Finalcut lag ProRes 422 HD

This is not a question about how to fix this issue, this is a question about why, in terms of software, this lag occurs.
I experienced some serious lag on a brand new macbook pro and I found the reason why.
When I playback at 51% of the HD video size -> lag.
When I playback at 50% of the HD video size -> no lag.
Do FinalCut re-compress each frame when a video playback is needed? The reason behind the 51% seems odd. Someone can clear my mind about that?

ProRes HD is a very huge file size, and can be very system intensive.  Only needed if you're working with stuff from a RED, Arri, or other such high end camera.  DSLR's should use ProRes LT, no image quality loss at all, smaller files sizes.
No, FCP does not recompress each frame for playback.  You're simply hitting a performance threashold for your total system abilities (CPU, GPU, RAM, Hard Drives, etc).
What Mac are you on, how much RAM, what is your hard drive config?

Similar Messages

  • Can't make a workable custom codec with ProRes 422 (HQ)

    I've only just now found that there is a Support Community for Compressor.  Wish I'd known sooner.
    I see my version of Compressor is 3.5.3.
    I've been on a little saga.
    I started out with the challenge of converting some MP4 files from a Blackberry Playbook into ProRes 422 (HQ) for editing in Final Cut. I used Compressor and the task looked fairly straight forward. I used the ProRes setting in the Compressor, converted my files and imported them into Final Cut. Video was fine but I soon found out that the audio needed rendering every time I put a clip into the Timeline. I went on-line to various chat rooms with this problem. Pretty soon a fellow was telling me that the ProRes 422 (HQ) setting in Compressor had "Audio Pass-through" as default and that this was the cause of my problem. Change it, he said, to "Linear PCM".
    It took me a fair while to figure out that the ProRes setting in Compressor did not allow itself to be modified and that I'd have to create a custom preset if I was to make these changes. I set about to do that. I was able to select "QuickTime Movie" and then in "Video/Settings" choose "ProRes 422 (HQ)", in "Audio", "Linear PCM". This did solve the audio problem. Now files imported into Final Cut did not need rendering. But another problem became evident.
    Whereas the ProRes 422 setting that came with Compressor in its summary page listed: "Width" and "Height" as "(100% of source)", the custom ProRes 422 (HQ) setting I'd just created has "Width" and "Height" as "320" and "240". In short the 19:9 aspect ratio of the original footage was lost. What I got both in the conversion and in Final Cut was a squished SD image.
    I've played like heck with Compressor trying to see if there was some place I could get this custom version of ProRes to correspond to the aspect ratio seen in the Audio Pass-through version that came loaded in Compressor. No luck. All very mysterious.
    My next step was to look to create another custom codec that would have the proper 1280 X 720 ratio. Turns out  "HDV 720p 30fps" does, so now I've been converting to that. Looks fine in Final Cut - proper picture and sound.
    I've been playing around a bit more and see now that I can create a custom setting using "Apple Intermediate Codec". I've tried it and it works too.
    So after all this, my question: Should I be using that codec instead? Or does it really matter what codec I use for editing? Is the only real issue what codec I decide to use to output?
    And while I'm at it: Does anybody have ideas why trying to create a custom setting with ProRes 422 (HQ) does not work - for my purposes at least.
    I must admit this converting codecs is pretty new to me. Hopefully with time this experience will get easier and clearer.
    John

    Setting a Compressor ProRes Custom Setting:
    1) Pick Apple ProRes 422...
    2) Drag the PreRes 422 setting to the Bach Window. You can only make a custom setting from the Batch Window...
    3) Select enable for the audio. Click on setting to make sure it is set right. Uncheck Allow Job Segmenting... Make sure Streaming is set to none*....
    4) Select the Geomenty tab... Pick Custom (16:9):
    5) Click Save As and name your custom setting...
    6) You new custom setting will show up in the Custum folder for later use:
    Another thing you can do is make Droplet of this custom setting. Menu... File... Create Droplet... Save the Droplet into a folder somewhere on your computer.
    A Droplet will start the transcoding automatically. Drag the Droplet onto a video icon and let it do it's job.
    * ProRes doesn't need the Fast Start setting. If this is set it will take almost twice as long to do the encoding. Same with Allow Job Segmenting using Qmaster.
    I did the above on the fly and hope everything is clear for you to understand.

