White background in Xara3D not white when exported

**Brian Emmis** · 24 November 2009, 02:23 PM

Hello All

I am using Xara3D version 6

It works fine but I find that a white background set up in Xara3D (R=255,G=255,B=255) is not white in the AVI files I export. It is R=223, G=223, B=223.

Has anyone had this problem before?

Would be grateful for any help or suggestions

Many thanks

Brian Emmis

**simsmj** · 24 November 2009, 07:11 PM

Welcome to the forum, Brian. I don't really know enough about avi files to answer you myself, but I am sure that someone will post a more helpful response soon.

**handrawn** · 24 November 2009, 08:17 PM

Hi

is it only white that shifts or any pure color background? - how are you measuring it in the avi?

is there a slight shadow set?

**Soquili** · 24 November 2009, 08:49 PM

Hi Brian,

Welcome to Talkgraphics.

What colors are you using for the 3 lights? They well influence the background and foreground colors.

**Brian Emmis** · 24 November 2009, 11:01 PM

My thanks to simsmj, handrawn and soquili for your responses. To answer your questions...

There is only one background colour filling frame in Xara3D in this project..the white background.

The foreground object has a slight shadow and, yes, I am using coloured lights. (I had a slight suspicion that they might also have an impact on the white background)

I measured the output by taking a still frame from the exported AVI, moving it into Photoshop and using the eyedropper/colour sampler to see what the background white had become. (But I was careful to sample several places away from the foreground object and the shadow)

I guess that the coloured key lights are what is doing it and it is not a glitch after all

All the best

Brian

**Egg Bramhill** · 25 November 2009, 06:17 AM

Welcome Brian.

I don't think the lights effect the background at all. They never do for gifs or swf and I'm pretty sure they won't for avi's. I've just done a quick test exporting an avi and the background stays white throughout. Can you attach your X3D file Brian? What codec did you use?

**Brian Emmis** · 27 November 2009, 08:52 AM

Hello egg and many thanks for your interest

I am sure I used the Pinnacle Systems DV2 codec when I exported the AVI (at a Truebit colour depth of 24 bit)

This is because my video editing software (Premiere 6.5) runs on the Pinnacle video card installed in my old steam-driven PC.

Am attaching the Xara3D file of the spinning coin

Kind regards

Brian

**Soquili** · 27 November 2009, 01:56 PM

Hi Brian,

I exported an avi from your Xara3D6 file. I do not have the same codec you used. I used the CamStudio Lossless coded.

Sampling the white background shows it is truely white. See attached images.

**Egg Bramhill** · 27 November 2009, 04:26 PM

It would appear to be a Codec thing. I just did a test with your file but used the Microsoft Windows Media Video 9 and the background was #fefefe in the output avi

**Brian Emmis** · 29 November 2009, 01:48 PM

Many thanks to Bill and Egg for your help

I will try exporting to AVI using other codecs and not the Pinnacle DV2 one

Best regards and thanks again

Brian