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Here’s how to quickly convert your Panasonic AG3D-A1 stereo pairs into muxed stereo CineForm files. Before you begin, there’s a little bit of preparation that needs to be done.

1. Create a new folder on your hard drive and name it based on the REEL. In this tutorial, I’m calling the REEL ‘AG3D-A1′.
2. Then inside that folder, create 2 sub-folders… one called ‘LEFT’ and one called ‘RIGHT’.
3. Copy the contents of the Left SD card into the ‘LEFT’ folder.
4. Then copy the contents of the Right SD card into the ‘RIGHT’ folder.

Now you’re ready to convert them in First Light. Step1) Launch First Light and select Import>AG3DA1 Pairs… from the ‘File’ menu.

Step 2) The ‘Convert to 3D’ window will open.

Press the purple folder icon in the upper left-hand corner. Step 3) Select the ‘REEL’ Folder that contains your LEFT and RIGHT sub-folders.

Click ‘Open’ and this will import all the files from both the LEFT and RIGHT folders.

Step 4) Select the files you want to convert and press the ‘Conversion Paramaters’ button (the triangle button midway down the page). This will open the conversion paramaters window similar to the one in ReMaster.

Step 5) In the Logging pane, enter a ‘Reel’ name for your converted files. Then select a ‘Name preset’ from the choices in the drop-down menu. I typically use ‘Reel Name with Counter’. This option causes the converted files to named based on the reel name and also be numbered sequentially in the order the shots were taken. Choose which ever option best suits your workflow.

Step 6) In the Conversion Pane, you can change the image size, select the compressor type and quality, do speed changes and lower the volume level of the converted files… or just leave these at their defaults.

Step 7) Click the ‘Add to Queue’ button and that will load the selected files into the Render Queue. Click the start button (the circular play button) and then you will be prompted to select a location for the converted files.

Once you selected a folder, click the ‘Open’ button and that will start the conversion process.

When the conversion is done, your Stereo CineForm files will appear in the bin.

That’s it!

The steps below describe how to convert  your individual left and right eye source files into Stereo 3D CineForm files.

Step 1) Use ReMaster to convert all your source files into CineForm files. Keep the left eye files and right eye files in separate folders.

Step 2) Import your converted CineForm files into FirstLight.

Step 3) Use ‘cmd+L’ to mark the left eye clips as LEFT or go to EDIT>MARK>LEFT in the menubar.

Step 4) Use ‘cmd+R’ to mark the right eye clips as RIGHT or go to EDIT>MARK>RIGHT in the menubar.

Step 5) Select the first LEFT eye clip and its corresponding RIGHT eye clip. and use ‘cmd+E’ to export a stereo file or go to FILE>EXPORT STEREO in the menubar.

NOTE: Clicking on the ‘File/Reel’ header at the top of the Bin will sort your files by Filename. Clicking on the ‘Start / Run Time’ header will sort by Time Code. This is a good way to help organize your clips before attempting to pair them.

You will then be prompted to select a folder location and file name for the exported stereo file. Select a folder that is clearly marked as ’3D’ or ‘Stereo Muxed’. Name the file something that resembles the original files.

Select which Eye you want to use for the Starting Time Code… this is usually the ‘Hero’ eye. Then click ‘Save’.

NOTE: Before moving on to Step 6, make sure the Stereo Mode Status Viewer (in the menubar) is set to ’2D’.

Step 6) The Stereo Mux Queue opens up with the Eye Visibility set to ‘Both’. In tis mode, you will see both images superimposed in the preview window. This is also called ‘onionskin’ mode.

Switch to ‘Single’ Eye Visibility. In this mode, holding down the ‘down arrow’ key on your keyboard, will cause the preview window to repeatedly toggle between the left and right eye. This is a quick and easy way to see if the eyes are in sync. If they are not in sync, select the Hero eye and move the playback cursor to a sync point… ideally this would be a slate indicating the scene and take number.

Then, switch to the second eye (non-Hero) and use the ‘Shift second eye’ buttons to slip the second eye to the sync point.

Step 7) Once both eyes are on the sync point, you can set IN and OUT points to trim the clip using the IN and OUT buttons.

Step 8) Switch to the FirstLight bin to and repeat this process to add more clips to the Stereo Mux Queue. When all your clips are loaded in the Queue, press the ‘Start’ button to create the new stereo CineForm files.

