CinemantiQ and the new 60i to 24p conversion

[Alain Bellon]

Hello,

We are almost done with the 60i -> 24p conversion that is integrated into CinemantiQ. This upgrade will be offered free of charge to existing users, and included with the new CinemantiQ release.

We would like to know if anyone here has some specific requests regarding 24p conversion. Also, we want to gauge the interest in this conversion before we make the new release.

Please voice in with your comments, both users and non-users.

PS. A demo is comming next.

[Chris Barcellos]

Alain:

I am looking forward to 24p upgrade.

[Alex Thames]

I am looking forward to 24p as well, but I'm interested in how it converts and deinterlaces the 60i footage?

[Alain Bellon]

Originally Posted by Alex Thames

I am looking forward to 24p as well, but I'm interested in how it converts and deinterlaces the 60i footage?

CinemantiQ uses an adaptive deinterlacer. It detects motion areas and only deinterlaces those areas. The rest of the image retains full resolution. The way the deinterlacing happens can be selected to give more or less motion blur, and the motion detection parameters can be adjusted as well.

There was a post in this forum pointing to a series of tests done by a DVX user with 3 popular deinterlacing options. I will talk to the author to see if he would allow me to use his test footage for comparison.

[Chris Owen]

I am VERY intersted in seeing the results. I still have not bought a new camera. I have been really leaning toward the XL2 for 24pA and 16:9. I would love to safeguard for HD in the future, but the price of the new HD cams is a bit beyond my reach.

I am really curious to see how CinemantiQ handles 60i to 24p from either the FX1 or Z1U.

[David Fletcher]

HI Alain,

Can you give us any idea when you be releasing your news version of CinemantiQ ? I'm eagerly awaiting the update


Rgds

David Fletcher

[Alain Bellon]

I did some tests of the CinemantiQ deinterlacing (from the new 24p conversion engine which is about to be released).

The following samples, for comparative measures, were done using the test video from: http://www.dvxuser.com/articles/60i/

(BTW if anyone knows how to contact the authors of the review, please let me know. I have been trying to contact them without success. For that reason, the following tests will just be used for illustration purposes, but will not be shown in our commercial site unless permission is granted.)

http://mentemagica.com/clip1_WCQ.jpg
http://mentemagica.com/clip2_WCQ.jpg
http://mentemagica.com/clip3_WCQ.jpg

You can compare these images from the ones obtained using MagicBullet, DVFilm Maker and Vegas in the original article (see URL above).

These were rendered using the default settings in CinemantiQ, without any tweaking.
CinemantiQ took 27 seconds to process the whole clip.
(Intel P4, 2.6Ghz)

Note: I think there is a bit of an advantage given to MagicBullet for a couple of reasons: 1:The MB shots are not from the same frames as the rest, which dramatically alters the quality, especially for jagged lines. 2:MB alters the image's histogram and contrasts the brightness a bit, which makes it look sharper. Still CinemantiQ gives MB a challenge in terms of quality, and beats it hands down in speed (50-60 times faster perhaps?).

I think I am very pleased with the results. You may be surprised ;)

Let us know what you think.

[Chris Barcellos]

So Alain, how much longer for the version, and how will we initial buyers be able to get it ?

[Alain Bellon]

Hello Chris,

We are finalizing details (User Manual, final testing, etc.)

I hate to give a date now since we have run into so many issues last time I did :) (Network server failure, integration issues with the new engine, etc.)

Current users will be informed of the new version as soon as it becomes avalialbe and will be given a download link for free.

[Chris Barcellos]

Thanks. I figured you guys were trying to resolve some issues. Seems like codecs, players, and basic techniques are changing so fast, its like trying to hit a moving target....

[Alain Bellon]

Originally Posted by Chris Barcellos

Thanks. I figured you guys were trying to resolve some issues. Seems like codecs, players, and basic techniques are changing so fast, its like trying to hit a moving target....

It's crazy I tell you!

Since our applications are stand alone, we don't have the benefit of leaving all those issues to the host application. We have to solve them all. But in the end our product will always be more optimized in terms of speed and in terms of user interface. And we try hard! :)

[Armin DeFiesta]

Awesome, I'm looking forward to the upgrade!

[Paul Kepen]

Does this work with CineForm HDV? or Native HDV?

What NLE's does it work with, it is a plug in, stand-alone, etc.?

The Web site shows its available now, but discussion here indicates its not quite ready yet, which is it?

Thanks - PK

[Alain Bellon]

Originally Posted by Paul Kepen

Does this work with CineForm HDV? or Native HDV?

What NLE's does it work with, it is a plug in, stand-alone, etc.?

The Web site shows its available now, but discussion here indicates its not quite ready yet, which is it?

Thanks - PK

CinemantiQ is a stand alone application. You do not need another application to run it.

For output it will work with all VfW codecs (that will change when the update comes along, which will support all codecs). It does not support native HDV at the moment.

CinemantiQ is available now, but the 24p conversion system along with the new rendering engine is not yet released. This will be a free update for exisiting users.

[Paul Kepen]

Thanks Alain for the response. I assume VFW codec is Video for Windows. I use Cineform with my HDV shots. So would CinematiQ work with the Cineform HDV files - they are AVI's ? What output are the CinematiQ/ will the 24p files be - AVI?