Question from an Avid ignoramus

[David Barlow]

Hi,

I have been asked to deliver transcoded R3D files as Avid MXF to go into MC5. They do not want the R3D's near their workflow at any stage. They want my material as 1080 59.94 MXF. The nearest thing I can find is under the Quicktime menu as DNxHD 1080i 59.94 or as Avid 1:1. The Avid MXF/AAF menu only seems to allow 25, 23.976 and 24. frame rates but I have to shoot 29.97.

The production house claim that if I deliver as a Quicktime they have to transcode to Avid MXF before they can produce an off line copy at 10:1 compression that can be referenced back to the master transcode. This, apparently, is time consuming and expensive. They want me to buy MC5 to do all this for them since they argue that I cannot produce my RED output in a suitable master format. Apparently Uncompressed HD is not good enough anymore, nor is any form of Quicktime.

Is there no way that I can produce any form of MXF master at 1080 (i or p) and at 29.97/59.94. through Redcine-X. as a direct Avid MXF? Or am I simply stupid, which, I admit is quite likely, since I am a cameraman and not an editor and know nothing about Avid.

Any help would be greatly appreciated.

David

[MichaelP]

What is the frame rate of the original R3D files? If using REDCINE X, you can go straight to MXF wrapped DNxHD and get QuickTime out of the loop.

Keep in mind that REDCINE X does not do frame rate/P or I conversions, and seeing as the camera only shoots progressive, you won't see any interlace codec formats.

Michael

[David Barlow]

Hi Michael,

The camera is shooting variable frame rates up to 100fps at 2K. However, the project base rate is 29.97 as that is what has been asked for. So I always thought that the R3D's would be at 29.97 frame rate. My Redcine-X output has been 1080p/29.97 in Avid 1:1 codec via Quicktime. What I can't find is an MXF wrapped 1080p/29.97.

David

[MichaelP]

The latest SDK (AMT - Avid Media Toolkit) has that frame rate in it as well as the new HD RGB codec. I suspect that REDCINE X will include it in a future release, but it does not help you at this time. You can always dowload a free 30 day trial of Media Composer and use AMA to transcode directly from the R3D files in a 1080p/29.97.

Michael

[David Barlow]

Thank you Michael,

I suspect that 30 days will not be long enough to cover this project so I may have to buy it. However, as I am being expected to produce the offline compressed versions as well, then I can probably recoup the cost of the software. However, I believe that MC5 only runs under Snow Leopard. Is this correct? If so I probably have some major IT rejigging to do to upgrade my system first, but I will certainly try the free trial as soon as I can.

I have heard that people have problems with FCP if they simply upgrade the operating system without a complete ground up reload. A big job in my case. Would a quick trial of MC5 suffer if I simply upgraded to Snow Leopard and installed it? Also will it play nicely with FCP if that is also already on the system but not up and running?

Many thanks for your help so far.

David

[MichaelP]

Although it is recommended that a clean install of Snow Leopard be done, I did not do that on one my MacBook Pros and Media Composer behaved just fine. Also that system has Final Cut Pro and Premiere on it so they all co-exist just fine. Many people have MC and FCP on the same system. Again, this is my bleeding edge experience, not the manufacture recommended method for OS upgrade. But for a test, you should be fine.

Michael

[David Barlow]

Well, I have done it and at the moment everything seems OK. The Red Rocket goes like a dream in Redcine but I have a lot to do to understand MC5 but the trial version is installed on the computer.

The only thing that I have noticed is that the new version of Quicktime player has got rid of my pro key. You get the pro upgrade when you install FCP because presumably it needs it for some things. Could this be what causes some problems after an upgrade to Snow Leopard rather than a ground up re-installation?

We'll see but thanks Michael for your advice.

David

[Jason Diamond]

There is a version of QT7, where you will use your "PRO" settings, in the utlities folder.

[David Barlow]

Got it.

Thanks