Weather graphics

[FirstNews8 13]

WQAD, uses WeatherCentral based from Madison WI. The graphics are somewhat 'advanced'. They have a special item introduced in WQAD's "update" in 2004, where they debuted a new set and set of graphics. It is known as MagicTouch. Where they can touch the chroma screen and put up logos, and symbols. Also Sometimes the transitions are a lil on the slow side...

[LoadStar 364]

WQAD, uses WeatherCentral based from Madison WI. The graphics are somewhat 'advanced'. They have a special item introduced in WQAD's "update" in 2004, where they debuted a new set and set of graphics. It is known as MagicTouch. Where they can touch the chroma screen and put up logos, and symbols. Also Sometimes the transitions are a lil on the slow side...

 

 

WISN (Milwaukee) uses that feature... or, I probably should say, used. I haven't seen it used recently, mostly because it was EXTREMELY temperamental. Mark Baden got it most of the time, but it was a comedy of errors every time poor Lance Hill tried to use the stupid thing. It would either not detect his click at all... or it'd start to work, then just give up, then he'd be stuck with a menu on screen he couldn't clear... or it would work all too well, spreading the "pinpoints" (to display some statistic about someplace on the map) all over the map.

 

I think they mostly gave up on the feature, instead setting up some predefined locations on the map with the software and showing those only.

[FirstNews8 13]

LOL! That has happened to WQAD sometimes, especially James Zahara, he would bump the chroma screen while drawimg a front, and have a cold front all over.

[StormTrack8000 0]

oh the times WQAD has had big bloopers with that : ;D

[FirstNews8 13]

oh the times WQAD has had big bloopers with that : ;D

 

 

 

LOL! If you where watching Good Morning Quad Cities, Jim Mertens was reporting on the fire, he slipped, it was pretty funny! It may sound stupid and corny, but watchin Jim slip is pretty funny.

[StormTrack8000 0]

How does that technology work? Just by touching the green screen? How does it sense it?

 

well.. I am not sure how exactly it works..but I do know that you do NOT touch the screen (at leaste at wqad) ... since wqad stands on a platform which is I'd say a good 5 or 6 feet away from the key wall.

 

I would say it is just programed in the computer.

[FirstNews8 13]

What there is is a touch pad in the back, but they load up what they are going to draw like, draw a front, they dont set up the track of it. and While doing the forecast they hit a button on the clicker, and it activates the front, so anywhere he touches will put a front on it.

[FirstNews8 13]

How does that technology work? Just by touching the green screen? How does it sense it?

 

well.. I am not sure how exactly it works..but I do know that you do NOT touch the screen (at leaste at wqad) ... since wqad stands on a platform which is I'd say a good 5 or 6 feet away from the key wall.

 

I would say it is just programed in the computer.

 

Actually, when NewsChannel 8 redone there set, they unveiled the set, they also made a bigger chroma key, I emailed neil and asked them about this. And he told me that they have a touch pad.

[blueflag 0]

Our system (where you don't have to touch the wall) reads the key signal coming out of the camera, tracks the bit sticking out the farthest, and hitches that into the mouse control on the weather computer. Sometimes, usually if you're not sticking your arm out far enough or leaning over a bit too far, it'll pick up a slight shadow on the chroma wall instead of your hand. That's when things can pop up in some unexpected places.

[FirstNews8 13]

Oh, I dont know if WQAD does that, but Chief Meteorologist Neil Kastor told me that he uses a touch pad in the back, but they may use that too, but i think its a touch pad

[Spring Rubber 717]

I know The Weather Channel uses something similar, but Kelly Cass and Bill Kenelly are the only ones that really use it, and even that's mostly for the Weekly Planner. Paul Goodloe also uses it from time to time for radar segments. If you ask me, they try to do too much with it. Putting icons on the map is okay, but all too often they try to draw circles on it to illustrate what they're talking about. Not only is it pointless, but the drawings almost always turn out jagged or completely screwed up.

[FirstNews8 13]

Yeah, WQAD uses on very little occasion. Not every day

[WCAUTVNBC10 415]

Our system (where you don't have to touch the wall) reads the key signal coming out of the camera, tracks the bit sticking out the farthest, and hitches that into the mouse control on the weather computer. Sometimes, usually if you're not sticking your arm out far enough or leaning over a bit too far, it'll pick up a slight shadow on the chroma wall instead of your hand. That's when things can pop up in some unexpected places.

 

 

WCAU uses a heat sensor wall that works similar to a laptop's touchpad. It's a pretty neat system.

[Alain 17]

WSVN has that down here in Miami. WLTV also, first Spanish station with it.