Video Mark-up

Description:

An inexpensive facility for integrating live or recorded baseband video with a conventional graphics (drawing) tool so that the video can be annotated using the graphics tool. The composite image is then generated as baseband video. The net result is that the video can be "marked up" in a manner typical of sports commentary.

Form:

Demonstrated on a PC/SCO UNIX machine using X-windows, and video in a window card, and a VGA-to-NTSC converter. A conventional X-based graphics tool was used. The video in a window card places the video feed in the graphics tool drawing canvas, and the VGA-to-NTSC takes the image on the PC screen and generates an NTSC result.

Strengths:

An inexpensive but very useful tool when combined with a similar facility at another site; e.g., the two of them connected by a video Codec.=46or example, it gives simple shared drawing (but not with truly shared objects), and ability to combine computer output (e.g., programs displayed on a screen or anything else), with a video feed (possibly live, e.g., from a site that needs remote troubleshooting, or from a VCR). The output could be sent to a monitor or just as easily recorded.

Caveats:

It is just a demonstration, but it would be easy to build one from commercially available components.

Other:

-none-