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Why should I EVER use the Apple DV-NTSC instead of Photo JPEG @ 75% Quality
Hi,
After reading the following at the OneRiver Media Codec Resource Site (thanks Marco!) I don’t see why I would ever want to use the DV codec when there is an alternative that require less drive space, works in the 4:2:2 color space and loses less on each pass through the codec. I have not tried this yet.
Should I switch to Photojpeg @75% or am I missing something?
In case this matters we never go back to tape. Our workflow is capture, edit etc., author DVD’s and archive the final footage on hard drives. This is cheaper than tape and if we ever use the footage again it is already on a hard drive.
“PhotoJPEG at its highest 100% quality setting is actually a 4:4:4 codec. When reduced down to 75%, it switches to 4:2:2 to help with the compression scheme. So why is it included here? The AJA Kona SD and Blackmagic Design DeckLink use this codec at 75% quality for its default offline compressed mode and with good reason. Virtually no banding in the gradients and average mosquito edging on the RGB colors. The compression artifacts are really only noticeable in the NTSC color bars and a little in the color filter test. And look at the x10 generation test… almost a pixel-perfect copy of the first generation! It actually passes through generations better than Kona’s own 10-bit Trillions codec. Amazing! And look at that file size! Only 2.7 MB per second! That’s better bandwidth (and way better quality) than DV can ever dream of. This codec truly can pass for an online codec with no problem. Best part is this codec is free to any QuickTime user, can be used on any platform and runs great even on PowerBooks.”
This is the link (click on 4:2:2 C):
https://codecs.onerivermedia.com/Best Wishes,
Mitch
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18 Replies
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I’m sure a lot of us DO use it!!
I use it for final renders before going to DVD if I need to save disk space, else I use uncompressed. Similarly I use it for final renders of HD projects to save space. It works very well for this.
Graeme
– http://www.nattress.com – Film Effects and Standards Conversion for FCP
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I’m not sure, but I don’t thin rt extreme is enabled for this codec.
Jeremy
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It’s not RT enabled (and why not, Apple) but you can “hack” the RT enabler file to make it so!
Graeme
– http://www.nattress.com – Film Effects and Standards Conversion for FCP
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[Graeme Nattress] “you can “hack” the RT enabler file to make it so!”
Hi Graeme,
Would you mind explaining how to hack the RT enabler file?
Do you know if the hack will also work for Sheervideo?
We are going to be capturing, editing and archiving a lot of SVHS on SATA drives so this seems like a free lunch. The quality is better AND it takes up less space!
The AJA IO officially supports DV, DV50, 8bit and 10 bit uncompressed.
Does anyone know if we can capture SVHS or 3/4″ to Photojpeg at 75% via the IO? This would avoid the DV codec and 4:1:1 colorspace completely.
Thanks!
Mitch
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We deliver commercials throughout UK, Ireland, USA, Australia and Europe, we send out a MPEG2 422 at 26MBS, but I have made most of our prosummer clients use photoJpeg at 75%, if you use a black and white board and then ZIP it the file sizes are about 150 – 200MB per commercial, this allows the production companies to FTP the commercial to us in London and then we QC, ingest it as MPEG2 422 @25mb and distribute via out private network to the TV stations, PhotoJpeg does have it’s downsides, it hates BLACK …….
What is the hack for Photo in RT ????
Craig Roy
catwalk creations
http://www.catwalkcreations.com -
[Craig Roy] “PhotoJpeg does have it’s downsides, it hates BLACK …….”
Hi Craig,
Would you explain this a little more?
Thanks!
Mitch
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No more so than any other compressed codec though, and in practise, as Marco shows, it’s practically perfect.
Graeme
– http://www.nattress.com – Film Effects and Standards Conversion for FCP
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Does the fact that it’s an RGB codec insted of YUV affect the quality? I believe I’ve tried exporting quicktimes of the same sequence as uncompressed and photojpeg and when I brought them back into FCP there was a noticible difference in gamma and/or color betweeen the two.
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At 100% it’s RGB. At 75% it’s Y’CbCr. I have seen gamma issues on occaision, but that’s a big FCP issue, rather than with a specific codec.
Graeme
– http://www.nattress.com – Film Effects and Standards Conversion for FCP
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Is that why my PhotoJPEG saved at 95% in AE& MAC look dark when I bring them
back into a windows system? I am trying to get some standard out that involves shooting with HVX200 import P2 into FCP. Bring files into AE7 MAC and render a finished PhotoJPEG file for distribution. The PhotoJPEG files rendered from FCP look correct but I need to use AE to remove 2:3:3:2 pulldown from 1080 24pA files.
I have tried using your cadance detector but I cannot for the life of my get anything out of FCP Cinema Tools that is usable??
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