When the files are finished muxing, they will replace the original LEFT and RIGHT eye files in the FirstLight bin.

In order for HDLink to see your installed AJA Capture card, here’s what you need to do:

1) download the following:

http://www.cineform.com/downloads-other/AJACaptureFilter.zip

2) unzip it and double click on the AJACaptureFilter.ax file.

3) if Windows asks you how to open it, browse to ‘c:\windows\system32\’ and select ‘regsvr32.exe’.

4) launch HDLink and you should see AJA Capture Filter listed in the ‘Capture Source’ drop-down menu.

If you wish to move your CineForm Neo license from one PC to another, follow these steps.

1) Run the ‘Activate’ utility found in the All Programs\CineForm\{your product name}\ folder in the Windows Start Menu.

2) Click on the ‘Deactivate’ button. After confirming that you wish to deactivate, a Deactivation Code will display on your screen.

3) Write down the Deactivation code and click ‘OK’. If you are connected to the internet, the CineForm Product deactivation form will launch in your default browswer.

4) Submit the form using your Name, Email address, Serial Number for the product you are deactivating and the Deactivation Code that was just displayed on the screen.

5) After submitting the form you will be sent an e-mail confirming that the product has been deactivated.

At this point, you can install and activate the product on another PC using the usual activation instructions.

NOTE: If you get an e-mail saying that the deactivation code or serial number are invalid, please contact support@cineform.com.

If you wish to move your CineForm Neo license from one Mac to another, follow these steps.

1) Hold the command-shift key down and simultaneously double-click on the CineForm icon in the system preferences .  This will bring up the “Block License” dialog.

2) Click “Yes” to block the license.  It should give you a couple of numbers – the challenge code and a block code.  Put these someplace safe, it makes reactivating easier.

3) Send your Serial Number and a screenshot of the numbers that appear to support@cineform.com. Shortly thereafter you will get an e-mail confirming that you can now activate another machine.

At this point, you can install and activate the product on another Mac using the usual activation instructions.

NVIDIA Control Panel Settings

1) Install the GPU that is to be used as the mother-card (NVIDIA Quadro FX 3800, etc) and the NVIDIA Dual-Link HD-SDI daughter-card in host computer. Connect the mother-card and the daughter card by both the internal and external jumper cables. Install drivers necessary for these cards.

2) Launch the “NVIDIA Control Panel” and navigate to the page entitled “Send graphics to SDI output”, a link to which can be found under “Workstation” in the “Select a Task…” tree-view. Ensure that the radio button entitled “Do not send SDI output” is SELECTED under “Send SDI output using:”. The output device to which the SDI card will be connected will NOT show the desktop, but rather a dedicated video signal and setting the radio button as instructed will prevent a signal going to the SDI card that represents standard desktop imagery.

Premiere CS5 Settings

Once the HD-SDI card has been installed and properly configured, Adobe Premiere Pro CS5 has been installed and a capable copy of CineForm Neo has been installed, launch Premiere Pro. Create a CineForm sequence using one of CineForm’s (3D) sequence presets. Navigate to “Playback Settings…” either via the “Output” drop-down menu that is located on either the Source or Program monitor panels OR via the “Playback Settings…” button that is located on the “Sequence>Sequence Settings…” dialog window.

In CineForm’s Playback Settings dialog box, if the NVIDIA HD-SDI card has been properly installed and configured, at the bottom will be found an enabled combo box entitled “NVIDIA Dual SDI” (if the NVIDIA HD-SDI card has NOT been properly installed or configured this combo box will be greyed out). In this combo box select an appropriate HD-SDI signal per the output device to which the video signal will be sent. When checked ON, the check box entitled “3D Playback” configures the pipeline to send a left eye and right eye image to each respective channel (if the content being previewed is 3D content…); when checked OFF, the left eye image is sent out each channel.

CineForm FirstLight Settings

Once the HD-SDI card has been installed and properly configured and a capable copy of CineForm Neo has been installed, launch CineForm FirstLight. Navigate to the OpenGL Player Preferences panel via “View > OpenGL Player Preferences…”.

If the NVIDIA HD-SDI card has been properly installed and configured, near the bottom of the OpenGL Player Preferences dialog window can be found a combo box entitled “NVIDIA Dual SDI” (if the NVIDIA HD-SDI card has NOT been properly installed or configured this combo box will NOT be present in the dialog window).

