Okay, how do I do overlays? :-)

I want to overlay animated graphics on video footage. The graphics will be
derived from real-time captured data - my plan is to read the data with
software (written in VB) and generate the individual frames by using the
software to manipulate the graphical elements. For each frame, the software
creates a still image with a transparent background. At the moment, that's
as far as I've got in terms of defining the process, and I'm not sure where
to go from there.

Can I take a sequence of frames (generated stills) and turn them into a
DV-style video? Can I then use a suitable video editing program to overlay
the generated animation onto the normal video footage? It looks like none of
the video editors I have can do more than one track of video (ULead 4.0,
Pinnacle Expression, NeroVision Express). I also have Animation Shop (it
came with Paintshop Pro) but haven't used it - could that do it?


--
Wally
www.artbywally.com/FiatPandaRally/index.htm
www.wally.myby.co.uk

On Thu, 03 Mar 2005 21:27:27 GMT, "Wally" wrote:

Okay, how do I do overlays? :-)

I want to overlay animated graphics on video footage. The graphics will be
derived from real-time captured data - my plan is to read the data with
software (written in VB) and generate the individual frames by using the
software to manipulate the graphical elements. For each frame, the software
creates a still image with a transparent background. At the moment, that's
as far as I've got in terms of defining the process, and I'm not sure where
to go from there.

Can I take a sequence of frames (generated stills) and turn them into a
DV-style video? Can I then use a suitable video editing program to overlay
the generated animation onto the normal video footage? It looks like none of
the video editors I have can do more than one track of video (ULead 4.0,
Pinnacle Expression, NeroVision Express). I also have Animation Shop (it
came with Paintshop Pro) but haven't used it - could that do it?

1. yes
2. yes
3. a good video editing package will allow this easily.
i.e. mediastudio pro 6.5ve free on a recent pcpro and computervideo
magazine.

Gary MacKenzie
Video Editor

Gary MacKenzie wrote:

3. a good video editing package will allow this easily.
i.e. mediastudio pro 6.5ve free on a recent pcpro and computervideo
magazine.

Was it a trial version, or a full version of an earlier release?


--
Wally
www.artbywally.com/FiatPandaRally/index.htm
www.wally.myby.co.uk

In message , Wally
writes
Okay, how do I do overlays? :-)

I want to overlay animated graphics on video footage. The graphics will be
derived from real-time captured data - my plan is to read the data with
software (written in VB) and generate the individual frames by using the
software to manipulate the graphical elements.

At 25 fps? Are you able to sync it at 25 fps?

For each frame, the software
creates a still image with a transparent background.

Am I right in believing that we are now talking about GIFs?

At the moment, that's
as far as I've got in terms of defining the process, and I'm not sure where
to go from there.

It would help to know something about the application. I suspect that
whatever you are doing, it might be a little more difficult than some
might suggest, for various reasons (see below).

Can I take a sequence of frames (generated stills) and turn them into a
DV-style video?

Before first importing them into a video editor, I doubt it - but I
could be wrong.

Can I then use a suitable video editing program to overlay
the generated animation onto the normal video footage?

Most half-decent video editors can do that with video streams. But
importing GIFs usually involves hand-importing each one, dropping it
into the time-line in a layer above the main video stream (just like you
can do titling, PinP, or multi-windowed video). The problem here is that
most (all?) video editors import stills into all frames of a block
(typically 5 seconds), and then you're going to have to strip all but
one frame, then repeat for the next GIF.. ad infinitum.

It looks like none of
the video editors I have can do more than one track of video (ULead 4.0,
Pinnacle Expression, NeroVision Express). I also have Animation Shop (it
came with Paintshop Pro) but haven't used it - could that do it?

I can with confidence state that Vegas allows you to do this (with the
caveat described above). Of the entry-level video editors, I suspect
that Pinnacle Studio 9 and Premiere Elements will also allow this to be
done, but I can't confirm this.

As I said, it would help to know the application. But I would suggest
that you use your VB to put your text into a window (I suspect that
you'll also want to scroll), then use Camtasia to capture the window.
Camtasia allows you to transform screen activity (in any pre-selected
screen area) into an AVI video stream. It comes with codecs that support
this function, as well as a video editor to add call-outs, commentary,
etc. It will also output in either PAL or NTSC.

