I created a new tool for Flash XDR support in Avid Liquid. This tool extends the mpeg2 codecs in Liquid to support import, render and export of all mpeg2 ranges the Flash XDR supports including 160 mbits/s

This means Avid Liquid is the only NLE right now to fully support a 100% native work flow with the Flash XDR. Liquid can be bought pretty cheap these days so if you plan on getting a Flash XDR having a copy of Liquid might not be a bad thing to have sitting around.

Liquid has three great features that really help speed up rendering if there are any people concerned about it's multi-threading abilities.

1. Fuse- this is the export method where all raw files and rendered files just copy the frame data to a new file. This runs as fast as your hard drives can pump data and means exporting a final 160 mbit file very fast.
2. Background rendering- Liquid will render your effects in the background while you work. Most other NLE's force you to sit back and wait while they render which means lost time. With Liquid by the time you get to the end of your edit most of the stuff is already rendered. This means no lost time at all.
3. Liquid has a unique way of dealing with multiple cores by rendering one slice per core. This means if you have a 8 core system you could be rendering 8 segments at the same time. This doesn't work with the gpu effects since there is only one gpu but most of the other effects work this way. This really helps with background rendering and usually I can't edit fast enough to keep ahead of the render engine.

http://www.smetware.com/liquid_m2v_codecs.zip

This will only work if you already have Avid Liquid

Dear Thomas,

Wow!

I am impressed. Mike Schell will be happy to hear about your new tool as will others.

I met up with Mike yesterday at the IBM show in Amsterdam. He is having a wonderful show.

Mike is showing some footage, exactly as recorded by the Flash XDR, using the 50 Mb mode.

This footage was shot "in the cockpit" by Mark of OnBoardImages. It was under some very demanding conditions, as was other footage he shot at Oshkosh, WI.

Mike's team added a "Loop on Playback" option to the Flash XDR. So this footage is looping at more than one both.

I looked at the footage, not for content, but to check if I could find any place where the codec broke down. I could not find any problems. Expects that have seen the footage have been happy also. This was shot with a Toshiba POV camera.

can't edit fast enough to keep ahead of the render engine.

http://www.smetware.com/liquid_m2v_codecs.zip

This will only work if you already have Avid Liquid

I assume Avid Liquid works only with a PC - is that correct?

What version of Avid Liquid should I get?

Thanks!
Ofer
Ofer Levy Nature Photographer (http://www.oferlevyphotography.com)

Hi Thomas-
Very cool! I will get a copy of Liquid and give it a test. It looks like an extremely useful tool!

We had a superb IBC with lots of traffic. The airplane footage was a big hit.

any chance that this could work with media composer?

Nope, Liquid only. This tool changes some of the files that create the codec presets in Liquid. A nle also has to already support the full mpeg2 spec which most of them do not. Liquid out of the box has always supported any form of mpeg2 all the way up to 300 mbits/s. The only problem is that you couldn't create presets that would use anything above 50 mbits/s. This tool sort of hacks the preset files so you now have a bunch of presets that trick Liquid into using 80,100 and 160 mbits along with a few other special bitrates as well. Keep in mind you only need these for render and export. Liquid could always import any level of mpeg2.

Systems like FCP and Avid MC dumb down their mpeg2 specs on purpose. The only people that are responsible to get full Flash XDR support in Avid MC is Avid themselves.