Understanding Grass Valley 3000/4000 and DVE Communication


Initially I had attempted to create a step-by-step guide to GVG 3000/4000 and DVE communication. Due to the large number of variables involved, I now think that I was trying the wrong approach. Even with a step-by-step guide to setting up switcher controlled DVE manipulation, if you still don't understand what is happening you are inviting trouble.

What follows is a brief yet rather complete description of how the DPM interface works and how to make it work for you. Given this text, some scratch paper and a half hour, you should be able to accomplish:


To put it simply, there are two phases of setup in the switcher/DVE communication department:


We'll start first with interface setup. This *might* be done for you already but in case you have to change anything, you should know what you are screwing with.

The 3000/4000 has four DPM devices. You can think of these as four "hands", each capable of controlling one external device such as a DVE, DNF controller or my really cool sound effects generator. Additionally, they can control aux bus crosspoints and GPI triggers.

(Will have to change this next paragraph to deal with CPL, Pbus and other protocols and how to deal with them. If you're reading this, be aware that I have not yet written instructions for dealing with CPL)

To connect to a DVE, you must have one of these DPMs configured for it but this is most likely done for you already. You can see a list of the DPMs and their configurations by going to the DPM I/F menu (Config -> Extern I/F -> DPM I/F).

Under the Peripheral I/F menu (Config -> Extern I/F -> Periph I/F) you can see the parameters of each peripheral device that is attached and you can also determine which E-mem level will control it. My preference is to have my DVE controlled by DPM 1. You should not have to change anything here (except maybe the level assignment that I just mentioned) but you should select the DPM that corresponds to the DVE and press the "Fire" softkey to see if it runs an effect. If so, you have communication and half of your battle is won. In any case, write down your level assignment for the DVE.

The next thing that you should be concerned with is the DPM Aux Bus Mapping (Config -> Extern I/F -> DPM I/F -> DPM Map Aux Bus). If you don't understand how to change this then don't but note the E-mem level assignments for each of the aux buses. If you *do* want to change these and make life simpler in the long run, then select the DPM level that you'd like to use to control the aux buses (Misc or the corresponding DPM device). Next, select a "start" and "number of channels" to assign auxes to that DPM. I like to assign auxes 1 - 3 (and sometimes 4) to DPM 2 so I select DPM device 2, "start" at 1 and assign 3 (or maybe 4) channels. This allows me to control the crosspoints of these aux buses independently so that effect recalls to the DVE can also recall the correct aux bus sources as well without changing other switcher resources like Preview selection, Frame Store status and more. Write down this level assignment!

While we're looking at DPM level assignments, go to the GPI Interface menu (Config -> Extern I/F -> GPI Outputs) and check to see what levels your GPIed devices are assigned to. I like to put my sound effect triggers on DPM 4, again giving me very independent control but that's really only a personal preference. You could put everything on one DPM if you wanted and for many shows that will work but I prefer to "organize" a little more for clarity and more flexability. While you are in this menu, do two things:

  1. Turn off the "Program Trigger" GPI assignment. This will fire the selected GPI whenever you do a program transition and unless you have a good reason for leaving this on, it is very dangerous (I've been burnt that way because even though I turned it off, I later had to reload the switcher configuration and forgot that I had to re-check it again).

  2. Select the GPI (or GPIs) that will trigger your sound effects and trigger them to see if they work. Write down the DPM levels that are assigned to these GPI triggers. You can put them all on the same DPM level with out interference.

    If you've gotten this far, you've identified the DPMs that control your DVE, Aux buses and GPIs and you've determined that the DVE has communication and that the GPIs do trigger any necessary sound effects (if you are triggering them from the switcher like I do). Now the fun begins and this is the easy part!

    When save an E-mem (in the Master E-mem section) you can make it recall a DVE effect, run an effect, set crosspoints on your Aux buses, trigger a GPI or any combination of those!

    Ok, let's go! Pick an E-mem and decide what you want it to do and follow these steps prior to saving that E-mem:

    1. Turn off all delegations on the Master E-mem and be sure that Auto-Recall is on.

    2. Go to E-Mem -> Periph Devices.

      • If you want the E-mem to recall a DVE effect, recall that effect from the DVE's control panel and then (from the switcher menu) select the device number for the DVE and turn it's peripheral status to "ON". Next, delegate the DPM level that controls your DVE on the Master E-mem.

      • If you do not want the E-mem to recall a DVE effect, be sure that the device number for the DVE is turned off.

