Display Overlay as Metadata? 
 monitor 
 By Paul Schoen 

 on 6/2/20, 1:18 PM • 175 views
Hey guys,
so back on set, I just came to think about something concerning display overlays. 
As an AC, I like to have the camera display overlays from time to time, but if the focus is critical and I‘m on my small 503, I like to have the screen as clear as possible. The director on the other hand wants a clean feed as well, script conti or else like to have some info. So I was thinking, isn‘t it technically possible to embed parts of the camera Infos/display overlay as some kind of metadata so that you can turn them on and off as you like on your monitors? 
SmallHD e.g. has a function to show „metadata“ like Timecode and record status. 
Would be nice to have the same with Infos like take, reel number, maybe internal NDs, and what not.
Does this already exist and I‘m missing something? What do you think about it. In my mind this should be technically possible.




 Philipp Uhl 

 On 6/2/20, 9:05 PM
Hi!
This is a feature of the TVLogic monitors actually, although only with Arri cameras.
here is a link where its explained how it works on a vfm-058w:
 https://m.youtube.com/watch?v=oXWtEF2Aev4 
Im not 100% sure though if all of the camera metadata will be transmitted with the signal of a Teradek as I dont use this feature much really, but I believe it does!
Also what exactly is shown is a bit limited, but I guess if this works, then showing other metadata shouldnt really be a problem, right?
 

 Paul Schoen 

 On 6/2/20, 11:56 PM
Thanks Philipp, I‘ll look into to that and try to find out how the technology works or maybe even if some other manufacturers are working on something like that.
 

 Daniel Foeldes 

 On 6/17/20, 10:59 PM
Maybe I'm missing something, but your normal qTake setup does all of this...

 

 Paul Schoen 

 On 6/3/20, 9:13 PM
So, I already found out that some Arri cameras send metadata via SDI.
https://www.arri.com/resource/blob/31912/e9674189f2ed77d45912681b9e0a168f/2018-10-17-arri-metadata-white-paper-alexa-lf-sxt-sup2-0-mini-amira-sup5-3-alexa65-sup2-1-data.pdf
Under 7.3. you can see what information are stored in the header and/or are send out via SDI.
As Philipp wrote, the TvLogic has options to display them. In fact the newer TvLogic models are capable of that as well.



 Ryan Petrolo 

 On 6/2/20, 11:49 PM
Hey Paul,

May I suggest using a secondary device like a cell phone or tablet connected via bluetooth/wifi to view (and in some cases control) camera settings? Keeps your screen clear for pulling. Of course, it can be finicky at times... I usually use this method when working with Sony systems on Cranes.
Not sure what kind of camera systems you generally work with but this method would be the poor mans equivalent of having an ARRI WCU-4 for remote access to camera settings.
Cheers!



 Paul Schoen 

 On 6/3/20, 12:02 AM
Hey Ryan,
that‘s what I do too. The CineControl App for Mini and Amira is quiet nice and the Blackmagic App since the firmware update last week is working good as well. Thing is, I don‘t want to reconnect all the time or having to pull out my phone just to check a small thing. Also it doesn‘t solve the problem to have something for script conti etc. 
Thinking about something that’s convenient for everybody that we as ACs can setup and everybody is happy right away. 


About using the phone app: When on low/no budget shoots I bring my nucleus-m and right now I‘m working on a modification so the ergonomics are much better and a phone or iPod touch is attached to it. Keep you posted. 
 

 Ryan Petrolo 

 On 6/3/20, 12:15 AM
Echo you on the CineControl App. Love the CineControl Multicam interface. Use it all the time.

When you figure out a way to make everybody happy please let me know! haha
Interested in your nucleus rig... Sounds nifty.
