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That's one funny video!
LOL ![]()
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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.
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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.
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Thanks vn800rider.
That thread had another link...
http://forum.cyberlink.com/forum/posts/list/4388.page#16829
...which suggested that when you use a custom background image, and experience this bug, applying a video effect other than "no effect" will fix the problem. And it did!
I set the zoom effect but set the slider all the way to the left (no zoom). And that fixed it.
However, being a software developer myself, I don't like the fact that this bug exists in their software. This is the kind of bug that costs their users money and time. In order to see if the bug appears or not, you have to burn a DVD. DVD's cost money and take time to burn. Only after you have burned your DVD can you tell if your work-around fixes the problem.
I have had to burn 3 DVD's. I know, they aren't that expensive. But my movie is over an hour long. It takes a long time to burn. So there is the question of the cost of my time as well.
If such a bug existed in software that I had written (one that costs my customers money), I would consider it an extremely serious bug and a top priority to fix. Bottom line, I would have a hotfix patch for within 24 hours for my customers. I would consider that my duty and responsibility as a software vendor.
Just my two cents.
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Hi all. Anyone else have a problem after burning a DVD the highlights don't show up on the DVD Menu? I can't figure out why they won't show up on the finished DVD. The end user has no idea which button is selected.
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It turns out that I had too much footage for the DVD I was burning. The quality of the video was automatically reduced in order to fit the movie onto the DVD. The lowered resolution is what caused the moire effect in that one scene with the check striped shirt. Guess I'm going to have to go dual layer for this one.
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I filmed a talent show at my church and one young lady had a check striped shirt. It's producing some very horrible moire effects that draw the eye and distract the viewer. I really hate it.
Does PowerDirector 7 have any means to fix this?
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1) A little donate is on the way
Thank you very much!
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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) ![]()
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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. ![]()
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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.
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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.
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Just so everyone knows... I have completed work on version 2.0. (another 12 hours)
This version is even easier to use and actually creates your .png thumbnails for you too!!
Here's a link to the post...
http://forum.cyberlink.com/forum/posts/list/0/6624.page#26360
I suggest we stop replying to this post and post replies to the one linked above. (so this one doesn't keep getting bumped)
Moderator: I wonder if you'd be willing to make the other post sticky?
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Hello folks,
I am not affiliated with CyberLink. I'm just a software developer and a fan of PowerDirector 7.
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.
I am offering this for FREE. However, I ask that you please consider a donation, because I did spend considerable time on this. Even if you just donate $1, at least donate something to say you appreciate it. ![]()
Here are some screenshots:
Note: The most important thing to remember when creating your bitmap is to disable antialiasing and dithering. Only pure white pixels (#FFFFFF) will be used as transparent areas. All other colors will be masked out.
Here's the link to download it...
Download Mask Converter 2.0 (build 2.0.4)
And here's a link to the latest HOW TO video...
How to create a custom PiP Mask
HAPPY MASK CREATING!!!
Respectfully,
Charles Forsyth
Moderator notation: A contribution of $5 to $10 is a good figure, it is a thank you for a super tool.
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Yes - great work Charles... and very much appreciated by anyone with the urge to create a custom mask. I certainly wouldn't count myself in the "Advanced Computer User" category, but I don't think I'll have any difficulty using it with the help of your ReadMe file.
BTW - I popped onto yor website after downloading one of the masks you made & was intrigued (I suppose that's the word) by the Latin (or whatever language it is) on your Dev. Journal page. With the little that remains in my brain from school boy Latin classes, I thought I'd give translation a shot. Nah - no go. All I could work out was that someone was swimming (and probably sinking) in the sea, someone was in pain because they were temporarily envious. None of that made much sense, so I figured it must be your own Da Vinci code.
Now - if you really wanted to confuse people, you could have used that to write the read me file!
Anyway, Charles, well done.
Cheers -
Tony
What Antiekeradio said. ![]() That's just filler text. Commonly used by programmers as a placeholder.
Please excuse my site. I have not had time to updated it in quite some time. In fact I know the nav-menu is broken in IE8 and I still haven't had time to fix it.
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Charles, thanks for the time and effort you put into this.
I initially had a question about the finding the initial instructions which are provided during installation, but I found the readme file.
Yes, sorry I didn't make that clear.
