Need Transparent Background on JPG

Kimberly wrote on 3/5/2014, 4:12 PM
Hello All:

I have a few hours of high speed Internet so I'm getting my Forum Fix. And of course I have a couple of questions.

I have two JPG files that are line art (black logo on white background). One is a "DVD" logo and the other is a "Blu-ray" logo.

I know how to use Chroma Key to make the background transparent in a Vegas 12 project. I don't want that.

I want to make it transparent and save it again as a JPG and then display that in a in DVD-A menu. That way the proper logo for the media will display in, say, the lower corner of the menu. Obviously I know whether it's a DVD or a Blu-ray, but I want the logo to display as part of the menu.

Can I do this in Vegas or do I need a Photoshop or similar to get this done?

Regards,

Kimberly

Comments

Grazie wrote on 3/5/2014, 4:14 PM
PNG

that was only 6 seconds of INTERNET.

g

videoITguy wrote on 3/5/2014, 4:17 PM
I have NO idea what you are attempting to do or why. This much is certain - you should get as far away from your JPG file as much as you can. BECAUSE
1) Lossy format, not SCS product friendly
2) no allowance for alpha channel for transparency.

IF you must, convert your JPG file to a .pnG with alpha channel - do your compositing and be done ...

If you must hold a jpg in your hand, convert the .pnG back to a jpg when you are finished...ugh

bY the way DVD and Blu-ray symbols are available in full vector form and they are free if you look - don't mess with less than vector originals.
Steve Mann wrote on 3/5/2014, 4:37 PM
I use Photoshop to make all my button highlights, but you have to save it as a PNG file. JPG doesn't support alpha.
Chienworks wrote on 3/5/2014, 4:38 PM
"If you must hold a jpg in your hand, convert the .pnG back to a jpg when you are finished...ugh"

Or, just keep the original JPG file. Converting the original to PNG makes a copy; it doesn't delete the original.
NormanPCN wrote on 3/5/2014, 4:48 PM
You need a PNG to preserve the Alpha channel.

If you have a photo editor like Photoshop then that is probably the best place to do this. Edit a static image and result in a static image.

You probably can do this in Vegas, but Vegas is going to output a video. You can put your jpg on the timeline and chroma key to create the Alpha channel info and then try outputting an image sequence of PNG files or some other format that supports Alpha. That will give a bunch of PNG files, but since they are static you will only need one and can delete the others.

The probably in all this, is does Vegas preserve the Alpha channel when outputting an image sequence.
Kimberly wrote on 3/5/2014, 4:55 PM
bY the way DVD and Blu-ray symbols are available in full vector form and they are free if you look - don't mess with less than vector originals.

Thanks all. I am not tied into JPG so will look for the full meal deal in PNG format. I would indeed like to find the high-res images but all I found on my first search were the low res. Will keep at it.

Also will see if I can find a Photoshop Elements on the cheap and see if this will do the job.

This Forum rocks!

Regards,

Kimberly
videoITguy wrote on 3/5/2014, 5:06 PM
Kimberly and anyone else that wants modern logo, symbols...

Please note that you can dip into the graphic arts community. These things are created in vector art programs like Adobe Illustrator etc. Then the symbol can be exported at any size and rez for printing, video etc. In fact one more step take is to convert vector art into postscript outlines for Windows fonts.

hence you can make your keyboard print the symbol with one keystroke and in VegasPro ProtYpe tools - they will have transparent background the way normal text can be generated. So this messing around with .png format is very old school.

Keep in mind that symbols like Blu-ray are officially copy-righted and should be only used by seeking permission rights - but that is for you as the end user to determine your walking in legal grounds.
Tim L wrote on 3/5/2014, 5:17 PM
Kimberly,

If you are in a bind (or out to sea) and don't have the luxury of PhotoShop Elements or similar -- bring the JPG into Vegas, on one lonely track, do the chromakey on it, and then use the "Snapshot" save icon thingy on the Vegas preview screen to save it as a PNG. I'm pretty sure -- though not 100% -- that the saved PNG will have clear areas rather than black background. (I think I've done something like this before.)

