Video codec that outputs still frames

rcampbel wrote on 8/24/2005, 9:30 PM
Does anyone know of a video codec (perhaps in Quicktime) that will output the video as a sequence of still image files (i.e. one file per frame or one file per x number of frames)?

I know that there are scripts to do this in Vegas using the preview window, but if I can find a video codec that will do this, then I could queue jobs in batch render mode to output still images.

Thanks,

Randall

Comments

farss wrote on 8/25/2005, 2:10 AM
Randall,
by definition I can't see how a video codec could do this, if it treated video as a number of separate still image files it wouldn't be video. To do what you want I think you need to be able to run a script within a script which would certainly be doable.
Bob.
B_JM wrote on 8/25/2005, 5:36 AM
you can use the script in vegas or much faster is to frame serve the output of vegas to virtualdubmod and use v-dubmod to save as targa or jpg files


johnmeyer wrote on 8/25/2005, 12:40 PM
This was just answered in this thread:

exporting a video region as individual frames
filmy wrote on 8/25/2005, 1:26 PM
I think you mean how to do this, not which codec?

But you can very easy export a full size still file with a very nice little free utility called AVI2BMP. There is a US version as well - just go to the downloads page. You can export every frame or only frames that you select.

By the way - this seems to work on any AVI file as long as you ghave the codec installed. It works fine with HD material that uses the Cinefrom codec for example.
VideJoe wrote on 8/27/2005, 1:46 AM
Hi, question about AVI2BMP. I downloaded the French and English version, but although the frames are listed in the left window, no frames show up at the right window to save.
Any ideas? I mailed the creator of AVI2BMP, but so far no reaction.

Thanks, Dries.
filmy wrote on 8/27/2005, 6:02 AM
Did you move through the frames? In other words when you load up a file it displays the first frame, in order to see the frames you either need to click on the frames numbers or scroll through using the "Pos" slider at the bottom.

Other than that i can't help.
Marco. wrote on 8/27/2005, 6:14 AM
I doubt there is a codec to do that job. In QuicktimePlayer you can do that, but it's the QuicktimePlayer which does it not the codec itself.

Anyway - I would appreciate finding a solution like that because this might help to overcome the Vegas issue of only outputting image sequences based on PAL DV which are resized to 786x576 instead of 787x576 or giving the choice to also use 720x576.

Marco
rcampbel wrote on 8/27/2005, 6:54 AM
Thanks for the responses folks. I know that I can use or write a script to do this in Vegas.

I am pretty sure that a video codec could be written to do this as well. After all, all a codec does on output is to take each frame from Vegas and process and output it to something. So, it is not unreasonable for a codec to have a parameter to take every 10th frame for example, and output that frame as a separate JPEG file, etc.

The reason that I am looking for a codec solution is so that I can use my MultiRender script to batch up a bunch of render jobs for a set of Vegas projects. Some of these jobs would output video, some of them would output stills every x number of frames. This makes for a very smooth, automated workflow.

I will take a look at the VirtualDub frameserving solution, but was hoping that their might be a native codec that would work with Vegas that would do the trick.

Thanks,

Randall
VideJoe wrote on 8/27/2005, 7:08 AM
Sure I did that and even more. I hit the enter key, space bar etc. but no frame appears in the right window to save.
Isn't that peculiar? It's not even a bug. It just doesn't work, period.

~Dries.


B_JM wrote on 8/27/2005, 8:12 AM
frame serving to virtualdub or virtualdubmod is still lthe best method ...


and avi2bmp is a waste of time to use ... if you can even get it to work ..
filmy wrote on 8/27/2005, 8:27 AM
Ok - so I was just doing some tests. Interesting thing I just found out. In 24p files rendered from Vegas the program will not decode them correctly. The files load but show nothing but digital pixel garbage. On the other hand files rendered out from After Effects at 24p decode perfect.

Also there may be the old fat32 limit in the program's coding somehow. For example I can load up files that are around 2 gigs with no problems but if I load up a file that is over that - say 14 gigs - the file loads but doesn't display any stills.

So - that being said - is the file you are working with over 2 gigs by any chance?
filmy wrote on 8/27/2005, 8:31 AM
>>>nd avi2bmp is a waste of time to use ... if you can even get it to work .<<<

See my post above. But aside from what I said there AVI2BMP works fine. Keep in mind I have not ever tried to load up 14 gig files or Vegas rendered 24p files in it before today, only unedited takes and it works with no issues.
VideJoe wrote on 8/27/2005, 9:41 AM
Small files (1 minute AVI) or bige files, no show!
B_JM wrote on 8/27/2005, 10:01 AM
History of av2bmp:
"OK! I want to correct some error handlers, but may be next time."

"


also -- in virtualdub you can match up color space in and out (or convert) and keep alpha ... plus do resizing and or PAR adjustment and/or deinterlacing at the same time if so inclined..

why i recomended it ...