VidBlaster

Welcome to VidBlasterWelcome to VidBlaster, the easy to use video production tool to create anything from a simple holiday video to a livetelevision broadcast. Use VidBlaster to easily create and record videos for sites like YouTube, or holiday videos forpersonal use, or create video podcasts and publish them with one click to any WordPress site. Or use VidBlaster tocreate television-like recordings using multiple cameras, or stream it live to the internet! You can even create an entire tvcontrol room, with multiple monitors and a professional video switcher, all of course in broadcast quality or even HD.Whatever edition you will use, VidBlaster will put live video production at your fingertips!

DISCLAIMERAlthough this product has been thoroughly tested, CombiTech claims no responsibility for any damages caused by theuse or misuse of this product. This product is distributed 'as is' with no warranty expressed or implied. CombiTech and itsagents, distributors, resellers and contacts will not be responsible for any losses incurred, either directly or indirectly, bythe use of this product. Use this product entirely at your own risk.

Home vs Pro vs Studio vs Broadcast Edition

VidBlaster is available in four different editions: Home, Pro, Studio and Broadcast. The difference between these editionsis in the number and type of modules that are available.

VidBlaster Home supports up to 7 modules, and does not support the Video Switcher and Preview modules.

VidBlaster Pro supports up to 25 modules, and does not support the Video Switcher and Preview modules.

VidBlaster Studio supports up to 100 modules and supports all module types.

VidBlaster Broadcast has all the features of the Studio edition, plus advanced features like the ability to select the videorenderer uses by various modules and higher video and audio bit rates.

Training Videos

Several training videos are available on the web site of US reseller VidBlasterUS. Quickly learn the functions of eachmodule and maximize your production efforts. In addition, the VidBlaster Introduction Video can be viewed on YouTubeand Vimeo.

About Codecs

To support other video formats than those supported by Windows, like Apple's QuickTime formats, Windows usescodecs. A codec is a piece of software that helps Windows to code and decode file formats it does not recognize. If youtry to open a video file that Windows does not recognize, and for which a codec is not available¹, VidBlaster will show adialog telling you it cannot load the file. Fortunately, VidBlaster comes with a licensed codec of very high quality for themost popular video formats. This codec does require that QuickTime version 7 (or higher) is installed. QuickTime can bedownloaded for free from quicktime.com.

¹ Note some other program on your PC may already support this format, but for copyright reasons the codec w ill be locked to that program and sow ill not be available to other programs, including VidBlaster. The codec that comes w ith VidBlaster is also licensed exclusively to VidBlaster, andso cannot be used by other programs.

About CombiTech

CombiTech is a Netherlands based company owned by Mike Versteeg, developing software for over 15 years. Programslike Mscan Meteo, Mscan SSTV, StudioRack, CastBlaster and WinPodder all have high quality and ease of use incommon.

Check out the VidBlaster support forum for all VidBlaster related support, announcements, downloads etc.

The Main WindowOne of the most powerful features of VidBlaster is its modularity. By choosing the building stones you need, you can buildthe application that best suits your needs. These building stones are called modules, and can represent cameras,players, monitors etc. To add a module click Modules | Add in the main menu and select the module you want to add.Grab the caption bar of the module to drag it to the requires position.

The following commands are available in the main menu.

File | Clear ProfileRemoves all modules.

File | Load ProfileLoads previously saved profile from disk.

File | Save ProfileSaves current profile to disk.

File | ExitExits program.

View | CPU UsageOpens the CPU Usage window.

View | LogOpens the Log window, used for debugging purposes.

Modules | AddAdd selected module. The module will be placed in the next empty position. If you cannot see it, make the main window alittle larger.

Video | ResolutionSelects video resolution. Note you cannot change this setting while recording or streaming. If you are streaming using athird party streaming client like Ustream or FME, make sure to close that client first, then change resolution, then restartthe client so it can detect the new resolution properly.

Video | Frame RateSelects video frame rate.

Video | Video RendererThis advanced¹ option allows you to select the video renderer used for the input and output modules.

Help | HelpDisplays the Help window.

Help | AboutDisplays the About window.

