Product manual

Glossary of Terms
Auto Key
A pairing of two video signals, a key video and a key
alpha, to create a key. In the switcher, you associate the
fill and alpha so that the switcher knows which alpha to
use when the video is selected.
Auto Transition
An automatic transition in which the manual movement
of the fader handle is simulated electronically. The
transition starts when the AUTO TRANS button is
pressed and takes place over a pre-selected time period,
measured in frames.
Chroma Key
Chroma Key is a key in which the hole is cut based on
a color value, or hue, rather than a luminance value or
alpha signal. The color is removed and replaced with
background video from another source.
Cut
An instantaneous switch from one video signal to another.
Dissolve
A transition from one video signal to another in which
one signal is faded down, while the other is
simultaneously faded up. The terms mix or cross-fade
are often used interchangeably with dissolve.
Dynamic Host Configuration Protocol (DHCP)
An Ethernet protocol where a device, such as the
switcher, is given an IP address by the network host. This
eliminates the need to manually enter the network
parameters and IP address.
Field
One half of a complete picture (or frame) interval
containing all of the odd, or all of the even, lines in
interlaced scanning. One scan of a TV screen is called a
field; two fields are required to make a complete picture
(which is a frame).
Frame
One complete picture consisting of two fields of
interlaced scanning lines.
FTP
An abbreviation for File Transfer Protocol that is used
to transfer files from one computer to another over a
TCP-IP connection, like the internet.
GPI
An abbreviation for General Purpose Interface, a simple
high/low signal that is used to trigger an action either on
an external device or on the switcher. A GPI can be an
input or an output to the switcher.
HD
A high definition (720p or 1080i) video signal.
Hue
The characteristic of a color signal that determines
whether the color is red, yellow, green, blue, purple, etc.
(the three characteristics of a TV color signal are
chrominance, luminance, and hue). White, black, and
gray are not considered hues.
Key
An effect produced by cutting a hole in the background
video, then filling the hole with video or matte from
another source. Key source video cuts the hole, key fill
video fills the hole. The video signal used for cut and fill
can come from the same, or separate, sources.
Key Video
A video input which is timed to fill the hole provided by
the key source video. An example of key video is the
video output of a character generator.
Key Invert
An effect that reverses the polarity of the key source so
that the holes in the background are cut by dark areas of
the key source instead of bright areas.
Key Mask
A keying technique in which a pattern is combined with
the key source to block out unwanted portions of the key
source.
Key Alpha
The video signal which cuts a hole in the background
video to make a key effect possible. Also called Key
Video or Source. In practice, this signal controls when
a video mixer circuit will switch from background to key
fill video.
Linear Keys
Linear keys make it possible to fully specify the
transparency of a key from opaque, through transparent,
to fully off. The transparency is specified by the key
alpha that is associated with the key video. A keyer
capable of a linear key converts the key signal voltage
directly to the transparency effect on the screen.
Mnemonics
A green, orange, or yellow display used to show the
names of a source above or below the source button or
used as a custom command or pattern button.
Pre-Delay
A pre-delay is a delay that is inserted into a transition
between the triggering of a GPI output and performing
the transition. The length of the pre-delay is usually the
length of time your video server requires to start playing
a clip or your character generator required to load a page.
RossTalk
An ethernet based protocol that allows allow the control
over Ross devices using plain english commands.
SD
A standard definition (480i or 576i) video signal.
Self Key
A key effect in which the same video signal serves as
both the key signal and key fill.
Shaped
An additive key where the Key Alpha cuts a hole based
on the monochrome value of the alpha. Shades of gray
48 • Glossary of Terms — Carbonite Operation Manual (v6.1)