[John Pilgrim]

Well, the issues are not limited to Compressor, given that trying to export the file in DNxHD from FCP completely crashes FCP.

I don’t want to hijack this forum with FCP issues, so let me refocus the question:

Avid editors, how would you recommend prepping a ProResHQ MOV file to be ingested into an Avid Adrenaline or Nitris for the sole purpose of being laid off to an HDCAM deck.

I only have limited time on the Avid, during which I want to maximize time laying off to tape, not prepping for ingest.

My own facility where I’m prepping only has the Avid Codecs LE, along with Final Cut and After Effects. No other Avid tools. 🙁

[John Pilgrim]

My DNxHD settings were always 1080p25 185 10bit.
The Luma Ramps were rendered from a 32bit AFX project.

[John Pilgrim]

Thanks for the suggestion Rafael.

Alas, I already made Compressor presets for and tried both the Rec709 and RGB options.
On your suggestions I turned on frame controls for both Rec709 and RGB, but it didn’t make a difference.

I upgraded to the latest Mac_AvidCodecsLE 2_3_2.zip from Avid here and re-exported for Compressor but the results were the same.

Interesting comment on the Avid download page (emphasis mine):

Color Levels
For all non-Avid QuickTime codecs, these options allow you to specify whether the file being imported has pixel values that are stored using computer RGB values (where the 0-700 mV (video black to video white) voltages are mapped using the full range of 0-255, 8-bit) or ITU-R BT.601/ITU-R BT.709 values (where the 0-700 mV voltages are mapped using the 601/709 standard range of 16-235, 8-bit).

However, when importing movies compressed using any of the Avid QuickTime codecs, you should always set this option to 601/709, regardless of the color levels in the movie. This is because the Avid codecs internally encode the material using 601/709 color levels. You instead specify the QuickTime codec options in a third-party program whether the file you are creating or rendering contains a computer RGB or 601/709 mapping. Failure to do this with current versions of Avid editing applications results in a dramatically slow import and incorrect color levels in the imported element.

Seems the Apple apps don’t correctly interpret the color levels.

Deleting (with JES Extensifier) the quicktime gamma (gama) and color (nclc) atoms from the MOV files created by Compressor doesn’t remedy the problem.

So, maybe I’ll send a test file to an Avid NLE and see if it correctly interprets the color levels, even if FCP & QuickTime Player don’t.

Lastly, importing the original and the DNxHD files to After Effects and trying every probable footage interpretation and color management workflow setting can’t get the DNxHD to match the original.

[John Pilgrim]

Awesome!
I’ll give it a try!
Thanks,
John

[John Pilgrim]

Another insightful workflow, thanks!

Let me reiterate again, I’m working to validate a FCP-AFX-FCP workflow, specifically one whose settings can be inspected within the AFX project file itself.

Mods to AFX program settings files or to the media files adds another layer of variability that isn’t feasible in the current project.

John

[John Pilgrim]

Yes, I’ve seen that. I’m trying to set up a workflow that doesn’t require quite that level of system hacking. Some of my AFX artists will be remote and I want settings that can be inspected and validated in the project file itself.

John

[John Pilgrim]

I am a Color operator and Color doesn’t like Animation, that’s for sure. I do not believe it will take _any_ non-QuickTime formats other than DPX and some other image sequences.
I guess I should clarify my original question: what modern, high-def capable, high quality, intraframe, YUV codecs do Windows AFX artists like? I’ll even remove the constraint that they be free or low cost.
John