URGENT -- What is a "chyron"?
 

I always thought this was a titling device. Does it have another meaning? A production company is offering to provide my client with a "chyron of the program" and I don't know what it means in this context.

Thanks!

It is, indeed, an overlay generator for broadcast work. Here is the company's site.

I, too, am puzzled by the use of the term in this context. Hopefully, a television pro will chime in.

They're referring to the CHYRON RGBA file format. Years ago Chyron supported a Photoshop converter, but from the plaintive posts a Usenet search turns up, it sounds like doing anything with Chyron files without a Chyron system is a hassle these days. Your client should ask for export in a specific format he/she knows for certain he/she will be able to handle.

There's not much on the Cow about this, but you can try asking over there, on their Broadcast forum. Good luck.

Thanks, everyone. We had asked for SuperBeta. I think the producer may just be being difficult.

Heheh--if you asked for "SuperBeta" he probably was trying to be funny.

The Chyron character generator that was considered standard in the broadcast and production industries for many years, and some people (usually those over 50) still refer to titles as "chyrons." I've never heard the word used the way you mentioned. Of course, the producer has probably never heard of SuperBeta either.

Ooops. I meant digibeta.

Oh, OK. I thought maybe Sony had come out with another format I didn't know about.