[AG-TECH] Video Titling for All...for the Cost of One Video Stream

[Allan Spale]

Hello,

I have determined a way for * everyone * to have the capability to add a
banner title in a manner similar to what is seen on the video stream of
EVL.  Even though the setup is a bit more cumbersome than using a video
mixer, I would estimate that you would have about the same degree of
flexibility.  All of these steps must be performed on the video machine
running a Gnome desktop (it is probably possible to do these steps on
another windowing system, but I am not experienced with Linux desktops
like KDE, so I would not know how offhand) with at least four
"pagers"/desktops (this is the thing in the center of the task-bar-like
thing that shows how windows are arranged on your desktop).

Here are the steps to take:


1.  Determine the video stream that you would want to have the banner
title (called "SOURCE VIDEO" from now on).  Find the VIC window that
contains this video stream and bring up its window in one of the top
desktop (that is, on this diagram, make sure that the "highlighted
desktop" is one of the top desktops or rectangles).

2.  Move the "task bar" by pressing one of the arrow buttons on the "task
bar".  If done properly, it should slide to the left or the right and
"disappear".  (To bring it back, press the visible arrow button.)

3.  Move the SOURCE VIDEO to the bottom left-hand portion of the screen so
that only the title bar of the window is seen on this desktop.  On the
desktop below, the video stream should appear.

4.  Find the VIC window that contains a video stream that is not needed
(called "X11 VIDEO" from now on).  On that VIC window, press the Menu
button.  In the dialog box that appears, press the Device button.  From
the list that appears, select X11.  Then press the Dismiss button.  This
will now allow that video stream to capture the upper-left hand corner of
whatever desktop is currently viewed on your screen.

5.  Use the applet in the center of the task bar to switch to the lower
desktop.  This should display the desktop that has the SOURCE VIDEO window
with the title bar appearing in the above desktop.  If you have your
display machine video visible at this time, bring up the X11 VIDEO window.
You will notice that the X11 VIDEO window should be transmitting the
SOURCE VIDEO.  As a result, you should have two video windows that have
exactly the same content.  If you are unhappy with the location of the
video window, return to the above desktop and move the video window again
until it is in an acceptable location.

6.  Staying in this desktop, bring up a graphics program or text program
that you will use for titling.  Electric Eyes (found in the Graphics menu
that appears when pressing the "G" button on the task bar) is a good
program because it allows graphics to be scaled depending on how large the
window is.  For text, try gEdit (found in the Applications menu that
appears when pressing the "G" button on the task bar).  For animations,
you could try Flash and a browser or Java.

7.  Open the file or create the content that will act as the banner title
(called "CONTENT" from now on).

8.  Position the CONTENT somewhere on the video window ignoring the fact
the location of the CONTENT's title bar.  For name titling, placing the
CONTENT on the lower portion of the X11 VIDEO is suitable.

9.  Once the CONTENT has been placed, right-click on the title bar of the
CONTENT, and select "Set Border Style" -> BORDERLESS.  Once this is done,
the borders of the CONTENT window and the title bar of the CONTENT window
disappear.  Note that once you do this, you cannot move that window.  You
would have to reload the content and repeat this step.  Repeat this step
for all windows that should contatin content.   

10.  On the X11 VIDEO, switch to the desktop containing the title bar of
the X11 VIDEO.  Right-click on the title bar of the X11 VIDEO and select
"Set Border Style" -> SHAPED.  This will remove the borders of the X11
VIDEO window.

11.  Now, make the CONTENT windows active so that they appear over the X11
VIDEO, and you have a titled video window.

12.  On any desktop where you hid the task bar, press the button on the
hidden taks bar to make it reappear.


So, that's it.  If anyone has any questions or comments or better ideas,
please share them.  



Allan
EVL/UIC
node-op