Blue Barn Pictures XL2 Presets Manager discussion thread

Marty Hudzik · July 27th, 2005, 10:15 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Chris Hurd

That's a fair comment, Marty. That's why I've tried to position this software as a management tool more than a creative tool. You're still much better off actually creating the preset in the camera. The Presets Manager application is a great solution for maintaining and updating a library of favorite presets.

The only complaint I have with changing the presets in camera is the instantaneous feedback isn't there. I change 1 setting and want to compare it to another preset and I have to toggle and move positions and it makes it hard to compare. With the software you click to send to camera and you get instant feedback.....however the EXT. CTRL setting skews it.

Still great to have and manage.

Andy Joyce · July 27th, 2005, 12:26 PM

Wow, what a time/brain saver!

Hats off to the developers. This reminds me of the MIDI sysex programs I used to use to store my complex synth settings. It's great to take a process that's cumbersome and slow, and make it very useful and practical.

Before, I had to go to the trouble of re-working Matt Cherry's template into a portable form (business card size) to carry a ton of settings with me. Now it's academic, but feel free to use it if you want:

http://www.geocities.com/amjoyce2004

Greg Boston · July 27th, 2005, 12:30 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Andy Joyce

Wow, what a time/brain saver!

Hats off to the developers. This reminds me of the MIDI sysex programs I used to use to store my complex synth settings. It's great to take a process that's cumbersome and slow, and make it very useful and practical.

Before, I had to go to the trouble of re-working Matt Cherry's template into a portable form (business card size) to carry a ton of settings with me. Now it's academic, but feel free to use it if you want:

http://www.geocities.com/amjoyce2004

Exactly Andy! Think of this app as a patch editor/librarian like our synths use.

-gb-

Greg Boston · July 27th, 2005, 12:33 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Marty Hudzik

However the XL2 defaults to 4x3, 60i and autogain and who knows what color balance.. The changes I made looked different when I went back to manual mode. Unfortunately this makes on the fly adjustments impossible from the software, unless someone else has an idea to work around this.

Really? Even if the switches are physically set to 16:9 and 24P. I'll have to look at that.

-gb-

Marty Hudzik · July 27th, 2005, 01:39 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Greg Boston

Really? Even if the switches are physically set to 16:9 and 24P. I'll have to look at that.

-gb-

When you first put the camera into EXT. CTRL. it displays a little A inside the box that looks like auto mode. Then the gain light came on (assuming that the camera thinks it should be gained up) and the image on my monitor went to 4x3 and 60i. I am guessing the white balance was in auto too as all the adjustments I made looked completely off when I moved back to manual mode. I should point out that none of these are displayed on-screen. There is no indicators that you are in 60i or 4x3 or gain (except light). But it is obvious to your naked eye.

Stephen Duke · July 27th, 2005, 06:12 PM

Hi guys,

I glad your all enjoying the application.

I'll let you know why I decided with the standard presets only. Inside the camera is a processor which handles all the operation instructions. Imagine all the external functions you see on the camera as a computer keyboard. The keys are not directly connected with the function they perform, but rather, send a signal to the processor to perform the action.

When you move the dial to a particular setting, the processor will react to the key sequence sent to it. Thats why in green box mode, a lot of the 'key' functions dont work.

When you select Ext. Cont. mode, the processor ignores ALL the keys and expects direction from the firewire cable. Consider each time you change the dial position as hitting the reset switch on your PC.

I can set anything in the camera, however, when you move the dial, you reset the camera processor, and it will look at the dial position to ascertain the correct startup controls and settings.

There are a few resident features that do not get reset, primarily, the presets.

I hope this helps.

steve

Patrick King · July 27th, 2005, 06:24 PM

Dear Booth Monkey,

I just had a fun time using your program, XL2 Presets Manager, and Canon's program, DV-PC.

