Author Topic: "Dancing" Cumulus Time Lapse  (Read 3652 times)

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Offline GregJ

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"Dancing" Cumulus Time Lapse
« on: September 24, 2013, 11:24:54 PM »
I just like this time lapse.  We have had a lot of instability lately and we were just far enough away to have sun and still calm water.  It just makes for a pretty time lapse.    Best watched in HD....

Thought I'd share,

Greg
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Offline piconut

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Re: "Dancing" Cumulus Time Lapse
« Reply #1 on: September 24, 2013, 11:29:07 PM »
Nice time lapse movie Greg.  How often are you capturing images to create the time lapse and what software are you using?
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Offline cospringswx

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Re: "Dancing" Cumulus Time Lapse
« Reply #2 on: September 24, 2013, 11:42:01 PM »
Nice time lapse movie Greg.  How often are you capturing images to create the time lapse and what software are you using?

He is using Sebetec Software. I'm using the same thing. My question is how do you make the video that slow? Mine is too fast.




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Offline GregJ

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Re: "Dancing" Cumulus Time Lapse
« Reply #3 on: September 24, 2013, 11:43:34 PM »
I am capture a 1920x1080 image every 20 seconds.  I am using the Sebectec software designed for the Olympus SP500.  After it was rendered in Sebectec at 30fps I ran it through Sony Vegas to add some entry and exit fade and I also stretched the timeline about 50%.  A second rendering on top of a different frame rate seems to smooth the video a bit.

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Offline GregJ

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Re: "Dancing" Cumulus Time Lapse
« Reply #4 on: September 24, 2013, 11:46:01 PM »
Hayskswx,
I was typing while you were asking... I think I may have answered your question.  Although every video editing software is different.  Glad to answer any questions about how this is done.

Greg

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Offline cospringswx

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Re: "Dancing" Cumulus Time Lapse
« Reply #5 on: September 24, 2013, 11:55:11 PM »
Hayskswx,
I was typing while you were asking... I think I may have answered your question.  Although every video editing software is different.  Glad to answer any questions about how this is done.

Greg



I would have never guessed that you were using another video software after Sebetec. What is your frame rate set on? I've got mine slowed down as much as I can with Sebetec I guess. Here is a link to mine. Pretty boring with no clouds and no wind though.

 http://www.hayskansasweather.com/timelaspe.php







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Offline GregJ

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Re: "Dancing" Cumulus Time Lapse
« Reply #6 on: September 25, 2013, 12:23:10 AM »
I have two versions going for each cam.  Both are at 30fps.  For my website I am creating a .flv file at 576x324 so that it will load fast via a flash video player embedded in the site.  I create a second video from another computer that is 1280x720 in .mp4.  I put this up to a public folder for the media.  I can also grab that file for custom video like the one I just shared.  My settings for the original are 1280x720, 30fps with a bitrate of 24000 in .mp4 format.  The originals really come out quite nice, but I like to play with them.  I do think a second rendering at a slightly different frame rate creates a smoother image.  That is why I will take a 20 second video at 30fps and stretch it to 30 seconds.  That is the basic concept of what I did with the video I just shared.  I'll put the original up to Vimeo right now and share it so you can see the difference.  The original is actually good quality as well.

Greg
 
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Offline GregJ

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Re: "Dancing" Cumulus Time Lapse
« Reply #7 on: September 25, 2013, 12:34:04 AM »
Here is the original.  I think the quality is actually quite nice on both, but with the 2nd rendering it just seems a bit smoother.  I'll put both links here for convenience...

Original video file:

After 2nd rendering: 

Greg
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Offline cospringswx

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Re: "Dancing" Cumulus Time Lapse
« Reply #8 on: September 25, 2013, 12:36:36 AM »
Here is the original.  I think the quality is actually quite nice on both, but with the 2nd rendering it just seems a bit smoother.  I'll put both links here for convenience...

Original video file:

After 2nd rendering:  

Greg


I can surely see the difference. They are both fantastic and like you said the 2nd is smoother. My speed is more like the first one. Thanks for clearing this up. Sounds like another project for me to overcome!
« Last Edit: September 25, 2013, 12:40:27 AM by hayskswx »




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Offline piconut

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Re: "Dancing" Cumulus Time Lapse
« Reply #9 on: September 25, 2013, 12:49:00 AM »
Also, capturing more frames per minute will slow down the movie but increases disk space and processing time substantially.  I'm using Movie Salsa and I'm capturing a 640 x 480 image every 15 seconds (two Logitech 9000 webcams), but they don't look as smooth as yours.  My month of time lapse images is here:   

