I just upgraded from MC 2.7.2 to MC 2.8.3.

For some reason, effects that should be giving me real-time previews (Pan and Zoom) are playing back at very poor quality. The effect icon has a green dot, not a blue one. Although I shouldn't need to, I did try switch the video quality from draft quality to full quality. Once the effect is rendered, it plays back properly.

This just started after the upgrade - I haven't seen this in the three years that I've been using Media Composer. Is there something I missed? A setting somewhere?

System specs:

HP XW8200

Xeon 3.40GHz, 3GB RAM

NVIDIA Quadro FX 3450/4000 SDI

Windows XP Pro SP2

 Check and make sure "render on the fly" is active.

"Render on the fly" is active.

Maybe this is a Pan and Zoom issue. I have a 45 minute sequence with many pan and zooms applied to imported images. (I prefer applying the effect to imported clips, even though they can be applied to filler, so that I have the image names for later reference.) I render the Pan and Zoom FX as I work, so they don't rely on RAM.

I just re-imported all images in the sequence at higher resolution. This caused Avid to lose the precomputes for all of the Pan znd Zooms.

Being that there are now many unrendered Pan and Zoom FX in the sequence, maybe it's too much for the system to handle. Just a thought, as I have never seen this before.

 I haven't encountered that particular problem, but I'll try to replicate it tomorrow. Also, I don't remember if P & Z is a green or blue dot effect on my system. But since it points to a high resolution file on your desktop instead of an Avid media file, it certainly must put heavier demands on the system than a standard say 3D warp effect would. Now, when you say "this caused Avid to lose the precomputes for all the Pan and Zooms" I assume you mean they all became unrendered, but are still there. Is that correct?

Also, if you change the image sources and P & Z can't find it, it should prompt you to define a new path to the image. And those images must remain on the platform for the duration of the project, even after they're rendered. If you were to move the project to another platform, you would also have to move those hi rez image files as well and define a path for them on the target platform.

If memory serves, this has been mentioned in the past.

Basically, nothing is wrong with your Pan&Zoom.  It seems to improve performance Avid decided to change the way Pan&Zoom 'previews' your image to a lower res version.  Once rendered it's ok, but there's no way of changing this new preview resolution.

Have no idea why they did this.  Or at least didn't allow for it to be user-defined.  Very irritating.

Older versions won't have this.

Larry Rubin:

Also, I don't remember if P & Z is a green or blue dot effect on my system.

The Pan and Zoom should be a green dot. With all of it's limitations, at least it is real-time.

Larry Rubin:

Now, when you say "this caused Avid to lose the precomputes for all the Pan and Zooms" I assume you mean they all became unrendered, but are still there. Is that correct?

Yes, that is correct.

Larry Rubin:

those images must remain on the platform for the duration of the project, even after they're rendered.

If the effect is rendered, technically you do not need to link to the source. Of course if you make any changes to the clip, and need to render again, you will need to provide the path.

Ra-ey Saleh:

Older versions won't have this.

So this is new to v2.8.3?

Any idea as to whether this will be improved in v3?

Yasch:

If the effect is rendered, technically you do not need to link to the source. Of course if you make any changes to the clip, and need to render again, you will need to provide the path.

 In 2.7.7, if I render the effect and delete the hi-rez image file, the clip still appears with a rendered effect icon, but the playback is a black screen.

That doesn't make sense... When you render, avid should be referring to the precompute, which in essence, is a video of your pan. That is why I always render my pan and zoom effects as I apply them. Otherwise, Avid would always keep those hi-rez images in the RAM.

 It does make sense, if you think about it - Avid is rendering the ballistic movements you program for the pan and zoom, but the image itself it still a hi-rez image on your platform - if it rendered it as a complete media file, you would have all the same degradation and softness you get when panning and zooming on a standard Avid associated media file at whatever resolution the project is set for. But there is no associated media file for the source image itself.

I found this an improvement over Xpress.  Green dot gives shaky preview; render in Avid ultra high quality once you are happy with it.

I found the plugin DOESNT prompt you to which folder & original reference file this P&Z was created for.  Annoying when you say step up to a different res or tweak the shot and the original source TIFF (for e.g) has been moved.  It is dumb and doesnt know what/where the file was.  This is very unlike batch import that prompts you of the file name.  This is why the OP puts P&Z over the SAME std res clip of the high res P&Z import - he can then reference the orig source file when things go amiss. Good thinking and the onliner's friend!

D

Larry Rubin:

Avid is rendering the ballistic movements you program for the pan and zoom, but the image itself it still a hi-rez image on your platform

When you render a pan and zoom, Avid creates a media file. It still remembers where your original hi-rez image is, in case you make any changes. If you make changes to a rendered pan and zoom effect, you will need to render again. Once rendered, Avid doesn't refer to the original image file, it refers to the precompute that it created (which takes the burden off the system's memory).

Larry Rubin:

if it rendered it as a complete media file, you would have all the same degradation and softness you get when panning and zooming on a standard Avid associated media file at whatever resolution the project is set for

I don't understand. Why would it be degraded and softened?

DIESELE:

render in Avid ultra high quality once you are happy with it

Has anyone noticed a difference between Avid Ultra Quality and Avid High Quality?

Ultra takes longer to render, but I haven't seen it produce better quality.

Yasch:

Why would it be degraded and softened?

To answer this, use the standard Avid import tool, and import your hi-rez image into your project. Use (in options) aspect ratio=601, color levels=RGB, file field order=non-interlaced, and ignore alpha. Apply a 3D warp effect and pan and zoom using position, scale, and rotation if you so desire (which you can't do in P & Z). Watch the result, ESPECIALLY on the zooms!

Larry Rubin:

degraded and softened

Oh, of course. I understand that the pan and zoom uses the original hi-rez image, not the imported 'master clip'. To provide a real-time preview, it stores the hi-rez image in the RAM. This can be very difficult for the system when you have a long sequence with many unrendered pan and zoom effects.

Once rendered though, your RAM is cleared, as the Avid links directly to the precompute, which is like any other imported video.

Larry Rubin:

Apply a 3D warp effect and pan and zoom using position, scale, and rotation if you so desire (which you can't do in P & Z).

Eagerly awaiting 3D Pan and Zoom! (Long overdue...)