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Convert GH2-files before editing
  • davidhjlindbergdavidhjlindberg

    Hi guys,

    I wonder what format you convert your AVCHD-files too before editing. I would want to get something in 10bit but Cineform is to expensive and my grading software, DaVinci Resolve doesn't support .mov wrapped Avid DNxHD.

    What do you suggest?

  • 58 Replies sorted by
  • SunscreenSunscreen

    I'm on a Macbook pro4.1 (2.5GHz intel duo-core, 3 GB of Ram, NVIDIA Ge Force 8600 GT)

    I use MPEG Streamclip to transcode my .MTS files & despite getting the "unrecognized media" error from MPEG Streamclip upon importing my .MTS files to the batch ... My .MTS files transcode to an apple intermediate codec flawlessly. No gamma shift issues.

    I'm currently cutting with FCP 5.1.4; compositing with After Effects CS4; exporting using compressor; authoring using Encore CS4.

    I'm currently saving up for an Edius Workstation. That way I can skip the entire transcoding headache & get down to cutting.

    I hope this workflow helps anyone running with an older system similar to mine. Cheers!

  • omnidecayomnidecay

    I hate quicktime due to their stupid gamma shift shit. I use a combo of HQX from grass vally (edius), UT, and native AVCHD. With this combo there are actually a few different workflows that I like:

    • Benefits of each codec - Grass Vally HQX : Everything is in 10bit 4:2:2 so you get out of 8bit 420 hell. This is like prores422 UT: Has 8it 4444 with alpha (RGBA). Its 8bit so you down res a little if coming from HQX 10bit 444 AVCHD: native codec, smaller, makes editing super easy, only transcode once to finishing 444

    Workflow A

    1. Convert to a high res 444 codec and place the footage in a separate bin
    2. Edit the native .mts files till picture lock
    3. Relink all clips in the timeline from the AVCHD to high res capture codec

    Workflow B

    1. Convert to 10bit 422 codec and use this to edit
    2. Export to high res 4444 codec for grading/color correction

    Side Notes

    • When you install HQX codec you do get a canopus lossless codec but its 8bit. the HQX codecs are the only 10bit codecs from grass vally.
    • You have more control over HQX codecs then the others. You get two slider options (Q and Size) that allow you to really fine tune your compression level. Q = amount of compression, Size = bitrate. I will typically leave it on the super fine option and call it good.
    • UT comes with 4 codecs: 420, 422, 444, 4444 (444 with alpha) all at 8bits.

    HQX Whitepaper: http://www.grassvalley.com/docs/WhitePapers/professional/GV-4097M_HQX_Whitepaper.pdf

    UT Codec: http://www.videohelp.com/tools/Ut-Video-Codec-Suite

    Edit: I forgot, I use Premiere Pro CS6 and Media Encoder.

  • nomadnomad

    Did you have files with "digital rain" when played natively in Premiere? Does it fix that?

  • actact

    I use last two month Brorsoft MTS Converter to convert MTS to Avid DNxHD mov. Very cheep, you can try demo version first. It use CUDA engine of NVIDIA graphic card. It save me lot of time convert at Adobe Media Encoder (PC with unsupported by Adobe Mercury Cuda video card) or Carbon Coder.

  • nomadnomad

    Plus, you avoid the "digital rain" effect.

  • itimjimitimjim

    @Stylz more importantly, I find that footage upconverted to ProRes 422 HQ through 5DtoRGB is better quality than how Premiere/AE natively interprets the MTS files. That and it handles them faster, especially in AE.

  • vstardustvstardust

    (Wrong topic)

  • StylzStylz

    @thepalalias--hmm, I do need a faster system and hard drive though. It's just that my dnxhd converted files are much bigger than the mts ones I transcode from, yet they play much smoother. Most people tend to transcode in cs6 for that reason specifically(or because of grading), but boy do I dream of a system that will allow me to eliminate that whole process entirely.

  • thepalaliasthepalalias

    @Stylz For what it's worth, in my experience the playback performance is in part based on a combination of format, bitrate, engine and OS.

    In Vegas 11 Pro, I found that DNxHD .MOV files were rather sluggish but Cineform .MOV files were much faster (at least until you started using really high bitrates on Cineform, like Filmscan 1 and Filmscan 2).

