CAMBRIDGE, ENGLAND - Crystal Vision (www.crystalvision.tv) has added new features to its Safire digital chroma keyer, which is designed for sports programming applications. New features include Force FB and enhanced luma keying.
Force FB uses different levels of a single key input to force foreground and background in different areas of the same picture. A single Safire can be used to chroma key a graphic on to the pitch behind the players, and linear key a graphic in front of the crowd at the same time.
Enhanced luma keying capabilities allow the system to key on the foreground luminance level instead of the color, allowing colors of black white or gray. The key generated from the luminance can be combined with an external key and also with the internal masks, making this type of keying as flexible as chroma keying. This method of operation allows new applications such as keying graphics onto snow or ice for winter sports programming.