At the Video Toaster User Conference here today leaders in 3D digital video effects and 3D rendering/animation today announced the collaboration of Pinnacle Systems' GeniePlus and NewTek LightWave 3D for big, bold, sledgehammer impact video transitions, like those seen on ABC TV's Home Improvement. Clients rave about using 3D extruded logos or 3D models of products to transition between scenes. A GeniePlus Genie Wipe transition using a keyed LightWave 3D bitmap wipes between the bitmap and two live video layers. This same real-time Genie effect can be painstakingly rendered with Quantel Paintbox or Discreet Logic Flame, but cannot be achieved with Scitex Dveous, Abekas A57, Questech Cleo 10X, or SONY DME 3000. GeniePlus and LightWave 3D delivers professional quality effects at a desktop video price.

Genie Wipes use specific key levels to wipe between three video layers: the keyed graphic itself, and two live video layers. Keying is a method for combining multiple video images together. Key or alpha channel values range from 0 to 255 for each dot in a bitmap. The LightWave 3D rendered bitmap of the camera that is used in the effect has 3 different key levels, one for the black background, one for the camera body, and one for the camera lens. Key level 1 cuts a hole in the black background , allowing layer 1 live video to come through. Key level 2 cuts a hole through the camera lens, allowing layer 2 live video to come through. Once the bitmap with the proper key levels is created, the GeniePlus switcher can be rapidly set up to play this effect, and to perturb the bitmap through the GeniePlus 3D DVE.

"NewTek is very pleased to be working with Pinnacle Systems, a leader in 3D DVE technology. GeniePlus provides another avenue for LightWave 3D users to output their animations in a real-time editing environment," Tim Jenison, Chairman and Founder of NewTek.

Genie Wipes can be run through the complete range of GeniePlus 3D effects, including real-time (non-rendered) page turns, page folds, size, placement, perspective, spheres, water ripples, waves, and slats. Any LightWave 3D bitmap can become an organic transition when using GeniePlus's linear key capability. LightWave 3D animations rendered over superblack to an animation recorder/digital disk recorder can also be keyed into a GeniePlus production with GeniePlus generating shadows and trails.

Pinnacle GeniePlus can be seen at the Video Toaster(TM) User Conference in Universal City, CA November 7-8.

Designed for A/B roll editing applications, GeniePlus combines real-time 3D digital effects with switching, character generation, paint, and graphics buffer on a single PCI board, complete with frame synchronizers.

LightWave 3D is a powerful animation system, offering features such as full ray tracing, motion blur, depth of field, variable lens settings, and many other special effects that allow users to create stunning images and animations. The $1495, LightWave 3D reportedly provides workstation performance at a PC price.LightWave 3D is available for Windows 95 and Windows NT on Intel, DEC Alpha, MIPS, and Apple PowerMac as well as Silicon Graphics and Amiga workstations.

.

Return to today's headlines

Copyright 1997 - 2008
GVP.DSJ Inc Web Development & GetMeOnTop SEO & Search Optimization NYC