Opinions on excellent quality plugins and effects.

I have been searching everywhere for clues to which plugins and effects are the best. I have downloaded dozens of "pro plugins" only to find out they are all made from the same lame user programmable plugin architecture from ten years ago. I am tired of installing all kinds of "pro" plugins and trying them all out just to discover how completely un-artistic and low quality they are.
I am looking for painterly effects, and any visually artistic and professional looking effects. Any effect that really changes the look of an image. Especially ones that will allow me to combine with other effects in a unique way. (As opposed to effects that if I use them at all it will be obvious that particular effect was used, like aliens skin flame, electricity, or Kai's?...water droplets effect.)
Also it would be nice to find effects that work on large images lots of effects' resolutiion do not go large enough to interact properly with a large pixel dimension image.
Thanks for any opinions.
-Scott.

I use the KPT collection from Corel with good results, as far as unique results, you need to add one filter, than another to achieve the results you want, but this is experimentation. Photoshop can give really good results if you know channels, masking, duotones etc.
I also use Corel Painter for additional effects that are outstanding, but there is quite a learning curve to it.

Similar Messages

How to install plugin and exta filter in photoshop cs ? and any special filter for special effects ?

how to install plugin and exta filter in photoshop cs ? and any special filter for special effects ?
kindly recommend me any best one and tel me step by step how i will add more plugins n filters

A Plug_in normally come with an installer or install instructions. Check the documentation for the plug-in you trying to install. It sounds like you don't know what plug-ins you want to install. In that case you don't need to install any. At some point you may read about a plug-in and what it can do and feel you have a need for it. Then you will have a reason to install a plug-in that is not installed by default. There may also be a cost involved most worthwhile plug-ins are not free.
Adobe Optional Plug_ins downloads are Plugins Adobe want to remove from Photoshop and no longer install by default. Also at some point in time these will no longer install into the current Photoshop for Adobe will remove feature or interfaces the use. For example the CS5 optional plugins will install in Windows CS6 perpetual version 13.0.1.3 but not in Subscription version 13.1.2 or perpetual Mac version 13.0.6 fot its 64bit only and the Mac CS5 optional plug-in for Picture package is only a 32bit plug-in.
You will need to keep and maintain old versions of Photoshop if Adobe remove features you use in new versions of Photoshop.

I have a video in excellent quality (1280x720 23,976 fps) I burn the dvd in encore cs6 with hd menu and I get pixelated. I've done transcoding but It downgrade to 480 I need urgent help.

I have a video in excellent quality (1280x720 23,976 fps) I burn the dvd in encore cs6 with hd menu and I get pixelated. I've done transcoding but It downgrade to 480 I need urgent help.

Hi,
first, sorry if my english sucks jajaa i speach spanish, havent practice my english for a while.
first i edited my video in premier cc
sequence 1280X720, 59,94 fps
48000hz - stereo
the i linked it with dynamik link to after, make some color correction, etc etc etc
i renderd in quicktime animation
my video looks fine in my computer, but when i send my .mov video to encore (cs6) in a HD MENU and standard menú, the image sucks.
i have done the transcoding in encore, but i doesnt work either. i dont know what else to do.

I find 'plugin-container.exe' takes up 68-91% of my CPU and effectively hangs my machine; how can I avoid this, from happening?

I find 'plugin-container.exe' takes up 68-91% of my CPU and effectively hangs my machine; how can I avoid this, from happening?

You can disable the plug-in container for one or two plug-ins, or for all the plug-ins it works for. <br />
http://kb.mozillazine.org/Plugin-container_and_out-of-process_plugins

Limit on number of plugins and/or effects?

Does CS 5.5 limit the number of plugins or effects. If so, what is the limit?
Thanks,
Steve

Hi Durin,
I was thinking of the number of effects that can be used in a session rather than the total number available. While I think that the 16-effect limit that is mentioned in the link I provided would probably be enough for me, that fact that the "pro" version of the software has a much higher limit suggests that the number might be important for some users and therefore the question. The best answer is the realistic limit rather than a theoretical limit (if you're able to answer in these terms). I generally assume that sales literature, such as the provided link, list theoretical limits.
Your response has prompted another question, if it's okay.
There may be some maximum amount of memory we can allocate to the effects list
Is this based on how Audition is implemented in relationship to the stack and/or heap? Also, for optimal Audition use, is it ever beneficial, as an end-user, to think in terms of the stack and heap, in terms of how one works.
Thanks,
Steve

Using VST plugins and ASIO for everything?

