Akula VTM video compositing system. New model range — new features

By Andrey Smirnov

Review contents:

CGs yesterday, today and tomorrow Software and hardware tools for TV programs graphic branding Graphic tools of DMS module system The use of XDR2-GENSEC in the systems of regional air branding Akula VTM video compositing system. New model range — new features Profitt’s titling and air branding systems, clock and logo generators Overview of the systems based on extended version of Alpha Pro software X-CG character generator — good choice for titles creation TitleBox graphic manager Clock Station Leitch’s equipment for air branding Matrox InfonetTV Deko CGs from Pinnacle Systems Company Pixel Power equipment Stream Labs.’s video cards Videoprinter system for DSC video switchers Videonics titling machines

Akula VTM is a professional video computer system working in real time and designed for titling, advertising clips playout and live program broadcasting branding. This is not just combination of hardware and software but integrated environment in which it is possible to create full featured broadcasting program. It has both simple CGs and sophisticated multifunctional devices. The systems made as PCI cards for installation into PC and are provided with specialized Alpha Pro AE software application. New Akula VTM v. 5.2 model line accumulates years of experience gained by company’s professionals and allows solving tasks of any level: from crawl playout up to interactive program creation, phone polls in live air, automated playout of news blocks, advertisement etc. In difference to CGs operating in conjunction with NLE systems Akula VTM doesn’t require digitizing of video onto disks and huge time for titles rendering. Important feature of Akula VTM is its compatibility with most NLEs. Now Akula VTM “can” playout video materials in DV, M-JPEG, MPEG-2, MPEG-4, DivX formats.

Akula VTM is not only broadcast quality character generation but also rear projection when actor is placed in front of blue background while virtual decorations for front and rear positions are being created on a computer.

System’s operation logics is based on placing of object to be shot in between of computer-made decoration layers which allow adding to resulting video signal different effects, titles, logos, graphic information, digital video clips as well as replacing most of real studio decorations by virtual ones.

There are several hardware realized operating modes for the system:

• Text information, logos, computer graphics and animation are selected as front (upper) layer which is overlaid with adjustable transparency (alpha-channel) onto object to be shot;
• Titles, computer graphics and animation are selected as a background, which is placed behind object to be shot and this object is placed in studio in front of blue background for further chroma keying;
• Sandwich mode when system operates simultaneously on both previous modes and video signal is “pressed” in between of two video layers synthesized on computer;
• Scheduled playout of branding shots, titles, animation and video clips according in DV, MPEG-2, AVI, M-JPEG, MPEG-4, DivX formats and in 4:4:4:4, 4:2:2 forms;
• Transcoding and format conversion during overlay into passing through video signal: composite PAL/SECAM, S-Video and component YPrPb/RGB.

Rear projection in Akula VTM system

Akula VTM allows:

• Playout of text and graphic information as rolls and crawls;
• Smooth executing of more than 300 visual effects with synchronization by fields of passing through video signal; constant output of logo (channel’s symbol), arrow and clock-face clock including full screen clock on animated background;
• Placing of static and dynamic decorations for foreground and background (rear projection) in between of which an actor is placed. Actor’s move in between of virtual computer-made decorations is possible;
• Scheduled playout of advertising clips and full screen video in the most popular coding formats via Akula Tele playout automation system;
• Creating of multilayer graphic windows for displaying of fast incoming information fed via local network, ports, modems etc. The data include temperature and time, phone polls results created by Akula Phone system;
• Automated output of script pages with locking to time, timer signal, external event trigger, time code;
• Viewing of prepared scripts in Preview channel before they will be played out in the main program channel;
• Overlay of full color titles and graphics onto video signal in SECAM standard (according to GOST 7845-92);
• transcoding formats while overlaying graphics onto passing through signal.

First of all, Akula VTM is a high quality titling system based on up-to-date character generating technologies. For instance it has flicker filter and alpha-channel with maximum depth available — 256 grades. And flicker filter presence doesn’t affect a quality of output signal because the bandwidth for all signals without decoding is more than 10 MHz.

The broadcast quality of rasterizing is provided by multilayer presentation of symbol’s border signal (antialiasing) as highly effective toll for compensation of non-linearity of vertical and inclined lines which have place on the symbol’s edges.

