Michael Kammes
Forum Replies Created
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What OS are you running, what version of Media Composer, and are you booting into the 64bit Kernel or 32?
See here:
The Newest Macs are shipping into a 64bit Kernel, which Avid does not support. Read the above link and adhere to them requirements 100%, or risk more errors.
~Michael
.: michael kammes mpse
.: senior applications editor . post workflow consultant
.: audio specialist . act fcp . acsr
.: michaelkammes.com -
Like most things, it could use improvement. However, I think what Avid has been able to accomplish in the past 6 months with Quicktime via AMA (remember, this is the *first* quicktime AMA iteration), it’s pretty good.
I think what most fail to realize is that is is very rare to have camera manufacturers (especially consumer based ones) consider post. They are concerned with the cheapest parts , on the cheapest storage with ONLY topical (visual) image quality. While H.264 looks pretty good, but it’s god-awful in post, and falls apart quickly. Thus, NLEs – Avid, FCP, Vegas, Adobe (and others) all need to react. hard to be great when you’re always playing catch-up.
I wish it were a case of the tail wagging the dog, but alas Post is the proctologist of the industry: We’re at the ass end of the project.
/rant
/soapbox~Michael
.: michael kammes mpse
.: senior applications editor . post workflow consultant
.: audio specialist . act fcp . acsr
.: michaelkammes.com -
I guess it depends how you look at it.
Capturing DV – then transcoding to ProRes, there may be a slight quality “shift”.
Having the deck do DV – baseband component conversion, then capturing ProRes…is again, a quality “shift”.
Yes there is conversion. Will you see it visually or on the scopes? Most likely No.
.: michael kammes mpse
.: senior applications editor . post workflow consultant
.: audio specialist . act fcp . acsr
.: michaelkammes.com -
Media Composer v5 (released 6 months or so ago) via AMA can read Quicktime files. If you can double click on them on the desktop, you’re golden. You can bring them into Avid via AMA without transcoding.
v3.5 will not have the same ability, thus you will ahve to import it as you normally would.
Make sure you have the rigtht codec installed for the flip camera file. Quicktime or VLC, etc. will tell you if you do not have the codec installed.
Good Luck!
~Michael
.: michael kammes mpse
.: senior applications editor . post workflow consultant
.: audio specialist . act fcp . acsr
.: michaelkammes.com -
It can be done, but should really, never, ever, ever be used for critical viewing – for sync or for color. Seriously.
Once the Mac OS sees both monitors, and both are lit up with the Mac OS desktop, launch FCP.
VIEW Menu—> Video Playback. (at the bottom)
You’ll see a few settings, including:
Digital Cinema Desktop Preview
and
Digital Cinema Desktop Preview MainThese correspond to your left and right monitor. Each one of these correspond to your left and right monitor, and will change depending on what your ‘Main’ monitor is.
Also, make sure the EXTERNAL VIDEO is set to ALL FRAMES.
~Michael
.: michael kammes mpse
.: senior applications editor . post workflow consultant
.: audio specialist . act fcp . acsr
.: michaelkammes.com -
Agreed.
To quote an old yarn: Jacob Ruppert, Yankees owner, supposedly told Babe Ruth, “Manage the Yankees? You can’t even manage yourself!”
~Michael
.: michael kammes mpse
.: senior applications editor . post workflow consultant
.: audio specialist . act fcp . acsr
.: michaelkammes.com -
Yes.
When ingesting via firewire, you are getting a signal that is DV. Thus, it’s compressed signal that you cannot convert to *another* format until you are done capturing. So, for ProRes, you would have to capture, then transcode to ProRes.
When going component, it is no longer a digital signal, and your capture card (Kona) can do a real time encode into ProRes. This is a one pass job, as opposed to 2.
Benefits? Component is real time AND you can choose a more robust codec than DV.
Downside: The source is still DV compression on the tape. Can’t get around that. You also have to (obviously) run extra cables, including audio. Storage space is also reduced, as ProRes eats up more space than DV (3.8MB/s for DV, 6.1 MB/s for ProRes, 9.1MB/s for Pro Res HQ)
I would ALWAYS go component for the added ability for using a more robust codec.
~Michael
.: michael kammes mpse
.: senior applications editor . post workflow consultant
.: audio specialist . act fcp . acsr
.: michaelkammes.com -
Codecs with Alpha Channel are few and far between. Namely because they are specific, and not used as commonly as others…needing an Alpha Channel is uslaly reserved for higher end garphic work. Codecs with Alpha are NOT Long GOP, and thus will take up tons more space than non long GOP.
2 popular ones are the Animation Codec, and ProRes 4:4:4:4 (Mac). Both of these are NOT light on compression and take up a large amount of space.
Why do you need an alpha channel? Aren’t you just flattening the movie and placing it in PPNT?
~Michael
.: michael kammes mpse
.: senior applications editor . post workflow consultant
.: audio specialist . act fcp . acsr
.: michaelkammes.com -
I think you’re asking too much of Compressor.
You’re looking for encoding automation, which is a feature found in higher end applications.
Root6’s Content Agent, Telestream Vantage, etc. all support multiple steps and automation for encoding (watch folders, moving files locally/SAN, or uploading)
These systems run $10,000+. Minimum. So, finding it on “free” software, is gonna be impossible.
You may be able to automate simple file moves locally with automator…but as far as the other tasks, you’re gonna have to do it manually…or have an intern do it 😉
~Michael
.: michael kammes mpse
.: senior applications editor . post workflow consultant
.: audio specialist . act fcp . acsr
.: michaelkammes.com -
If TW is requiring Betacam, then what alternative do you have? Will they except a digital file or disc, or is it ONLY Betacam?
Rent a Betacam deck, and either to a 4×3 center crop, or do a 16×9 letterbox. Done. This shoudl take minimal compression, as the hardware during playout should do the HD-SD downconvert.
TW should have a REDBOOK – a guide for specs that all materials going to them need to adhere to. Follow that to the letter.
Hollywood DVDs use millions of dollars worth of gear and talent. Matching this is not going to be feasible. Thus, we need to retain the quality of what you have on the timeline.
What I/O card do you have? Speed Edit can run with or without hardware. Last I saw of it, it was used with Newtek products (Video Toaster, TriCaster).
I highly recommend moving up to a more robust editing software: Avid, Final Cut Pro, Adobe Premiere, etc. Speed Edit is really good for down and dirty editing, but not “Hollywood” type quality programs.
~Michael
.: michael kammes mpse
.: senior applications editor . post workflow consultant
.: audio specialist . act fcp . acsr
.: michaelkammes.com