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Avid DNxHD export?
So I have a 9 minute clip and it has to be delivered in a Quicktime movie encoded with DNxHD 145 8bit.
I downloaded a codecs package from Avid.
It looks like my quicktime 7 has the avid codecs now. Is there a way to get them into my Compressor 5, or should I just use Quicktime 7 to export??
Anyone have a good workflow for this??
Thanks!
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Don’t live your life in a secondary storyline.Mark Morache
FCPX/FCP7/Xpri/Avid
Evening Magazine,Seattle, WA
https://fcpx.wordpress.com -
5 Replies
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So I was able to export the clip through quicktime 7, and it seemed to work. However, it looks like the color range isn’t the same. It’s a bit washed out. I’m uploading a side by side screen grab. The original is on the right, the DNxHD is on the left.
Am I doing something wrong?? I’m still wondering if there’s a way to get the codec into compressor.
Thx.
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Don’t live your life in a secondary storyline.Mark Morache
FCPX/FCP7/Xpri/Avid
Evening Magazine,Seattle, WA
https://fcpx.wordpress.com -
When you encode DNxHD you have to set the video levels to be scaled to RGB or 601/709 levels, the so-called “full swing” or “studio swing” ranges. The interpretations of these and gamma are all over the place in QuickTime. If you compare in QT7 versus QTX, you are likely to see different results, too. IOW, the encoding might be right, but the decoding of the file might be wrong.
I think if you are doing this in QT or Compressor, you probably want to set it to RGB levels. Are you supplying this to someone so they can import it into Media Composer? If so, you might want to check the results there and not on the computer display. Check it on a broadcast monitor using a video i/o device.
– Oliver
Oliver Peters Post Production Services, LLC
Orlando, FL
http://www.oliverpeters.com -
[Mark Morache] “It looks like my quicktime 7 has the avid codecs now. Is there a way to get them into my Compressor 5, or should I just use Quicktime 7 to export?”
I’d make a Compressor setting, and then use that in FCPX.
In compressor, make a new setting (plus sign on lower left, New Setting).
Choose “Quicktime Movie” from the dialogue box, and set a meaningful name.
In the setting area, click the video tab, click the Quicktime Settings, and choose Avid DNxHD.
Choose the appropriate settings (frame rate, resolution, etc). I’d go with 709, but RGB will work too. Click OK.
Make sure to set the appropriate frame size in the compressor setting, and setup the audio as well (Which should default to 16 bit PCM, but best to double check).
Back in X, make a new compressor preset destination setting and choose the Avid setting you created and export.
Jeremy
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So, I set up a compressor setting using quicktime and the DNxHD codec so I can export out of FCPX.
I tried a test clip, and when I open the DNxHD clip in QT7, the colors aren’t as bright as when I open a prores clip in QT7.
Interestingly enough, I brought both clips into FCPX, and they were virtually identical, according to the scopes within FCPX.
Am I to understand that the clip is encoded with the 709 levels, so when I bring it back into FCPX, it adjusts for the 709 levels on playback? Even though to looks so differently when I play it back in quicktime…
Thanks again.
–> M
———
Don’t live your life in a secondary storyline.Mark Morache
FCPX/FCP7/Xpri/Avid
Evening Magazine,Seattle, WA
https://fcpx.wordpress.com -
The simple answer, as Oliver mentions, is that you can’t trust QT.
If the levels are looking normal in X, you should be good. Send a test file over to be sure.
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