Has anyone found an encoder to turn 24 bit imagine images into S-VHS video
for recording on tape? I tried a vip encoder but it did now work withe the
firecracker. Any suggestions on how to do this?
-- via Amiga Graphics BBS (516) 473-6351 -- UUCP xamiga.linet.org
##
Subject: Re: Sony VCR with "jog/shuttle"...
Date: Thu, 11 Mar 1993 02:49:51 -0500 (EST)
From: Jason Andreas <jandreas@cs.ulowell.edu>
Tom Krehbiel just released Viewtek 1.04, it should be making it's way
to an FTP site shortly. This new update has the ability to play Anim Op7
file (includes a utility to convert from Anim5 and Anim8 to Anim7!). The speed increase in playback is dramatic, especially if your running on a 4000. DCTV
anims are quite useable now as an inexpensive replacement for more expensive
> > > the degree of ant-aliasing, your total rendering time may take at
> > > least 2, 6, 10 times the original rendering time.
>
> > Of course it depends upon the method used but THE paper on the subject,
> > Distributed Ray Tracing, by Cook et all solves the problem without shooting
> > any more rays than what you have to to get decent antialising any way.
>
> None of the above was from my posts but since it relates to the post
> I just sent out.......
> I don't know how many rays Imagine currently shoots per pixel for an
> antialiased image but tracing 16 or more rays per pixel is pretty darned
> expensive at full video resolution.
>
> It is not only possible but quite likely that my estimates are not going to
> be dead on. It does not change the fact that such a feature will probably
> get little use from a serious animator. But I'm probably barking up the
Actually the serious animator *does* use these features. "Wally B" and "The
Adventures of Andre", two popular animations from Lucasfilms use motion
blur. Also, depth of field was used in the animations in Young Sherlock
Holmes. These are just a few works by some *very* **serious** animators. These
guys ain't amateurs.
In "An Introducion to Ray Tracing", (an excellent book by a number of authors
Cook, Glassner, Haines, Heckbert, Arvo, Kirk and Hanrahan, leaders in this
stuff(actually this is the collection of notes from a Siggraph class by the
same name, compiled into this book)) Robert L. Cook discusses distributed ray
tracing. This method allows for a number of features, that I for one, would
love to have and use. Blurry reflection, blurry transparency, penumbras,
depth of field and motion blur can be accomplished. Unfortunatly, if Imagine
isn't using stochastic sampling, they would have to add it, maybe an option
like scan-line, or trace, another menu item.
To quote Mr. Cook:
"In addition to providing a solution to the aliasing problem, stochastic
sampling also provides new capabilities for discrete algorithms such as ray
tracing. The physical equations simulated in the rendering process involve
integrals over time, lens area, specular reflection angle, etc. Image synthesis
algorithms have usually avoided performing these integrals by resorting to crude approximations that assume instantaneous shutters, pinhole cameras, mirror or
diffuse reflections, etc. But these integrals can be easily evaluated by
stochastically sampling them, a process called Monte Carlo integration. In a
ray tracing algorithm, this involves stochastically distributing the rays in
time, lens area, reflection angle, etc. This is called probabilistic or
distributed ray tracing."
He mentions that this does indeed require "additional computation" and
"a more sophisticated bounding calculation." But I started out doing ray
tracing on an Amiga 2000 using Turbo Silver. I could wait then, I'll wait
now for something that looks much better. Guess I'll have to(wait that is) :)
Tom Setzer
setzer@ssd.comm.mot.com
"And of course, I'm a genius, so people are naturally drawn to my fiery
intellect. Their admiration overwhelms their envy!" - Calvin
##
Subject: Re: Animation with a 'Word' !!!!
Date: Thu, 11 Mar 93 19:48:46 EST
From: Steve J. Lombardi <stlombo@eos.acm.rpi.edu>
>
> > - I want to do a WORD turning around an object. I place an round
> > close path for my letters. But when I tie my 6th letters to the path, they
> > have got all the same place during the animation. So we can't read the
> > Word.
>
> In the detail editor, make the word one object.
> That should solve the problem if your saying what I think your
> saying.
>
>
Making one object of the 6 letters is the best route if the path is the
same shape as the object. like the universal globe. I once wanted
multiple obj''s to follow a common path in succession where the
path was a long S curve. I wanted each individual letter to follow
the path keeping it's Y axis aligned to the path. the soulution is
really simple. just add the path once for each object on
succesive frames of the anim. the objects will move together as