Help | RegistrationDisplays the Registration window.

¹ Available in Broadcast edition only

Using a CameraVidBlaster supports just about every video device you can connect to a PC, be it a webcam, a video camera or a videocapture card (also called frame grabber), or in fact that is not even connected to a PC like IP cameras. Each video devicecan be controlled in VidBlaster by one or more Camera modules.

Connecting Cameras

All video devices that are either natively supported by Windows (firewire devices) or come with a WDM driver orDirectShow support (USB cameras, most video capture devices) or are available over IP can be used as camera inVidBlaster. Typically this will be a video camera connected through USB, firewire or a video capture device. You canconnect several cameras, and even use a different way to connect each one (e.g. one camera connected via a USB port,another one connected via firewire). A camera can also be virtual and represent (part of) the screen: this is called screencapture and allows you to incorporate spreadsheets, video calls or anything else you can see on your monitor.

When you're done connecting all video devices, create as many Camera modules as you need. Each Camera module hasa drop-down list allowing you to choose which video device you wish to open: select one video device for each module.Right click the module for video device specific settings like video standard and input. You can enter the camera man'sname in the operator field. Select Screen Capture if you wish to create a virtual camera, and then right click the module toselect which part of the screen you wish to capture. Select IP Camera to input video from a camera that is connected overIP, then right click the module to enter the IP Camera URL.

Here are some general guidelines for the various methods of connecting a camera.

Firewire cable+ natively supported by Windows+ digital, no loss+ no additional costs- possibility of unstable system- short wires- video delayA word about firewire: connecting multiple firewire devices, especially camers, can be tricky. Don't use hubs as this willoverload the firewire port, instead use a unique port for each camera. If you are not sure each port has a unique firewirecontroller, then play safe and use one firewire card per camera. Also note Windows can become unstable when dealingwith multiple firewire devices, especially when changing the number of devices when Windows is already running. If yousee weird behaviour, reboot while leaving all hardware connected. Vista seems a lot more stable than XP.

USB cable+ digital, no loss+ no additional costs- potential video delayA word about USB: connecting multiple cameras via USB, especially high resolution camcorders, can be tricky. Don't usehubs as this will overload the USB port, instead use a unique port for each camera. If you are not sure each port has aunique USB controller, then play safe and use one USB card per camera.

USB2821 frame grabber+ clean install+ cheap+ very stableBefore connecting this interface to your PC, make sure to install the driver (other software is not needed). Never use hubs.The USB2821 is sold under many names, including Conceptronic Home Video Creator, Startech USB 2.0 Video CaptureCable and Plextor USB Video Converter.

Pinnacle Dazzle (red and blue USB models)+ rugged enclosure- huge install- unstable at timesBefore connecting the dazzle to your PC, make sure to install Studio10 (and the upgrade if you use Vista). Never usehubs.

An up-to-date list of supported is available on the VidBlaster Installation forum.

Using Cameras

In the Home and Pro editions of VidBlaster selecting a camera can be done by clicking the Cut or Take button. A takecan also be accomplished by clicking the camera image or using the Video Switcher¹ (with its corresponding keyboardshortcuts). Cut always does a hard cut, to set the transition for the Take button right click the module and choose thedesired Transition. Each module has a tally light indicating if the camera is off (black), or displayed on the Preview¹(green) or Program (red) monitor.

¹ Available in Studio and Broadcast editions only

The Camera Module

The Camera module consists of a video window, a video device list, an operator field and Cut and Trans buttons. Rightclick the module to open its popup menu. A description of all controls, commands and options is listed below.

Video windowIf a video device is selected, the video window will display its video output. Clicking the video window in the Studio editionselects the camera in the Video Switcher's program bus. In all other editions it is the same as clicking the Trans button.

Video device listA list of all cameras available, including screen capture.

OperatorUse this field to enter the camera operator's name.

CutIn the Studio edition, this is a shortcut to selecting the camera in the Video Switcher's program bus.

TransStart a video transition using Transition setting in the popup menu. In the Studio edition, this is a shortcut to selecting theplayer in the Video Switcher's preview bus, choosing the desired transition and making a transition.