    3. Go to E-Mem -> GPI & Pbus Triggers. Refer to the left side of this screen.

      • If you want the E-mem to run a DVE effect, select the peripheral that corresponds to the DVE with the Select Periph softkey then turn it on with the Attach Periph softkey. Be sure that the Master E-mem's DPM delegation is "ON" for the DPM level that you just attached.

      • If you do not want the E-mem to run a DVE effect, be sure that no DPM level is attached to the DVE peripheral.

    4. Refer to the right side of the present switcher menu item.

      • If you want the E-mem to fire a GPI, select the desired GPI number(s) with the Select GPI softkey then turn it (or them) on with the Attach GPI softkey. Be sure that the Master E-mem's DPM delegation is "ON" for the DPM level that you just attached.

      • If you do not want the E-mem to fire a GPI, be sure that no DPM level is attached to any of the GPIs.

    5. Set any crosspoints necessary on the Aux buses that will feed the DVE.

      • If you want these Aux bus cross points to be recalled, delegate the E-mem level assigned to those Auxes (Misc or DPM, whatever you chose).

      • If you do not want these Aux bus cross points to be recalled, do not delegate the E-mem level assigned to those Auxes.

    6. Set any other delegations that you might need (perhaps for recalling effect on an M/E that is to accompany a DVE effect).

    7. Save your E-mem.
    That's it! Just like playing with building blocks.


    Example


    I get into a truck and find a 3000 with a DVEous. When the time comes, I load my effects into the DVE and take proper notes on how the inputs are arranged and what needs to be fed on each Aux bus for each effect. Then I load my artwork into frame stores, frame syncs or a still store and be sure that it all works.

    I check the Peripheral Interface menu to see what protocol the switcher and DVE are set to. What luck! It's P-bus today. I test fire it and the DVE runs. Good! I note that the DVE is already set to use DPM 1 so I go ahead and make a tiny label called "DVE" that I place next to the DPM 1 delegation on the Master E-mem.

    Next I go to the DPM Aux Bus Mapping menu and find that all the Aux buses are attached to the Misc level. I move Auxes 1 - 3 over to the DPM 2 level (I want to leave 4 free because it feeds the frame store and I might need it later for re-positioning a clock). I make a tiny "Aux" label and stick it next to DPM 2 by the Master E-mem.

    I take a look at the GPI Interface menu and see that GPI 2 (which I established earlier as being wired to the digicart) is set for the Misc level. I change it to DPM 4 and place a little "GPI" label next to DPM 4. I test fire it and find that the digicart does indeed run. I remember to check the PGM Trigger and thankfully it is off.

    Now I get to save some E-mems! I start by loading my replay effect in the DVE and decide that I want it to be recalled by Master E-mem 01. I set the necessary crosspoints on the Aux Bus and test run the effect to be sure it is fed correctly. Next I go to the Peripheral Devices menu and enable the peripheral status of the DVE so that the current effect will get recalled. I now turn on the Auto Recall button and delegate DPM 1 to be sure that the switcher actually does pay attention to the DVE effect when I learn this E-mem. Also I delegate DPM 2 so that the proper sources are fed into the DVE when the effect is recalled. Then I go to the GPI & P-Bus Triggers menu and turn "off" the peripheral attachment for the DVE (because I do not want it to run automatically) and I be sure that no GPIs are activated either. Actually the GPIs status is a moot point because they are controlled by DPM 4 which I do not delegate this time (but I was just being careful). Now I learn E-mem 01.

    I recall a wipe effect in the DVE and follow exactly the same steps to create a similar recall at E-mem 02. Now I press E-mem 01 and watch the effect in the DVE change. Success!

    Now that I can recall DVE effects, I need a way to run them. I could build timelines and run them that way but this is an easy show and I don't need to spend that much time anyway. I'll create a simple "run" button out of E-mem 00.

    To do this, I go to the Peripheral Devices menu and disable the peripheral status of the DVE so that the current effect will NOT get recalled by my "run" button. Then I go to the GPI & P-Bus Triggers menu and set the peripheral attachment for the DVE to DPM 1 so that it will be triggered. I remember to delegate DPM 1 so that what I'm doing will actually work. I also want to trigger a sound effect as I run the DVE so I set GPI #2's attachment to DPM 4 and delegate DPM 4 as well. I make sure that DPM 2 is NOT delegated because I do not want my Aux buses to be changed every time I run a DVE effect. Finally I Learn E-mem 00 and voila! I have a "run" button.

    I do have a couple effects that I want to run without sound, so I make another "run" button (E-mem 09) exactly as before except that I do not activate GPI #2 and do not delegate DPM 4 (only one of these is actually necessary but I want to be clean about this). Now I have a "run quietly" button too.

    After creating a few more recalls for the rest of my DVE effects, I'm all done!