Alright, I now own a ChromaKey +, a SuperGen +, DCTV, and DCTV RGB Converter. I have no manuals except for the Chroma Key and DCTV.
I'd like to plug all of this in together, but am unsure of what order. Likewise I'm not familiar with the software, is there anyone else with this hardware combination that might be able to help out? Also if anyone has software for use with these components and or manuals that they could scan, that would be a major boon for me!
Thankx in advance!
P.S. I own one of Amiga Maniac's V3.1 RGB to PAL/NTSC Adapter's, if someone know's how or if I could use this in conjunction with this other hardware, please fill me in on that too!
Ahh this brings back my Television Production Days (20 odd years ago).....
The order actually depends on what you want to do.
The First item you would want is the DCTV then probably the DCTV RGB converter. After that it really depends.
Unless you are a weatherperson or a movie producer the Genlock, the SuperGen+, will probably get more use than the Chromakey.
The Genlock is designed to over lay graphics onto video. The Genlock takes the incoming video and usually puts this the amiga's background palette position zero (this is usually black, however does not have to be) and overlays the amiga remaining graphics over the video. The output has both the video signal and the overlaid amiga graphics. With the SuperGen, you should be able to fade in and out both the overlaid graphics and the input video. Play around with the sliders, it will become obvious what they do.
I suggest trying the SuperGen+ directly on the amiga without the DCTV just to get an idea of how it works. A good program would be Deluxe Paint III, IV, or V in 16 color mode Overscanned High-Res/Lace. Or try a Broadcast Titer program. The SuperGen does not need any software in-order to run, all the basic controls are on the Genlock itself.
Back in the day, the production house I worked in had two Magni 4004S and 4010 control boxes, both on A2000s. These were rock solid production quality units. We used these Genlocks primary for titling and occasionally for a digitized and/or Deluxe Paint drawn logo or graphic.
The ChromaKey+ is really different beast all together. It takes a video stream take a specific part of the chroma "color" signal and "keys" in another signal. The most common example is the local weather. There is usually a bright blue or bright green screen, the weather map is "keyed" over the bright blue or bright green signal. You probably don't have a blue or green screen in your house.
We had a high end Chroma Key system, where we could control the keyed color and the width of the keyed notch, in our production switcher. I once made a video where I keyed out the actors' skin and swirled in a colorful pin wheel as the keyed in signal. It made the actors' skin dance with color. To say the least everyone either liked or disliked the effect.
From the Amiga Hardware Database it looks like your ChromaKey+ has a genlock pass through.
http://amiga.resource.cx/exp/chromakeyplusAs for software, like the genlock, you probably don't need any software, for basic use.
I would really doubt you would need to use the Chromakey+ and the SuperGen+ at the same time. If you did, you would probably want to put them on separate amigas. Why would one want to Key in and Genlock in the same computer signal at the same time?
Note: With both of these systems you really need some source video.
I do own a DCTV, but not the DCTV RGB converter, but I would guess it would work with the SuperGen+ and ChromaKey+ just like the amiga would.
As for the RGB to PAL/NTSC Adapter, You probably would not need this on a system with a genlock as the genlock itself can act as an RGB to NTSC adapter (I don't know about PAL you will need to look at the specs of your genlock)
