Motion Tracker doesn't work

optodata

Senior Contributor Location: California, USA Joined: Sep 16, 2011 16:04 Messages: 8630 Offline

Nov 14, 2015 17:43

Quote: ...It tells me I have 14.0.2019.0, but when I click the bell icon to check for updates it tells me there are none...I'm up to date.

OK. There have beeen several improvements made in the most recent beta (pre-release) version that might help with your sitation. You can download the patch from *here* but only do so if you're comfortable uninstalling PD and reinstalling it if you have new problems. The best approach is to make a system image to go back to in case something goes wrong, and here's a link to a Microsoft *tutorial* (although many other ways will work). You can also wait until the next official PD update comes out.

It looks like your system is struggling a bit to show you the clips in real-time....

Ok, I tried both HD and Normal...neither one made any difference. And shadow files had always been enabled.

There's a whole other *thread* on ways to deal with issues like this, and you may want to look into that once we get these other issues squared away.

The problem with that is on some vids (not all), if I don't click the track button the bounding box doesn't appear. In any event, I did it that way and it made no difference.

That suggestion was a minor point and I probably shouldn't have even brought it up. Maybe the updated version will behave on your system like it does on mine.

[/olist]As the tutorial showed... I'm not sure what tutorial you mean, but I've probably seen it. I've watched & read everything I can find

Sorry, I meant this *one*

After trying all of the above, one thing did change: The tracker did move! Problem is, it didn't move with the target. As the guy moved left, the tracker did too...only about 10 feet behind him. And when the guy moved right, same thing: the tracker followed behind. Very odd.
Thanks again for all your help!
Paul

1030PaulHarvey

Newbie Joined: Oct 16, 2015 15:32 Messages: 36 Offline

Nov 14, 2015 19:37

Quote: OK. There have beeen several improvements made in the most recent beta (pre-release) ... You can also wait until the next official PD update comes out.

Thanks but I think I'll wait. That kind of stuff makes me nervous and Motion Tracker isn't that urgent for me right now.

Quote: There's a whole other *thread* on ways to deal with issues like this, and you may want to look into that once we get these other issues squared away.

EEK! Way over my head!

Quote: Sorry, I meant this *one* ... See if that tutorial offers any help, and let me know what you decide about trying the beta patch.

Yes, I'd seen it. Watched it again anyway and followed along. No joy

Once again thanks for your help. I think I'll just wait for the official update, as I'm running out of hair

Paul

ynotfish

Senior Contributor Location: N.S.W. Australia Joined: May 08, 2009 02:06 Messages: 9977 Offline

Nov 14, 2015 23:06

Hi Paul -

Anyone who's used motion tracker to track a moving subject has probably come across similar symptoms as you're seeing... though it does seem that optodata's observation about your PC has some merit.

I used a similar clip to your drumming band parade on a lower end PC (i7-920 8GB RAM GTX260) and captured the steps I took. Apart from one tracker jumping off track when a car drove by, it behaved fairly predictably & I got the thing done.

This is NOT a tutorial - just a raw unaldulterated screen capture (almost). I couldn't do any better than the CL tutorial - https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=DHJeWYE4fK4 which thoroughly covers all the bases. One excellent tip in there is to make the tracker smaller so it focuses on a particular colour.

In this screen capture you'll see the trick I had to do to get that tracker into the right spot. At about the 3:40 mark where it looks like nothing's happening, I was using the < & > keys to get the marker exactly where the thing went off track.

Maybe it'll give a few extra clues anyway.

Cheers - Tony

This message was edited 1 time. Last update was at Nov 14. 2015 23:07

Visit PDtoots. PowerDirector Tutorials, tips, free resources & more. Subscribe!
Full linked Tutorial Catalog PDtoots happily supports fellow PowerDirector users!

optodata

Senior Contributor Location: California, USA Joined: Sep 16, 2011 16:04 Messages: 8630 Offline

Nov 14, 2015 23:17

Nicely done, Tony! Thanks to your clip, I just learned that I need to click on the Track button again if I move/resize the tracking box midway through to better track the object.