Just a thought. Oh how much I'd like this!
To be able to use universal VST plugins and ASIO for everything directly from Windows would be ideal. To put this simply, making the Creative Windows "mixer" a true equivelent of a pro-software mixing app (Ableton, ProTools, Sonar, Cubase, or any other) in terms of absolute control for all Audio effects and I/O.
If Creative won't ever do this even on their next gen cards, somebody or some company that knows a decent mixer setup should write such a replacement mixer soon offered at a fair price (if not free) that will do so with easy, complete, reliable integration.
Long and specific
VST related:
- Use X-Ram to cache inserted VST plugins. Now theres a potential great reason for it since it obviously doesnt use any to cache the I/O bus like ALL OTHER periphials that have Ram caches. Its use is dictated by software, so why not?
- Allow setting some tiny but likely necessary amount of X-Ram as an additional plugin audio I/O buffer. This should be much less than what mixing software needs for this setting since that would all have to pass the CPU.
- Use Creative's processing hardware directly instead of the CPU so VST plugins won't increase CPU usage (within reason of course).
- Yield overhead when using lots or higher-demand plugins if set in bit-match mode. Why waste all that power for SRC when Voxengo R8Brain or plenty of other pro software can do that a million times better and way faster in non-real-time? OK, only Creative could work this one in.
- Why VST plugins? I'd trust my favorite EQ, digital limiter or whatever that has 64-bit float internal precision and oversampling vs. a 24-bit (rounding-error heaven) with no oversampling like the built in Creative ones.
- If Creative has confidence in the quality of their own propriety effects, doesn't have to be VST but simply making them usable as a ReWire bridged devices into most any host with parameter automation controls and all. Obviosly these could have much lower latency than VST that normally relies on CPU processed software code.
- The only argument against this is that some VST plugins have huge latencies. Optional latency delay to keep tracks
- Allow Creatives hardware to insert as a ReWire slave or otherwise bridged device to ASIO-based apps so VST's can be outsourced from demanding more CPU when mixing. I could also add MIDI plugin effects as well.
ASIO related:
- Allow changing any and all audio I/O routing for individual channels on the fly for Windows and ANY software (not just ASIO compatible stuff). Just like in Ableton, Pro Tools, and every other WELL designed "mixer".
- Treating XP itself and any software that normally goes through DX/MME/etc to use this ASIO mixer by making it appear as an insert send/return in the mixer so it can get routed and processed individually to my liking.
- Can insert send/return signals for any DX/MME/etc program to/from any track or #tracks in any combination up to some reasonable limit with pre/post gains. At least several send/returns slots per channel.
- A game that uses ASIO would be sweet. 0% FPS drop. IMO DX/MME/wave-mapper sound sucks. No control, many wasted CPU cycles, and horrible latency.
- Ability to save/load PROGRAM-specific routing chains. Having it so simly running a certain program will automatically insert it how/whereever I specified, if not default, with all relevant I/O settings, including plugins and related settings that were put in the insert send/return path series to that program of course.
- Put real-time SRC, compression encoding/decoding, or any Creative effects as well whereever I want in the signal chain, whether universal to a track I/O or program insert send/return I/O.
- Ability to record tracks or the master likewise.
- No digital feedback possible caused by monitering/recording/routing configs that would be possible in any decent mixing software. Surely not ever from a default setting or made sometimes impossible to prevent like on the Audigy series. Well unless I do something stupid that SHOULD cause feedback. Speak of a truly worthless mixer, this BTW is the ONLY reason I couldn't just go the manual route and run my host all the time, forcing ALL sounds through it for real-time playback with my Audigy. I'm assuming XiFi's Audio-Creation Mixer doesn't have this horrible problem.
- Imagine putting any combination of sounds in 7.1 surround, monitering specific channels to any physical output, or up/downmixing 5.1 as it plays in real-time, etc. any thing like this possible instantly with a few mouse clicks! This would be SO EASY and completely possible to implement, most of the above right onto existing XiFi's as is.
It's not like it would be competing with pro-interface rackmount products so no harm to Creative. I sure as h*ll wouldn't record with any soundcard's analog pre's or unbalanced connections for that matter. Guess I just love the interface and control of a REAL mixer that can do it all.

