PfTrack/ Blender frame rate/fps problem

Support Compositing and Post Processing
#1

Hey guys. Firstly wanted to say thnx to anyone that helps me out in anyway. :slight_smile:

My issue is the following: I have an acvhd cam and i am shooting in hd quality. The extension is .mts. When i put it in Sorenson squeeze to change it to .mov file i use an 480p preset. My main question is: in the preferences of the preset it the frame rate its 1:1 and im using the H.264 codec. I want to find out how many frames per second 1:1 actually is but i just cant. The reason that i want to do this is cause i want to import the footage after that to PFTrack motion tracking software and set up the right fps details so i can import it in Blender with the same fps.

I’ve been working all night long trying to figure this out but i’m in no luck and im exhausted . The problem is that i have a movie that when i put it in pftrack it appears to have 351 frames. I do all the right things in there…then i load the movie in the blender sequence and it has 532 frames. I don’t know what’s wrong and my mind is so tired right now. I would really owe you guys if you could help me out!

Thanks in advance.

#2

I don’t use Sorenson Squeeze and I cannot be very helpful about that, but it seems the problem is only there. 1:1 doesn’t sound like the fps, you should have the chance to change the actual frame rate. If you have quick time pro you should simply be able to convert the movie from there if not, have a look around: http://forum.videohelp.com/threads/266656-AVCHD-format-(MTS-file)-player
But most probably from Squeeze there should be the option to set the proper frame rate, assuming you know that.

#3

Thank you for your answer. Well but that’s the problem. I’m so confused because i practically tried every frame rate and the video become slaggy or way too slow. the only frame rate that actually works is 60 fps but when i do the sequence n Blender still get laggy rendering…so desperate right now…

#4

First off you’ve to be sure about which frame rate has been used in the original video. Then you can convert it to the right one and since you’re gonna use this in Blender too I assume you’ll want to have the video in the background viewport. Therefore you can export two clips, one hi-res for PFTrack and one low-res for Blender, both at the same fps. Once the video is tracked down, you export the .py script. When you import the .py script in Blender just check the line that says ‘fps’ and make sure it is the same you used in Squeeze and PFtrack. Also double check in PFTrack the frame rate to be sure you’re using the same one used in Squeeze.
It should be pretty straight forward if you export the right fps at the root, then just follow that one.

Don’t know in which other way I can help. How big is the .mts? Maybe you can save it somewhere so we can download it and take a look at the problem.

#5

Thank you very much for your help!! I really appreciate it! Well i am doing the exact procedure you said but for some reason it doesn’t work. am guessing that because i don’t know the frame rate of the original video i convert it in the wrong one and the gates of hell open from there and on .

I am working from am a mac so get info doesn’t give me much details on the clip so i can see the fps of the video. I uploaded it so you could check the mts:
http://rapidshare.com/files/402736431/00052.MTS.html

#6

Yeah, I’m afraid I can’t really help you if you don’t have the original frame rate. Are you using a European camera? Then I’m assuming it’d be PAL 25/fps. All I can say is, to make things easiest, try to export ‘frame sequences’ in either png or targa format, rather than converting to a different quicktime movie. Use the same sequence, or at least a proxy version for the blender as the sequence that you tracked.

#7

It’s a Sony avchd camera i bought it from Greece so it should be Pal yes. I am shooting in Hd quality doesnt this affect the 25 fps?

#8

Illusionist have a good point here, image sequence usually is a good solution. My concern is about PFtrack, I don’t remember now how it handles the image sequence.
Besides that have you tried to open it with quick time? if it can open the mts you should be able to see the fps.
I’ll open the file as soon as possible at home. In the mean time you may give us some more info about the camera, or you may just have a look at the reference guide and check the specs, you should find info somewhere about the fps.

#9

Ok, I’ve got the file.
You can convert it to a quick time animation, 25fps. If you’ve After Effects you can even precomp it into a 1920 x 1080 composition or, if you just need a smaller resolution even a 1280 x 720, both at 25fps. Either way, just import the quicktime (or the tga sequence) in PFTrack and interpret it at 25fps.
Lastly, export the .py and double check the .py file once imported in Blender: take a look at the line that says "fps(…)’ and make sure it’s 25, if not simply change it. You’ve done.

#10

Thank you very much for your help and that you took the time to actually check the .mts. Much obliged. :slight_smile:

#11

Don’t forget to save a low-res version for a better and fluid playback in Blender view port.
I think one possibly reason may have confused you about the fps is that the native format is 50fps due to the HD nature of the file. Despite it seems HD it actually isn’t, that’s why you need to convert it to 1920 (or 1280). If you import it in AE and create a comp from it you’ll see how the pixel aspect ratio looks strange - but that’s normal since it isn’t square pixel. The Sony HD format double the field (therefore you can down convert to 25fps) and change the format size.