Compression Codec - A happy discovery.

Edward Troxel · February 6th, 2009, 08:54 AM

Refresh the screen and it should list windows options instead (if you're downloading from Windows). The first time to the screen showed Windows options for me. After clicking on download, I clicked on Back and it then showed me Mac options. I hit refresh and it showed me Windows options again.

Bill Ravens · February 6th, 2009, 09:12 AM

Be advised that Avid tests their system with various versions of Quicktime. The Avid website posts QT versions that are approved for use with Avid products. The version changes with new releases of Avid products. As far as I know, the latest version of QT is not officially sanctioned by Avid for use. This may be pertinent or not.

John Wyatt · February 6th, 2009, 10:12 AM

Edward -- I tried again, refreshing several times, but still no good. Perhaps it makes a difference that my internet machine is Linux (won't allow me to see the Windows option?). My Windows workstation isn't connected to the net, so I guess I'll have to get my friend to download it for me...

Bill -- interesting point. Anyone on here using the latest version of QT and had problems (or not had problems) rendering out with DNxHD?

Seth Bloombaum · February 6th, 2009, 10:49 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by John Wyatt

...Perhaps it makes a difference that my internet machine is Linux (won't allow me to see the Windows option?). My Windows workstation isn't connected to the net, so I guess I'll have to get my friend to download it for me...

Yes, the QT download page is definately sniffing browsers and operating systems. I remember seeing a QT developer area with a richer set of self-contained installers, somewhere at apple.com.

Otherwise, yes, you will have to be on a Windows OS to download it.

Perrone Ford · February 6th, 2009, 10:57 AM

Go here:

ftp://98.230.31.52

You'll find what you need.

Edward Troxel · February 6th, 2009, 11:25 AM

The only thing I see in the "quicktime" folder is an iTunes setup.

Perrone Ford · February 6th, 2009, 11:36 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Edward Troxel

The only thing I see in the "quicktime" folder is an iTunes setup.

Yes, Apple no longer calls it quicktime on the download. Let me change the name.

Edward Troxel · February 6th, 2009, 11:48 AM

They have two downloads:

1. Quicktime + iTunes
2. Quicktime only

Personally, I prefer #2

Perrone Ford · February 6th, 2009, 11:53 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Edward Troxel

They have two downloads:

1. Quicktime + iTunes
2. Quicktime only

Personally, I prefer #2

Yes, Edward am aware of that, and #2 is what I downloaded and put on the FTP site. But apple still NAMES it itunes.

Jon McGuffin · February 6th, 2009, 11:57 AM

Hmmm..

"How many video editors does it take to download Quicktime?" :-)

Jon

Mike Kujbida · February 6th, 2009, 12:18 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Perrone Ford

Yes, Edward am aware of that, and #2 is what I downloaded and put on the FTP site. But apple still NAMES it itunes.

Perrone, if you click option #1, the download file is called iTunesSetup.exe.
If you click option #2, the download file is called QuickTimeInstaller.exe.

Perrone Ford · February 6th, 2009, 12:36 PM

Fixed.

That was disturbing because I tried to be sure to download the non-itunes version the first time.

Seth Bloombaum · February 6th, 2009, 01:01 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Jon McGuffin

Hmmm..

"How many video editors does it take to download Quicktime?" :-)

Jon

I think the answer has to be an irrational number, because it can't be done.

Or, looked at another way, as many vegas editors as you have is not enough, because you also need a magician.

Workflow as follows:
Click on a credible download link.
(then the magic happens)
Install quicktime.

PS. these darn computers really are a pain in the a*# sometimes, I'm looking for some magic as we speak...

John Wyatt · February 7th, 2009, 04:50 PM

Ok, I finally got the latest QT downloaded from a Windows machine, and then on here I saw Perrone's link! Anyway, uninstalled the old QT, installed the new QT, installed the NDxHD codec and restarted my machine. This time when exporting a 1 minute test area from the Vegas timeline, I see QT as an option (no warning this time) and within that, the avid DNxHD codec is available. Great. So I was able to make some tests. I thought some of the quality options of this codec might be a good choice for me to use for colour correction work, and I don't need to be able to play a file like that at full speed. But could I use the lower datarate as an alternative to native HDV editing? Here are my results:

1920 x 1080p25, DNxHD 36, 8-bit (file size = 280 MB for 1 minute) does not play full speed.
1280 x 720p25, DNxHD 60, 8-bit (file size = 444 MB for 1 minute) does not play full speed.

It's a shame the 1280 x 720 option is at 60 Mbps and not 36 Mbps, and actually makes a bigger file than the 1080p version. My old computer (3.0 Ghz Pentium 4, 2 GB RAM, 2x SATA1 drives, 256 MB onboard RAM graphics card) can play full speed m2t files for native HDV editing (25 Mbps). So there is not such a need for me to edit with the DNxHD codec, though if someone has any ideas about how I can change the settings to allow my modest machine to edit with this codec, I would like to know how.