Video InputIf the video device has more than one input (e.g. a video capture device with composite and s-video inputs), you can selectthe active input here.

Video StandardIf the video device supports multiple video standards (like PAL and NTSC), you can select the desired video standard here.

Deinterlace VideoIf the video signal is interlaced, enabling this option will make sure the video signal is deinterlaced first.

CaptureSelect which part of the screen you wish to capture.

TransitionSelect transition used when Trans is clicked.

Aspect RatioChoose the aspect ratio of the camera video signal. Select Auto to use it's original aspect ratio.

IP Camera URLEnter the URL of the IP camera (e.g. http://webkamera.kristinehamn.se/axis-cgi/mjpg/video.cgi?resolution=640x480).VidBlaster supports the Motion JPEG stream (MJPG) and JPG formats on most IP cameras, as well as MPEG-4 onsome cameras (e.g. the Axis and Linksys cameras).

InfoShows video device's name or IP camera's URL, resolution and frame rate.

ClearUnloads the file currently loaded, releasing all resources.

Remove Module

Clears and removes the module.

MonitorsThe final mix of all video input channels can be monitored on the Program monitor (Modules | Add | Program), optionally inconjunction with the Preview monitor¹ (Modules | Add | Preview). Both monitors are identical.

Besides their display function, monitors also have an option to copy the video signal to a video output on your PC. Thatsignal can be used for broadcasting, display on a physical monitor, projection, video wall etc.

¹ Available in Studio and Broadcast editions only

The Monitor Module

A monitor is used to display video from its corresponding source (program, preview). Optionally video can be forwarded toa secondary (external) monitor.

Right click the module to get access to its popup menu.

Display ResolutionSet the resolution of the monitor, typically this will be the same as the video source (Auto) but you can also set it to afixed resolution. The video signal will automatically be resized to fit the monitor.

Output to External MonitorSend the video signal to a secondary PC monitor selected here. Make sure the desktop is extended to support asecondary PC monitor, and the monitor is set to display this desktop.

InfoShows set and measured (10 second average) frame rates.

Remove ModuleRemoves the module.

PlayersVidBlaster can 'play' various file formats, including Windows and Apple¹ native video formats, audio files and still graphics.The files are loaded into a Player module which not only is used to control the file, but it will also take care of anynecessary scaling. To add a Player module, click Modules | Add | Player.

¹ Requires QuickTime 7 or higher

The Player Module

The Player module consists of a video window, a file list, a position bar and Play, Stop and Trans buttons. Right click themodule to open its popup menu. A description of all controls, commands and options is listed below.

Video windowIf a video is loaded, the video window will display either the playing video or the selected frame. If a graphic is loaded, it willbe displayed. If an audio file is loaded and an ID3 tag is found, the album art will be displayed. If not available, a defaultgraphic will be displayed which can be changed using the Load Artwork command in the popup menu. Clicking the videowindow in the Studio edition selects the player in the Video Switcher's program bus and optionally starts playing (if theoption Play On Take is checked in the popup menu). In all other editions it is the same as clicking the Trans button.

File listAllows for quick opening of files in the current folder. If playlists are available, they will be added to the end of the list.

Position barIndicates the current position of the video or audio file. Grab the thumb and move it to reposition the file (seeking). If youhover the mouse over the position bar, the current position will be displayed in digits. Note that the ticks (the white verticallines) are spaced 10 seconds apart and therefore give a quick visual clue of the length of a file.

PlayStart or continue playing a video or audio file.

StopStop playing a video or audio file.

TransStart a video transition using Transition setting in the popup menu. In the Studio edition, this is a shortcut to selecting theplayer in the Video Switcher's preview bus, choosing the desired transition and making a transition.

OpenDisplays the Open dialog to load a file. Instead of using this command, you can also drag & drop a file on the module.

ReencodeReencodes the file to the native Windows format WMV and resizes it to the currently selected video resolution. Thisensures minimal CPU load during playback.

Load ArtworkManually load a graphic when an audio file is loaded.

Auto RewindWhen set, player position is automatically reset to the start after a manual stop or reaching the end of the file.

