Vision mixer

Besides hard cuts (switching directly between two input signals), mixers can also generate a variety of other transitions, from simple dissolves to pattern wipes.

Additionally, most vision mixers can perform keying operations (called mattes in this context) and generate color signals.

Vision mixers may include digital video effects (DVE) and still store functionality.

The most basic part of a vision mixer is a bus, which is a signal path consisting of multiple video inputs that feed a single output.

Another main feature of a vision mixer is the transition lever, also called a T-bar or fader bar.

Any M/E section can be selected as a source in the P/P stage, making the mixer operations much more versatile, since effects or keys can be composed offline in an M/E and then go live at the push of one button.

Modern vision mixers may also have additional functions, such as serial communications with the ability to use proprietary communications protocols, control auxiliary channels for routing video signals to other sources than the program out, macro programming, and DVE capabilities.

In professional analog facilities all the equipment is genlocked with black and burst or tri-level sync from a video-signal generator.

Some vision mixers have internal frame-syncs or they can be a separate piece of equipment, such as a time base corrector.