Video for FRACTINT
VFF v1.3

Introduction

Contents

Knowlege Prerequisite
VFF Features List
Example Videos

Installation Instructions
Source Code
QuickStart Example
QuickStart guide for generating your first image sequence

FRACTINT.Ram/Disk Graphic modes as a function of RASTER aspect ratios
A short Introducion to PAR Files
PAR Files Syntax Constraints
MAP Files Generation

Introduction to VFF Storyboards (*.stb)
Storyboard Syntax

Parset selection
Image Number Range Specification
View Area Size / Orientation / Position / Parameters  Interpolation function.
Force full rotation

Interpolation Functions

About the importance of frame rate, interlacing and antialiasing
How to continue a computation from the middle of a storyboard ?


TOOLS

GIF filtering and Interlacing with GIF2GIF
GIF filtering and downsampling with GIF2x2y2TIFF
Rythm Time base generation : Tempo.c
Producing a Video

Changes Since the previous release of VFF
FAQ

Control of the way each of these parameters vary with time among 13 functions
SINUS, EXPO, LINEAR, PARABOLIC_FALL, PARABOLIC_JUMP, SINUS2, ARCOS, SINUS2BIS,ARCOSBIS, ARCOSQUAD, EXPOLIN, SLOW_START, QUICK_START
Default is LINEAR

Possibility to add 1 or more 360° view rotations (optional parameter 'nrot' in the storyboard) between key frames.

Color Table (*.map) rotation (if possible) or interpolation (if rotation is impossible)
Selection is automatic.

As input, VFF takes a "storyboard" text file.
Each line of the Storyboard refers to a FRACTINT PAR file and a fractal description (parset) included in this PAR File.
This defines a Key Frame.

VFF can be launched in simulation mode in order to quickly detect any storyboard error or missing file that would appear only after hours of computation.

VFF can be stopped at any time by pressing <SHIFT RIGHT> and restarted later (Need to edit the storyboard). Keep the key pressed until FRACTINT leaves.

Generate pictures for final display at 4/3 or 16/9 or custom aspect ratio
Can generate pictures in 4/3 or 16/9 or custom raster aspect ratio.
Notice that these are two different things, and both have to be selected.
For instance, if you want to make a DVD 16/9 anamorphic, then you should select Final display 16/9 and 4/3 raster aspect ratio + interlaced.
Works at any resolution, any frame rate (of course).

Can generate interlaced videos (see tools) for perfect view on TV.

Can generate fast preview thumbnail images for quick review before starting the grand computation.
In fast preview mode, timer speed x 4, calculation/image divided by about 100x, only 60 per image.

Storyboard gives precise time control for generating video sequences:
For instance : can generate a sequence of 25 images so that the last one corresponds exactly to the second key frame. OR can generate a sequence of 25 frames so that the last one is distant by one image of the second key frame so that one can then later continue the sequence toward an additional key frame.

Creates on the fly FRACTINT Disk/RAM Video Modes (in fractint.cfg)

You should have WinRar installed on your machine in order to decompress what's next.

For getting the DVD

The DVD contains also Redish, Julia7 and ManzPower.
 

If you don't want to bother with such a huge file, or don't have a DVD writer, try ...

KLF What time is Love at 25fps, 3'40", downsampled to 360*270 from the full interlaced PAL video. Edited with Adobe Premiere.
For that big storyboard, I recommend that you generate yourself the map files with VFF for each PAR file.
If you don't want to bother with that, here are all the map files from my fractint directory.

Redish, at 25fps, downsampled to 360*270 from the full interlaced 720x540 PAL video.

Simple Zoom at 25fps

A High Quality extract at 50fps. Edited with Vegas Video 4, with music and antialiased 2x (first 613 frames only).
Storyboard is from klf_wtil.stb, lines 306 to 405 but at 50fps instead of 25fps.(numbers (+x|*x) multiplied by 2)
 

1) Download the whole package and unzip it anywhere on your PC.
This file contains all the things this server has about VFF v1.3 except the videos.
So, no more downloads are necessary for you. You can ignore the downloads.
2) Add the created fractint directory to the system environment variable PATH : Under windows XP, right click on Destop > Properties > Advanced > Environement variables. And modify the path by appending at the end a ';' followed by the full path to the fractint directory.
3) You can directly proceed to the quickstart example

Then Wait...a few minutes.
In the VFF directory, you should find the 10 gifs sequence. Browse the directory with ACDSee.

