On screen image sizes in video

[JRR]

Sorry about the long story to get to my question, but I thought it better to give the background.....

I am trying to understand the video output from PTE…..

A little background. I am in midst of converting about 100 of my many PTE shows that I have produced over the past 11-12 years.

Most of the images are 1280 x 960 (or smaller) because that was what computers could handle best in the “old” days.

I am not going to take the time to rescan, re-edit, re-crop all the images in the presentations. Been there, discussed it, and settled.

The MAIN and SCREEN Project Options are set for:

- aspect ratio 4:3

- full screen mode, 1280 x 960 fixed size of slide

I am setting the convert to video options usually at:

- 1280 x 960

- 30 fps

- one pass – bit rate

- 12,000 bit rate

(99% of the shows do not have video, nor pan, nor zoom, so those settings seem to work OK.)

However, I am working with one show that, for some reason or another that I cannot recall, has images at 1000 x 667. They are night shots with some very pale colours in the sky.

After adjusting the settings to change for the 3:2 ratio and different sizes, I converted at 30fps, one pass, 12,000 bit rate. But this seemed to give too much pixilation on the fades with the pale colours and black.

So I changed it to two pass, 60 fps and 24,000 bit rate which produced a better result.

However the images are going full screen (1080 high) which seems to be stretching what few pixels there are in the files.

All my videos use the full height of the screen (1080) despite the settings being for 960, or even 720.

My general question after all that…..

Why does the video go full height ? Is there no way to cap it’s height at whatever I specify on conversion ?

I always kept the size restrained in the exe versions to preserve the quality of the image, can I not do it with the video output ?

See attached screen captures.

Thanks

[Guest Yachtsman1]

Hi JRR

Have you tried creating an AVI file instead of an HD Video file. You can customise the settings.?

Yachtsman1.

[JRR]

Thanks for the thought Yachtsman1.

No joy, in fact worse.

Still full screen, and bad pixelation on fade

(used custom 1000x668, 60fps, quality 100)

[davegee]

You need to change the project size to 1080 high but keep the image sizes as they are. Put a"matte" over the top to restrain any pans to the original AR.

DG

[davegee]

Here's a BIZ showing what I mean.

Project1_Mar10-2014_7-44-33.zip

[Guest Yachtsman1]

Thanks for the thought Yachtsman1.

No joy, in fact worse.

Still full screen, and bad pixelation on fade

(used custom 1000x668, 60fps, quality 100)

Hi Again JRR

Why 60FPS, what was the original video shot at. IMO you can't use that setting it's for high speed cameras.

Yachtsman1.

[JRR]

Here's a BIZ showing what I mean.

Thanks Dave.

I understand the principle, put the images in as an object within the the "matte". I assume I have to do this for each picture?

PS: how do I attach a file when replying like this ?? Can't see a BROWSE or ATTACH options

[JRR]

Thanks for the thought Yachtsman1.

No joy, in fact worse.

Still full screen, and bad pixelation on fade

(used custom 1000x668, 60fps, quality 100)

Hi Again JRR

Why 60FPS, what was the original video shot at. IMO you can't use that setting it's for high speed cameras.

Yachtsman1.

Yachtsman1

These were scanned 35mm slides there is no video in the AV.

60fps improved the transitions from that which I got using 30fps.

[davegee]

Jim,

Just change the AR / Resolution to 1920x1080.

For the images - if they are single images - just click on "size" in the Size/Position...... box to make them their original size.

Then add the "matte" to the first slide and copy and paste from slide 1 to the rest.

Make sure that no objects are selected when you paste.

Use "More Reply Options" to add attachments.

DG

[JRR]

Thanks Dave

I'll try to find some time to play with that today

PS: Thx for the "More reply Options" hint

[PGA]

60fps improved the transitions from that which I got using 30fps.

Jim,

That's not suprising if you think about it. Let's assume you're transitioning from fully black to fully white (or reverse). At 30fps you can step through 30 shades of grey; at 60fps you can step through 60 shades of grey. So the transitions will look smoother

regards,

Peter

[JRR]

What you say makes sense (of course ) Peter when I stop and think about it.

I just need to learn in video terms.

I have found in converting the files that I can "get away" with 30fps if the AV is all fades and the images are "strong".

While I am working my way through Dave's solution to my problem on this one show, I wish there was a way to stop video going to the size it wants - but that likely is a result of poor understanding of the basics by me.

Why can't technology stop advancing..... :wacko:

[davegee]

It is your MEDIA PLAYER which is upscaling the Video to full screen.

So you have to trick it into thinking that it is HD Video.

DG

[PGA]

Jim,

The big expansion in file size (over an EXE) comes about because the video file has to contain every single frame. So, if you have a video made from 40 slides, running for 5 seconds each at 30frames per second, that is equivalent to having 40x5x30 = 6,000 slides in an EXE sequence. Add to that your soundtrack, which could be anywhere between 1MB per minute (MP3) to 10MB per minute (WAV), and you see how the file size can quickly build up to something big!

You're right to recognise that video is a whole new ball game and requires time to grasp its technicalities. Unfortunately, it is also a whole supermarket full of cans of worms. There is no such thing as a uniform standard (equivalent, say, to JPEG for images or MP3 for audio). Every manufacturer does their own thing - and they change what they do each time their technology takes a stride forward. In that respect it is not unlike RAW files for still cameras. The manufacturers bring out new cameras with new features and encapsulate that in a new incarnation of their proprietary RAW file format. Adobe then have to play catch-up to support the new cameras in their software.

Welcome to the future! (Or perhaps you favour - bring back the past!)

regards,

Peter

[JRR]

It is your MEDIA PLAYER which is upscaling the Video to full screen.

So you have to trick it into thinking that it is HD Video.

DG

Thanks Dave

I had a few minutes so I started working on your solution (er "trick" ). It works very well and gives me what I want.

The only issue I am having is that this particular show is one of my earliest shows, likely from 2002 or 2003, prepared in PTE ver 2.8 (?).

Way back then, I had not worked out techniques for handling verticals as well as hortizontals in AVs (I was used to 35mm shows where they all were horizontal.) so in this show I have several standalon verticals in amongst the horizontals.

The horizontals work great with the stroked matte, but I am not sure I like the standalone verticals in that matte.

But that is my problem, not anyone else's. I could re-do the show in a different way to handle the issue, but that is not on my plate right now.

Thank you very much for presenting the solution !!!

[JRR]

Welcome to the future! (Or perhaps you favour - bring back the past!)

regards,

Peter

Thanks for the explanations Peter

Oh I'll come kicking and screaming into the 21st century..... I have to try to keep up with my grandkids after all