Codec for creating an animation

[zjroen]

Hello,

I've got a bit of a problem with the available codecs for creating an animation in Google Sketchup 7.

Via File -> Export -> Animations I can save my file. At the bottom right there is a button "Options". By clicking that button I reach the following screen:

In this screen I can set my resolution and framerate, together with the codecs to be used for my animation. I can choose from the following codecs:

I choose for example the XviD codec. After this I go back to the mainscreen to save my animation. Do I click again on the "Options" button, the codec had been changed from XviD to Cinepac Radius Codec. No mather what codec I choose, it always changes back to Cinepac Radius when I start saving my animation.

Is there a solution for this problem? Thanks in advance.

[Gaieus]

Hi zjroen (and welcome).

No, this is a bug I believe so don't even bother yourself with the animation export as avi (or whatever). Instead, when opening the export window, select image sequences instead. Export your animation as frames in still images (at this point, you can even decide to export a bigger - say 2x resolution and leave antialiasing off then later resample your images in batch mode and antialias them there).

Finally you can assemble your video in any program that can do this from stills - like VirtualDUB (free) for instance.

[zjroen]

@gaieus said:

Hi zjroen (and welcome).

No, this is a bug I believe so don't even bother yourself with the animation export as avi (or whatever). Instead, when opening the export window, select image sequences instead. Export your animation as frames in still images (at this point, you can even decide to export a bigger - say 2x resolution and leave antialiasing off then later resample your images in batch mode and antialias them there).

Finally you can assemble your video in any program that can do this from stills - like VirtualDUB (free) for instance.

Thanks for the tips. Won't be able to execute your tips 'till next tuesday, but I'll hope it works. Will post the outcome next week.

[honoluludesktop]

Gai, Not sure if we discussed this point about the export Codecs before. Could it be that the software uses the selected Codec, that it is only unable to assign it as the default? If you don't know, how do we find out? Thanks.

[Gaieus]

Well, the cinepack codec is rather sloppy. So if you want to test it, set any kind of codec - and see that anything that comes out on the other end is the same cr@p. I even tried with a different format (uncompressed mpg if I remember correctly) and then the result should not be avi.