Anchor tracking is special type of tracking and automatic production.
During the pre-production setup, select scene where you want to insert graphics and calibrate the scene. Run tracking editor of the desired product, set anchor w17ith name of the earlier calibrated scene. Adjust the product.
During production, when the scene is recognized in the video feed, the graphic object it's automatically put into the scene. No human interaction is needed. The object keeps its position and size relative to the scene. The object is automatically hidden when scene cut is detected.
Anchor tracking is mutually exclusive with sport pitch tracking. Choose the tracker by setting the right profile in config editor.
| Note: Anchor Tracking requires license. |
Anchor calibration editor is accessible via Anchor calibration button in the toolbar. The same button is used to close the editor. When the editor is active, an additional anchor tracking related toolbar appears at the end of the main toolbar.
Functionality of the buttons in the toolbar
| Show/Hide the anchor calibration editor. | |
| Show anchor frame for selected products. The button is available only when the editor is closed, and the selected products have common anchor set as tracking type. | |
| Show live video feed in the preview in case any anchor frame is selected, or immediate Capture current frame in case no anchor frame is selected. |
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| Captures current frame. This button is available only when displaying live video feed. | |
| Removes all mask areas from currently selected Anchor. This button is available when an Anchor is selected and a mask has been defined. | |
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Undo last change. |
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| Resets counters for anchor statistics. | |
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1. Capture the anchor frame
Use toolbar buttons to show live video feed in the preview and capture desired frame.
The application offers to set name for the anchor. The name must be unique. The image should not have motion blur (camera should be still) and the camera zoom should be as close as possible to shots in which you will insert graphics.
2. Calibrate the anchor frame
Select the anchor frame in the Anchor calibration editor. It appears in the preview. To provide better tracking efficiency you need to create an tracking mask. When the captured video frame contains objects that are dynamically changing (such as players, video screen, …) it can degrade the tracking quality. Now draw rectangular regions over the regions that can change. These areas won't be used to detect the scene in the video feed.
When scene included in anchor frame changes you should recapture and recalibrate it. For example the scene changes from 1st half to 2nd half in soccer game as spectators can leave the arena or change their seats.
Popup menu items for Anchor frames:
- Rename selected anchor frame. Products linked to this anchor will be updated to keep using this anchor.
- Delete selected anchor frame.
- Delete all anchor frames.
- Export selected anchor frame. See Import/Export of anchor frame chapter.
- Import selected anchor frame. See Import/Export of anchor frame chapter.
- Import as new. See Import/Export of anchor frame chapter.
- Replace selected anchor frame. See Recapture anchor frame chapter.
Mask
Mask allows manually select area which will not be used for tracking. Anchor tracking is based on comparing reference frames with live video input. When reference frame contains dynamic parts than there parts can never help the tracker, rather the opposite. During the mask setup, the system show points (red crosses) interesting for the tracker. Where these points are in area that are not suitable for tracking then add a mask rectangle over it.
Guidelines how to set the mask
- Make mask rectangle to just convert the dynamic part.
- Do not mask spectators when the camera is wide. The spectators are small and do not have any negative impact on tracking.
- Make mask over keyed graphics, such as timing and score titles. (This only happens when you are using dirty feed as your input). Beware that the mask has to be added in both anchor frame and in production mask for tracking and insertions.
- Make mask over players.
- Make mask over LED boards on the pitch.
- It is not required to make pixel perfect mask.
- Do not mask the whole image.
- When you mask large portion of the image the tracking won't be reliable at the area.
Warning indicator
Warning indicator can appear on anchor frame thumbnail when the image or the mask is wrong. Try to capture new image or change the mask.
Correct image masks
Incorrect image mask
Mask does not cover timing and score title that disrupts the matching - mask the timing graphics (The timing graphics has to be also masked in Tracking and Insert area for production). The mask could mask you points on the pitch that could be used for matching – split the mask to several pieces.
Import/Export of anchor frame
There are Import/Export features accessible in the popup menu in the Anchor editor. These are useful to reuse previous anchor setting, share the setting among several computers etc. Exported and imported are also positions of all products bound to the exported frame.
- Export – exports selected anchor frame into a standalone file (.afe). The file contains the anchor and position of all products tracked using this anchor.
- Import – imports previously exported anchor from chosen file (multiple files selection is supported). Following update rules are applied:
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- Anchor with same name already present is overwritten. Including source image and all masks.
- Products update their position if:
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- They have tracking set to the same anchor
- They had tracking set the same anchor during export
- They have same name
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- Import as new – imports previously exported anchor from chosen file.
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- Unlike Import, anchors are not overwritten but added. New name is generated for them.
- Like in Import, there might be products bound to the anchor and exported with the anchor. They would update their position (according to update rules in Import). Using 'Import as new' doesn't change their position itself, but these products are cloned and the position of clones is updated. Cloned products are tracked using the newly imported anchor.
- This operation adds anchors or products and has no effect on existing products or anchors.
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- Import from Image - creates anchor frame from ordinary image file (.jpg, .png etc.). Useful for pre-production preparations when only photography of the target scene is available.
Recapture anchor frame
There's possibility to replace source frame of an anchor. Products linked to the anchor will be automatically updated (position and size). The system computes difference between the previous and the recaptured anchor and adjusts their placement. In most cases (when the new frame is similar to the previous one), no further position and size adjustments will be necessary.
- Select the anchor to recapture.
- Press 'Recapture selected anchor' button in the toolbar. Live input appears in the preview.
