Archive for May, 2011

Folk Music Sessions around Hampshire UK

Tuesday, May 31st, 2011

http://www.sefan.org.uk/Regular_Listings.html

Posted in folk, Music | No Comments »

Tips on Deinterlacing experiments in Preview pane

Sunday, May 29th, 2011

To see the effects of interlacing/combing and compare the results of different deinterlacing methods:

  1. Insert a clip (e.g. 1080p50) to the timelineLeave clip’s properties unchanged (eg UFF).
  2. Set Project Properties to same as the clip – except make the project Progressive.
  3. Set Project Deinterlace method to None.
  4. Set Preview to Good/Full.
  5. Find a moment on the timeline where there is a good degree of motion (fast but remaining in-frame and not too blurred).

If Preview Scaling is Off then combing should be revealed in principle but may be hard to make out in practice – too fine a detail (1 pixel wide).Easiest workaround:

  1. Set Preview Scaling to On then reduce the Preview pane size to not-quite half-size.
  2. The “not-quiteness” (difference from exactly half-size) then generates a “Moire pattern” magnification of the combing – much easier to spot.

Now you can experiment with different types of deinterlacing – bearing in mind you are looking at something derived from the combing as opposed to the combing itself.  To clarify the -actual- combing, one can deploy Windows’ Accessibility-Magnifier – more realistic than the above though less convenient – as follows:

  1. In Windows 7, do Control Panel > Ease of Access Center > Start Magnifier.
  2. Best magnifier view-mode is a (rectangular) “Lens” (only available if Aero is enabled).  Default zoom level is (1:1) i.e no zoom.
  3. The easiest way to change zoom level is Cmd+ and Cmd-, where Cmd is the Windows button on a PC or Command/Apple/CurlySquare button on a Mac (accessing Windows e.g. locally via Boot Camp or Virtual Machine).
  4. Can change lens size via Ctrl-Alt-R then (with -no- mouse-buttons held) drag it.
  5. Exit magnifier by Cmd-Esc.
  6. Sadly no way to simply toggle On/Off, but in W7 you can pin it to the task-bar.
  7. If magnifier control window gets buried by another window then it is still accessible as a permanently-on-top magnifying-glass icon.

Posted in deinterlacing, Sony Vegas, Windows 7 | No Comments »

SharePoint training material

Thursday, May 26th, 2011

Some SharePoint (2010) training material (free):

Some non-free material:

    Posted in SharePoint, tidy | No Comments »

    DNxHD update

    Wednesday, May 25th, 2011

    DNxHD update http://www.sonycreativesoftware.com/forums/ShowMessage.asp?MessageID=758767

    •  Previously applications utilizing the DNxHD codec on Westmere MacPro 12 core systems would crash. This has been fixed.
    • You can encode 720p50 DV100 in the DV100 QuickTime codec

    Download from:

    Posted in DNxHD | No Comments »

    Set up a home network

    Monday, May 23rd, 2011

    Here, I set up a home network.  <<Actually this happened about a year ago but only just publishing it now>>.  Already I have a small bunch of machines (of various ages) linked either physically (ethernet cable) or wirelessly (WiFi) to a WiFi router-modem onto ADSL.  Currently these machines simply use that arrangeent for their own individual internet access.  What I want to do is enable some resource-sharing, in particular onto a WiFi hub to be connected to a printer and a hard disk, but also to allow (temporary) access between machines for occasional ad hoc file transfers.

