Moho Forum

I'm looking for a way to render a video with alpha, from a PC with Windows 10.

It seems Apple's ProRes 4444 would be a good choice, unfortunately encoding is not (yet) supported on Windows.
(Adobe Media Encoder is supposed to deal with it very soon).

So it seems the ultimate alternative right now is to use GoPro's CineForm codec.
I installed the free GoPro CineForm Studio application, giving the codecs to encode/decode in CFHD (well, this is what I've understood).
I did try to export from Anime Studio Pro (v11.2) in 32 bit/x86 version, with these settings:
- codec: GoPro-CineForm Codec HD/4K/3D
- millions of colors+ / optimal
- in Options > "Enable RGB encoding (4:4:4)" / "Enable Alpha Channel (4:4:4:4)"


But, when I start to render, it crashes. :/


I also did try with Anime Studio Pro in 64 bit.
Setting to "AVI (Video for Windows) / Preset: Avi Movie
Codec: GoPro CineForm Codec (x64) v9.2.1 with these settings:
- Use Video System RGB
- Enable 4:4:4 encoding / Enable Alpha Channel
- Higher HD / Progressive / Square Pixel

No crash, but the movie has no alpha channel.




Has any of you did try something similar? Is there a good way to export video WITH alpha channel directly from ASP?
I did try all the possibilites offered by the "Legacy QuickTime" option, but nothing works...
Also, I don't want a PNG image sequence (I know it works, but I need the animation to be a video sequence with alpha channel, to use it as a texture in a 3D software).

Legacy Quicktime Million Colors+ (make sure it has the "+") will export with alpha channel.

Thanks synthsin75, unfortunately no, it doesn't work (I did try that already).
I guess it is because I'm on Windows, not on OSX.

I did try all of the following codec (even none):


These codecs allows millions colors+:
Animation, GoPro CineForm, PNG, TechSmith EnSharpen, (for alpha, I'm not sure about JPEG2000/Photo - JPG but I don't think so).

That's why I'm trying with CineForm and waiting for ProRes support on Windows.

Quicktime PNG codec with millions+ colours - that's the one.

I get alpha with any millions colors+ setting.

How are you checking these for alpha? Are you importing them back into AS, or into some other program? Many other programs have to be told that the movie contains alpha information before they will display it.

I check with Sony Vegas. And you're right, I didn't think to check settings in Vegas.
I select "straight unmatted" for alpha and it works. Thank you for the tip!

Now, it's half of a victory, because the alpha is not recognized by the 3D software
(and, as far as I know, there is no way to tell him how to do it).

Thank again, anyway!

What 3D software?

That might sound dumb but, it's Poser. Yeah, not its main purpose, I know. But I just love how easy it is to use it.
It seems there is no way to have video as texture with alpha (it needs a second video as a mask).

As far as I know, there is no easy way to get 2D characters (as an image sequence or video with alpha), into a 3D environment, with full integration.
After Effects+Element 3D: fake integration. Poser: true 3D but can't handle video with alpha or use image sequences as texture.

Didn't see this suggestion, but I have done it:

Open 32 bit version of Anime Studio Pro and render/export using Animation codec and "millions of colors +"

You can also render as PNG sequence then use QuickTime Pro (paid version) and convert PNG sequence to .mov using the same codec to get the alpha channel (millions of colors +). Go File, Open Image Sequence. Click on the first image (images must be sequentially name) then click "Save As" and choose "Save as type Movie" and click the "Save as a self contained movie" option.