Press release:
Press Release | Grass Valley (http://www.grassvalley.com/news/press/releases/view/1654-grass-valley-ships-latest-version-of-edius-with-cross-platform-codec-and-powerful-3d-content-editing-features)


30 day trial:
Login | Grass Valley (http://www.grassvalley.com/support/downloads/demos)


Features:
http://www.grassvalley.com/assets/media/5098/PRV-4185D-2_EDIUS_Pro_6_5.pdf


Reference manual:
http://cdn1.grassvalley.com/unsecure/DL/EDIUS_6.x/documentation/ENG/EDIUS65_Reference_Manual.pdf



As far as I see, there seems to be no MVC-encoder for 3D-Blu-ray. Yes it seems to be true - if User of a TD10 ask for the MVC export with Edius 6.5, the answer is that they should use sbs full or top-bottom full - and then use other tools for the MVC-3D-BD authoring. Tools like the PD10:

EDIUS 6.5 export format - Grass Valley Forums (http://forum.grassvalley.com/forum/showthread.php?t=26745)

Re Open 3D section of Forum? - Grass Valley Forums (http://forum.grassvalley.com/forum/showthread.php?p=184434#post184434)

It is a shame that they have not build in an MVC-Encoder. ;(

I would tend to use Vegas Moviestudio HD Platinum for that, depends if one wishes to have menus or not with his 3D BD.

Here's a little thing post produced in Edius with a little help from some other software - it was made purely as an experimental piece, and shot in less than 20 minutes.

The music is beautiful, Xuefei's playing is truly amazing.

Xufei Yang Bach Violin Concerto G minor Snow-Mix 3D - YouTube (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vkIYcF_kL7k&feature=youtu.be)

Paul.

Content has been blocked in the USA.

Oh, yes of course, it's the music licence - I'll upload it to the EMI youtube channel, then it should be fine.

Sorry about that!

Paul

Wolfgang, you have a significant experience with "Vegas", can you compare it's functions/features with the Edius 6.5? I have been still sticking with the Final Cut, because I still see better video output out of it. Thanks.

Well, I can try to do so. I have used Edius 6.0 in the past as my backup system beside Vegas, and have not tested Edius 6.5 yet. So it will take some time. At least I will install the trial to see if it works with my system.

What I know by now and from what I have seen in trainings videos 6.5 has similar capabilities with regard to the stereoscopic plugin. Maybe Edius has more encoders that can render to side-by-side full or top-bottom-full, but as said the MVC based 3D-Blu-ray authoring is missing. In terms of preview capabilities also of MVC-files Edius is great.

But as said, it may take me some time to test that.

In terms of the general functions: in the audio section Vegas is much stronger. Authoring to SD-DVD and 2D-Blu-ray - here is Vegas stronger. In terms of preview quality - here is Edius better. In terms of compositing - here Vegas wins. In terms of codecs and encoder quality - Vegas is good in terms of encoder quality, Edius is here great too, but with the Canopus HQ and now HQX codec it offers better codecs. Generally spoken, Edius focus itself more to the editing step, but not so much to steps like authoring. While Vegas includes also other parts like authoring or audio editing.

Interesting, thanks for posting this comparison.

You also said;
"But with the Canopus HQ and now HQX codec it offers better codecs."

Would this improve the output quality comparison (specs & subjective) with MAC based 3D output?

I am corresponding with B&H of getting an ASUS 3D-capable laptop, that can also handle a single, shutter-based 3D projector.
The next decision will be choosing between Edius or Vagas.

It is very unfortunate, but MAC itself will probably never be offering a 3D screen laptop, or native 3D software, etc.)

The advantage of the Canopus HQ codec is, that it is the best intermediate codec I have seen. Maybe the HQX is similar - for 10bit. So, if you work with a lot of render generations in your workflow, that has a clear advantage since you maintain the qualit in a great way. If you do not work with a lot of render generations, even the native editing of the todays consumer codecs AVCHD with a poor color sampling of 4:2:2 is good enough for most cases. Even Grass Valley had the approach that they edit AVCHD native today.

So the answer is: it depends.

I cannot tell you anything about how Edius runs with a Mac, since I have no experience here.

The decision of an Editor is not only a technical question - there are trial versions that you should use. Make a image of your system before you install them, and test both NLEs - but be aware that this takes time.

