Fri Mar 02, 2018 4:15 pm
Hey I wanted to give my solution to this even though its an older post, but I read it a few times while trying to figure it out for my kit and the people bellow did help me do research and learn my systems capabilities, in the end I found my own solution that may work for someone else.
I broadcast hockey and I needed a live scoreboard that I could show score, penalties shots ect and updated in real time with a working clock. After reading many of the suggestions bellow I found the following solution on my own. The Caspar CG one seemed great but I would have needed another adapter to output to the ATEM from my PC and my only PC was also the one running my ATEM and I wanted my scoreclock to be run by someone other than my switcher person, the other options that worked with MAC all cost $$$$ so I needed something cheap and easy to use during the game.
Now my system is only low budget if you already own macs and run Adobe CC. IF not ignore me because there are cheaper free options. (I am not familiar with any editing software other than premiere so it may work similar with another program)
Anyway, One of the many pros of a Mac include being able to output a true 1080p or 720p via the thunderbolt/mini display ports on the back. So using an HDMI cable and a $35 adaptor you can get a score clock into the ATEM.
1st, I purchased a premade After Effects score clock package for around $20 but you can also do all the legwork for free in premiere and photoshop. I was up against a deadline so I went with the fast option. Any way I turned off the score and period in after effects and then exported the clock with team logos with Alpha as an mp4. I then import that mp4 into premiere and put it into a timeline on a coloured or white background that I can key out in the ATEM with out keying out parts of the scoreboard. Using the motion tools move your clock where you want it to appear during your broadcast, try to be as accurate as possible because it sucks to have to move it after the next step.
In premiere I use the "elements" title maker to add the score and period/quarter. (I use this opposed to the legacy title maker because you don't have to open the legacy title maker window to make changes or update you can just click and adjust.)
Now once you are hooked up to the ATEM using the adaptor and the HDMI cable, you should see your computer background (like you would an additional monitor). Go into your premiere preferences and under playback select the monitor check box that is the atem. You should now see your score clock on the atem. From here just key it out the BG and you have a clock.
If you use premiere/photoshop to create your own scoreclock I do recommend exporting the running clock and then importing a finished file so you don't have any hicups during broadcast. You can create your own timer using the timecode function, but I have found that my timers don't sync up well with the actual clock in the arena hence why I switched to AE.
To ad penalties I just create a separate graphics/timers that I drag in when there is a penalty. HOWEVER, this is the one major flaw with this system. While you drag files across the timeline, the screen will flicker black and that will appear on your broadcast, so make sure you get in the habit of turning your clock off before you add penalties.
I also run a separate mac using the same system to bring in some premade graphics.
This method does take some advanced work but once you have the master files created it isn't to bad to put together. An to start/stop the clock all you have to do is hit the space bar. Works for me and my team has a couple computer dummies who can make it work. IF your clock gets out of time, you can also use the timecode and some math to quickly bring it back to the correct time. (I am not very good at the math part lol)