Play On TakeWhen set, playing will automatically start when the player is selected for program video.

Take On StopWhen set, the video switcher will perform a cut as soon as the player stops playing in program video (either because ithas been stopped manually or because it reached the end of the file).

LoopWhen set, player will play continuously. Restart will be smoothest if you use a file in a native Windows format (WMV,AVI, ASF).

Transition

Select transition used when Trans is clicked.

Aspect RatioChoose the aspect ratio of the player's video output. Select Auto to use the file's original aspect ratio.

Audio DeviceThe player's audio signal will be output through this device.

VolumeSet player's audio output volume in percent.

Deinterlace VideoIf the video is interlaced, enabling this option will make sure the video signal is deinterlaced while playing.

InfoShows file's name, resolution, frame rate and current position.

ClearUnloads the file currently loaded, releasing all resources.

Remove ModuleClears and removes the module.

PlaylistsPlaylist modules hold a list of files which can be sequentially read by player modules. The combination of a player withcorresponding playlist module is often used for automatic playing of videos.

The Playlist Module

The Playlist module consists of a single file list box called the playlist. The playlist can be used to source a Playermodule. Right click the module to open its popup menu. A description of all controls, commands and options is listedbelow.

PlaylistThe list of files currently in the playlist. Unchecked files will be ignored.

Add FileDisplays the Open dialog to add a file to the playlist. Instead of using this command, you can also drag & drop a file onthe module.

Remove FileRemoves the selected file from the playlist.

Import FolderDisplays the Open dialog to select and add an entire folder to the playlist.

Sync to FolderDisplays the Open dialog to select a folder to which the playlist will be synchronized. Note synchronization willautomatically stop when the commands Add File, Remove File or Import Folder are selected.

Deselect All FilesUnchecks all files.

Select All FilesChecks all files.

LoopNormally when a player has requested the last file in the playlist, no more files will be passed and the player willeventually stop. When this flag is set, the playlist will continue from the top and so the corresponding player will neverstop.

ClearClears the playlist.

Remove ModuleClears and removes the module.

RecordingFor "live to disk" recording the Recorder module is available in VidBlaster. Recordings can be saved to disk in variousformats, and even uploaded to the internet.

The Recorder Module

The Recorder module consists of a video window, a timer, and Record, Stop, Play, Save and Upload buttons. Right clickthe module to open its popup menu. A description of all controls, commands and options is listed below.

Video windowShows the video that is being recorded.

TimerShows the elapsed recording time as well as the minimum remaining recording time. Note that the remaining time isbased on the highest possible data rate. Due to compression the actual data rate will usually be lower, and as a result theremaining recording time will be higher than indicated.

RecordStarts recording.

StopStops recording.

PlayPlayback the last recording.

SaveSave the last recording in either WMV (the high quality master), MOV (high quality quicktime format), MP4 (for internet oriPod) or FLV format.

UploadUpload the last recording to Mevio.com or a WordPress blog.

Record & Save UncompressedCheck this flag (before starting the recording) if you need a recording with high quality uncompressed video and audio forfurther processing or editing. The file will then be stored and saved in uncompressed AVI format. Note recording in thismode will use much less CPU power, but requires (a lot) more hard disk space.

Temporary Folder | SelectBefore saving, the recording is stored in a temporary folder as Video.wmv (or Video.avi). This folder is also referred to asthe "scratch disk". By default this is Windows' hidden application temp folder, which in Vista typically isC:\Users\[YourName]\AppData\Local\Temp\CombiTech\VidBlaster). Select this command if you like to change thetemporary folder, e.g. to use a folder on a faster hard drive. Note this folder is used for temporary storage only, it is not apermanent backup. Professional users will want to use a dedicated hard drive that is both fast and large enough to holdthe entire recording. Make sure to choose a folder location that is safe from accidental access. Changing the folder's orfile's rights, its name, or removing it may result in program instability or even lost recordings!

Temporary Folder | Reset to DefaultResets temporary folder to the default.

InfoOpen the Info dialog, showing the recorder's current resolution, frame rate and the number of dropped frames.

Remove ModuleClears and removes the module.

