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APPLICATION
NOTE
3D Production Using
Grass Valley Production Switchers
John Willis & Greg Huttie
November 2010
Grass Valley™ production switchers are
already making 3D television programs, and
have been for many years with no external
processing required. Our latest switchers
continue to deliver the ease of operation and
high production values our users expect, using
our standard software and hardware.
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3D ProDuction using grass Valley ProDuction switchers
Left HD Camera Feed
Paired
Camera
Sources
Paired
Replay System
Sources
Right HD Camera Feed
L
R
Paired Program
Output To
Transmission System
PVW PGM
L
R
Paired
3D Clip
Sources
3D Camera Rig with Two LDK 8300
Super SlowMo Cameras
L R L
3D Encoder
3D HD over HDMI
L R
3D Encoder
3D HD over HDMI
L R
3D Preview Monitor 3D Program Monitor
3D PRODUCTION
You’re 3D Ready… TODAY!
Kayenne Video Production Center
K2 Summit Production Clients
used as Sources
Kayenne ClipStore
utilizing K2 Summit
K2 Dyno Replay System
(Super SloMo 3D)
L
R
L
R
L
R
Trinix NXT
3G Router
L
R
L R
3D ProDuction using grass Valley ProDuction switchers
Introduction
Live 3D television production is one of the most exciting developments in recent times and is poised to stretch both production
and technical teams worldwide as they pursue the ultimate experience for their viewers.
Grass Valley and its solutions sit at the heart of the 3D television production experience with LDK cameras being used in 3D rigs,
K2 Summit™ and K2 Solo™ media servers with ChannelFlex™ technology built for 3D left-eye/right-eye recording and playout on a
single channel, reliable and scalable routing systems, and both Kayenne™ Video Production Center and Kayak™ HD switchers easily
able to put a 3D show on air.
The core of the Grass Valley switcher concept for 3D operation is in maintaining the traditional 2D workflow understood by producers, directors, and technical directors, without adding complications or special tricks. 3D TV requires a transparent ability to process
the t wo parts of a 3D show: the left-eye and the right-eye camera signals. This must take place under the same control scheme as
a regular 2D show, using the knowledge and techniques which keep the production pacing and desired on-air look without compromising any production values.
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3D ProDuction using grass Valley ProDuction switchers
Kayenne’s Approach
The Kayenne has a powerful video
processing frame of up to 4.5 M/Es —
each with six keyers, six outputs, up to
four iDPMs, and each able run Grass
Valley’s DoubleTake™ software modes.
This means that with no extra or optional
software, a Kayenne M/E is able to be
split so that one transition control area
and lever arm is used to cut, mix, or
wipe a 3D pair of left-eye/right-eye cameras within each of its M/Es and offer
twin preview outputs for each M/E. This
results in a 4.5 M/E Kayenne becoming
a 4.5 3D M/E switcher with each M/E
having three 3D keyers of which two
have full DPM capability in each of the
four full M/Es and with a simple half M/E
having three 3D linear/luminance keyers
with no DPMs.
The TD uses the included Multiple Bus
Linking software and a 3D source table
to ensure that while they cut the left-eye
camera that the Kayenne automatically
cuts the companion right-eye camera in
the separate M/E partition and matches
transitions using DoubleTake techniques
and the new Key Chaining software
which is part of the version 2.0 software
release.
Key Chaining ensures that keyers in a
chain always match status, so with 15
chains in a fully loaded Kayenne there
are 15 3D key pairs. TDs need only command one part of any pair to ensure that
both parts correctly follow in both on-air
status and preview.
Importantly, the preview outputs of
the switcher allow the TD to show 3D
preview or individual left-eye or right-eye
camera signals should troubleshooting
be required. This is easily achieved using
the built-in preview router, which is on
the control panel above Program/Preset.
Every one of the 1,000 E-MEM registers
for Mix Effects banks is a twin register
for the 3D effect.
iDPM channels do not require any extra
or special software to be used in 3D.