In this combo box select an appropriate HD-SDI signal per the output device to which the video signal will be sent. When checked ON, the check box entitled “3D Playback” configures the pipeline to send a left eye and right eye image to each respective channel (if the content being previewed is 3D content…); when checked OFF, the left eye image is sent out each channel.

Important Notes

1) Only one component can hold a connection to the HD-SDI card at any given time. Thus it is not possible for both Adobe Premiere Pro to be actively configured to send an HD-SDI signal while CineForm FirstLight is also running and actively configured to be sending an HD-SDI signal. Thus, in a workflow situation where both Premiere Pro and FirstLight are to be actively running at the same time, only one can be configured to send HD-SDI output.

Note: According to nVidia, the GeForce cards don’t support OpenGL quadbuffered stereo. They use consumer stereo drivers which hook off of DirectX and only work full-screen. CineForm products use the professional drivers which  means that the GeForce cards are not supported for 3D PageFlip… you’ll need a Quadro.

Here’s how to set up your nVidia Quadro to use 3D PageFlip:

1 ) Launch the nVidia Control Panel and click on the ‘Change resolution’ option under the ‘Display’ category.

2 ) In the ‘Refresh rate’ drop-down menu, select ’120Hz’.

3 ) In the nVidia Control Panel, click on ‘Manage 3D Settings’ under the ’3D Settings’ category.

4 ) In the ‘Global Settings’ tab, select ’3D App – Default Global Settings’ in the ‘Global presets’ drop-down menu.

5 ) In the ‘Settings’ leave all the options at their defaults except for the following:

a. ‘Stereo – Display mode’ should be set to ‘On-board DIN connector (with NVIDIA IR Emitter)’…as seen in the above screenshot.

b. ‘Stereo – Enable’ should be set to ‘On’…as seen in the below screenshot.

6 ) In the nVidia Control Panel, click on ‘Set up stereoscopic 3D’ in the ‘Stereoscopic 3D’ category.

7 ) Make sure that ‘Enable stereoscopic 3D’ is NOT checked.

8 ) Click ‘Apply’.

9 ) Launch First Light and in the ‘View’ menu, select ‘OpenGL Player Preferences’.

10 ) In the ‘OpenGL Player Options’ window, select ‘NVIDIA Page Flip 3D’ from the ‘Internal Window’ drop-down menu and click ‘OK’.

11 ) In the ‘View’ menu, ensure that ‘Enable Output Card’ is NOT checked.

12 ) On the left hand side of the First Light window, select ‘OpenGL’ from the ’3D Display Type’ drop-down menu.

That’s it. If you have any questions, contact support.

We’re often asked which 3D monitors we support with Neo3D, and which monitors we recommend.  The short answer is that we support most 3D monitors, although there are some minor platform-specific differences. 

In terms of which monitor we recommend, the answer really depends on your needs and your budget. Personally we prefer using a larger monitor for post such as a 46″ because it is more immersive than a smaller 24″ monitor.  But 24″ monitors are less expensive, so again it is dependent on your needs and budget.

CineForm supports the following 3D display formats which cover most monitors, but read below for some platform differences.

- Anaglyph: Red-Cyan, Amber-Blue, Green-Magenta
- Frame Compatible (Passive): side-by-side, over-under, field interleave
- Sequential Frame (Active): Windows only using Nvidia 3D mode
- Dual-link stereo: requires AJA Kona3 or Nvidia dual-link HD-SDI card (Nvidia Win only).  Used for driving RealD, Dolby, or XpanD 3D projection systems.

Note about consumer 3D TVs: Most newer consumer 3D TVs use an active display technology (active IR glasses).  But in most cases they accept side-by-side as input.  Internally they convert the side-by-side input into a frame-sequential 3D display.  If you use a consumer 3D TV you will normally drive this using side-by-side.

Dual-stream / dual-link: You can directly drive RealD, Dolby, and XpanD 3D projectors using Neo3D from:
  – Final Cut Pro through a Kona 3 card in dual-link stereo mode when Neo3D is installed.  
  – Premiere Pro (Win only for now) using either Kona 3 card or Nvidia HD-SDI.

MAC-FCP and MAC-Media Composer v5

3D monitoring on Mac using Final Cut Pro and Media Composer v5 occurs via output from FCP or MC respectively.  First Light does not (currently) drive a 3D monitor directly although that will change soon. 

On Mac you select the desired 3D monitoring mode using the upper-right CineForm menu bar icon.  This mode selector defines the way the 3D images are passed through Mac applications by Neo3D.

