The TAB/Moho

A place to discuss non-Moho software for use in animation. Video editors, audio editors, 3D modelers, etc.

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Tommy
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The TAB/Moho

Post by Tommy »

Hi, I am new to this forum. I have been using a trial version of the Tab. It is frustrating in that it will not perform as described in the tutorials. Trying to color in a character is annoying and sometimes requires 3 attempts. When you set your character in a frame and begin to work on the background, your character will sometimes take on the color of the background. Does anyone know how Moho compares to Tab? I wish someone would design animation software that is easy to use like 'Paint". Paint is simple and does what you want it to do. Thanks for any input and advice.
Tommy
nobudget
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Post by nobudget »

I never used The Tab, but I remember some mention of it on this forum. I did check out the website just now and it's clear The Tab an Moho are in the same category in terms of features...for the most part. I'd suggest you try the Moho demo and try how the workflow suits your logic. Moho does not always take the standard approach, whether that's good or bad is a matter of taste. I'll give you some of my opinions regarding Moho:

- The drawing tools are very basic. Some former Illustrator and Flash users don't like it too much, I come from Flash but the more I use Moho the more I like it. I've created some very different styles in character designs, really basic cartoony to more realistic. I still struggle a bit with the fill tools and the standard rounding off on edges can be a bit annoying but I've grown to enjoy the drawing more every time I use it.

- Moho has some 3D options. More and more animation packages have a depth axis, but Moho also has simple 3D object import. I use the depth axis very often for panning effects, depth focus etc.

- Moho has a really great particle generator. Simple in theory but powerful in practice. You can create a snowstorm or explosion with the click of a button and you can customize the particles and movement to your liking.

- The bone structure "borrowed" from 3D apps is a huge time-saver. In fact, for frame-by-frame animation Moho is not the best solution probably, the bone capability influences the way you create animations. Traditional pen-and-pencil animators will have to change their way of thinking.

- Moho can import photo and video for rotoscoping and Roger Rabbit type of compositing. You can also import audio for lip-syncing (automatic syncing is also possible) but don't expect to much of the audio features, Moho is not completely self-contained and doesn't aspire to be.

- The community is very friendly and supportive. But some are more long-winded than others (I'm almost finished ok?).

In conclusion, I'm very happy I found this program some time ago and I think you get incredible value for your money. It is not a perfect product, you need a video editor for assembling clips and audio software for mixing and there are some minor bugs and interface issues here and there but Lost Marble is commited to improve their product and the love they have for this program is shared by their users.

Are you still reading this? You could have been halfway through the great tutorials already!

Reindert.
www.nobudgetvideo.com
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cribble
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Post by cribble »

I have both theTAB and Moho.

I claimed theTAB off my old school when i said, "i want to animate my next project because art is boring motionless." Hey presto theres a copy in my hands.

I hated the interface from the start, having to jump rooms to draw, animate and export. With MoHo you don't have to jump rooms, you can justdo it all in one space.... so MoHo's interface smacks theTAB's in the mouth straight away.

I also hated drawing.... I was very, very confused at first as to which one drew and which one filled etc etc. Once i discovered this (via tutorials) life because alittle bit clearer. But I wasn't happy with it, everything look sloppy and... well.... poor quailty. MoHo has made filling and drawing shapes easy and a pleasent experience. Draw free hand or alter pre-made shapes (square and circle) via add points tool. Then the fill tool... you actually know what shape your filling as it gives you this kind of grid thing before you fill, then you hit space key to confire the fill. theTAB doens't have this very nifty, but nice feature (yeah thats right feature).

I've always been used to editing the vector points of a shape and line, theTAB doesn't have this to offer it has a magnet tool and this wierd dragging tool. Both tools were anus and the tutorials didn't actually give you a good reason why or why not to use them and the alternative. With MoHo on the other hand i can edit the vector points. This makes life easy as you can get your object really accurate now. Also you can edit how curved you want the line by editiing it at the vector point and load more features.

Export in theTAB, if i recall, we're very basic. SWF and MOV files (there was another but i can't remember). MoHo has SWF, it also has all your standard still raster formats aswell as a MOV and AVI export.

Theres lots of other features said above (thats nobudget), but really you've got to try MoHo and learn it abit..... i picked it up and was animating straight away... and I'm stupid!

I could go one all day saying what i hated about theTAB, but really i have to be off now. theTAB is expensive and crap... MoHo is gob-slappingly brilliant and cheap.... your choice. Try a Demo. Learn and Love.
--Scott
cribble.net
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spasmodic_cheese
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Post by spasmodic_cheese »

the tab has too many limitations for $800 dont bother with it.
nobudget
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Post by nobudget »

I didn't know Tab was $800,-... Please don't tell Lost marble, they might get ideas :wink:

Seriously, I just looked at some of the animations in their showcase and it didn't look as professional as the price-tag would suggest, and it was all Flash which limits the possibilities of course. The Moho gallery was a big selling point when I saw it. The diversity of the material and the professional look of some animations.

Easy choice it would seem,

Reindert.
www.nobudgetvideo.com
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cribble
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Post by cribble »

I hate theTAB with a passion ever since i created an animation with it. Seriously, i've never seen so few tutorials and, to top it off, they were crap.

Is it really $800??? i thought it was around the $300 mark or so..... but who would spend that amount of money on a piece of crap software... apart from my school....
--Scott
cribble.net
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spasmodic_cheese
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Post by spasmodic_cheese »

http://www.the-tab.com/htm/store/store_online.htm

i guess you could by the lite 145 or (sub)standard 395 or the "pro" for 895

everyone is better off buying moho, not because its cheaper, because it works better.

Mind you moho has its flaws, I wouldnt bother with it if it were over priced
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