Recording animation with multiple devices
In this page we will go over how to prepare aimation for multi-camera recording, loading both calibration types into the setup and explain each field in detail
If you haven't calibrated your system yet, please head over to Multi-device setup.
Short overview
Open or create a scene that will hold our recording ( File -> New -> Scene ).
Head over to Recording Tab and enable each device in the camera order and load intrinsic calibration file into the device by clicking the wrench option and choosing appropriate file at the right side of the pop-up.
Load extrinsic calibration file into the setup by clicking on the ruler icon next to camera order, then select Calibration Loader tab, assign each file (upper row with boxes) with current order (lower row with boxes), lower boxes represent current order of enabled devices.
Launch preview with all devices enabled and tweak camera settings if needed, make sure each view is well lit.
Next select for which scene we are going to record, set a framerate of the recording and for resolution we choose the same one that was used to perform the extrinsic calibration.
Once ready, press Start Recording, get in front of cameras and start performing!
Loading calibrations
Like mentioned previously in extrinsic calibration page, this process estimates the positions and orientations of the devices in relation to each other, if your setup positions did not change (that includes orientation), we can re-use the same file. If you cannot re-create it, you have to perform that process again.
Please note quoted tips in either extrinsic print or extrinsic measuring [[todo]] tape pages on how to re-create the setup.
Begin by enabling all devices that are meant to record and load intrinsic calibration file into each device by clicking the wrench icon below camera icon. Choose appropriate file for each device on the right side of the pop-up that will open.
If you just performed extrinsic calibration, it should be already loaded (a pink salmon half-border around each device) and you can move onto next step.
Order currently enabled devices to match extrinsic calibration by pressing the arrow buttons below camera icons. Once done click on the ruler icon next to devices and in the dialog that opens, select Calibration Loader tab.
If you do not remember the exact order of devices, follow along and come back to this step.
At the very top of the dialog window, select file to load by clicking on the drop-down, by default it should have a red border around it.
First row of boxes represent the camera order and device names at the time of calibration.
Second row of boxes represent current camera order and current device names, if it does not match, exit this window and fix the order. Device names are for you only and they do not have to match, sadly name change is not persistent in Windows, we recommend marking devices in some way and at the time of calibration name them accordingly.
By drag and dropping match each file with current device and once done press Apply extrinsics to devices and exit dialog.
Each device should have pink salmon half-border around it, meaning it has a extrinsic calibration file loaded.
Recording for scene
This field will only list open scenes. A scene can hold multiple recordings and gives us a way to categorize sessions e.g. MondayDance, FridayClimb.
One scene for all recordings is also okay.
To create a scene in the menu bar choose File -> New -> Scene and create a new one or load existing, recently used scenes can also be opened from QuickStart tab.
Recording Format
First select camera framerate, usually higher is better, but at very high (above 60) framerates, consider whether it is worth it. Higher framerate means more processing and more diskspace to store it.
Resolution has to be the same as the one used in extrinsic calibration.
Recording length
Set recording length, roughly estimating how long will the performance last, you will be able to trim your animation later on but currently there is no option to stop recording early, it has to expire naturally. This will change in near future
Delay before Recording starts
In seconds, gives you time to position yourself in front of the setup.
If your cameras are currently using some kind of auto parameter which is often the case, it is recommended to set at least 1 second delay for the device to adjust it's settings.
Estimate right away
Each frame will be sent for processing right away and entire recording has to be processed before we can move onto next one.
If false, it will force keep files on disk field to true and animation process has to be started manually from the viewport tab for a scene
Learn more [[ todo viewport tab page ]]
Keep files on disk
This option is available only when estimate right away is set to true, if we set this field to false, entire recorded video will be deleted after processing.
If we do not choose to keep files on disk, we will only have access only to the created animation and can't view the recording itself and we will not be able to re-create base animation from the recording.
Removing just raw frames is possible from the viewport tab for a given scene
Once you are ready press Start Recording button. In the recording tab you can view the current progress of the recording, whether it is still saving or estimating.
Pressing Stopbutton terminates entire recording and performs a clean-up.
Once the process stops, button will turn green again and you can now view your recording in the Viewport Tab for given scene