Once you have this stream you can simply add it to a new timeline layer
positioned above the main video layer. You may, however, have to use
chroma-keying to ensure that the text background is transparent but that
would be easy because you can specify a single colour background in your
VB window.

I assume you are, BTW, referring to VB and not VBA? With VBA you'd be
hard pressed to produce the necessary frame-rate.

--
Tony Morgan
http://www.camcord.info

Tony Morgan wrote:

I want to overlay animated graphics on video footage. The graphics
will be derived from real-time captured data - my plan is to read
the data with software (written in VB) and generate the individual
frames by using the software to manipulate the graphical elements.

At 25 fps? Are you able to sync it at 25 fps?

The captured data comes in once per second. I intend to interpolate to get
the desired frame rate. The capture will be done at the same time as the
video, but is independent of it (GPS to laptop, no connection to camera).


For each frame, the software
creates a still image with a transparent background.

Am I right in believing that we are now talking about GIFs?

That's the sort of thing I'm considering, yes.


It would help to know something about the application. I suspect that
whatever you are doing, it might be a little more difficult than some
might suggest, for various reasons (see below).

See below.


Most half-decent video editors can do that with video streams. But
importing GIFs usually involves hand-importing each one, dropping it
into the time-line in a layer above the main video stream (just like
you can do titling, PinP, or multi-windowed video). The problem here
is that most (all?) video editors import stills into all frames of a
block (typically 5 seconds), and then you're going to have to strip
all but one frame, then repeat for the next GIF.. ad infinitum.

Way too slow. Has to be software controllable (eg, OLE server in video
tool), or a bulk import function in an existing tool.


I can with confidence state that Vegas allows you to do this (with the
caveat described above). Of the entry-level video editors, I suspect
that Pinnacle Studio 9

I have an aversion to things with "Pinnacle" written on them. (Buggy,
unstable crap IME.)


... and Premiere Elements will also allow this to
be done, but I can't confirm this.

Been having a look at the docs for Ulead Mediastudio Pro, and it looks like
it can do the bluescreen overlay thing. It's not terribly clear on what it
can do in terms of importing stills - it has a frame fiddler, but I get the
impression that it expects the frames to come in as part of a video sequence
(and 30 seconds max for performance reasons, come to that - I hate it when
they decide how powerful the user's hardware will be in the future).


As I said, it would help to know the application.

In-car video with graphical overlays showing a moving speedo and a moving
blob on a map of the course. GPS sends speed/position/direction info to
laptop once per second. VB program extracts required bits from raw GPS data
and interpolates to required frame rate. I design lots of graphics elements
amd then use more VB to use these and the cleaned up GPS data to create a
sequence of stills that will form the overlay that goes over the in-car
video.


But I would suggest
that you use your VB to put your text into a window (I suspect that
you'll also want to scroll), ...

No text, and no scrolling. Main graphics will remain stationary, with sub
elements moving (speedo needle, map position blob, probably some numbers). I
also have some other ideas floating around, but the principle is the same.


... then use Camtasia to capture the window.
Camtasia allows you to transform screen activity (in any pre-selected
screen area) into an AVI video stream. It comes with codecs that
support this function, as well as a video editor to add call-outs,
commentary, etc. It will also output in either PAL or NTSC.

If Camtasia captures in real time, then I can't guarantee that it'll work -
the VB thing might not manage the required frame rate in real time, which is
why I was thinking of dumping out stills and then importing them into
something that can make the overlay vid as a batch job. Sounds interesting,
though - is Camtasia a freebie?


Once you have this stream you can simply add it to a new timeline
layer positioned above the main video layer. You may, however, have
to use chroma-keying to ensure that the text background is
transparent but that would be easy because you can specify a single
colour background in your VB window.

Yup, I expect to do the chroma key thing - no probs in VB.


I assume you are, BTW, referring to VB and not VBA? With VBA you'd be
hard pressed to produce the necessary frame-rate.

Nope, real VB (v6).


--
Wally
www.artbywally.com/FiatPandaRally/index.htm
www.wally.myby.co.uk

In message , Wally
writes
Tony Morgan wrote:

Snipped....

What's the end game? A video for later showing/distribution, or a
head-up-display?

