Thanks. I'll pass on the learning curve, but try the others.

Well I really liked Ultra 2 until Adobe bought them. Now I can no longer use them. It keeps trying to authenticate and fails. I tried their secret hot key to bypass it and do the manual method but that fails to. I called Adobe and all they could say was, "It should work." Other than that it used to be very good.

Hi, I had the same authentication problem you describe. Adobe tech support was very helpful. I must have sounded pathetic enough because they stayed with me as they directed me to a couple of patches (found on Google), reset my authorizations and made sure the program started with no problems. You may want to try tech support again, you might get a tech like the one I had.

Mike

RCourtney, truespace looks interesting. What are some examples of virtual sets you create for use in Vegas?

Jerry

Hi, I had the same authentication problem you describe. Adobe tech support was very helpful. I must have sounded pathetic enough because they stayed with me as they directed me to a couple of patches (found on Google), reset my authorizations and made sure the program started with no problems. You may want to try tech support again, you might get a tech like the one I had.
Thanks Mike. The person I got seemed to be helpful enough but didn't know what else to do. They suggested uninstalling and reinstalling. I let them know that I would do that after we got off the phone. I didn't really expect it to work but didn't think that they were going to be able to help me. I'll try tech support again.

Jerry,

You should be able to find one example in their forum a few years back under
the same name. A virtual theater with a "projection" on the screen, a detective's
office for a children's puppet show DVD opener, a news set with a walnut desk
and rich carpeting, and a "nasa like" control room.

All are imported as still image sequences and easily composited.

V-Ray is almost a must for lighting and shadow realism. Glass letters for titles.

I have also "replaced" a blue sky with fast moving clouds in the sky and reflections
on building exterior windows instead of a time lapse. "sky domes"

i found out that if you poke around the "virtual set works" you'll come to a place where they will allow you a free download of one set. You have to go to the store and start investigating and then it shows up.
Try it! O got a nice museum set with 11 angles.

i found out that if you poke around the "virtual set works" you'll come to a place where they will allow you a free download of one set. You have to go to the store and start investigating and then it shows up.
Hey Jazz, all I could find were the 5 free with a watermark and other restrictions...is that what you meant?
Thanks,
Randy

RCourtney, I was unable to find your virtual sets in the forum, but I did learn that Caligari was recently bought by Microsoft and that TrueSpace 7.6 is now a free download. Microsoft is banking on the free download to spur development for its virtual earth.

Is there any place you are aware of where you can download TrueSpace virtual sets (free or otherwise)?

Jerry

Some of the archives are missing.

7.6 is free V-Ray is not. Some of the tutorials are free.

I am not aware of any free sets. Free textures are all over the internet.
(Textures are in my opinion the most fun as you take your still camera
and take pictures of moss covered rocks, bricks, tree bark, wood crates, etc.)

If there is something you are interested in let me know. TS has open
design where others can work online with your design. truePlace

If you just use a "fixed camera" you can get started and have something
up in weeks. Motion tracking is a bit harder but Frank Ladner in the forum
there wrote Python code to import tracking data and it works pretty well.
(look for past posts from me here on motion tracking)

Can you guys post some examples of clips that use a virtual set. I am really interested in this, but would love to see it in action before I go any further.

I'm telling you: I downloaded the "museum" set free from "Virtualsetsworks." You have to go to the "store" and poke around and pretty soon a blue and white box appears and says, "Download your free set" and you click on it and you can choose from about 35-40 sets. Don't give up!!

But Jazzmaster, are you talking about the 5 free downloads with restrictions and watermarks??
Or is your museum set without restrictions.

Ted

I would also like to know how you got the unwatermarked "free" set, especially since this is on the selection page:

The Free Virtual Sets available for download via this utility differ from our purchasable virtual sets in the following ways:

* The free virtual sets are watermarked with a faint logo
* The free virtual sets will come as .jpg files as opposed to the uncompressed .tga files
* The free virtual sets do not contain the mattes neccesary to put video in screens or talent behind desks

Thanks,
Tom

Here is an example from virtualsetworks Studio 5 $49

Pic 1 is video with blue screen
Pic 2 garbage matte over "clutter"
Pic 3 keyed with matte and desk overlay
Pic 4 added lower third

WMV sample of opening.

Thanks for the tips, one and all.