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What about legacy graphics plugins?

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First post, by Banshee

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Hello! I'm new! And I have no idea what I'm doing. I know a bit about computers, but this is an entirely new subject for me. Think of me as the whale who is about to experience the ground, but who knows just enough to want to avoid it. I guess that's better than being Agrajag in plant form, though.

I have a small photo business. Of all of the programs/plugins for removing backgrounds that have ever been created, Knockout 2 is by far the best. It was released in 2006, and won't run on Photoshop CC. I recently switched to CC from CS6, which was the last version of PS that Knockout 2 worked with. I held out with CS6 for so long precisely because of Knockout 2.

It also has a stand-alone version. I can't get it to work on Windows 11 that way, though. Compatibility mode doesn't work. There is no updated version I can download, unlike the rest of my legacy plugins. I've hunted the internet for advice, but the program is so old that there isn't any. At least, none that works. I'm hoping that by using an emulator for Win 98, I can use the stand-alone program and get back to work. PS CC doesn't have the accuracy I need in a background removal tool. Knockout 2 retains strands of hair, transparencies like dragonfly wings, liquids, glass, lace, etc. and that's what I need.

Please forgive me if this subject has been covered elsewhere on this forum. I have done my best to search for it, before dropping my question here.

Thank you in advance for any advice you might have. If Vogons is the solution, I will give it a shot. (I can ignore the smelly bits of alien underwear, but I'm going to have to draw the line at the poetry. Even though I have it memorized.)

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Reply 3 of 9, by pshipkov

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I think you are on a path of your own, but did you ever try proper keyers ?
Prepackaged plugins do that under the hood, but try to streamline the workflow a bit.
The tech evolved a lot since 2006. What is available today is much better than back then.
Also, photoshop included some Generative AI techniques recently.
They look great on demonstrations - maybe give them a chance.

retro bits and bytes

Reply 4 of 9, by Banshee

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I've tried soooooo many. InPixio is the best, but it doesn't work well on large groups of people and it misses details no matter how I tweak it. I've been messing around with CC, watching a lot of instructional videos and reading a lot of expert advice. But again, it misses details. And it takes a long time to restore them and do the work by hand when the filter only works halfway. My photos are taken outside, on high school campuses. Large sports groups, and individuals. Rarely if ever on a chromakey background, and for that I use PhotoKey. Knockout 2 can pop a row of 16 brunettes out of a very darkly mottled background with precision, it's very simple to use and it's highly intuitive. It blows my mind that the program is so old, too. But I will keep researching. There has to be something that will work.

Thank you for putting time into thoughtful replies in language I can understand. you guys are really helpful!

Reply 5 of 9, by Ensign Nemo

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You could probably find an XP machine for cheap on a site like Facebook Marketplace. I often see old XP machines listed for like $20 there. That might be an option if you don't want to play around with virtualization.

Reply 7 of 9, by darry

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One concern I have with virtual machines (when not using PCI passthrough) is the potential for color management and display calibration issues between the host and virtual machine.

I don't mean to hijack the thread, but I am mentioning it as it may be of concern to OP. Maybe someone with experience on the subject could either allay my concerns or provide some guidance (if needed).

Reply 8 of 9, by myne

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Banshee wrote on 2024-04-03, 19:12:

Compatibility mode doesn't work.

Beennath on here is somewhat of an expert at getting old stuff working. Given you're a business though, they might charge. I don't know.

Things I built:
Mechwarrior 2 installer for Windows 10/11 Re: A comprehensive guide to install and play MechWarrior 2 on new versions on Windows.
Dos+Windows 3.11 auto-install iso template (for vmware)

Reply 9 of 9, by BEEN_Nath_58

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myne wrote on 2024-04-07, 00:39:
Banshee wrote on 2024-04-03, 19:12:

Compatibility mode doesn't work.

Beennath on here is somewhat of an expert at getting old stuff working. Given you're a business though, they might charge. I don't know.

I could try but I can't find much about the program

previously known as Discrete_BOB_058

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