Obviously not the best way to do it, but one way to try it if you end up with no other choices.
Kinvermark wrote on 3/5/2014, 5:20 PM
TIFF files also support transparency (alpha).
ushere wrote on 3/5/2014, 5:41 PM
if you haven't got a graphics prog - take a look at FREE 'gimp'

http://www.gimp.org/

- it's as powerful as ps an can use plugins.

NormanPCN wrote on 3/5/2014, 5:42 PM
... save it as a PNG. I'm pretty sure -- though not 100% -- that the saved PNG will have clear areas rather than black background.

I just tried this and yes, the PNG snapshot does preserve the Alpha channel.
Barry W. Hull wrote on 3/5/2014, 5:50 PM
Several times I have had graphics converted to a font, makes the alpha channel issue a non-issue.

Steve Jackaman from International Typefounders does a great job. Just in case:

http://www.logofontsolutions.com/
videoITguy wrote on 3/5/2014, 6:06 PM
Agreed Barry +9 - this business of messing around with symbols and logos in bitmap quality is just so very old school - let's try to get forum members up to speed.
john_dennis wrote on 3/5/2014, 8:32 PM
Have you tried the 2000 pixel .png version here and here? Photo editing software is your friend for these types of things, but don't do it if someone else has already done it.
vtxrocketeer wrote on 3/5/2014, 9:12 PM
http://www.brandsoftheworld.com/

Search what you want. Download vector file. Open in PhotoWhatever, save as PNG in desired size. Done.
Tech Diver wrote on 3/6/2014, 11:04 AM
The DVD and Blu-ray logos are readily available as a free fonts from many sites.

For example, a Google search found: http://www.fontpalace.com/font-download/DVD+Font/

With this, you could either create a title directly in Vegas Pro, or create a high resolution PNG file by using it in a graphics editor and then use that within Vegas. I recommend the first method, as it is vector-based while the second is raster-based.

Peter
riredale wrote on 3/6/2014, 2:48 PM
By the way, I read years ago that the traditional DVD and CD logos are copyrighted and that use without official permission is illegal. It doesn't stop me personally from using them on every disk I make, but still it probably needs to be noted.
R0cky wrote on 3/7/2014, 2:28 PM
I looked into what it takes to legally use the blu ray logo and it was about USD $13K, per title.

Not sure, but I think if you buy the DVD spec for USD $10K you can use the logo.

I use "High Definition" in text.

rocky
Kimberly wrote on 3/8/2014, 12:54 AM
I looked into what it takes to legally use the blu ray logo and it was about USD $13K, per title.

Ouch!

I've temporarily shelved my scuba video endeavors. My husband is in hospital in Guam after suffering one or more "small" heart attacks. Fortunately his outlook is good and we are preparing to return home next week for advanced care. Will pick back up on the scuba videos later this year, but most definitely without the "Blu-ray" or "DVD" logos anywhere on my work!

A good and informative discussion. Thanks again to all who contributed.

Regards,

Kimberly
Mark_e wrote on 3/8/2014, 4:40 AM
there's obviously slightly more to it than this but if you don't have access to the original vector version

1) open it in inkscape which is free, use the path trace bitmap to get a vector representation, tweak it to match what you want (there a re lots of options / perhaps increase contrast in a raster program etc.)
if you don't want it in vector form
2) use gimp open jpg don't forget to go into layer and add an alpha channel first, select the white stuff select feathering etc. that you want hit delete export as png.

if your feeling brave :) import vector into blender convert to 3d mesh extrude, remesh, make nice 3d logo, I just did the above for something I'm working on where I only had a jpg source, worked really well. and all 3 program are open source.
Chienworks wrote on 3/8/2014, 7:50 AM
I would imagine if you're in a market where $10K/$13K is too much to spend on a logo, you're probably selling to people who couldn't possibly care less if the logo was on there or not, or even notice it if it was there. If you're in a market where the logo matters then $10K/$13K is just a small part of the expense of doing business.
Barry W. Hull wrote on 3/8/2014, 8:04 AM
Kimberly, all the best to your husband's health.
Kimberly wrote on 3/8/2014, 10:18 PM
Thanks Barry. He gets out of hospital tomorrow and we fly back to the states the day after. We're hoping for a speedy treatment and recovery and back to diving soon but of course only time will tell.