[Michael Kammes]

It’s certainly interesting!

As soon as any kind of polarizing topic like this hits the community, there are instantly ‘inside sources’ who are SURE one way or another.

…followed by an email from someone who is ALSO an insider and knows BETTER. Hell, there are many sites who are immensely profitable *just* on Apple rumors. For me, it’s a game, it can be fun if taken lightly…

I’ll make my living Mac Pro or not. Improvise and adapt. Stick and move.

As for https://macprochallenge , it’s a great, fun, social experiment Kanen and I are having fun with – whoever wins. I’ll have just as much fun with this if I’m dead wrong. I’m not staking my professional reputation on it – it’s a game 🙂

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[Michael Kammes]

Ha! No – had it already, oddly enough. I wear it when working with a difficult…*ahem*… colleague in the industry. I point at the shirt, and he knows I’m about to kill him.

…seemed apropos for the video…and it’s the only amusing thing. I’m competing against kids and thought bubbles, for pete’s sake!

~Michael

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[Michael Kammes]

Yes, Pro Res Proxy, LT, 422, or HQ are all 4:2:2 (hence the “422” name).

ProRes 4:4:4:4, is, of course, 4:4:4:4.

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/ProRes_422

~Michael

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[Michael Kammes]

Yes, several can do it. However it’s the straight-to-vimeo issue thats the issue.

But lets start at the beginning.

Are you familiar with a quicktime reference? I go into some detail here: https://michaelkammes.com/editorial/encoding-during-editorial/

This gets your file out of Avid as quick as possible, freeing up your Avid to do more editing.

Thsi qt reference should be exported to a “Watch Folder” (AKA Hot folder). This folder is constantly being monitored by an encoding solution. The encoder then picks up the qt reference and does the appropriate encoding for Vimeo…or whatever your choice of sharing sites.

It’s the upload to Vimeo that may be the tricky part. Compressor, with the help of Automator can give the watch folder functionality…but currently only has a preset to upload to Youtube. More advanced solutions, like Episode by Telestream can more easily handle watch folders (and have more parameters for encoding)….and some even send you an email when done.

Vimeo, at one point, had a desktop app in beta that allowed for auto uploading….but I see that it has been discontinued. (https://vimeo.com/forums/topic:19487)

However, if with one click I could export a file, which kicks off an encoding solution, then sends me an email when finished so I can then manually upload…that seems like the first step to automation, albeit not just “1 click”.

~Michael

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[Michael Kammes]

What happens if you close MC, put the MXF files into the Avid MediaFiles/MXF/1 (or 2, 3, etc) folder, delete all of the database files, relaunch Avid, and use the media tool. Can you see them then?

~Michael

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[Michael Kammes]

DNX followed by a number signifies the data rate of the media in mb/s. This varies depending on frame size and frame rate. Avid confuses this by lumping similar date rates into families, although the exact data rate may not match the number…exactly.

So, anyway, at 1080p and 25fps, DNX145 quality is equal to DNX120.

I have a chart on my website: https://michaelkammes.com/wp-content/uploads/2010/11/codec-chart.gif

But lets examine your workflow. Why do you want to edit low res, then relink to high res? Are you short on drive space? If you edit low res and then relink to hi res you’ll have:

Canon 7D files
DNX36 files
a smaller batch of DNX120 files.

Why not JUST create DNX120 files and use that as as your edit and master? It’s broadcast quality. DNX120 is 15Mb/s, so 900MB/minute. Determine how much footage you have and see if you have enough storage for that.

Do a test with a few files and see if you can relink after changing the file names INSIDE Media Composer. You’ll see in the relink dialog box there are many ways to relink footage – NOT just file name.

~Michael

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[Michael Kammes]

What version of MC are you using? 5.0+?

If you used AMA, you can toggle from high and low res. If not via AMA, then it’s gonna be a bit more difficult. Did you watch this video before starting?

https://community.avid.com/forums/t/94734.aspx

~Michael

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[Michael Kammes]

How are you outputting? Are you connected to a deck or external XDCAM recorder? If so, then you can overlay the graphic and do a crash record, no muss, no fuss. You may have to convert the graphic to a PNG – but you’re golden. A frame accurate layoff may be problematic, however.

Are you trying to export an XDCAM file / disc folder structure? Or an XDCAM mov file? Then no – you need to recreate the entire file with the render.

You could look into 3rd party encoders which put bugs on files, like Episode by Telestream – but that still needs the base edit from your Avid (fully formed or QT Ref) to accomplish it.

~Michael

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[Michael Kammes]

1. Yes, AMA link to h.264 Canon files is great. It’s easy, but performance will suffer unless you transcode to a DNXHD codec.

2. You can rename in the bin, but it will not change the file name at the OS level.

3. DNX36 is meant for offline use. I don’t know what frame rate/size you shot at, but DNX145 is generally considered to be the baseline for broadcast quality.

4. Yes. You may want to look into Plural Eyes and it’s use within Media Compsoer (https://www.singularsoftware.com/help/pluraleyes_mc/howto_pluraleyes_mc.html) as it will change this entire workflow…..but it will semi automate your sync process. Make sure to note Plural Eyes usage with AMA vs Avid clips.

5. Refer to #3. If you do DNX145, you don’t have to do an offline / online workflow. If you DO want to do an offline / online workflow, Avid has a RELINK option which can match by file names, reel number, etc…so you can relink to the high res media.

My suggestions:

Investigate Plural Eyes. Using this software (and, which version of it – one works with AMA media, one doesn’t) app will change your proposed workflow completely.

Also, consider transcoding to DNX145 (via AMA, then transcode, or, just do an “import”) and using that all the way through. If you have the drive space, your machine shouldn’t have much of a problem editing with it.

Good Luck.

~Michael

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[Michael Kammes]

Offloader – as I recall, it took media from onset and flipped it to MXF wrapped DNxHD for editorial or archival.

~Michael

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