Mixing live events is hard, very hard.

It's too easy to switch to the wrong camera, and if that camera is not "ready" it becomes an irrevocable mistake. The more cameras the more mistakes.

The process is :-

a) choose a shot from the monitors
b) switch the camera onto the preview monitor
c) correct framing and focus, if necessary
d) switch that shot to the live output

......repeat as necessary.

For a) the input monitors need to be as large as possible. NO, I MEAN AS LARGE AS POSSIBLE!

Choosing the shot is done visually, sounds obvious doesn't it, but with a traditional switcher you then have to press the right button, and that's a mistake waiting to happen.
vMix allows you to select the shot by mouse clicking the input monitor, which is great.
Sometimes it takes two clicks which is not so great, is that just me and my mouse or do others have that problem?

vMix also allows you to view a super-size "pre-preview" of the source by clicking on the "preview" button below the source monitor, which is great.
You then have to move the mouse pointer on to the preview image to close the preview, which is not so great.
How about a right mouse click on the image to bring up the super-size pre-preview and the same to close it?
Now that might sound lazy but it's really one less thing to think about and one less thing to go wrong.

c) is beyond the scope of vMix, unless Martin's thinking of incorporating LANC control for .................. no, let's not go there.

d) vMix allows us a number of transitions and ways of selecting them, which is great.
But I want something simpler, fool-proof if you like.
I want to be able to set a "default" transition, depending on the "pace" of the video, and operate it with the space bar.
Then I could choose the shot with my right hand and operate the "take" with my left and with minimal movement and screen searching.
So now I'm a lazy fool - I guess the cap fits.

If I can't have a selectable default transition can I please have a button for a half-second fade?
Number keys offer 0 - a straight cut, 1 and 2 second fades, but not the one I use most, the half-second fade.

vMix really is an incredibly good product. With the above features it would make it better, at least for me.

What say you all?

Kind Regards
Brian Hazelden

"transition to the space bar" , yes please ! :-)

Hi Rijik,

Yes, use the Shortcuts feature in the vMix settings, you can assign a key to any input and set a transition effect as the function (Fade, Cut, etc)

Regards,

Martin
vMix