Author Topic: What Am I DOing Worng? (Read 1246 times)

JoeCrip · « **on:** March 23, 2002, 11:11:25 AM »

When I click Save AS Avi, Nothing happens. I am told i am supposed to get a "select codec" box...but I dont. What should I do?

JoeCrip · « **Reply #1 on:** March 23, 2002, 02:59:28 PM »

..anyone?

JoeCrip · « **Reply #2 on:** March 24, 2002, 10:52:13 AM »

please?

Wotan · « **Reply #3 on:** March 24, 2002, 11:07:10 AM »

joe open the film you wanna save the click "save as AVI" thats it mate.....you may check the news there was a bug after the last patch and there a link there to fix it.

It takes a while to save and while its saving this is the point where you set your views.

Best to watch the film a few times to figure out waht you wanna do. use pan mode (f8) and remember is saving at 7 - 10 fps so hold your views a bit long so when you play it back they are at a realistic speed.

JoeCrip · « **Reply #4 on:** March 24, 2002, 11:39:05 AM »

Ok, i tired that, but here's what happens...

1) i open the film i want o convert to AVI
2) I play the film a few times, and see where i want to start and stop recording
3) I play the film, and click "Start Selct" where i wana start the new AVI, and "End select" where i want it to end
4) after i have selected my start and end points, i click Save As Avi
5) I seelcet the apporaite file, and choose a file name for my new film
6) I select 640x480, and 30FPS, and then i click ok
7) The film replays, ( i take it, the film player is encoding the AVI?)
8) After the film is done replaying, i check my film directory where i saved the AVI
9) The AVI is not there

Do you see anything i am doing wrong? I am at the end of my rope with this film viewer...havent gotten any help at all...there isnt even a help manual out for it...

AKDejaVu · « **Reply #5 on:** March 24, 2002, 11:50:26 AM »

You have to save the whole thing from the start. The "start select" and "end select" features don't work for crap right now. If you save the whole thing, you can use a .avi editor to trim it apropriately.

AKDejaVu

JoeCrip · « **Reply #6 on:** March 24, 2002, 12:06:01 PM »

ty for the reply!, but it didnt work..

Wotan · « **Reply #7 on:** March 24, 2002, 12:26:06 PM »

joe just open it dont play or anything then hit save as avi tell me what happens?

Wotan · « **Reply #8 on:** March 24, 2002, 12:27:29 PM »

joe even it it a bad file it saved some where search for it in find file.....its somewhere

JoeCrip · « **Reply #9 on:** March 24, 2002, 12:40:04 PM »

Ok, i tried just opening the file, then clicking Save As AVI...
didnt work...

I searched my whole PC for AVI's...only found 2 (form another game)

I have re-downloaded the Film Viewer at least 3 times...still noting...

Beegerite · « **Reply #10 on:** March 24, 2002, 03:52:55 PM »

Man I feel you pain! Here from my "Film Viewer For Dumb Mullets" post is what I did.
Beeg

