Each video input could independently be scaled, cropped, and positioned next to additional video inputs, over top of a background layer, and with additional graphics layers on top. Instead of displaying a picture within the frame of another picture, you could now display a picture by another picture. The foreground layer(s) location(s), size(s), and shape(s) could not be adjusted.īecause of these PiP limitations, software video switching solutions are great for when you want to simultaneously display (or composite) multiple video sources, along with graphics, in a single program output.The background layer is partially covered by the inset foreground layer and without proper preplanning of the background layer, the foreground might cover something important.The two biggest issues a PiP preset presents are: This was sometimes tolerated for displaying video of a presenter over a PowerPoint slide, computer demonstration, or gaming footage, but was limiting in the sense that the PiP preset was a fixed look and could not be customized. The best that most hardware video switchers could do was a picture-in-picture (PiP) display where a scaled thumbnail sized inset video signal was displayed over a second full screen background video layer. Going beyond a single layer was doable via the up- and down-stream keyer(s), to add graphics and backgrounds, but most video switchers struggled when the technical director wanted to display two live video images at the same time side by side. It used to be that hardware video switchers were great for when you needed to cut or fade between multiple video sources and everything in and out of the workflow was the same full screen resolution.

In this tutorial, we will learn how to composite a multi layer video program output with multiple video sources side-by-side, using the SuperSource on the Blackmagic Design ATEM Mini Extreme.

Blackmagic atem extreme