Please Guide Me: Avid Workflow Questions

[Brandon Rice]

Hello all. I am more of a lurker/reader here than a poster. Mostly because I have not yet shot or cut a RED project yet. However, that is about to change. This Fall I will be editing a RED shot feature on Avid Media Composer, for finishing on an Avid DS. I will be the on-set editor, putting together assembly edits, and also the finishing editor. I currently run Avid Media Composer 5 on a Windows XP, Intel Duo Core 3.0GHZ, 3.5GB RAM PC. I have been playing around with some R3D files using the AMA process, and at low resolution for playback it seems to work ok. Obviously with a feature we're talking a lot more files, and more organization. What do you all suggest my work-flow be? And do you suggest any upgrades to my current workstation?

Thanks for any help!

 

[MichaelP]

I would recommend for feature work with lots of dailies, a transcode to DNxHD36 first, then a DS relink for coform back to the original R3D files in whatever resolution you want to master.

Michael

 

[Adam Eden]

I would recommend for feature work with lots of dailies, a transcode to DNxHD36 first, then a DS relink for coform back to the original R3D files in whatever resolution you want to master.

Michael

+1 AMA sux and is painfully slow

 

[Michael Lindsay]

I would recommend for feature work with lots of dailies, a transcode to DNxHD36 first, then a DS relink for coform back to the original R3D files in whatever resolution you want to master.

Michael

I 2nd this...

And would also consider a red rocket to produce your editorial files if you are under time pressure...

Ps not sure we are anywhere near computers powerful enough to decode and debayer on the fly from 4k files in the effortless way that most long form editors are used to. I feel editorial is a place to tell stories with out teck getting in the way... Dnx36 is a fantastic ofline codec but if you have the space 120 is good enough for big screen projection

 

[Brandon Rice]

Ok, so with my current PC specs plus a RED ROCKET I'd be good to go? The RED ROCKET basically takes the "load" of the transcoding of the files to DNXHD36?

And Michael, is there a specific way to transcode the files to maintain correct metadata for relinking, or will that automatically come over (the metadata) during the transcode?

 

[Job ter Burg]

The Rocket does not do the encoding, it takes care of the R3D decode/debayer. Your CPU will do the DNxHD36 encode.

Inside MC, the Red Rocket only works if you're set for Full Debayer. If you use MetaFuze, it can use the Red Rocket too, but it can use it with different Debayer settings, so it will be faster (no need for Full Debayer when creating DNxHD36 dailies). In my experience, using RedCine-X gives the fastest results with Red Rocket, but it can be tough configuring it on a system that also needs to be compatible with MetaFuze and Media Composer.

RedCine-X and MetaFuze both allow burn-ins for the dailies, something that is not possible in MC5 with AMA. MetaFuze and RedCine-X are both available for free. To me, MetaFuze is the more stable of the two applications.

 

[paulherrin]

i would definitely recommend the red rocket.

if you're willing to put that much into your machine, i would also recommend an upgrade to your machine first.

 

[Brandon Rice]

What type of upgrade? Processor, RAM?

 

[Brandon Rice]

Hey guys, getting close to production and wondering what sorts of upgrades I should make on my system here?

 

[Job ter Burg]

Go Win7 Pro x64, go for at least 6GB of RAM (3.5 won't cut it). If you are going to transcode or playback on the same machine, make sure that the CPU is terribly fast. Officially, Avid only support the use of the Rocket card on a z800 (although I'm running it OK on my XW8600). Check the System Requirements here.

 

[Brandon Rice]

Ok. Looks like all I'll be doing is the offline edit on this machine, with Avid DNxHD proxies. What kind of specs would be adequate for that?

 

[Job ter Burg]

If you check the system specs on avid.com/mc, you will find a document with tested configurations. If you stick to those, even the older ones, you should be fine. If you don't have or want one of these qualified systems, you can try to match their performance. Not sure about your current system, but working on an x64 OS makes quite a difference for RAM availability. For longform or complex sequences (even just offline), I find that invaluable. So for offline I'd still recommend Win7 Pro x64 with at least 6GB of RAM. Even if it is on a dual core 2.66 machine. I have a home setup on an XW8400 2xDC2.66 Win7 Pro x64 8GB, which runs MC more than fine.

 

[Brandon Rice]

Thanks very much. I think a RAM upgrade would most likely be adequate at this point.

 

[Job ter Burg]

If you increase RAM, but keep the same OS, it won't matter too much.
A 32-bit OS can only use 4GB of mem in total. So putting in 6GB won't matter, as the OS would not allow you to use more than 4GB at any point.
If you use a 64-bit OS, that allows for more RAM useage. Even when running 32-bit applications under a 64-bit OS, the OS will allow the use of a full 4GB for any application. So the OS itself can run on 1GB of RAM, and - if you have 6GB installed - you will have 4GB of RAM for Media Composer, then still have 1GB left to run other applications.
In practice, XP32 won't give MC more than 2.7GB when you have 4 or more GB of RAM installed (the rest of the RAM is needed for the OS). On x64, with 6GB or more installed, MC can get 4GB of RAM. A 48% increase.
Long story short, if you want to upgrade the RAM, upgrade the OS or you won't gain much.

 

[Eric Santiago]

Job how is MC on Win 7 64bit? Something to look forward to in OS X? I'm hoping I don't get a bigger better Memory Exception error

 

[Job ter Burg]

I've been running MC and Symphony under Vista-64 and Win7-64. There it runs as a 32-bit app under a 64-bit OS, which, as said, has serious RAM benefits (at least on PC it does). Much better than under XP32. My portable system is a MacBookPro under Snow Leopard. Can't really comment on the difference, though, as on the portable system I tend to do less heavy stuff. When the application becomes 64-bit, that's when the real advantage should kick in. On both platforms.

 

[Eric Santiago]

I've been running MC and Symphony under Vista-64 and Win7-64. There it runs as a 32-bit app under a 64-bit OS, which, as said, has serious RAM benefits (at least on PC it does). Much better than under XP32. My portable system is a MacBookPro under Snow Leopard. Can't really comment on the difference, though, as on the portable system I tend to do less heavy stuff. When the application becomes 64-bit, that's when the real advantage should kick in. On both platforms.

Thanks Job. Im looking forward to a 64bit OS X version. Want to pull the trigger and get our MC a bad @$$ config here

 

[Brandon Rice]

So the reason to upgrade to 64 bit is for the RAM capability?

 

[Job ter Burg]

At this point in time: yes. Almost 25%.
When the app becomes 64-bit, you will have to up your OS to 64-bit, and that will unleash even more power. Or at least, that would be the thing to expect.

 

[Eric Santiago]

More RAM sure, a stable MC even better.
Im really getting sick of the old bus error, exceptional memory, hagrid, etc.....
Wider 64bit lane...maybe the bus will fit this time