selectively pre-rendering

Control_Z wrote on 9/12/2002, 11:48 PM

Yes, that's unusual. My first guess would be that you've accidently applied fx to a track somewhere - maybe the transparency sliders on the left.

Zulqar-Cheema wrote on 9/13/2002, 4:50 AM

Try using the the Tools>"Build Dynamic RAM Preview" or SHIFT+B

Also try to adjust the PREVIEW QUALITY (just above preview video window)to a lower setting.

Could be slow if there are a lot of things happening at once.

Randy Brown wrote on 9/15/2002, 1:59 PM

Thanks, the preview quality helps substantially. Any opinions on what dual video card to buy (to enable viewing on an external monitor)?
Thanks again,
Randy

vicmilt wrote on 9/15/2002, 7:26 PM

I don't think you need a "super-duper" video card for your second monitor, since one or the other will be showing only your toolset. If your current video card is playing the video, then practically any video card will do. If your current card is slow, go for a faster "2D" card as the second one. We're using two monitors in WinXP, without any problems.

We use "preview" or even "draft" at a small size for "high-speed" editing, and pre-render scenes to see the "real thing" when necessary.

We're also experimenting with creating full renders of the entire show, overnight which we then leave on the top track. We are making corrections on top of these prerendered tracks, and its working well. The show we're doing this on is about 14 minutes long and it's working well on a 60gig Firewire drive, ie, I haven't run out of space yet. The jury's still out on whether this is a good way to work, or not, but it's working well for the time being. Basically the stuff that's "done" lives in a single complete track with it's elements underneath it, and corrections over it. I do wish I could really compress the "bottom" tracks, but that will have to wait for future versions. Meanwhile... it works.

BillyBoy wrote on 9/15/2002, 9:35 PM

Randy, you don't need a dual video card to view the preview on a second monitor. In fact it won't help at all. A dual video card only allows extending the desktop so you can drag elements to the second monitor. To view the preview on an external monitor (just need a regular TV with video in) you need a firewire card, digital camera or box. That's it.

BillyBoy wrote on 9/15/2002, 9:36 PM

Randy, you don't need a dual video card to view the preview on a second monitor. In fact it won't help at all. A dual video card only allows extending the desktop so you can drag elements to the second monitor. To view the preview on an external monitor (just need a regular TV with video in) you need a firewire card, digital camera or box. That's it. To limit the shakes, view at preview quality to speed up the frame rate.

John_Beech wrote on 9/15/2002, 9:48 PM

vicmilt, what in your opinion is a good, fast, 2D card? It seems to me I've been able to find plenty of info on recent 3D cards like the ATI RADEON 9700 - or are you considering a 9700 a fast 2D card also? I've learned an OpenGL card is useless with VV and I've read 3D cards can be quite slow on the 2D side of things. I'm specifcially interested in dual-monitor use.

BillyBoy, have you an opinion on Canopus' hardware box vs. Sony's hardware box (both 1394>Y/C)? I am expecting a proMAX DA-MAX+ sometime this week so I can connect up RS-422 decks to the VV workstation, and I since I'm unsure I can concurrently use the Y/C ports for a monitor, I was thinking to perhaps get one of the inexpensive boxes to drive a Sony PVM monitor.

John Beech

vicmilt wrote on 9/15/2002, 11:21 PM

John Beech - I'm "just an editor" and hardly up to suggesting hardware. Especially not as well as many of the others on this forum. For myself, well we found an old Voodoo 3 card and it's fine. But "fine" is very subjective.

I am migrating to VV from a full blown AVID Media Composer with the Aladdin realtime box. Most things on my AVID are "what you see is what you get, at full rez". But that machine (in it's time) cost me over $100,000. It's getting old and I'm experimenting with newer, better and WAY cheaper technology. I'm still new at VV, but so far, I trust it. Meaning, that I'm editing "real time" at reduced resolution for pace, position, concept and a generalized reviewing of various effects. When I need to really see the exact effects, I render them. If you've got a client sitting over your shoulder, this may not be the ultimate software for you. (What is, in this price range? Not too much. Every program seems to need to be rendered. You have to pay a lot of money for real time control).

But creatively, I think VV3 can't be touched. It's fast and loose and easy to experiment with, and in my experiments totally trustworthy of delivering what you think you are going to get, once you actually render and print out the job to DV. Plus it runs great on inexpensive (relatively speaking) machinery.

Hope this helps.

Randy Brown wrote on 9/16/2002, 2:02 PM

Hey BillyBoy,
Before I drag my kids TV in here...are you saying all I need to do is hook up my DV camera via firewire and then run the RCA cords out to a TV, I'll have an external monitor?
Thanks everyone,
Randy

Chienworks wrote on 9/16/2002, 4:20 PM

Randy: that's correct. If you click the external monitor icon just above the preview window, then the preview window will be sent out though firewire to the TV.

Randy Brown wrote on 9/16/2002, 4:56 PM

Yee-haw, great news, thank you!
Yes, I have a manual, but it IS a big-ass manual that I'm slowly working my way through. Thanks for all of your shared knowledge and your patience guys.
Randy