I hadn't used the tool before, and when I was testing earlier I didn't know what to do once I made a change. The rest of the track disappeared and I was stuck, but now I know better

This message was edited 1 time. Last update was at Nov 14. 2015 23:18

1030PaulHarvey

Newbie Joined: Oct 16, 2015 15:32 Messages: 36 Offline

Nov 15, 2015 12:56

Quote: it does seem that optodata's observation about your PC has some merit.

I really appreciate both your attempts to help. Thank you!

Quote: This is NOT a tutorial - just a raw unaldulterated screen capture (almost). I couldn't do any better than the CL tutorial - https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=DHJeWYE4fK4 which thoroughly covers all the bases. One excellent tip in there is to make the tracker smaller so it focuses on a particular colour.

In this screen capture you'll see the trick I had to do to get that tracker into the right spot. At about the 3:40 mark where it looks like nothing's happening, I was using the < & > keys to get the marker exactly where the thing went off track.

Maybe it'll give a few extra clues anyway.

I did follow the above tutorial, but your trick is new to me. I didn't know that if the tracker didn't stay on target you could move it back on target. I just tried that with the red guy video. I made the box just small enough to fit entirely in the red area of his head then clicked 'track.' Of course the tracking box didn't budge as the guy moved. So I froze it and moved the box back over his head. Same problem: the box stayed put as he moved. Tried this several times with the same result. Now I have no hair left on my head to pull out

Thanks again to you both for your time and efforts!

Paul

Cheers - Tony

optodata

Senior Contributor Location: California, USA Joined: Sep 16, 2011 16:04 Messages: 8630 Offline

Nov 15, 2015 14:11

ynotfish

Senior Contributor Location: N.S.W. Australia Joined: May 08, 2009 02:06 Messages: 9977 Offline

Nov 15, 2015 18:11

Paul -

I just repeated what was shown in the video on a laptop not equipped for video editing - i7-3537U CPU @ 2.00GHz 4GB RAM Intel Graphics HD4000 & GT740M - and Motion Tracker performed & behaved perfectly. That was using PDR14 - 2019 build.

There was certainly no evidence of what you're experiencing, where the tracking box makes no attempt to follow the subject.

I doubt whether you're using a less capable system that my little laptop! That makes me wonder whether re-installing might be a way of relieving the burden and allowing some of your hair to regenerate!

Would it be possible to upload your clip somewhere - even a lower res version - so we can test it?

Cheers - Tony

This message was edited 1 time. Last update was at Nov 17. 2015 00:03

Visit PDtoots. PowerDirector Tutorials, tips, free resources & more. Subscribe!
Full linked Tutorial Catalog PDtoots happily supports fellow PowerDirector users!

1030PaulHarvey

Newbie Joined: Oct 16, 2015 15:32 Messages: 36 Offline

Nov 16, 2015 11:13

Quote: Paul -

I doubt whether you're using a less capable system that my little laptop! That makes me wonder whether re-installing might be a way of relieving the burden and allowing some of your hair to regenerate!

Would it be possible to upload your clip somewhere - even a lower res version - so we can test it?

I didn't put the red guy video on YouTube, but the drummer vid (the one I tried to track the lead drummer) is here:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ZeokzbtyMTM

And the band one (the one I tried to track the lead singer) is here:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=oVnAoOneuPQ

These are the actual videos. The screen capture vids of my attempts are linked above.

Thanks again!

Paul

optodata

Senior Contributor Location: California, USA Joined: Sep 16, 2011 16:04 Messages: 8630 Offline

Nov 16, 2015 12:19

Hi Paul

What Tony meant was that we need a copy of the actual source clip. Although you posted it to YT, YT changes it into a streaming format so it's not the same clip you're working with and if we download it, it's changed again.

If the clip is smaller than about 100MB, you can attach it to your post. If it's larger than that, please upload to a shared folder on OneDrive or DropBox or Google Drive and post the link. That way we can work with the same clip as you!

This message was edited 2 times. Last update was at Nov 16. 2015 12:21

ynotfish

Senior Contributor Location: N.S.W. Australia Joined: May 08, 2009 02:06 Messages: 9977 Offline

Nov 16, 2015 13:07

I'll give it a shot with the YT video... can't download the "band" one for some reason, but got the drum corps video.

