Graphics

Having trouble with something that should be basic. Wondering what I am missing.

What is the setting/technique to just import an Xpression Codec AVI with alpha, and have the alpha channel just work? I'm importing an AVI with an alpha, but the default setting seems to make my video texture semi-transparent. What, how and where do make adjustments so that my alpha channel is just recognized, and transparency and opacity are treated as designed?

I see a bunch of settings in the Alpha Blending settings block, but none of them seem to correspond to just a plain old "respect my straight alpha channel settings".

Appreciate any help.

Shane

Hi Shane,

You should not need to change any blending modes to get the alpha to work. The default settings should work just fine if the video clip has an alpha in it. Try this sample AVI and all you should need to do is create a video material and add this file and you should see the alpha channel being respected: http://ross.brickftp.com/f/f020cb8a1

Let us know if this works or doesn't.

#XPression

Thanks, Brian. I'll grab your sample file and give it a shot. I've got a problem with a file, and don't understand what's going on. I can load it into After Effects, and the alpha is treated as expected. But when I map it on to a quad in XPression, some areas of my image are transparent where they shouldn't be. I can make a cube or whatever, and put it behind my quad in z-space, and see it through my video texture, where is should be opaque.

I will try your file, and see what results I get.

PS - Thanks for the help with Panel Builder. A great tool, and is doing exactly what I need. Appreciate it!

Shane

#XPression

Having the same problem. Video with alpha shows up translucent in the scene.

#XPression

Ian, Can you send a dropbox or google drive link to your video, maybe someone on the forum could help you out?

#XPression

So, this is interesting. Instead of using the transcoded file from Video Coder, I tried using the quicktime file exported from After Effects and the alpha worked.

#XPression

Did you have Video Coder set to 32 bit when you did the transcode? (maybe it was set to 24bit by mistake?)

#XPression

It was set to 32bit. I tried 24 bit for the heck of it.

#XPression

Ok, can't help much more without being able to see the MOV and AVI to try it ourselves..

#XPression

Here are two of the files we have tried. Thanks.

https://www.dropbox.com/s/sv0nnh1ogiaecjh/scrolling%20bd%20animation.avi?dl=0

https://www.dropbox.com/s/w0ie52la36et8hw/scrollingBoard%20A_2.avi?dl=0

#XPression

Thanks.. Would you also be able to include the quicktime file you exported prior to passing it through the video coder?

#XPression

Origianal file:

https://www.dropbox.com/s/j4434e5k5xtjl8o/scrollingBoard%20%28Converted%29.mov?dl=0

#XPression

If the AVI file has transparency, make sure the video material has an Unshaped video source. Material > Edit > Select 'Video' under 'Layer' > Source Mode: Unshaped Video Source.

The converted one works fine for me. The others... not so well.

#XPression

I can see that your AVI does indeed have something funny with the alpha channel.

Here is what I got when I ran it through the video coder (works better): https://ross.brickftp.com/f/56d611caf

What version of video coder are you running?

What version of quicktime is installed on the machine?

Can you try the link I sent you and see if this works ok in your XPression?

#XPression

Hi Phillip, that depends on how the video was rendered, some designers render as Shaped, and some prefer unshaped.

Ian, maybe I figured out what happened. When you convert in the Video Coder, are you going to the "Alpha Source" tab and choosing "from file" then picking the same .MOV? (you shouldn't). Doing that will actually cause the alpha channel to be created using the Luminance channel of that MOV (sort of like doing a self/luminance key). In the video coder you just need to choose the .MOV on the "Video Source" tab and leave the "Alpha Source" tab alone. It will automatically extract the alpha from the .MOV chosen (if there is one).

#XPression

I don't see a version for Coder, but its from Xpression Studio 5.7.

Running QT 7.7.7 on the machine. Will try the file you sent.

#XPression

The file you copied worked fine. So, somewhere along the line in Coder the alpha is getting wonky?

#XPression

Check my response two entries back in this thread.. I think it might be the solution. When selecting the file in the Video Coder, make sure you don't choose anything on the "Alpha Source" tab, just leave it alone with the default choices..

#XPression

Did it both ways. I did try using the alpha tab on one of the attempts. Will try your suggestion.

While you're here... When using this file as a transition, how to I get the text from being on the top layer? How to I get the file to cover the text?

Thanks again for the help!

#XPression

OK. That worked.

Thanks so much!

#XPression