making a VCD format walkthrough from MAX

[chow choppe]

Hi friends

 

 

 

don't know where to put this so i put it here

 

 

 

I am doing a walkthrough...Now the client wants me to give the final thing as a VCD.

 

I haven't done anything like this before.usually i render as TGA sequence from MAx and then compile them in after effects to make it into a quicktime movie.

 

 

 

can u please help me that how can i make VCD out of my walkthrough...starting from very basic points.

 

 

 

thanks in Advance

 

 

 

haneet

[lambros]

In order to create a VCD, you need to render a video as .mpg (note that this is mpeg 1, not dvd mpeg 2). There are two versions of vcd, the standard one, and the super video cd (svcd) with larger resolution. VCD has a resolution of 352x288 for PAL, or 352x240 for NTSC. SVCD is 480x576 and 480x480 respectively.

There is a very very nice program called tmpgEnc from Pegasys inc that converts between video formats, or you could search for something else. Or even use Ulead's low budget software series. I cannot remember if you can render out of After effects in mpg 1 format. Perhaps somebody else could recommend a proper tool.

[chow choppe]

i have rendered my tga's of size 720 x 486

 

what now?

[lambros]

The 1.48 ratio of 720x480 is very close to the 1.466666 ratio of 352x240, so you can rescale in after effects or any other program you will use to create the mpg file.

[chow choppe]

so what shud i do after rendering it as an mpeg file from after effects?

[AJLynn]

so what shud i do after rendering it as an mpeg file from after effects?

 

You will need to put the audio in MP2/MPA format (free program called 2lame or toolame, I forget which) and you can use Nero to make the VCD. Actually, I think that if you don't have another way to get the video and audio correct, Nero can handle the whole thing.

 

There's a great web site for this, http://www.vcdhelp.com

[chow choppe]

thanks quizzy for moving the thread

 

Everyone in the forums is stressing on 352 x 240.

Isn't it too small,

I was in an impression that 720 x 486 is better size

 

Please clear this doubt for me.

 

The movie is to be projected on a screen

 

Thanks

[AJLynn]

720x486 isn't a VCD resolution, for that you'd need a DVD. (I'm assuming 720x486 is PAL DVD? You'd need to make a VCD or DVD that conforms to the standards used in India. If that's PAL it's 352x288.) Really, read vcdhelp.com, as the name implies that's what it's there for.

[chow choppe]

i am just asking that will it be clear and not pixelated if seen on a TV

if i render at such small size

 

Thanks

[AJLynn]

With VCD you can get MPEG artifacts because the file you end up with isn't great - I forget what it is exactly but your audio is 224k plus overhead, and the video is whatever makes that come out as 1x CD bitrate. The resolution itself doesn't cause pixelation on a normal TV, since it comes through as analog, it's more like a fuzziness and lack of detail. On a digital display you could get worse results.

[chow choppe]

so u mean that i shud render it as 352 x 240 tgs files and turn it into a vcd thru nero and it will look good on a television.

 

then why is there any need of rendering walkthrough at higher resolution?

 

Thanks