Final Cut/Toast users: what do you transcode as?

[Thomas Lew]

What file format do you transcode your avchd files as? I can't seem to tell which is better so I was wondering what you all do.

Pro Res?
Pro Res HQ?
AIC?
DVC Pro HD?

[PKraft]

What file format do you transcode your avchd files as?

ProRez is a symmetrical lossless intraframe codec with a data rate of 100 MB/sec.
ProRez HQ works the same as its non-HQ sibling but features 145 MB/sec. Not necessary, just produces larger files and as such is overkill in case of AVCHD source material.
AIC is a non-symmetrical codec based in MPEG2, which yields comparatively inferior results to ProRez and is not lossless.
DVCProHD is also a non-symmetrical intra-frame codec, based on DV algorithms. Not lossless.


Best choice is top on this list.
Pe.

[matt s.]

DVCPROHD as I dont have the Pro Res codec and still using FCS1. So far the codec seems fine for what i have been doing. Web videos or SD DVDs.

[David Saraceno]

DVCProHD. We have a HPX170

[PKraft]

For what it's worth:

Apple has made a decode-only version of their ProRes codec available for both Macs & PCs. Previously it was only available on Macs which had Final Cut Studio 2 installed. It requires QuickTime 7.5 to be installed.

For Mac:
Apple - Support - Downloads - Apple ProRes QuickTime Decoder 1.0 for Mac
http://www.apple.com/support/downloads/appleproresquicktimedecoder10formac.html

For Windows:
http://www.apple.com/support/downloads/appleproresquicktimedecoder10forwindows.html

[pailes]

By the way, ProRes is not really losless, it's what they call "visually losless". There is a loss of information over uncompressed source material, but you're unlikely going to see it. But it's a high quality codec nevertheless.

[Sikari-Sakari]

How does the Toast transfer work? Are there other options out there?

[Thomas Lew]

it just converts the files into other files in a different format

you can transfer it into any codec available on your computer

[Justyn]

Doesn't apple also have a DVCPro decoder as well? I'm about to pull the trigger on the little beauty. I think it's a good option and will be a great B camera to the HVX....

[matt s.]

What format are you converting to? make sure your audio on convert matches your FCP seq. settings.

[fieldreportermf]

Hi matt s,

I haven't actually used them in any NLE yet (I'm using FCE4). I've just dropped the mts files into toast>converted the files, and deposited the converted files in a folder on my desktop(.mov). When I preview the .mov files, the audio in out of sync...any ideas? thanks

[Thomas Lew]

Pro Res works great except it's huge

[matt s.]

what settings are you using for your conversion? I think FCE only works with AIC and does not support Prores or DVCProHD