#output to video
14 messages in this thread
Dear friends,
I'm looking for some solution how to transfer my animations to the
video. At first, I would like to say that I'm no professional. I'm
using the 3D Studio just for fun (computer graphic is my hobby). Now
I'm looking for some CHEAP solution for rendering to the video tape.
I don't need the studio quality. So I would like to ask:
1. Is there any possibility to use some hardware compression card
(like Indeo) for animation output to the normal (not frame accurate)
VHS or S-VHS recorder ? I read something about D/VISION produced by
TouchVision Systems.
2. What is the cheapest frame-accurate S-VHS or Hi8 system ? I read
about SONY Hi8 and some SANYO VTR. What is the price of such system ?
I know that the good solution is to save TGAs to the DAT or optical
disc and find some company which is able to transfer these images to
the video. But there is one serious problem. In our country (Czech
Republic) are no such companies, so I'm on my own.
My last question is about the animation controller (another very
expensive part). Is it possible to get/buy the description of the
control protocols for SONY and SANYO machines ? I have the universal
controller of my own costruction based on Z-80A processor. In the
time present, I'm using this controller for my Panasonic VTRs and I
want to add another protocols.
Thank you for some help.
1) the least expensive solution I can see for you would be a JPEG
hardware compression card. The best for the money would be the
Digital Processing System's Personal Animation Recorder – (there are
in USA, phone is 606/371-5533). You can playback and record in
real-time full-screen animations or video from a dedicated hardrive.
The price is US$1995 for the card, US$900 for a special 500mb IDE
which will hold 3-5 minutes of animation, a seperate card to capture
video is US$995. The output is full-screen (752×480 NTSC) at 30
frames per second. A PAL version may become available in a few months.
This card takes the place of a framebuffer (targa+, ATVista, Matrox
Illuminator Pro etc) and a vtr controller. You would not need a
frame-accurate deck, just any vtr from vhs to betacamSP will work
fine. Output is excellent but probably not high-end broadcast.
2) The Sanyo GVR-S950 is US$2995 and you would need a framebuffer, but
not a vtr controller because it has one built in. It is the cheapest
frame-accurate vtr you can buy new. I think you would be better with
the JPEG playback card.
What TV standard does Czechoslovakia use? PAL or SECAM?
Hi Martin,
thank you very much for informations. I think that the Personal Anim.
Recorder will be the best solution for me. The standard for TV in
Czech Republic (Czechoslovakia is over till January) is PAL. The
SECAM left with Soviet Union. I need to wait for PAL version of PAR,
because I already have SVHS Panasonic (only commercial FS-200, not
the frame accurate one) with PAL system. Do you know when the PAL
version will be available (February or July) and if the price of the
PAL system will be the same ? The HD which is used in the PAR is some
special hardware or this is only the fast IDE drive ? I'm asking,
because my company is the dealer of MAXTOR and I have a very good
price for these MXT-540 and 1240 HDs (8.5 ms). Do you know if the
drivers for 3D Studio 3 are included in the PAR package or if it is
necessary to render TGA pictures and then transfer them to the PAR ?
Do you know if the company Digital Processing System will be on the
CeBIT fair in Hannover ? I would like to see this product before buy.
Do you have the FAX number of the company DPS ?
Best Regards
PavelK
P.S. Excuse-me so many questions 🙂
Hi Pavel:
I recently spent some time with the PAR, studying its features and quality of
output. I learned quite a bit about it as well as some of the more expensive
competition.
Regarding the harddrives. There is a list of drives that are certified to work
from DPS.
So far that list consists of the Seagate 3600A, Micropolis 2210A and Micropolis
2217A. It is not recommended that other slower drives be used as the PAR
requires the fastest transfer rates of these state of the art IDE technology.
PAL- I have no information on this from DPS. They still don't have the NTSC
version out on the market. Expected ship date is January 15.
Don:
Careful, the Seagate 3600A is obsolete, has been replaced with the 3655, which
is faster, but has another small problem. We've got them working OK, but it
means a little work on them.
Greg Pyros [Pyros Partnership, Inc] 12-Dec-93 at 5:03p PST
Thanks for the info on the 3600A. It may be replaced by a newer drive that
doesn't work, as you stated, but currently they are still available from
distributors. I'll worry about the actual drive to get when the PAR is finally
on the market.
BTW, I forgot to answer your question about your animation I saw at the show.
It was some sort of gray machinery with your name engraved on the side. It
looked like a 320×200 rendering though. DaveWhite complained that you didn't
use the full quality factor for the compression and that was the reason for the
low res. look of your piece compared with others I saw running. Care to
comment?