Uploading a Recording

After you have saved the recording in the desired format, you can upload it to a server using any (FTP) program you prefer.If you use Mevio (former PodShow) to host your recordings as a video podcast, or a WordPress blog, there is a mucheasier way. Simply click the Upload button in the Recorder module to open the Upload dialog. Now select the platformyou want to use: Mevio or WordPress. If you select Mevio then enter the email address and password you used to register

your Mevio account in Platform Username and Platform Password. If you select WordPress, enter the blog's upload path,username and password in the next 3 fields. You will also have to fill out the details of the FTP server you will be using tohost the actual recording. Next make sure to get a list of your shows (or blog categories) by selecting [refresh list] inShow. Now select the appropriate show and fill out all the details. Notice the Shownotes field has a built-in HTML editor,right click your mouse to get a popup menu with all available commands. When done, click Start Upload to start theuploading process.

ReplaysVideo replays are often used in sport matches, where a brief period of video from e.g. a camera can be played again. The Video Replay module can delay a video stream from any video source with an adjustable time.

The Video Replay module

One or more Video Replay modules can be added by selecting Modules | Add | Video Replay. The module stores allframes in memory and is therefore very fast, but make sure you have enough memory available. For 640*480 @ 30 fps youneed about 800 MB available RAM. The formula to get the memory requirement per replay module in MB is

vertical resolution * horizontal resolution * frames per second * 3 * 30 / 1048576.

If there's not enough memory available, the video replay module will be disabled and you cannot select a video source.

A description of all controls, commands and options is listed below (right click the module to get access to its popupmenu).

Video windowThe (delayed) video stream is displayed here.

SourceSelect the video source to be delayed.

CutHard cut to the video replay module's video stream. In the Studio and Broadcast editions this is a shortcut to selecting thevideo replay module in the Video Switcher's program bus.

TransStart a video transition using Transition setting in the popup menu. In the Studio and Broadcast editions this is a shortcutto selecting the video replay module in the Video Switcher's preview bus, choosing the desired transition and making atransition.

TransitionSelect transition used when Trans is clicked.

ClearClears the module.

Remove ModuleRemoves the module.

StreamingVidBlaster includes a Streamer module, which enables you to stream live video over a LAN, to the internet or to anothervideo application. As a result, streaming live video to a Windows Media or Flash Media Server, or to Content DeliveryNetworks like Ustream.tv, Livestream, Justin.tv, Stickam or Ubroadcast is extremely easy. VidBlaster Broadcast supportsmultiple Streamer modules, allowing you to quickly and easily setup multiple streams.

The Streamer Module

The Streamer module consists of a video window, a timer and a Start and Stop button. Right click the module to open itspopup menu. A description of all controls, commands and options is listed below.

Video windowShows the video that is streamed live.

TimerShows the elapsed time since streaming started.

StartStarts streaming. Note that due to stream setup and buffering it may take up to 30 seconds for the video stream tobecomes visible on a server.

StopStops streaming. Due to buffering, it is good practice to stream at least 30 seconds extra before stopping the stream. Thisensures all viewers have seen the end of the streamed video when watching via a server.

Stream to | Windows Media Server (WM Push)If you will be streaming to a Windows Media Server then make sure to enter the server's Name and Publishing Point, andoptionally the Username and Password required to logon to the server.

Stream to | Network Port (WM Pull)If you will be streaming to a Network Port then make sure to enter the Network Port under Settings.

Stream to | Flash Media ServerIf you will be streaming to a Flash Media Server then make sure to enter the server's URL and Stream, and the Usernameand Password required to logon to the server.

Stream to | Virtual Video DeviceTo pass on video to another application, e.g. a video processing tool or another streaming video application like FlashMedia Encoder¹, a virtual video device is needed which acts as a bridge to the other program. Make sure to startstreaming (i.e. create the bridge) before starting the other program. Also always restart the other program after changingthe streaming video resolution or frame rate, so it can see these new settings. Note the virtual video device only passesvideo, you can take the audio from the original audio source (typically a microphone or mixer output). If you select thesame input in the Audio module, you can use it to control and monitor the audio volume.