    • First, ensure all PCs have easily identifiable names and belong to the same Workgroup (the typical method is to leave this at default i.e. “WORKGROUP” but note that XP’s Network Wizard defaults instead to “MSHOME”).
      • For XP:
        • From [http://windows.microsoft.com/en-US/windows7/Add-a-device-or-computer-to-a-network]
          • Log on to the computer as an administrator.
          • Click Start, right-click My Computer, and then click Properties.
          • Click the Computer Name tab, and then click Change.
          • If the workgroup name is not WORKGROUP, change the name to WORKGROUP, and then click OK. Otherwise, click Cancel to close the Computer Name Changes dialog box.
          • If you have to change the workgroup name, you will be prompted to restart your computer.
    • Next, established whether TCP/IP communication was working OK:
      • Gathered a small bunch of computers together for testing.
      • From CMD, obtain IP numbers of each computer.
      • From each computer, try pinging each of the others.
        • Initially had some problems here:
          • None of the Windows computers were pingable from any other computer, but that the non-work Windows computers could ping the MacBook Pro.
          • The work Windows computer was unable to ping anything.
          • On the other hand, they could all ping certain external internet sites e.g. www.grc.com.  Some others, such as CNN, reject pings (as possible attacks).
          • The problem was in the Firewalls.
            • Initially tried the crude solution of disabling the software firewalls.
              • Still protected by router firewall. A grc.com test showed all was still well.
              • Nevertheless, looked for a more finely-tuned solution…
            • Old Compaq: Disabled Windows Firewall.  Now it was pingable.  Re-Enabled Windows Firewall.  It was still pingable.  Maybe I succeede in unblocking something?
        • Now the pings worked OK.
    • On PCs, in Windows Explorer, check out My Network Places to see if the other machine showed up.
      • Desktop: My Network Places > SharedDocs on OldCompaq
      • OldCompaq: My Network Places > Entire Network > Microsoft Windows Network > Workgroup
        • It could see itself and the other machine.
        • However the other machine required a password.  What password?
          • Solution: re-run the Network Wizard on the Desktop, this time (unlike before), enable File & Printer Sharing.  Now it worked fine.
    • Also the PCs were visible on a Mac.
      • Mac: Finder > Shared
    • Now to make the Mac share to the PCs:
      • Enable Windows Sharing on macintosh.
        • http://articles.techrepublic.com.com/5100-10878_11-6127492.html
    • Finally, looking at Windows 7 as a Virtual Machine under Parallels 5 on a Mac:
      • Its default WorkGroup name is WORKGROUP, hence it sees the other machines OK.  And it can access their shared folders.  But those machines cannot see its files.  Solving this problem does not seem so trivial, so I will work on it later and post its solution separately.

    Posted in Networking, Setup, Uncategorized | No Comments »

    DNxHD for 1080p60

    Monday, May 23rd, 2011
    •  DNxHD 440 is the 1080p 59.97 version of DNxHD

    Posted in DNxHD | No Comments »

    TV Viewer’s Resolution Limits at Various Screen Sizes (at Typical Distance)

    Saturday, May 21st, 2011

    BBC R&D have determined the resolution levels people can typically perceive at the most common viewing distance, just under 9 feet.

    Some examples I draw from this:

    •  For my 24 inch (diagonal) editing monitor viewed at 2 feet (my typical distance), this is equivalent to a screen of (9/2)*24= 84 inches (diagonal) at the study’s typical viewing distance.   Based on this, their results imply that I can resolve in excess of full HD (1920×1080).
      • Though a typical TV viewer might not sit at this distance, someone watching on a laptop or tablet etc. might well do.
    • An elderly person I know sits at “about ten feet” from a 50 inch (diagonal) HD screen (a Panasonic 3D TV).  They notice little difference between SD and HD.  BBC results suggest they should be able to perceive up to 1280×720.
      • In addition to the possible ageing issue (deteriorating vision), I wonder if their TV incorporates any clever scaling algorithm to produce an image that is HD-smooth if not HD-detailed.  In principle algorithms can infer greater resolution from consideration of sets of frames, so detail-enhancement is not beyond the realms of possibility.