Hey, I'm really excited about this PAR and MAX technology. My dream of
eliminating frame by frame tape is soon to be realized. I sure hope it lives
up to my expectations.
Pavel,
>> Do you know when the PAL version will be available (February or July) and if
the price of the PAL system will be the same ? <<
I do not know when the PAL version will come out or the price. I will try to
find out for you next week.
>> The HD which is used in the PAR is some special hardware or this is only the
fast IDE drive ? <<
The HD has to be certified by DPS for use with the card. At the moment there
are just a few (2 or 3?) which can be used with it. There are IDE drives but
use a proprietary format (not DOS).
>> Do you know if the drivers for 3D Studio 3 are included in the PAR package
or if it is necessary to render TGA pictures and then transfer them to the PAR
? <<
Drivers are included which make the DPS PAR card look like just another dos or
network HD. This means you could render to it directly from 3ds OR render .tga
files and copy them to the PAR drive later with the PAR's software.
>> Do you know if the company Digital Processing System will be on the CeBIT
fair in Hannover ? <<
I do not know. You should ask them. Here's the fax number: 606/371-3729
I hope that helps and you can get some more information from DPS.
>>There are IDE drives but use a proprietary format (not DOS).
Thanks Martin, that answers many of the conflicting stories I received last
week. I was coming to that conclusion after what Gus said, and he should know.
Pavel you didn't mention where you were located.
I happen to be a dealer for several of these types of solutions.
We also sell the Matrox Illuminator Pro boards and the Sanyo GVR-S950, however
so do many of the other dealers that hang out here on the forum. You may want
to mention your geographical location and preference as to final ourput medium.
Is SVHS high enough quality?
In any event if you wish to discuss these matters by phone as well as pricing
etc. You can reach me at:
James M. Murphy
JAMES MURPHY CONSULTING
1-414-435-7345 or 437-3898 in Green Bay, Wisconsin…U.S.A.
Pavel….OPPPS I just noticed that you were located in the Czech
Republic…That would most likley mean PAL on the Frame Buffer and limit my
knowledge of the VTR's you may have available to you.
Perhaps the Blaupunkt RTV-820,915,920, 1000FC or the Panasonic AG-6400, AG7400
Series….What do you have available?
You could E-Mail me your particulars and I will respond by E-Mail on pricing
and possibly nearest contacts in your location.
Merry Christmas *<:)
James M. Murphy
Pavel,
Have not heard this solution yet, but I just got through experimenting with it
and am quite happy with the results as long as you have decided you don't need
broadcast quality. Sony makes a camera that has adjustable refresh rates to
sync with your screen. You can either connect it directly with a Targa board
or a NTSC board or adjust it manually with no connection to your computer. It
works to .4 Hz steps on the refresh rate.
With a flat screen monitor, the color reproduction is amazing with no loss
(IMHO). Oh, the flat screen eliminates any loss of quality at the edges and
the input frame can be adjusted horizontally and vertically to match the screen
with no over/undershoot. You can then render in whatever segments you have
enough memory for (for smooth motion) and then edit the video tapes. I believe
the medium is Beta.
Not my first choice for excellent quality, but it's darned good enough for most
things less than that.
Chris
Hi Chris,
your solution sounds interesting. Do you have the model number and the price of
this SONY camera ? I have the flat monitor (ZENITH 17'' FTM), but I think that
there will be the problem with playing frames from memory to the monitor. I
have 32 MB RAM, but there is the problem with moving images from computer
memory to the video RAM. How can I move TGA image from RAM to the video buffer
in 25 fps ?
Bye PavelK
>> …problem with playing frames from memory to the monitor. <<
How fast do you need the info about the Sony camera? It make take a few days
to get in touch with the individual who has it. What method are you using for
playing back the animations? That method governs your fps. If you have
multiple TGA images, you'll have to create a material with an IFL as your
texture map. In the IFL, list sequentially the name of your TGA images that
you want displayed.
Chris
P.S. I have a sister who just moved to Germany. That's where you're at,
correct? She is part of an Army base near Bamburg. Do you know much about
CServe in that area? Thanks
>How fast do you need the info about the Sony camera? It make take a few days
>to get in touch with the individual who has it. What method are you using for
.. I can wait for the info. Currently, I'm using only .FL* animations. But I
want to buy the Personal Animation Recorder as soon as the PAL version will be
available.
>P.S. I have a sister who just moved to Germany. That's where you're at,
>correct? She is part of an Army base near Bamburg. Do you know much about
>CServe in that area? Thanks
I'm from Prague, Czech Republic. But never mind, I'm using the CServe node in
Munich (Germany). In Prague, I'm calling to our X.25 PDN (local call rates) and
then via PDN I'm connected to the CIS node in Munich.
Bye PavelK