Grass Valley iDPMs use well-proven
2D/3D geometry developed to ensure
that DPM operations project movements
in 3D correctly and preserve 3D camera
rig setup or graphics as they are flown
in exactly the same way as they always
have been. By allowing the TD to easily control all iDPMs within a Kayenne
simultaneously, and at a minimum as 3D
pairs, 2D iDPM moves are easily replicated in the 3D world.
eDPM, the four-channel DPM, which has
its own control system within Kayenne
mirroring the feel of an external DPM,
also requires no special software to
allow it to be split into a 3D two-channel
effects device with three physical channels becoming the left-eye and two
the right-eye processors. It mirrors the
switcher section by also using 1,000
twin E-MEM registers for control and
recall of effects.
Of course graphic replay is integral to
both production requirements and to
Kayenne’s control system. ClipStore
uses either a Grass Valley K2 Summit or
K2 Solo media server with Channel Flex
to record, edit, and replay video clips
with left-eye/right-eye video, matte, and
audio. Stills are handled by an onboard
RAM system with manual or timed
backup of the valuable media files to
hard drive as part of the software. Both
stills and clips show thumbnails to aid in
speed of operation.
The TDs, engineers, and production
teams who work with Kayenne to build
live, high-quality, 3D TV are able to use
all their current 2D knowledge and skills
in a 4.5 M/E 3D production environment
learned and perfected in the 4.5 M/E 2D
world.
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3D ProDuction using grass Valley ProDuction switchers
Kayak HD’s Approach
Within the standard software of a Grass
Valley Kayak HD, M/E Couple allows
any M/E to be the master of any other.
Simply put, source selection of left-eye
on the first M/E will force selection of
right-eye on the second by the selection of a 3D source substitution table.
Background and key transitions are
matched across the coupled 3D M/Es,
and the result is a massively powerful
3D M/E with up to six keyers and 3D
preview.
When using the Kayenne XL panel,
1,00 0 macro registers ensure control is
maint ained with no extra learning time
for the TD.
iDPM channels, which may optionally be
placed within the four full keyers of each
M/E bank, are easily controlled in pairs or
simultaneously. This means that the TD
uses knowledge gained in 2D production
to easily step into 3D. Again, the Grass
Valley DPM geometry software ensures
that camera rig setup or graphic perspective is accurately translated inside the
DPM effects with no extra software.
The internal RAMRecorder™, for short
clips, or Media Player control of K2
Summit or K2 Solo media ser vers,
again allows the high production value
of graphics to be used with no extra
software or training. Thumbnails of both
internal and external clips as well as
RAMRecorder stills speed up operations. Replay wipes rendered in 3D can
be played out as two key/fill pairs in
parallel from the internal RAMRecorder,
allowing a manual fader controlled replay
transition.
By slaving M/Es using M/E Couple, a
powerful 3D 2 M/E Kayak HD system
built from a 4 M/E frame allows production teams to go to air with no compromises and no extra software or training.
For even smaller systems or to save
hardware resources—depending on your
system—a 3D production can be accomplished in one physical Mix Effect bank.
For det ailed setup or more information
please contact your regional Grass Valley
Technical Sales Support person.
Conclusion
Grass Valley switchers have been delivering the highest level of 3D production values paired with easy operation. Using the
experience that our users continue to share with us, we are moving towards fast-track 3D setup options to further improve our 3D
production support.
sales
Local and regional sales contacts can be found by visiting
www.grassvalley.com/sales
© Copyright 2010 Technicolor USA, Inc. dba Grass Valley. All rights reserved. Grass Valley, K2 Summit, K2 Solo, ChannelFlex, Kayenne, Kayak, RAMRecorder,
and DoubleTake are trademarks of Technicolor USA, Inc. All other tradenames referenced are service marks, trademarks, or registered trademarks of their
respective companies. Specifications subject to change without notice. LPS-4011M
Local and regional support contacts can be found by visiting
suPPort
www.grassvalley.com/support
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