In about twenty minutes time I was able to capture footage of the same scene with 6 presets applied. I loaded the first three with XL2 Preset Manager, close the program and turned the Power Dial to a record mode, opened DV-PC, and recorded a 30 second clip directly to disk. I then invoked another of the presets downloaded in the cam, and recorded another 30 second clip. After recording the third preset's clip, I rotated the Power Dial back to EXT CONT, launched your program, downloaded three more presets and repeated the capture process to acquire clips for each.

Then I could evaluate them all at the same time in Vegas by just placing them on tracks named for the preset and muting all but the track I wanted to view.

Great fun and way easier than doing it all manually. Thanks again Steve! And how about telling us how you got that tag-line below your name, is there a story there?

Stephen Duke · July 27th, 2005, 06:31 PM

>And how about telling us how you got that tag-line below your name, is there a story there?

And pictures too!

steve

Patrick King · July 28th, 2005, 11:35 AM

Steve,

I just occured to me that from yesterdays multi-preset capture, I think I'm going to create a Presets Smartbook. I'm going to select a screen grab from each of the Preset video files, and then do an "ALT/PrintScreen" on your XL2 Presets Manager program showing the same preset, then place both in a Word document and print on 8x10 photo paper, whole punch, and place them all in a binder. That way I have not only a name for the Preset, but an example I can relate to of what the preset looks like.

Just an idea.

Matthew Cherry · July 28th, 2005, 04:07 PM

No problemo, Greg.

Lauri Kettunen · July 30th, 2005, 02:08 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Stephen Duke

I can set anything in the camera, however, when you move the dial, you reset the camera processor

Steve, do you mean literally anything, and thus, also focus, IS, zoom, etc., which are controlled by the knobs on the lens? Or does anything in the camera mean anything in the XL2 body?

Second, what kind of programming skills one needs to use the SDK?

Ash Greyson · August 1st, 2005, 01:26 PM

I have been insanely busy but this is what I have always wanted. I prolly have 50+ presets I use for different things. I havent had a chance to mess around with the software but are the preset files something that can be posted and downloaded? If not, that is the next step. As always, I will share all my settings openly and for FREE....

ash =o)

Marty Hudzik · August 1st, 2005, 01:34 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Ash Greyson

I have been insanely busy but this is what I have always wanted. I prolly have 50+ presets I use for different things. I havent had a chance to mess around with the software but are the preset files something that can be posted and downloaded? If not, that is the next step. As always, I will share all my settings openly and for FREE....

ash =o)

Chris already has a bunch of presets posted. You can download them and automatically push them to your camera. If you can get in touch with Chris and get some or all of your "50" presets uploaded we would greatly appreciate it. The beauty is that you can go into the software. Quickly key in your settings and save the file to your HD. Repeat and rinse. In 5-10 minutes you could feasibly have them all saved. And they are so small you could upload fast. What would take the longest is naming them and giving them a usable description. Come on....you know you want to!

:)

Peace!

Patrick King · August 1st, 2005, 02:14 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Marty Hudzik

If you can get in touch with Chris and get some or all of your "50" presets uploaded we would greatly appreciate it.

In 5-10 minutes you could feasibly have them all saved.

Come on....you know you want to!

Yeah, what he said! Ash you'll notice that one or two of the ones Chris posted originally here are actually some you posted in a forum and Chris or Steve loaded prior to the 'grand rollout'. You're famous already...now lets see how famous by posting the other 50!

Thanks Ash, and drop Steve a line and tell him and Blue Barn how much you like the XL2 Presets Manager.

Chris Hurd · August 1st, 2005, 02:16 PM

Hey Ash, see this thread:

http://www.dvinfo.net/conf/showthread.php?t=48287

As Patrick has pointed out, several of those are indeed your settings.

You should probably contact me by email!

