Advanced Hardware Keyer Usage

AJA video boards generally include a Mixer Keyer element.  Drastic software does not directly control the Mixer Keyer, but are designed to allow the user to use the Mixer Keyer alongside the main software.

To use Drastic software with the Mixer Keyer, you will need:

• Drastic software (videoQC, Net-X-Code Server, etc.)
• Xena Router (Cables on macOS) tool from the driver install

The way Drastic software works, once it is in playback or record mode, it does not re-route the AJA card.  If you switch between pause/play and stop/ee/record, then you will need to set up the Xena Router again.  Before trying to re-route the Xena Router, running Net-X-Code Server and playing/recording will give you an idea of how the routing works.

To set up the Mixer Keyer for keying over playback, move the cables like this:

The Frame Store 1 holds the video image.  If it is an RGBA setup like above, then click the output of the CSC 1 and connect it to the top of the Mixer Keyer element.  If it is a YCbCr setup, connect the Frame Store 1 directly to the Mixer Keyer.

SDI In 1 will have the input.  Connect it to the second input of the Mixer Keyer and the key in (lower dot of the pair) of the second input of the Mixer Keyer.

Finally, connect the Mixer Keyer output to SDI Out 1 input, and make sure the Video lock is set to SDI In 1 so the signals lock up.

This setup will allow the Mixer Keyer to be used.  To actually set the Mixer Keyer settings, right click on the Mixer Keyer element and bring up the Mixer Keyer dialog below:

The setup of this dialog is highly dependent on what you are trying to do.  The setup above takes a playback and does a luma key using the SDI 1 input to create the output.