#Mish-Mash of questions.
5 messages in this thread
Hi John,
Hope you're still around. I'm still trying to decide what to do about output.
I wish I could see an example of "industrial quality" video using a commerial
VCR and a Targa 64 or comparable. If you have a VHS you could send me I will
pay the C.O.D. charges. My address is:
700 S. Lewis Ln. #1700
Carbondale, IL 62901
Please call me collect if you have any questions at 618-549-3387.
I read in one of your msgs. to someone that you use the internet to do file
transfers and stuff. I just got an account with the University here, I'm an
ulumnus. Is it really possible to connect to this forum using my local
internet node number? I may have misunderstood you.
Do you have any experience shooting 35mm slides off your screen? I use to do
that alot when I only had ACAD r10 and a 287 with a 14" EGA monitor. Now I'm
doing a little better in the way of hardware and software including an SVGA
20" monitor. I have a photographer friend with a 17" SVGA who will do it for
me (one of the reasons I wanted a GIF viewer) if I can just give him the files.
It would be alot easier for him than trying to come to my place. He's also a
CompuServe user. Does sceen size make a difference?
I was all ready to buy a CD ROM so I could get "Texture Universe" until I was
told that it only works with 3DS r3. Always a catch eh?
I hope I'm not being a nuicence. So far, you're the only real connection or
"friend" I've made on this network. I'm not a real hacker and I'm always going
out of town for one reason or another. Thanks again.
-Tim
Of course you're not being a nuisance. This is a public forum, and if I didn't
want to be here, I wouldn't log on <g>.
I can't send you a tape, but you can contact your nearest Autodesk Multimedia
dealer, and ask for a 3D Studio demo reel. This will have a lot of stuff on
it, and will give you an excellent point of reference for 3DS content and
ouput.
I don't think you can access any Compuserve stuff without a Compuserve account.
This is, after all, a corporate run (H+R Block), for profit information
service.
I haven't shot anything off screen. I usually take image files to a service
bureau for still images. This will definitely get you better image quality
than a screen shot. And if you want a 3DS screen capture, there's an
undocumented feature that allow you to do this, but I can't remember the exacte
3ds.set parameter. I think it's in this month's 3D Artist.
If you're set on photographing the monitor, then be prepared for second rate
image quality, although I would do this if I was going for the "raw video"
look, like in an industrial/artsy sort of peice. Naturally, the bigger the
monitor, finer the display (smaller dot pitch), and higher refresh rate, the
better the photo will come out.
John Tissavary (LUNA cie)
Timothy Bulson
Just thought I'd come in on this one for you. In my college lab, photographing
the screen is often the only economical way to get an image for the student
budget. While it does not give the best quality, this kind of image does work
well enough to get the point across and works well as a "portfolio" review
catalog.
Some things to keep in mind. 1. Set the shutter at under 1/10th second (this
assures no refresh band shows) 2. Use the lowest speed film you can find (slide
film, professional quality Ektachrome, Fugichome, or the like) 3. Make a shield
to block side light or turn all the lights off in the room 4. Expose for the
highlights
a. meter a white screen (this give best exposure for white, prserves
highlight detail)
b. give two stops more exposure (if you expose based upon the white
screen settings, all white things will appear gray or dull, this is
because all light meters give an average of the light enetering the
metered area and indicate the best average exposure).
for example: if the meter says f16 @ 1/4th second, use f8 @ 1/4th
c. You may want to set up a test screen with a portrait, color bars, gray
scale, etc… and bracket the exposures by 1/2 stops 3 stops +/- best
guess.
d. Use a longer focal length lens, 50mm – 80mm (this gives less edge
distortion).
e. Use an 85b filter over the lens. (a computer monitor gives a bluish
light from the phosphor coating inside the picture tube which our eyes
correct for, but the film will show) the 85b orange filter is the
complementary color to the blue shift and absorbs that blue color
Good luck
Greg
PMJI, but I've done some 35mm screen shots but I can't say that I'd recommend
it for serious reproductions. Here are some guide lines if you want to try:
First, you want to be shooting the FLATTEST monitor you can find. Next, you
want it at the fastest non-interlaced sync possible (say, 70 hz). Next, you
want a video card that can do true color (24-bit) at the highest resolution
possible (ideally 1024×768). The size of the monitor really doesn't matter
that much. Ok, so much for computer hardware.
The larger the lens the better – an ideal canidate would be a 200mm macro
(negating any screen curvature). A good tripod, ideally with levels (a small
level attatched to the flash shoe can work too).
Try F5.6 @ 2 seconds and bracket each way for starters (your light meter will
not be of much help I'm afraid). You may easily get a blue cast to the
images and may want to try experimenting with an amber or orange filter or
other films.
Of course the easiest way is to send the images to someone with a film
recorder – perfect every time.
– Phil
p.s. don't forget to make your images correspond to a 3:2 ratio if you want
them to be full frame.
Tim –
Yes, you can get access to this forum via Inet. You still must have a CIS
account, but you avoid the standard connect-time charges; surcharges still
apply. I have included below some lucid instructions sent to me by Mike King,
73710,1430, a sysop of the new Internet+ forum.
They worked perfectly, first try, dialing University servers from off-campus (I
am also in Illinois); I, however, am not a hacker, and found running a session
in terminal mode, (after using WinCim for Forum sessions) a bit daunting. I
asked him for very short, VERY simple instructions.
<<It would be difficult to give you a short answer and make it simple. However,
what you need to do is get to your account that offers Internet access, then
enter
telnet
Ensure the settings for telnet are as follows:
Enable binary
Disable escape
Enable CRLF options
Set terminal type to VT100
Set line mode
However, since there are differences between telnet programs, I'm going to
refer you to your system adminstration to determine how to do so.
After you've done this, enter
open compuserve.com
The "host" you want is "CIS." Then choose a baud rate; that'll determine your
billing for the session. Next, log on, entering your user id and password.
When you get a prompt of some sort, enter GO ASOFT.
From that point, everything is pretty well documented within CompuServe. Type
"help" for help with most topics inside the forum.
If you've also got dialup capability, I think you'll find that option to be the
best for accessing CIS.
Mike>>
Hope this helps. Gayle G de N, SAVANTES