    Posted in Formats | No Comments »

    DreamColor: Nightmares & Daylight

    Thursday, May 12th, 2011

    Doing maintenance updates & calibration on a HP DreamColor LP2480zx.  Renowned great display – once it’s up and running…  Not user-friendly to me though (and from forums I am not the only one), having spent hours on attempts to upgrade its firmware and perform calibration using the Advanced Profiling Solution (APS).  Finally got it to work -by upgrading to a non-latest version of firmware and associated calibrator (APS)  etc, – but unable to update further than this (firmware updater failed to recognize monitor USB, despite connection as earlier and reboots etc.).  And it was a real pain (many hours) to get just that far.   The working-fix was simply to keep trying different USB ports to find one that one worked (with this system – they all worked fine on other kinds of device).  Without understanding what’s going on, it feels like there are some flaky issues around the driver for the USB-based connection to the DreamColor (when updating firmware or calibrating).  However, at least having got that far, I was glad it (DreamColor system) wasn’t broken and even worked.  And the colours certainly looked better by eye. (more…)

    Posted in DreamColor | No Comments »

    Avid: Mac & Windows Inter-Operability

    Wednesday, May 11th, 2011

    http://forums.creativecow.net/thread/45/868715

    Posted in Avid, Mac, Windows | No Comments »

    Mac & PC: Inter-Filesystem Read-Write

    Wednesday, May 11th, 2011

    http://forums.creativecow.net/thread/45/868715

    •  Windows’ Paragon is better than Mac’s MacDrive ?

    Posted in file mgt, Mac, MacDrive, Windows | No Comments »

    Avid: Installing an Upgrade over an Existing One

    Tuesday, May 10th, 2011

    Posted in Avid | No Comments »

    Cineform: Neo HD & Neo 4K Are Now Just “Neo”

    Monday, May 9th, 2011

    Neo HD and Neo 4K are now one and the same product: http://www.sonycreativesoftware.com/forums/ShowMessage.asp?ForumID=4&MessageID=761965 – read down the post, it gets mentioned.

    Posted in Cineform, codec | No Comments »

    Avid: Moving Media

    Sunday, May 8th, 2011

    Suppose I import (or whatever) media to one drive but subsequently want it on another drive.  For example maybe I forgot to alter the project settings or simply got hold of a better storage device.  How do I move (migrate) the media to the other drive in a way that the project depending on these media can still function?

    Posted in Avid | No Comments »

    Avid: Tutorial Documents

    Sunday, May 8th, 2011

    Posted in Avid | No Comments »

    Avid: Config Windows 7 for Best Performance

    Sunday, May 8th, 2011

    http://avid.custkb.com/avid/app/selfservice/search.jsp?DocId=390339

    Posted in Avid, Windows 7 | No Comments »

    Avid: AAF, MXF, OMF, OPAtom

    Sunday, May 8th, 2011
    • http://www.avid.com/static/resources/common/documents/mxf.pdf?featureID=997&marketID=1
      • My Interpretation:
        • OMF is Avid’s ancient container-format, now superseded by MXF.
        • MXF is container format, it can contain both media and metadata.
        • AAF is a metadata representation that can be used within MXF.
          • Furthermore, the AAF metadata in an MXF file can be mapped into an AAF file [.aaf].
        • AAF defines arrangements of pieces of media and also effects.  I guess it’s kind-of like a timeline then (?)
          • For XDCAM-EX, does the AAF Export process essentially make [.aaf] files that glue together the (content of the) [.mp4] files recorded by the camera?

    Posted in Uncategorized | No Comments »

    Avid: Ingesting XDCAM-EX

    Sunday, May 8th, 2011

    How to ingest XDCAM-EX.  The following methods exist:

