TriDef Photo Transformer - Guides

Depth Data Point Outline, Color

Option to add a colored border around each depth data point, with choice of color.

Opacity

Determines how transparent or opaque Depth Data points and Transparent points appear in the Drawing window. This determines how well you can see the 2D Source image while you create your Depth Map.

A low number will make the Depth Data points very faint - this can be useful to see the 2D Source image below, but also difficult to see what you have done. A higher number makes the Depth Data points completely opaque. The option to choose a Depth Data point Outline - and the color of the outline - can make points much easier to see no matter what your source image looks like.

Depth Scale

Choose the numerical scale used to describe the depth data points and the 3-D Focal Point scale. This only effects the numbers that are displayed: changing the scale does not change the depth data or the way the depth map is created.

Percent

A percentage scale is used, where 0% is black and 100% is white. Indicated by a % symbol on the Toolbar.

Value

A 0..255 gray scale is used, where 0 is black and 255 is white.

Search Radius

Determines how much of the image around a Depth Data point is searched for potentially matching depth values. The smaller the Search Radius, the more Depth Data points you have to add to the image. Whether a depth value in this area is added to the Depth Map depends on the Search Tolerance.

Search Tolerance

Determines which parts of the image in the Search Radius area around a Depth Data point qualify as a matching depth value. These depth values are then added to the Depth Map. If your image has quite high contrast between objects in the foreground and the background, then you can make the Search Tolerance higher and use fewer Depth Data points. If your image has poor contrast between foreground and background you should use a lower Search Tolerance and add more Depth Data points.

Source Blur

Source Blur can be used to soften a grainy Depth Map and can eliminate high-contrast speckles which sometimes cause visible flaws in the Depth Map. It is a useful tool for visually complex image (patterned shirts, long grass, crowds), but can lead to loss of fine detail. In most cases a maximum Blur of 2 is sufficient. If the image is reasonably simple, use a Blur of 0.

Bias XY

This tool can also be used to reduce noise in a Depth Map caused by visually complex image (patterned shirts, long grass, crowds). In such cases you may need to add more Depth Data points.

3-D Scene Depth

Adjusts the 3-D Scene Depth used to create the 3-D effect for either a preview or an output file. Use the slider or type in a value where 0 is 2D/Compressed and 100 is maximum Scene Depth/Expanded. When you save a TriDef Photo file this becomes the default or 'original' value for that image.

3-D Focal Point

Adjusts the 3-D Focal Point used to create the 3-D effect for either a preview or an output file. Use the slider, type in a value or click on the image itself with the tool to select a 3-D Focal Point. If you use this method you do not have to click Update Preview.

The scale used here reflects the Depth Scale choice in Preferences/Depth, as the Focal Point corresponds to a Depth Map value. 0 places the 3-D Focal Point at the back of the image (wherever the Depth Map includes a value of 0). 100 Percent (or 255 Value) places the 3-D Focal Point at the front of the image, if the Depth Map inlcudes that value. When you save a TriDef Photo file this becomes the default or 'original' value for that image.

Full Screen

If selected, displays the 3-D Preview in the entire screen, using the monitor picked as the 3-D Display in the TriDef Control Panel.

If not selected, the 3-D Preview is displayed in a window which can be manually positions or resized.

Tip: To see the 3-D Preview uninterrupted, press H to hide or show the 3-D Preview Settings dialog.

Close Preview

Close the 3-D Preview Settings dialog and the 3-D Preview window. (Keyboard shortcut Escape)

Update Preview

Update the 3-D Preview with the current settings on the 3-D Preview Settings dialog. (Keyboard shortcut Enter)

Custom Scaling

This sets the initial setting for the 'Custom Scaling' checkbox in TriDef Photo viewing applications. In these applications, this determines whether the Scaling settings used come from the Photo Properties (Custom Scaling ON) or the Slideshow/Presentation Properties (Custom Scaling OFF).

In Photo Transformer, it determins the availability of the Scaling options Pad With Black and Crop.

Scale To Fit

Scales the Photo to fill the screen area. If the Photo is not the same aspect ratio as the 3-D Display, then it may become distorted. This is the default setting if Custom Scaling is not selected.

Pad With Black

This option is only available if Custom Scaling is selected.

Scales the Photo as large as it can, while maintinaing the aspect ratio. The remainder is filled with black.

Crop To

This option is only available if Custom Scaling is selected.

Crops the Photo so that it becomes the same aspect ratio as the 3-D Display, and then scales it to fill he whole screen area.

When this option is selected one of two sliders become available (depending on the proportions of the Photo and the 3-D Display) to choose which parts of the Photo to crop. Middle settings will crop evenly from the left/right or top/bottom edges respectively. Other settings bias which parts of the Photo will be kept. For example, if the horizontal slider is pushed over to the far left, the left side of the Photo will be preserved, and the right side will be cropped.

Note: Crop settings can become invalid if you change 3-D Display at any point. You will have to review your Crop settings then.