Output Sequence Types

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Export Data by Format

HoloEdit provides several export types for playback and integration into external pipelines. The following sections contains details on each output format.

Important

Each Export type requires Samples from one or more relevant Data Streams be present to output data, listed in the Requirements section per Output Type.

Unless otherwise specified, every requirement must be present for each frame exported.

Combined MP4+OMS

Requirements:

  • Contiguous Mesh Stream

  • Texture Stream (Non-MVE)

  • Optional: SSDR (for compression)

Combined MP4+OMS, or Multitrack Export, exports a single file containing OMS and MP4 data for every Track in your current Composition. Both the mesh and texture files are packaged in an .mp4 container. As of HoloEdit 2021.1, combined MP4+OMS playback is supported by the Unity OMS Player plugin

The Texture Streams from each Track in the Composition are atlassed together on a grid to produce the final texture stream MP4.

Warning

When using the Combined MP4+OMS file format to export multiple tracks, leaving the Resolution setting at the default value of Original will produce an atlas large enough to fit each track’s textures textures at their original size, which may be too large for playback.

It is recommended you that set the “Resolution” option to Custom and enter a manual resolution under 4k for your output atlas.

See the OMS and MP4 sections below for details on individual OMS+MP4 export settings.

Streaming

Requirements:

  • Stabilized Mesh Stream

  • Texture Stream

  • Remote Job Server

HoloEdit 2021.1 contains a new Export To Holostream export type.

The Export to Holostream parameters are divided into two sections. Profile Outputs and Uploading.

Profile Outputs

The Profile Outputs section is used to specify the streaming quality profiles for export. For adaptive streaming we recommend using the Default settings, which provide six outputs of varying quality.

Disabling the Use Default Settings toggle will expose controls to add individual exports (using the + button at the bottom left) and select from various quality profiles. This way, you can only export certain profiles per your project’s needs. Custom profiles contain the following settings.

  • Profile Name: Specify the profile name for your quality profile. This name is included in URLs and website source.

  • Display Name: Specify the display name for your quality profile. This name is displayed for quality selection in the Holostream player.

  • Texture Bitrate: Set the bitrate for your profile’s mp4 output.

  • Texture Resolution: Set the square texture resolution for your profile’s streaming texture.

  • Mesh Quality %: Choose a percentage between 1-100. Geometry in this profile will be decimated to this percentage.

To select a preset profile, choose your profile from the drop down next to the “output” label.

To remove a profile, press the X to the right of the profile quality.

Uploading

The Uploading section provides options and information about your HoloStream Upload. It contains the following fields:

  • Media Service: Select the service to provide your HoloStream clips

  • Availible Transcode Balance: Displays the current Transcode Balance on your HoloSuite Account

  • Clip Transcode Duration: Displays the Transcode time that uploading this clip will use up.

  • Final Transcode Balance: Preview the estimated Transcode time remaining in your Account after upload.

At the bottom of the Uploading section there is an form to verify that you understand and agree to be billed for the provided Transcode Duration. This contains a checkbox to accept these terms.

When configuration is complete, press the Save button to export your clip to HoloStream. If the Clip Duration exceeds your account’s Transcode Balance or if you have declined to accept the Disclosure Agreement the Save button will be unavailible.

Note

Export to HoloSuite requires the remote Compute Server. If you attempt to create an Export to Holostream export with the local job server selected you will be prompted to activate the remote server.

After the export window has finished processing, HoloEdit will dispatch a job to the Compute Server containing one or more HoloStream work units.

Export Results

When the HoloStream job has completed processing, the Upload Complete modal window will pop up to alert you. This window contains two pieces of information.

  • GUID: The unique ID for your HoloStream upload.

  • URI: The web link to your HoloStream content. This link can be provided to a OMS Player, such as the Unity OMS Plugin, to play media directly from the HoloStream servers, or opened in a web browser to preview your streaming clip.

Warning

Take care to copy and paste your GUID and URI to a safe place to store them before dismissing the Upload Complete window. If you close this window without storing these addresses you will not be able to retrieve them later.

OMS

OMS is a compressed file format optimized for Volumetric Playback. OMS files contain mesh data, provide multiple optional compression techniques, and support skeletal data for retargeting. OMS Files do not include embedded texture information, and should be exported with an accompanying texture stream (from the MP4 or “Textures” output type)

Warning

In HoloEdit 2021.1, gaps in time without mesh or texture present are not supported by OMS Playback. If you need a gap in playback without any data, consider exporting one OMS file for each contiguous section of Volumetric Video and managing timing at Playback.

Requirements:

  • Contiguous Mesh Stream

  • Optional: SSDR (for compression)

Parameters:

  • Bitpacking: Enables Mesh Compression. See OMS Compression Features for more details. Bitpacking is required when exporting OMS files in HoloEdit 2021.1.

  • Retarget: Embeds retargeting skeletal data into OMS.