Cheers - Tony
Visit PDtoots. PowerDirector Tutorials, tips, free resources & more. Subscribe!
Full linked Tutorial Catalog PDtoots happily supports fellow PowerDirector users!

ynotfish

Senior Contributor Location: N.S.W. Australia Joined: May 08, 2009 02:06 Messages: 9977 Offline

Nov 16, 2015 14:06

Paul -

It worked with the drum corps video, but it took some "coaching". There are some challenges in there for the tracker:

When the lead drummer is partially off screen

Some unpredictable movement

I found it best to position the selection box at the point where his black undershirt is showing under the orange T-shirt (neck).

The more complex motion there is in the video, the more difficult it is. Tracking a single subject against a fairly "plain" background is easy. Tracking an almost motionless object is even easier! If there are more complex textures & colours, such as the video of the band doing the 80s cover, motion tracker is going to take even more coaching.

The bottom line is, I guess, that the tool itself is a work in progress. The tracker gets distracted quite easily & can jump off track to another similar colour area.

I'll upload the resultant clip if you wish, only to show that it's possible.

Cheers - Tony
Visit PDtoots. PowerDirector Tutorials, tips, free resources & more. Subscribe!
Full linked Tutorial Catalog PDtoots happily supports fellow PowerDirector users!

ynotfish

Senior Contributor Location: N.S.W. Australia Joined: May 08, 2009 02:06 Messages: 9977 Offline

Nov 16, 2015 14:56

Paul -

Here it is (unlisted) - https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5tIbvAaVgWc

Looks like a great festival!

Another thing I've noticed is that - with particular clips - the "Adjust Effect size with tracked object" feature is very responsive and precise, but with other clips it struggles. In the video I just posted, the sizing is all over the shop!

Cheers - Tony
Visit PDtoots. PowerDirector Tutorials, tips, free resources & more. Subscribe!
Full linked Tutorial Catalog PDtoots happily supports fellow PowerDirector users!

1030PaulHarvey

Newbie Joined: Oct 16, 2015 15:32 Messages: 36 Offline

Nov 16, 2015 16:34

Quote: Hi Paul

What Tony meant was that we need a copy of the actual source clip. Although you posted it to YT, YT changes it into a streaming format so it's not the same clip you're working with and if we download it, it's changed again.

If the clip is smaller than about 100MB, you can attach it to your post. If it's larger than that, please upload to a shared folder on OneDrive or DropBox or Google Drive and post the link. That way we can work with the same clip as you!

Ok, here are links to Google Drive. The first one is the lead singer:

https://drive.google.com/a/paulhlivingston.com/file/d/0B-LpZBwdB_UvREFKV3QyR0toYnM/view?usp=sharing

This one is the red guy:

https://drive.google.com/a/paulhlivingston.com/file/d/0B-LpZBwdB_Uvc3Jubjd6eVFmR1k/view?usp=sharing

This one is the drummers:

https://drive.google.com/a/paulhlivingston.com/file/d/0B-LpZBwdB_UvQ0poeGdnQm12VG8/view?usp=sharing

Thanks again for your time and trouble.

Paul

1030PaulHarvey

Newbie Joined: Oct 16, 2015 15:32 Messages: 36 Offline

Nov 16, 2015 16:39

Quote: It worked with the drum corps video, but it took some "coaching". There are some challenges in there for the tracker:

I found it best to position the selection box at the point where his black undershirt is showing under the orange T-shirt (neck).

Thanks! I tried that a few times and even more weirdness happened. I won't bother you with it but it seems the only consistency in all my attempts has been the damn tracker doesn't move with the target, no matter what I do.

Quote: I'll upload the resultant clip if you wish, only to show that it's possible.

Nice! I can't get anything close to that. What do you mean by "coaching?"

Paul

optodata

Senior Contributor Location: California, USA Joined: Sep 16, 2011 16:04 Messages: 8630 Offline

Nov 16, 2015 16:49

By "coaching" I think he means letting the tracker go for as long as it tracks correctly, then resetting it at that point and clicking the Track button again over and over until the full sequence is set.

I'll try it with the band and drummer and can actually upload the project to you so you can import it straight into your video