When FRACTINT computes, you can immediately stop it by pressing escape.
But to stop VFF from calling FRACTINT, you must also press <RIGHT SHIFT> when VFF "has the ball".
In general, you have to do that "in the dark" because of video scan rate switches. The storyboard and map files for the whole sequence are available in the 'example videos' section under the name 'redish'. You can then produce a video

To the first question asked by VFF.exe :
'Do you want to generate the map files for a parfile ?'
Reply : 1
Then type my_own\my.par
A text file called vff.key is created and FRACTINT is directly called in batch mode in order to execute this batch.
The command line executed is 'fractint autokey=play autokeyname=vff.key'

The process is quite slow, so, wait. The video resolution switches are normal.
Then you will find in a new 'maps' sub directory below the my_own directory, all the new created .map files.

Then Wait...some time.
You can then produce a video.

Here is a typical PAR File. Extracted from filament.par
 
 

Fil0         { ; A Mandelbrot             Ian Adams - Laurent Chabin reset type=mandel corners=-1.8605744949/-1.86057342518/-2.53921203141e-006/6.704875045157e-007/-1.860575677943/-9.894643220421e-007 float=y maxiter=1500 inside=0 colors=0006zz<2>2zz0zz0yz<43>05z03z02z00z00y<59>002000000000<29>00k00m01\ m<8>0Fq0Hq0Iq0Kq0Lr<16>0ky0mz1mz<30>zzz<42>7zz } Fil1         { ; A Mandelbrot             Ian Adams - Laurent Chabin reset=2000 type=mandel corners=-1.86057396540422/-1.86057395467634/-9.383852174830307e-007/-9.303393094117285e-007 float=y maxiter=1500 inside=0 colors=000okj<14>YKJXIHVGF<3>R87Q65O44N22L00M10<24>plkrnmspo<3>xxw<25>EM\ HCLFAJE<3>3D7<4>CLFEMGFOI<5>QXRSYTUZVW`XYbZ<2>afbcgdehegjgili<3>qrpstruu\ tvwuxxw<25>EELCCKAAI<3>33C<14>VVYXX_ZZ`<7>nnnppprrq<3>zzy<26>EEDCCBAA9<3\ >332<20>ddcffehhg<2>mmloonssrttsvvuxxw<5>qml } Fil2        { ; A Mandelbrot             Ian Adams - Laurent Chabin reset=2000 type=mandel corners=-1.8605739603406075/-1.8605739597399991/-9.343990909244726e-007/-9.343254359702659e-007/-1.8605739601579823/-9.3463620702131184e-007 float=y maxiter=2500 inside=0 colors=000_NM<5>TCBSA9R87<2>N22L00M10<24>plkrnmspo<3>xxw<25>EMHCLFAJE<3>\ 3D7<4>CLFEMGFOI<5>QXRSYTUZVW`XYbZ<2>afbcgdehegjgili<3>qrpstruutvwuxxw<25\ >EELCCKAAI<3>33C<14>VVYXX_ZZ`<7>nnnppprrq<3>zzy<26>EEDCCBAA9<3>332<20>dd\ cffehhg<2>mmloonssrttsvvuxxw<18>aPO } Fil3     { ; A Mandelbrot             Ian Adams - Laurent Chabin reset type=mandel corners=-1.8605739600531161/-1.8605739600569562/-9.3434862589865684e-007/-9.3435731594162107e-007/-1.8605739600502145/-9.3435240575901875e-007 float=y maxiter=2500 inside=0 colors=0000`v<6>0ky0mz1mz<30>zzz<46>2zz0zz0yz<45>02z00z00y<59>0020000000\ 00<29>00k00m01m<21>0Zv    } Fil4    { ; A Mandelbrot             Ian Adams - Laurent Chabin reset=2000 type=mandel corners=-1.860573958330791/-1.8605739615671408/-9.337376370612931e-007/-9.3719964584556968e-007/-1.8605739578196414/-9.3439251486155973e-007 float=y maxiter=2000 inside=0 colors=000oki<14>YKIXIGVGE<3>R86Q64O43N21L00M10<24>pljrnlspn<3>xxv<25>EM\ GCLEAJD<3>3D6<4>CLEEMFFOH<5>QXQSYSUZUW`WYbY<2>afacgcehdgjfilh<3>qrostquu\ svwtxxv<25>EEKCCJAAH<3>33B<14>VVXXXZZZ_<7>nnmpporrp<3>zzx<26>EECCCAAA8<3\ >331<20>ddbffdhhf<2>mmkoomssqttrvvtxxv<5>qmk }

