A/B? Of course. Didn't think about that... :)

You shouldn't have any problems. The requirements listed for the software don't mention anything extraordinary regarding video adapter, and it's not the type of application that would normally demand any heavy processing from the GPU.

Generally speaking, the SiS chipsets work fine. If you do run into problems, get the latest driver from www.sis.com and you should be fine.

Can Ultra 2 defocus a virtual set background?
 

I’m trying to achieve a greater depth of field by making the background slightly defocused in Ultra 2. This works for backgrounds that you supply yourself (just click the background or foreground layer and apply DeFocus) but no amount of clicking on the virtual set background will allow the defocus to work. Is there any way to defocus the virtual sets?

~jr

Go to View - Displayed Inputs - Pre-defined (or just hit Alt-P.)

Select the Vset layer you wish to defocus. Go to the Input tab, and move the Defocus slider.

Thanks, that works great, but only seems to work if the background is static. I’m using the Digital Studio backgrounds and the defocus control is grayed out. :( But it did work on the Library and I’m using that too. Still, the defocus is a great feature. Thanks,

~jr

It does depend on the set. In MSL1, since many of the sets were developed concurrently with ULTRA, some of the advanced functions like defocus were locked out. On newer tracking shots in MSL 2, 3, and 4, you can defocus during the tracking shots as well.

As of mid-March, the official forum has been updated and moved here: http://www.seriousmagic.com/msgboard/

Difference Between Ultra 2 and Ultra Key?
 

What are the differences, if any, between these two?

Ultra Key was the original ULTRA 1.0. It's the very first release of the program, which changed its name to ULTRA very shortly thereafter. Version 2 of the program was released about this time last year, and it includes a ton of new features and improvements. Some of the highlights are faster rendering, HD support up to 1920x1080/60p, user-controllable virtual shadows/reflections, paint mask, multi-point pan/zoom, and more. Here's a link for a full rundown: http://www.seriousmagic.com/products...hats_new_in_2/

I use the DataVideo SE-500 4 input S-Video switcher. It works well and features 4 frame synchronizers for glitch free switching and color correction on each input. It is available for under $1000 and does a nice job. I output that to a Canopus analog to digital converter for firewire input to DVRack.

Ultra 2 - Mac to PC Workflow Options
 

Karl,

I'd like to buy Ultra 2 if the following workflow, well... works.

1) Record in front of greenscreen (ReflecMedia) with HVX200 using P2 cards.

2) Import footage into Mac FCP 5.0.4 (not Universal) on a G5 (using the normal HVX direct to HDD, then to G5 workflow), import into FCP, edit then export as a Quicktime H.264 movie and save it to an external HDD.

3) Remove the HDD from the Mac and attach to a Sony PC Vaio.

4) Open up Ultra 2 and work with it to do whatever you would normally do with the footage in Ultra 2 to produce the final effect with the greenscreen footage merged with the Ultra 2 backgrounds.

Would this work?

Then, if so - What are the movie exporting options? Could I export it back into a Quicktime H.264 format so I could then move the footage made on my PC back to my Mac, work with compressing the footage one last time in Sorenson Squeeze 4.3 on into a .flv format for Flash?

Or is there a better way, so the footage would not have to be compressed 3 times (twice in QT, once as an .flv)?

My ReflecMedia stuff arives on Monday and I'm trying to prepare the best I can. Thank you for being an active member of this forum.

DV Rack 30-day trial overlay "pumping"
 

Hi all!

Downloaded the 30-day trial today to just check it out during a commercial shot in a couple of days (using a XL-H1). We'll record to tape anyway but I thought that I'd check it out, and if it's as good as people say, we'll get it.

Everything seems to work ok apart from a very annoying overlay brightness "pumping" issue. If I record a file and play it back in Windows Media Player, the pumping is NOT there. If I play it back in DV Rack it's still visible. And, and that's slightly scary, the "pumping" is clearly visible on the scopes.

Also, if I scroll the interface up/down, the overlay turns black ever so often.

My laptop is a Intel P4 3Ghz HT with a Gb of ram and a 7200 rpm drive using a fairly old Radeon 9600 Mobile using the latest driver possible, which is kind of old. At least a year and a half. CPU usage never goes over 56% during capture. DXDiag for the Grapichs below.

Any suggestion?

