Re: [Leica] Putting still images to video

["Mike Durling" <durling@widomaker.com>]

David:

Yes you can get some wierd distortions converting SVGA to NTSC depending on
hardware and software.  In my case I was using a 720x486 image that was
being edited into a video program.  I had a logo that I was superimposing on
the background in Photoshop and I actually had to shrink the logo to 90% of
its original height in order for it to stay round when shown on NTSC video.

I do seem to remember some software (DVDIT?) where you had to start with a
530 pixel high image in order to make it come out right.  It doesn't seem to
make any sense to me but thats the way it is.

Mike D

- ----- Original Message -----
From: "Rodgers, David" <david.rodgers@xo.com>
To: <leica-users@mejac.palo-alto.ca.us>
Sent: Friday, June 22, 2001 12:41 PM
Subject: RE: [Leica] Putting still images to video


> Mike,
>
> By stretching I meant vertically. Roughly 530 pixels. Transitioning SVGA
to
> NTSC does some strange things to an image, as does leaving the computer
> arena entirely and going to NTSC. By that I mean converting to a codec
that
> can be viewed on a DVD player, vs plugging a projector into the SVGA port
on
> a PC. Pixels aren't the same in both worlds. Getting color and luminance
> right is a big challenge. At least with the tools I've used so far. I've
> converted stills so they can be shown on a DVD player. Just not very well
so
> far. The sound is great, though.
>
> Personally, I find video complex, but fascinating. I've seen still images
> placed in digital video with great effect. The equipment to make that
happen
> is much more affordable today than a few years back. Adobe has some great
> demos on their web site. It isn't easy as they  make it look, however.
> There's much to learn.  I spent lots of time in this area over the winter.
I
> haven't even scratched the surface.
>
> I think streaming video is the future of the Internet. May be a couple of
> years away, but it's coming.  I envision stills being integrated with
> digital video, and streamed over the web for advertising, marketing,
> promotion and even entertainment. The possiblities are endless. There's a
> new world coming, but  I think high res still images (scanned from film
for
> on a flatbed) can and will play an important role. FWIW.
>
> Take, for example, a parallel thread that's running right now. Tina asked
> about places to travel. Descriptions are ok. But what if you could send 4
> minute streaming video with photographs, audio, travel tips on places to
> stay. She -- or any of us because I ask that question often too -- would
> probably find that a bit more informative than prose.
>
> Dave
>
> -----Original Message-----
> From: Mike Durling [mailto:durling@widomaker.com]
> Sent: Thursday, June 21, 2001 7:15 PM
> To: leica-users@mejac.palo-alto.ca.us
> Subject: Re: [Leica] Putting still images to video
>
>
> It's interesting that you have to stretch your photoshop files when
> converting to video.  The hardware I use at work expects a 720x486 image
and
> I often have to squash the photoshop images when combining graphics with
> captured images.  The "squash" ratio ends up being about 90% of the
original
> image height.  Other hardware may be using a 640x480 image.
>
> Its true that interlace can be a problem.
>
> I have seen some people convert their slide shows to PowerPoint documents.
> Certainly convenient but the images often leave a lot to be desired.
>
> Mike D
>
> ----- Original Message -----
> From: "Rodgers, David" <david.rodgers@xo.com>
> To: <leica-users@mejac.palo-alto.ca.us>
> Sent: Thursday, June 21, 2001 1:39 PM
> Subject: RE: [Leica] Putting still images to video
>
>
> > Mark
> >
> > >>You shouldn't need to reboot your system. Just invoke My Computer /
> > Properties / Device Manager, and refresh the SCSI controller after you
> turn
> > the scanner back on.<<
> >
> > Thanks for the note.  Your suggestion should work, and sometimes it
does.
> > But not always. My system is pretty touchy. I've got several SCSI cards
> and
> > a large drive subsystem. I put it all together so I could experiment
with
> > adding native motion and audio to still images using Adobe Premiere, and
> > play it on a DVD player.
> >
> > Importing tiff files -- or any still image format -- to video is a
> difficult
> > transition. Computer graphics is non-interleave and the pixels are
round.
> > NTSC is interleave and the pixels are square. Interleave isn't a
problem,
> > the but the round to square pixel isssue is. With a straight import
> > Photoshop files suffer verical compression (i.e. they look squashed on
> TV).
> > You have to stretch them in Photoshop before the import. I'd love to get
> > Adobe After effects. I understand it makes the transition much easier.
> Also
> > has a much better interface for applying motion to stills.
> >
> > I've put together some image clips on VCD. It's interesting. Audio can
add
> a
> > great deal to the viewing experience.  You can even do voice overs. I
just
> > plop the CD into my DVD player and it's like watching a slide show, sort
> of.
> > While it's easier than getting out the Ektagraphic, image quality isn't
> the
> > same. Sort of defeats the purpose of using Leica. OTOH you can't do
motion
> > -- pans, scrolls, etc. -- on an Ektagraphic. There's a lot to video. So
> far
> > I've just been importing still images, but I may integrate some DV, too.
> >
> > I thought saving 16-bit tiff files ate lots of drive space. Tiffs are
like
> > mice. Video (any of various formats) eats drive space like a T-Rex.
Takes
> a
> > while to boot or reboot my system, because of the drive subsystem. I
> really
> > need to change things around, get a separate server for the drive
> > sub-system. I need to made a separate video and still system. Just no
> time.
> > When I scan I switch from slides to negs all the time and I've only had
> one
> > or two instances of color shifts. It seemed to me that swapping the side
> and
> > stip holders cleared this up. That's probably why the note I read about
> > scanner exposure memory stuck with me.
> >
> > Dave
> >
>