Each of these parset sections describe a fractal equation, a view area, parameters and a color palette.
You can see directly each of these in FRACTINT.
Start FRACTINT, go to main menu.
Press '@' : Run saved command set
Press 'F6': To select the PAR File : filament.par
Then select parameter set 'Fil0' : press enter.
 
 

Let's take another PAR file extract (julia.par)
 
 

Nuts01             { ; Microscopic Creatures Battling With Nutcrackers                       ; Par and Image Copyright 1996 by Lee H. Skinner    reset=2000 type=mandphoenixclx    corners=-0.2813104699/-0.2742954916/0.1535485472/0.1588097809    params=-0.008527787102877896/0.003323770867030854/0.5/0/0    float=y    maxiter=1023 inside=0 logmap=yes sound=off    colors=000cmk<3>msqptsrvu<2>zzz<16>eejddibbh<3>YYdUUa<3>OOXNNWLLV<5>GGQF\    FPEEO<5>99L88K88K<4>44G33G22F11F<2>00E55H88K<2>FFPHHRIIS<3>PPXRRYSS_<2>X\    XbYYcZZd__e``f<10>mmpnnqppqppr<2>ttu<6>ZZZWWWTTT<3>GGGCCD99A<2>000<5>000\    <3>000001112<4>55966A77B<2>99FAAHCBJ<11>UTZWV_XWa<3>cafechfdi<2>igkkhlki\    mlimmkn<6>mknmknmkn<2>mknmjmlhl<11>bMVaLU`JS<3>ZBNY9LX7KW5JV3HU1F<3>P2JO\    2KM3LL3MK3N<3>B2J92I72H<2>00E<3>2AL2CN3FP3HR4KT5NV<3>3UV3WV2YV<3>DaZGa_J\    b`<2>RecUfeWhfZjh`ki    }

 

• Section name should not be more than 8 characters long (here 'Nuts01')
• For the complex plane area to compute, VFF doesn't handle the "center-mag=" syntax. VFF handles only the "corners=" syntax. To force Fractint to save the area definition with the "corners" format, before saving the parset, press 'Z' then 'F6' then 'F7' if necessary to swap the mode.
• Corners fields should appear isolated and on a single line (no multi line \ extension)
• Params fields should appear isolated and on a single line (no multi line \ extension)
• No more that six params
• Colors section should be the last field of the PAR section (to my knowledge, this is always the case by default)

An automatic preprocess (with VFF) consists in calling FRACTINT in batchmode in order to generate automatically a .map file for each PAR section of a given PAR file.
The name of each .map file is 'the name of the PAR section'.map
You need launch this process each time you add new sections to a PAR file.

To do that : execute VFF with no file argument.

This is the first question asked by VFF.exe :
'Do you want to generate the map files for a parfile ?'
Reply : 1
Then type your parfile name.
A text file called vff.key is created and FRACTINT is directly called in batch mode in order to execute this batch. Command Line executed is 'fractint autokey=play autokeyname=vff.key'

At the end of the process, you will find all the created .map files in a 'maps' subdirectory below the directory of the PAR file.
From that point, you can proceed with the other menus of VFF.
 

Now lets take a look at an extract of the klf_wtil..stb storyboard
 

Extract from klf_wtil.stb

filament.par  fil0  +25                  PARABOLIC_FALL  SINUS SINUS

Generates 25 frames from fil0 to fil1 (excluded).
Zoom factor will evolve such that one have the impression to fall and stop abruptly. Use it typically for zoom ins.
Rotation will follow a sinus curve (slow then fast then slow).
Translation will follow a sinus curve (slow then fast then slow).
(nrot is an optional number. Its default value is 0)
Parameters will evolve linearly (actually here, the fractal depends on no parameters).
Images will bear names Im00000.gif to Im00024.gif

filament.par  fil1  +25                  EXPO  SINUS SINUS

Generates 25 frames from fil1 to fil2 (excluded).
Zoom factor will evolve such that one have the impression to make a smooth zoom.
Rotation will follow a sinus curve (slow then fast then slow).
Translation will follow a sinus curve (slow then fast then slow).
Images will bear names Im00025.gif to Im00049.gif

