[Chimera-users] Movies

[Tom Goddard]

Hi Hernando,

  Chimera displays the graphics as fast as it can up to 30 frames per 
second.  If the displayed model is complex or your graphics card is not 
fast enough the actual frame rate will be slower.  The rock command 
moves the model in fixed angular steps no matter how slow the rendering 
rate, and never skips any steps, so it will just appear to rock slower 
if the computer can't maintain 30 frames per second.  In contrast movies 
are always played at a fixed speed (typically 30 or 25 frames per 
second).  Movie Recorder records every displayed frame, and these get 
played back at a higher speed by your movie player software.

  To make the movie rock at the rate you see in Chimera you can first 
see what rate Chimera is rendering at using menu entry Tools / Utilities 
/ Benchmark and turn on the "Monitor actual frame rate" at the bottom of 
the benchmark dialog.  If it says you are getting 20 frames per second, 
then use that number in the Movie Recorder movie options panel when you 
encode the movie.  That will be stored in the movie  file and players 
will play the frames back at 20 frames per second instead of the usual 30.

    Tom