shaky flickering image border when using moving path

[mtaddeo]

I'm new to MSP 7 and have SP3 installed. I have an image in Va and another image in V1. I want the overlay image (V1) to slowly move up the screen over the Va image. I've used the moving path to get the image to move but the image's borders are flickering. I've also tried the moving path on an image not using overlay and the borders also flicker. This seems like a simple thing to do but the results are terrible. I want the image to move smoothly without flicker. Am I missing something - some setting that I haven't checked? I've tried a lot of different settings and the result is the same. Does this have to do with the image size or resolution? I've also tried different sizes but there is still flickering. I want to create a windows media file so the project settings are: File format: Microsoft AVI files, 24 bit, 320 x 240, 29.97 fps, frames based, windows media version 9, PCM 48 khz. Please help - this is driving me crazy. Otherwise I love MSP and want to continue using it.

[Devil]

Not very surprising with 320 x 240 resolution. I suggest you edit with the native project settings of your AVI capture (e.g. 720 x 480, 29.97 fps, lower field first, if from a DV source) and convert to the low resolution only when creating your WMV file. You may need to deinterlace your overlay for smoothest results.

[MonroePoteet]

At least be sure your reduced image size has the same aspect ratio as the original footage. If the aspect ratio is different, the MSP (or any other application) will have to do strange scaling during the motion, resulting in edge artifacts.

So, if it's DV original footage at 720x480, then use 360x240 rather than 320x240 to keep the original aspect ratio. Or, render both clips to 640x480 before reducing the size.

mTp

[Terry Stetler]

When using non-interlaced content (images, progressive video etc.) in an interlaced video project you need to check the "Flicker Reduction" checkbox in the Context Menu/Media Source Options (Field Options in builds before MSPro 7).

This creates the 2nd field that lets it synch up with the interlaced video in the rest of the project.

[mtaddeo]

Thanks for your responses. I changed settings to 720 x 480, the images are the same width x height, and tried the "flicker reduction" and the images still pulsate at the edges. I don't think I made myself clear - I am not using any video - images only. The images were scanned and from a digital camera. I've tried the same images in Pinnacle studio and there is no pulsating but I don't have the same control that's in MSP (among hundreds of other things!). I need to be able to move images smoothly. Any other ideas? Thanks.

[Devil]

AH! Is this as viewed on a TV or a computer monitor or both? You must remember that they behave VERY differently because a monitor is non-interlaced. If for optimum viewing on a monitor only, then the background image should be frame-based and if for a TV, lower field first (assuming a DV clip). You might also try the still image at, say, 1440 x 960.

[mtaddeo]

This project will be viewed on a computer monitor only from a website. I'll try what you've suggested and reply back with the result. Thanks.

[mtaddeo]

I have tried many different settings, changed to frame based, tried different image sizes, etc. and the result is always the same. The slower the image moves, the more the border of the image shakes/pulsates. Is this just something I have to work around in MSP (i.e. can't use slow moving images?) or has anyone created a windows media file (I also tried creating a MPG file with the same result) with slowly moving images with decent quality? I know this is a simple project for this kind of editor but it's something I'd like to be able to do. Thanks for any help.

[Devil]

Maybe you are expecting too much from a low resolution video. You have only 240 lines. When you have a horizontal edge in your image moving upwards from, say, line 123 to line 122, it has to jump; there is no line 122½. The slower the movement, the more it becomes apparent.

[Terry Stetler]

Another issue with moving images can be line twitter.

This is caused by features in the image that are only 1 pixel high, which causes them to interfere with the TV's interlace scan and cause an annoying flicker (distinct from the Flicker Reduction issue).

The usual fix to prevent line twitter is to use a slight vertical blur. I use gaussian, but a straight one of 2 pixels is usually enough.