Topic: Video editting or alternate animation software?

[JNieman]

In short, I need to accomplish an effect such as you can see here: (12 mb file) http://www.artlantis.com/support/forum/dl.php?fid=atl_animation_us&mes=723 where there is a model of a TV, and it has a movie playing on it.

Solidworks lacks this feature as would most any typical CAD package afaik.  I was pointed to Adobe After Effects as a general "maybe this?" by someone, but looking through the feature list and some example videos, I can't find anything to really illustrate the capability I require.

This isn't something that will be a regular thing so hopefully the software cost is minimal.  The video I link is from Artlantis, a package that seems to act as a standalone renderer for various BIM and CAD packages.  However, regarding Solidoworks; "...there is no atl export from SolidWorks, try an other file format that Artlantis can open:
dwg, dxf, dwf, 3ds, obj, fbx"

So right away, I'd have to use a "middle man" format.  This is what makes me wonder if there is some video editing software that can edit the initial Solidworks animation, rather than introducing possible problems in required file conversions.  I'll be checking out a demo, if they have a free one.

Any help is appreciated!

[Keith™]

Does Maya have any video capabilities? I know it is free (or used to be) and it is produced by Autodesk, so it might be compatable with other design packages.

[JNieman]

Does Maya have any video capabilities? I know it is free (or used to be) and it is produced by Autodesk, so it might be compatable with other design packages.

I've been "on speaking terms" with Maya for 10 years, or so, and don't remember it ever being free, unless you meant the trial.

Maya has plenty of animation capabilities but I don't know about it being useful for what I'm doing.

When rendering an animation, it appears the general feature I require is "Set Movie as Texture" - at least in a Artlantis.

http://download.autodesk.com/us/maya/2010help/Nodes/movie.html seems to indicate it can.

[JNieman]

Now that I'm using better search terms, like "set movie as texture" I'm getting much better results   It appears Blender has this ability as well, so I'm going to give that a whirl. 

I guess sometimes, 90% of the battle is finding the right thing to type into Google. >.<

[JNieman]

Solution found, I guess.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=oyuFpXdt4k4

Just a "proof of concept" quickie showing the effect I required.  An animation as a material texture.  Took a Solidworks model, rendered an animation via Photoworks to a .avi file.  Then opened Blender and applied that .avi file to a texture which I then applied to a simple cube, and voila.  Neato.

[M-dub]

I guess sometimes, 90% of the battle is finding the right thing to type into Google. >.<

Sometimes, it might not even matter WHAT you type.

Beware of Online Filter Bubbles


It's not what you type, it's who you are.

[mjfarrell]

one could also do this with 3D Max....last I recall