- Capture desired frame by the Capture button in the toolbar.
- If the difference between the two frames is computed, products are updated automatically.
- If not, an info dialog appears. You may still choose to replace the frame anyway, in this case update position and size of the linked products manually.
- Set anchor mask for the new frame.
Create anchor from snapshot
It is possible to create an anchor from existing snapshot.
Import Snapshot
Use popup menu of the Show live video feed button. New anchor will be created from the selected snapshot and will be added to the list of anchors.
Replace Anchor by snapshot
Select Anchor to replace and use popup menu of the Recapture selected anchor button. Source image of the Anchor will be replaced by the one taken from the snapshot. The system tries to update all products linked to the Anchor (position and size).
Performance notes
- Anchor tracking requires computer with at least 8 CPU cores in total (2x quad core or 2x dual core with hyper threading enabled).
- Every anchor frame adds some processing load to the system. Keep the number of anchor reference frames as low as possible. Remove unused frames.
Anchor usage statistics
In the anchor editor, next to the anchor preview, there's a bar showing recognition statistics. The bars show how many times each anchor was recognized, in percentage relative to the best one. Bars of rarely used anchors are drawn in red.
The counters can be reset via the Reset counter button in the toolbar. It resets counters for all anchors. On every change you make to the anchor (redefine mask), counter for the changed anchor is reset.
List of linked products
Hover over the anchor name label in the anchor editor. Tooltip containing list of products linked to the hovered anchor is shown.
Exclusive Visibility Group
It is possible to attach products to "Exclusive Visibility Group".
This feature guarantees that only one product in the group is visible at a time. For example you have 2 products, each product has different anchor reference frame. Both anchor frames cover the similar place in front of camera. If you attach both products to the same exclusive visibility group, then the system never show both products on air even if both anchor frames are tracked (visible). The product that was visible earlier keep visible in the group. When the tracking is lost for such product, then other products from the group have a chance to show up. Exclusive groups are numbered 1..n.
Setup the product for anchor tracking
When you want to use anchor tracking for your product. Follow these steps:
- Choose tracking type to anchor
Select the product and open tracking editor. Select anchor of desired name in the list of tracking types. During listing among the anchors, the anchor reference image is shown in the preview. - Adjust the product
Select product you want to insert. The 'Show Anchor Image' button in the toolbar gets enabled. Press the button, the anchor associated with selected products appears in the preview.
Adjust position, size and other parameters of selected product.
Once you positioned your product, leave the anchor preview by the same toolbar button. This show the live feed again. - Note
The button 'Show Anchor Image' is cannot be pressed (is disabled) when no product is selected, or selected product has no anchor tracking selected, or anchor frame does not exist (was removed). Please check the tracking types of selected product and or anchor frames.
Tracking availability
Anchor tracking is available when the system recognizes the reference frame in the incoming video feed. All products linked to the anchor get visible in the preview. Press “GO” to show the products on-air. Products with available tracking (visible in the preview or on-air) have small anchor in the upper right corner of the Product button.
Every time the system recognizes the reference frame the product is automatically placed into the live image. Operators can then show this product on air using “Go” button.
Perspective
You can define perspective for each anchor. Then it can be used to achieve correct perspective distortion of the graphics.
The perspective is based on Vanishing point(s) definition for the real scene. Then the system can make sure, the vanishing points of the graphics and the scene are equal.
The perspective is saved together with the anchor.
Define Vanishing points
Activate the anchor preview. Two Vanishing point buttons appear next to the Anchor preview button.
If the vanishing point has been defined, the icon changes to indicate that it is ready to use.
Operation pattern:
Select one Vanishing Point button.
Draw pair of lines into the video preview. These two lines must be parallel in the real scene.
Select the second Vanishing point button and draw another pair of lines in the preview. Again, this second pair of lines must be parallel in the real scene. Moreover, the second pair of lines should be perpendicular to the first pair of lines.
Generally, the second vanishing points is not needed to be defined. With one point perspective the system shows perspective hint in one axis of the graphics only.
During Vanishing point definition the graphic is hidden. Unselect the Vanishing point button to go back to graphics adjustment mode.
There is popup menu available for each button:
- Disable – Disables the vanishing point. Definition of the point is kept. Since then, the point is handled as undefined. The point is re-enabled by pressing the button again.
- Reset – Clears the lines defining the point. You can redefine the lines.
Perspective use
The perspective setting is available in anchor preview only. Vanishing point buttons must be unpressed and at least one Vanishing point must be defined.
Adjusting graphics by corner manipulators
When you drag or hover one of the corners of a product, the system provides hint where the corner should be placed to fit the perspective (see the magenta-color lines).Automatic snap: drag the corner manipulator close to the computed position. It will jump to computed position automatically.
Automatic setting
Hover the translation manipulator in the center of the product. The system provides hint around the whole product that fits the perspective. Now you can press shortcut for the 'Set Perspective' action. The graphics will fit the hint rectangle. The action is also available in main menu: Edit → Set
Perspective and include current keyboard mapping. The menu action works when only one product is selected.
Also the shortcut can be used without hovering the product when only one product is selected.
One vanishing point perspective
When only one vanishing point is defined, the system provides hint in one axis of the graphics only.
Hover or drag one of the corner manipulators. Lines from the vanishing point is drawn. The line connects positions, where the corner can be placed to fit the perspective. Snap to the line during corner dragging is also provided.For one point perspective the automatic setting is not available.