cusis wrote:
But would it be possible to somehow use the power of the card to take on some of the load of the cpu, users would surely then see alot more benifits from these cards.
I don't see why this isn't possible with enough X-RAM. Why no host apps support offloading VST plugin cache buffers and rendering threads to it? I'm probly returning my XiFi and sticking with my old Audigy 1 until either I blow it up or Creative makes a REAL upgrade with most the aforementioned features that literally COULD'VE been implemented in XiFi's current hardware.
If they do, they'll have my business and many others I'm pretty sure. Creative, if your listening and you want to like triple your sales - PLEASE get a clue and get the software end right. Microsoft or any audio host software developers, heres your (fat) chance if Creative wont do whats really their responsibility.
If ALL apps were forced to pass through ASIO as I mentioned, this could force all apps and games to use part of X-RAM as an I/O buffer no matter what specific support is. The same way a video card can offload ALL video including Windows, not just when running certain games, or even worse, certain audio apps lol that specifically support video RAM and DX performance controls! That would be the stupidest, most worthless idea and why Video Cards don't waste their hardware this way. And yet this is what XiFi currently does regarding audio. Somebody change this SOON.
This would be SO cheap and easy for Creative toss together and implement and would solve EVERYONE's problems and make ALL games at least get SMOOTH AUDIO. He!! Creative could charge $30 extra for it or just push out a new line of cards and itd still be worth it. Creative, did you read that part? More profit$$$ Like a video card upgrade, I EXPECT a night vs. day improvment but as it stands, XiFi is simply a glorified Audigy that costs more but much LESS likely to work right.
More importantly, its use of ASIO (the real deal) remains no less limited than an old Creative card from way back when. If Creative wants their soundcard to integrate with software better, learn from Nvidia/Ati and deliver the goods as they've done it all along.

Basic questions about high-quality output and PDFs

I do volunteer work in a non-profit that interfaces with local county government. We've been discussing a project to produce an atlas-type information as a service to the residents. The maps would be rendered by the GIS software the county uses (ESRI's Arc suite). The question is what file format should we ask for given the high-quality print and plot output we have in mind and our desire to add some simple vector markup in some cases to the maps. The markup, when used, would be simple circles, rectangles, arrows or text.
Our idea is the do most of the printing and plotting ourselves (we'd use something like a local Kinkos). This allows is to control paper sizes. In addition, we might want to crop the map and upscale a bit so we need to be careful of data density (dpi). The question is what file format do we request from the county?
Obviously we can ask for PDFs but, as a novice with that output, I don't fully understand 1) its Tools capability (but I am learning about it) and 2) how to control data density.
Since I think its best to envision a PDF as a "box" for other data, is the quality of the output going to be determined by the data density of the object inside the PDF?
I know I may not be very clear so please help me get clear on the question if I haven't expressed it well here.
BTW, I know I can place a PDF into an AI object and then add the vector stuff if needed, but I don't know from a workflow perspective if that's the best way to assure hight quality output.
Thanks
Tom
P.S. We may end up with GIS viewing software as we move forward (ESRI has a grant program for non-profits). All this would mean would be we would be the ones making the decision about output format but the question on workflow would still remain.

4. Finally, with CDs burned this way through iTunes, does iTunes place some sort of DRM on the burned CDs? If so, what practical effect does that DRM have on my burned CD (how does it limit the functionality of the CD?
No, so no limits to functionality.

Creating a good laptop quality video with effects without it being more than 1 Gb

Every time that i make a 10 minutes video in Premiere Pro with a lot of effects it always turns out to be more than 3 Gb big which is really hard to send over the Internet. And when i try to convert it to a smaller file using a video converter it looks horrible (part of the screen is freezing and loosing the quality). And a really good Hollywood movies that last 1.5 hours actually take less space than my 10 minutes video. How can i keep it small and good quality? Using Adobe Premiere Pro.

