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Processing raw video
Hi,
I’ve been searching the Cow and haven’t found anything helpful. My question may be too basic or in the wrong place or I dunno…
I’m working on an indie doc. The director shot some footage on Super-8 which was transferred at Pro8mm into what the dp described as “raw uncompressed 444” video. I got the file today and am not sure what to do to make it editable, or even watchable. If it was raw from a camera I’d at least know how to research this, but this is unfamiliar territory to me.
I’m working with FCP 6 on a mac quad core pro, OS 10.5.8. Here’s what I’ve tried thus far: opening the file in QT, which gives me the message “additional software is required to playback”. I tried pulling it into compressor and converting it to something else which didn’t work (error without even beginning to process).
I had a conversation with the dp before she took the footage to be transferred, reminding her of my older system and asking her to make sure I got something I could use. I’d call the transfer house for advice but it’s closed Saturdays. I’d like to get something for the director to at least review on Monday, as she has limited availability. Any help much appreciated!
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5 Replies
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I guess it could have been converted to a 10 bit 444 uncompressed file. Depending on the length of the clip that is going to be a very large file, somewhere around 700Gigs per hour.
The DP has not done you any favours here considering your requests about your system and the fact that the source is Super 8. I don’t think FCP6 and the associated QT version supports 444 files, (I could be wrong its a while since I used FCP6) however it would explain the message you are getting from QT player, you clearly don’t have the correct codec installed.I think you need to get the file converted to another format FCP6 can certainly handle ProRes HQ 442 which would have been totally fine for Super 8 footage, indeed any HD footage and you could edit with it fine.
In all honesty any system is going to struggle with 10bit uncompressed 444 files. You will need super quick hard drives just to play them in real time.best wishes
Neil
http://www.patience.tv -
[Monica Nolan] “into what the dp described as “raw uncompressed 444″ video”
Open the file in QT (even if doesn’t open), and open the Info window.
See what “Format” say.
If the Super-8 file has been transferred on a PC based system, you may need to go back to a PC and convert them to something readable on your Mac.
rafael -
Thanks Neil & Rafael,
The QT info window tells me the format is rgb 10-bit, 1920×1080, millions. It’s a pretty huge file. 106 gigs for 9:33. Definitely overkill.
Neil, I’m confused. I thought 444 in this context referred to the colorspace sampling, not a specific codec? My understanding of a raw video file was that it is codec-free; just the sampling data. In any case, I’ll try it on FCP 7’s compressor on a friend’s system and see what happens.
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You are right, 444 talks about Chroma sampling/downsampling, so that’s only applicable when talking about YUV (YCbCr) formats, never to RGB stuff. In RGB can not be “Chroma downsampling”, professional RGB is always 444.
[Monica Nolan] “My understanding of a raw video file was that it is codec-free; just the sampling data. In any case,”
Is codec free (pure uncompressed and unprocessed RGB), but not “format free”.
Cameras that shoot RAW uses different formats.
Some cameras shoots RAW as stills and may record “.dns” (Canon, BlackMagic), or “.RW2” (PANASONIC).
Other cameras like the Alexa or the RED ONE shoot RAW video (Arriraw or RED Code RAW).
No one of those formats are directly supported by QT/FC.
You will need to convert the stuff.HOWEVER, if you are getting QT files, and for the data rate of your footage (184MB/s = 1.4Gbps) your stuff could possibly be “AJA 10b RGB”.
If so, installing the AJA KONA drivers (aja.com) you get the codec installed and you should be able to open the files on FC.
BUT, FC can not process in 10bRGB, so you should convert these files to Prores444 or Prores HQ, and edit on a Prores444/HQ in FC.
BUT, another issue, you are in FC.6, so no Prores444 available for you, so when you can open the files you need to convert them to Prores HQ or edit them on a Prores HQ sequence.
rafael -
Brilliant! I downloaded the AJA mac QT codec v4.0 and was finally able to see an image. I’m converting the file to prores in Compressor and it seems to be working (although will probably take all day). Thanks so much!
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