    • Quick:
      • But this leaves it long-GOP and it remains outside AVid’s managed media database.
      • Avid AMA link to XDCAM-EX’s BPAV folder.
        • Avid: File > Link to AMA Volume (e.g. folder containing BPAV folder)
    • Robust (or not?):
      • But this leaves it long-GOP and loses some metadata ?
        • http://dylanreeve.com/videotv/2009/xdcam-ex-workflow-in-avid.html
          • Basically if you import clips this way you are absolutely locked in to those specific media files. No backup will allow a recovery or relink, short of storing the actual files (exactly) as they are created in the Avid MediaFiles directory.
          • The easiest way to avoid this problem is actually to use the older process:
            • Using Clip Browsers ‘MXF for NLE’ export setting.
            • This will create OP-1A MXF files that you can then import into Media Composer
              • (the Avid will rewrap them as OP-Atom and relocate them to it’s media directory).
            • It is a slower process, but as it’s a standard import process all the necessary Metadata will be stored with the clips to allow a Batch Import later.
      • Rewrap to AAF (the “newr process”
        • http://dylanreeve.com/videotv/2009/xdcam-ex-workflow-in-avid.html
          • Essentially this method unwraps the MP4 XDCAM-EX files and re-wraps them as MXF Op-Atom (Avid’s mediafile container) and places those files directly into one of Avid’s media directories (such as F:\Avid MediaFiles\MXF\2) and then creates an AAF file that contains a clip describing that shot (basically the easiest way to get the shots into a bin).
        • ClipBrowser Help
          • [Export Avid AAF] converts to the following two file formats (AAF containing pointer(s) to MXF containing media).
            • AAF file: Use to load clips into Avid editing system.
              • The extension is AAF, and the output destination is the media or folder specified in the Export dialog.
              • AAF files produced by the conversion can be registered in your Avid editing system project by dragging from Windows Explorer to a bin in the project.
            • MXF OPAtom file:
              • The extension is mxf
              • The output destination is the media or folder specified in the Conversion tab of the User Configuration dialog.
                • Normally this is the media folder of your Avid editing system project.
        • http://pro.sony.com/bbsccms/assets/files/micro/xdcamex/downloads/Media_Composer_XDCAM_Workflow_v9_6.pdf (2009 article recommended on CreativeCow in 2010)
        • ClipBrowser: File > Export > Avid AAF
          • But first must define the Avid project’s media location?
            • [Avid MediaFiles/MXF/nn] where nn is an integer ?
            • e.g. [F:\Avid MediaFiles\MXF\2].
    • Luxury ?:
      • Convert to DNxHD
        • http://community.avid.com/forums/p/75837/552748.aspx
          • If you do not have a Nitris DX system then you will have to transcode the material to DNXHD after import. I find that doing a rough cut in Native XDCAM will reduce the amount of material (and therefore time) that I have to transcode for final effects and finishing.
          • Clip Browser … not needed now that AMA is working great.
          • Use AMA to link to the clips/volume.
          • Take a look and edit instantly onto a sequence,
          • …or use the consolidate command to copy the clips at the native resolution into the AvidMediaFiles folder (aka Managed Media).
          • …or use the transcode command to import the clips at an AVID DNxHD resolution of your choosing.

    (more…)

    Posted in AAF, Avid, MXF, Sony EX XDCAM, XDCAM EX | No Comments »

    WordPress – Getting Spaces Between Paragraphs

    Sunday, May 8th, 2011

    Issues:

    • In this blog, I never moved beyond novice newbie level of WordPress use.   I’m using the WordPress service that comes as part of OneAndOne’s hosting.  I edit via their web-based editor, which I now realise is a widely used one, called TinyMCE.  That editor is frustrating to use, not only because it is fragile and clunky but in particular if I try to break text into paragraphs then it removes the break, producing a single block of text.  Surely there is a better way, but I have little time to invest in looking into this.
    • The main workaround I have been using is to employ bullet-point lists.  Each paragraph goes under its own bullet-point.  The result doesn’t look too great but at least it’s better than monolithic blocks of text.

    But there are other ways.

    The simplest, I just discovered right now (by making a fortunate  mistake) is to click the Indent button, even when there are no bullet points.  This seems to put the text into a paragraph-respecting mode.

    I wish I had found this a long time ago!  Though it’s still a bit clunky/fragile, e.g. how come this very line didn’t get spaced only one line below the previous paragraph…

    There is also another approach:

    Can I upgrade the version of WordPress on my OneAndOne package?

