Virtual Studio VT?

[Johnno 67]

I'm setting up a small studio using the VT for switching/3D graphics etc. My question is:

NT has VT and LW, is not the next step, Virtual Studio hardware? I know that we will be heading thist way within the next 1-2 years, it would be nice to have this intergrated with LW and VT.

Any comments or suggestions.

[Jim Capillo]

I'm setting up a small studio using the VT for switching/3D graphics etc. My question is:

NT has VT and LW, is not the next step, Virtual Studio hardware? I know that we will be heading thist way within the next 1-2 years, it would be nice to have this intergrated with LW and VT.

Any comments or suggestions.

I'm already using Serious Magic's ULTRA with VT, and although it's not hardware for realtime processing, it works quite nicely with VTEdit.

[Johnno 67]

Thank's for that Jim. It look's quite good. I downloaded the demo and I'll give it go. Can you use LW to make sets or can you only buy them.

[Jim Capillo]

Thank's for that Jim. It look's quite good. I downloaded the demo and I'll give it go. Can you use LW to make sets or can you only buy them.

I'm pretty sure Eric Pratt uses LW to make sets. You can give him a shout HERE (www.virtualsetworks.com)

[Johnno 67]

After going throught some tutes, it quite impresive. As it turns out you can use LW to make sets. Check out the tute here (http://www.seriousmagic.com/help/tuts/tutorials.cfm?p=2&t=45)

It's not the full blown Virtual Studio, but it's a start. I'd still like an intergrated VT VStudio hardware though, it makes sence as all the software is there.

[Cineman]

After going throught some tutes, it quite impresive. As it turns out you can use LW to make sets. Check out the tute here (http://www.seriousmagic.com/help/tuts/tutorials.cfm?p=2&t=45)

It's not the full blown Virtual Studio, but it's a start. I'd still like an intergrated VT VStudio hardware though, it makes sence as all the software is there.
Doing virtual sets would require no additional hardware. Full implementation would require the VT4 Pro card and SX 84. But a limited implementation could be done with the original.

All that is actually required is implementation in the software. It would require a second Mix/Effects bank. Then you could set your first Virtual set shot on the second M/E and then transition to it. Once there, the second shot could be set on the current bank and then switched to.

The second M/E has long been my top feature request to NewTek. Being able to switch chroma key is just one reason. Others are for presetting split screens and pips.

Nes Gurley

[Johnno 67]

Yes, but don't you need camera tracking hardware or software, depending on which set-up your using. If your using a blue screen with markers you can use the software based system, if not you need hardware that tracks camera moves. I'm not sure which one is better.

It wouldn't be real time, you would have to render the set out, but that's not a problem for us, we don't do live broadcasts. Which comes to my point, real time rendering hardware for VT/LW.

I'd be happy which camera tracking software though, integerated with VT/LW. Surely someone can write this?

[Jim Capillo]

I'd be happy which camera tracking software though, integerated with VT/LW. Surely someone can write this?

Just in case you haven't seen it, ULTRA does tracking..... check it out !

[eon5]

I'm already using Serious Magic's ULTRA with VT, and although it's not hardware for realtime processing, it works quite nicely with VTEdit.

walkthrough please !!!!

[Jim Capillo]

walkthrough please !!!!

Let's see....

1. Shoot greenscreen

2. Digitize to VT as uncompressed AVI (you can also use rtv)

3. Open ULTRA, set up VS and then drag aforementioned clip in from bin

4. Set chroma controls on ULTRA, render out new clip

5. Re-open VT, drop new clip on timeline.

[ted]

Where the heck is Eric Pratt in all this??? He's the Virtual Set Guru!

[Jim Capillo]

Where the heck is Eric Pratt in all this??? He's the Virtual Set Guru!

We did a corporate project a while ago and one of his sets was under consideration for use in the piece. They eventually decided on a different one, but he was there until the end.

[Johnno 67]

Just in case you haven't seen it, ULTRA does tracking..... check it out !

Um, I can't find this. From what I see, you have to shoot with the camera locked off, which you can add to any of the custom moving Virtual Studio shots.

I can't see how you can have any camera tracking shots with your camera and the virtul background staying in sinc (well moving the virtual camera and recording that information to use in LW or what ever).

I'd like to be wrong, as this software has a really great price already for what it can do.

[Jim Capillo]

Right, it tracks your static shot into the moving set.

[slx]

Let's see....

2. Digitize to VT as uncompressed AVI (you can also use rtv)


Can Ultra import and export rtv?

[Jim Capillo]

I believe as long as the codec is on the machine you're using..... then yes.

[billmi]

Right, it tracks your static shot into the moving set.

I believe the two of you are using the same term to describe different things.

Typically camera tracking is used to describe a setup where the position and focal length of a freely moved camera is recorded, and that is what is used to generate the virtual camera position for the virtual set.

Ultra bypasses camera tracking by using a fixed camera, and then mapping that into a virtual set where the camera motion is predefined.

[Jim Capillo]

Ultra bypasses camera tracking by using a fixed camera, and then mapping that into a virtual set where the camera motion is predefined.

Yeah..... what Bill said ! :D

[Johnno 67]

Typically camera tracking is used to describe a setup where the position and focal length of a freely moved camera is recorded, and that is what is used to generate the virtual camera position for the virtual set.

Yep, I agree.