How To Convert Raw Movies to Standard Formats


Required Software: MergePanels.exe DOWNLOAD VideoMach DOWNLOAD Moyager DOWNLOAD (recommended) DIVX 4.12 Codec DOWNLOAD Outline: 0. Use HVR to create a movie in raw raster format. 1. Use Mergepanels to make your movie into a series of .ppm (portable pixel map) files 2. Load the sequence of ppm files into VideoMach 3. Set up the desired output options - video compression codec, file format, resize, etc 4. Let VideoMach do its work Details:
1. Use Merge panels to make your movie into a series of .ppm (portable pixel map) files +Open a DOS Shell (Command Prompt) (Start -> Run "cmd" OK) +CD to the location of your movie. +mkdir ppm Make a working directory to collect the files from MergePanels - remember there will be one file for each frame in your movie. +rename the movie to "something00" so that MergePanels will use it. MergePanels assumes that the movie panels will be numbered 00 to (N-1) for N panels. Since we want to convert a single panel movie, it needs to have a name that ends with 00. Also, we now have a backup copy of the movie. You could also rename the movie, but that may break any scripts which are set up to play the movie. +Merge the Panels Run MergePanles to make sure that it is in your path. (see output below) +move *.ppm ppm - move the ppm files into the ppm directory to keep the movie directory "clean" C:\users\benjamin\toavi\ppm>MergePanels usage: NxMtiles2one ntx nty nx ny file00 iBegin iEnd [iCropX, iCropY] ntx = # frames in x-direction nty = # frames in y-direction nx = tile resolution in x-direction ny = tile resolution in y-direction file00 = file name of one tile iBegin = 1st frame iEnd = last frame iCropX = Imposed full size in X iCropY = Imposed full size in Y Since we are working with a single panel movie, ntx = nty = 1 The movie shown here is 512x512, 50 frames, and named ben-h13-compr00 C:\users\benjamin\toavi\ppm>MergePanels 1 1 512 512 ben-h13-compr00 0 49 ntx = 1 nty = 1 nx = 512 ny = 512 file = ben-h13-compr00 iBegin = 0 iEnd = 49 Number of characters = 15 fileroot -->ben-h13-comp<-- WOULD BE INPUTING: -->ben-h13-compr00<-- WOULD BE INPUTING: -->ben-h13-compr00<-- ... one line for each frame {omitted for readability} WOULD BE INPUTING: -->ben-h13-compr00<-- WOULD BE INPUTING: -->ben-h13-compr00<-- After MergePanels finishes, there are ppm files for each frame. C:\users\benjamin\toavi\ppm>dir /w Volume in drive C is SYSTEM Volume Serial Number is 00FE-532A Directory of C:\users\benjamin\toavi\ppm [.] [..] ben-h13-comp0001.ppm ben-h13-comp0002.ppm ben-h13-comp0003.ppm ben-h13-comp0004.ppm ben-h13-comp0005.ppm ben-h13-comp0006.ppm ben-h13-comp0007.ppm ben-h13-comp0008.ppm ben-h13-comp0009.ppm ben-h13-comp0010.ppm ben-h13-comp0011.ppm ben-h13-comp0012.ppm ben-h13-comp0013.ppm ben-h13-comp0014.ppm ben-h13-comp0015.ppm ben-h13-comp0016.ppm ben-h13-comp0017.ppm ben-h13-comp0018.ppm ben-h13-comp0019.ppm ben-h13-comp0020.ppm ben-h13-comp0021.ppm ben-h13-comp0022.ppm ben-h13-comp0023.ppm ben-h13-comp0024.ppm ben-h13-comp0025.ppm ben-h13-comp0026.ppm ben-h13-comp0027.ppm ben-h13-comp0028.ppm ben-h13-comp0029.ppm ben-h13-comp0030.ppm ben-h13-comp0031.ppm ben-h13-comp0032.ppm ben-h13-comp0033.ppm ben-h13-comp0034.ppm ben-h13-comp0035.ppm ben-h13-comp0036.ppm ben-h13-comp0037.ppm ben-h13-comp0038.ppm ben-h13-comp0039.ppm ben-h13-comp0040.ppm ben-h13-comp0041.ppm ben-h13-comp0042.ppm ben-h13-comp0043.ppm ben-h13-comp0044.ppm ben-h13-comp0045.ppm ben-h13-comp0046.ppm ben-h13-comp0047.ppm ben-h13-comp0048.ppm ben-h13-comp0049.ppm ben-h13-comp0050.ppm ben-h13-compr00 53 File(s) 78,643,950 bytes 9,434,314,752 bytes free
2. Load the sequence of files into VideoMach + if needed, install VideoMach & the DivX CODEC + Start VideoMach (Start -> Programs -> VideoMach 2.6.1 -> VideoMach) + File -> Open a File Select Box will pop up... browse to the "work" directory with your ppm file select the lowest numbered ppm file for your movie. click Open Select the "Open sequence starting with this image (positive numbers) and click OK The lower-left box will display the name of the first image & indicate how long the sequence is for example: "ben-h13-comp0001.ppm (sequence of 50 images)" Right-Click on the sequence, and select Frame Rate... Change the Frame Rate (FPS) box to 15 Click OK. This will keep the length of the movie comparable to playing it at LCSE
3. Set up the desired output options - video compression codec, file format, resize, etc + File -> Define Output... "Files" Tab Output Mode - Video Only Video File - Set the output file base name (no extension) Format - AVI, Windows Audio Video Interleaved "Video" Tab Resize - If you have a large movie, you may wish to resize it Frame Rate (fps) - Uncheck "Automatic" Set 15 fps in the box Uncheck "Keep Original Duration" Format - Click "Format Options..." Select "DivX Codec 4.12" Optionally, you may enter author info in the other tab. OK OK "Audio" Tab Skip this tab, as there is no audio for these movies. OK
4. Let VideoMach do its work + File -> Start Processing A progress indicator will pop up and show how long it will take... For the options shown above, 50 frames at 512x512 to DVD data rate takes about 2 minutes
Notes: Install the DIVX codec by double clicking on it. It will become visible to Windows Media Player and VideoMach upon restart.
Ben Allen 16 May 2002 David Porter 28 Feb 2003