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Ventuz Introduction

  • Introduction
  • Getting Started
  • Ventuz Editions
  • Ventuz Products
  • Realtime Rendering
  • Frequently Asked Questions
  • Common Mistakes
  • Deploying a Ventuz Presentation
  • Scene Performance and Tweaks

Quick Guides

  • Quick Guide Index
  • Business Logic
  • 3D Art
  • 2D Art
  • Programming
  • System Engineer

General

  • Index
  • What's New
  • Ventuz System Requirements
  • Configuration Editor
  • Device Configuration
  • Machine Configuration
  • Render Setup Editor
  • Introduction to Compositions, Screens and Outputs
  • Explanation of Compositions, Screens and Outputs
  • Live Runtime Control
  • Project and Show Management
  • Web Configuration Editor
  • Communication Protocol Overview
  • GPI Configuration for Runtime or Director
  • Introduction to the Ventuz Video Engine
  • Supported Formats
  • Supported Hardware
  • Color Management and HDR Workflow
  • Multisampling / Anti-Aliasing
  • Input Subsystem
  • Ventuz Proprietary Files
  • Migrating Configs & Content to Ventuz 8
  • Migrating Content to Ventuz 7
  • Migrating Content to Ventuz 6
  • Migrating Content to Ventuz 5
  • Summary Shortcuts
  • Terminology
  • Manual Index

Ventuz Designer

  • Designer Indices
Introduction
  • Designer Introduction Index
  • Designer Overview
  • Realtime Rendering
  • Project Browser
  • Designer Interface
  • Designer Options
  • Working with Nodes
  • Hierarchy and Content Editors
  • 2D Workflow
  • 3D Workflow
  • PBR Workflow
  • Animation Workflow
  • Best Practices
  • Reading Data in Ventuz
  • Display Images and Movies
  • Scene Performance and Tweaks
  • Deploying a Ventuz Presentation
  • Render to Disk
  • Multi Screen and Output Setup
  • Explanation of Compositions, Screens and Outputs
  • Workflow of using Multi Screens
  • Multi GPU
  • Previs
User Interface
  • Designer User Interface Index
  • Designer Interface
  • Renderer Window
  • Layer Editor
  • Property Editor
  • Property Groups
  • Hierarchy Editor
  • Content Editor
  • Find and Replace
  • Toolbox
  • Animation Editor
  • Shader Editor
  • Text Editor
  • Message View
  • Scene Tree
  • Stage Editor
  • Container Outline
  • Watches Editor
  • Scene Control Window
  • Performance Statistics
2D Workflow
  • 2D Workflow Index
  • 2D Workflow
  • Layer Editor
  • Common Layer Properties
  • IPP Effects
  • Color Correction FX
  • Distortion FX
  • Filter FX
  • Hierarchy and Content Editors
  • Display Images and Movies
3D Workflow
  • 3D Workflow Index
  • 3D Workflow
  • Hierarchy and Content Editors
  • Renderer Window
  • Camera Navigation
  • Manipulate Objects with Gizmos
  • In-Scene Editing
  • Layer Editor
  • Property Editor
  • Hierarchy Editor
  • Working with Nodes
  • Isolated Objects
  • Containers
  • Text Rendering
  • Character Sets
  • Geometry Import
  • Color Management and HDR Workflow
  • Display Images and Movies
  • Particle System
  • Creating Realistic Reflections
  • Unreal Integration
  • Notch Integration
  • E2E Node Overview
Logic Workflow
  • Logic Workflow Index
  • Hierarchy and Content Editors
  • Content Editor
  • Hierarchy Editor
  • Working with Nodes
  • Property Editor
  • Containers
  • Project and Scene Data
  • Reading Data in Ventuz
  • Display Images and Movies
  • Input Subsystem
  • Multitouch
  • TUIO Protocol
  • Open Sound Control
  • Unreal Integration
  • Notch Integration
  • E2E Node Overview
Animation Workflow
  • Animation Workflow Index
  • Animation Workflow
  • Animation Editor
  • Content Editor
  • Hierarchy Editor
  • Property Editor
  • Animation and State Engine
  • Templates
  • Template Engine
  • Scene Transitions
  • Unreal Integration
  • Notch Integration
Project Structure
  • Project Structure Index
  • Annotations
  • Project Documentation
  • Projects and Scenes
  • Project Properties
  • Project Maintenance
  • Project and Scene Data
  • Scene Management
  • Scene Statistics
  • Scene Tree
  • Performance Statistics
How Tos
  • Designer How to Index
  • How to Run Ventuz
  • How to Work with Designer
  • Ventuz Designer Drag&Drop Workflow
  • How to work with Shadows
  • How to Build Content for Multiple Screens
  • How to Use Emoijs
  • How to Build a Template
  • How To Build a Custom Scene Transition
  • How to Use the Color Difference Keyer
  • How To Enable HDR Video Output
  • How To Work with the HDR Layer
  • How Create Lens Flares and Bloom
  • How to Create Visuals Loader Node
  • How to Remote Control with a Phone
  • How to use Head Mounted Displays
  • How to work with 3D Reference Layers
  • How to create a Firework Particle System
  • How to use DDS with new Block Compression modes
  • How To use Stream Out
  • How to use the Substance Integration
  • How To Integrate Unreal
  • How To Integrate Notch
  • How To use the Vertex Integration
  • How To Control and Customize Ventuz
  • How to use the Companion with Director
  • How to build Previs scenes with Designer
  • How to migrate from Ventuz 6 to Ventuz 7
Reference
  • Available Nodes
  • Animation Nodes
  • Material&Color Nodes
  • Data Nodes
  • E2E Nodes
  • Geometry Nodes
  • Interaction Nodes
  • IO Nodes
  • Layers
  • Light Nodes
  • Logic Nodes
  • Previs Nodes
  • Render Option Nodes
  • Slides Nodes
  • Sound Nodes
  • Text Nodes
  • Texture Nodes
  • VR Nodes
  • World Nodes
  • Summary Shortcuts
  • Layer Editor Shortcuts
  • Hierarchy Editor Shortcuts
  • Content Editor Shortcuts
  • Animation Editor Shortcuts
  • Director Shortcuts

