One thing I wonder about; how does PD use these SD mask files for HD content??

WOW

I am ready to translate the text for german users - if you wish! Viele Gruesse Georg

Brilliant is all that there to say ! PC specs :
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Quote: WOW

I am ready to translate the text for german users - if you wish!

Thank you for your generous offer. If you provide the text, I'll see what I can do to build a version for German users.

Quote: One thing I wonder about; how does PD use these SD mask files for HD content??

It is my assumption that PD probably does support higher resolution masks. I just went with those mask resolutions because they were the first I found to be divisible by 16. 1080 is not. (you can't define a half pixel)

I don't think the resolution of your mask needs to be that high anyway. It's just a mask. The image coming through the mask is still HD.

The only place you notice the mask's resolution is at round or diagnal edges. If your resolution is high enough, the human eye can't see it without magnification.

I believe the resolution I picked for 16:9 masks is high enough that circular and diagnal lines don't appear "stepped" or jagged.

Though if you want to do the math, give me dimensions for higher resolution that are divisible by 16 and I'll add them to the list of possible resolutions.

In a future version I might just allow any resolution, as long as it's divisible by 16. One thing I noticed already is that there are no "portrait" mask layouts. They are all "landscape."

I have photos that I take at 90 degrees (portrait) so they are 3:4, not 4:3.
Support for this will definitely be in the next version.

Well done Charles.

The first test I carried out didn't work while the second test was fine.

In my first test I used a black background 16:9 image with a "few" squiggles and a 50% soft edge. The display just gave me a clear mask.
On my second test I used a beige background with a crisp white shape. Charles' Mask Converter worked a treat.

I think Charles asked about a gradient edge earlier in this post, that was the reason for my test I just wanted to see the result.

Microsoft .net is required for the Mask Converter to function.

Dafydd

1) A little donate is on the way

2) I make a little workflow for german users on my board. It is very easy to use, so I think I will wait for question from german users. Viele Gruesse Georg

Quote: The only place you notice the mask's resolution is at round or diagnal edges. If your resolution is high enough, the human eye can't see it without magnification.

I will try some diagonal lines, that was exactly the reason I asked.

(want to do a PiP with diagonal division of the whole screen)

Great work Charles – you have certainly moved at lightning speed to provide an answer to the question you asked only a few days ago. Staggering speed and a pretty definitive answer to your own question.

29 April, ’09: Charles asks the question.
“Is it possible to create and use a custom mask in the PiP designer for PD7?”

30 April, ’09: Time 1:50:12 – Charles posts a mask.
“Confirmed. I was able to build a 16:9 ratio mask that masks out the entire left half.”
Time 16:07:15 – Charles completes Converter version 1.
“Ok, the BMP to MSK Converter Utility v1.0 (beta) is done!”

1 May, ’09: Charles completes Converter version 2.
“Below is a link to where you can download my new "Mask Converter" utility. This tool allows you to convert a bitmap image into a PiP mask for use in PowerDirector 7's PiP Designer. This is version 2.0 and that means major improvements over 1.0.”

I’m away from home right now & PowerDirector didn’t come with me this time (!) – so, when we’re reunited , I’ll test the converter utility and post results.

Once again – well done Charles.


Cheers -

Tony Tread gently and you'll hear the daisies grow...

Quote: I think Charles asked about a gradient edge earlier in this post, that was the reason for my test I just wanted to see the result.

The key (perhaps I didn't put enough emphasis on this) is that only pixels with an RGB color value of #FFFFFF (pure white) will appear as transparent. Any other color should be masked out.

So if you use dithering or antialiasing your results will not be as clean as you hope.

I was told (I did not confirm) that PowerDirector7 does not support gradient values for each byte. So that means: Each pixel, defined in the finished mask file, can be either true [FF] (transparent) or false [00] (masked).

So, with that said...

