FTP Timecode Burn in footage jumbled

[RWoodcock]

The timer footage that worked great in VT2 is all jumbled in VT3. It plays in an avi player window but has problems playing back in VT3. I downloaded it for a friend that has VT3 but he can't use it until this is fixed. I know that the file was uploaded as a favour but I think the person that did the upload would like to know that it has a problem. I don't know his name or email address or I would contact him directly.

Robert

[SBowie]

Hiya - that would be me... a few notes on the subject:

First, the original files were re-done slightly differently (NTSC drop frame timecode) co-incident with the release of T[3], but have not been posted anywhere yet AFAIK.

HOWEVAH, the original files are not, I think, jumbled in any way .. though it can really seem that way!

You have to realize that to keep the filesize down for transmission, they are compressed as AVI's, and the specific format uses delta compression. Between keyframes, the data for the entire image is not present. Hence when scrubbing on the VT-Edit timeline, the display can appear corrupted until you happen to pass a keyframe in the TC file. Nevertheless, when you hit Play (to do a window dub live) the TC 'snap's into sharp focus, and all is right with the world.

This is an unfortunate aspect of the compression. It could be avoided, for example, by my having used an M-JPEG AVI file; I've done this, and it's wonderful - but the end result would be a much larger download.

[RWoodcock]

Have you tried this on VT3 as yet? It works great on VT2 but is a mass of pixels on VT3. The background goes green off the start of the file and then the numbers merge together. I feel bad mentioning this since I know that it is free and nobody ever says thanks for the file but lots of people will point out a flaw. I am sure it is the compression and VT3 that is at fault but I don't know what you would need to do to correct it.

Robert

[Lew]

Yes, same problem with VT3. I just needed a few minutes for a countdown clock, I took the file into AURA and rendered out an RTV. Works like a champ. Would be a pain though of you needed both full hours, but it could be done if you have time. (no pun intended)
Lew

[SBowie]

Originally posted by RWoodcock
Have you tried this on VT3 as yet? It works great on VT2 but is a mass of pixels on VT3. The background goes green off the start of the file and then the numbers merge together. I feel bad mentioning this since I know that it is free and nobody ever says thanks for the file but lots of people will point out a flaw. I am sure it is the compression and VT3 that is at fault but I don't know what you would need to do to correct it.

Robert Hi Robert, please don't feel bad as if there is an issue, I sure want it to be squashed.

I no longer had the older files on my system, so just downloaded the first hour and tried it in VT[3] to discover you are indeed correct. Very odd, really. At the same time, I re-tested the new (dropframe) TC files, and they work just as I mentioned -- a little annoying corruption on scrubbing, but perfect playback.

That said, there are a few things to note about the current files, which as I mentioned have not yet been posted on the ftp site:

I had the 'brilliant' idea that, as a timesaver for the user, I would enclose in the archive two 'VT content instances.' When you drag one of these onto the timeline, the TC is pre-placed, sized, and overlayed all in one step - providing of course that your counter clip is in the same path location as mine (not too likely, but it seemed a gracious gesture ;)

However, in the final builds of VT[3], something ('keyframe-ish')changed, so the two content instances no longer work correctly. I'm going to send Paul two replacements and ask him if he could find time to update the archives and post them.

Finally, Lew mentioned the solution of re-rendering in Aura. his approach is nearly an ideal solution, but I would like to offer a suggestion or two to improve on it:

First, using RTV as the rendered file format is not the best idea - Aura renders RTV's at full video res only, so rendering out even this tiny clip is going to use up a full hour of your video storage. It worked for you as you only needed a couple minutes...

Instead, may I recommend using an M-JPEg codec, preferably the PICvideo one. This will provide a reasonably small filesize (too large for posting purposes, but fine for local use) AND is clean as a whistle even when scrubbing.

Second, it's really quite easy to simplify the use of these files by creating your own content instance.

For example:

- drop the first hour on the timeline in the correct spot
- hit "g" to extend it to full length
- open Edit Props
- turn on overlay
- set the position to X=160, Y=-160
- set Size to 100%
- double-click on the little picons to the left of the X Size and Y Size fields, which should reset the clip to 196x38.

- keyframe each of the above settings
- drag the TC clip from VT-Edit back into your filebin.

Now all you need to do to use the TC is drop the content instance file at frame 0 - voila :)

Thanks very much for pointing this out!

[RWoodcock]

Thanks for the reply. I will have to try that once I finally get my copy of VT3. I have been using a friends system for all this testing. I should have had my version a week ago but the VAR messed up the email of the registration so Newtek didn't even know I was there to put me in a cue.
Now I am not sure if I even want VT3 and have asked Newtek for a refund. I only bought VT2 recently because of the inclusion of timecode in VT3. That added feature is not great! No open ended capture with timecode and the fact that you have to keep your old files on the system to do a recapture from the timeline is wank. If you want to capture and cut a half hour final program and you only have an hour of storage, but two hours of source then you are hooped. You would have to capture a half hour and then cut 15 minutes. This would leave 15 minutes of spare space on your drive for the new recapture files. After that I am not sure what you would do. Also you would not be able to rebuild a project cut a year ago unless you recapture all of the footage in the batch capture project. This would mean everything, all the source not just what was used in the timeline.
I have been using a discreet edit system for years after Newtek killed off my Flyer. Then discreet killed off edit. It stil works great but the board is old the system is old and NT4 is old. It still does a timecode burn of both the unning time, source time and reel number all at once and my clients have become use to that feature.

I have yet to hear from Newtek

[SBowie]

The two hour-long timecode clips (NTSC version) which were previously available from the NewTek ftp server for VT[2] window dub puposes have been updated for VT[3].

Changes:

The old clips were in non-dropframe format, and were also exhibiting some compression glitches on playback in VT[3]. The new clips are dropframe, and should not have any significant display problems while playing. As well, there are two VT-Edit 'content instances' in the archives. Using these, a single "drag 'n drop " action is all it takes to add a TC window dub to your project.

Where?

The archives, roughly 60 megs each, can be found here:

ftp://ftp.newtek.com/pub/VideoToaster/Downloads/TCdf1.zip
ftp://ftp.newtek.com/pub/VideoToaster/Downloads/TCdf1.zip