Ventuz Director

  • Index
  • What's New in Director
  • Introduction
  • Environment
  • Show
  • User Interface
  • Assets
  • Taking Action
  • Property Editor
  • Shot Box
  • Project Data
  • Pages
  • Playlist
  • Transitions
  • Timeline
  • Content References
  • Topology
  • Channels
  • Macros
  • Designing Templates
  • Scene Transitions
  • Plug-Ins
  • Shortcuts
  • Command Line Options
  • Application Settings
  • Glossary
  • GPI Configuration

Ventuz Runtime & Configuration

  • Runtime Index
  • Configuration Editor
  • Machine Configuration
  • Device Configuration
  • Project and Show Management
  • Live Runtime Control
  • Web Configuration Editor
  • Render Setup Editor
  • Warping and Soft-Edging Editor
  • Multi Screen and Output Setup
  • How to migrate from Ventuz 6 to Ventuz 7
  • Machine Clustering
  • Supported Hardware
  • Director Mode
  • How to Configure Audio
  • How to Use Live Options
  • How To Play Out On Multiple Screens
  • How To Render on a Machine Cluster
  • How to Use Head Mounted Displays
  • How to Setup Spout with Ventuz
  • How to Use Newtek NDI
  • How to Use a Mixed Frame Rate Cluster
  • How to Use Tracking

Multi Output & Display Setups

Introduction
  • Introduction to Compositions, Screens and Outputs
  • Explanation of Compositions, Screens and Outputs
  • Machine Clustering
  • Support for multiple GPU's
Editors
  • Configuration Editor
  • Device Configuration
  • Render Setup Editor
  • Warping and Soft-Edging Editor
  • Designer Stage Editor
Workflows
  • How to Build Content for Multiple Screens
  • How To Play Out On Multiple Outputs
  • How To Render on a Machine Cluster
  • How to build Previs scenes with Designer

How To

Designer
  • Designer How to Index
  • How to Run Ventuz
  • How to Work with Designer
  • Ventuz Designer Drag&Drop Workflow
  • How to work with Shadows
  • How to Build Content for Multiple Screens
  • How to Use Emoijs
  • How to Build a Template
  • How To Build a Custom Scene Transition
  • How to Use the Color Difference Keyer
  • How To Work with the HDR Layer
  • How To Enable HDR video output
  • How Create Lens Flares and Bloom
  • How to Create Visuals Loader Node
  • How to Remote Control with a Phone
  • How to use Head Mounted Displays
  • How to work with 3D Reference Layers
  • How to create a Firework Particle System
  • How to use DDS with new Block Compression modes
  • How to use the Substance Integration
  • How To Integrate Unreal
  • How To Integrate Notch
  • How To build and playback Ventuz Content in Vertex
Runtime & Configuration
  • Runtime How Tos Index
  • How to Configure Audio
  • How to Use Live Options
  • How To Play Out On Multiple Screens
  • How To Render on a Machine Cluster
  • How to use Head Mounted Displays
  • How to setup Spout with Ventuz
  • How to use Newtek NDI
  • How to use a Mixed Frame Rate Cluster
  • How to use Tracking
  • How To Integrate Unreal
  • How To Integrate Notch
  • How To build and playback Ventuz Content in Vertex
  • Multi Screen and Output Setup
  • How To Enable HDR video output
Director
  • How To Control Multiple Graphics Independently From Each Other
  • How to use the Companion with Director

