Video Mill : User's Guide
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Cross Fade mode provides a simple method to fade one video into the next video, commonly used by video jockeys (VJs) to avoid dead air and provide a smooth transition between videos.
In Cross Fade mode , the current playing video fades-out (including audio) while the next video fades-in. Fade duration is configurable. Cross fading will work when clicking the Play button in the Media List Editor or when running an automation Script that plays sequential videos. Linking videos is not required. This mode uses a Load Template -- see Limitations at bottom of page.
To Page TopSteps to Enable Cross Fade
- Enable Cross Fade Mode - To enable Cross Fades, select Behavior > Cross Fade menu item or click the Cross Fade Mode button on the Fade Mode toolbar. This will toggle Cross Fade mode active or off.
- Select a Load Template - A Load Template is used (and required) for cross fades. Select a Load Template that you want to use via Tools > Load Templates > Select Current Load Template .
- Set Fade Duration - Cross Fade uses the Master Fade-In Duration found in the Media Item Options. For Cross Fades to work properly, Fade-In and Fade-Out durations must be the same amount of time, so the Master Fade-Out Duration is ignored.
- Close any Open Media Screens - You MUST close all open Media Screens when switching to Cross Fade Mode.
Required Program Settings
When you enable Cross Fade mode (step one above), multiple program behavior settings are automatically selected for you. Do NOT deselect any of these settings while using cross fades since they are required to facilitate the fade behavior. Reversing any of these settings will likely cause unpredictable results with cross fading.
- Load Templates mode is set to Active.
- Pause Video on Fade-Out and Resume Video on Fade-In Options are both set to True.
- Action Apply Mode is set to Apply To Selected Media Item.
- Link Background Video with Main Play Controls is set to False.
- Exclude Volume on Fades is set to False.
If you accidentally undo any of the above settings, simply disable, then re-enable Cross Fade mode in the Behavior menu. That will reset all required settings.
Special Cases
- Filters - Filters are supported with a Load Template, however, some filters manipulate pixel opacity and that may interfere with the fade-in/out effects.
- Images - When displaying an Image Media Item in a script as signage, you need to set the Media Item's Post Delay for the length of time you want the image to display. The delay must be at least as long as the Cross Fade Duration.
- Reload - Clicking the Reload button simply reloads current Load Template.
Limitations
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Load Template - A Load Template is used for cross fade. However, the Load Template when used with cross fade has these limitations.
- Video Geometry - None of the Video Geometry attributes are supported.
- Ignores Start-At/End-At, Pre-Delay, Fade-In/Fade-Out - These Media Item time controls are not supported. However, Post-Delay can be used to set a unique time duration for image and text-screen Media Items.
- Filters - Filters are not supported.
- Background Videos - If a Media Item has a background video listed in the Play Modifiers, the background video will not play. And the Background Video Control section is disabled. Thus the Green/Blue Screen filter effect cannot be used in Cross Fade mode.
- Play Modifiers - Most Play Modifiers from the Load Template are ignored in Cross Fade mode.