If the former, them I'd suggest the Camtasia solution. If the latter,
then I'd suggest a mixed hardware/software solution using an
analogue/digital combo PCI card. It's some years since I was exposed to
this sort of thing (medical monitoring - ECG, EKG, SpO2 etc), but I
recall that there was a firm, Cambridge Instruments, who offered a range
of cards that came with drivers and software to set ranges/offsets etc.
You might even find something in the RS catalogue. I'm a great believer
in not trying to re-invent the wheel :-)

IIRC Camtasia comes in at a little more than £300. Good product though.
If you can display something on a PC, you can produce video of it.

I'm also a believer that unless you're doing something solely for
amusement, you should be costing your time and balancing that against
that of the alternative solutions - even if they only take you half-way
there.

That's just about all I can suggest/contribute I'm afraid.
--
Tony Morgan
http://www.camcord.info

Tony Morgan wrote:

What's the end game? A video for later showing/distribution, or a
head-up-display?

A head-up display? Like, a real-time thing I'd use in the car while driving?
Don't think so. :-) I'm doing it for the hell of it - likely end output is
MPEG on the web, with DVDs for me and my mates. I'm a musician and a
painter - this is just a new creative medium for me to play around with.
I've always had a hankering to play with video, but never made the leap.
Seems that the technology has moved on a great deal, what with MiniDV and
editing on the PC, and now seems like a good time to give it a go.


If the former, them I'd suggest the Camtasia solution. If the latter,
then I'd suggest a mixed hardware/software solution using an
analogue/digital combo PCI card. It's some years since I was exposed
to this sort of thing (medical monitoring - ECG, EKG, SpO2 etc), but I
recall that there was a firm, Cambridge Instruments, who offered a
range of cards that came with drivers and software to set
ranges/offsets etc. You might even find something in the RS
catalogue. I'm a great believer in not trying to re-invent the wheel
:-)

That sounds like a whole research project all on its own. :-)


IIRC Camtasia comes in at a little more than £300. Good product
though. If you can display something on a PC, you can produce video
of it.

I've been fiddling about, and it looks like I can import stills into
Animation Shop and it can punt them out as an AVI. I've also just found that
Mediastudio Pro can also import stills, in some 'UIS' format (Ulead Image
Sequence), but I'm not sure if it can just pull a sequence of graphics
straight in, or whether they need to be converted into an interim file
first. (I've downloaded the trial version, and I'll install it when I'm
ready to get the max value out of its 30 day lifespan - do a bunch of
reading first. If I like it, I'll probably buy it.)


I'm also a believer that unless you're doing something solely for
amusement, you should be costing your time and balancing that against
that of the alternative solutions - even if they only take you
half-way there.

That's a fair point, but I would have to say that the doing of it is half
the fun. I'll spend when I think I'll get long term value for the money,
but, something like Camtasia, say, would be too much spend for this one
project.


That's just about all I can suggest/contribute I'm afraid.

Cheers!


--
Wally
www.artbywally.com/FiatPandaRally/index.htm
www.wally.myby.co.uk

On Thu, 03 Mar 2005 22:18:59 GMT, "Wally" wrote:

Gary MacKenzie wrote:

3. a good video editing package will allow this easily.
i.e. mediastudio pro 6.5ve free on a recent pcpro and computervideo
magazine.

Was it a trial version, or a full version of an earlier release?

full version usually given away with cheaper capture cards in bundles.
does most things you would want , and at about 6.00 for the magazine ,
pretty cheap

Gary MacKenzie
Audio Visual Technician / Video Editor

"gary mackenzie" wrote in message

Was it a trial version, or a full version of an earlier release?

full version usually given away with cheaper capture cards in bundles.
does most things you would want , and at about 6.00 for the magazine ,
pretty cheap

Sounds like it's worth tracking down - I can't imagine there are bits
missing from v6.5 that would make it a show-stopper. Recent enough to still
be in the shops?

"Wally" wrote in message news:ZBWVd.28155

full version usually given away with cheaper capture cards in bundles.
does most things you would want , and at about 6.00 for the magazine ,
pretty cheap

Sounds like it's worth tracking down - I can't imagine there are bits
missing from v6.5 that would make it a show-stopper. Recent enough to
still be in the shops?

Looks like I've missed PCPro - latest version is out and doesn't have the
MSP6.5 software. Didn't see Computer Video.