Okay…the HVX200 :)

[David Newman]

Both Aspect HD (and Connect HD) and Raylight convert MXF files into a more accessable AVI format for compatibility with a wide range of PC applications. Aspect HD adds an editing accelerator to Premiere Pro with real-time effects and transitions (that is way it is $499 vs Connect HD at $199.) Raylight and Connect HD are more equivalents. How they work internally is quite different. The CineForm products convert MXF data into a proven wavelet-based post-production format, whereas Raylight is AVI that references the original MXF files — more of a native approach. Of course we at CineForm like to beat up on native approaches for quality and performance issues (https://www.cineform.com/technology/HDQualityAnalysis10bit/HDQualityAnalysis10bit.htm) but if often depends on your workflow which is the best choice for you (if you a use a compositor, you don’t what native.)

1. Both products convert MXF into AVI before they are used in Premiere. Raylight requires the MXF data to be copied to the PC and kept, CineForm Aspect HD doesn’t need the MXF files after converson. All software.

2. Aspect HD is definitely real-time.

3. Aspect HD has direct support for AE and it codec is designed for compositing work.

4. If you are doing high-end color work both Raylight’s DVCPRO-HD and Aspect HD use 8-bit compression which is not the best of extensive color work (not because of compression, but because of 8-bit banding issues, although compression is more of an issue with native.) CineForm has Prospect HD for these purposes, which uses 10-bit compression. (Again this white paper explain more https://www.cineform.com/technology/HDQualityAnalysis10bit/HDQualityAnalysis10bit.htm)

5. Very little. For Prospect HD we only support AJA Xena cards.

– David Newman
– CTO, CineForm
– web: http://www.cineform.com
– blog: cineform.blogspot.com

[Xavier De champs]

1. These are all software codecs, right?

2. And they run smoothly on a P4 Xeon HT, with 2 gb ram, and a 7200 rpm harddrive?

3. And I would only need a hardware card like the AJA if I had another camera, which didn

[David Newman]

1. Yes software codecs.

2. Xeon is not the best platform these days, AMD X2 Intel Pentium D, even Core Duo are better choices for HD.

3. AJA cards are handy for output if you have broadcast applications.

4. Firewire is all you need for HDV.

– David Newman
– CTO, CineForm
– web: http://www.cineform.com
– blog: cineform.blogspot.com

[Greg Beckt]

Hi David,

Thanks for your time on this forum!

I’m looking at a similar workflow and with these products being fairly new, it’s difficult to find someone who’s using them in conjunction.

You mentioned that you don’t have to copy the .mxf file to your media drive for editing…how does the ingest work with .mxf? Do you have to ingest complete files or can you mark in/outs on the .mxf for cineform conversion and only bring in selected lengths? Also wondering if it’s possible to create subclips after ingest and then remove the original .mxf file?

The HVX is a great camera, I’m just concerned about the large file transfer, storage, and archiving process…as well as the logging process.

I shoot a lot of long interviews and would like to avoid transfering all of the .mxf files to my media drive.

Thanks,
Greg

[David Newman]

MXF data can be converted in place (directly from the P2 media.) You can select which clips are to be converted, but no in-out markers. Due to the value of the P2 space, generally you would want to batch convert everything then free up the media.

– David Newman
– CTO, CineForm
– web: http://www.cineform.com
– blog: cineform.blogspot.com

[Francisco Lima]

Hi,

We are using the HVX200 with a FS-100 Focus info external drive.

I need to be able to edit the clips inside this FS-100 disk plus clips that are in a DV vtr.

What would be the workflow in this case??

Is it possible to see the MXF clips directly from this FS-100 inside Adobe Premiere Pro?

Can Adobe Premiere Pro edit multiple formats (HDTV and DV) in the same timeline?

This way we would mark in and out and import to the laptop only the part of the clips that we shot and that are in the FS-100 to the Premiere on the laptop.

Then we would import the DV clips from the DV VTR and finally edit everything outputting to a 4:3 web format…such as wmv.

Then output to the web on a wmv format?

Rgds,

Francisco

[David Newman]

If you are working with HD HXV200 clips the MXF files will need to be converted to AVIs before they can be used in Premiere (using either RayLight or Aspect HD.) DV files work on the same timeline. For MXF file on Premiere Pro timeline maybe Matrox is offering that, although it is a more expensive solution (which I know very little about.)

– David Newman
– CTO, CineForm
– web: http://www.cineform.com
– blog: cineform.blogspot.com