Version 5.5 > Video in Motion Background
7/18/2005 8:58:47 PM
I've got the latest versions loaded - 5.5 & of all the Promodules. I wanted to use Live Video as my Background for our default slide - so I can put words over - choruses, hymns, etc. I sent an e-mail last week, and SSP techs wouldn't suggest a video capture card that would work for this. So I got a brand name - Pinnacle Studio AV/DV Deluxe ($150). I hooked it up, and was SORELY disappointed in the performance in SSP. Whether I used it as a Video Source, or through the Live Video Promodule, it was poor quality.
When I used it through the composite input, it was choppy, except for when I made it a small window on the screen. When I used the Firewire port (which I had to put the composite signal through a camcorder to get it to firewire), it wasn't as bad... but after a few minutes, the audio was out of sync with the video! (we're running the audio straight through our sound system, not through the computer).
So what's up? How can I get quality video that's not gonna be choppy or out-of-sync?
After spending 5 hours on this Saturday, I was very very disappointed... 
I have a Pentium 4 - 1.8 Ghz, 60 GB Hard drive, 1GB RAM. Input from anyone would be helpful. And, yes... I'm a newb.
7/18/2005 10:02:15 PM
Aaron,
This is an often misunderstood SSP feature! It was not intended to replace proper Imag equipment (Switcher etc...) It was intended as an enhancement to certain worship settings. It was one of those features we did because we could...and we have tried to avoid overpromising with it. Syncing live camera, audio etc... is more hardware intensive than a low end capture tool and untility can handle. It can however be used for things like live backgrounds of candles, baptisms, baby dedications etc... where just getting the video on the screen is the critical part. I have used this feature myself to for simple live object lessons, Communion illustrations etc... You can adjust the settings of some of the hardware to get a fairly acceptable quality for the types of things mentioned above. I personally have used Dazzle, but the card you purchased is probably similar...
I apologize for the confusion on this. Perhaps we can conquer this application for you down the road! I would suggest when the V7 wishlist is active you vote this more advanced feature development to the top
Until then... Present with excellence!
SSP Team Member
Ken Holsinger
This is an often misunderstood SSP feature! It was not intended to replace proper Imag equipment (Switcher etc...) It was intended as an enhancement to certain worship settings. It was one of those features we did because we could...and we have tried to avoid overpromising with it. Syncing live camera, audio etc... is more hardware intensive than a low end capture tool and untility can handle. It can however be used for things like live backgrounds of candles, baptisms, baby dedications etc... where just getting the video on the screen is the critical part. I have used this feature myself to for simple live object lessons, Communion illustrations etc... You can adjust the settings of some of the hardware to get a fairly acceptable quality for the types of things mentioned above. I personally have used Dazzle, but the card you purchased is probably similar...
I apologize for the confusion on this. Perhaps we can conquer this application for you down the road! I would suggest when the V7 wishlist is active you vote this more advanced feature development to the top
Until then... Present with excellence!
SSP Team Member
Ken Holsinger
7/18/2005 11:12:59 PM
The reason the SSP techs did not make a recommendation for hardware is because, as Ken just mentioned, we have not found any hardware that sufficiently captures video input and passes it through to SSP in a way to keep it synced with live audio. However, while browsing the expo floor at NAB this year, I did notice one piece of hardware that could be promising. If we find it to be suitable, we’ll certainly let you know.
7/19/2005 6:20:20 AM
My church has been using live video feeds now off and on for a year or so. We use them for large events. In the research we have done, I have noticed that the more expensive the equipment, the better the quality of live feed. For instance, we have very expensive (over $25,000.00) used cameras that were donated to us. The quality of those is huge compared to a consumer grade digital video camera. However, we use the Videonics mixer for the camera signal. This mixer is not ideal because it degrades the signal before sending it to the projectors. If we were using a $5000 - $15000 switcher, the quality of the feeds would be much better also. Our camera feeds are not horrible quality and they are improving each time because of some adjustments. Churches that broadcast live on tv use hundreds of thousands of dollars of equipment in order to get the results they desire. There is no way you could ever get this kind of quality by sending a live video feed through a computer. Well, perhaps some distant day in the future it will be possible.
7/19/2005 1:21:35 PM
Posted By Lee on 07/19/2005 1:18 PM
I play with Live Video now and again and often get acceptable results. The camera signal is fed directly into a HollyWood Bridge (now obsolete) and may occassionally burp, but it is not choppy. I used it as a PiP over SSB just last week, which worked fine.
I don't use it for general IMAG. It may be used to focus on a baby being dedicated, or on baptismal participants, or a childrens event, etc., but never on general stage actions or preaching, and using it that way may hide some of the difficulties you experienced.
I also got a Matrox RT.X100 capture card and have been experimenting with it all week (outside of SSP). Its value is that it encodes in hardware in realtime; low-cost capture cards always rely on software to do that, which costs them significant performance. I suspect SSP can't see the device, though I haven't tried yet.
I play with Live Video now and again and often get acceptable results. The camera signal is fed directly into a HollyWood Bridge (now obsolete) and may occassionally burp, but it is not choppy. I used it as a PiP over SSB just last week, which worked fine.
I don't use it for general IMAG. It may be used to focus on a baby being dedicated, or on baptismal participants, or a childrens event, etc., but never on general stage actions or preaching, and using it that way may hide some of the difficulties you experienced.
I also got a Matrox RT.X100 capture card and have been experimenting with it all week (outside of SSP). Its value is that it encodes in hardware in realtime; low-cost capture cards always rely on software to do that, which costs them significant performance. I suspect SSP can't see the device, though I haven't tried yet.
7/21/2005 1:47:01 PM
areedy2100 also keep in mind that even via FireWire the DV signal is only 720x480 and most projectors are using 800x600 or 1024x765. Hence the image will always be stretched.
Ricky
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