun…now, while the basic configuration is still set up, let’s try using the LogoMotion capabilities with some of the SPECIAL Mode features:

SPECIAL Mode selections which can be used with LogoMotion :

The following SPECIAL mode selections work well in the Downstream Self-Key mode.  To call up the SPECIAL mode, hold down the SHIFT button, then tap MEMORY.  Tap SHIFT again then tap EVENT 1/5 to begin with SPECIAL1. (Note that the MX-50  does not return to the original Source / Bus assignments following use of SPECIAL6.)  

SPECIAL2: Compressed Stream-In SPECIAL7: Vibrate

SPECIAL3: Corkscrew SPECIAL8: Satellite

SPECIAL4: Bounce SPECIAL1: Mosaic Mix (not useful ?)

Ok, we’ve completed our “confidence check” of the LogoMotion feature.  In the following example we will manually set up the LogoMotion feature. 

EXAMPLE:   Using a Keyable Graphic or Animation to generate a station-ID “bug”:

From power-up conditions:

1. Select the C/L BAR option at the Matte Generator to enable the new features.

2.  Assign your background video source to Bus-A.

3. Assign your full-screen luminance-keyable graphic or animation to Bus-B.

4. Turn off the ONE WAY wipe option.

5. Move the T-bar to Bus-B.

6. Select a BOX WIPE.

7. Select COMPRESSION

8. Turn on the DSK.

9. Select Bus-B as the DSK Key Source.

10. Set the DSK Key Level sliders for the cleanest key.  For a graphic with a black background, start with both sliders all the way down and adjust the right hand slider for the cleanest key.

11. Move the T-Bar towards Bus-A to compress the graphic to the desired size.

12. Turn on the POSITIONER feature and use the joystick to position the compressed graphic.

13. At the Master Fader, select VIDEO fade to MATTE destination.  The Master Fader Slider can now be used to set the transparency of the “bug”.

14. (Optional)  Turn on the ASPECT RATIO option and adjust the ASPECT RATIO control to coincide with the aspect ratio of your graphic.  This and the SOFT-edge wipe option will improve the appearance of the compression when compressing the graphic until it disappears.  The DSK REVERSE option will help in evaluating the effect of these options. 

 

Some other interesting effects you might try in this mode of operation:

1. Using the MULTI-picture mode on Bus-B for a “wallpaper” of keyed graphics.  Used with the Master Fader for transparency, this can make an interesting background for a downstream titler.

2. Combine the basic wipes with the PAIRING function and the SOFT-edge wipe option on level 2 to perform transparent “two-pass” wipes.  Try the BLINDS function to perform “curtain” wipes.

3. Feed one of the MX-50 outputs back into an one of it’s inputs to generate trails which follow the motion of your keyed graphic.  The Proc Amp controls can be used to control the characteristics of the graphic and its trails independently.  Use the SPECIAL8 “Satellite” feature to help evaluate the effects of the proc amp settings on the graphic and its trails.

4. Experiment ! There are more new effects than can possibly be described here !

Downstream External Key :

Another powerful new capability is Downstream External Key, which allows custom wipe patterns and wipe transitions to be “imported” via the External Camera input.  By configuring the DSK to key on the External Camera Signal, a high-contrast pattern fed to this input will generate a wipe in that pattern.   (Note: When the External Camera input is used, the provided signal becomes the system timing reference; this input will therefore only accept stable or timebase-correct signals.)

Patterns can be anything from stationary wipes shot from key cards to computer-generated full-motion wipe transitions.  (A wipe transition key source is any full-motion animation which starts from a solid screen of one luminance level and ends with a solid screen of another level;  Black and white are commonly used.) Wipe transitions generated by animation programs or other mixers can also be taken from videotape if timebase correction is provided. 

As the External Key function is taking place downstream of the Effects section, any of the MX-50’s basic wipes can be used to affect the External Keyed image.  When using a stationary key pattern, you might try the “two-pass” (see above) or soft-edge blinds wipes.

The Downstream External Key feature could also have been programmed into the MX-50’s Event Memories; it just wouldn’t have been useful for a quick demo (as External Key requires the third source).  Here’s how to manually set up the Downstream External Key mode.  You might want to set up a couple of the Event  Memories for “one-button” access to your favorite External Key effects:

From power-up conditions:

1. Select the C/L BAR option at the Matte Generator to enable the new features.

2. Assign your two primary sources to Bus A and to Bus B.

3. Connect your key camera, computer graphics or other stable wipe source to either EXT CAM input (Use of the S-Video input has no advantage over use of the Composite input in this application).

4. Move the T-Bar to BUS-B.

5. Turn on the DSK.

6. Select the EXT CAM as the Key Source.

7. Set the KEY LEVEL sliders for the cleanest key of the wipe pattern, bold titles, or wipe transition.

8. Use the DSK’s REVERSE button to invert the key signal, swapping locations of the primary sources.

9. Use the T-Bar and/or Master Fader to combine the MX-50’s basic wipes with the external pattern.

White Titles with Live Video Dropshadows :

When keying white titles from a CG fed to the External Camera input (or from the Panasonic KB-50 titler connected to the titler port) it is also possible to fill the dropshadow from a live video source:

1. Select a White Key Fill at the DSK.

2. Select the desired EDGE effect (usually the wide dropshadow).

The shadow will fill from the source selected at Bus-A.

How the DSK-50 upgrade works :

We’ve covered most of the capabilities of the DSK-50 without really going into what it is actually doing, which isn’t especially important except to remember that the Color Bar Matte Fill option must be selected to access the new features.

The DSK-50’s sole function is to route the digital data representing the selected Bus-A source as a Key Fill to the Downstream Key section.

The DSK-50 functions without external modifications by sensing when a Color Bar Matte is selected at the Matte Generator (default power-up conditions).  When the Color Bar Matte Fill is selected, the DSK-50 circuitry substitutes 16-bit digital data representing the source selected at Bus-A for the Color Bar data.  (If a Color Bar Matte Fill is desired, it can be selected from Bus-A, so no existing features are compromised.)  

The Color Bar Matte Generator LED has been biased higher (is now brighter) to reminder you as you step through the Matte color options that the Bus-A signal has been substituted for the Color Bar signal at the DSK.

Technical Assistance / Warranty:

In addition to allowing simple operation, the internal installation of the PRO-FIFTY upgrade will prove to be highly reliable.  As such, the PRO-FIFTY upgrade is covered by a full five year warranty on both parts and labor.  This warranty does not cover physical damage to or routine re-tuning of the MX-50.

I anticipate that your PRO-FIFTY upgrade will serve you very well for many years.

If you need technical assistance, please feel free to call me at (760)945-3321, 7 days a week.

Bob Rall, Owner

RealTime Video Engineering