Stream to | CDN:Livestream.comStream to | CDN:Ustream.tvStream to | CDN:Bambuser.comStream to | CDN:Justin.tvVidBlaster is offering native support for several popular Content Delivery Networks. After opening a (free) account, all thatis required to start streaming live video to your favourite CDN is to go to the Settings menu and fill in your Channel name,your Username and Password and click Start.

Stream ResolutionBy default (Auto), the stream's video resolution is the same as the global video resolution. If you prefer to stream in adifferent (lower) resolution then select it here.

Stream QualityThe video and audio quality of the live video stream is influenced by the individual bit rates. For the best quality choose thehighest bit rate that is possible, but never choose more than the sustained (not average or peak!) upstream bandwidth ofyour internet connection. For a standard ADSL connection this is around 300 kbps. Note some CDNs don't allowupstreams for their free accounts of more than 500 kbps.

SettingsDepending on the type of server or CDN you are streaming to, you will have to enter the server's Address, Channel name,Username and/or Password here.

InfoOpen the Info dialog, showing the stream's current resolution and frame rate. As soon as streaming to a Network Port hasstarted, the host's IP address will also be displayed here for your convenience.

Remove ModuleClears and removes the module.

¹ If you use Flash Media Encoder, make sure to use version 3.0 or higher

Flash Media Live Encoder

Adobe Flash Media Encoder 3 or 3.1 needs to be installed for flash streaming support, you can download this program here.

Using Video OverlaysAlso called lower third, an overlay can be a graphic and/or text that is overlayed on the program video, i.e. the video thatwill be recorded, streamed, and/or passed on to external monitors or a transmitter for broadcasting. VidBlaster comeswith several pre made overlay graphics, but you can also easily make them yourself. Make sure to save them astransparent PNG files, i.e. with alpha channel. Although VidBlaster will automatically resize them, it's good practice tosave them in the same resolution as the intended video resolution.

If you need to put a video overlay over a single source instead of over program video, use the Source Overlay video effect.

The Video Overlay Module

One or more Video Overlay modules can be added by selecting Modules | Add | Video Overlay. A description of allcontrols, commands and options is listed below (right click the module to get access to its popup menu).

Video windowIf an overlay is loaded, it will be displayed here.

File listAllows for quick opening of files in the current folder.

EditorText entered here will be properly aligned, resized and added to the overlay. To start a new line, insert the code \n(backslash n).

OnSwitch overlay on.

OffSwitch overlay off.

OpenDisplays the Open dialog to load a file. Instead of using this command, you can also drag & drop a file on the module.

FontDisplays Font dialog to select font properties.

AlignmentSet desired text alignment (left, center, right).

MarginSet desired margins for text placement.

ClearClears the graphic, i.e. unloads the file.

Remove ModuleRemoves the module.

Using Video EffectsVideo Effect modules combine video from 2 to 4 cameras, players, video effect and/or video overlay modules, and apply avideo effect like Picture in Picture, split screen, chroma key or source video overlay.

The Video Effect Module

One or more Video Effect modules can be added by selecting Modules | Add | Video Effect. A description of all controls,commands and options is listed below (right click the module to get access to its popup menu).

Video windowIf a video effect is active, it will be displayed here.

Video EffectSelect the desired video effect here.

Source 1Select source 1 from the list. For Chroma Key this is the foreground, i.e. the video source with the green/blue screen. ForSource Overlay this is the video source.

Source 2Select source 2 from the list. For Chroma Key this is the background, i.e. the video source that will be keyed in. ForSource Overlay this is the Video Overlay module that holds the overlay.

CutHard cut to the video effect's video signal. In the Studio edition, this is a shortcut to selecting the video effect in the VideoSwitcher's program bus.

TransStart a video transition using Transition setting in the popup menu. In the Studio edition, this is a shortcut to selecting theplayer in the Video Switcher's preview bus, choosing the desired transition and making a transition.

Source 3Select source 3 from the list.

Source 4Select source 4 from the list.

BackgroundSelect source to be used as a background for the selected video effect. Note this will have no effect if a video effectalready fills the entire frame.

