Intermediary formats
 

What else are out their besides Connect HD and Gearshift for Vegas usuers.

apple intermediary codec.

You don't really need anything else.

Gearshift can create either DV proxies or Cineform Intermediates.

The latter can effectively replace your m2t HDV files for the purpose of finishing and rendering.

DV proxies allow you to work fluently on a slower computer, then switch back to the original HDV files for rendering.

Incidentally you can achieve both intermediates and proxies in V6 alone - the plug ins make everything easier, but you can do it in Vegas.

Are there any FAQs breaking down the various intermediary codecs for PC? so I've read about cineform, canopus HQ, and gearshift. What others? con and pros? from what I've gathered, cineform is better than HQ.

Gearshift is a program, not sure it's an actual codec (I don't think it is).

Canopus HQ is only available within Edius. However, I've been testing the Edius tryout and WOW!

I'm a Vegas user and I am used to Connect HD. I have heard say that Canopus HQ may be not quite as sharp as Cineform but that the colour is better. I can confirm that subjectively the colour DOES seem better but that the resolution seems equal to Cineform. My experience is that in Vegas I have to run the preview at Draft/Full to get realtime performance but Canopus HQ runs full res all the time in realtime.

But here's an example of why Canopus HQ is so good: while messing with what's possible in Edius I did a slo-mo experiment. As reported in another thread, I slowed an action clip down 33% and hit play. Without rendering. The clip played off smooth as glass from the timeline without missing a beat. In hi res. It was so good I'm having difficulty believing what I can see. I would have been thrilled at the result if it had taken 2 hours to render - but running off the timeline????

Alex you are corrrect. Gearshift is a plug-in which can help you with using a proxy and/or an intermediate. It is not a codec.

Do this:
Render out colorbars from your cam in both codecs. Then come back and talk about color. In other words same source, rendered to two codecs, then both opened in Pshop or other to compare original color values to rendered color values.

Hello Spot.

Well, maybe the difference I'm seeing is down to the different way that Edius seems to use the PC monitor overlay. I can't seem to get Edius to output to my CRT monitor yet. So ignore my opinion on the colour difference.

My favouring Edius at the moment is entirely to do with workflow and the availablity of batch capture for a large project. See http://www.dvinfo.net/conf/showthread.php?t=67327

If Vegas 7.0 had arrived at NAB with batch capture of HDV for the Cineform codec there would be no argument.

No argument from me. I wish we were seeing more advanced HDV support directly inside of Vegas too, and aside from that, Canopus have done an excellent job with their app managing HNX. Bear in mind that its' not really a DI, but rather an overall working codec. It's also significantly less efficient than CineForm, and slightly less quality, but it is indeed exceptionally well implemented. CineForm's wavelet technology (so far) hasn't been bested by any app on any platform.

Are you suggesting I might need to use Cineform to edit vs. using gearshift? I never spent the time to compare the two. I just did what was easier for me but if the quality of the end product is better, I will change.

Jeff Mack

Let's clarify what GearShift does. It performs a few different functions.
1. It can create a DV proxy so you can edit for HDV on a slower, older machine. If you have a 3.2 GHz machine or faster, you might find the HDI is preferable. If you have a 3.0 or slower machine, the proxies are definitely preferable.

2. It can create an HDI (High Def Intermediary) using CineForm as the codec. This is preferable for faster machines. This uses the CineForm codec that comes with Vegas.

3. It can create an HD Uncompressed output. This is required for BlackMagic Design cards.

4. It can create any two of the above. It can do this from Bins, Timeline, or File system/Explorer.

The end product is no different/better at all. The difference is in workflow. If the GearShift workflow that you are using now fits your needs, no worries, because you're getting the same final output one way or another. GearShift doesn't have a built in codec, it simply uses the tools/codecs that Vegas already provides. Including CineForm. GearShift just makes the process a bit more transparent.