Ventuz Node Reference

Available Nodes Overview
  • All Designer Nodes
ANIMATION
  • Mover
  • Alternator
  • Simple Control
  • Timeline Control
  • Anmation Rig
  • Keyframe Animation
  • Animation Group
COLOR/MATERIAL
  • Alpha
  • Fog
  • Ground Fog
  • Sky Box
  • Color to RGBA
  • HSLA to Color
  • RGBA to Color
  • Color Transformer
  • HLSL Shader
  • Color
  • Material
  • Color Picker
  • Substance Material
DATA
  • Database
  • Excel
  • JSON
  • RSS Feed
  • Resource Linker
  • Text File
  • XML
E2E
  • E2E Axis
  • E2E Data
  • E2E Control
  • E2E Layer
  • E2E Provider
  • E2E Node Overview
GEOMETRY
  • Rectangle
  • Rounded Rectangle
  • Gradient Rectangle
  • Overlay Rectangle
  • Cube
  • Circle
  • Sphere
  • Cylinder
  • Cone
  • Torus
  • Chart
  • Random Points
  • Mesh Loader
  • Geometry Import (Live)
  • Volume
  • Get Bounding Box
  • Arrow
  • Particle System
  • Path Renderer
  • Geometry Renderer
INTERACTION
  • Interaction Rect
  • Touch Button
  • Touch Excluder
  • Touch Marker
  • Touch Paint
  • Touch Pattern
  • Touch Proxy
  • Touch Ripples
  • Touch Transformations
  • Web Browser
  • Touch Teleport
  • Touch Simulator
INPUT/OUTPUT (I/O)
  • GPI
  • Joystick
  • Keyboard
  • MIDI
  • Mouse
  • Network
  • Open Sound Control
  • Serial
  • Timecode
  • DMX
  • HTTP
  • RamDiskWriter
LAYER
  • 3D Layers
  • 3D Layer Reference
  • Composition Layer
  • 2D Layers
  • PSD Import Layer
  • E2E Layer
  • Mixer Layer
  • Others
LIGHT
  • Light Sources
LOGIC
  • Array Processing
  • Convert To Text
  • Cluster Synchronization
  • Counter
  • Data Portals
  • Date Time
  • Directory
  • Dispatcher
  • Enumeration
  • Expressions
  • Invert
  • Log
  • Loop Breaker
  • Math Effects
  • Matrix Operations
  • Scene Event
  • Script
  • String Operations
  • System ID
  • Render Setup Relation
  • Text Splitter
  • Timer
  • Toggle
  • Transition Info
  • URL
  • Value Switch
  • Value Buffer
  • Variables
  • Visual Indexer
PREVISUALIZATION
  • Introduction to Previs
  • Previs Screen
  • Previs Canvas
  • Compositon List
  • Rendersetup Objects
  • Composition Projector
  • Previs Screen Render Options
RENDER OPTIONS
  • Alpha Blending
  • Color Write
  • Alpha Testing
  • Clip Plane
  • Filter
  • Mask
  • Mirror
  • Effect
  • Render Cube Map
  • Draw Modes
  • Stencil
  • ZTesting
SOUND
  • Audio Clip
  • Sound
  • Volume Control
  • Audio Analysis
SLIDES
  • Slide Manager
  • Slide
  • Slide Port
  • Pivot
TEXT
  • Text Effects
  • Text Layouts
  • Text Rendering
TEXTURE
  • Background
  • Hatch
  • Image
  • Texture
  • SVG Loader
  • Gradient Texture
  • Live Video
  • Movie Stream
  • Movie Frame
  • Movie Clip
  • Texture Loader
  • Snapshot
  • Snapshot Framebuffer
  • Texture Saver
  • Video Source Selector
  • VIO Input
  • Spout Receiver
  • NDI Receiver
  • Substance Loader
  • QR Code
VR/AR
  • Tracked Devices
  • Draw Tracked Devices
WORLD
  • Axis
  • Billboard
  • GetWorld
  • SetWorld
  • Arrange
  • Ticker
  • Layout
  • Group
  • World Z Sort
  • YesNo
  • Switch
  • Spread
  • Filter Pass
  • Set Pass
  • Hierarchy Container
  • Scene Port
  • Content Container
  • Template Port
  • Container Info
  • Camera
  • Paths
  • Cloner

Advanced and Development

  • Advanced and Development Index
  • Command Line Options
  • Ventuz IP Ports
  • Ventuz Machine Service
  • TUIO
  • .NET Scripting
  • HLSL Shader Programming
  • Ventuz API and SDK
  • Ventuz Extension API
  • Ventuz VIO API
  • Ventuz File Format (VFF)
  • Ventuz Stream Out API
  • Lens Calibration File for FreeD
  • E2E Node Overview
  • Unreal Integration
  • Notch Integration
Remoting
  • Remoting Index
  • Remoting Overview
  • How To Control and Customize Ventuz
  • Remoting 4
  • Remoting 4 via Websockets
  • Remoting 4 via HTTP
  • Director Remoting
  • Deprecated Remoting

