#NEED TO KNOW FPS RATE!!!
19 messages in this thread
I need to know (I'm desperate, actually) to find a way to view back
FLI files in at a specified frame rate, as opposed to jiffies. It is
very important that I can see the animation at the same rate it will
be on videotape (when I lay it off frame by frame). I will reduce the
videos to quarter size and they will be small enough so that the
computer can physically play them at 15 fps; the size is not a
problem. It is just very important that I am sure that what I'm
viewing is 15 fps!!! I heard Video for Windows can do this. Any
suggestions?
Dave:
Hi there!
3D Studio has this facility built in. There is also a POCO program that
approximates it pretty closely, I'll look and see if I can find it for you.
Greg (shake & bake in So Cal) Pyros
<<3D Studio has this facility built in. There is also a POCO program
that approximates it pretty closely, I'll look and see if I can find
it for you.>>
Thanks for your response. I'm using Animator Pro, so unfortunately I cant take
advantage of 3-d studios ability. If you could find that POCO program would be
great! I would like to try it.
Thanks!
Dave Renneker
Dave:
Martin's got it for you. Thanks, mate!
Greg Pyros
Dave,
try this POCO routine for 30fps:
main()
{
int frame_count;
frame_count=GetFrameCount() * 1000;
SetSpeed(31);
PlayFlic(frame_count);
}
Time it with a stop watch but the SetSpeed(31) value works pretty
darned close on my system. If you want to do 15 frames per second
then try SetSpeed(66). Play with that number until you get the time
you want. Alternatively, if you own 3d Studio, you can use the
preview/set speed at a fixed 15 fps. Since it plays off disk you'd
need to set up a ram disk for your animation.
Good luck.
Thank you for your help. I've never programmed a POCO routine before; I hope I
can do it!
Thanks again!
Dave Renneker
Dave,
>> I've never programmed a POCO routine before; I hope I can do it! <<
It's very easy. POCO has an editor and you could simply cut and paste
my little program into the an editor, include everything from the
first "{" to the last "}", save it as a file with a .poc extension in
your ani\resource directory. You should then be able to run it from
the POCO menu. Make sure you've already loaded your animation. If the
SetSpeed value needs adjusting, choose POCO/load choose the name you
gave it, then edit, save, run. Repeat until you've got close to the
fps you need. It's very easy to use because it's interpreted, not
compiled like regular C programs.
I tried the POCO routine and it works! Now I have only one more
problem. I need the certain frame rate so I can sync it with sound.
Is there a way to start my animation with the POCO routine from
another player that has sound capabilities?
Thanks!
Dave Renneker
Dave c/o Debbie,
>> Is there a way to start my animation with the POCO routine from another
player that has sound capabilities? <<
Good grief! I doubt it, but I'm certainly out of my depth with that question.
Anybody?????
When you can access the Poco routine, you can't attach the
sound….when you can attach the sound (in the player) you can't
access the POCO routine…etc.
If you need to sync the sound exactly to the animation, AND play the
animation at an exact frame rate…it might be time to try the AVI
file format. Both of those features are built into the format itself,
not added on to from an external player or routine.
I heard that Adobe Premiere for Windows can convert FLI to AVI for editing. I
don't know if it can also convert back. As far as finding Video for Windows,
the only way I've seen it is bundled with video boards and stuff. Are there any
utilities on C-serve that can convert FlI to AVI?
Thanks
Dave REnneker
Dave:
Video for Windows is sold as a stand-alone product for about $149 at places
like Egghead. It allows you to load in FLC files and save them as AVI. For
precise timing under Windows, I've found that AAWin works quite well whether
you're using Jiffies (where'd they EVER get a name like that?) or FPS.
Here's a trick for syncing sound… Quite often, I like to fire up my MIDI rig
while working on an animation, to see how the piece might be scored. First, I
make a 1/4 screen version of the animation (320 x 240). Then I "stripe" the FLC
file with timecode in SMPTE format using TIMECODE.POC (available here on CI$).
I now have a "window dub", as it's called in video terminology. Now the fun
begins. Using Cakewalk for Windows or Master Tracks Pro, I can look at the
timecode and add effects or musical hits which are RIGHT ON THE MONEY, because
both sequencing packages are SMPTE-based for accuracy. It's a matter of simply
lining up the sequencer timecode numbers with the flic timecode numbers.
Cakewalk and MTPro also have MCI hooks, so you can view the animation while
playing back the MIDI file. MCI also allows you to add WAV files on top of all
this.
I hope this helps!
-Tom
Where can I get MTPro or Cakewalk? When you view the animation back, are you
sure its real time? The reason I ask is that I have made 1/4 screen versions of
my animations (using the half size function under the effects menu of Animator
Pro; however, I still think that that is a 640×480 flic) that seem to play at
real time. there are shots though that have a large number of pixel changes per
frame, and the playback slows considerably. Would the soundtrack also slow down
along with the animation?
Thanks for the help!
Dave Renneker
Dave, I bought TIMECODE.POC from the author, Martin Foster (70303,456) for a
small but resonable amount of money. Contact him by email.
JKJ
JKJ,
thanks for the testimonial JK! I hope you've found the routine useful 🙂
Dave:
You can get MTPro or Cakewalk at any music store which carries MIDI gear.
You'll probably pay top dollar, so check out Micro Warehouse as well. Note that
these sequencing packages are useless without a sound card and MIDI keyboard
for input. I use the MultiSound from Turtle Beach, along with a Kurzweil K1000
keyboard and K2000 sampling rack unit – expensive, but incredible sound!
If you have lots of RAM (at least 32 Mb), a fast CPU, a fast graphics card and
a fast fixed drive, you should get real-time playback. The solution I mentioned
in the previous message is for scoring/syncing purposes only – not for a
real-time dump to tape. For the finished product, I go into a recording studio
for at least 24-track recording, and then I go into post, where the audio
elements are tranferred to Beta SP, and then synced to the video through a
switcher. The fact that I can accurately score a piece on the PC saves me TONS
of hours both in the recording studio and in post.
-Tom
(in continuation with my last note)
I just tried to find the timecode POCO file. All I can find is a release notice
and a demo. Where is it?
thanks!
Dave Renneker
Dave,
I'm the author of timecode.poc – originally released it as freeware and then
added a ton of new features. I'm now selling it for $25. If you want it I'll
e-mail it immediately and you can send me a check.
I'm real interested in the new TIMECODE.POC, and would appreciate the
new version via E-mail. I'll send you a check. Also, say hello to
Jim Dudman. Thanks.