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Software crazyness
2005-08-10 16:25:43
Today I got that PC-mag with the new version of MoviXone. But it wasn't the Plus version like I hoped, it was 4.5. So I deinstalled the previous version and intalled this. After starting it I was surprised, and that twice. First, it loaded my last project. Means, the deinstall routine hasn't cleaned up well. Second, it complained that the user mask effect isn't available. Those bastards! I hoped it had some more effects, but they reduced the number of effects. The problem with the video control is resolved. But it hasn't that high worth to me as the users mask, because the preview function works. I hoped I can get the effect from the 4.0 version, but no matter how often I installed and deinstalled both versions, I didn't figure out what the filters are. So I will probably continue with vers. 4.0, especially 'cause the same mag provides an effect program which can be integrated in MovieXone via plugin.
Regarding the voting for ScoobsNet crowd favorite, I download the vid's at work and carry them home with my USB-stick. ;) The only flaw: this stick has only 128MB, so I can get between 1 and 3 vid's per day. -
For the first time...
2005-08-09 16:37:44
... I have given an op. It's for the AMV I told about some entries back. I wish my first one had better scores. But while giving low scores I tried to be helpfull, I explained for every scor so that he can learn from it.
Downloading the vid's for ScoobsNet crowd favorite is a mess. Since you can only download 10 local files without giving stars, I have to download a couple of them, to watch them, to give stars before I can download the next. So I download per category. And downloading all will for sure exceed my traffic limits. Some entries ago I complained about an 65MB file. That's nothing. I encounterd one with 85 MB, 3MB/s video (Why?) and uncompressed audio. I thought "that will for sure be the largest", but I was wrong. Meanwhile I downloaded 2 with over 90 MB. If it continues like that, I exceed my my 1G free traffic for the same amount. I must check how expensive this will get. Maybe I refrain from taking part at the votes. -
2005-08-08 16:28:03
ScoobsNet Studios Contest crowds favorite voting has begun. So I have to download now the vid's of the other creators to choose my 4 favorite. I hope they aren't all that large as the first one, which had 66 MB. Around 20 vids are in, and I have only 1000 MB free traffic. If I exceed that traffic, it becomes expensive. I'm a little bit curious, and nervous too, if my vid will get at least one vote from other creators.
Sometimes I have a board in front of my head. Yesterday, as I played around with MovieXone and needed to make a triangle shape mask, I wasn't able to do it with GIMP and had to use MSPaint instead. Today I complained at a colleague about that there is no easy way in GIMP to draw basic geometric figures. He uses GIMP too, but had never tried to do that. So he couldn't help me. This evening during training a chandelier enlighted my head: It's simple to make that figures with the path tool, to make a selection of it and to fill it with color. -
Rainy Day or How Turns Bad Into Good
2005-08-07 16:41:56
Working with Moviexone is like riding a rollercoaster. I have worked with the footage I made yesterday and had the same issues like with my last project - no matter what I'd tried, in the preview video and audio was out of synch.
I visited the AIST website and browsed their FAQ's - nothing. But one thing made me curious. MovieXone has two preview functions. One is called preview, it's fast and crappy and I never had sound. The other needs time to render if you play a part for the first time or make changes. Therefore you have a high quality preview and I had the sound too. But the FAQ's read like in both preview functions sound is possible. I needed a while to figure out where I can switch it on 'cause it was very hidden. After enabling it I was surprised, in this function sound and video are correct.
Encouraged by this success I tried to make an "animation" and was surprised how easy it is. In very short time I made a clip move around and rotate. So I think I will continue with MovieXone. I ordered an issue of a PC mag which has an actual version of MovieXone as giveaway. Maybe if I'm satisfied I will upgrade to MovieDV, which offers more effects and editing tracks. -
2005-08-06 18:01:46
I have ripped Noir ep#1 and made some clips from calm scenes. Together with Kireina Kanjou (Piano vers.) I'll use them as test project for the editing programs. The song has the advantage to consist mostly of single piano strokes, so it's easy to check if video and audio keep in synch. I started of course with MovieXone to check if it is really that bad or if the issues can be resolved. This project will never make it in the public - no concept behind it, probably deadly boring and only for test purposes.
Today I have downloaded a vid from the recommendations forum. The one who recommended it claimed it as the best he has ever seen (poor guy), and gave it straight 10's. It was the first AMV of that creator. Only from reading the specs I knew neither visual nor audio deserve straight 10's - a 640x480 vid with only 6.5 MByte per min in WMV3 codec and 96 kBit/s audio. And right, nearly all the times there were compression artefacts.The low audio quality isn't that remarkable at my low cost PC-speakers, but that the song was cut was very obvious. Synching a 10? I didn't notice any synching. Maybe the creator tried only to match the scenes to the lyrics and ignored the music - the same mistake I made in my first vid. I have to check this. Originality a 10? The anime was used the first time, with exception of the use in 2 multiple anime vids, but does this make it original? I don't think so. Originality is the whole concept behind it, and there was nothing I hadn't seen several times. Even a combination of most used anime and song can still be original if the concept is. For example, even a DBZ vid to "My Immortal" from Evanescense could be original if it would show a gay relationship between Son Goku and Vegeta.
So what I learned from it? I continue downloading videos like before. Ignore all ranking systems, ignore the recommendations forum, download the AMV for animes I like, from creators I like or which got my interest and judge myself.
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JOURNAL: Keeper of Hellfire
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