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large file sizes?...

Kingcaffeine
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Feb 10, 2008, 12:23 PM

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large file sizes?...	Can't Post

I have an opera coming up and I have a couple of questions/issues.....

The files I've been working with are TIFF's that are quite large....25-40 mb. I've tried using a simple patch for scenes with a Picture Player and a Projector, and a keyboard watcher to change scenes. I have noticed a few glitches when cross-fading and I wondered if it is , perhaps, the size of the files. Or is there an optimum file format for stills? Although my projection distance will be considerable (135') I still need a fair amount of detail. Is there a way to reduce file size (say, with Photoshop) and still keep a decent resolution? My screen output will be 1280x1024, being shot thru two Christie DS+8k's. My playback machine is a dual-quad Mac Tower with 3x Radeon 2600, 4 gb.RAM.
Any thoughts or solutions would be most appreciated.

william
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Feb 10, 2008, 8:24 PM

Post #2 of 8 (1195 views)
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Re: [Kingcaffeine] large file sizes?... [In reply to]	Can't Post

What resolution are your TIFF files? 25 to 40mb suggests they are as large as 3000x4000 uncompressed... You can certainly rescale your image in any number of photo editing programs (such as Photoshop) to a resolution that matches your stage output without risking the loss of image quality. You need to stay within the TIFF format for Isadora. You could also consider converting the TIFF's to single-frame PHOTOJPEG compressed quicktime .movs for a slightly lossier and less taxing compression.

But, if you are experience glitches in the cross-fades, the first solution I would suggest is to build your patch within Macros in one scene, and reserve the scene jumps for blackouts, or intermission. You'll have smoother transitions by working within 1 scene with multiple active projectors cross-fading intensity, instead of using the multi-purpose Jump actor to do the cross-fading for you.

What/When/Where is the opera?

Kingcaffeine
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Feb 10, 2008, 8:42 PM

Post #3 of 8 (1192 views)
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Re: [william] large file sizes?... [In reply to]	Can't Post

yep- they are all 3626x3626 RGB. I picked the stage output at 1280x1024 just because that's the closest I think the size of the PJ area will be. Having not seen a plot I don't really know- so it's an educated guess...

I'm sure that the sizes of the scenery will affect this decision once I see them...so I'll try the re-scale route.

I guess I'm going to have to bone up on Izzy a bit more to understand the Macros in one scene approach! Would it be as simple as a video fader that I use between two picture players- and simply change the pictures? Thanks for the info!

The opera is Tosca, Indianapolis, March 16.

(This post was edited by Kingcaffeine on Feb 10, 2008, 8:53 PM)

andrewnewy
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Feb 10, 2008, 9:13 PM

Post #4 of 8 (1189 views)
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Re: [Kingcaffeine] large file sizes?... [In reply to]	Can't Post

Hi,

Just after williams comment, I think I might have fixed my Scene problem to, Kingcaffeine, I've attached a file, I was just playing with, that might do what you want, I think this is how I'm going to run my show now, rather than switching scenes.

Wasn't sure how many projectors you were needing to output to, but for my show I need 3, so just delete from the macro what you don't need. You could also change the movie player to a picture player for your purpose's

Attachments:

AV Playback v2.izz (66.1 KB)

william
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Feb 11, 2008, 12:22 PM

Post #5 of 8 (1161 views)
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Re: [andrewnewy] large file sizes?... [In reply to]	Can't Post

Hey Andrew -

Sorry, I meant to answer your question about the crossfades last night, but the same answer applies (and The Whitest Kids You Know was on IFC, so I just had to run...)

Anyway, you're on the right track with this. I posted a jpeg of my patch from a show I did this fall with 25 different cues happening in the same scene by the use of Macros and multiple projectors cross-fading which shows a rather elaborate method.

It's not the only way to do it, and Mark may have other suggestions, but it has become a technique I much prefer over using scenes when it comes to smooth cross-fades.

I will mention that you absolutely MUST learn the power of the INIT switch. Having multiple movie players, projectors, and envelope generators in one scene requires that you initialize everything to the proper starting values, otherwise your patch will go on the fritz and you'll be blaming me...

I generally setup RESET scenes which I can jump to in order to reset all of the INIT values on a scene with multiple cues. The RESET scene has nothing inside of it, aside from an Enter Scene Trigger, a Trigger Delay, and a Jump actor to bring me back to the scene with all of the cues. Upon reentry, the scene with the cues is all reset to the INIT values.

Is all of this making sense? Ask questions, I'm happy to elaborate...

(This post was edited by william on Feb 11, 2008, 12:22 PM)

andrewnewy
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Feb 12, 2008, 6:31 AM

Post #6 of 8 (1142 views)
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Re: [william] large file sizes?... [In reply to]	Can't Post

Hi William,

Thanks, Yea, macros are certainly the way to go, much better than scenes, however I am finding that with my setup of 3 projectors crosfading to 3 projectors, as soon as I trigger the cue, the currently playing video pause's for about 3-5 frames and then the fade happens perfectly. I have tried preloading, dropping the video's down to 320x240 res, loading to ram, and I still get this glitch, Interestingly enough, it dosn't happen on one of the Live input's I've got coming in, only on movie's that are playing.

I've just ordered the Core Video version, in a hope it might work without this delay.

Might also have to look a bit deeper into the Init stuff, any more info on this side of things would be appreciated

P.S. I don't see the JPG?

I know it's a big ask, but would it be possible to email me the patch from you show so I can have a look in a bit more detail?
andrewnewy@mac.com

Thanks

Kingcaffeine
Novice

Feb 13, 2008, 5:28 PM

Post #7 of 8 (1103 views)
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Re: [andrewnewy] large file sizes?... [In reply to]	Can't Post

I've started to play with some of what you are talking about William, and I wonder if the attached pic is on the right track? It all seems to work...I wonder about the INIT trigger at the top...I basically set it to zero out all the intensities of the projectors in order to start the scenes over. Thanks for the input....and help so far!

(This post was edited by Kingcaffeine on Feb 13, 2008, 5:30 PM)

Attachments:

Picture 1.png (62.8 KB)

Mark Coniglio
TroikaTronix / Moderator

Feb 18, 2008, 3:01 AM

Post #8 of 8 (1056 views)
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Re: [Kingcaffeine] large file sizes?... [In reply to]	Can't Post

Also, please read this post on preloading video:

http://forum.troikatronix.com/...hange_-_Pause_P1599/

This may relate to your issue.

Best,
Mark

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Mark Coniglio / TroikaTronix
Creator of Isadora

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