    Posted in blog, Uncategorized, Wordpress | No Comments »

    XDCAM (incl. EX) Workflows in Various NLEs

    Sunday, May 8th, 2011

    Posted in Adobe, Avid, FCP7, Sony EX XDCAM, Sony Vegas, XDCAM EX | No Comments »

    Avid: Media Folders

    Sunday, May 8th, 2011
    • I installed Avid on a MacBook Pro where system drive had both a HFS+ partition (for Mac OS) and a NTFS partition (for Windows 7).  Also it had MacDrive installed, making the HFS+ partition accessible (read & write) to Windows.  Avid was first installed to just Windows.
    • By default, Avid’s Media Creation settings had selected some items selected to the NTFS partition but others selected to the HFS+ partition.  As a result, both partitions acquired a [Avid MediaFiles] folder at root level.
    • I understand (from www) that to prevent Avid from creating a [Avid MediaFiles] folder on a given device, one can pre-emptively create a file of the same name there.
    • In addition, Avid’s Media Creation settings have options such as Filter Out System Drive and Filter Out Launch Drive.  Also Filter Network Drives Based on Resolution.
      • Latter confused me at first, i.e. what kind of resolution?  The Capture setting (tab) has a selection item for Video Resolution, the choices being DVCPro HD MXF or HD 720P MXF.   Surprises me that only these specific options should be given.  Not sure what to make of it…
    • Having not noticed the Media Creation Settings, immediately after installation I made a quick test project using QuickTime [.mov] files containing AVCHD from a Canon EOS 500D camera.
      • I simply dragged the files from Windows Explorer (on the camera) to an Avid bin.
        • Not sure what that counts as doing, I guess it’s another way of initiating an “Import”.
        • Could I instead have accessed the original (camera) format files via AMA?
      • The result was the HFS+ partition’s [Avid MediaFiles] folder contained [MXF] folder containing [1] folder containing a bunch of [.mxf] files, having names such as [EOS_0297.JPG13037404DB57E6B.mxf].  Also the database files [msmFMID.pmr] abd [msmMMOB.mdb].  The [.mxf] files were not recognized by either GSpot or VLC Player.

    Posted in Avid | No Comments »

    Avid TransferManager

    Sunday, May 8th, 2011

    Avid TransferManager – questions:

    • What is it, what is it useful for?
    • How avoid startup message?
      • The TransferManager server name is not set.  Please set the TMClient.ini parameters in the Transfer settings

    Answers

    • Is e.g. for uploading to a Playback Server
    •  If annoying, can remove programs TM-server and TM-client (in Windows:  Control Panel > Add/Remove Programs)
      • But then how get them back again if required?  Maybe best to leave in-place…

    (more…)

    Posted in Avid | 1 Comment »

    DreamColor Firmware Update

    Saturday, May 7th, 2011

    Experiences:

    Posted in DreamColor | No Comments »

    Avid: Pan & Scan Within Source Resolution

    Friday, May 6th, 2011

    http://community.avid.com/forums/p/59728/335320.aspx#335320

    Posted in Avid, Boris, Media Composer | No Comments »

    DreamColor Calibration

    Tuesday, May 3rd, 2011

    Experiences:

    • Mac Pro (2009) running Boot Camp / Windows XP, DreamColor connected by single DisplayPort.
    • Install software from CD, system reboots.
    • Plug-in the i1 “showerhead” device to USB on Mac Pro
    • Device not recognised.
    • Search for driver.  Found.  Installed.
    • Reboot (just in case…)
    • Run the DreamColor application (from Start/Programs)
    • Select the monitor
    • Says “ensure USB is connected between the display and the computer”
    • There is.  But it complains: “Please verify that a USB cable is connected between the HP DreamColor LP2480zx Professional LCD Display and your computer, then try again”.
    • Tried various ports and reboots -no difference.

