Intermediate cross platform codec of choice ???

[Daniel Crooks]

hi People

I've been working with ProResHQ as my intermediate codec for precomps and other 'in-between' renders (on a MacPro). But I'm now looking at setting up a small PC render farm to handle some mega renders I have on a project coming up. I'm loathe to start rendering image sequences and was wondering what others are using as a cross platform codec. DNxHD ? PJEPG ?

cheers../daniel

 

[Hans von Sonntag]

The best compressed codec if we talk about fidelity and bitrate is CineForm. Their codec is crossplatform. For more information check out CineForm.com. I use their tools on both platforms and the codec works nicely, stable and formost in a quality that outperforms even HDCAM SR - it's almost impossible to break which can be easily done with ProResHQ. Also is does not introduce artifacts that degade green screen footage which ProRes unfortunately does.

Hans

 

[Mike Harrington]

i would have to agree cineform is the best option...but with a few small caveats...nothing to do wth cineform but with 3rd party compatability

if you are doing some compositing or 3d you have to be aware that not every app supports high bit depth video of any kind....Fusion is a good example(at there curent version) and some 3d apps will truncate (or normalize) any video coming in to 8 bit only....but not with image sequences ....video...avi,mov,mxf ect ect

this would be the case with any codec not just cineform...which is the best codec for visual fidelity and definately recommended...

but if you want 100% compatability your best bet would always be image sequences...DPX,EXR ect ect and the trade off would be huge filesizes

it all depends what your image processing pipeline is.....what apps your using ect ect

 

[Daniel Crooks]

I had kind of forgotten about Cineform but yes, I tested it out a while ago for another project and was impressed with the IQ. but having to buy a 4K license for each box will escalate the cost of my little render farm considerably...

The 8 bit part is not an issue as the entire project is being done inside After effects.

And image sequences are the total last resort as i need to render several hundred pre-comps that are quite lo res i.e. 32x1152 but very long i.e. 45mins each.

 

[Mike Harrington]

it's too bad cineform dosn' have a liscencing sceme that would work with your situation better....

you could also check out bitjazz
http://www.bitjazz.com/en/products/sheervideo/

or MJPEG 2000 codec
http://www.morgan-multimedia.com/M-JPEG2000/


http://eugenia.gnomefiles.org/2008/09/15/intermediate-codecs-the-face-off/

 

[David Newman]

One can ask first before guessing. We are pretty flexible when it come to licensing for render farms, multiple workstation, etc.

 

[fabio ferrantini]

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[jake blackstone]

hi People

I've been working with ProResHQ as my intermediate codec for precomps and other 'in-between' renders (on a MacPro). But I'm now looking at setting up a small PC render farm to handle some mega renders I have on a project coming up. I'm loathe to start rendering image sequences and was wondering what others are using as a cross platform codec. DNxHD ? PJEPG ?

cheers../daniel

Both Blackmagic and AJA have great 8 and 10 bit uncompressed codecs, that are cross platform and freely downloadable. And, no you don't have to use their hardware in order to use their codecs.