Take a look at xStudio, DNEG’s open-source playback device
Monday, January twenty third, 2023 | Posted by Jim Thacker
Worldwide visible results agency DNEG has launched xStudio, its high-performance video playback and overview device for VFX and have animation, in public beta.
The supply code is out there through trade requirements physique Academy Software program Basis’s GitHub repository, as a part of the ASWF’s Open Evaluate Initiative.
A high-performance shot playback and overview device for VFX and have animation work
A substitute for open-source instruments like DJV and business apps like Autodesk’s RV – itself lately partly open-sourced – xStudio is “trendy, versatile and feature-rich playback and overview software”.
DNEG cites its “intuitive, straightforward to make use of interface”, playback efficiency on high-resolution video, and ease of pipeline integration because of a modular design uncovered through C++ and Python APIs.
Though nonetheless early in growth, xStudio is utilized in “some stay manufacturing environments” at DNEG.
DNEG says that it in the end intends the software program to exchange all different picture viewers used internally throughout the firm, each on particular person artists’ machines, and in screening rooms.
Performs again footage at as much as 8K decision, and exchanges playlists with ShotGrid
Within the preliminary beta launch, xStudio is primarily a video playback device with some primary annotation instruments.
It shows “all frequent media codecs and codecs at nearly any bit depth” at resolutions as much as 8K, and helps color administration through the OpenColorIO 2 (OCIO 2) normal.
It’s attainable to zoom or pan video, choose particular person RGBA channels and modify publicity and playback price.
Customers may also import or export playlists to ShotGrid, Autodesk’s manufacturing monitoring platform, and might add textual or drawn annoations to media to behave as artist notes.
You possibly can see an inventory of options presently in growth – which embrace a non-linear enhancing timeline primarily based on OpenTimelineIO (OTIO) – within the xStudio roadmap on DNEG’s web site.
Open-sourced as a part of the Academy Software program Basis’s Open Evaluate Initiative
The supply code for xStudio is being hosted by film trade open requirements physique the Academy Software program Basis (ASWF), as a part of its new Open Evaluate Initiative.
The mission, which has the purpose of constructing a unified open-source toolset for shot playback, overview and approval, additionally options two different instruments: Open RV, the brand new open-source version of RV, and Sony Photos Imageworks’ yet-to-be-publicly-released itView.
The three instruments will initially keep separate code repositories, earlier than progressively converging right into a “cohesive, state-of-the-art overview and approval framework”.
Licensing and system necessities
The supply code for Open RV is out there from ASWF’s GitHub repository underneath an Apache 2.0 licence. To make use of it, you presently must construct it from supply.
The intitial beta launch can solely be compiled for Linux – it helps CentOS, Rocky Linux 9.1 and Ubuntu 22.04 – however Home windows and macOS help is “on the roadmap for 2023”.
Learn DNEG’s announcement of the beta launch of xStudio
Obtain the supply code for xStudio from ASWF’s GitHub repository
Tags: 8K, Academy Software program Basis, annotation, Apache 2.0, ASWF, autodesk, beta, coloration administration, DJV, DNEG, characteristic animation, free, picture viewer, Itview, Linux, macOS, non-linear enhancing, OCIO, OCIO 2, Open Evaluate Initiative, Open RV, open supply, OpenColorIO, OpenTimelineIO, OTIO, playlist, roadmap, RV, shot overview, ShotGrid, Sony Photos Imageworks, Supply Code, system necessities, vfx, video playback, visible results, Home windows, xSTUDIO, xStudio roadmap