1. Make a 30 second .ahf film for testing purposes using your Alt-R key sequence. Find it by sorting the film directory newest to oldest and rename it to duh TEST.ahf
2. While making your test film make sure you transmit and receive on ahv, fire your guns and anything else you can do within 30 seconds.
3. Run you film in the old AH film viewer to see what it really looks like while you're flying. After the test, when you graduate to making an actual film clip you would note on a piece of paper what you want to actually put to .avi from your .ahf
4. Close Aces High and go to Start - Programs - Aces High - Film Viewer if you haven't already made a shortcut and put it on the desktop.
5. In film viewer go to the file menu - open and the AH film directory will open up. Find test.ahf and double click this opens it in the film viewer. If you're inclined to do so press play again and look at it in the film viewer. The film viewer allows various views shown on the radius buttons and also by double clicking on the different pilots on the right panel you can switch between various airplanes. Looking at the film gives you one more time to think about the shots you'll want in your .avi
6. When ready to make an .avi click on play and the film will start playing
7. When you get to the part of the film you want to save to .avi click on select - this sets the start point in the .ahf where the film will be converted to an .avi If you don't select at all I'm assuming here that the entire .ahf will be copied to an .avi file
8. When you get to the end of your selected sequence click on end select
9. To create the .avi click on Save as .avi
10. You will then be given a dialog box to set your codec (compressor/decompressor). There are a number of choices. The ones that have worked for me are the second Mpeg and no compression. When this process starts it's going to take some time this is why for experimentation purposes you only want a 30 second film
11. You will also be asked what size you want your .avi to be. My purpose is always to create video that I can watch on a TV so I always pick 640 x 480 the standard resolution of a TV Set. FYI so you're not disappointed the final product is going to look no better than if you set your monitor to 640x480 instead of 1024x768 or above as no doubt you're doing right now. If anyone can tell me how to get the higher resolution out to a TV please let me know.
12. You'll also be asked for frame rate. Standard NTSC (USA) broadcast video runs at 29.97 fpms so 30 is close enough for government work.
13. After making these 3 selections and clicking OK your film will appear to start running again. However, it's not really running, it's rendering the .avi One hell of a lot of data has to be run through the CODEC so you will notice that the takeoff run for instance takes forever. Reason is, you're rendering frames to .avi at a rate of I'm guessing 7 frames every second. Just like the MA on Friday night. You will find that your tiny 30 second video takes about 2 whole minutes to run from beginning to end. Again this is why the clip is so short. For learning and experimentation purposes. With a short clip you'll be able to try various codes and combinations till you get what works for you without spending all night cussing out HTC.
14. While the film is rendering, you may change views by using the selections on the film viewer or by using the arrow keys on your keypad (joystick will only work in the old AH film viewer not in here that I know). While switching view remember this very important point. You're running at 7 fps Your views have to be held at least 4 times longer than normal or you'll get dizzy watching the final film switching views every second. Hold a view for 4X as long as you want it to appear in your final video. Remember that people win Oscars for cinematography which is the science of letting the editing help to tell the story e.g. a shot from the enemies perspective is always interesting just before or after you have a shot of your plane desintegrating. Experiment with your timing.
15. When you get to the end of the film - You're done. Close Film Viewer and using explorer find test.avi in the AH Films directory and double click on it. The film will be automatically loaded into your default .avi viewer e.g. Windows Media Player - you've got a real .avi file

If anyone can get the sound to record let me know. Haven't succeeded yet.

Hope this helps those who were looking for help and motivates others to also share documented (no opinions please) things you've found on how this works.

EDIT Note: As of 03/24/02 There are things I didn't know when I posted this that I know now. The most important thing for me is that for someone who has TV Out and Firewire the best way will be to output directly to the Camcorder by setting the screen res to 800 x 600 and turning on your TV Out. The drawback is flying with your monitor screen a bit skewed and at lower resolution but what you'll crank out to your camcorder will be much crisper than 640 x 480. If the camcorder used is DV and you've got Firewire you then bring the tape back in already in .avi format. Edit and post produce to your hearts content.

Beeg

JoeCrip · « **Reply #11 on:** March 24, 2002, 04:28:08 PM »

BeeG, i found my problem...i was floowing your steps. When i click Save As AVI, i never get a "select codec" box. I know i have codec's installed because i use them for avi encoding. What should i do?

Thx

AKIron · « **Reply #12 on:** March 24, 2002, 05:09:53 PM »

I found that playing the film before recording and rewinding sometimes causes it not to save the avi. Therefore, I always watch the film, play around with the views and then reopen the same film. I do nothing except save as avi. While it's saving you may change the views, however don't pause it or stop it 'till it's finished.

When you save as avi, you should get a dialog box asking you what type of compression. This is where you pick the codec. You can always save uncompressed and then compress it with something like VirtualDub, Quicktime, Windows Movie Maker etc....

32bit color is required.

Wotan · « **Reply #13 on:** March 24, 2002, 08:28:42 PM »

yup your desk top needs to be 32 bit

LOCO · « **Reply #14 on:** March 24, 2002, 09:42:17 PM »

So in other words if you are only able to go as high as 24bit "which as high as i can go" the viewer is pretty much useless?So much for new CRAP !