How good is the performance? How much power it takes to run without dropping frames?

vanakaru

I have been following the development and like what this offer. Also I am in search for alternative to Modul8 and did some serious testing lately.

I run into performance problems rather quick. Much sooner than on any other app I have tried.

In short I had two layers with 2 sec clip PhotoJPG. As soon I add a layer with PNG with alpha 10sec I get bad video stutter. Also every time I take new media clip into the app video will freeze.

My use MBP 4.1 C2D 2.6ghz 512mb VRAM, 4gbRAM. Every other app runs without these problems.

Millumin

Hello @vanakaru,

First of all, sorry about this issue.
I ran many tests on a MBP 2006 C2D 2.3 (very close to your machine) and this kind of Mac still have good rendering performance (with Modul8 or Millumin).

So first questions :
- what your final resolution ?
- do you use soft-edge ?
- do you map/warp your layers ?
- do you use compositions ?

Maybe the best way is to send your project files with your media (or without, but in that case, tell me the size of your media).
---> contact@millumin.com

Best,
Philippe

PS : the next release, coming next week, will bring performance improvements as well as new exciting features.

vanakaru

It appears that my problem was due to wrong clip played. I choose my master proRes4444 with alpha by mistake.

So while I get pretty smooth playback now I have some questions still.

First is there an undo possibility. Like when I place cue mark I see no possibility to delete it.

Second i am working on a project that involves Wii remotes to trigger sound samples and video clips like drum. Since I can not see how to trigger play on separate layer I have a feeling this is not possible.

Millumin

Hello @vanakaru,

Yes ProRes4444 is very time-consuming / harddrive-consuming.
If you got alpha channel, the best codec is "Animation".

The undo/redo feature is not present for the moment. It should come for the 1.0 release (due to end of september). But for the moment, I'm very focused on polishing Millumin.
By the way, to delete a cue point : just double-click on it, then delete it.

About your Wii remotes : do you use OSC (for example with OSCulator) ?
If so, you can send a message like "/millumin/layer/media/2/3 1" to launch the 2nd media to the 3rd layer.
To know more about OSC, you can have a look to the documentation.

Best,
Philippe

vanakaru

Thank you for the answer.

About the Animation codec: my pretty extensive experience share common knowledge about avoiding this codec for real time playback. I have not seen a mac that can play Animation with alpha without dropping frames sooner or later. I recommend to use PNG with alpha instead.

I do use OSCulator to translate OSC to MIDI. I looked the Documentation. Great! Could you explain how to use Wii to send these messages. Do I need to use OSCulator to reroute the message or what?

I want to try this out absolutely. For my project I really need a visible timeline because we have a master soundtrack running under the whole show with cues for visuals and interactive stuff. It would be the best to avoid two apps starting in sync or even worst two computers.

Millumin

Hello @vanakaru,

If you use OSCulator, you don't even need OSC (despite OSCulator can dela with it greatly) : just assign MIDI to Millumin.
What do you wanna control with your Wiimote exactly ?

Best,
Philippe

vanakaru

We have a 4m dia round screen that will be hit with big drumsticks. Drumstick have modified WiiMotes built in that trigger sound samples and video. So far we have been using OSCulator to translate OSC to midi messages and Isadora to manipulate sound and video with that midi data.

With Millumin I do not see the way to assign MIDI(note) the way it would trigger a media at the time of the hitIt would be independent of the timeline events.

look at vimeo.com/7834730

Millumin

Hello @vanakaru,

So you want to be able to use a composition (timeline for the main soundtrack) and trigger Wiimote event to launch media (via MIDI notes), right ?
So far, I think the best solution should be to have 2 Millumin :

1. Launch the 1st Millumin and create your composition (put the things that needs to stay in sync here)
2. Launch the 2nd Millumin second and add the media launched by the Wiimote in the board
3. Then you activate the Syphon Server for the 2nd Millumin (from the menubar "Output" > "Syphon Out")
4. Go back to your 1st Millumin and create a layer, then add the Syphon Server (called "Millumin" in the library)

Is that working the way you want ?

Best,
Philippe

vanakaru

Thank you taking time on this.

However I think I shall give up right now. Somehow the MIDI coming from OSCulator to Millumin is rather ”messy” and since I do not know Millumin so well I can not find out what is happening. Messy I mean it will trigger sometimes, sometimes double trigger and so on. I have advanced to much better result in Isadora where missing real timeline is the only con. In Isadora I see very well how signals are travelling and manipulating data streams is so easy. So I shall try to syphon out from Isadora to Millumin if I get really desperate for timeline.

But I shall not give up on Millumin. Maybe the combination of Isadora and Millumin over syphon would be the best solution anyway.

Millumin

If you use the "accelerometer" to know when the stick reaches the screen (so you have to launch a sound and a video), you should try to change the value of "Route When" (in the "OSC Routing Editor" popup) :
    "Route When : the value crosses 0.5 upwards" should be better.

Tell me.