#PAR
21 messages in this thread
Dear Rick-
I guess the burning question on my mind about the PAR is:
How does the output look? Are you using it to flip through
toaster framestores, and if so, how would you compare the
quality compared to the standard toaster output? Have you
done any side-by-side comparisons of single frames?
If you have a toaster, can you feed the PAR's output into
a free channel while both are up and running?
Did you get the TBC-IV ? If so, how do you like it?
What format are you using to record on? What kind of animations
are you working on?
Thanks for offering info here on this exciting new product.
-Matt D.
So many questions…
For animations, the output looks great. For real time captured video,
there is some loss but is only really noticable on still frames – the PAR
recognizes IFF24 files and Toaster Framestores.
I don't have my Toaster yet, it's coming next week. I'll compare the
output of the two when I get it.
Yes you can feed the PAR's output into a free channel on the Toaster. How
to do it is all in the docs.
I have the TBC-IV and have used it to capture some real time video to the
PAR. Works great, though there is – as I said – some loss noticeable on
still frames.
I have not recorded anything on tape yet – I'm going to be trying it on
Hi-8 next week. Stay tuned.
I'm working on a demo reel right now. I'd like make some money at this
(stifle your laughter please, everyone) so I'm putting together some
flying logos, animated titles, etc.
Rick – On Autopilot from Vancouver
Rick,
More questions!!! Does the PAR have a sync in, or does it sync to some
other device? Are the frames played back from a list, and is it editable?
Can a frame be held for a duration? Can sections of an animation be
looped several times easily? Can it display any frame at random from the
disk? How about 10 and 15 fps playback?
More than just curious… Sounds like you're really going to put it thru
it's paces.
When you get some things done, make sure to put something on the next
Amiga Gang video, as you'll get some good feedback on what you're doing,
trust me.
Thanks.
… Nate.
The PAR has a Genlock Video Input which it uses for sync.
The PAR divides it's disk into projects and each project has a number of
files. Projects are sort of like subdirectories, however, they are only
one level deep. Each file may be either an animation or a still frame.
To create an animation on the PAR you can either copy a group of IFF24 or
Framestore files from another disk (by highlighting them in a file
requester) or by rendering your frames from your program to a virtual
drive. Either way, the group of frames is then compiled into an
animation. So to answer your question, frames are not played back from a
list, they are compiled from a group of frame files into an animation.
There is no capability (that I can see) to hold a certain frame for a
longer duration than any other. You cannot loop a section of an animation
but you can loop a whole animation file – however – there is a slight
delay from the last frame to the first frame. You can display any frame
at random from the disk by simply clicking on the file in the file
requester – the frame is instantaneously displayed. You can adjust the
playback speed to, for example, 10 or 15 fps but beware – at any speed
other than full speed, the can be occasional glitches.
Note that the PAR software has an AREXX port so if you want to get fancy,
like programming a slideshow of some kind, you could use AREXX to do it.
I am having a great time with this thing – when I get my Toaster 4000 and
Lightwave (coming soon!) I'll really have some fun. I might even have
something to contribute to the next Amiga Gand video!
Rick – On Autopilot from (hot weather for once) Vancouver
The way to hold on a frame for a specific amount of time is to add the
same frame to the anim compilation repeatedly (30 times for one second).
You might have copy the frame over and over incrementing the sequence
number. Or … oooh … I just thought of this: using Arexx, or even just
a batch (like startup-sequence) save the image to DDR:, rename it by
incrementing the sequence number, then save to DDR: again. Do this in a
loop for the number of frames to make your duration. This way, you won't
load up your normal hard drive with the same image many times over. Wish I
had one of those PARs!
-Steve
Yup, that's the way to do it.
Rick – On Autopilot from Vancouver
Thanks, Rick, you've made some people really jealous. Seriously, thanks
for the info. The PAR sounds like a really useful device. It sounds like
looping segments would work if you set up the images to do it right at the
beginning; you'd just have several instances of the data for them in
there.
Looking foreward to see what you come up with.
… Nate.