    In my own experience, .MTS performance is varied, depending on the drives they are streaming from, the settings used while shooting and the bitrate. I sometimes find it necessary to transcode to Cineform for performance reasons but it seems like this might be less of an issue with faster storage.

  • StylzStylz

    I keep seeing people question transcoding to something other than mts files....and I keep seeing people suggest mts files play as smoothly as other formats. For me this is the farthest from the truth as you can get. If you have a few thousand dollar system....then maybe, but dnxhd files scroll/play 10 times more smoothly for me in cs6. With mts files the first several frames play smooth but bog down after that. dnxhd files play/scroll/jog smoothly indefinitely for me. 2.66 quad core. gtx570.

  • ttancredittancredi

    is it possible to use 5dtoRGB for a simple transcoding or would I have to take another route in order to have a neutral transition?

  • DeShonDixonDeShonDixon

    This is a great thread! Really helped me out a lot!

  • brianlucebrianluce

    @mee When the render dialog box appears, make sure the "Audio" box is checked. Go to CF render settings as well.

  • duartixduartix

    @davidhjlindberg : Sorry, it might be a bit late but I just saw this:

    ""is of an unknown or unsupported file type."

    In the File Open Dialog you have to select type DirectShow.

  • towitowi

    @ixvi

    "_I use "MPEG streamclip" -> add files to batch list

    export to avi or mov with DNxHD.

    Is a good alternative to 5DtoRGB ??_"

    No. MPEG Streamclip utilizes the Quicktime engine. This is most likely the worst of all options.

    Cineform/NeoScene, 5DtoRGB and ffmpeg use their own engines. All three produce much better results. Me personally I own all of them but for quite some time I use ffmpeg exlusively. ffmpeg also provides a "high quality" mode taking smaller macroblocks into account. I rarely use it, though, as HQ mode takes ages to convert. Above all also the "standard" mode provides really good IQ.

    @mee

    Windows or Mac? On Mac install "Perian"...

  • meemee

    when I use cineform to convert I lose the audio in the converted files. Any ideas why?

  • ixviixvi

    I use "MPEG streamclip" -> add files to batch list

    export to avi or mov with DNxHD.

    Is a good alternative to 5DtoRGB ??

  • ChainsawFilmsChainsawFilms

    Glad this thread got bumped because I'd missed it. I'm planning my future workflow.....

  • x_worpig_xx_worpig_x

    I bought one of the first versions of 5DtoRGB which worked great. But now that I upgraded, I can't get that " flat " look when I convert my video. I tried almost every setting. What am I doing wrong?

  • fomalhaut3fomalhaut3

    ok,thanks guys, so 5dtorgb seems like the way to go..can somebody help me with the settings to use?

  • notronsnotrons

    @davidhjlindberg - perhaps there is a ProRes, uncompressed or MPEG I-Frame 4:2:2 10bit codec you could find to work in my DSLR Post Prep Utility. It does batch conversions to both HQ and proxy formats.

    Check out http://hdcinematics.com/NewWeb/tools.html for more info

    Also check out the thread http://www.personal-view.com/talks/discussion/2486/automated-avid-prores-lw-format-conversions-auto-file-renaming-tools for the current discussion.

    Also, as @thepalalias mentioned, the Matrox codecs are great - you can grab them from my website also...

  • DouglasHornDouglasHorn

    @fomalhaut3 - I used to log and transfer everything in FCP7, but this forum opened my eyes to the quality degradation that occurs in that part of the workflow. A lot of the faults I'd seen in the GH2 footage are due to FCP7's import to ProRes 422.

  • thepalaliasthepalalias

    @fomalhaut3 That is what I mean. You sidestep the issue with FCP7 using Quicktime for transcoding if you use 5dtorgb (and I have heard with Cineform as well). I would only choose FCP 7 for that part if I did not have one of the other two options.

  • fomalhaut3fomalhaut3

    @thepalalias and what about fcp7 s transcoding?

  • thepalaliasthepalalias

    @fomalhaut3 I think most people would prefer 5dtorgb or Cineform quality-wise. Plus, you sidestep most Quicktime conversion issues.

    But you could also just drag the native files into Premiere (or Vegas) assuming your version is up to date. You don`t get the 4:2:0 to 4:2:2 upconversion, though.

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