Looking Southwest http://robuck.net/weather/images/webcam/Calendar2013southwest.html 
Looking East http://robuck.net/weather/images/webcam/Calendar2013east.html
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Offline piconut

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Re: "Dancing" Cumulus Time Lapse
« Reply #10 on: September 25, 2013, 12:52:25 AM »
This is about as good as mine gets, which isn't that smooth.  I do like the clouds moving in different directions though, and the brief rain too!

http://robuck.net/weather/images/webcam/2013/north_2013-09-19.mp4
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Offline GregJ

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Re: "Dancing" Cumulus Time Lapse
« Reply #11 on: September 25, 2013, 01:30:32 AM »
Piconut,
I grabbed a copy of that video file from your link and loaded it into my editing software.  I slowed it down about 50%.  Remember, this is not the same as changing a render rate of 30fps to 20fps.  This is rendering a video file at 30fps of a video file that was made at 30fps over a 50% longer time frame.  This is how it smooths it up.  The file I ended up with is 68mb so I put it up to Vimeo.  I also rendered your 640x480 video file at 1280x720...   The other thing is my native images going into this process are 1920x1080.  Downscaling will always create a cleaner image than upscaling.  So.... here is a Vimeo link to about 40 seconds of your video stretched out to about 60 seconds.  You can click the HD button to watch it in HD...

Greg
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Offline GregJ

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Re: "Dancing" Cumulus Time Lapse
« Reply #12 on: September 25, 2013, 09:49:37 AM »
I was a little tired last night when I put that last video together....  Here is a 30 second clip from the same video rendered at 640x480 and stretched to 45 seconds.    Producing that last video at 720p created some issues....

Greg
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Offline Randall Kayfes

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Re: "Dancing" Cumulus Time Lapse
« Reply #13 on: September 25, 2013, 09:55:10 AM »
That is absolutely amazing to me to see weather traveling in two different directions....



Offline GregJ

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Re: "Dancing" Cumulus Time Lapse
« Reply #14 on: September 25, 2013, 10:11:32 AM »
Yesterday the local ABC affiliate did a blog using video from my site on this very topic.  He titled it "Ever see the weather make a U-turn before?".... We see it a lot here.  Although with time lapse, you can really see the details.  Here is the blog: http://www.komonews.com/weather/blogs/scott/Ever-see-weather-make-a-U-turn-before-225075372.html

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Offline Randall Kayfes

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Re: "Dancing" Cumulus Time Lapse
« Reply #15 on: September 25, 2013, 11:14:42 AM »
Very Nice!



Offline piconut

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Re: "Dancing" Cumulus Time Lapse
« Reply #16 on: September 25, 2013, 04:12:39 PM »
I was a little tired last night when I put that last video together....  Here is a 30 second clip from the same video rendered at 640x480 and stretched to 45 seconds.    Producing that last video at 720p created some issues....

Greg

Hi Greg...

Thanks for taking the time to smooth out my time lapse video.  I guess I need to install a trial of the Sebetec software to see if it has any features that might help improve the quality of my time lapse movies.  I also need to see what amount of processing power it needs.
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Offline GregJ

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Re: "Dancing" Cumulus Time Lapse
« Reply #17 on: September 25, 2013, 06:35:44 PM »
I see you have an IP cam.  He has a bullet proof IP application.  I am currently running 3 webcams at work with this.  These cams are in three different locations several miles away.  I have an old Dell PC on my desk that is capturing an image every 5 seconds from all three cams at the same time.  I am running 3 instances of the software 24/7 on this PC.  I am capturing images every 5 seconds for improved security cam coverage.  Every minute I push a new image up for each site and every hour I render a 1 hour time lapse and push it up as well.  All of this is happening at the same time on the same machine in a remote location (my desk).  It has NEVER gone down in about 2 years of non-stop service.  The Dell is a Duo Core 3.16Ghz  32bit 4gib of ram running on Windows 7 Pro.  I did put in a terabyte drive because of the file sizes.  I can't say enough about the stability and processing power of this app.  Here is a link to this site: http://www.centralmarketweather.com/ This is the landing page for our 3 Central Market Weather sites.  You can click on any of the stores to access their weather sites.  Hope this helps,

Greg
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Offline piconut

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Re: "Dancing" Cumulus Time Lapse
« Reply #18 on: September 25, 2013, 07:33:26 PM »
Actually, my webcams are not IP but cheap $30 Logitech webcams in halogen light waterproof enclosures.  However, the horsepower you have running your system is substantially more than mine which is what I suspected if you're capturing images in HD.   One of these days I might find the funds to upgrade the old weather station laptop into a more powerful computer but for now I think I'm at my limits with CPU power and RAM.  That is quite a nice setup you have!
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Offline GregJ