For this reason horizontal and vertical edges of symbol are represented not by two layers but by 256 grades. Symbol acceptance is enhancing due to gray semi-tones along its edge. The system allows using symbols and backgrounds with sophisticated 3D shadows, edges, contours and borders. During insertion of a symbol into background image smooth transitions on the edge of symbol and background are saved because silhouette signal is being formed no by simple limiting of a video signal according to some level but has smooth transitions on the edges.

Variable speed of text motion in both horizontal and vertical axis is available providing high visual quality of moving titles on the screen. Images and logos can be inserted into crawl text. Open architecture of software allows the use of any True Type font available in Windows including national fonts. The fonts can be modified by operator on its own view (symbol size, color, borders, shadows etc) which in fact allows creation of new fonts based on original ones. One can use fonts with gradients and textures including images in BMP and TGA (up to 32 bit resolution) formats as a filler.

Pretty important advantage of a system is its convenient control. AlphaPro software interface looks like multiwindow text processor and is easy to learn for majority of users. Operation is conducted in two-monitor mode giving a possibility to edit some scripts while output the others. WYSIWYG mode allows simultaneously control of working results. Upon power disappearance in a studio the system automatically switches itself into bypass mode.

Besides, Akula VTM system executes smoothly (with synchronization by field of passing through signal) more than 300 2D effects: rolls, crawl of any length, moves in and out in both horizontal and vertical directions, dissolves, fadeins and fadeouts, zoom, about 300 wipes with soft edges. It can play animation and video clips as a separate effect or inside block of titles. Effects allow adjustment speed, duration and pause time, they can be performed with lock to time, time code, external event signal. All effects can be executed both for full screen and for rectangular area, either over video signal and other graphic layer or behind them.

When working in rear projection mode a man or object is being shot on blue or other color plain background. Later this background is being replaced by computer generated image. System’s setup for blue or other color keying which serves as a background for an actor to be shot is performed by editing of LookUpTable. User interface providing control realized in easy and convenient manner. Manipulations with objects in rear projection mode are performed by means of layers’ alpha-channels modifying. As foreground and background decorations the following multilayer composition can be used: frames with texts, graphics and animation areas created, for example in Adobe Photoshop, 3D Studio Max or other applications. Animation, computer graphics, movies and video clips can be used as a background. Further keying of object occurred in real time without need of rendering and saving to disk.

Akula VTM is organized as hardware CG based on VisualMedia video processor allowing to free up computer’s CCU and providing reliability in operation. The chipset of a system includes modern analog and digital chips and processors made by Analog Devices, Cirrus Logic, Elantec, Motorola, Philips and other companies. It is necessary to especially note that passing through video signal doesn’t suffer from digitization, compression or decoding and is well suited for broadcast application. The plate doesn’t carry any fine tuning elements and scheme architecture excludes fine tuning need upon time.

Hardware part of Akula VTM consists of:

• Circuit of black burst extraction from passing through or reference signal;
• Bypass circuit for a case of power fault;
• Frame buffer with full TV resolution of 720×576×32 (24 bits are reserved for the image and 8 bits — for alpha-channel) and bandwidth about 100 MB/s with redundancy enough for full screen animation playout;
• 64 bit Cirrus Logic VisualMedia video processor for hardware support of full screen titling effects which allows offload PC’s CCU for another tasks;
• Circuit for frame buffer synchronization with passing through video signal;
• Circuit for conversion of graphic information contained in a frame buffer into composite/S-Video (PAL) or component YPrPb signals;
• Circuit of controllable lock for precise combining of passing through and graphic signals’ black levels;
• Circuit for forming of rear projection key signal using 24 bit 8:8:8 representation which provides color meaning values presence in each of 768×576 dots which is especially important for quality rear projection working with YPrPb signals;
• Wideband delay line in passing through video signal path for compensation of delays appeared in the path of rear projection key signal forming;
• Chroma LookUp Table circuit for storing of parameters of tuning for color and luminance of blue (green) background in front of which an actor is placed;
• Circuit for keying of blue (green) background with forming of semi-transparent contour of three pixel wide inside to actor’s image perimeter for softening of edge “actor — graphic background” or “actor — background video signal” as well as for attenuation of undesired lighting of actor;
• Alpha LookUp Table circuit for realization of dissolve effect between psaaing through signals and graphics made on hardware level;
• Circuit consisting of two- or five-channel (depending on model) analog wideband (more than 10 MHz) mixers for soft insertion via alpha-channel of graphic information into passing through video signal using 256 grades of transparency;
• Circuit for forming of combined in time RGB, YPrPb signals and AlphaKey key signal for mixing in the external component mixer;
• Pass Through circuit for enforced mixing switching off in program channel while in Preview monitoring channel mixing is always present;
• Circuit for transcoding and conversion of PAL composite/ PAL S-Video/SECAM (according to GOST 7845-92)/YPrPb under “any in — any out” principle.

