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