Video Mixing Live!!!

[Munro]

Hello Blueroom. I am need of some help. Yet again, I am being challenged for a school show.

 

What I want to happen is; 2 fixed cameras, 2 moving cameras, and a computer, being mixed to output to a VGA projector.

 

What I have no idea about is the equipment I will need.

 

obviously 4 cameras with enough cable to reach the mixer. But what kind of mixer? can someone please point me too a manufacturers website PLEASE!!!

 

Any advice appreciated.

 

 

 

Joe

[J Pearce]

Your best bet will be something akin to the old faithful Panasonic MX50. Most hire companies that deal with video should be able to supply something suitable.

 

Run your cameras as composite or svideo into the mixer.

The complex bit is your computer. For a school show I suspect composite video would suffice, so you need a computer than can output composite or svideo.

 

Most the cheap video mixers only have 4 channels, and you have 5 sources, you might be able to sort this with a cheap domestic video switch before one of the channels, just means you'll have to cut through another source or through black to switch between the two that share a channel.

 

Do you really have to have VGA out? Most projectors will take composite video and this will make your life a lot easier and MUCH cheaper!

[Munro]

Thanks, I will look into it. Our projector also accepts the yellow phono. (I can never remember what you call it)

[J Pearce]

Yellow phono is composite video.

[revbobuk]

The Edirol V4 is a nice simple video mixer - as Jon suggests, it's only 4-input, but a simple switch before one of the inputs would fix that. Fairly cheap to hire. If you must have VGA output, then the Edirol V8 would do all you need, but it is a bit more complex/expensive. And the PC would then go in at native resolution - you could also use some HD cameras if you have them.

[Jonny Blond]

Go for a Panasonic MX50 or simular composite mixer. as sugested earlyer. then feed this into a switcher scaller ( ie kramer / folsum )this will take a composite signal ( on green ) and the RGBHV ( VGA ) from the PC and send them to the projector in RGVHV ( VGA ).

 

Any local AV company will have this kit. it is the easyest, cheepest option for what you are trying to achive. it will also have the advantage of scaling the composite and pc images so they fit the screen exacly the same.

[Jasonbrownstuff]

hi there

we have all of what you need in hire stock if you need a deal give us a shout.

or send me a private msg

 

jason

technical solutions

[AHYoung]

can I suggest that you use an edirol V8 and thats not because we hire them oot... its because its a video mixer with an vga input so you can simply mix all 5 sources and more importantly preview them alll simply with a single monitor. you will also find it pretty easy to use and obvious in its operation. The mx50 is possibley a "better" video mixer but it wont do what you want without additional scan converters etc.

also id not mess about scaling back up to vga, id plug the mixer into into the yellow phono no messing about, no added frame delays which as your using 4 cameras im sure will be an issue. And decent hire company will give you a few lengths of cable if you hire a mixer.

[JazzAV]

Yes agreed, I would think something like the edirol, or a SmartCut, or octo-Vue or something similar, I don't think using an mx50 via a scaler would be great, I would be concerned processing the signal twice and giving yourself 2 switches. There are plenty of boxes to do this for you, any decent AV company should be able to talk you through the options.