I suggest that when creating your drawing using an line, oval or rectangle tool, make sure that you disable antialiasing. And if you resize your image, make sure you disable dithering. Resizing an image often uses dithering algorithms to help with distortion. This technique often change the colors of individual pixels. So areas that used to be white #FFFFFF, get changed to some other color.

Well, I hope this information has been usefull.

Quote: 1) A little donate is on the way

Thank you very much!

Quote: 2) I make a little workflow for german users on my board. It is very easy to use, so I think I will wait for question from german users.

Great! Thank you.
Would you like to perform voiceover (auf Deutsch) for the video? (Just kidding)

Hi CharlesF,

Just wanted to join the chorus of praise. Excellent work! Click here PDtoots for a collection of PowerDirector Tutorials and Tips

Would you like to perform voiceover (auf Deutsch) for the video? (Just kidding)

If you like, I can try Viele Gruesse Georg

A very useful Mask Creation Tool.

Dafydd

A couple of people have contacted me stating that when they try to save their mask files, a "permission denied" error occurs.

Unfortunately, I don't have a lot of information about this error so all I can do is guess at the cause.

I expect that these users are not administrators on their machines and simply do not have rights to save files into the PowerDirector\Masks folder.

Another scenario might be that these users have installed PowerDirector 7 in a different location, other than the default. And the PowerDirector\Masks path doesn't exist.

If you get this type of error, first try to select a different location when saving. Then, manually move the two files into your PowerDirector\Masks folder, wherever that may be.

With about a year of PD6 & PD7 under my belt, I guess I'm still a newbie. So, what would I use a PiP mask for/ to do?

Any vidoe examples of a mask that I can see before I get this new tool?

Quote: With about a year of PD6 & PD7 under my belt, I guess I'm still a newbie. So, what would I use a PiP mask for/ to do?

Any vidoe examples of a mask that I can see before I get this new tool?

There are many reasons one would use a PiP mask. One is to simply shape the PiP container.

But the reason I wanted to create a custom PiP mask was for a video in which I had the same person talking to herself. (as if she had a twin).

I shot two videos with the same background (not moving the camera). In the first video she was on the right talking to air on her left. In the second video she was on the left, responding to her questions from before (but still talking to air).

Then I put the first video on the main track and the second video on the PiP track (resizing it to full screen). Then I applied a custom half screen PIP mask to the PiP track which allowed the video from the main track to show through, thus showing the right half of the first track and the left half of the second track symultaneously. And this creates the illusion of the girl talking to her twin (but using only one actor).

Hope that helps.

Does this tool work for PD8 ... and am I understanding correctly this will allow one to make a mask with a soft edge?

Thanks in advance

Quote: Does this tool work for PD8 ... and am I understanding correctly this will allow one to make a mask with a soft edge?

Thanks in advance

Yes, the new version (v 3.0) does work with PD8.

PD8 now supports PNG image files as masks (instead of their own .msk format in PD7).

All the mask converter does is convert white pixels in a bitmap image to fully transparent pixels in a PNG image. It then stores that file in the .../PowerDirector/Masks folder.

The mask converter does not support gradient transparent pixels. You'd have to create your own PNG image with graphics software that supports PNG and transparency opaqueness. (like Adobe Illustrator or Photoshop)

However, even if you had such software, and could make a PNG image of the correct dimensions and with a gradient alpha transparency, I'm not sure that PD8 would support it. I would be surprised if it did. But, I am skeptical.

There is one alternative. If you're careful about how you place your white pixels in your original BMP file, the resulting mask could appear like it has a gradient (faded) edge. But it would be pixelated, not soft. What I mean is, make a latice of pixels. A grid that has spaces between the transparent pixels. The density of transparent individual pixels would be greater toward the edge than closer to the center of the mask.

Sort of like a "halftone." (Google it)

You could try experimenting with different sized PNG files too. The larger it is, the more individual pixels you'll have and the softer the edge will be.

Hope all this makes sense.

Good luck.