Benefits of keeping MP4 files?
- Thread starter Chadfish
- Start date
Buck Forester
Well-known member
I keep my MP4 files because I like filling up terabytes upon terabytes of external harddrives (ha!), plus you never know what technology down the road might come to improve upon the original files.
GuyB
Well-known member
For all intents and purposes, the MOV file are not PC compatible.
From the BPAV folder you can make MOV for MAC, MXF for some PC NLEs and other NLEs will import and support the BPAV folder natively.
So basically MOV locks you into the footage only ever being usable on MACs, at least for the forseable future (and it seems JVC agree unlocking BPAV without the SxS module on their HD700).
From the BPAV folder you can make MOV for MAC, MXF for some PC NLEs and other NLEs will import and support the BPAV folder natively.
So basically MOV locks you into the footage only ever being usable on MACs, at least for the forseable future (and it seems JVC agree unlocking BPAV without the SxS module on their HD700).
Chadfish
Veteran
But my PC opens MOV in Vegas. Would converting mov to AVI in an NLE like Vegas or Primere degrade the file?
I'm asking about the mp4 thing because I am now about to start getting more serious about backing up stuff.
I have just bought a WD My Book "Mirror Edition" that is 2x 1 Terribite drives in one raid enclosure. 200.00 at Costco! So I'm hoping that will do for now. I get instant redundancy in one box at a reasonable price. Strangely it is only USB 2.0 and not firewire. But it's not like I'm going to be working on the drive.
I just got about 17 gigs of fairly nice Redwood tree footage this weekend. I shot some choice spots along Avenue of the Giants near where I live in Northern California, and I want the option to possibly sell some as stock footage. Only some of it would be better with smoothed out motion and a little color correction. I guess I am extrapolating 32 gigs for every hour of footage (if I save mp4 / mov) and it seems like a lot of hard drives. Sigh...
I suppose I'll just save the Redwood footage, and forget about mp4 on silly little TV ads I do. Double up on stock. The footage looks stunning by the way! Though a little soft with the dang VBR mixed with all the detail and movement from shooting out the back of a moving vehicle.
I'm asking about the mp4 thing because I am now about to start getting more serious about backing up stuff.
I have just bought a WD My Book "Mirror Edition" that is 2x 1 Terribite drives in one raid enclosure. 200.00 at Costco! So I'm hoping that will do for now. I get instant redundancy in one box at a reasonable price. Strangely it is only USB 2.0 and not firewire. But it's not like I'm going to be working on the drive.
I just got about 17 gigs of fairly nice Redwood tree footage this weekend. I shot some choice spots along Avenue of the Giants near where I live in Northern California, and I want the option to possibly sell some as stock footage. Only some of it would be better with smoothed out motion and a little color correction. I guess I am extrapolating 32 gigs for every hour of footage (if I save mp4 / mov) and it seems like a lot of hard drives. Sigh...
I suppose I'll just save the Redwood footage, and forget about mp4 on silly little TV ads I do. Double up on stock. The footage looks stunning by the way! Though a little soft with the dang VBR mixed with all the detail and movement from shooting out the back of a moving vehicle.
GuyB
Well-known member
Have you been transcoding the MP4 files or re-wrapping them?
XDCAM Transfer will just re-wrap the MP4 files into a MOV wrapper, it is a lossless process, just like ClipBrowser re-wraps the MP4 files into a MXF (for NLEs) wrapper.
If however you are transcoding, as in converting the codec in any way, rendering in anyway, then the MOV files you are creating have indeed lost quality in some way and may explain why they work with Vegas.
From feedback I have heard from other users, the MOV files that XDCAM Transfer creates are not natively supported on the PC by any NLE, but I'd be happy to be wrong and hear they are.
XDCAM Transfer will just re-wrap the MP4 files into a MOV wrapper, it is a lossless process, just like ClipBrowser re-wraps the MP4 files into a MXF (for NLEs) wrapper.
If however you are transcoding, as in converting the codec in any way, rendering in anyway, then the MOV files you are creating have indeed lost quality in some way and may explain why they work with Vegas.
From feedback I have heard from other users, the MOV files that XDCAM Transfer creates are not natively supported on the PC by any NLE, but I'd be happy to be wrong and hear they are.
Chadfish
Veteran
I see GuyB.
I a using XDCAM Transfer. I have not tried putting any EX1.mov files into Vegas. I have only done NTSC ones from SD projects in Vegas for making .wmv files. I just assumed all .mov were the same in that respect. I'm glad to hear I'm re-wrapping.
Can one re-wrap over to an avi from one of these EX1.mov files?
I a using XDCAM Transfer. I have not tried putting any EX1.mov files into Vegas. I have only done NTSC ones from SD projects in Vegas for making .wmv files. I just assumed all .mov were the same in that respect. I'm glad to hear I'm re-wrapping.
Can one re-wrap over to an avi from one of these EX1.mov files?
GuyB
Well-known member
I don't think that would be possible. AVI is in itself a type of wrapper but it seems it has never been used to wrap any mpg codec. I don't know enough about it to add more sorry. Maybe all AVI have to be intra frame or the like, I don't know sorry.