Update:

Can anyone StateSide and Europe mainland test this new link?

Thanks

Here's a little thing post produced in Edius with a little help from some other software - it was made purely as an experimental piece, and shot in less than 20 minutes.

The music is beautiful, Xuefei's playing is truly amazing.

New EMI Link:

Xufei Yang Bach Violin Concerto G minor Snow Mix 3DSBSa - YouTube

For me the link works (Austria, Europe).

Works great in California.

also works in NY

Thanks everyone - good to know it's clear of the copyright control now, as it should be.

Paul

So, I have installed Edius 6.5 - have received the software yesterday from my dealer, and installed it now. It works fine with my nvidia 3D vision, the preview quality is really great. Both in terms of picture quality, but also in terms of preview speed. Most of the 3D controlls are really fine - similar to Vegas, some parts superior, some parts I have not seen yet (e.g. how to adjust a track). All together a fine system.

The AVCHD 4.2 converter is a nice software - here you can convert to the Canopus HQ codec, side-by-side (half), but also L and R as separate files. For our TD1 fans that is great - if they wish to use this tool to convert and pair again - also in Vegas that works fine, but also in Edius.

My first impression: beside the drawaback that we miss a MVC-encoder, the software has become really good for 3D editing. That is my first impression.

Thank you Wolfgang and Paul. You are truly helpful.
Pavel

....
What I know by now and from what I have seen in trainings videos 6.5 has similar capabilities with regard to the stereoscopic plugin. Maybe Edius has more encoders that can render to side-by-side full or top-bottom-full, but as said the MVC based 3D-Blu-ray authoring is missing. In terms of preview capabilities also of MVC-files Edius is great.

..................

... In terms of compositing - here Vegas wins.....

Wolfgang,
I converted some of my (originally 60i) footage to MVC in Vegas Platinum after transferring originally Edius 6.5 edited L/R Canopus HQX 10 bit files there. The files look very good from Edius on big screen TV, but look awfully juddery after the final conversion (by Vegas Platinum) to 24/48p, for the final frame packed output out of the BD player. The final resolution and image quality is much worse as well. The individual frames look like as these are poorly de-interlaced, maybe due to the de-interlacing as well as due to the temporal conversion (60i to 24p). Is that a general issue due to originally capturing the video in 60i or am I doing something wrong?

Thanks, Pavel.

There are two issues:

- the conversion from 1080 60i to 1080 24p is not really an easy one. And also Vegas is not great there.
- the second issue could be the different settings you have to use in Vegas. Deinterlacing in the project properties must be set to blend or interpolate, maybe you have it at none?

It is easier to convert 1080 60i to 720 60p but not to 1080 24p. I would go for that.

More, I would not use the Canopus HQX codec, since this codec is for 10 bit - but we are talking about 8bit footage. So use the Canopus HQ codec.

Thank you. I will try to follow your suggestions. I did try 1080-60i sbs, in DVD Architect, which looks great. That is my fallback, but I cannot get the metadata so that the tv automatically switches to 3D, must do it manually. Vegas only lets me setup frame packing ( mvc) or 2d sbs - with the aforementioned manual override required at the tv. The mvc files set the tv into 3d mode automatically but so far the quality was inferior.

In Edius 6.5 demo version I couldn't even get playable 3dbd. I am using FireWire connected burner, and Edius crashes always right after rendering the files. Vegas and DVD Architect work fine for me.

Again, thanks.

I'd also like to know how to get the TV to switch automatically to 3D mode without spending $50k on a full BD production suite...

If you render in Vegas a 3D-BD using the MVC 720 60p template in the Sony AVC-encoder, and playback such an ISO, a 3D HDTV will switch to 3D automatically. That will happen for 3D-BD with profile 5 only.

For sbs-half or top-bottom-half that is not possible, since that is "seen" as 2D footage by the player and the HDTV. Here you have to do that manually.

By the way, if you present such a video with a passiv display, it is better to render to top-bottom-half but not to side-by-side half. That is due to the way how the passive display works. With passive displays you will end up with the half resolution anyway.

Most of the 3D controlls are really fine - similar to Vegas, some parts superior, some parts I have not seen yet (e.g. how to adjust a track).
Can someone explain what this means: "how to adjust a track"?