Misc

  • Presets
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Anti-Aliasing / Multisampling

Table of Contents

  1. Multi-Sample Anti-Aliasing (MSAA) (Hardware Anti-Aliasing)
    1. Performance
  2. Fast Approximate Anti-Aliasing (FXAA) (Software Anti-Aliasing)
The term Anti-Aliasing generally refers to removing the jagged edges of objects that sometimes occur when a 3D object is rasterized. To do so there are many different sampling methods. Ventuz supports the following methods:

Multi-Sample Anti-Aliasing (MSAA) (Hardware Anti-Aliasing)

This is traditional anti-aliasing that is done in hardware during the rendering of the scene and the quality can be configured in the Video Device Configuration.

Depending on the hardware the quality settings can differ in its resolution.

Hardware Vendors have been tweaking with variations of this idea, trying to find more efficient representations for the edges than increasing the size of the rendertargets, but the problems remain the same.

Going from 3D to 2D with respect to MSAA means converting these enlarged rendertargets into ordinary rendertargets with one pixel per real pixel. This is called the multisample resolve.

Note that Ventuz renders with premultiplied alpha. When doing so, color and alpha are associated together and may not be divided. When resolving 8 bit rendertargets, Direct3D will use a different method for color than for alpha, and that leads to artifacts at the border to a transparent background.

To get rid of the premultiplied alpha artifacts on non-HDR layers you can use the FixSeams option on the Layer 3D Root Node on layers which are alpha blended onto others. When active, the renderer will not use the Hardware MSAA of the Graphics Card but instead a specific shader in Ventuz. This is slower and thus may result in performance problems but the edges of the alpha channels are anti aliased correctly with the quality of MSAA. Keep in mind that this is even slower than the already slow MSAA; only use it when it is really necessary and when using the faster FXAA will not solve the problem on the layer or does not result in the desired quality.

In the NVidia graphics settings, you should set "Antialiasing - Gamma correction" to "Off". This fixes the problem with premultiplied alpha, as the gamma correction is exactly what causes the problem.

Performance

As you might imagine, Multi-Sampling costs render performance, especially in complex scenes. Therefore, in high-resolution and Cluster setups, Multisampling should be lowered or disabled to increase the rendering performance.
You can check the amount of time the multisample resolve takes in the Performance Statistics.

Fast Approximate Anti-Aliasing (FXAA) (Software Anti-Aliasing)

To combat the disadvantages of MSAA, game developers have created shader based solutions such as Fast Approximate Anti-Aliasing (FXAA).

FXAA is not related to the hardware and therefore can be configured on the 3D Layer Root of any used 3D Layer rather than in the Machine Configuration. Thus you can change the used Anit-Aliasing Method from Layer to Layer.

The NVidia and AMD control panels allow you to enable FXAA or similar algorithms manually, but that is not optimal as the graphics driver does not have all the information it needs to do this properly.

The FXAA Algorithm will search for edges in the readily rendered image and blur the image there a little bit. This may take up a lot less performance than MSAA but will make the result look blurry. There are several parameter configurations in the FXAA Property Group of the 3D Layer Root to improve performance and quality.

Alpha turns on or off the processing of the alpha channel that we integrated into the algorithm. Turning this off may increase quality in Scenes that do not have an Alpha Channel in the resulting texture. Quality changes the step count done in the shader. The more steps, the higher the quality and performance impact. Medium Dithering reduces the quality but enhances the performance, so Less Dither will result in a better image. The Best setting will not use dithering at all.

EdgeThreshold changes the minimum amount of the local contrast to trigger the processing of the algorithm. The higher this threshold, the fewer pixels will be processed and thus the faster the algorithm but the lower the quality. EdgeThresholdMin defines the threshold of the minimum luma to apply the algorithm. This will trim the algorithm from processing darker areas in the image. Again, the higher this value the faster the algorithm. Subpixel will change the amount of sub-pixel anti-aliasing. The higher this value the softer the result. This will not have an impact on the performance, only on the sharpness of the resulting image.

Lastly, PerformanceTest will change each pixel on your Layer according to how much performance the FXAA used up for it. An unchanged Pixel did not trigger the algorithm at all. Green Pixels triggered the FXAA but did not need a lot of steps for the aliasing removal and red pixels needed a lot of steps. With the PerformanceTest turned on you can easily analyze how the FXAA impacts your performance and the quality of your image.

See also:
  • 3D Layer Root
  • 3D Layer
  • Audio Video Device Configuration
  • Scene Performance

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