Quote
Do this, and while it is in the open re-examine your cpu pins w/ a bight light and hd zoom or a magnifying glass.
Thanks, xmad, I'll look at th CPU again tomorrow/next day under the glass when I take the board out. I already checked them under magnification and was leaning toward a funky board, but it never hurts to re-check. Eyesight is not what it used to be, for sure (I miss DOS, if that's a clue...). Don't want to flash the BIOS if not necessary, since it runs Windows fine and everything works except that RAM.
Bernhard, I don't have CPU-Z installed on that machine and don't want to install anything else until it's working normally. I'd never seen Click-Bios before and just need to get over my initial suspicion of something new! Also learn my way around it before I change anything. I'd never encountered a board reporting a bios different than printed on it. I've never messed with manual memory settings or done more overclocking than just a little exploratory and suprisingly successful nudge - if you could point me toward a good basic explaination of all those settings, I could learn from there.
Appreciate your input very much.
Have learned a lot just reading the threads here for the last few days. This is the best forum I've ever encountered. I'll report back - some suggestions in other posts resembling my problem ended with no resolution, and that's a shame because one doesn't know if it worked or not.

Horrible final video quality in After Effects CS6 when rendering a 1920x1080 video with H.264 format

I've been using After Effects CS6 on my Macbook Pro for over a year now with no issues. However, today when I exported a video to be rendered in 1920x1080p with H.264 format, I got the worst quality final video I've ever seen. I filmed my video files in 1920x1080p (like usual), and I clicked all the same buttons I normally do to export a video, but every HQ video I try to export looks horrible. I haven't clicked any crazy buttons or anything out of the ordinary.
I always export a video following this sequence:
File > Export > Add to Render Queue > Lossless > H.264 (quality format) > video output (make sure it's checked) > audio output (make sure it's checked) > OK > Output to Desktop
My render settings are always set as "best settings" including "full" resolution and "best" quality.
Now, when I click H.264, a "settings mismatch" pops up and says:
"Warning: Output file will be resized from 1920x1080 (1.00 PAR) to 320x1080 (6.00 PAR) to meet format constraints"
The rendering quality and playback quality within After Effects is great, but once the video is exported, it is horrible.
PLEASE HELP?! I have deadlines I need to meet!

Use the H.264 encoding presets in Adobe Media Encoder.
The H.264 export features in After Effects have been removed in later versions because of numerous problems.

Live Trace image looses quality in After Effects

Hello,
I created an image using live trace and saved it as a ".ai" file. I thought that saving it like this would allow to have the same quality in After Effects. However the After Effects image looks pixilated. I apologize if this is not enough information to fix the problem but I am still new to both programs. Attached are two images, one from After Effects and the other from Illustrator.
Thanks,
Alex
Also if someone could please tell me how to get rid of the white background in my illustrator file that would be great.

You need to turn on continuous rasterization in After Effects
http://helpx.adobe.com/after-effects/using/layers.html#continuously_rasterize_a_layer_cont aining_vector_graphics

Is there a practical and effective iFrame extension for DW CS5 ?

I have been looking for a oractical and effective iFrame extension for CS5.
There used to be an excellent one years ago for DW4 and some other versions, that manipulated the iLayer properties inspector so that you had complete and thorough control over all aspects of you iFrame from just one tool bar/property inspector. This was a free given away extension, but absolutely superb in its function and precticality.
Does anyone know of anything similar for todays versions of DW ?

I code my own which is very simple with the <iframe> tag.
http://www.w3schools.com/html/html_iframe.asp
Four Level offers this extension for DW CS5
http://www.fourlevel.com/product/iframe/
Nancy O.

Multiple tracks and effects not bouncing to mp3???

Hello,
This might be a tough problem to diagnose due to the many possibilities as to what might be causing this...
I have multiple tracks and effects missing on a project [32 tracks] after bouncing to mp3. This has never happened to me before and I've been running Logic consistently for about a year now. I've tried bouncing the same project about five times now and there doesn't seem to be any consistency with regards to which tracks and effects go missing.
I do not have any of the tracks or effects that are missing after bouncing muted and nothing in the project is soloed. No problems with automation prior to bouncing either.
Please help.
Thanks.

cauchy wrote:
Just tried it and got the infamous "System Overload"!!
Any suggestions to get around this? I already froze my tracks. Btw, only working with 4 GB's of RAM...could that be the problem?
Thanks.
Which is why you're missing tracks... too many plugins, are you using Reverbs and Delays on a bus where possible? RAM could be a problem but the fact is you're over-taxing your system. It could be virtual instruments, it could be not being able to pull data off a drive fast enough... it could be using too many Reverbs as inserts when using one on a bus for several tracks would be more economical.
Try giving your system more time to work.
Increase the I/O Buffer to 512 or 1024...... try the Process Buffer at Large

Whats The Best Resolution To Use When Printing Excellent Quality Photos?

