If I import my M2t files and have them all rendered to the cineform codec through vegas (supposedly 4:2:2 and smaller file sizes) can those cineform files be used as the final version? Can I take a timeline with cineform HD files and render that out as one cineform HD file and that be my final HD master without suffering quality loss?

thanks

..oh...and when someone says intermediate..that means a file in between the original file shot on tape...and the final output...right? or can the intermediate actually be the final output as well?

If I import my M2t files and have them all rendered to the cineform codec through vegas (supposedly 4:2:2 and smaller file sizes) can those cineform files be used as the final version? Can I take a timeline with cineform HD files and render that out as one cineform HD file and that be my final HD master without suffering quality loss?

thanks

..oh...and when someone says intermediate..that means a file in between the original file shot on tape...and the final output...right? or can the intermediate actually be the final output as well?

Cineform's primary use is as an intermidiate. For Vegas, It offers better chroma subsampling (4:2:2). It also holds up well with multilple renders and allows better realtime perfomance on your timeline.

Can you use it as your master... Well, that depends.
If you want to render and archive your video, this would work great with minimal loss.

As far as a final master, it really depends on your target media, film, DVD, HD DVD, web media, etc...
Cineform, is not used as a final codec for any of the above mentioned short of film.

CineForm files are now being used from digital projection, and they are commonly used as the reference master for the multiple distribution compression types now available. All of XBox Live HD film and TV shows are mastered to CineForm first, before they are encoded to VC1 for XBox playback.

ok...so in vegas..i'm importing to .m2t ...using gearshift to convert to cineform...edit..cc..add graphics..etc...then..I render from my cineform project to my final ouput..(wmv, mov, uncompressed whatever) ...that sound right?

thanks for your help...this is finally starting to have some kind of stable workflow for me!


...oh..and after I convert my m2t files to cineform files..can i then delete the m2t files?

A CineForm license comes with HDlink, this can capture live to directly to CineForm and convert existing M2T files to CineForm much faster than your proposed workflow. Gearshift is really good for offline proxy workflows, but if you are converting M2T to CineForm AVIs at full resolution it may not be helping you.

i'm converting the m2t to proxies..then after the edit i'm converting to cineform with gearshift...

where do i get HDlink?

..and still..can i delete the m2t files after the cineforms are created (i'll be converting because it will be quicker than recapture all 26 hours of footage)

thanks

HDLink link is include with any CineForm packet. If you are using NEO HDV, it is located in Start Menu -> programs -> CineForm -> NEO HDV.

Yes you can delete the M2T files after the conversion, I do.

thanks so much!

I don't have a cineform packet..i have cineform through vegas..so i'll just have to use gearshift to convert for me...

You may want to download the 15-day trial, as you will convert all you footage 3-4X faster and at higher quality, easily within the trial peroid. Then you might realize that $249 is no bad for the speed and quality it offers.

Hi, I went through this whole thing about 6 months ago. I couldn't get Vegas (6d) to capture reliably from my HD-100. Then I had to render the M2T files to Cineform.

After fighting it for a while, I tried the 15 day trial of HD-Link, I was sold instantly. HD-Link will capture the M2T file, and convert it on the fly to Cineform AVI's. And it does it almost as fast as my tape plays off the camera. It was definately worth the money, and I think I paid $200

It does have a few bugs, like not starting the camera the first time I click "start", but I don't care, I just wait a few seconds, click start again, and it always works the second time. Oh, and if I let my drive get fragmented, it will crash my system. But I think that's cause the system I am capturing on only has 512 MB of ram. Considering how bad it needs more memory, the program is doing wonders!