July 27th, 2005, 12:26 PM	#17
Andy Joyce Regular Crew Join Date: Jun 2005 Location: Silicon Valley Posts: 61	Hallelujah! Wow, what a time/brain saver! Hats off to the developers. This reminds me of the MIDI sysex programs I used to use to store my complex synth settings. It's great to take a process that's cumbersome and slow, and make it very useful and practical. Before, I had to go to the trouble of re-working Matt Cherry's template into a portable form (business card size) to carry a ton of settings with me. Now it's academic, but feel free to use it if you want: http://www.geocities.com/amjoyce2004 __________________ ----------------------------------- XL2: power to go, quality to impress

July 27th, 2005, 06:24 PM	#22
Patrick King Major Player Join Date: Jul 2004 Location: Enterprise, AL Posts: 857	Dear Booth Monkey, I just had a fun time using your program, XL2 Presets Manager, and Canon's program, DV-PC. In about twenty minutes time I was able to capture footage of the same scene with 6 presets applied. I loaded the first three with XL2 Preset Manager, close the program and turned the Power Dial to a record mode, opened DV-PC, and recorded a 30 second clip directly to disk. I then invoked another of the presets downloaded in the cam, and recorded another 30 second clip. After recording the third preset's clip, I rotated the Power Dial back to EXT CONT, launched your program, downloaded three more presets and repeated the capture process to acquire clips for each. Then I could evaluate them all at the same time in Vegas by just placing them on tracks named for the preset and muting all but the track I wanted to view. Great fun and way easier than doing it all manually. Thanks again Steve! And how about telling us how you got that tag-line below your name, is there a story there? __________________ Fear No Weevil!

July 28th, 2005, 11:35 AM	#24
Patrick King Major Player Join Date: Jul 2004 Location: Enterprise, AL Posts: 857	Steve, I just occured to me that from yesterdays multi-preset capture, I think I'm going to create a Presets Smartbook. I'm going to select a screen grab from each of the Preset video files, and then do an "ALT/PrintScreen" on your XL2 Presets Manager program showing the same preset, then place both in a Word document and print on 8x10 photo paper, whole punch, and place them all in a binder. That way I have not only a name for the Preset, but an example I can relate to of what the preset looks like. Just an idea. __________________ Fear No Weevil!

August 1st, 2005, 02:16 PM	#30
Chris Hurd Obstreperous Rex Join Date: Jan 2001 Location: San Marcos, TX Posts: 27,366 Images: 513	Hey Ash, see this thread: http://www.dvinfo.net/conf/showthread.php?t=48287 As Patrick has pointed out, several of those are indeed your settings. You should probably contact me by email! __________________ CH Search DV Info Net \| 20 years of DVi \| ...Tuesday is Soylent Green Day!

July 27th, 2005, 06:12 PM	#21
Stephen Duke Booth Monkey Join Date: Jan 2004 Location: New York Posts: 30	Hi guys, I glad your all enjoying the application. I'll let you know why I decided with the standard presets only. Inside the camera is a processor which handles all the operation instructions. Imagine all the external functions you see on the camera as a computer keyboard. The keys are not directly connected with the function they perform, but rather, send a signal to the processor to perform the action. When you move the dial to a particular setting, the processor will react to the key sequence sent to it. Thats why in green box mode, a lot of the 'key' functions dont work. When you select Ext. Cont. mode, the processor ignores ALL the keys and expects direction from the firewire cable. Consider each time you change the dial position as hitting the reset switch on your PC. I can set anything in the camera, however, when you move the dial, you reset the camera processor, and it will look at the dial position to ascertain the correct startup controls and settings. There are a few resident features that do not get reset, primarily, the presets. I hope this helps. steve

July 27th, 2005, 06:31 PM	#23
Stephen Duke Booth Monkey Join Date: Jan 2004 Location: New York Posts: 30	>And how about telling us how you got that tag-line below your name, is there a story there? And pictures too! steve

July 28th, 2005, 04:07 PM	#25
Matthew Cherry Major Player Join Date: Sep 2004 Location: Stamford, CT United States Posts: 212	No problemo, Greg.

August 1st, 2005, 01:26 PM	#27
Ash Greyson Trustee Join Date: May 2003 Location: Tulsa, OK Posts: 1,689	I have been insanely busy but this is what I have always wanted. I prolly have 50+ presets I use for different things. I havent had a chance to mess around with the software but are the preset files something that can be posted and downloaded? If not, that is the next step. As always, I will share all my settings openly and for FREE.... ash =o)