TransitionSelect transition used when Trans is clicked.

Auto KeyAutomatically computes the chroma key, use this when Source 1 shows the green/blue screen.

ClearClears the video effect.

Remove ModuleRemoves the module.

Chroma Keying

The Video Effect module has an extremely powerful feature built in: a chroma keyer. Chroma keying is the process wherea uni-coloured background is replaced with either a static graphic or video.

Note the chroma keyer uses the video card's GPU (Graphics Processing Unit) to take most of the workload from the CPU.Most video cards manufactured after 2002, and all video cards manufactured after 2005 will support the chroma keyer. Beassured that if your video card does not support chroma keying, it will be completely unsuited for real time videoprocessing and should be replaced.

Video SwitcherThe Video Switcher allows¹ for easy switching between video sources, especially when a 2 monitor preview/program setupis used. The switcher works exactly the same as a professional video switcher in a television control room. Additionally itcan be programmed for automated switching in case no operator is available for manual switching.

¹ Available in Studio and Broadcast editions only

The Video Switcher Module

The Video Switcher module can be added from the menu by selecting Modules | Add | Video Switcher. It consists of 2buses, a Program bus and a Preview bus. Each bus contains several radio buttons, which select (and indicate) whichvideo source is selected for the corresponding monitor. Buttons are automatically added or removed when the number ofmodules changes. Each button has a label indicating the corresponding short cut key on the numeric keypad. Using a(wireless) numeric keypad allows for rapid switching and eliminates the need for a mouse. Three extra short cuts areavailable: Enter for Cut, Add (+) for Trans and Num Lock to switch control between the two buses. For unmannedautomatic video switching select the desired interval time under Auto and check the flags of the video sources you like tobe used.

Right click the module to get access to its popup menu.

SmallCreates a smaller version of the Video Switcher with only the 2 Black buttons.

Remove ModuleRemoves the module.

Connecting the AudioAlthough VidBlaster can be used with a single microphone, it is intended to be used with an external audio mixer. Notonly will a mixer give you better control over audio levels, it will also allow you to do more advanced things like usingmultiple microphones, mix audio from the microphone(s) with audio from video clips, and use audio processing.

A typical setup will be as follows: connect the output of the mixer to the line input of your sound card. Connect the lineoutput of the sound card to one of the line inputs of the mixer. Finally connect one or more microphones to the mixer.Right click the audio module, click Audio Device and select the desired sound card, then click Audio Input and select theline input. Use the module's volume slider and the mixer's output level setting so that maximum input volume correspondsto a maximum output in the peak meter.

Note: only audio devices that support multiple software connections can be used with VidBlaster. You also cannot use anaudio device that belongs to a video device. Typically this means you can use just about any sound card, but can't use(virtual) audio devices like the microphone in a webcam or camcorder.

Presenter modeCurrently disabled.Choose Layout|Presenter (or Ctrl+P) to switch the program into presenter mode, increasing the size of the recorderwindow so it can be viewed from a distance. To switch back to the normal layout, press the space bar or Ctrl+P. Inpresenter mode, the program can be remote controlled using a device called a presenter. In its simplest form, a presenteris a small device with 4 buttons, often positioned in a circle. Originally the device was developed for PowerPointpresentations. Pressing the top (F5) button starts/stops the selected video clip (shown in the bottom right of the screen).Clips are loaded in sequence, starting with the clip in player 1. The left (Page Up) button is to (de)select camera 1, theright (Page down) button to (de)select camera 2, and the bottom (B) button to (de)select camera 3.

¹Available in Pro version.

CPU UsageDue to its nature, video demands a lot from your PC. Video processing demands even more, especially when it has to bedone in real time. Whenever your PC is not up to the current task, VidBlaster will automatically display the CPU Usagewindow. A red line indicates that CPU usage is over 75% which means it is critical. To reduce CPU usage, try one ormore of the following suggestions:

1. lower the frame rate2. lower the video resolution3. reencode videos before playing them4. reduce the number of cameras5. don't use screen capture, or capture only a small part of the screen6. try using a different way of interfacing cameras (some webcam drivers are extremely slow).

