-
Requirements to edit 2k quicktime files
Okay I’m in post on a short film and just I got back a 2k quicktime file from the colorist. I can’t playback 2k machine which is causing problems because I need to recreate my edit (I had to take out the crossfades, repo, etc in order to color on the davinci 2k).
My question is: What do I need to do to my machine in order to edit 2k quicktime files?
Here are my specs:
Early 2008 MacPro
Processor: 2×2.8 Ghz quad core intel xeon
Memory: 6GB 800 mhz ddr2 FB-dimm
Graphics card: ATI Radeon HD 2600I’ve been given a few different solutions but none of them have been confirmed or they have been just outrageously expensive. 1. Buy a new imac with a 2gb graphics card (since upgrading my early 2008 model is just as expensive as buying a new computer, at least if I bought it from apple). 2. Buy an AJA Kona 3g card (but that’s $2,000) and I’m not a full time video editor just a student making a short film. 3. Just add in 6gb’s of ram to bring me up to 12 GB
Let me know what you guys think. Thanks!
-
10 Replies
-
Fast hard drive. Firewire won’t cut it. Single drive SATA won’t cut it. You need a 4 to 5 drive RAID. Or at least a 2 drive RAID 0 eSATA…if this is a 2K ProRes file.
What codec is it?
Shane
GETTING ORGANIZED WITH FINAL CUT PRO DVD…don’t miss it.
Read my blog, Little Frog in High Def -
It’s just a quicktime wrapper put onto an r3d file… I think… I imported an edl from FCP into REDCINE-X and then onlined my clips to the original r3d’s, then I exported as a 2k quicktime. Would that be correct?
So you’re saying I don’t need more ram or another graphics card, just faster storage? I don’t understand how it helps (I’m not disagreeing, just confessing my ignorance)… So I’d have to put the file onto the raid storage and playback from there and it would work?
-
Just looked into it and remembered that I exported as uncompressed 10bit 4:2:2. So that would be the type of quicktime I’m trying to playback and edit.
-
10-bit Uncompressed has a very high data rate. You will need a 5 to 8 drive SAS or Fibrechannel RAID array, with at least 300MB/s read/write to watch that. Uncompressed is rarely used because of that. People choose ProRes (Apple) or DNxHD (Avid) because you get full quality but in a compressed file.
Even then…2K ProRes would require at least a 2 drive eSATA or SAS RAID.
Shane
GETTING ORGANIZED WITH FINAL CUT PRO DVD…don’t miss it.
Read my blog, Little Frog in High Def -
Is there a way to edit ProRes in FCP and then export full resolution and bypass the compression? Basically, I’m at the point where I need to reassemble my edit so that I can export a master that I can give to a post facility to put onto a HD CAM SR tape for film festivals.
Because I could easily compress the quicktime in REDCINE and then put in into final cut and re-edit, but I’m afraid that when I go to export the master, it won’t be full resolution.
-
ProRes is full quality. ProRes HQ is great for RED. We (professional broadcast world) master to ProRes all the time, and output to HDCAM SR. It is a mastering format.
You need to do some research if you are going to be doing onlines of high end stuff.
Shane
GETTING ORGANIZED WITH FINAL CUT PRO DVD…don’t miss it.
Read my blog, Little Frog in High Def -
Maybe the question you need to ask is, “do I need to keep this file at such a large data rate?”
Put another way, what is the intended destination for the short?
Are they making a film print?If it’s for Blu-Ray, Broadcast and/or the web, it could be that transcoding to ProRes [or ProResHQ] will be all you need for a pristine end-product.
Sometimes all that extra data can be overkill.
Something to think about.
W
-
I agree, that’s a great question. I intend on transferring to HDCAM SR for film festival release. What do you think, is 2k output overkill? Or will pro res HQ work just fine?
Also, I’m thinking of getting a new imac and selling my mac pro (the specs are listed in this thread) because it’s early 2008 model won’t allow me to upgrade to a better video card. See any downside to this?
-
I’d like to hear what the REAL guru’s have to say, but it seems to me that vanilla ProRes will be good for what you need.
W
-
Well, first off, HDCAM SR doesn’t do 2K. It does 1920×1080. So your 2K file will have to either be downconverted to 1920×1080 via software, or you can output it via an AJA Kona 3 to tape and have it do the downconversion.
And I’d use ProRes HQ…because Red is 10-bit, it it best to use that format. Vanilla ProRes is for 80bit formats.
Shane
GETTING ORGANIZED WITH FINAL CUT PRO DVD…don’t miss it.
Read my blog, Little Frog in High Def
Reply to this Discussion! Login or Sign Up