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

[Ivan R. Judson]

Alternatively if anyone is interested in testing Open Mash's vic, it claims
to have the ability to load a ppm overlay.  We are interested in it's
comparative performance to the ucl vic we've been using, as well as it's
stability.

http://www.openmash.org/

--Ivan

> -----Original Message-----
> From: owner-ag-tech at mcs.anl.gov [mailto:owner-ag-tech at mcs.anl.gov]On
> Behalf Of Allan Spale
> Sent: Tuesday, October 30, 2001 3:09 PM
> To: ag-tech at mcs.anl.gov
> Subject: [AG-TECH] Video Titling for All...for the Cost of One Video
> Stream
>
>
> 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
>