#howto elapsed time?
10 messages in this thread
We have a client who wants us to superimpose a running timer over video;
similar to what they use at horse racing tracks. the timer would show hours,
minutes and seconds (00:00:00) and be laid down in post production. If I can
find software that would run a timer, I could genlock it over the video. Does
anyone know of any "elapsed time" graphics software? We like it to look like
generated character, i.e., a BT2 type font, not just teeny screen text. Thanks!
Tom/exit
Tom,
There is a program called TCWindow, it's available directly from the author
Mike Berro, his CIS address is 76004,2001. If you post him a request, I am sure
he will respond. It's very interesting software, it allows quite a bit of
flexibility in size and placement of the window, as well as a hot key features
for start/stop and reset to zero.
Regards
Frank
Is Mike's TCWINDOW PD,Shareware or Commercial? Thanx Frank.
Why not just use a SMPTE Time Code unit to do a "Window Dub" with the
SMPTE Time Code being written to the Tape which will be the Genuine
Correct Time whereas a Software Doodad probably won't be as accurate?
Hotronics(I think thats the name of the Company) makes one for about $450
and doesn't need the computer or a genlock present.
Ooops, The Company is Horita NOT Hotronics. Sorry Bout that.
thanks for the time code suggestion. the time overlay is for presentation, and
the widow dub would block out important content on the tape.
Why would the window dub block out important info? or is this important
info in the Lower Right corner of the screen?
Peter: The video is used for presentation, and the client wants an
overlay similar to what a CG would lay down. the "black hole" of a
window dub would not be acceptable to them. Thnaks Tom
Ok, well then Perhaps a simple AREXX script is in order to do the Overlay
of the Elapsed time.
Saw a MPEG Goody at WOC today, I WANT IT NOW ALONG with LW3D 3.0
I was one Drooling Dude today.
Tom,
One way that I can think of would be to make a DPaint anim, with one
second advancing per frame, using the font of your choice. Maybe make the
numbers white with a dark grey border. Make one of each number on the
swap screen, cutting and pasting as necessary; use the frame copy function
(or Move Requestor) to do all of the hours and minutes so you don't have
to stamp down each and every brush (i. e. 60 of each minute).
Figure out how many frames you need to cover the time that you want. Use
a black background (color 0). Make a line below where the numbers go to
keep them aligned, and the colons between the numbers, as a part of all of
the frames. When you're done, use the move requestor with a color 0 brush
to remove all of the underlines.
Finish it off by genlocking the animation over the video, playing it back
at one frame per second with a player program that can do that.
This just might work, although the time may or not be too accurate. Also,
it will work for short pieces, but for an hour it would be 3600 frames!!!
Let us know how it works out, and what you finally use.
… Nate, E.V. Navigating on AP *** 3D TV! ***