Video Export Wizard
Video Export Wizard is a powerful and flexible tool that you can use to export the videos generated using the VIDEO4 system.
It supports several popular export formats that maximises the compatibility with just about any video requirement. You can export a whole run, and arbitrary section of a run, or a particular lap or sector and then export to the target format with or without an additional overlay.
Following are some uses of the wizard:
- To generate an fragment of the video and re-compress to a smaller size for emailing to a friend (who was at the same event maybe)
- To add an overlay to a blank video and generate a DVD (using the DVD burn tool)
- Generate a video that can then be used with 3rd party video editing tools with or without an additional overlay
- Generating small videos to go onto iPods and iPhones for showing friends. In particular iPhones are getting hugely popular at the moment, everyone seems to have one!
- Achieving video to a smaller file, for example the video could be compressed to a low resolution, low bit rate MP4 file, then if required at a later time converted back to a VD4 file using the media to VD4 program. Quality will be lost in the process, but it saves lots of disk space!
- Upload to youtube and Vimo etc.
Please note the following:
- In the case of the 3rd party video support output is limited to 25% resolution and watermarked unless an additional licence is purchased.
- With 3rd party video support but with a licence, you can export at full resolution with a small watermark.
- For the VIDEO4 system, no additional licence is required, full resolution is available and no watermarks are added.
The Video Export Wizard consists of 5 steps:
- Selecting a run file, an overlay file (optional) and a map file (optional).
- Setting the start and end time of the video
- Setting up the optional splash screen at the start of the video, setting the output video format options, and output path
- Set up the optional YouTube upload
- Generate the video
Use < Back & Next > buttons to move between previous and next steps. Use the "Close" button to exit from the wizard.
1. Selecting a run file and overlay file
"Select Run file" combo box lists down run files loaded into the Analysis. First select a run file from the list.
If you want to use a VGL (Video graphics overlay) file, first unselect the Do not overlay" check box. Then click on either Load factory defaults''' button or browse button next to it.
- Load factory layout will open a folder that contains number of ready to use VGL files shipped with the software. These include an overlay similar to the telemetry data seen on television for Formula 1, and a DASH2 overlay.
- Click on the browse button (button with ellipsis) to open the file open dialog box. The preview available in this "VGL file open dialog box" allows you to easily select a VGL file without opening it in the VIDEO4 Configuration tool. ( VGL files are generated using the VIDEO4 Configuration tool ).
Note: Lap timing variables do not work the same when using the layout (VGL - Video Graphics Overlay) for post processing. The differences are mainly due to what information is available in real time and after the run is complete. More information on this is available here.
If selected VGL file contains a track map object with internet map overlay enabled, then you can select the map file which can be generated from Map file generator software. If you don’t have a map file, then the system will generate the map file automatically, if the software has access to the internet.
2. Set the start and end time of the video
In this step you can defined the start & end time of the video. This will help you to export part of the video file.
3. Set up the optional splash screen at the start of the video
This step is used to configure startup splash image, encoder options and output path.
Enable Splash
The splash image displays at the beginning of the video and you can define the duration and alpha factor (0 to 100%) with other details like driver, location, data etc… these details are also displayed on the splash screen.
Encoder Options
In the encoder options you can define the video quality, size of the output video and the output format.
Following are the output formats currently supported:
Uses full quality h.264 with AC3 audio with a MP4 wrapper. Suitable for quicktime, VLC and youtube uploads. This is the native output of the video export system and so the fastest to generate.
This is the format natively used by all Race Technology tools. It is MPEG2 broadcast format with MP2 audio. As well as being compatible with RT software, it can also be used to generate DVDs directly and be used in any 3rd party PC based DVD players (e.g. Nero, PowerDVD). It can also be used in Windows Media Player on most PCs. Not compatible with VLC player.
This is the preferred format for all Windows applications, including Movie Maker, Windows Media Player. Will also playback in VLC. Not suitable for Quicktime.
This is an older, less efficient CODEC format used by DV cameras. This is still very popular with professionals and compatible with most video editing packages. Note that for good quality, a high bit rates is required and this is fixed by the standard at about 20Mbit/s.
This is fixed resolution (320x160) video export encoded as h.264 tested to work directly with iPods and iPhones. The resolution setting has no effect in this export mode
This is very similar to the VD4 (MPEG2) format, but uses the MPEG2 transport stream with P frames only for maximum compatibility at the expense of slightly higher bit rates. Ideal for use in most video editing packages and more compact than DV mode.
The video quality is associated with the size of the video. Bitrate and the file size of the output video will be displayed on the Estimated file size and Bitrate labels.
Output path
When you select the output path using the Output file text box, make sure that enough space (Estimated file size) is available on the selected drive. If you select a removable drive, system will give you warning saying that "it may cause speed and stability problems".
4. Set up the optional YouTube upload
In this step, you can configure required details for uploading to the YouTube website. Before uploading content to the YouTube, you should have a valid user name and a password for login. To register with YouTube click on the link: http://www.youtube.com/create_account
Then enter title, description, keywords and category of the video and these information are needed for YouTube to categorize your video. If you select When video is generated, automatically upload to YouTube option, system will start uploading after generating the video. After a successful upload, preview link will be displayed on YouTube link. (at the bottom of the step 4 window)
Please note that there are few limitations on YouTube videos: Video file sizes should be no larger than 2GB and no longer than 10 minutes in length.
5. Generate the video
After configuring the options in the above four steps, press “Create” button to start the video generation.
Press “Cancel” button to abort the operation.