Her I mean that I use the stereoscopic plugin for Vegas at the level of a track, not of an clip. of sequence (what is possible in Edius). Using keyframes, I adjust the convergence and so on at the track level.

Her I mean that I use the stereoscopic plugin for Vegas at the level of a track, not of an clip. of sequence (what is possible in Edius). Using keyframes, I adjust the convergence and so on at the track level.
Interesting. I'm trying to wrap my brain around that, since in my (brief) experience, every shot has a different HIT, etc. I'm curious what the advantage of a "track level" convergence control is?

Aaah, I see what you mean, apply plugin to track, and then change settings with keyframes for each clip as it occurs on the track - sort of continuous adjustment over time. I guess if you attach events to clips, the changes move with the clip, if you change say, the edit order... am I right here? This is a standard Vegas approach as many track level plugs are realtime, many clip level filters need a render - if I remember correctly.

Paul :-)

Yes, keyframes that are used to adjust convergence or geometric settings will move with clips to a limited extend in Vegas - you can link them to the event in some cases. That works for trimming clips. So it can be done, even if one must take care since there are limitations.

A separate endering is not required, that is realtime if your PC is strong enough.

One advantage is that I can see how the adjustment looks like over the full film. So I see if there are significant changes with a new clip, for example in convergence changes or jumps - you simply see that. Another advantage is that handling is easier - I apply the filter one time for the track, and not for every clip. But it is also a question about how you wish to edit your footage.

How do I input video from a low cost camcorder which is already SBS squeezed, and edit it a stereoscopic with Edius?

I think you can import it as one file - but assume that you have to set the file properties to sbs-half.

I must be doing something wrong, because when I do it, and then set stereoscopic mode, SBS, I get 4 images SBS.

I can try to test that later in my system. At the moment I have no access to my system.

Perhaps use the LAYOUT in EDIUS, and unsqueaze and resize the clip.
( I do this in FCP using Distort and re-size)

Pavel:

- right click on the clip and select "Properties", this pops up the "clip properties" window (you can do this with the clip either in the source browser or on the timeline)
- Select the "Stereoscopic Info" tab
- click "use as stereoscopic" on the top left of the window
- choose the 3D format: there's a dropdown to select the format but the default is side-by-side

Bob's your Uncle :)

Cheers

Neil

Thank you Neil, works like a charm!

No problem.

If you group all of your left & right files into the same folder you can also:

- select ALL of them
- right click and choose "Set as Stereoscopic"
- choose "auto-pairing" in the dialog window
- let Edius do all the work for you

It recognises 3DA1 files and a few others, but also seems to do a difference check between the files and can choose based on highest likelihood of a match.

It's very cool.

And then there's "Rectify + FIT", my favourite 3D feature...

And now I've discovered what it can do with native colour grading, which is simply astonishing.

Honestly, I love Edius :)

Cheers

Neil

Neil,
Thank you for posting this procedure, and yes EDIUS is amazing, and crucial for 3D work (and affordable no less (!)

BTW, you wrote:
"And now I've discovered what it can do with native colour grading, which is simply astonishing."

Is this for 3D media, and is there a particular tutorial for this?
Thanks Again,

Carlton

Hi Carlton,

There is an excellent series of colour grading videos using Edius by Australian Matthew Scott on Vimeo:

1. Video 2: Keying & Transparency (1) EDIUS 6 Tutorial - Keying & Transparency - Episode 1 of 3 on Vimeo
2. Video 3: Keying & Transparency (2) EDIUS 6 Tutorial - Keying & Transparency - Episode 2 of 3 on Vimeo
3. Video 4: Keying & Transparency (3) EDIUS 6 Tutorial - Keying & Transparency - Episode 3 of 3 on Vimeo

4. Colour Grading (1) EDIUS 6 Tutorial - Color Grading - Episode 1 of 5 on Vimeo
5. Colour Grading (2) EDIUS 6 Tutorial - Color Grading - Episode 2 of 5 on Vimeo
6. Colour Grading (3) EDIUS 6 Tutorial - Color Grading - Episode 3 of 5 on Vimeo
7. Colour Grading (4) EDIUS 6 Tutorial - Color Grading - Episode 4 of 5 on Vimeo
8. Colour Grading (5) EDIUS 6 Tutorial - Color Grading - Episode 5 of 5 on Vimeo

Some of these are an hour long, so grab a beer and settle back...

Cheers

Neil