For the benefit of others, after installation, find the readme.rtf file in the folder where the utility was installed. It has general instructions for using the tool.
By default it is here:
C:\Program Files\Charles Forsyth\BMP to Mask Converter Utility
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CharlesF
Good write up, I've been seriously considering that camera or the Canon S10. For your tripod issue, does it work to use the composite out feature and go through a Video Game Jockey to display on a VGA panel? I do that with my current Canon.
Jeff
Well, I was wrong about hooking up a live feed. I got it to work using component out and a really old TV. ![]()
I think this was operator error. I tried to hook up my camera to my big screen plasma using the side component connections and couldn't get it to work. I'm thinking the TV itself probably wasn't configured correctly.
In any case, I have confirmed that I am able to get a live feed from the camrea while it is recording. The entire on-screen display is shown on the TV, so that's AWESOME for me!
Now I need to find a monitor that is widescreen and not too big to lug around. ![]()
Note though that the same hole is used for either headphones or component. The default setting is for headphones so you have to go into the menu and dig through to reset it to A/V.
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CharlesF
Good write up, I've been seriously considering that camera or the Canon S10. For your tripod issue, does it work to use the composite out feature and go through a Video Game Jockey to display on a VGA panel? I do that with my current Canon.
Jeff
That's a good idea, with the video game jockey to use a computer monitor instead of a TV. (It would be lighter to use an LCD monitor)
What I really wanted (to make life perfect) would be to hook it up via USB to my laptop and see the live feed on my laptop (which is easily portable). But that dog don't hunt.
Note: Just because I've been unsuccessful hooking up a monitor to the HF20, doesn't mean it's not possible. I never really tried very hard. I never tried the HDMI out because I don't have a cable. I only tried the component out.
But from what I read in the manual, it's only possible to get output from those jacks for a movie that's already been recorded and you're just playing it back. Not a live feed (which is what I need).
However, we've already established that their manual isn't all that good. So who knows?
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Hi again Tony.
I have the new Canon Vixia HF20 HD
What I love about it is that this model has 32 gigs of built-in, on-board flash memory and of course an SD slot too. Not that I can shoot that much video in one day. ![]()
This means there are no moving parts (except lense stuff). There's no hard drive. The less moving parts, the longer your battery lasts. Also, less things to break down. ![]() Hard drives are always the first thing to break.
So far, I'm very pleased with it.
I do have a few gripes though.
For one, the software for uploading really sucks. (being a software developer myself, I'm sensative to this).
For another, you can't stream from the camera. In other words, there's no "video capture" feature. You just have to dump all your digital recordings up to your hard drive at once.
Related to that, there's no "live feed." I can't hook up a monitor to the camera and view while it's recording. I would like to be able to hook up a monitor when the camera is up high on my tall crane/boom tripod, so I can see where it's pointing. But I can't.
Another thing I don't like is that there is no easy way to disconnect the camera from the USB. They plaster warnings all over the place telling you NOT to disconnect the camera once you connect it. But they don't tell the user HOW to disconnect it when he wants to! So you're left scratching your head wondering if you have to leave it connected forever.
Naturally I already knew that you can disconnect USB by using the "safely remove hardware" tray application to shut it down first, but a normal person wouldn't know that. I looked in the manual and nowhere does it teach the end user how to disconnec the camera from USB.
Well... that's my 2 cents. ![]()
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Hi Jose,
I thought you might like to know I built a tool to convert a bitmap image into a PowerDirector 7 mask file.
See this thread....
http://forum.cyberlink.com/forum/posts/list/6610.page
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Ok, the BMP to MSK Converter Utility v1.0 (beta) is done!
It only took about 10 hours! hehe
Here's a link to where you can download it:
http://www.charlesforsyth.com/downloads/BMPtoMSKConverter.ZIP (598K)
Please remember that I can't provide much support for this and it was designed for intermediate to advanced computer users.
Happy masking!
-Charles Forsyth
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If an average user can figure this out why can't Cyberlink provide a useful method of making custom masks? It would be a very useful feature and something I would actually use. A link could be put on Directors Zone for uploaded custom masks from users.
With over 30 years experience programming computers, i wouldn't call myself "an average user." hehe ![]()
Patience grasshopper... a new tool cometh!
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