....

filament.par  fil3  +25                  PARABOLIC_JUMP  SINUS2  SINUS2

Generates 25 frames from fil3 to fil4 (excluded).
Zoom factor will evolve such that one have the impression to be ejected by a cannon.  Use it typically for zoom outs.
Rotation will follow a sinus2 curve (quite slow then quite fast then quite slow).
Translation will follow a sinus2 curve (quite slow then quite fast then quite slow).
Images will bear names Im00075.gif to Im00099.gif
 

filament.par  fil3  *24                  PARABOLIC_JUMP  SINUS2  SINUS2

would have generated 25 frames from fil3 to fil4 (included).
Images names would be Im00075.gif to Im00099.gif
 

Single comment lines should start with a ';'
Enclose commentary blocks between brackets '{' and  '}'

(a|b|c) means you have the choice between syntaxes a, b or c.
[a] means a is optional in the syntax.

In what follows, a key frame is a view defined by a parset in a parfile

Each effective line contains
parfile parset  (ibeg iend cbeg cend | +x | *x ) [zoom  [rotate [(+|-)nrot] [trans [par1[...par6]]]]]]]]]
example:
seehorse.par see     +25           EXPO LINEAR PARABOLIC_JUMP
 
 

Parset selection

• parfile : file name of the parfile that contains the ...
• parset : name of the set to be used as first key frame.

The next key frame is defined by the next parset in the parfile.

Image Number Range Specification

• ibeg iend cbeg cend | +x | *x

Three alternate ways to specify the number of images to generate and their filenames.
 

• First Syntax Explicit : ibeg iend cbeg cend

Four Integers.
ibeg iend specifies by image numbers how time is sliced between the first and the second key frame
cbeg cend specifies by images numbers which images will have to be indeed computed.

parset1                                                               parset2
 ibeg  ibeg+1...                                                       iend
  *------*------*------*------*------*------*------*------*------*------*
         #------#------#------#------#------#------#
        cbeg   cbeg+1                             cend

This give fine control over image generation.
 

• Second syntax Implicit : +x

One Integer.
Will slice time between the first and the second key frames in x (not x+1) segments of same size.
Will generate x images, excluding the second key frame.
This syntax does not requires you to specify image numbers, but only the number of images you want to generate between the key frames.
The first image in the whole storyboard will by default be number 0.
Assuming that the last picture number computed was n-1, then this is equivalent to
 
ibeg = n
iend = n+x
cbeg = n
cend = n+x-1
parset1                                                               parset2
  n     n+1...                                                         n+x
  *------*------*------*------*------*------*------*------*------*------*
  #------#------#------#------#------#------#------#------#------#
  n                                                            n+x-1
 

with the first syntax.

With n=0, x=25, that makes 0 25 0 24.
With n=25, x=25, that makes 25 50 25 49.
 

• Third syntax Implicit : *x

Will slice time between the first and the second key frames in x (not x+1) segments of same size. AND will compute also the image for the second key frame. Thus generating (x+1) images.
This syntax does not requires you to specify image numbers, but only the number of images you want to generate between the key frames.
The first image in the whole storyboard will by default be number 0.

Assuming that the last picture number computed was n-1, then this is equivalent to
 

ibeg = n
iend = n+x
cbeg = n
cend = n+x
parset1                                                               parset2
  n     n+1...                                                         n+x
  *------*------*------*------*------*------*------*------*------*------*
  #------#------#------#------#------#------#------#------#------#------#
  n     n+1...                                                         n+x

with the first syntax.

With n=0, x=24, that makes 0 24 0 24.
With n=25, x=24, that makes 25 49 25 49.

View Area Size / Orientation / Position / Parameters  Interpolation function.

• Zoom
• Rotate
• Trans
• par1..par6

The default interpolation function is LINEAR for all.
 

Force full rotation

• (+|-)nrot

SINUS

For translations and rotations with soft starts and stops.

