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

T

Thomas Lew

Well-known member
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?
 
Thomas Lew said:
What file format do you transcode your avchd files as?
Click to expand...

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

you can transfer it into any codec available on your computer
 
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....
 
What format are you converting to? make sure your audio on convert matches your FCP seq. settings.
 
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
 
what settings are you using for your conversion? I think FCE only works with AIC and does not support Prores or DVCProHD
 
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