  • How do I set up stereo audio tracks as default in Premiere using the ProRes 422 codec?

    Forgive me if this has been asked many times before. I have searched but can't find anything that explains it in language that doesn't require an advanced degree in computer engineering.
    I am a recent convert for our beloved FCP 7. I am learning to love Premiere dearly - but the audio part of it drives me nuts.
    I have exported from FCP a series of files as ProRes 422 movies with stereo audio tracks. I want to bring them into Premiere in the same way. But when I do it squashed everything into a single audio file.
    This plays havoc with the panning - especially in mixes that have stereo music mixes. Apart from that it just confuses me.
    Also. when I create a new project from scratch in Premiere and I select the custom ProRes 422 setting it only allows ProRes 422 mono audio. I don't see a codec for anything else (ie. stereo).
    Am I missing something?
    I have looked in all the preferences areas and can't find anywhere to change this. I just want to be able to import simple, basic two track audio (and have it show up the same)  as I would in FCP, ProTools and the myriad other editing programs I use.
    I also want to be able to set up a basic two track stereo timeline/sequence without having to reinvent the wheel.
    Many thanks for any help and your patience. I am slowly tearing my hair out and spending long periods sitting in the corner hugging my knees and weeping.
    My specs. Preferred editing codec: ProRes 422
    Premiere pro version CS6 (6.05)
    Thanks again.

    Go to the Project Panel, select all clips and rightclick/modify/audio channels.
    Set it to 2 tack and mono.
    When you drop the clip onto the timeline the stereo will come in on two tracks.
    You can also set this to default in the Preferences under Audio (before importing the clips) (Stereo set to mono).

  • FCP Apple PRORES 422 (HQ) setting-how to export?

    I am importing and dropping in scanned images from the storyboard into FCP and then importting and placing on the timeline some digital animated images which have been done in the format 1920x1080 24fps. They have been put through shake and we chose the setting Apple PRORES 422 (HQ) which I have then set the FCP settings to match that. Everything works fine in Final Cut but then when I export the timeline to make it into a Quicktime movie, the digital animated shots dont play properly, they like skip frames. Do you know anything about this and how I get it to play smoothly? I have tried everything I can think of and nothing is working!

    First off, ProRes HQ is VASTLY OVERKILL for converted flash video. That is for 10-bit high end formats. All you gain in using that over ProRes 422 is file size.
    Second, 640x432 is a non-standard frame size. 640x480 is more like it, but really, FCP would like to see 720x480. ProRes doesn't really work in RT with the dimensions you have.
    Convert the FLV to something like DV50 or just DV. but you have to get the right aspect ratio, or things will require rendering. Or better yet, get the MASTER footage, and not a flash video.
    Shane

  • Why doesn't iMovie use ProRes 422 or native instead of AIC

    Does anybody know why apple still uses AIC to transcode all captured video streams instead of ProRes 422? And why does it transcode in the first place? Why can't they use the native HDV or AVCHD streams?
    I know that using native HDV, and especially AVCHD, loads the processor with all the decoding, but it should at least be an option for high-end machines. HDV editing on FCP works fine and the storage requirements go down to between 1/3 and 1/8 of what it is with AIC and ProRes.
    I think the ideal workflow would be to capture in the native format, edit in the native format when no re-compression is necessary and only render to ProRes when effects/titles/filters are applied.
    Is it just too much development work or is there an architectural consideration from the development group to force everything through AIC for some reason?
    Is it a licensing issue? Does Apple pay royalties for ProRes for every FCP sale? Would it be prohibitively expensive to distribute ProRes with iLife?
    Obviously only someone from the iMovie group would be able to answer all of these questions but we may be able to gather some insights from the community to get a better picture.

