-
Sony Vegas Pro 12, rendering best quality 1080p to convert on a Mac
Hello all.
I may be reaching a distribution deal soon.
The company wants the film on Pro Res HQ, which can only be done on a Mac with Final Cut Pro.
I do have access to a Mac, but the film was edited on a PC using Sony Vegas Pro 12, and I have DVD Architect STUDIO 5, not the pro version, in case that matters.
I have the ability of using Final Cut Pro, as well as MPEG Streamline. For now, I had to use MPEG Streamline because it recognized a m2v file of the film I had made already for a bluray for myself.
I tried rendering the film in Vegas as an AVC file. But I can’t play it back in Windows and it’s not recognized on the Mac.
Could it be a bad render? Is this the wrong format for me to use? Am I missing something?
Thanks in advance.
-
5 Replies
-
[Michael Gibrall] “Could it be a bad render? Is this the wrong format for me to use? Am I missing something?”
You want to use Avid DNxHD QuickTime codec to move files between a PC and a Mac. Other codecs may have color/gamma shift problems. Here is a tutorial on how to create a template in Vegas Pro:
Avid DNxHD Template for Vegas Pro
You will need to install the Avid DNxHD codec on both your PC and your Mac in order to work with these files. Then you can use Apple Compressor to convert these to ProRes HQ on the Mac. Of course you can load them into FCP as well but if you have Apple Compressor that’s all you really need.
~jr
http://www.johnrofrano.com
http://www.vasst.com -
John, thank you.
I do see the video ‘brighter’ from the conversion of the m2v file by MPEG Streamclip when playing on a pc.
I assume the Avid DNxHD QuickTime codec is the best route to use vs. the compressed m2v, but I must admit the m2v file, native, still looks fantastic. But, again, I’m losing a generation when I do this for the final prores output.
I’ll check into all of this.
Thanks again.
-
Yea, that’s exactly what I was referring to. You won’t see any gamma shift with Avid DNxHD.
~jr
http://www.johnrofrano.com
http://www.vasst.com -
Joe:
I gave the film file to someone with a Mac to convert. Again, I compiled my Sony Vegas timelined movie with the DNxHD codec used to compile and followed your instructions on your web page. I went over the top and compiled with the highest setting of 4444 listed as an option. The film was,for the most part, shot on a Canon 5D Mark III, but also on a Mark II and a T3i.
Their Mac didn’t have the DNxHD codec so I downloaded the codec for the Mac from the link supplied on the web page you offered in your instructional web page.
What I’m told is the codec, after being loaded on a Mac, won’t play back the movie on a Mac. This includes Quicktime, VLC player and MPEG Streamclip. I’m told they can hear audio, but that’s it. And he’s tried it on both his home and work Macs. I’m able to play back the video on my PC, a quad core processor 2.5ghz, 8 megs ram. Granted, choppy at times, but I only want the file to serve as a master to convert to ProRes HQ.
Is it a certain version of OX 10 that is required for the codec, for example? Is there hardware, which may be older, somehow obsolste? I know he has an older version of his Mac OS 10 because I gave him a hard drive that was formatted on exFAT and his Mac wouldn’t recognize it. To fix this, I was able to put the PC made DNxHD movie file on a Mac formatted external drive and gave it to him.
Is it because I compiled in 4444 highest setting, perhaps?
Thanks for your help.
-
[Michael Gibrall] “Is it a certain version of OX 10 that is required for the codec, for example? Is there hardware, which may be older, somehow obsolste? I know he has an older version of his Mac OS 10 because I gave him a hard drive that was formatted on exFAT and his Mac wouldn’t recognize it. To fix this, I was able to put the PC made DNxHD movie file on a Mac formatted external drive and gave it to him.”
If he can’t read exFAT on his Mac then he is using a version of OS X older than Snow Leopard. At a minimum that would be Leopard which was released in 2007 (7 years ago) That means he is at least 5 version behind on Mac OS X!!! I have no idea if the Avid DNxHD codec will run on a Mac that old but I’m guessing that this might be the problem. Find a friend with modern Mac (built in the last 5 years) or tell your friend it’s time to upgrade.
[Michael Gibrall] “Is it because I compiled in 4444 highest setting, perhaps?”
Probably not but you did go overboard. Your video has no Alpha channel so 4444 is a waste of disk space because you only need 444. Also, your camera shoots 422 and I assume your friend is going to convert it to ProRes 422HQ so you only need to give them 422 footage to begin with.
~jr
http://www.johnrofrano.com
http://www.vasst.com
Reply to this Discussion! Login or Sign Up