    Google Search [dreamcolor forum]:

    • http://h20000.www2.hp.com/bizsupport/TechSupport/SoftwareDescription.jsp?lang=en&cc=us&swItem=vc-82505-1&jumpid=reg_R1002_USEN
      • NOTE: To calibrate an HP DreamColor LP2480zx Monitor, the USB cable must be connected from the monitor to the computer.
      • The DisplayPort interface is supported for HP DreamColor LP2480zx Monitors only (the video card must support DisplayPort).
      • NOTE: To calibrate an HP DreamColor LP2480zx Monitor using DisplayPort on a Microsoft Windows based system, the following two requirements must be met:
        • 1. HP DreamColor LP2480zx Monitor firmware version TR:137, SL:071, BL:167, or later, is required.
        • 2. Systems with NVIDIA Quadro Graphics must use NVIDIA Quadro Driver version 191.66 or later.
    • http://forums.creativecow.net/thread/223/7928
      • The most useful white paper for broadcast methodology seems to be the one titled: “Using the HP DreamColor LP2480zx Monitor for Professional Video Applications”
      • “I believe that the APS color calibration profile is only used when connected via DVI and the Dreamcolor is functioning as a second (or third) computer monitor. As far as I know, as long as your Blackmagic HD is feeding the proper, progressive, RGB signal to the monitor, and your monitor is in the proper color space preset, you will have a correctly calibrated picture. The ICC color profile only comes into effect when the Dreamcolor is connected as a computer display.”
    • http://h30434.www3.hp.com/t5/Desktop-Monitors-and-video/LP2480zx-Dreamcolor-calibration/td-p/172104
      • http://bizsupport2.austin.hp.com/bc/docs/support/SupportManual/c01695201/c01695201.pdf
    • http://forums.creativecow.net/thread/223/7928
      • Calibrating the Dreamcolor attached to a 2010 MacPro,
        • To follow up on my posts about problems calibrating the Dreamcolor attached to a 2010 MacPro, I finally got it working properly last weekend.  I was inspired by finding a new version of the Advanced Profiling Solution on X-Rite’s website, version 1.1.0.1 dated 06 Dec 2010.  Upon installation, it was having the same problem, complaining that the monitor was not connected to the USB port.  I did a “Reset to Factory Settings” in the Dreamcolor’s menus. After that, the monitor was recognized, and the calibration would start. However, it hung up after turning the monitor down to a very dark setting.  I checked HP’s website, and saw that a newer firmware is available: TR137.SL071.BL167 Rev. A 3 Feb 2010.  Using Bootcamp, I booted to Windows7 and successfully updated the firmware.  I then shutdown the computer, and turned off the monitor using the rocker switch on the back (next to the USB port).  Booting into Snow Leopard, I was able to run the full calibration of the Dreamcolor.
        • I hope this helps anyone else who is stuck like I was. I advise:
          • Update to the latest monitor firmware.
          • Reset to factory defaults.
          • Turn off the power using the rocker switch.
          • Get the latest APS from X-Rite.
      • How to update LP2480zx firmware
        • Check the current firmware versions
        • On the monitor, press any menu button
        • Select “Open OSD”
        • Select “Information”
        • Look at “Version”
      • The original firmware version is TR: 107 SL: 054.
      • Remember, (firmware update of monitor) needs to be done from a Windows computer.
      • To install the firmware:
        • Connect the display to the Windows computer that you’re updating from. DVI or VGA connection is likely to be the most reliable for the firmware update (DisplayPort or HDMI may not work so smoothly).
        • Connect the USB cable (provided in the LP2480zx box) from the computer to the LP2480zx’s “upstream” connector (near the where the power cable connects on the underside of the display).
        • Power-cycle the display by switching off the hard power switch (right next to the USB cable) on the underside of the display, and then on again after, say, 10 seconds.
        • Open the firmware updater installer (the “sp.exe” file), and follow instructions. This installs the firmware updater.
        • Run the firmware updater: Start Menu -> All Programs -> HP -> HP DA Firmware Updater -> HP DA Firmware Updater (or look for the icon on your desktop). Follow instructions.
        • You should see the monitor go black, with a flashing green power LED. The LED flashes slowly for the upload phase, and faster for the flash update phase. The monitor will go through this process three times, once for each firmware module being updated.
        • When done, the monitor should return to normal display, and you can verify that the revisions have been updated (see above for how to do that). If, however, it remains black for more than 10 minutes, or if the monitor is dark and the power light is glowing amber, you can power-cycle it with the hard power switch to restore normal operation, and try again.
      • Follow the steps listed earlier to use the OSD to verify that the firmware has indeed been updated to “TR133:SL063:BL167” (or whatever is the latest).

