#PAR flicker in S-VHS
5 messages in this thread
I've recently aquired a DPS-PAR and in creating real time videos I seem to get
a lot of 'flicker'. Anyone had similar experience and figured out how to avoid?
The two scans per frame break up hoizontal lines into dashes when I examine the
even/odd scan. So my lines flicker.
I'm writing to S-VHS.
Any tips will be appreciated.
Any boards work better than the DPS?
Any color schemes work better?
I'm rendering the Targa from the NUMPIC option of POCO (thanks to Mike Wndell &
Ted Boardman who responded to an earlier question).
Which version of the software are you using, Brian?
If it's one of the older versions with no Field Order Switch (IMPORT:ORDR=) in
the preferences section and you are having a field problem, then perhaps the
Field Order section of your 3DS.set file is set to 0, instead of 1, which
should work fine for the PAR.
If you are using the new software with the switch, make sure the switch is set
to 2 before importing your TGAs to the PAR drive. Some of the earlier versions
shipped with it set to 1.
Hope this helps some,
-Alan
You need to be more specific in what you mean by flicker. Horizontal thin
lines will always flicker and must be compensated for in one of two ways.
Either by design[antialiased] thicker lines or it is accomplished in some
hardware called an anti-flicker. The PAR does not have anti flicker capability
for thin horizontal lines.
Another thing you may be noticing is flicker on stills when viewing frames with
large movement wherein the fields are separated. If you have stills in your
animation it is recommended that you render them to frames rather than to
fields. This will keep the field "flicker" to a rock solid picture for those
frames. Many using the PAR have achieved acceptable broadcast quality output
for their clients so if you are having poor quality output you may not be doing
things properly or you may have a bad board.
Any board better than the PAR? Yes but at a much higher price. Check out the
Abekas or Accom digital disk recorders. There are also cheaper versions of the
PAR design beginning to surface but haven't seen them in action yet. Also
there are the middle priced systems like the MAX, Bandit, targa2000. These
have some additional features and performance over the PAR and typically cost
2-3X the PAR cost. The Abekas and Accom systems can run 6-8X PAR cost.
Brian,
If it's just thin lines "buzzing" then AniPro can help a little. There is an
Ink called "unbuz" (there's also unzag I think). This might not be a great
solution because it softens the picture a bit but it does reduce some of the
flicker.
Michael B.
Thanks again for the info. I think I found a quick solutions with all your
information: (Thanks also Alan Iglesias & Don Landis)
I loaded my FLC, and Applied Ink with Strength 75, and Dither ON and created a
new FLIC. (Visually not very nice on my screen). However then when I POCO
NUMPIC the FLIC to Targa on my PAR, voila! flicker free frames and therefore
Animations! ( and visually much more acceptable than flicker mania).
It sure saved me much worry having aquired the DPS-PAR & disk drive and I found
I couldn't make quick wireframe animations.
I did a quick check on INK settings, w & w/o DITHERand at various Strength
setting and the 75 & DITHER seem to work best.
Thanks again for your responses & information and I'll try someday to return
the favor!