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Graphic Import Issue
Over the past week I had to import some graphic stills. They were TIFFs, some with embedded alphas, some without out. They all contained the same top graphic logo, which was title text and a fine red line. I imported all of them with the exact same settings and placed them on a timeline, they all matched for video levels and size. However, the ones that had alphas had softer fill channel than the graphics without alphas. It wasn’t something you’d notice if looking at that graphic isolated, but when playing a sequence of both types the quality change was apparent. I then imported the graphics containing the alphas with the import settings set to ignore the alpha, and just brought in the fill channel. They were then as sharp as the non-alpha graphics.
As a work-around I imported all the graphics embedded with alphas both with the alpha and without the alpha, then replaced the fill channel in the imports with the non-alpha versions, if that makes sense.
Has anyone noticed this issue before, and if so, is there a more reasonable fix?
Media Composer 5.5.3.4
TIFF import settings were:
Image resized to current format
RGB
Field order for current format
Alpha channel inverted or ignore as needed.Thank you
Scott
M. Scott Cole
Senior Post Production Editor
60 MINUTES
CBS News, NYC
sc*@*****ws.com
ms*****@*****st.net -
4 Replies
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I haven’t noticed this before – I’m on the current version (and willing to test it here with my system if you like.)
My only question (off the top of my head) is: is your avid in full quality (or yellow/green)…and what media compression setting did the graphics come in at?
Best,
Jeff I. Greenberg
Author/Master Instructor/Speaker/Consulting
My contact info and more -
Jeff, I would love you to try it. Obviously, make sure you are using a good “Client Monitor.” And use a test graphic with some sharp fine details.
Yes, I’m at the full resolution output mode. We use Avid DNX145 all the time.
If by some chance you subscribe to Showtime, the project I discovered this issue on is 60 MINUTES SPORTS on Showtime.Thanks.
M. Scott Cole
Senior Post Production Editor
60 MINUTES
CBS News, NYC
sc6@cbsnews.com
mscottc@comcast.net -
I finally had a chance to call Avid Tech Support on this issue. They are aware of this issue and consider it a bug that they will not fix. The support agent did however give me a console command to deal with it.
The console command command to deal with this issue is “hdTitleFilter”. It is a toggle command that can be entered once per session and does actually result in a significant difference in the import.
M. Scott Cole
Senior Post Production Editor
60 MINUTES
CBS News, NYC
sc6@cbsnews.com
mscottc@comcast.net -
Scott,
So, anytime I pick up a nugget like this, I do some heavy research – thought I’d share.
From the symph effects manual:
Using Filtering for HD Titles
Titles created with the Title Tool or Marquee in an HD project might display undershoots and overshoots in the SD signal after you downconvert and output a sequence. This problem might also occur with imported animated graphics that contain an alpha channel (except for QuickTime imports). You can avoid this problem by using a console command to filter HD titles and imported graphics.
The HD title filter is disabled by default, and entering this command enables it. Note the following:
• Enter the command before creating titles or importing animated graphics. The command does not affect media already created.
• Using the title filter might result in a slight softening of sharp transitions between dark colors and light colors.
To turn on HD title filtering:
1. Select Tools > Console.
2. EnterHDTitleFilter.
This command works as a toggle, so the filter remains on until you type the command again.It seems to knock down the quick filtering for SD; interestingly, the documentation seems to talk about invoking it causes softening.
It’s use has title in the name, so I’m assuming that you’d have to recreate title media; which also probably means this has to be on prior to import. Meaning a batch re-import.
I’d love to have your exact graphic to see (and then I’d like to ask some people at avid about it.)
Say hi to Dan P and Rob L for me!
Best,
Jeff I. Greenberg
Author/Master Instructor/Speaker/Consulting
My contact info and more
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