  • Minimum SSDR Encoding Frames: This parameter sets the minimum size threshold for an SSDR segment to be compressed and encoded into the OMS. SSDR segments smaller than this number will be exported without compression. Too small of a number may produce visual errors during playback.

MP4

MP4 Video format is the recommended compressed texture output for HoloEdit. The MP4 output exports your textures as a compressed MP4 video.

Requirements:

  • Texture Stream (Non-MVE)

Parameters:

  • Bitrate: 10240, 20480, or 40960 kbps bitrates are available

  • Codec: Specify the codec for the output mp4. libx264 and libx265 codecs are supported

    • For most target platforms, we suggest using H.264 as your codec type, as H.265 lacks support on many devices. Because H.265 lacks broad system support, unless you control the playback device there is a risk of H.265 encoded videos being unable to play on a given target platform.

  • Resolution: Specify an override resolution for the video. The default setting, “Original” preserves the imported texture resolution. Selecting “Custom” will add a “Custom Size” field where you can specify manual X and Y resolutions.

  • Encode Frame Numbers: Embeds timing info into the texture stream video. This will show up as a small black and white strip at the bottom right of your textures, and is required for OMS Player playback on some platforms.

    • Encode Frame Numbers is not supported with resolutions lower than 100x100 pixels

  • Custom Quality Arguments: Enable this checkbox to expose a field for custom mp4 quality arguments.

Textures

The Textures output exports your Texture Stream as an image sequence in the specified file format. This export outputs one texture file per frame.

Requirements:

  • Texture Stream (Non-MVE)

Parameters:

  • Compression: Select from PNG, ASTC 4x4, ASTC 8x8, or ASTC 12x12 formats. See below for per-format details

    • PNG: PNG is a widely used image format supporting lossless compression and transparency

    • ASTC: ASTC is a high performance texture format for real time graphics, with varying levels of compression, from 4x4 (minimum) to 12x12 (maximum) block compression. ASTC files can be used with the OMS Player instead of MP4 on target platforms with specific performance constraints without robust video support.

    • DXT1: DXT1, or BC1, produces a block compressed DDS file. DDS is a high performance texture format for real time graphics. DDS files can be used with the OMS player instead of MP4 on target platforms with specific performance constraints or without robust video support

  • Resolution: Manually specify resolution for the texture sequence. The default setting, “Original” preserves the imported texture resolution. Selecting “Custom” will add a “Custom Size” field where you can specify manual X and Y resolutions.

Meshes

The Meshes output exports your Mesh Stream as a file sequence in the specified file format. This export outputs one mesh file per frame

Requirements:

  • Mesh Stream

  • Optional: Skinning Data (FBX), UVs

  • Optional: Mesh Colors (PLY)

Parameters

  • Format: Select from OBJ, FBX, or PLY format. PLY format supports vertex color output. See below on per-format details

    • OBJ: The Wavefront .obj format is an open format widely used for 3D geometry. OBJ meshes positions, UVs, and normals per vertex, and is supported by a wide range of software and platforms.

    • FBX: The FBX format is a widely used interop format for 3D graphics supporting rigging and skinning data, vertex colors, and animation. HoloEdit exports Binary .FBX files containing Mesh data including vertex position, normal, and uvs via the Meshes Export, and skeletal animation data via the Animations and Maya export.

    • PLY: The PLY format is a 3D geometry format supported polygonal meshes and Point Clouds with arbitrary per-vertex properties. HoloEdit exports Binary .PLY files containing Mesh data including vertex position, normal, uvs, color via the Meshes Export.

    • ABC: The Alembic Format (.abc) is a 3D geometry format for 3D graphics supporting mesh sequence animations. Exports using the .abc format will produce a single Alembic file containing the exported frame sequence at 30fps. This file will be automatically named according to the frame sequence, in the format [filename][startframe]-[endframe].abc. For example, “Filename0-100.abc”.

Animations

The Animations output exports embedded Skeletal Data (such as from a Generate Skeleton Stage) per frame as .FBX files.

Requirements:

  • Mesh Stream

  • Skeletonization

Parameters

  • No Parameters

Workflows

Workflows are special exports intended for use with external tools or HoloSuite plugins. There are two Workflows outputs in HoloEdit 2021.1

Parameters:

  • Workflow: Select between Mari or Maya Workflow.

Workflow: Mari:

The Mari Workflow output exports files ready for use with the HoloEdit Mari Tools Import Script. It will export stabilized segments as individual objects, with each frame as an individual UDIM Tile. It will export corresponding textures per a naming convention that matches the HoloEdit Mari Tools Import Script.

Requirements:

  • Stabilized Mesh Stream

  • Texture Stream

Workflow: Maya:

The Maya Workflow output exports rigged .fbx files ready for use with the HoloSuite Maya Tools plugin.

Requirements:

  • Mesh Stream

  • Skeletonization

  • Mesh Skinning (Optional)