Some curious behaviour I noticed with the codec dialogue box - just me or someone else get this? - which made it less easy to use:

The dialogue springs up slightly off the top of the screen (every time), so I have to drag it down. The dialogue is strangely too short, hiding most of the bottom drop-down field box to choose the particular DNxHD details of the codec you want. Luckily, clicking the very bottom of the barely visible field box enables it to drop down, so I was able to make choices. The ok button looks "rolled up" and only fully reveals itself when you hover the mouse over it so you can confirm your choices before returning to the Vegas codec dialogue again.

Perrone Ford · February 7th, 2009, 08:04 PM

LOL,

Forgot to warn you about the dialog box. Yea, it's a bug but does not affect performance. Oddly, it works fine on the Mac. A number of people have complained so I suspect it will probably be fixed in an update. But hey, it's free, I wasn't about to complain.

It is too bad about the 720p not offering a 36Mbps option. That would really be helpful, but I think the codec was really aimed at filmmakers (and I mean celluloid film) so they'd be going to 1080 and not 720 anyway.

Do take note on how I use the codec on *modest* hardware. I don't try to cut with it and get full data rate. I master with it, I color with it, but do NOT try to cut with it. It's not the codec per se. It's the quicktime container in Vegas. ANY quicktime codec simply doesn't cut well. This is why I work with the proxy files. I can cut just fine with a quarter sized file just fine in about any codec, but tend to use the Blackmagic codecs because it is one of the few than can move between Vegas 8.0c and 8.1. On hot hardware, cutting with it is fine. Or cutting with it knowing you'll need to pre-render or render to RAM on more modest hardware is fine. Just don't expect to cut 1080p at full speed on hardware that's 2 generations old.

But anyway, I'm glad you have access to the codec now. A free multi-platform Pro-ResHQ as it were, with a proxy size. If you had a modern machine, I suspect you could cut just fine with that.

Cheers.

-P

Quote:

Originally Posted by John Wyatt

Ok, I finally got the latest QT downloaded from a Windows machine, and then on here I saw Perrone's link! Anyway, uninstalled the old QT, installed the new QT, installed the NDxHD codec and restarted my machine. This time when exporting a 1 minute test area from the Vegas timeline, I see QT as an option (no warning this time) and within that, the avid DNxHD codec is available. Great. So I was able to make some tests. I thought some of the quality options of this codec might be a good choice for me to use for colour correction work, and I don't need to be able to play a file like that at full speed. But could I use the lower datarate as an alternative to native HDV editing? Here are my results:

1920 x 1080p25, DNxHD 36, 8-bit (file size = 280 MB for 1 minute) does not play full speed.
1280 x 720p25, DNxHD 60, 8-bit (file size = 444 MB for 1 minute) does not play full speed.

It's a shame the 1280 x 720 option is at 60 Mbps and not 36 Mbps, and actually makes a bigger file than the 1080p version. My old computer (3.0 Ghz Pentium 4, 2 GB RAM, 2x SATA1 drives, 256 MB onboard RAM graphics card) can play full speed m2t files for native HDV editing (25 Mbps). So there is not such a need for me to edit with the DNxHD codec, though if someone has any ideas about how I can change the settings to allow my modest machine to edit with this codec, I would like to know how.

Some curious behaviour I noticed with the codec dialogue box - just me or someone else get this? - which made it less easy to use:

The dialogue springs up slightly off the top of the screen (every time), so I have to drag it down. The dialogue is strangely too short, hiding most of the bottom drop-down field box to choose the particular DNxHD details of the codec you want. Luckily, clicking the very bottom of the barely visible field box enables it to drop down, so I was able to make choices. The ok button looks "rolled up" and only fully reveals itself when you hover the mouse over it so you can confirm your choices before returning to the Vegas codec dialogue again.

February 6th, 2009, 08:54 AM	#31
Edward Troxel Sponsor: JET DV Join Date: Dec 2001 Location: Southern Illinois Posts: 7,953	Refresh the screen and it should list windows options instead (if you're downloading from Windows). The first time to the screen showed Windows options for me. After clicking on download, I clicked on Back and it then showed me Mac options. I hit refresh and it showed me Windows options again. __________________ Edward Troxel [SCVU] JETDV Scripts/Scripting Tutorials/Excalibur/Montage Magic/Newsletters

February 6th, 2009, 10:57 AM	#35
Perrone Ford Inner Circle Join Date: Nov 2006 Location: Tallahassee, FL Posts: 4,100	Go here: ftp://98.230.31.52 You'll find what you need. __________________ DVX100, PMW-EX1, Canon 550D, FigRig, Dell Octocore, Avid MC4/5, MB Looks, RedCineX, Matrox MX02 mini, GTech RAID, Edirol R-4, Senn. G2 Evo, Countryman, Moles and Lowels.

