3rd party transition add-ons

[Ilene]

I just added 3 new blue fx transition packages to VS Pro X4 and have others to add ( boris, canopus, adorage).... I noticed that the first 2 new blue packages ( 3d explosions and 3d transformations) were successfully added to their own category in the drop down list of transition effects, so now the list includes the new blue sampler that Corel provided, and both these additional packages. When I added the third package New Blue Paint Blends, it did not appear in its own category but the effects are present when you click on "all".... ( which is a nuisance to search through). I'm wondering if the problem that existed in VS2 where by there were a limited number of transition categories you could have is still a problem in VS pro X4 or whether this is an issue just for Paint Blends. I'd like to know before I add on the other packages... I hate for all the effects ( 100s of them) to end up in my "all" list.

Also is there any way to manipulate this list... and force a location?? I can only see that all the effects are listed individually in the Vfx_plug folder.

thanks.

Ilene

[Ken Berry]

I think that limitation is still there, Ilene. I just experienced it myself recently, and had to cross-check to make sure all the new transitions I had added were there in All. A real PITA!!

And no, I haven't found a way around this though would be interested to know if there is one...

[Ilene]

Wow... that is terrible. It looks like even fewer categories are allowed than before! However, last time I added too many, you couldn't even access the effects. It would be present on the list but when you clicked it, it would go to the TITLE window!
So previously you told me you added Canopus etc to VS Pro X4 --- does Canopus come up under "all" and then you click on Canopus and go out to their plug in for all their effects? It couldn't possilby list them all, does it???

I gotta tell you, everything I give hope that they have really improved this program, I am so sadly dissapponted! For instance, I was hoping the new blue PIP effect would solve the motion path problem, but I'm finding it doesn't work too well either? Hate to go off topic, but are you finding that this tool works well? If so, I need better instructions! I just wish they would allow their pan and zoom tool to go less than and greater than 100%! It would be so useful!

thanks as always,
Ilene

[Ken Berry]

In my case, I added CanopusFX early on in the piece so it shows as a separate category. In a way it is a shame as it takes up one of the available category numbers, and bumps out packages with many more transitions in them. And it still works the same as it always did. You only get the one icon which is the bridge to the separate Canopus program. And when you insert that one icon/transition it automatically opens up the full list of the Canopus transitions in that separate program.

And yes, I find that the NewBlue PnP filter works very well indeed, as do a number of our other users here, though admittedly it takes some getting used to. In fact, it worked so well that I went out and bought all four of the then available NewBlue Video Essentials packages which contain further wonderful and very professional filters and effects. (They have recently added a fifth package.) Not particularly cheap but they have decent deals every so often -- two for the price of one etc.

[Ilene]

I'm having trouble with the PIP filter... and I really want to master it, especially if you find that it works well!! To me,iIt's a bit of a clumsy framework. Do you know of a good tutorial? There are not a lot of instructions! For instance, how do you copy a keyframe???? Is there a way?? I find myself looking at what the numbers are and then manually inputting them in a second location. Also--- in the new blue preview window, I can't get the aspect ratio of the picture to look right and I'm having sizing issues! I think I've found that it works better on the overlay track than video track. do you find that to be the case as well?
Happy to take this off-line or put in another thread if you like... I realize I've swayed off topic.
thanks.

[Kingston]

Regarding NewBlueFX PIP, to copy a keyframe, you need to click on a red keyframe, press CTRL-C (copy), move the cursor to the desired location, and press CTRL-V (paste). You don't need to move the cursor to the keyframe that you want to copy. Just click on the keyframe you want to copy and press CTRL-C.

There isn't any indication that you have selected a particular keyframe.

You cannot select a keyframe just by using the "Go to previous keyframe" or "Go to next keyframe" buttons. Even after clicking one of those buttons, you need to click on the desired keyframe and then press CTRL-C.

Hope that helps.

[Ilene]

i like that there IS a method, I'm not sure i'm following your instruction, simple as it may sound.

If I move my mouse over a RED key frame and click on it, and press control C, I get a blip sound ( kind of like an error sound) --- nonetheless, I then move the cursor to the desired location and press contral V -- a new key frame is made, but it is not the one I copied ( and you get that blip sound again)

Am I doing something wrong??? I really hope there is a way.... How did you learn this? Is there a tutorial ANYWHERE???

thanks for responding.

Ilene

[Ken Berry]

Ilene -- have you looked at this tutorial on how to use the PIP filter: http://www.vimeo.com/8978357 It was made for X3 but will work also for X4 since it is the same filter. The important thing is that you have to first apply a mask.

[Kingston]

Ilene, I had trouble at first copying and pasting the desired keyframe. After a while it started working. I figured that I was like a rat in a maze.

I figured it out on my own, no tutorial. Lot's of experience helped, though.

[Ilene]

ken, that was a good tutorial... thanks... better than the one that is on youtube. The youtube one also suggests putting the image on the overlay but appling chroma key filter instead of mask... I think the mask is better.

I will continue to try the Control C and Control V to copy and paste the key frames.

thanks
Ilene