Note about sequential frame (active): It is not yet possible to drive monitors that require sequential frame input (such as gaming monitors).  This is because FCP “owns” interaction with the graphics card, and FCP doesn’t know anything about generating sequential frame stereo output through the graphcs card.  All other 3D modes mentioned above are supported.  Per the discussion above about consumer 3D TVs, some active monitors will accept side-by-side as input – these monitors are fine.

Graphics card / Kona card (FCP): We have worked closely with AJA on our 3D workflow in FCP.  In the following situations an AJA card is required for Neo3D with FCP: 1) your source material is not 1920×1080 (such as 2K); or 2) you intend to drive a dual-link stereo monitor or projector. 

FCP – Cinema Desktop: If your 3D sources are always 1920×1080 and you do not need to drive a dual-link monitor/projector, you can choose to use the cinema desktop mode (second DVI output) from within FCP to drive your 3D TV. 

WIN-PPro

3D monitoring on Windows can occur as output from First Light and also as output from Premiere Pro.  First Light and Premiere Pro use the same code for driving an external monitor. Both can drive all 3D modes discussed at the top. 

On Win you select the desired 3D monitoring mode using the CineForm system tray icon.  (Alternatively you can select the 3D display mode within First Light).  The mode selector defines the way the 3D images are passed through Win applications by Neo3D. 

HD-SDI monitoring: AJA Kona and Nvidia HD-SDI cards are supported in both First Light and Premiere Pro.  Nvidia HD-SDI supported is provided directly in the CineForm preset.  AJA Kona is supported using an AJA preset.

Sequential frame / Page flip / Active Shutter: Through the Nvidia 3D mode we now support sequential frame monitors.

With Avid’s support of third-party QuickTime codecs in Media Composer 5, more and more filmmakers are choosing CineForm as their online and master codec. The question has come up of how to render CineForm MOVs out of MC5, and here’s a quick tutorial to answer that!

1. File->Export

2. Select “Send to QT Movie” in the Export Setting dropdown at the
bottom of the export window.

3. Select an output location and input output file name.

4. Click “Options” to the right of the Export Setting dropdown

In the “Options” window:

- Export As: “QuickTime Movie”
- Width x Height: match your source or input desired scale size
- Select “601/709″ if you have NOT selected “Enable 4:4:4 encoding”. If
you have, select “RGB”
- Display Aspect Ratio: “Native Dimensions” if you are not scaling,
desired output if you are.

5. Click “Format Options…”

- Sound: Checked, uncompressed, 48kHz, 16-bit, Stereo
6. Click “Settings”

- Compression Type: CineForm HD/4K/3D
- Frame Rate: Current
- Depth: Millions of Colors+
- Quality (Set at user discretion, recommended “High” or “Best”)

7. Quality Options: “Enable 4:4:4 encoding” and “Interlaced video
source” are options to use at your discretion

8. Click “OK” as you navigate back to the original “Export” window, and click “OK” again to start your export.

9. Upon completion, go back to your project bin, right-click and select “Link to AMA File(s)…” and
navigate to your new file.

For 3D projects, you will want to do one of these renders for each eye, then mux the outputs back together for a 3D master, as described here: http://techblog.cineform.com/?p=3071

1. File->Export
2. Select "Send to QT Movie" in the Export Setting dropdown at the
bottom of the export window.
3. Click "Options" to the right of the Export Setting dropdown
4. In the "Options" window:
A. Export As: "QuickTime Movie"
B. Select "Custom" and click "Format Options..."
C. In the "Format Options..." window:
i. Click "Settings"
a. Compression Type: CineForm HD/4K/3D
b. Frame Rate: Current
c. Depth: Millions of Colors+
d. Quality (Set at user discretion, recommended "High" or "Best")
e. Quality Options: "Enable 4:4:4 encoding" and "Interlaced video
source" are user options
ii. Sound: Checked, uncompressed, 48kHz, 16-bit, Stereo
D. Width x Height: match your source or input desired scale size
E. Select "601/709" if you have NOT selected "Enable 4:4:4 encoding". If
you have, select "RGB"
F. Display Aspect Ratio: "Native Dimensions" if you are not scaling,
desired output if you are.
5. Select an output location and input output file name.
6. Go back to bin, right-click and select "Link to AMA File(s)..." and
navigate to your new file.
(Repeat if necessary for other eye)