Hi all
My grandparents have given me quite a big task to do as they want me to edit, save on to disc or discs and print there old family photos, I am going to edit the photos from Photoshop CS3 Extended at the highest possible Resolution so the photos look amazing when printed from a normal printer or at a proper photo lab. What is the highest possible resolution I could use on the photos without making them look all pixelated (or what ever it looks like) when printed? I was told by a friend that 300 pixels/inch would yield better but is it possible I could go higher? they are family photos so I would like them to look as amazing as possible for the next generation which will be me, my cousins and our future families.
Many Thanks for reading this and Many Thanks to the people who will reply to it. Very much appreciated.
Kind regards,
Oliver

Hi ID. Awe
Thank you for the resolution pixel/inch number but I will use 300ppi on Photoshop CS3 Extended because it seems popular on here and my friend did say 300 pixels/inch would yield better, okay so I should not go over board blimey as I wont be able to control how it is down-sampled for output, I had better be careful then. My scanners resolution is 4800 dpi optical and up to 19,200 dpi enhanced and the colour is: 48-bit and 8-bit greyscale but when I look in the scanner settings it only goes up to 24 bit colour hmmm? How do I down-sample to 8-bit for output? Do I use Photoshop for that? As my printer will not allow me to down-sample the 8-bit colour. I just want the photos to look amazing thats all.
Hi John Joslin
If you ask you shall receive, I will be getting my photos printed at Kodak or at the Devon Camera Centre. I do have a inkjet printer it is the HP Photosmart 2610 all-in-one= printer, fax, scanner, copier. Thank you for the warning John it is nice to know if I was to use my inkjet printer but I am going to have my photos developed at a photo lab so the photos will last allot longer. My printer resolution is 1200 and up to 4800 dpi optimised.
Hi Donald Reese
The highest resolution my scanner can go up to is 19,200 dpi, could you explain to me what interpolation is please? is it another selection I can select within the scanner settings? That does sound logical to have extra data to downsize from, instead of trying to upsize from a low resolution scan because I suppose it would make the photo look a bit pixelated.
Hi Gernot Hoffmann
That is interesting that by using 300ppi or 288ppi which is good for an accurate pixel preview by zoom=400% and this is OK for the reproduction of photos by high quality offset printing and for large format inkjets and for inkjet proof printing thank you. Thank you for the simplified version:-D
Hi Ed Grenzig
I did think that scanning is more important but I did not know how high I should go with the resolution on that either, thats true that the scans can be no better than the picture that I am scanning. Yeah I suppose it also is trial and error using different settings. Extra pixels won't make your picture any sharper than the print. That is what they said about the freeview box until they found out that it made the picture clear as it had a higher resolution then the tv itself but I will give it ago.
Yeah good idea I will experiment myself on similar photos to see if increasing the resolution helps and how much it helps, depending on the type of photo. Yes I definitely will keep my original scans because as you said I can always go back and re-edit them in the future. I agree all editing software will get better as time goes on and they will probably laugh at my edits when they look at the capability of their future software. True that my present printed photos will not last forever as they will deteriorate. As johntolliday below said he usually scans his photos at 600 ppi and I will probably do the same or higher if needs be. Thanks for the great tips, I did think could I use my camera to take photos of the original photos if they are to big for my scanner and of course I can like you said, I would not shot the photos though as I do not want holes in the photo lol.
Hi johntolliday
Yeah I will be getting the photos professionally printed at a photo lab as you said Unless you are using they will not last as long as a print printed on photo paper by the very expensive photo lab machines and I do not have archive quality inks or paper and anyway they are to expensive. Cool that you do most of your prints and enlargements online and have been very pleased with the results. I also thought that inkjet printers are not really up to the job when it comes down to printing excellent quality photos.
I will try your suggestion and scan my photos at 600 ppi or more depending on the picture quality, I do not seem to have a selection for 16 bit colour on my scanner settings I only have Millions of colours (24-bit), 256 colours
(8-bit), 256 colour web palette, 256 colour system palette, 256 grey shades (8-bit greyscale) and Black & White
(1-bit) so I guess I will have to stick with 24 bit colour. Sounds like a good idea to down sample to 300 on Photoshop and print from there. I have never enlarged photos before but there might be a time when I might need to.
A huge thank you to everyone who has posted on here you all have helped me out allot and I know where I am going now before I have to say I was going around blindfolded, if you have any more tips about scanning or even printing please feel free to post. Thank You again.
Kind Regards, Oliver