    I understand that the iMovie and FCP teams at Apple have been, hitherto, completely independent.
    FCP was bought in - under a different original name - and tweaked from its original incarnation before being offered as 'Final Cut Pro' by Apple. See the section marked "History" in this Wikipedia article.
    iMovie, however, was written long ago to Steve Jobs' specifications by Glenn Reid as a simple video editor for amateurs.
    The ProRes codec appears to have been created separately from the Apple Intermediate Codec of iMovie ..probably because of different programmers' responsibilities for the separate programs ..although, under the 'Terms of Use', we're not supposed to speculate here in Apple Discussions.
    HDV and AVCHD, being extremely 'compressed' methods of storing video, similar to the MPEG-2 format used for squeezing long movies onto small DVDs, cannot be edited 'frame-accurately' directly, as most of the video frames rely on data stored in other frames for their content. In other words, the 1st frame of fifteen frames contains a whole frame's worth of data, but the next 14 contain only differences between the first frame of a group and the subsequent frames.
    So there needs to be a method to 'unscramble' or extract the data from the next few frames after the first of each group, in order to reconstitute the rest of the frames for editing them.
    AIC is the method used in iMovie. ProRes is the method chosen for FCP.
    It's interesting, though, that Randy Ubillos, now 'Chief Architect - Video Applications' at Apple, and the "onlie true begetter" of what later became Final Cut Pro, was the man who demonstrated iMovie '09 at last month's MacWorld Keynote. So if Randy's on hand to explain how to use iMovie, and created the new-style iMovie, then maybe we'll see some more convergence occur. (..iMovie has already taken on board FCP's "instant rendering", so that we no longer have to wait for transitions to be rendered within iMovie, but can see the results immediately. iMovie's real "behind the scenes" rendering now takes place during export, after after editing's finished..)

  • "Importer reported a generic error" message while importing ProRes 422 clip

    Hi all.  I am getting an "Importer reported a generic error" message when I try to import a ProRes 422, linear PCM clip into Premiere Pro CS6.  I have imported other ProRes 422 clips in previous projects without a problem, although those clips did not have the linear PCM codec included.  I have tried to solve the problem using advice on other forum threads.  Changing the file name did not work.  Removing underscores in the file name did not work either.  Copying the file and pasting to a different folder before re-importing did not work either.  The file DOES open in AE, but I am getting the error message without fail when I try to import into Premiere.  Any thoughts on how to remedy the situation?  FYI - I am still running version 6.0.0 of Premiere.  Thanks for your help!

    Try going to Help | Deactivate in Pr.  Close Pr.  Reboot.  Launch Pr and activate if requested.  That procedure has helped some users restore missing codecs and presets, maybe it'll help your Dynamic Link.
    Jeff

  • Help needed in exporting a ProRes 422 clip out of CS5 AE

    First, I have very limited skills in AE, but I just used it to rescue a scene from a high profile interview.  The subject had taken a sip of water that left a incredibly shiny reflective spot over is mouth and I was able to use the clone tool and paint over the affected frames.  I could probably have used the Motion Tracking tool and a mask...but I've probably learned the hard way. 
    So here's my question...
    This project started in Final Cut Pro.  The footage is 1080p 29.97 ProRes 422.   I duplicated the affected ProRes clip (about one minute) and started an AE project with it.  The clip resides as a layer in the composition.   The clone tool changes that I made are recorded in the Effects tab that is now part of the dropdown menu in the clip.   Although I probably should have done this on an adjustment layer (so it's non-destructive), but will make a note for next time.
    I have reviewed the clip in AE frame by frame and the results appear to be great.
    The question is...how do I get my corrected ProRes clip out of AE so I can use it in Final Cut?   Is the way that I did this did I end up baking in these changes to existing ProRes 422 clip and I don't have to render it, etc.?
    Or do i have to go in to the AE project and toggle something within the composition, highest quality, collapse something...and then possibly do a render output?   I want to end up with how it began...ProRes 422.
    Any detailed advice would be extremely helpful so I can preserve the high quality work I've done in AE!
    Thanks, John