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Re: "Dancing" Cumulus Time Lapse
« Reply #19 on: September 25, 2013, 10:53:55 PM »
A couple of things Piconut... The only cams that Sebectec will support are either an IP cam or an Olympus SP500 digital cam.  I have the Olympus.  They can be found on Ebay for $70 to $100.  The IP cams I am using at work are Panasonic like this: http://www.amazon.com/BL-VT164P-HD-Pan-tilt-Network-Camera/dp/B008TSB2C0/ref=sr_1_9?ie=UTF8&qid=1380163160&sr=8-9&keywords=panasonic+IP+cam  The Olympus route is cheaper and better quality.  It's not rock solid like the IP cam solution.  For a business I wouldn't do it any other way.  For personal.... I like to tinker so it's a no brainer to go with the cheaper, higher quality image solution....  :grin:  I used ImageSalsa and a logitech for the work cams in the beginning.  The Sebectec package has WAY more options and functionality.  I just bought a little Foscam IP cam last week (to keep an eye on our dogs... ) and I like it way better than the Panasonic.  I got this one: http://www.amazon.com/Foscam-FI8910W-Network-Camera-Two-Way/dp/B006ZPWS4U/ref=sr_1_2?ie=UTF8&qid=1380163473&sr=8-2&keywords=foscam+IP+cam  I have only used it indoors though.

As far as horsepower for computers to run Sebectec.....  I am running both my cams on 2005 Dell Inspiron laptops, Windows XP, 50Gig hard drives and 1 gig of ram.  Hardly state of the art.  The biggest bottleneck in my system is the USB 1.0 in the Olympus cam.

I am running my system on the cheap.  Old hardware and good software can make a great combination.

Hope this helps,
Greg
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Offline piconut

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Re: "Dancing" Cumulus Time Lapse
« Reply #20 on: September 26, 2013, 04:38:12 PM »
As far as horsepower for computers to run Sebectec.....  I am running both my cams on 2005 Dell Inspiron laptops, Windows XP, 50Gig hard drives and 1 gig of ram.  Hardly state of the art.  The biggest bottleneck in my system is the USB 1.0 in the Olympus cam.

I am running my system on the cheap.  Old hardware and good software can make a great combination.

Hope this helps,
Greg


If by "helps" you mean that it keeps me addicted to the hobby I love, why then, yes, it helps.   :grin:

Now I'm going to have to rethink my setup and the possibility of buying a used Olympus SP500.  But how do you keep the Olympus powered on all the time and how did you build a waterproof enclosure for it?
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Offline GregJ

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Re: "Dancing" Cumulus Time Lapse
« Reply #21 on: September 27, 2013, 12:22:59 AM »
Piconut... I love to spend other people's money...  :-)  A little while ago I shared this post: http://www.wxforum.net/index.php?topic=19128.0  I think that will give you an idea of what I did for my enclosure.  Mike from Sebectec has some much easier solutions.  I just prefer to build my own because I have the shop and materials to do it.  In fact, I am in the middle of a remodel of my home that will require a new location for the enclosure so I'll be building another.  Plus, I am planning on adding another cam...  :grin:  For power I am using a simple Wallymart universal power supply: http://www.walmart.com/ip/PowerLine-1300-mah-Universal-AC-Adapter-w-USB-Power-Port/16778839?action=product_interest&action_type=title&placement_id=irs-srp-1&strategy=PWVAV&visitor_id=39548119118&client_guid=f87975b2-874f-4e2a-9a35-2f85a3afee24&config_id=8&parent_item_id=23204420%2C27448973%2C26967730%2C10326251%2C23554065%2C26115680%2C24580595%2C23140312%2C28501891%2C23554064%2C22401112%2C28501893%2C28501890%2C28502705%2C26462914%2C28501892&guid=5795ff40-7cad-41a9-a73d-bc740a6e07d3&bucket_id=000&findingMethod=p13n  The only other caveat to this is the problem with USB timeouts and going to sleep.  Mike at Sebectec has created a solution for this.  It is a relay switch that senses activity on the USB port and when it drops, it shuts the cam down for a few seconds and the restarts it.  This wakes up the USB port.  Some PCs can work without this add on, but mine have all required this device.

My suggestion would be to contact Mike directly and he can walk you through what you will need and what it will cost.  You can contact him directly though his site at: http://sebectec.com/

Hope this "helps"  :lol:

Greg
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