For zooms in/out with soft starts and stops. It is the dual of SINUS with translations.
Gives a feeling of smooth acceleration followed by a phase of constant zoom speed and finishes by a smooth stop.
Start and End values must have the same sign. This can be problematic if you use it with translations or parameters.
Not recommended for translations because the speed profile would depend on start and end positions in the complex plane.

For translation, rotations at constant speed. And linear interpolation of parameters.

For zooming in like falling or having a slow starting parameter.

For zooming out like jumping or having a fast starting parameter.

For translations and rotations with very soft starts and stops

Any use. arc cosinus function : starts fast then constant speed then fast.

Repeats twice SINUS

Repeats twice ARCOS

Repeats 4 times ARCOS

For zooms in/out at constant speed. Gives a feeling of zooming constantly from the start to the end.
It is the dual of LINEAR with translations.
Start and End values must have the same sign. This can be problematic if you use it with translations or parameters.
Not recommended for translations because the speed profile would depend on start and end positions in the complex plane.
In red : expo. In blue expolin.

For anything. Gives a very slow start. See  QUICK_START

For anything. Goes very close to the arrival quite fast. This can be usefull in situations where you combine a zoom in with a translation and you find it hard to keep in view the area of arrival.


All these curves were generated with a mapple sheet. See vff/data/interpol.ms or vff/data/interpol_m8.ms.

> INVERSION > But, What's in Between ?

"redish.stb"

; Corresponds to redish2002.avi /img 0-2599 ; parfile   parset  ibeg iend cbeg cend zoom  rotate  nrot  trans   par1..par6 redish.par  dish1   +50          EXPO redish.par  dish2   +50          EXPO redish.par  dish3   +50          EXPO redish.par  dish4   +50          EXPO redish.par  dish5   +50          EXPO redish.par  dish6   +50          EXPO redish.par  dish7   +50          EXPO redish.par  dish8   +50          EXPO redish.par  dish9   +50          EXPO redish.par  dish10  +50          EXPO redish.par  dish11  +50          EXPO redish.par  dish12  +50          EXPO  LINEAR         SINUS redish.par  dish13  +50          EXPO redish.par  dish14  +50          EXPO redish.par  dish15  +50          EXPO redish.par  dish16  +50          EXPO redish.par  dish17  +50          EXPO redish.par  dish18  +50          EXPO redish.par  dish19  +50          EXPO redish.par  dish20  +50          EXPO redish.par  dish21  +50          EXPO redish.par  dish22  +50          EXPO redish.par  dish23  +50          EXPO redish.par  dish25  +50          EXPO redish.par  dish26  +50          EXPO redish.par  dish27  *49          EXPOLIN  LINEAR    QUICK_START

The OS crashed while computing image #1175, in interlaced mode.
So, I edited the storyboard as follows and restarted VFF.

"redish_crash.stb"

; Next storyboard shows the type of thing you can do in case of an OS crash ; while computing. ; ; parfile   parset  ibeg iend cbeg cend zoom  rotate  nrot  trans   par1..par6 { redish.par  dish1   +50          EXPO  redish.par  dish2   +50          EXPO  redish.par  dish3   +50          EXPO  redish.par  dish4   +50          EXPO  redish.par  dish5   +50          EXPO  redish.par  dish6   +50          EXPO  redish.par  dish7   +50          EXPO  redish.par  dish8   +50          EXPO  redish.par  dish9   +50          EXPO  redish.par  dish10  +50          EXPO  redish.par  dish11  +50          EXPO  } ; KLF Fractint Was computing in interlaced mode the line ;  "redish.par dish12 +50 EXPO LINEAR SINUS" ; Remember that in interlaced mode, there are twice more images computed. ; Windows Crashed while computing picture #1175 which is the second  ;  of a pair of fields in a video frame. (First image saved is #0 here). ; So I needed to delete pic #1174 because we cannot have a KLF computing starting  ;  on an second field. (pic #1175 was not saved yet on HDD) ; I put in commentary what is up and modified next line ;  in order to restart from picure #1174 (2*587)= 2*(11*50+37) ; You can see that by explicitly writing images numbers,  ;  you can restart wherever you want. ;redish.par  dish12  +50          EXPO  LINEAR         SINUS  ; parfile   parset  ibeg iend cbeg cend zoom  rotate  nrot  trans   par1..par6 redish.par  dish12  550  600  587  599  EXPO  LINEAR         SINUS  redish.par  dish13  +50          EXPO  redish.par  dish14  +50          EXPO  redish.par  dish15  +50          EXPO redish.par  dish16  +50          EXPO  redish.par  dish17  +50          EXPO  redish.par  dish18  +50          EXPO  redish.par  dish19  +50          EXPO  redish.par  dish20  +50          EXPO  redish.par  dish21  +50          EXPO  redish.par  dish22  +50          EXPO  redish.par  dish23  +50          EXPO  redish.par  dish25  +50          EXPO  redish.par  dish26  +50          EXPO  redish.par  dish27  *49          SINUS  LINEAR         PARABOLIC_JUMP