      Posted in DreamColor | No Comments »

      yadif plugin for Sony Vegas 10

      Monday, May 2nd, 2011

      There is a free yadif (superior interpolation-based deinterlacer) plugin for Sony Vegas 10: http://www.yohng.com/software/yadifvegas.html  and  http://forums.creativecow.net/thread/24/923607. As I understand it, yadif is an advanced deinterlacer like in Handbrake, superior to Interpolate and Blend. There’s a beautiful graphical description of how it works at https://trac.handbrake.fr/wiki/yadif.

      Posted in deinterlacing, Sony Vegas | No Comments »

      AviSynth IResize Function

      Monday, May 2nd, 2011

      From [ http://www.sonycreativesoftware.com/forums/ShowMessage.asp?MessageID=761070 ] referring to [ http://forum.doom9.org/showthread.php?t=140233&page=3 ].  Does low-pass filter “automatically” during resizing to reduce twitter/shimmer/aliasing etc.

      • source=AviSource(“d:\fs.avi”).ColorYUV(levels=”TV->PC”).AssumeTFF  #Expands levels if frameserved in YUY2
      • IResize(source,720,480)
      • function IResize(clip Clip, int NewWidth, int NewHeight) {
        •   Clip
        •   SeparateFields()
        •   Shift=(GetParity() ? -0.25 : 0.25) * (Height()/Float(NewHeight/2)-1.0)
        •   E  = SelectEven().Spline36resize(NewWidth, NewHeight/2, 0,    Shift)
        •   O  = SelectOdd( ).Spline36resize(NewWidth, NewHeight/2, 0,   -Shift)
        •   Ec = SelectEven().Spline36Resize(NewWidth, NewHeight/2, 0,  2*Shift)
        •   Oc = SelectOdd( ).Spline36Resize(NewWidth, NewHeight/2, 0, -2*shift)
        •   Interleave(E, O)
        •   IsYV12() ? MergeChroma(Interleave(Ec, Oc)) : Last
        •   Weave()
      • }

      Spline36Resize can be replaced by another resizer if you wish.

      Posted in AviSynth, deinterlacing, resizing | No Comments »

      OpenOffice Links – Info, Help, Extensions

      Monday, May 2nd, 2011

      http://update.services.openoffice.org/ooo/index.html

      • Releases
      • Get Started
        • If you are new to OpenOffice.org, you might be looking for user guides, FAQs, HowTos, application guides, and training. To find information about OpenOffice.org documentation, go to: http://documentation.openoffice.org/
      • Do More
        • Experience new functionality and adjust OpenOffice.org to your needs. Maximize your productivity with the help of extensions which add functionality, slight tweaks to the user interface, or entirely new features to the OpenOffice.org productivity suite. Go to http://extensions.services.openoffice.org/ for a complete list of available extensions.
      • Get Help
        • If you cannot get your questions answered through the documentation and the Online Help provided with OpenOffice.org, the Support area provides a number of links to free and commercial support offerings: http://support.openoffice.org/

      Posted in office suites, OpenOffice | No Comments »

      DNxHD: Non-standard framerate workaround (?)

      Monday, May 2nd, 2011

      What if one wants to encode a non-supported format in DNxHD?  For example double-framerate HD at 1080p 50 fps?  I typically produce such material by double-framerate deinterlacing from HD footage.  Some cameras are also starting to appear that record directly at 1080p 60 fps.  DNxHD config panel doesn’t give options for this – but there appears to be a workaround:

      • <<Because there was not a 59.94 fps Progressive option in the DNxHD config, I thought it was not allowed. I chose the 1080p 25fps option in the DNxHD config & 59.94 fps in the “Quicktime 7” panel – and it worked like a champ! All the way thru a HandBrake Render @ 59.94 fps.>
      • I have not yet confirmed this by experiment.

