Hi all, Been using Poser on the Mac, but recently had to switch to the PC. The huge problem I'm experiencing is this: There doesn't seem to be a way to render an animation with AlphaChannel. The Indeo codex has an alpha channel option, but it's useless as far as I can tell because it doesn't render a full alpha, and it doesn't render the color data. I have Quicktime Pro installed on my PC, but Poser won't recognize it. The Poser Docs say nothing on the issue. Has anyone out there solved this problem, and is willing to share the answer? =) Thanks!

Render to sequenced .tif files, invert the alpha on each and assemble from there. I think that's how it goes..

what are you using the alpha chanel for, bump transparency what?

To get Alpha channel in an AVI you must set your display adapter to 32 bits (not 16 or 24 bits) AVI files fully support the alpha channel at that bitdepth, and can be readily converted to other formats.

P.S. If you don't find the 32 bit option on your graphic card settings menu, then it is your card that does not support alpha, rather than Poser or Windows.

P.P.S Get quicktime off your PC and start using something that works! ;-0

Ron is right that alpha is only and I mean only a 32 bit process. Istill haven't heard what you are using your alpha channel for!

The only thing that I do when I need such a memory intensive project is import to max. It handles lighting better, I don't have to trick it into using alpha maps, etc. etc. As far as I know, and I admit it ain't much (I am getting a bfa in this!) poser doesn't like to alpha channel stuff, it uses a seperate map for these things. That is wh we load a seperate bump, trans etc.

Douglas- Alpha channels can be used to create a "traveling matte" so you can superimpose ("chroma key" etc.) a moving object onto a static or moving background that is created elsewhere. I use alpha channel in Cool 3D to make 3D animated titles as AVI files with alpha, then I merge that file (superimposing the titles) over my Poser AVI animation. There are many uses for alpha, which work kind of like the transparancy maps in Poser. The alpha channed in Poser generates a black and white layer (or movie in the case of animation) in which all Poser objects are white (or gray if they are transparent) but the background is black. That information can then be used by a video editing program like Premiere to "cut-out" the poser background and merge your Poser foreground animation into another still or motion video.

P.S. The alpha channel is 8 bits of grayscale information - which is why it is called 32 bit graphics, because you have 24 bits of color image data PLUS 8 bits of grayscale data in the file.

but what is sean using his alpha for?

Probably for masking. Anyway, why is he using Indeo codec is my question. There are far better codecs available today on the PC which have left Quicktime and Indeo in the dust.