DVD playback is poor on quality Sony and Panasonic players-jagged horizontals are particularly noticeable. Top quality Verbatim DVD-R discs used. Ideas please?

I'm new to Mac and have not regretted the move from the "other side" until now. I produce many DVDs of slideshows and movies which are frequently shown at public venues or are given to friends and organisations so quality is very important. So far all attempts at producing a DVD free of "jaggies" and other artefacts have failed, the results not being acceptable even when viewed on 22 inch LCD TVs.
The projects have been created using iMovie which produces excellent quality Quicktime files perfectly watchable on large HD screens or projectors fed from a notebook (and a windows one at that!)
I have burned the DVDs on the iMac internal Optiarc drive and an external LG one with the same poor results.
No similar problems experienced over many years of using Adobe Premiere, Cyberlink and WNsoft software. In fact many audiences have commented on the near broadcast quality of the productions.
Am I preparing the files wrongly in iDVD or do I have to seek out alternative authoring/burning software (not so easy with Mac of course) ? I have Final Cut Express 4 on the Mac also but wanted to cut my teeth on iMovie first.
Any help will be most welcome.
Stuart

Hi
Still one has to know that DVDs can only be SD-video (it's a standard) any program used.
But You can get a better result by using iMovie HD6 or FinalCut any version as they can deliver intrelaced video over to iDVD (or Roxio Toast™ or DVD-Studio Pro) - this will not discard every second line as iMovie'08 or 09 or 11 does.
You might also try to use FotoMagico™ to make SlideShows as this also results in as high quality possibly.
If You need even better then consider
• Blu-Ray (Roxio Toast™ Pro bundle incl. BD-component) - Short BD movies on standard DVD disks (BUT neeed Blu-ray player to be viewed (no not on any standard Mac either))
• Save to Memory stick and Playback on PlayStation 3
Yours Bengt W

Miscrosoft Security Essentials is making Excel not respond and also unable to print, or open up Devices or printers too

I have isolated the problem to Microsoft Security Essentials - when I open Excel it hangs and tells me that the program is not responding, I cannot print any more and I cannot open Devices and Printers, it just spools the green line at the top.
I went to MSE > Settings > Real Time Protection and turned off the tick box. I was then able to access Excel normally and likewise open Devices and Printers.
I re-booted and then found that MSE had ticked itself back and that I was again unable to access Excel and unable to access Devices etc.
What do I do to fix this?
I also before doing this ran Excel without Addins, I also checked that my Windows updates were up to date, I also created another user for my machine, I also scanned pc from the command prompt - neither of these had any effect. I am convinced that MSE is
the issue, but what do I do? I cannot run it without real time protection can I?

Hi,
Did you point to the tick box as below?
If yes, did this issue occur for one specific Excel file or all Excel file? I consider the root is not the MSE.
I suggest you turn on this protection to avoid being attacked.
You could make it to be trusted and turn off protect view:
Trusted documents
http://office.microsoft.com/en-in/excel-help/trusted-documents-HA010354384.aspx
If it doesn't help, try the below method to disable MSE from the startup program list:
Disable and Enable Windows 7 Startup Programs
https://social.technet.microsoft.com/wiki/contents/articles/758.disable-and-enable-windows-7-startup-programs.aspx
Karen Hu
TechNet Community Support

Opinions on excellent quality plugins and effects.

Similar Messages

Maybe you are looking for