Another obvious solution is to buy a faster PC, note that not only the speed of the CPU is important but also that of thebus, video card and (when recording) that of the hard drive. This topic is also discussed on the VidBlaster forum.

Frequently Asked QuestionsThe audio and video are not synchronizedVideo signals usually require a lot more processing than audio signals, which is why they will arrive later in VidBlasterthan audio. Usually you will not see this delay as it remains below 150 ms. The total delay is made up of the processingdelay in the video camera, the delay in the transmission line, the delay in the driver software and lastly the processingspeed of the PC. If only one item in this video chain is unusually slow, you will notice the delay. Webcams are notoriousfor their slow internal processing speed, as are some USB drivers.

When I play a video clip the video is too slowVideo clips that have been recorded in an Apple video format, like MOV or MP4, need to be converted and scaled byVidBlaster. Depending on the video clip's resolution and compression, your PC may be too slow to do all this in real time.Convert the clip to a lower resolution and/or a Windows video format before loading it into the program, or right click theplayer and select Reencode. Note on slower PCs or laptops, even a large format WMV file might require scaling down to alower resolution.

The camera image is stutteringWhen streaming live video from the camera to the PC through USB, firewire or a video capture card, the stream should notbe interrupted. Reboot your PC and run the streaming tool that comes with your camera. If the image is stuttering, followthe instructions how to reduce this problem. If the stuttering is gone, but still shows up in VidBlaster, the problem isspeed: your PC is not fast enough to do streaming and run the program at the same time. A faster PC will solve thisproblem, either by upgrading the hardware or removing software that is running in the background, but you can also lookinto installing a more efficient streaming driver for your camera or even using a different camera. A simple solution thatmay work is to use another (faster) USB port.

There is no video from my cameraMake sure you select the correct video device, and that you do not already use this device in another Camera module.

I can't load graphics in my playersMost likely you recently uninstalled a (graphics related) program and it removed too much. Make sure the file c:\Windows\System32\qedit.dll is present and registered. To register it, Click Start|Run and type regsvr32C:\Windows\System32\qedit.dll. If you do not know how to do this, then reinstalling Windows Movie Maker will fix theproblem too.

When playing wmv files I only get audio, no videoYou have an old version of Windows Media Player installed, upgrade to WMP 10 or up. If this does not help, check for andremove "codec packages".

The program will no longer startHold down the Shift key while VidBlaster is starting. A dialog will appear asking you if it is ok to load the default profile,select Yes. If this does not help, uninstall the program (Start | VidBlaster | VidBlaster Uninstall) and install the latestversion.

Check out the VidBlaster support forum if your question is not listed here.

Translating the User InterfaceClick View | Translator to open the Translator window. There are two columns, the original English text on the left, and thetranslations on the right. By default both will be in English. To create a user interface in a different language, enter theproper translations in the right column. Note the left column is created dynamically and in real time. Every time theprogram comes across an English text it will check this column, if the text is found its translation is used, if not the text isadded for translation.

When creating translations, please do not change format specifiers (starting with %), they are special codes that ensureproper display of numbers or text strings. You can change the position of the format specifiers but not the order. Also donot change spaces around format specifiers or numbers, and do not translate the words "kbps" and "Hz". Try to beconsistent in translating text, when in doubt check translation is (Microsoft) programs. Make sure you translations fitwithin the space available, especially when translating button captions.

System requirementsRecommended for 320*240CPU Core 2 Duo, 2 GB RAM

Recommended for 640*480CPU Core 2 Quad/Intel i7 920, 3 GB RAM, video GeForce 8800

Recommended for HDCPU Intel Core i7 965 OC'ed, 6 GB RAM, video dual GeForce GTX280

Windows XP or Vista with Windows Media Player 10 installed, QuickTime 7 (necessary to play Apple format video clips),any webcam, streaming video camera (USB or firewire) or video capture device with WDM driver, audio mixer. All hardwarerequirements are indicative.

CreditsVidBlaster uses licensed video technology by Datastead. For flv, mov and mp4 encoding, VidBlaster spawns ffmpeg whichis licensed under GPL v2.