Hello,


Is it possible to make a quicktime movie of my rendered images, and how ? (with Houdini alone… or do I need another package?)


thanks,


bernard

To make movies, you'll need a separate app to do it. If you just want to make something like a DivX .avi file on Windows, you can use the mcp utility that comes with Windows by following the directions here:
http://www.odforce.net/wiki/index.php/CreatingMovieFile [odforce.net]

also, as explained on the odforce page, you can use ‘mencoder’ from Mplayer now available for windows too.
I use it as at post render time. In the rop.
Mplayer support a lot of codecs.

For whatever reason, if I want to create a quicktime file on linux that is playable on Windows and Mac (and, I do), then I've had better luck using ffmpeg directly. I use this line
ffmpeg -r 24 -b 1800 -i file_%03d.jpg output.mp4
where
r = frame rate
b = bitrate (higher number == better quality == bigger file)
i = input file string in c-style format (eg, the above equates to a set of files named
file_001.jpg
file_002.jpg
etc)

i used mencoder (Linux) lately until last night which i tried h263p as codec option … it gives me a quite good quality movie.. is that quicktime btw?

I hope h264 will also be supported anytime soon .. that seems to be quite good as codec…

cheers

my mencoder command

mencoder “mf/*.tga” -mf fps=25 -o myfile.mov -ovc lavc -lavcopts vcodec=h263p:vbitrate=2500

You guys should really be adding all this to the odforce wiki … Just ask to be add on the odforce forum to be added to the editors list.

I have been using Wiagra (no - not the blue pills) for years now, its essentially a file converter, but the neat trick is it can convert tga tiff etc etc (not houdini pic) into any other format, which means you can turn a series of files into mpg mpeg avi etc etc. There is (I think) an eval, but it only costs 35 bucks (three pence in england) .
link:

http://www.wiagra.net/ [wiagra.net]

It would be nice if you could do this in houdini - another comp op or a ROP fileout to mpg or avi would be brilliant.

harry_the_cat
It would be nice if you could do this in houdini - another comp op or a ROP fileout to mpg or avi would be brilliant.

I agree fully. EyeOn Fusion has this ability. Directly producing AVI and Quicktime from with a ROP fileout is high-up on my RFE list …

Just grab a HDK programmer to do a custom ROP… if the lib are available, it shouldnt be too difficult.

U can use any compositing software - Fusion, Combustion, After Effects for example Or registered QuickTime Player - just click on “Open image sequence” and choose image file. Then u've to click on “Export” and choose suitable format

Hello,

I ask myself the question: why can't we do it with Houdini alone (create Quicktime, avi's, mpeg…)? Afterall it's the best fully integrated 3D package around.
Why bothering with other software ? Come on SESI…


thanks

just a little side note … if they do revamp the export features that might be a great time to allow high-res audio export (.wav, .aiff currently limited to 8 bit). Right now it needs to go out as a “bchan” and then be converted by a raw data interpreter like in Adobe Audition to .wav etc

mentor
Or registered QuickTime Player - just click on “Open image sequence” and choose image file. Then u've to click on “Export” and choose suitable format

Good luck. We purchased QuickTime Pro specifically for this feature. I gave up concatenating an image sequence after watching it parse the (1000 frames of) input selection for half an hour. No feedback to say what was going on. It is a very disappointing offering from Apple. And I'm not alone in these impressions by a long shot - read the feedback on Apple's site.

BTW, I heard from Side Effects directly that a Quicktime ROP is an often-requested feature. They know it.