Rendering Problem

[Gra]

Hi Guys

I've only recently bought C3D PS, mainly to create animations for MediaStudioPro eight Projects but I'm having some problems and I'm not sure if it's just my settings, which are:

Dimensions 720x576 DV PAL Full Frame, Display quality = fair, output quality = best, video filter = none, 25 fps.

I have a couple of c3d projects of 2 or 3 seconds - one of 205KB (150 frames) and the other 410kb (325 frames). When I import either into an MSP it sticks and jumps as if there are only 3 frames - start, middle and end, which makes it impossible to sync with music, etc. The only way around it is to turn of the instant playback.

To get around this I've tried outputting as an overlay video. When I go into the options I leave it as frame based but cannot alter the avi settings as they are greyed out apart from advanced.

When I click render, the information shows an estimated time of 1,391.00 hours - which does drop to 7 hours after a few minutes once it has calculated the data rate but it doesn't get any better (which is too long).

Has anyone any ideas?

[m rixon]

When you have finished your project in cool 3d ,goto file.create a video file.then save as type Microsoft AVI files.In the Save options box you need Microsoft AVI ,24bit ,720x576 ,16:9 ,25fps , frame based ,DV encoder type 2. Then you will be able to import into MSP 8 just the same as any video film you have recorded.

[Gra]

Hi, thanks for that. Will it still retain its properties as an overlay?

[klowther]

To render the .AVI with alpha channel for overlay purposes, use m_rixon's settings except rather than 24bit, use 32bit.

Hope that helps.

- Ken

[m rixon]

For no particular reason I create in Cool 3d on a blue or green background then erase this in MSP8 as a chroma key operation to give me an overlay with tranparent background.Works fine.

[snoops]

I don't have C3DPS, just C3D, but I still use the classic method of creating image file -> TGA (transparent background, image sequence) and import them as UIS (Ulead Image Sequence) for clean edges against a fully transparent background.

The blue/green screen method with chroma key never worked for me. The object edges bleed into the background due to reflection etc. and the result is ugly.

[Gra]

Hi guys

I tried the settings suggested but it takes 1hr 20mins to render a 3 second clip. Any ideas?

[Ron P.]

Go have lunch, do some shopping, maybe go to the theater..

You might try inserting your 3ds file into VS or MSP, whatever you're using. The video editors seem to render the titles faster. There is of course a gotcha, the video editors are not capable of rendering 32 bit (alpha). So if you are needing 32 bit avi then you're stuck with the slow rendering...

[Gra]

Thanks, Ron.

I do like easy practical, rather than complex technical, tips. Looks like a night at he movies whenever I need to insert a C3DPS project into MSP.

[Dahl]

Hi Gra,
In my opinion you were doing everything pretty right except for Video filter should be set to PAL under the project settings and in the "save as Video file" Dialogue box - under AVI choose compression "None" and Data type "32 Bit RGB". This will render the video as an overlay with alpha channels that you can use directly in UVS or Media Studio Pro.
Unfortunately, it will take a very, very long time to render, so just make sure you are happy with your project first.
If you are going to use your overlay in Premier Elements or Premier Pro then you can save a couple of hours by rendering the project using "Create Image File" under the file menu and choose TGA and check 'transparent background' and' save image sequence'. Read the adobe manual on bringing these still pictures in as a sequence.
Good Luck!