 
 

GIF filtering and Interlacing with GIF2GIF

Anyway.

When you have selected the 'interlaced mode' option in VFF, a post process in necessary on the produced GIF images.
 

GIF2GIF should better be named GIF2TIFF
Syntax is : gif2gif im#start im#end width height
• Requires GIF2RGB and RAW2TIFF to be present in the same directory.
• Code Converts GIF files in RAW files
• Filters horizontally 2->1
• then interlaces them in a single TIFF file
• Reads image files in the Current directory

The result will be 25 tiff interlaced images of the final resolution 720x540.
Numbered from 0 to 24.
The tiff format was selected for its 24bits lossless compression.
The 24bit format is required because the filtering increases the number of colors from 256 (gif) to 24bits.

Here is an example :
Im00050.gif (reduced here 50%) top field

+ Im00051.gif (reduced here 50%) bottom field

with a call to "gif2gif 50 51 720 270"
Makes : Im00025.tif interlaced (full size)

 

Here is the gif2gif.c source code
It is far from efficient code, but it works !
Do not try to compile that with turboC ... All you will get is memory gardening. Compile that with a 32 bits compiler like visual c++ 6.

When you are done with the interlacing, then you are almost done. Produce your Video.

GIF filtering and downsampling with GIF2x2y2TIFF

GIF2x2y2TIFF
Syntax is gif2x2y2tiff im#start im#end width height
• May require the installation of visual c++ 2008 redistributable vcredist_x86_2008.exe
• Requires GIF2RGB and RAW2TIFF to be present in the same directory.
• Code Converts GIF files in RAW files
• Filters horizontally and vertically with a gaussian with sigma = 0.75
• Downsamples by half, horizontally and vertically
• Reads image files in the Current directory

The result will be 9 tiff interlaced images of the final resolution 1280x720.
Numbered from 0 to 8.
The tiff format was selected for its 24bits lossless compression.
The 24bit format is required because the filtering increases the number of colors from 256 (gif) to 24bits.

Here is the gif2x2y2tiff.c source code

Rythm Time Base generation : Tempo.c

The goal is to know precisely when each beat pulse occurs in time.

The first thing you need to do is to know very very precisely the beat rythm.
So, there is no magic, you have to use a sofware like adobe premiere in order to display graphically the soundtrack. You have to locate the precise time of the first beat and the time of the last beat.  Count the time difference and the exact number of beats in between.

Tempo.exe will generate a text file that looks like

One line per Beat pulse
 

0000 0266 000 00:00'10"16  0012 0278 001 00:00'11"03  0024 0290 002 00:00'11"15  0037 0303 003 00:00'12"03  0049 0315 004 00:00'12"15  0062 0328 005 00:00'13"03  0074 0340 006 00:00'13"15  0087 0353 007 00:00'14"03  0099 0365 008 00:00'14"15  0112 0378 009 00:00'15"03  0124 0390 010 00:00'15"15  0137 0403 011 00:00'16"03  0149 0415 012 00:00'16"15  ...  ...  5283 5549 423 00:03'41"24  5295 5561 424 00:03'42"11  5308 5574 425 00:03'42"24  5320 5586 426 00:03'43"11  5333 5599 427 00:03'43"24

First column : Image Number
Second colum : same as first column, with a time shift (here +266 images)
Third column : Beat Pulse number
Fourth Colum : TimeCode on the video editor timeline,  Video Image Time in Hour:Min'Sec"ImageNb

Here, the rythm is very close to 120bpm.

