View Full Version : Apple ProRes 422 Format


Robert Ducon
April 16th, 2007, 01:54 PM
Whoa? "Uncompressed HD quality at SD file sizes - 10-bit, 4:2:2, full raster, VBR" Sounds too good to be true! Too vague - it could mean SD at which compression strength - 50mbs?

What do we know about this? I read somewhere that someone said this is the end of Cineform - I highly doubt that. Cineform has really proven itself.

What's compressing this format (is it based off MPEG 4 in some GOP scheme?)

Steven White
April 16th, 2007, 02:17 PM
To find out Cineform's take, I started this thread too several hours ago:
http://www.dvinfo.net/conf/showthread.php?t=91641

-Steve

Wes Vasher
April 16th, 2007, 02:39 PM
There's two settings for ProRes, standard and HQ and Apple states their bitrate to be 145 Mbps (18.1 MB/sec) and 220 Mbps (27.5 MB/sec) at either 8 or 10 bit and SD or HD resolutions. It's also square pixel which is really nice. Apple demoed 10 generations of ProRes split screened with uncompressed and it was supposed to look pretty good, we'll have to wait and see though.

Robert Ducon
April 16th, 2007, 03:48 PM
220Mbps - sounds good. Yes, I am glad it's square pixels as well.

Is this (the HQ) full 1920x1080 (being square pixels)?

Wes Vasher
April 16th, 2007, 04:09 PM
I would assume square pixels is available to any ProRes setting. Here's a screenshot from the ProRes movie on Apple.com (http://farm1.static.flickr.com/212/462072317_b22e5e0777_o.jpg) that shows what looks like their standard presets. It's QuickTime so you should be able to customize presets I would assume.

Engadget also has a picture of ProRes being played, not much help but hey it's cool!
Engadget picture (http://www.engadget.com/gallery/8-core-mac-pro-hands-on-apple-nab-booth-tour/215298/)

Robert Ducon
April 16th, 2007, 04:51 PM
Looks alot like the Blackmagic codecs in terms of preset choices. Guess we'll find out once it's out what the actual compression/quality will be like. Could be good though! I agree - Mac users all to often just follow, so, thank goodnes for DV info users to chime in and inform ;)

Guy Cochran
April 18th, 2007, 10:26 AM
Apple has released a White Paper on ProRes 422 http://images.apple.com/finalcutstudio/resources/white_papers/L342568A_ProRes_WP.pdf