    Well, I answered my own question.  Rendered out the clip with the lowless animation codec Quicktime movie.  Then used Apple's Compressor to convert it back to ProRes 422.  Brought it back into FCP and it looked great.   You can't tell any repair work has been done on the image.  
    I would have used Adobe's Media Encoder to convert it to ProRes, but from tests I've done previously, and in fact did a thread on it in Premiere's forum about one month ago, the Media encoder tends to slightly soften a ProRes image.  And this is something I've reported back to Adobe...along with a chroma tearing issue as it encodes back to ProRes.  Hopefully there will be a patch to correct this behavior.

  • Capture: DVCPRO HD 1080p30 vs Apple ProRes 422

    We shot a project at 1080p30, 29.97 fps. I'm wondering if I should capture this footage using the DVCPRO HD 1080p30 setting or the Apple ProRes 422 setting. And why would you recommend using one or the other.
    Thank you very much!

    I called AJA and they can do it with an Intel Mac Pro 3ghz dual core.

  • Prorez 422 vs DVCPro HD for capture

    I am producing a television show and need to decide on a capture codec. Does it make a difference in capturing between Prorez 422 or DVCPro HD? I will be doing a lot of keying and intense colors as the show is for children. Also some CGI for backgrounds. I know you can convert the codec but is there an advantage in capturing in one or the other. I am shooting with Panasonic HVX200 output from the uncompressed HD component out.
    Thanks,
    David Perry

    I like ProRes. It is nice, but you may find certain 10bit rendering errors with FCP that don't show up in 8bit CODECs. Alpha channels from still graphics seem to be the worse problems. Also some of the transparency modes don't really work right in 10bit. This isn't really the fault of the ProRes CODEC, but appears to be a problem with FCP 6 and all 10 color spaces.
    If you don't plan many transparent graphics, ProRES is awesome and I would recommend you use if if you have an uncompressed feed coming from the camera.
    I would only recommend ProRes if you have AJA Kona hardware. Only the top Kona cards seem to support it fully. My LHe card supports it but most io devices don't.
    The color space of the ProRes is very very nice. I've pushed a scene from a Varicam (captured via SDI into the Kona) by about 3 stops recently and was able to recover it without anybody knowing. It was slightly more grainy, but still very usable. DVCPro would not have taken this kind of abuse.

  • Does CC 2014 eliminate the need to have Final Cut Pro and/or Compressor installed to access Apple ProRes 422?

    Hello:
    Just today, I was working on a Mac system that does not have any of the applications that I would have expected to need to have installed in order to do more than just decompress movie files compressed with Apple ProRes 422.
    I was expecting to have to install Final Cut Studio 3, Final Cut Pro X, Compressor 4, and/or QuickTime 7 with the QuickTime Pro key; however, none of those applications are installed and I am able to create custom QuickTime Apple Pro Res422 Sequences in Premiere Pro as well as export using Apple ProRes 422.  After Effects and Adobe Media Encoder also show all the Apple ProRes variations.
    Does CC 2014 eliminate the need to have Final Cut Pro and/or Compressor installed to access Apple ProRes 422?  Is it something happening on the OS or QuickTime level that would affect CC or CS6 in the same way?
    I've done a web search, but haven't really come up with anything other than older articles about needing to have FCP installed (and I typically work on systems with Final Cut Studio 3 installed as well as CS6, CC, or CC 2014).  If more detailed information is available, it would be great to be able to read up on it.
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    Warren Heaton

    Hi Emil:
    I use ProRes all the time as well, but I have Final Cut Studio on my workstations.
    I had not come across MindPower009's YouTube video.  That explains how ProRes could be showing up without FCP or Compressor.
    So, the answer to my question would be, "No, CC 2014 does not eliminate the need to have Final Cut Pro and/or Compressor installed to access Apple ProRes 422; however, if you are willing to be in violation Apple's terms of use, you can install the ProRes codecs anyway."
    Even though MindPower009's YouTube video comments claim "FREE and LEGAL", it's clear from both the Apple download page and the ProRes codecs installer that Apple expects you to own at least one of their applications.
    Thanks again for the link!
    -Warren

