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Codec question


Curtis Hutchins

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Hi all,

 

I know apple pro res is not a recommended playback codec, however I have had a few clients request it after explaining otherwise... One gallery was so set on it they went with another playback solution..

 

Question, how does one install pro res to even test?

 

I thought it was part of qt. After reinstalling qt no video is decoded only sound. The apple codec download for windows prores 1.0 (older I think) failed to install.

 

Thx.

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Curtis,

Please see my inline comments below.

/jonas


I know apple ProRes is not a recommended playback codec, however I have had a few clients request it after explaining otherwise... One gallery was so set on it they went with another playback solution..

Question, how does one install pro res to even test?  I thought it was part of qt.


It is part of QuickTime Player for Windows, currently at version 7.7.6, as far as I know.


After reinstalling qt no video is decoded only sound.
The apple codec download for windows prores 1.0 (older I think) failed to install.


No download should be necessary, see above.
However, not all available ProRes profiles are supported on Windows.

Be aware that ProRes playback is very hardware resource intensive.

 

 

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Thanks Jonas,

 

I guess what got me currious about this and not mentioned previously is that one of my display computers came back with software installed on it and that system did play the ProRes video files... 

 

I refreshed the partition so now I can not go back and see what might have been added. The software didn't seem special to me so I assumed some codec was also installed.

   

I figured it was a trick of some kind.

 

Okay, well I agree its not a good idea so for now I will leave it at that.

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Hi Curtis, I have been on many event sites over the years and had conversations about video codecs with clients, and operators of playback systems. I think video codecs can be one of the most misinterpreted and misunderstood media we work with. Mainly because there are so many different varieties and applications. I will include myself in the people who often get them wrong and I'm always learning. I do know there is a very big difference between an editing codec (Apple ProRes) and a playback codec.

 

I have been explained this onsite scenario several times by operators of different playback systems;

1. They ask for the original video from the client as a Prores codec.

2. The client or editor is thrilled that they can deliver and playback what they consider in their realm as the highest quality video.

3. The playback operator asks for some time to ingest the video into the system to which they change the codec to a playback codec like h264 or equivalent that their machines will handle well.

4. The client never asks what codec is on the screen.

 

It's not very transparent, but what they've told me is that there are so many codecs, and many users just don't know the difference, so they stopped having that conversation and just do the extra work to get the codec into a playback format. I don't know if it's the same for all systems, but most of the systems are really not that proprietary and have many of the same hardware and playback restriction that we do in WO.

I would not playback a ProRes file in WO anymore than I would choose to edit a video using a playback codec. They are two different animals. It's approppriate to put the best most reliable codec into your system for the best overall outcome. It serves the client best, but it's up to you how you want to discuss it with them. Some are open to understanding and some are not.

I'm sorry you lost a project based on codec issues, but hopefully this will help next time.

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  • 2 weeks later...

Interesting comment from Fredrik.

 

The discussion is about ProRes. A high quality compressed all I frame codec.

 

There are many data rate versions of ProRes but they are all compressed.

ProRes has become a worldwide capture, editing and often times playback codec with a 29.97 1920x1080 100Mbps version in ProRes LT.

Any Windows or Mac computer of the last 5 years with an updated QuickTime install will play this without any issues.

 

I would never use a truly "uncompressed" codec for playback.

 

Steve

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