Suggest the best codec for NASA online stock footage

[Brad Hawkins]

We have been distributing stock footage for years and tested every codec. We had problems with Jpeg2000. I don't remember the exact issues, but nothing has come close to the image quality of PhotoJPEG. We have found it to be universally accepted with no (or very little) complaints. It may be a little CPU intensive to work with, but remember it's purpose: It is an archival and delivery format, not an editing format.

I think it's unreasonable to expect one codec to be best at everything from archival to delivery to editing. NASA should preserve image quality and space the most efficient way possible and let the editors (who all have their favorite format anyway) re-convert as they wish. Edit: Just my 2 cents.

You can also set the quality down to 80 to 85% in PhotoJPEG to save space and get very little image loss.

Phil
http://www.artbeats.com

Phil, do you guys have any experience delivering stock footage with an Alpha channel?

It seems like when you want to include an alpha jpeg2000 is the way to go. Unless you include a separate matte file.

 

[Bruce Allen]

If you're delivering stuff with alpha:

Avid DNxHD at med to high settings (115/145 or 175/220) gives extremely good quality, has free codecs for both PC and Mac and supports Alpha channels.

Basically like ProRes except without as many restrictions or gamma issues. Only drawback is native editing isn't smooth in FCP (it is in Avid, of course) - but I'm sure it's better than JPEG2000!

Bruce Allen
www.boacinema.com

 

[Brad Hawkins]

If you're delivering stuff with alpha:

Avid DNxHD at med to high settings (115/145 or 175/220) gives extremely good quality, has free codecs for both PC and Mac and supports Alpha channels.

Basically like ProRes except without as many restrictions or gamma issues. Only drawback is native editing isn't smooth in FCP (it is in Avid, of course) - but I'm sure it's better than JPEG2000!

Bruce Allen
www.boacinema.com

Thanks for the idea, that could work, I'll have to do some testing. The thing is that we're putting together VFX elements for compositors, so we're looking for a codec that's both lightweight (for easier downloading) and has the ability to do an alpha channel. DNxHD might work, but it might also seem weird to compositors to deliver stock elements in an Avid codec. :undecided:

 

[Phil Bates]

PhotoJPEG doesn't allow an alpha. It hasn't been a problem for us to supply a separate grayscale matte.

Our experience is that JPEG 2000 doesn't look near as good.

But is that really pertinent to the NASA option? I doubt their footage needs an alpha.

Phil

 

[Brad Hawkins]

But is that really pertinent to the NASA option? I doubt their footage needs an alpha.

My apologies for high-jacking the thread. It just seemed like the thread had long ago drifted into general stock footage codecs and since you're one of the leaders in that industry, I thought it'd be interesting to hear your thoughts.

Anyway, thanks for sharing.

 

[Bruce Allen]

Thanks for the idea, that could work, I'll have to do some testing. The thing is that we're putting together VFX elements for compositors, so we're looking for a codec that's both lightweight (for easier downloading) and has the ability to do an alpha channel. DNxHD might work, but it might also seem weird to compositors to deliver stock elements in an Avid codec. :undecided:

I am a compositor - that's my day job actually. Just finished doing titles for the Captain America trailer for the Superbowl.

We're pretty used to getting stuff in different formats. As long as someone can point us to the where to download the codec, we're good. Especially if it's free and cross-platform.

www.avid.com/dnxhd - then scroll down and click on Quicktime HD codec

It's when people give you stuff in a weird format and just expect you to be able to read it that it's a problem. Just my 2c.

Other option is to give the matte as a separate pass. But that is more confusing for junior-level folks.

My apologies for high-jacking the thread. It just seemed like the thread had long ago drifted into general stock footage codecs and since you're one of the leaders in that industry, I thought it'd be interesting to hear your thoughts.

Anyway, thanks for sharing.

Haha, and I thought you were the original poster! Likewise, apologies.

Bruce Allen
www.boacinema.com