Tutorial: Greenscreen and Virtual Sets with the NewTek TriCaster迷你

Most broadcast-quality productions involve an expensive studio, 多个摄像头, and multiple camera operators to provide lots of pans and zooms. You can spend a fortune on all that, or you can get the same look for thousands less with the TriCaster迷你.

In this 教程, which was sponsored by Videoguys.com，我来教你怎么做. Let’s start with a brief look at the new TriCaster model.

Re-Introducing the Mini

This video playing on the virtual screen in 图1 (below) is from another TriCaster迷你 教程 you can watch on 流媒体 Producer. The Mini is an extremely compact unit with four HDMI inputs and two outputs. In addition to the audio coming in with the HDMI inputs, there’s also a 1/4" microphone mono input and left and right 1/4" inputs.

图1. That’s me in a TriCaster迷你 virtual set, watching myself demo the TriCaster迷你 on a screen that’s part of the set. Click the image to see it at full size.

As you can see in 图1, there are two HDMI outputs, plus a 1/4" headphone jack and left and right 1/4" audio outputs. On the other side of the unit, shown in 图2(下面) are monitor outputs, plus display ports for two additional screens or projectors. There are USB ports for getting content into the unit, 还有一个以太网端口, though the unit also has WiFi.

图2. More I/O: monitor outputs, display ports, Ether网, and USB. Click the image to see it at full size.

The Mini comes in two models, the HD-4i, which includes a 7” LCD output monitor, and 1.5 TB of storage, and the HD-4 base configuration, with no monitor and 750 GB of internal storage.

剩下的部分 教程 focuses on software operation. Here we’ll focus on how to choose and use virtual sets with the Tricaster Mini.

Creating the Virtual Set

The Mini uses the same interface as more expensive TriCaster models (下面的图3). The inputs are in the upper-left corner; to the right of them is the Preview window; and to the right of the Preview window is the Program window, which shows what’s live at the moment.

图3. The TriCaster interface. Click the image to see it at full size.

There are buttons for all inputs, including the four Mix/Effect buttons shown in 图4(下面). This is where we’ll create the virtual set. I’ll work in Mix/Effect 1.

图4. The Mix/Effect, or M/E buttons.

I’ll be compositing input from Camera 1, over a virtual set that I choose just below the Program window, 如图所示 图5(下面).

图5. Choose your virtual set here.

The set has room for one additional video within the projection screen. 图6(下面) shows my office where I’m actually shooting.

图6. 我的绿屏设置.

This is a $30 greenscreen cloth; I’ve got two inexpensive lights on the background, because it’s tough to pull a clean key without them. I’ve got one key light on the subject.