Problems with alpha channel for video overlay

cduke · Post by **cduke** » Tue Jan 02, 2007 7:14 am

I'm working with COOL 3D Production Studio 1.01 on Windows XP SP2 with a Dell Notebook D810 800 MHz, 1GB RAM, ATI Radeon X600 32-bit video card. I am making a new Video Overlay to import into Avid Liquid. I have done this several times in the past, but this project is giving me grief.

What is happening is that the fire particle effect is supposed to look like this:

http://www.putfile.com/pic.php?img=4400284

but it's coming out like this instead:

http://www.putfile.com/pic.php?img=4400285

it's rendering like it doesn't have enough colors.

That is the result if I use File > Export Video Overlay > AVI with the default settings (32 bit, 720x486, 1:1, 29.97 fps)

Here are my settings for Export Video Overlay

http://www.putfile.com/pic.php?img=4400297

http://www.putfile.com/pic.php?img=4400298

If I use File > Create Video File > AVI (24 bit, 720x486, 1:1, 29.97 fps) it looks perfect:

http://media.putfile.com/Wheel-Tire-Fire

... but I need the alpha channel for video overlay. The other oddity is that if I try to render it as a Video Overlay, the wheel doesn't move along a straight line like it's supposed to (and does in the above video). It jumps a little, like there are small rocks in the road:

http://media.putfile.com/wheel-tire-fire-alpha

I have Output Quality set to "Optimal". I've also tried "Best" with no change.

Any ideas what's going on here?

TIA!

Wolfy215 · Post by **Wolfy215** » Tue Jan 02, 2007 7:45 pm

have you done this before with a particle effect

cduke · Post by **cduke** » Tue Jan 02, 2007 8:40 pm

Yes, I have. Which makes this even more confusing!

cduke · Post by **cduke** » Wed Jan 03, 2007 2:20 am

As a totally different test, I rebooted, then fired up XP's Task Manager and killed off anything else that I didn't want running.

I started up COOL 3D PS and created a new project using default settings, and a single fire effect in 10 frames. If you're looking at the EasyPalette it's the fire particle effect that sweeps from right to left in the middle of the frame.

I created a video overlay -- same problem.

Result is here: http://media.putfile.com/fire-test

Does anyone else have this issue?

Here are my steps:

1. Create new project 728x480, DV NTSC Full, 29.97 fps
2. Double-click fire particle animation
3. File > Export Video Overlay > AVI (defaults)

Maybe this is video card related?

cduke · Post by **cduke** » Wed Jan 03, 2007 2:29 am

I did another simple test like above but with smoke, not fire, and it rendered it just fine. Seems to be with only the fire particle anim... very strange. I'll try my project with smoke instead of fire (not what I want) to see if that will get me by for now.

plasma_video · Post by **plasma_video** » Thu Jan 04, 2007 4:17 pm

Not sure how Avid Liquid handles alpha information, but you might try (if it's possible) in Liquid to change the alpha properties of that clip to pre-multipled instead of straight alpha if that is a properties setting available to you. It is in other editing programs, and it might clean up the alpha problem that it looks like I'm seeing from your examples. You might experiment with other settings if they are offered. Again, this would be in Liquid, not in Cool Edit.

cduke · Post by **cduke** » Fri Jan 19, 2007 1:30 am

I bought a brand new computer (Dell Precision 390 desktop) with a fast Intel duo CPU, installed COOL 3D PS and had the exact same problem with the fire on an alpha channel. So (if tech support is playing along here), they can rule out a video card issue.

new setup:

Dell Precision 390
Intel Core 2 CPU 2.40GHz
2GB RAM
NVIDIA Quadro FX 550 video card (128 MB)
Windows XP

Since this I've pretty much given up on this s/w and am using BluffTitler ($50) which is amazingly simple and creates beautiful results. I'm also learning Adobe After Effects to do some of the harder stuff. Sure wish this s/w worked as advertised though...

rwernyei · Post by **rwernyei** » Fri Jan 19, 2007 3:47 am

Adobe After Effects carries a steep learning curve. I would suggest Wondertouch Particle Illusion. Much easier and better than AE's integrated particle generator.

htchien · Post by **htchien** » Fri Jan 19, 2007 4:31 am

It would not be related with the video card. I would suggest you not to export overlay videos with the fire particle effect in C3DPS....

Set the background to color background and then export the Fire Particle video as a normal video file and then try to use some video editor like Ulead VideoStudio that supports Chroma Key to key out the background.

Hope this helps.

H.T.