In addition, there is a function to duplicate anims and join them so you
could render the sequence once and then have the PAR duplicate the
sequence and join it to the original sequence as many times as you want –
up to the 3 – 5 minute limit of the hard disk.
Hopefully I'll be able to come up with some anims worthy of the Amiga Gang
tape.
Rick – On Autopilot from (hot!) Vancouver
>the PAR duplicate the sequence and join it to the original sequence as
>many times as you want -up to the 3 – 5 minute limit of the hard disk.
How much anims have you been able to play back or have on disk? We had
problems that after we had a few anims on there, total of around 50 megs,
it wouldn't playback anims right (add trash to them). We figured that it
was near the anim-playback limit since it requires the anims to be on the
outside tracks you can't fill the whole drive with anims. We were just
surprised to find that it could only hold so little. We may be wrong on
our assumptions but we think we are right.
<<< Tony D. Tracer >>>
I don't have the disk anywhere near full, only about 10 meg, and I've not
had any problems with anim playback at all. I should hope you can fill
the drive with anims. Perhaps your disk may be fragmented, you can use
the Cleanup function to defrag it. We'll see what happens when I start
filling up this thing.
Rick – On Autopilot from Vancouver
He is using the recommended Seagate drive but it would seem that his
version of the software has problems, since you have no such problems.
>I should hope you can fill the drive with anims.
The way I understand it you won't be able to use the whole drive for anims
since anims are required to stay on the outside tracks. When you CleanUp
it defragments the drive and places the anims on the outside tracks and
the stills on the inside tracks.
Do you have the TBC IV for digitizing? My friend doesn't have it since he
is just using it to playback anims.
I'll let you know if the new software fixes the problems he has had.
<<< Tony D. Tracer >>>
>won't be able to use the whole drive for anims…
This is something we'll have to ask DPS about methinks.
I do have a TBC IV and have used it for digitizing. When you digitize,
the QFactor has to be set at 8 so there isn't any problems. It does work,
but the quality is not perfect – it's especially noticable on still
frames. For my purposes, though, it's fine.
Rick – On Autopilot from Vancouver
Be carefull with storing things on the PAR boar. Friends of mine were just
finishing up a 5,000 frame animation, and it was optimizing and lost the
whole thing with no other backup OUCH!
Forrest
Thanks for the warning.
Rick – On Autopilot from Vancouver
>Be carefull with storing things on the PAR boar. Friends of mine were
>just finishing up a 5,000 frame animation, and it was optimizing and lost
>the whole thing with no other backup OUCH!
We also had that problem but it only affected certain images not the whole
anim. One thing we kept doing was copying the PAR anims over to a Syquest
so if anything went wrong we would at least have the anims. These anims
thend to be VERY small compared to the original images. Needless to say in
the proccess of backing up this to my machine (Syquest was on temp
storage) he overwrote the anims and they were forever lost! Luckily we had
already put the thing on tape.
<<< Tony D. Tracer >>>
ALL Anims are worthy of Amiga Gang tapes, after all it's not like they are
being sold as State of the Art, it's just to show off to one another.
I anxiously await to see your footage on the next Amiga Gang tape.
I read quite a few messages about the Amiga Gang Tapes and I am
wondering how I can get a copy of it ?
Would you kindly provide some info on how to get the Amiga Gang Tapes
?
Best Regards,
Sze C
Contact Jerry Hatchett here online and see if he's still got any or if
he's willing to make a Dub of the Amiga Gang Tape for ya.
Greetings
Thanks for the info. Will try to contact Mr. Hatchett.
Best Regards,
Sze C
SC and anyone else inquiring about the Amiga Gang tapes,
I've sent out the last dub I had made up. I'm in the process of
rewiring everything I have, including the dubbing bay. I'll probably
be finished in about a week, and will run the final 10 copies of this
wonderful work. If you'd like one, send $8.75 to:
JTP VIDEO
19 REYNARD DR.
TUPELO, MS 38801
Thanks,
Jerry
Rick,
That's the words I wanted to see. Thanks for the info.
Got a coupla' bucks coming in, and I need to figure out which toy to put a
down payment on next.
… Nate.