      Posted in DNxHD, Formats | No Comments »

      Vimeo Upload Formats

      Monday, May 2nd, 2011
      • H264 Encoder Tips:
        • Some recommend the use of Handbrake (free encoder) over that in Sony Vegas 9 and earlier.
        • Sony Vegas 10 uses an updated version of the MainConcept encoder (for H264 etc.) than Vegas 9 etc.
          • I don’t know how this compares to Handbrake.
      • Levels: Studio/Broadcast, 0-235.
        • Any levels outside this range will be preserved by the encode/decode but will get clipped at 16=black and 235=white.
        • Levels within the range will play back in Vimeo at 0-255 RGB on computer display.
      • But what of gamma/colorspace?  601 or 709 or what?
      • Framerate:
        • 30fps (as in USA) or 25fps (as in Europe etc.).
          • For nicer motion, might be worth mo-comp retiming 25 fps to 30 fps?
      • Resolution:
        • 640×480 for standard definition
        • 4:3 video, 853×480 for widescreen DV
        • 1280×720 or 1920×1080 for high definition.
      • Pixel Aspect:
        • Square, i.e. 1:1″ or “1.00”
      • Interlacing:
        • None (Progressive)
      • Encoding
        • MP4-(H264+AAC).  Other formats also possible but this one is probably the most popular.
          • H264:
            • Use 2000 kbits/sec for standard definition 4:3 video, 3000 kbits/sec for widescreen DV, or 5000 kbits/sec for high definition footage.
            • Profile = Main ?
            • Reference frames = 2 (default)
              • Each macroblock (or part of it?) can be predicted from a different reference frame.  Result can be higher quality but increased encoding time – since each Ref. Frame implies its own motion estimation.  A default of 2 or 3 is about right.  Higher values tend only to be helpful for animations.  Values above 5 rarely help.
            • Deblocking filter = Yes ?
          • AAC: 320 kbps / 44.1 kHz
        • http://www.sonycreativesoftware.com/forums/ShowMessage.asp?MessageID=745821
          •  If you give them non-streaming source, the upload servers must do an extra preliminary pass to find the metadata, taking up more time and resources than is necessary. This has a cumulative effect on overall server response.

      (more…)

      Posted in Formats, levels, Vimeo, YouTube | No Comments »

      Handbrake – High-Quality (and Free) Video Encoder

      Sunday, May 1st, 2011

      Higher-quality encoding for MPEG-2 and H264 than available in Sony Vegas, also with better deinterlacing (yadif) and resizing (lanczos3).Guide: https://trac.handbrake.fr/wiki/HandBrakeGuide (more…)

      Posted in deinterlacing, Encoding, Handbrake | No Comments »

      DNxHD vs Cineform for Non-Standard Format in Sony Vegas 9.0e (64-bit)

      Sunday, May 1st, 2011

      Summary:

      • Cineform copes nicely with non-standard formats but DNxHD does not.

      (more…)

      Posted in Cineform, DNxHD, Sony Vegas | No Comments »

      DNxHD vs Cineform for 1080-50i in Sony Vegas 9.0e (64-bit)

      Sunday, May 1st, 2011

      Summary of my conclusions from my own limited experiments based around Sony Vegas (9.0e 64-bit):

      • For HD 1080-50i, in its corresponding mode, DNxHD works as well as or better than Cineform.
      • However for non-standard formats (like Vimeo SD-Wide 853×480), DNxHD does not work well while Cineform does.
        • Confirmed by separate experiment, reported separately.
      • For my experiments (Sony Vegas 9.0e-64) the following DNxHD settings made no difference:
        • LevelSpace: RGB/709
        • Quality: 50% (default) or 100%

      (more…)

      Posted in Cineform, DNxHD, Formats, Sony Vegas | No Comments »

      Bank of images, sounds and videos

      Sunday, May 1st, 2011

      http://recursostic.educacion.es/bancoimagenes/web/

      • Educational bank of images, sounds and videos (Spanish)

      Posted in media collections | No Comments »