Video Switchers

LOGIC’s video products provide a simple solution for video stream synchronization – a key to video keyers and switchers - without the need for awkward glue-logic.

Video producers use switchers to help them create integrated video content for broadcast television and other video productions. Video switchers allow producers to utilize data input from a number of video sources, such as cameras and video servers. Using video switchers, producers can add key visual elements to a video production, including:

· Special effects
· Transitions between video sources
· Picture-in-picture, text, or still images added to existing video

Video switchers consist of a main control panel that acts as the user interface and a rack-unit (RU) of printed circuit boards (PCBs) that performs various functions based upon the producer’s input. Switchers can support standard definition video, high definition video, or both.

The video feeds must be aligned prior to being mixed at the mixer/switcher. In other words, the feeds’ timing must be synchronized or locked to the mixer’s timing. This requires each incoming video frame to be buffered in a Video Memory FIFO and effectively delayed by some amount of time before all frames can be released simultaneously and synchronously together.

Figure 1. Video Switcher

Related links:
- SD/HD Cameras
- Logo insertion