Hi fellas. I have a PV-DV851. This model is from the year before they included "Cinema" mode on all the Pana's and therefore it doesn't have ANY widrescreen mode. You can, however, add a title from the SD card to overlap the frame while shooting video. I intend to create black bars as a title file in both 2.35:1, and 1.85:1 aspect ratios on my computer, put them in the titles folder section on my SD card, and overlay them on the video as I shoot (easier for me than electrical taping the LCD and doing it later in post).

The format for titles is some proprietary crap, though, with a .TTL extension. The only way to create the image files, so far as I can tell, is by using the camcorders title create ability, in which I have to actually shoot a still of a picture of black bars. Doing this, my aspect ratios will not come out exactly right (or even close for that matter). Anybody that can help me create .TTL image files on my computer using any software would be doing me a great service. Any replies on title-mixing, .TTL exstensions, etc... are welcome.

BTW - I think when the cam uses titles, it automatically keys out RGB 000 (true black), so I don't think the image file I want to create needs an alpha channel.

While the below posts cover Canon and Title Mix I see mention on creating TTL images.

http://www.dvinfo.net/conf/search.php?s=&action=showresults&searchid=312872&sortby=lastpost&sortorder=descending

I have read up on title mixing Canon tutorial. The problem is creating the titles in the Pana proprietary format using .TTL extensions outside of the camcorder. The Canon uses JPEGs for titling functions, which are easy to create. There was one other thread about not being able to create .TTL that was about 18 months old, and I thought somebody may have come up with something new since then...maybe not?

I posted a few months ago trying to find out something similar, and have still had no luck. Seems like nobody knows how to do it. I've tried all sorts of experimenting in photoshop with different formats, but nothing works.

I tried exporting a few TTL files to the PC but had no luck. It does appear that all titles must be created in-camera. Thats ridiculous!

I guess you could mask off the LCD/VF and edit in post?

I've emailed Panasonic about it, and I'm sure they're not gonna give any worthwhile info. I guess I will just have to tape off the LCD and do it in post. If anybody else out there is having this problem or a similar one, email Panasonic support and tell them that you're disgruntled with things like this non-reproducable title format taking away from the intended design you paid for...I know that sounds stupid but for anybody that hasn't encountered such a problem, it's really frustrating to be so close to unlocking more potential for usability of your valued cam.

This finally came from Pana's Lab yesterday...

Re:
Thank you for your patience while waiting for a reply regarding your
Panasonic PVDV851. We received information on the PVDV851 this morning. We
have already provided information on the ASA rating, which is equal to
100. Panasonic does not provide software for creating Titles on a PC. We
are sorry but we are not able to provide information regarding the
contents of the Title file format (*.TTL) used for the title files.

Thank You,
Panasonic Consumer Support

...There has to be some way around this. Notice they say Panasonic doesn't have software to do it. Doesn't mean that it doesn't exist. Anybody still looking elsewhere?

http://www.dvinfo.net/conf/showthread.php?s=&threadid=5768&highlight=.ttl

Others have already gone thru this with the Canon GL2 and solved the problem on this site! The solution is in a streaming tutorial video that can be found toward the end of this thread. I tried it and it worked. Good luck...

Hi Jesse!

Did you change the extension from JPG to TTL on your memorycard? - i checked the video but it didnt work - my DV953 could not recognize it

/Lea Lisa

I actually left it in the .JPG extension. Try leaving it and tell me what happens. My AIM name is phatkodiak

If i use the JPG extension it will not show up when i press title
on my DV953 - if i change the extension to TTL it shows up with a red cross on it -not a valid title picture...

How did you make it work?

Thanx ; )

When you name the file to put on the card make sure you name it as USR0000_.JPG . Where I left the underscore you need to put any digit. If that doesn't work I can't tell you what will. The tutorial worked for me and I followed it to the T. I wish I could be of more help, but that tutorial is the only thing I've found that worked so far.

By the way, I tried doing this before with microsoft paint and it didn't work. For some reason the Photoshop Jpeg's do work. I don't know if it's the only program you can use, but I'd doubt it is.

Just to be sure, you put the jpg picture in:
Private/Vtf/Title/ on your memory card?

I tried your USR00002.JPG filename but it didnt work

That is where I'm saving them. This fix was originally created to support the Canon GL2, and my cam (PV-DV851) is from around the same time. Maybe Pana changed something in last years models? What program are you using to create these images files?

I use Photoshop elements -is it possible for you to upload or attach a working jpg? -then we could see if pana mabye changed somethings

thanx!

I think Pansonic is wrong when they say there isn't any software to do this. When I was in Tokyo I saw a box behind glass that said "MultiMediaCard Title Club" on it. It looked just like the sort of thing that could be used to create titles, but I couldn't get a good look at it. The price was pretty steep if I recall, so I didn't bother to ask a clerk to see it. You can see a free upgrade to title club listed on the Japanese support page here:
http://panasonic.jp/support/video/download/index.html

So far no luck in finding a bootleg version of this program, or a trick to create these files in Photoshop.

BTW, you can download a small collection of titles from the Australian support site here:
http://www.panasonic.com.au/support/downloads/results.cfm

Sadly I lost my Japanese titles and can't find them online anywhere. They were pretty cool too!

Jamie, this tutorial will let you create title's in Photoshop...
http://www.dvinfo.net/canongl2/media/titlemix.wmv

An interesting note for you Pana owners. When following this tutorial to make your own image files for Title-Mixing, you can lower the R,G,B to 9,9,9. Where as the Canon GL2 keys out any black under RGB 12,12,12 the Pana's key out blacks at 8,8,8 and lower. Cool. Better letterboxing for users of the 2001 Pana line that didn't have a widescreen mode.

I could put all my title files online if somebody hosted them. I don't know how, or if we can add attachments to posts. Just tell me how and they're yours. I could also email them to people if they like. I made Letterbox bars for 1.85:1 (Panavision) and 2.35:1 (Cinemascope) ratios, and also made a watermark logo for my production company... All Life Ends Productions .

Jesse,
You can put the files in the Downloads section of my website. Just register and you can upload them yourself.

Jesse, thanks for the help. I watched the tutorial and tried to make the files but when I import them they just show up as a big X in the camera. Also, if I try renaming the existing title files on the camera to .jpg and loading them in Windows they don't work. Does the GS100k use a different file format for titles than older cameras, or am I just doing something wrong? Any idea?

I've been talking on the boards with somebody from camcorderinfo.com using an NV-GS120 who also is unable to duplicate my results. That leads to believe that there is a difference in file format recognition between either the 2001 and 2003/4 models, or a differnece in format recognition between the American and Overseas models...which makes less sense. I am stumped, but will upload my working templates (for PV-DV851) to an album on www.fortvir.net (thanks Guy!) for others to experiment with.