Akula Tele system’s interface

Hardware of Akula VTM serves as a basement for principally new product — Akula Tele. This systems is a computer video server designed for automated scheduled playout of branding shots, titles, animation, video clips (regional advertisement for instance) and inserting them into central channels program schedule. It should be marked that advert clips insertion into passing through video signal occurred without use of video mixer, synchronizer and even NLE used for clips creation. Video server is connected to TV company local network via which it receives all necessary video material from networked working places equipped for example by NLEs. In this way schedule of advert insertion may be integrated with central station’s broadcasting schedule by means of replacing some central programs by regional ones. Initialization of video block playout occurs upon reach of specified in schedule time, timer signal or manually by operator.

In base configuration a system is equipped with 10-hours disk array for audio and video information storage which can be extended. At this momentum system supports following video file formats: DV, M-JPEG, MPEG-2, MPEG-4, D1 and audio uncompressed. This support provides Akula TELE system with compatibility for popular NLE platforms from Canopus, Matrox, Pinnacle and guarantees flexibility in integration with already existing studio facilities. The product is oriented mainly for regional TV companied re-broadcasting central channels’ programs. Features of a system are being constantly upgraded and extended.

Akula Video Titling Machine v.5.2 PCI models characteristics
	100	100DE	110DE	200DE	210DE	300	300DE	310	310DE	SDI
Overlay onto passing through video signal titles, animation and graphics in resolution of 720x576x16 million colors and 8-bit alpha-channel	Yes
Effects hardware support	Yes
Rear projection	No		Yes	Yes	Yes	No		Yes		No
Two-layer virtual decorations	No		Yes	No	Yes	No		Yes		No
Scheduled playback DV, M-JPEG, MPEG-2, MPEG-4 and uncompressed* video files	Yes
Number of hardware video layers**	2/3		3/4	2/3	3/4	2/3		3/4		2/3
Overlay onto SECAM video signal full color titles and graphics according to GOST 7845-92	No	Yes				No	Yes	No	Yes	No
Format conversion modes
Two-way PAL/S-Video /SECAM	No	Yes				No	Yes	No	Yes	No
PAL/S-Video /SECAM => YPrPb	No			Yes		No	Yes	No	Yes	No
YPrPb=> PAL/S-Video /SECAM	No						Yes	No	Yes	No
Bypass	Yes									No
Storing service information and data in VBI of passing through video signal	Yes
Mixing using external switcher
via YPrPb and alpha-channel: DSK inputs	No			Yes
via RGB and alpha-channel: DSK inputs	Yes	No				Yes	No	Yes	No	No
via SDI DSK inputs of switcher	No									Yes
Preview output	No	Yes
Inputs
PAL/S-Video	Yes									No
SECAM	No	Yes				No	Yes	No	Yes	No
YPrPb/RGB	No					Yes				No
External synchronization	Yes
Outputs
PAL/S-Video (video + graphics)	Yes					No	Yes	No	Yes	No
SDI (graphics)	No									Yes
SDI (alpha-channel)	No									Yes
SECAM (video + graphics)	No	Yes				No	Yes	No	Yes	No
YPrPb (video + graphics)	No			Yes						No
RGB (video + graphics)	No					Yes				No
YPrPb (graphics)	No			Yes
RGB (graphics)	Yes	No				Yes				No
Alpha-channel	Yes	No		Yes
* In AkulaTele playout automation system; **Value after "/" is for AkulaTele playout automation system

Material provided by Candela Company