#defines:
 -- REAL_FRAME_RATE in images per second (25 for PAL/SECAM, 29.97 for NTSC, 24 for Cinema, 60 for VGA)
 -- TIMELINE_FRAME_RATE in images per second on the Timeline of the video editor (25 for PAL/SECAM, 30 for NTSC, 24 for cinema, 60 for VGA)
 -- Rythm in Beats per Second
 -- SHIFT_IN_FRAMES if needed
 -- LAST_PULSE : How many pulses you want in the text file

Important notice : in NTSC with adobe premiere Do SELECT "NOT Compensated TimeCode 30fps" on the timeline and #define TIMELINE_FRAME_RATE 30
In this specific case, the time displayed on the timeline will not correspond to a real time, but it will match the timecode generated by tempo.c
I wanted to avoid the burden of programming the specifics of a "compensated timecode 30fps".

The source code is located in vff/tools/tempo/tempo_v1.c

For TV Display (interlaced display):
A Miro DC10Plus or DC30 or any video playback card able to generate a clean Television signal.
I have found in dec 2003 an unofficial DC30 driver for WinXP. Not tested yet.

For record on DV Tape (interlaced display)
Any Firewire card + DV Playback software.

For VGA monitor display, PowerStrip or TVTOOL or any other software able to control the refresh rate of your monitor screen so that it really matches the AVI frame rate.

An old ACDSee Classic V2.43 is still enough for browsing through GIFs. It seems that a Pentium4 2GHz is fast enough to browse through GIFs at video speed.

In europe, 50Hz is more attractive because this frame rate is enough for a perfect fluidity and because it is the PAL/SECAM frame rate. However it is a little bit more hard to setup your video card to this frequency because of course several board manufacturers don't give a fuck about european standards.

So everybody, in order to illustrate my point, as a prerequisite, you need to set the scan rate of you VGA monitor to 50Hz.
Do this with PowerStrip. This little and excellent software will give you full control over your VGA monitor. It is important to set it exactly at 50Hz. Sometimes, some tuning is necessary. Your VGA monitor must accepts the 50Hz ! Which is not always the case. Trying to run your VGA monitor at 50Hz is not very risky. In  case of loss of synch with powerstrip, type Alt-R; it resets the display parameters.

Here are 3 videos with increased quality from top to bottom. They were all three generated with  TMPGEnc
You MUST Play them in full screen mode. Windows Media Player will synchronise the VGA scan rate with the video. I don't recommend WMP9. It is slow.
It appears that the DivX player is faster than the WMP9. PC Performance needs to be high for playing the 50fps videos at 50hz.

Video 1 at 25fps. MPEG1.
Video 2 at 50fps, MPEG1. Needed TMPGEnc Plus 2.5 for the encoding. no sound, and no antialiasing
Video 3 at 50fps, edited with Vegas Video 4, with music and antialiased 2x (first 613 frames only).

How did you accept until now action cinema at 24fps ?
This makes a big difference !
The final point is that a 25fps/30fps video is not adapted at all to a 50fps/60fps display !

This also makes the demonstration of how important it is to interlace your video if your final display system is a TV.
If you don't interlace it, it will look like video 1. If you interlace it, it will have the fluidity of videos 2 and 3.
 

Directories organisation has changed.

VFF is on top and assumes that FRACTINT is located in subdirectory 'fractint'.
User projects with .par, .map, .frm, .stb files sould be placed in working directories besides the fractint directory.
Now, as a consequence of a MAP files generation procedure, VFF will generate and place the new .map files in a subdirectory 'maps' created below the PAR file directory.
This new directory structure avoids the mix of reference .map files with .map files only for VFF.
Images and temporary working files are created in the VFF directory.

VFF assumes that fractals were defined in FRACTINT with a 4/3 aspect ratio.

In FRACTINT : View Window Options (v) > Final Media Overal Aspect Ratio y/x = 0.75.
If you have all your .par files in 16/9, (y/x=0.5625), the trick is to ask in VFF for a 4/3 final display aspect ratio and (as you like) 16/9 raster aspect ratio. You will then get the correct area rendered.
More generally, if your .par file was designed for a display aspect ratio AR, then ask VFF for a final display aspect ratio of AR/1.3333333333333 and (as you like) a raster aspect ratio of AR.

Thanks to all the developpers of FRACTINT
VFF 2000-2010
VFF  V1.3 -- last updated june 2010
Send all your questions/remarks to 
Please put VFF in the subject line.
 *** The End ***

---

---