Success with getting Adobe's Media Encoder to preserve NX5U TC for ProRes export at DVinfo.net

John Vasey · June 17th, 2010, 11:13 PM

This experiment was previously mentioned in another thread, but I thought to add in my experience.

I was able to get original camera timecode from the NX5U to be preserved by Adobe Media Encoder CS5 when I had it transcode the AVCHD to Pro Res 422 & LT. I brought both flavors of ProRes into FCP and it was the first time that the AVCHD timecode had been preserved!!

The AVCHD files had been transferred with the card structure intact to an external drive and I accessed them in that way.

But with this encouraging note, there were a few glitches I have to investigate futher...

ProRes 422 hung up a few times during the encode...didn't crash, but would pause like it was hanging but then kept going. May be I need to turn off the Encode Preview window...it may help.

ProRes LT hung up a little bit, not as much as 422. However, when I brought the LT files into the FCP timeline, I saw a gamma shift when I paused playback and then started play. I did NOT see this shift in the 422 footage. It may have something to do with the bit rate video processing settings in the FCP sequence settings, but hopefully I will find a solution.

Or perhaps other can comment...

In any event, I feel encouraged by seeing the timecode preserved...it gives me hope that this workflow might prove to be viable for now until FCP can hopefully update their "Log and Transfer" feature...John

Alex Moreau · July 10th, 2010, 11:24 AM

Very interesting thread, it gives me hope as I've been struggling all week to transfer files.
Both brand new mac pro and fcp crashes randomly while transferring, usually near the end after 24 hours of encoding.
I've been using premiere for over 10 years on pc, i'm new to mac and fcp, I was so happy to switch to mac until the log and transfer bug spoiled the fun.

Matt Lawrence · July 21st, 2010, 07:05 AM

Going this route still generates the AVCHD chroma bug that Premiere / Media Encoder have had since at least CS4:

http://www.dvinfo.net/forum/adobe-cr...hroma-bug.html

http://www.dvinfo.net/forum/sony-nxc...nice-nx5u.html

Unbelievable that this hasn't been fixed.

John Vasey · July 21st, 2010, 08:07 PM

I will be running a test of ProRes 422...two identical clips...one generated by Adobe Media Encoder and the other by FCP's Log & Transfer encode from the same NX5U AVCHD media file. I will be doing screen grabs and blowing them up in Photoshop for a side by side comparison.

I will report back on the results...

John

Matt Lawrence · July 21st, 2010, 09:22 PM

John, if you can, try using footage that has red objects against a darker background. That's the only time that I've seen the chroma bug appear. I tested footage from two different cameras (Sony and Canon) of the same objects and got the chroma effect with each footage on two different Macs. I haven't had the time to do more extensive testing though.

June 17th, 2010, 11:13 PM	#1
John Vasey Regular Crew Join Date: Jul 2009 Location: Los Angeles, CA Posts: 75	Success with getting Adobe's Media Encoder to preserve NX5U TC for ProRes export This experiment was previously mentioned in another thread, but I thought to add in my experience. I was able to get original camera timecode from the NX5U to be preserved by Adobe Media Encoder CS5 when I had it transcode the AVCHD to Pro Res 422 & LT. I brought both flavors of ProRes into FCP and it was the first time that the AVCHD timecode had been preserved!! The AVCHD files had been transferred with the card structure intact to an external drive and I accessed them in that way. But with this encouraging note, there were a few glitches I have to investigate futher... ProRes 422 hung up a few times during the encode...didn't crash, but would pause like it was hanging but then kept going. May be I need to turn off the Encode Preview window...it may help. ProRes LT hung up a little bit, not as much as 422. However, when I brought the LT files into the FCP timeline, I saw a gamma shift when I paused playback and then started play. I did NOT see this shift in the 422 footage. It may have something to do with the bit rate video processing settings in the FCP sequence settings, but hopefully I will find a solution. Or perhaps other can comment... In any event, I feel encouraged by seeing the timecode preserved...it gives me hope that this workflow might prove to be viable for now until FCP can hopefully update their "Log and Transfer" feature...John

July 10th, 2010, 11:24 AM	#2
Alex Moreau New Boot Join Date: Sep 2006 Location: Quiberon - France Posts: 22	Very interesting thread, it gives me hope as I've been struggling all week to transfer files. Both brand new mac pro and fcp crashes randomly while transferring, usually near the end after 24 hours of encoding. I've been using premiere for over 10 years on pc, i'm new to mac and fcp, I was so happy to switch to mac until the log and transfer bug spoiled the fun.

July 21st, 2010, 07:05 AM	#3
Matt Lawrence Regular Crew Join Date: Feb 2010 Location: Madison, WI Posts: 69	Going this route still generates the AVCHD chroma bug that Premiere / Media Encoder have had since at least CS4: http://www.dvinfo.net/forum/adobe-cr...hroma-bug.html http://www.dvinfo.net/forum/sony-nxc...nice-nx5u.html Unbelievable that this hasn't been fixed.

July 21st, 2010, 08:07 PM	#4
John Vasey Regular Crew Join Date: Jul 2009 Location: Los Angeles, CA Posts: 75	I will be running a test of ProRes 422...two identical clips...one generated by Adobe Media Encoder and the other by FCP's Log & Transfer encode from the same NX5U AVCHD media file. I will be doing screen grabs and blowing them up in Photoshop for a side by side comparison. I will report back on the results... John

July 21st, 2010, 09:22 PM	#5
Matt Lawrence Regular Crew Join Date: Feb 2010 Location: Madison, WI Posts: 69	John, if you can, try using footage that has red objects against a darker background. That's the only time that I've seen the chroma bug appear. I tested footage from two different cameras (Sony and Canon) of the same objects and got the chroma effect with each footage on two different Macs. I haven't had the time to do more extensive testing though.