Will ProRes work with my system

[Pierre]

I’m always getting bits and bytes mixed up.
Ok so I’ve been using both the AJA Kona System test and the AJA Kona calculator.

My disk appears to be writing at 121.1 MB/s and Reading at 151.2 MB/s.
So that’s NOT fast enough for Uncompressed 10-bit RGB 1280 X 720… is it? : (
According to calculator I need 220.96 MBytes/sec

I guess it is fast enough for ProRes 422 HQ though.

This is obviously all contingent if I’m doing the test right within the AJA Kona System Test.

Under “Test”: I have “Disk Read/Write”
Video Frame Size: 1280 X 720 10 bit
I have “disable file system cache” checked
I DO NOT have Simultaneous KONA DMA checked
I chose and 1.0 GB file size.

Could any of my settings be giving me false readings?

[Jeremy Garchow]

What frame rate are you using/editing?

[Pierre]

we shot at 23.98.

[Jeremy Garchow]

10 bit uncompressed 720p23.98 with 4 channels of audio is around 60MB/sec. You have plenty of disk speed for that.

ProResHQ will be a lower bandwidth codec, will allow for more rt and still be 10bit.

Jeremy

[Pierre]

ah. so YUV is about 60 MBps

1280×720 HD 23.98 fps
10 bit YUV = 58.92 MBps
10 bit RGB = 88.39 MBps

Question… doesn’t the Varicam always record 60fps (or) 59.94… even when you’re shooting 24 fps. (this is what I’ve always heard)

If so, what about those extra frames? Even if they’re not seen…. are not taking up disk/bandwidth space?

If the extra frames are part of the equation then the data rate would be 220 MBps.

[Shane Ross]

[Michael Pierre] “Question… doesn’t the Varicam always record 60fps (or) 59.94… even when you’re shooting 24 fps. (this is what I’ve always heard)”

Yes.

[Michael Pierre] “If so, what about those extra frames? Even if they’re not seen…. are not taking up disk/bandwidth space?”

They are not captured. The varicam flags the footage as 24p, so FCP detects the flags, and captures only the frames it needs to. This is the beauty of the DVCPRO HD workflow with FCP. When you look at the timecode of the captured clip, it is 60 frame code, but several frame numbers are missing…they weren’t captured. The data rate for DVCPRO HD 720p24 is 5.6MB/s…nearly double that of DV…making it very easy to edit.

Shane

Littlefrog Post
http://www.lfhd.net

[Pierre]

one last question… is there a way to capture HVX-200 footage to: ProRes422 (HQ) or even (SQ) 1280 x 720.

if so are there similar advantages to Varicam footage captured/sequenced this way? i.e. color grading and small bump in resolution? or is P2 different?

[Jeremy Garchow]

Not from a deck there isn’t. With P2 footage I would just put in ProRes timeline and render. When you capture Varicam footage from tape, you are doing a hardware conversion which will clean up the signal a bit. WIth P2, you are the mercy of FCPs software conversion.

Jeremy

[Shane Ross]

[Michael Pierre] “is there a way to capture HVX-200 footage to: ProRes422 (HQ) or even (SQ) 1280 x 720.”

No. LOG and TRANSFER imports the footage natively as DVCPRO HD. Can’t have it import as ProRes.

[Michael Pierre] “if so are there similar advantages to Varicam footage captured/sequenced this way? i.e. color grading and small bump in resolution?”

Man…I am beginning to sound like a broken record here. How many times do I have to say YES, IT IS BETTER. ProRes is a 10-bit codec, DVCPRO HD is an 8-bit codec. 10-bit is FAR SUPERIOR for color correction. I have only said this 4 times…now 5. To capture DVCPRO HD as ProRes you need an Intel mac and an HD capture card. P2 footage would require you to convert it after you capture.

But then as someone stated (Gary Adcock?) when you take your footage into Color, it compresses it as ProRes for you.

SHeesh.

Shane

Littlefrog Post
http://www.lfhd.net

[Pierre]

Sorry and thanks for your patience Shane. I was looking for a little more detail. Not that it’s better and it’s 10 bit.