Blackmagic Forum

I can't seem to get a lower third to work correctly with the Atem Mini Pro. The alpha channel is never transparent. I've tried png tga & tif. Is there a definitive guide on how to export one from Photoshop (not directly to ATEM) in order for it to work properly?

In photoshop do you actually have an alpha channel for your graphic?

eg:



If you don't photoshop has a video action to create it for you and you can then save the file as a targa ready for upload to the ATEM.

Thank you for your post. Yes, I do have an alpha channel. Would you mind posting a plg or tga that you know works so that I can test on my system? Perhaps it's another setting in the Atem software?

Bump

There are example graphics supplied with the ATEM software that you can try.

Regards, Gary

Here's a test graphic that has transparency...


To create this kind of graphic, I'm using GIMP, a free program VERY similar to Photoshop. The secret sauce is in the key mask, I've simply put a gradient in it to create the transparency fade. Notice that this file doesn't have a background layer. Export into a file that supports layers/alpha, like PNG. JPG DOESN'T work for this...



In the ATEM software, I'm using this in the DSK. Set your DSK keyer to use MP1 for the fill source, and MP1 Key for the key source. Also check the button for Pre Multiplied Key. Viola!!


Final key...took me an entire 5 minutes to do this, fairly simple. If you need more help in the creation there are HOURS of tutorials online...

Thank you for your detailed response Greg. I got it to work with your help. Though, I had to UNCHECK Premultiplied Key. Of course, I have no idea what this is! Thanks again. I really appreciate it.

sunshy wrote:Thank you for your detailed response Greg. I got it to work with your help. Though, I had to UNCHECK Premultiplied Key. Of course, I have no idea what this is! Thanks again. I really appreciate it.

Did you do anything special?

I'm having the exact same issue.

I have a PNG with alpha channel (although not created in Photoshop).

And it looks crazy

I have another post here on the forum with images, but I cannot insert a link to it.

Post title: Atem mini pro and lower thirds

sunshy wrote:.......Of course, I have no idea what this is! .......

if you lack the background knowledge,
you should not do such complicated things +g*

this switch differentiates if a graphic is marked with a
alpha channel is processed, or only via luminance.

Are there instructions anywhere on how to do this in Photoshop without the plugin? I need to be able to update lower thirds and then email them to my team which means I am not on the same network as my ATEM Mini so the export plugin will not work, unfortunately. When I am on the same network the export plugin works great! So far I have not had any success exporting to a PNG file and then adding it to my media pool manually.

If anyone can give STEP BY STEP instructions on how to export correctly that would be AWESOME!

aechevarria wrote:Are there instructions anywhere on how to do this in Photoshop without the plugin? I need to be able to update lower thirds and then email them to my team which means I am not on the same network as my ATEM Mini so the export plugin will not work, unfortunately. When I am on the same network the export plugin works great! So far I have not had any success exporting to a PNG file and then adding it to my media pool manually.

If anyone can give STEP BY STEP instructions on how to export correctly that would be AWESOME!

just drag the files from the finder window into the slots of the media pool

When I export from Photoshop to the ATEM switcher media pool, it looks great. When I save as a PNG or Targa, it doesn't work. The PNG is not completely transparent where it should be, only partially. And the ATEM won't let me drop the Targa on the Media Pool at all.

Thoughts?

ATEM switchers expect images in the media pool to be pre-multiplied alpha. This violates the PNG standard that calls for straight color and alpha. You have to multiply the final pixel image by alpha before exporting it to PNG. The image will look wrong (too dark/faded colors) in every application except on the ATEM switcher.

I have no Idea how to do this in Photoshop, though, because I use Affinity.

Cybershadow wrote:ATEM switchers expect images in the media pool to be pre-multiplied alpha. This violates the PNG standard that calls for straight color and alpha. You have to multiply the final pixel image by alpha before exporting it to PNG. The image will look wrong (too dark/faded colors) in every application except on the ATEM switcher.

I have no Idea how to do this in Photoshop, though, because I use Affinity.

The same happened with me.

PhotoJoseph has a video explaining how create pre-multiplied alpha in affinity.

I am not allowed to paste url here (!), but search YT for a video with this title:
"Photoshop not required! Titles, Lower Thirds Graphics for ATEM - ATEM Mini Tutorial 05"

PhotoJoseph's tutorial is unnecessarily complex. Affinity Photo literally has a "Multiply by Alpha" operation. I recorded a video on how to use that, that's linked in a comment by me on PhotoJoseph's Video.