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Future MacOS/FCPX won’t support DNxHD/HR or CineForm among other codecs
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[Oliver Peters]”Prores as a codec is independent of Quicktime”
Deliverables I have had to provide have always speced ProResHQ.mov. I know it can be wrapped as mxf. Even if the specs changed to dump QT in favour of mxf, it still is a proprietary codec.
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[Michael Gissing] “Even if the specs changed to dump QT in favour of mxf, it still is a proprietary codec.”
Most of them have some level of propriety.
Codecs are differentiators.
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Delivery formats have never really been standardized. Yes, there are standards-based formats/containers, but few networks and distributors actually use them consistently. I can’t even deliver a master to two different distributors with the same audio channel configuration. Then take PCs – where uncompressed and compressed files are often delivered in a completely obsolete container like .avi or Animation codec.
The reason ProRes has taken hold is because of its ubiquitous nature. It started as an Apple knock-off of Avid DNxHD down to the same bitrate choices, but overtook it because it is resolution-independent and because 4444 could carry an alpha channel. Plus, any machine with updated QT Player could play it. That’s not something you can say about the other formats, where you generally have to install MPEG Streamclip, VLC, or Switch. And be minimally-computer-savvy enough to change your “open with” settings. Something many clients simply don’t think about doing.
For better or worse, I don’t see ProRes going away any time soon.
– Oliver
Oliver Peters – oliverpeters.com
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“The reason ProRes has taken hold is because of its ubiquitous nature. “
Don’t overlook the fact that it has a cooler name. And simpler. No, I’m not joking. Taking that a step further….I’ve met experienced editors who cannot make heads or tails out of all the options in DNXHD/HR (with bit rate ‘families’ as part of the name). Same with Cineform.
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[John Pale] “Taking that a step further….I’ve met experienced editors who cannot make heads or tails out of all the options in DNXHD/HR”
Agreed. Not just that the bitrate is in the name, but also changes depending on the frame rate. Very confusing. And even worse, the naming is different between DNx in Avid and DNx in Adobe apps.
– Oliver
Oliver Peters – oliverpeters.com
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[Craig Alan] “Maybe Apple is just giving warning to transcode all your old projects to … if you want to use FCP X and that media in the future. “
THIS.
I can’t tell you how many calls I’ve gotten over the years from people looking for someone still running Legacy versions of FCP — not because they want to do any more work in it— but SIMPLY because they never exported an XML from Legacy that would allow them to use a tool like 7 to X in order to get a leg up translation from the old format for on-going work.
For many editors – it was NOT common knowledge for many years about how the simple task of exporting a plain XML archive could help with future compatibility.
I suspect Apple is making so much noise about future deprecation so that aware editors don’t make the same mistakes in the future.
Creator of XinTwo – https://www.xintwo.com
The shortest path to FCP X mastery. -
[Bill Davis] “I suspect Apple is making so much noise about future deprecation so that aware editors don’t make the same mistakes in the future.”
I’m curious Bill what you are going to do then. Will you go through all your projects over the past 6 years, find all footage that is in codecs that will not be supported, open them and replace all those shots with transcoded files in Apple friendly future codecs?
You might be lucky and only have some drone or GoPro footage but seriously are you going to transcode all that and replace those shots so your old FCPX projects will open in the future?
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[Bill Davis] “I suspect Apple is making so much noise about future deprecation so that aware editors don’t make the same mistakes in the future.”
OTOH, there’s always the “opt out” solution ☺
– Oliver
Oliver Peters – oliverpeters.com
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[Oliver Peters] ”
OTOH, there’s always the “opt out” solution ☺”Not for these people.
One would think that with the introduction of FCPX, where it was not even downwards compatible, it was very clear that Apple does not give a (Shameless self moderation, got way too many posts vaporize already) about the end users.Add to that phones that are programmed to have an ‘end date’ (ok, in the movie it was a good idea), and some other frolicking with forcing people like me to hand over a big part of my turnover for nothing, I would think more people would choose your solution.
But no, they rather state that if something isn’t supported by Apple, it’s obsolete and that is a good thing and about time, as it isn’t blessed as ‘double plus good’ as it has only 32 stars.Bouke
http://www.videotoolshed.com -
[Michael Gissing] “I’m curious Bill what you are going to do then. Will you go through all your projects over the past 6 years, find all footage that is in codecs that will not be supported, open them and replace all those shots with transcoded files in Apple friendly future codecs?
You might be lucky and only have some drone or GoPro footage but seriously are you going to transcode all that and replace those shots so your old FCPX projects will open in the future?”
I seriously doubt I’ll ever have to.
Having already been through BetaSP, Mini-DV, Digital 8, and DVCAM, eras from early in my career I know I’ve hardly EVER needed to look back very far. A few years pass, and anything I’ve shot is typically passe. Business uniforms and store decor changes – policies evolve – and the old footage becomes pretty useless. It’s probably different in narrative, but for modern informational videos , topics and focuses shift so fast, that any video is lucky if it has a few years of shelf life.
That GoPro, DSLR, or other non-ProRes footage will have been transcoded long since, and archived in my X Library backups. And yes, some of my Camera Archives from oddball formats (not ProRes originated) may become obsolete in a decade or two – but it’s just like those Mini-DV tapes. THEY are now mostly obsolete too. IT’s a major hassle to go back and recover content from them. But not impossible. I expect after this change, the same thing will be true. That’s all.
Heck, even the IRS only requires you keep financial records for 7 years.
And as of today, I already have 7 years of FCP X accessible Archives and Libraries that I can access and re-edit so easily that I just have no fear of content obsolescence any more. I’m feeling pretty good about things going forward.
Creator of XinTwo – https://www.xintwo.com
The shortest path to FCP X mastery.
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