Best regards,

Max Hagelstam

Display Devices
---------------
Card name: MOBILITY M10
Manufacturer: ATI Technologies Inc.
Chip type: MOBILITY RADEON 9600 Series AGP (0x4E50)
DAC type: Internal DAC(350MHz)
Device Key: Enum\PCI\VEN_1002&DEV_4E50&SUBSYS_05001558&REV_00
Display Memory: 128.0 MB
Current Mode: 1280 x 1024 (32 bit) (60Hz)
Monitor: Standardbildskärm
Monitor Max Res:
Driver Name: ati2dvag.dll
Driver Version: 6.14.0010.6378 (English)
DDI Version: 9 (or higher)
Driver Attributes: Final Retail
Driver Date/Size: 8/12/2003 13:00:00, 369152 bytes
WHQL Logo'd: Yes
WHQL Date Stamp: n/a
VDD: Saknas
Mini VDD: ati2mtag.sys
Mini VDD Date: 8/12/2003 13:00:00, 594432 bytes
Device Identifier: {D7B71EE2-0D10-11CF-026E-0A25A1C2CB35}
Vendor ID: 0x1002
Device ID: 0x4E50
SubSys ID: 0x05001558
Revision ID: 0x0000
Revision ID: 0x0000
Video Accel: ModeMPEG2_C ModeMPEG2_D
Deinterlace Caps: {6E8329FF-B642-418B-BCF0-BCB6591E255F}: Format(In/Out)=(YUY2,YUY2) Frames(Prev/Fwd/Back)=(0,0,1) Caps=DeinterlaceTech_PixelAdaptive
{335AA36E-7884-43A4-9C91-7F87FAF3E37E}: Format(In/Out)=(YUY2,YUY2) Frames(Prev/Fwd/Back)=(0,0,0) Caps=DeinterlaceTech_BOBVerticalStretch
{6E8329FF-B642-418B-BCF0-BCB6591E255F}: Format(In/Out)=(UYVY,UYVY) Frames(Prev/Fwd/Back)=(0,0,1) Caps=DeinterlaceTech_PixelAdaptive
{335AA36E-7884-43A4-9C91-7F87FAF3E37E}: Format(In/Out)=(UYVY,UYVY) Frames(Prev/Fwd/Back)=(0,0,0) Caps=DeinterlaceTech_BOBVerticalStretch
{6E8329FF-B642-418B-BCF0-BCB6591E255F}: Format(In/Out)=(YV12,0x32315659) Frames(Prev/Fwd/Back)=(0,0,1) Caps=DeinterlaceTech_PixelAdaptive
{335AA36E-7884-43A4-9C91-7F87FAF3E37E}: Format(In/Out)=(YV12,0x32315659) Frames(Prev/Fwd/Back)=(0,0,0) Caps=DeinterlaceTech_BOBVerticalStretch
{6E8329FF-B642-418B-BCF0-BCB6591E255F}: Format(In/Out)=(NV12,0x3231564e) Frames(Prev/Fwd/Back)=(0,0,1) Caps=DeinterlaceTech_PixelAdaptive
{335AA36E-7884-43A4-9C91-7F87FAF3E37E}: Format(In/Out)=(NV12,0x3231564e) Frames(Prev/Fwd/Back)=(0,0,0) Caps=DeinterlaceTech_BOBVerticalStretch
Registry: OK
DDraw Status: Enabled
D3D Status: Enabled
AGP Status: Enabled
DDraw Test Result: Not run
D3D7 Test Result: Not run
D3D8 Test Result: Not run
D3D9 Test Result: Not run

Are you absolutely the problem isn't in the recorded clip? If I'm understanding the problem, you are seeing the luma values on the waveform fluctuate slightly, creating an "oscillating" effect. I have seen this just recently, and it was caused by an oddball set of flourescent lights, and an incorrect shutter speed setting in the camera. (60Hz lighting and 1/50th sec shutter speed is a BAD IDEA.) Setting the shutter speed in the camera to match the lights corrected the problem.

If that could not be the problem, then I would get an updated video card for this system - 2003 drivers could cause a number of problems, including a flickering black screen. Updated drivers will be available from your laptop manufacturer, or from www.omegadrivers.net if your laptop manufacturer hasn't kept up to date.

A couple of DVRack Questions
 

Hi, I've been using DVrack for a little while, but not all the time. I have a couple of questions that I can't seem to figure out.

1. What is the best res. for the laptop screen? I have recently ran it with HDV coming from my Z1u at 1280 and it looked really good. There was a little delay in the video, but it looked better on the screen than at 1024. 1024 looked grainy on the screen.
(BTW I understand that it is just the monitor and doesn't effect the video being captured)

2. When recording from my Z1u, I had primary audio coming from a mixer into channel 1 and then had a shotgun for ambiant into channel 2. On the DV Rack screen, the main audio was showing up on the Right channel (which is usually Ch.2) and the shotgun was on the left channel (which is usually channel 1). I'm wondering why?

Thanks,

David