February 6th, 2009, 11:25 AM	#36
Edward Troxel Sponsor: JET DV Join Date: Dec 2001 Location: Southern Illinois Posts: 7,953	The only thing I see in the "quicktime" folder is an iTunes setup. __________________ Edward Troxel [SCVU] JETDV Scripts/Scripting Tutorials/Excalibur/Montage Magic/Newsletters

February 6th, 2009, 11:48 AM	#38
Edward Troxel Sponsor: JET DV Join Date: Dec 2001 Location: Southern Illinois Posts: 7,953	They have two downloads: 1. Quicktime + iTunes 2. Quicktime only Personally, I prefer #2 __________________ Edward Troxel [SCVU] JETDV Scripts/Scripting Tutorials/Excalibur/Montage Magic/Newsletters

February 6th, 2009, 12:36 PM	#42
Perrone Ford Inner Circle Join Date: Nov 2006 Location: Tallahassee, FL Posts: 4,100	Fixed. That was disturbing because I tried to be sure to download the non-itunes version the first time. __________________ DVX100, PMW-EX1, Canon 550D, FigRig, Dell Octocore, Avid MC4/5, MB Looks, RedCineX, Matrox MX02 mini, GTech RAID, Edirol R-4, Senn. G2 Evo, Countryman, Moles and Lowels.

February 6th, 2009, 09:12 AM	#32
Bill Ravens Join Date: Nov 2001 Location: santa fe, nm Posts: 3,264 Images: 10	Be advised that Avid tests their system with various versions of Quicktime. The Avid website posts QT versions that are approved for use with Avid products. The version changes with new releases of Avid products. As far as I know, the latest version of QT is not officially sanctioned by Avid for use. This may be pertinent or not.

February 6th, 2009, 10:12 AM	#33
John Wyatt Regular Crew Join Date: Jan 2006 Location: West Country, UK Posts: 141	Edward -- I tried again, refreshing several times, but still no good. Perhaps it makes a difference that my internet machine is Linux (won't allow me to see the Windows option?). My Windows workstation isn't connected to the net, so I guess I'll have to get my friend to download it for me... Bill -- interesting point. Anyone on here using the latest version of QT and had problems (or not had problems) rendering out with DNxHD?

February 6th, 2009, 11:57 AM	#40
Jon McGuffin Major Player Join Date: Sep 2006 Location: Carlsbad, CA Posts: 634	Hmmm.. "How many video editors does it take to download Quicktime?" :-) Jon

February 7th, 2009, 04:50 PM	#44
John Wyatt Regular Crew Join Date: Jan 2006 Location: West Country, UK Posts: 141	Ok, I finally got the latest QT downloaded from a Windows machine, and then on here I saw Perrone's link! Anyway, uninstalled the old QT, installed the new QT, installed the NDxHD codec and restarted my machine. This time when exporting a 1 minute test area from the Vegas timeline, I see QT as an option (no warning this time) and within that, the avid DNxHD codec is available. Great. So I was able to make some tests. I thought some of the quality options of this codec might be a good choice for me to use for colour correction work, and I don't need to be able to play a file like that at full speed. But could I use the lower datarate as an alternative to native HDV editing? Here are my results: 1920 x 1080p25, DNxHD 36, 8-bit (file size = 280 MB for 1 minute) does not play full speed. 1280 x 720p25, DNxHD 60, 8-bit (file size = 444 MB for 1 minute) does not play full speed. It's a shame the 1280 x 720 option is at 60 Mbps and not 36 Mbps, and actually makes a bigger file than the 1080p version. My old computer (3.0 Ghz Pentium 4, 2 GB RAM, 2x SATA1 drives, 256 MB onboard RAM graphics card) can play full speed m2t files for native HDV editing (25 Mbps). So there is not such a need for me to edit with the DNxHD codec, though if someone has any ideas about how I can change the settings to allow my modest machine to edit with this codec, I would like to know how. Some curious behaviour I noticed with the codec dialogue box - just me or someone else get this? - which made it less easy to use: The dialogue springs up slightly off the top of the screen (every time), so I have to drag it down. The dialogue is strangely too short, hiding most of the bottom drop-down field box to choose the particular DNxHD details of the codec you want. Luckily, clicking the very bottom of the barely visible field box enables it to drop down, so I was able to make choices. The ok button looks "rolled up" and only fully reveals itself when you hover the mouse over it so you can confirm your choices before returning to the Vegas codec dialogue again.