preview skips frames

[quizzy]

Max5.1

win2K (updated)

 

When making a preview, it makes a preview but skips around 3 or 4 frames every time. You would think I set the Nth frame option, but that is on 1. This is really strange... Any help much apreciated.

[Jennifer]

Hi!

 

For previews, max creates an AVI file, and the playback can be limited by a number of factors. This includes the chosen CODEC, the compression method involved or compression level selected, the pixel size of the AVI, and the amount of information changing from frame to frame.

 

Since it stores the difference from one frame to the next rather than the whole frame, fast moving scenes are harder for it to play back. Try a smaller image size, or switch to a wireframe or box mode to reduce the amount of information being displayed. Try defragging your hard drive so that the file will be contiguous when created.

 

The simplest thing you can do is to manually load the AVI in the RAM player. Its an extra step, but it will play it back in real-time since the entire AVI runs from memory.

 

Have fun!

[Jeff Mottle]

Hey Quizzy,

 

I've had problems like that too, although not consistant thoughout the entire animation and it seemed to be releated to anything being placed over the preview window while it was being rendered out.

[Jennifer]

Hi,

 

Yes, if you cover the preview window while rendering it will store what is covering the window, for some reason. Since a lot would change on that frame compared to the on before, I can see it having trouble keeping up at that point. The RAM player should help in any case.

 

In other preview quirks, if you don't go to frame zero before the preview, it can store the wrong frame there, too.

 

Have fun!