  • ProRes 422 MOV files offline in Adobe Media Encoder 2014 (but online in Premiere)

    The question is NOT about exporting PreRes files from a Windows PC, which is what I keep finding in my searches.
    My client gave me ProRes 422 MOV files. I imported them into Premiere Pro CC 2014. I could see and edit them fine. But when I export them via Adobe Media Encoder, they appear to be offline. BTW, other media sources exported fine, such as the PNGs and JPGs I cut to. (I don't think it matters, but I'm attempting to make h.462 mp4s, which I do all the time, and have done with ProRes sources before using CC 2014.)
    I tried exporting a short video clip (using same ProRes 422 source) from Premiere and it worked fine. Why not Adobe Media Encoder? I need to encode batches of videos with ProRes sources overnight, so exporting from Premiere is not a good option.
    I'm on a Win 7 PC and I have QT Pro and iTunes (which I think also installs codecs).

    Everything seems to be working fine now, though I don’t know why. I did update my iTunes (which I’d rather not even have installed on my PC because I never use it, but removing it seems to mess things up). I’ll also make sure to keep my QT updated. I thought it was because I upgraded to the paid version a couple months ago hoping to fix a similar problem, but again, it seemed to get fixed when I updated iTunes.
    Thanks for getting back to me!
    Bill

  • Media Encoder changes the timecode when converting to Quicktime ProRes 422 (LT)

    After spending the majority of my day searching for a solution to this problem, I am hoping someone here will know how to resolve this issue.
    After encoding several hundred clips of various file types to ProRes 422 LT at 23.976fps in Media Encoder, we discovered that the timecode of the source clips and the LT clips varies significantly when we bring the quicktime clips into FCP 7 or Quicktime 7.  This is also creating issues for the EDL.
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    The timecode is off by several hours, not just a few frames. If we look at the LT clips in Premiere, the timecode seems to match the source clip. In Final Cut, not even close.
    Any ideas on where to start on this one?
    If we use RedCineX to convert the R3D files, things seem to work. Also, compressor seems to have correct results. We were hoping that media encoder would be the solution as it processes these clips much faster.
    We are looking for a solution that doesn't involve re-transcoding all of the footage.

    Two.
    First, this.
    http://help.adobe.com/en_US/premierepro/cs/using/WSd9957a95a81082eb28f05af5126718c47be-800 0.html
    Second, this.
    Customize or load keyboard shortcuts
    From the Set menu in the Keyboard Customization dialog box, choose the set of keyboard shortcuts you want to use in Premiere Pro:
    Adobe Premiere Pro Factory Defaults (Adobe Premiere Pro CS5)
    Adobe Premiere Pro CS5.5 (Adobe Premiere Pro CS5.5)
    Shortcuts For Avid Xpress DV 3.5 (Adobe Premiere Pro CS5)
    Shortcuts For Avid Media Composer 5 (Adobe Premiere Pro CS5.5)
    Shortcuts For Final Cut Pro 7.0

  • Adobe Media Encoder CC: Can I export to Apple ProRes 422 on a Mac?

    Hi folks,
    I tried to find some information about it, but couldn't really find a definite answer on this.
    Unfortunately, my Mac is getting fixed  as we speak, so  I can't try this out either...
    I want to convert mxf files (XDCAM HD 422 1080i 50, 50 Mbit/s with multiple Audio channels) to Apple ProRes 422 using Adobe Media Encoder CC.
    Simple question: Is that possible or do I need to look for a different workflow/converter?
    Thanks for your help!
    Jens
    PS: OS is Mavericks...

    Hi DataWrangler,
    Thanks for posting on Adobe Forums.
    Please download proress presets for Adobe Media Encoder from here : http://www.adobe.com/support/downloads/detail.jsp?ftpID=5411
    Please update if this helps.
    Regards,
    Sandeep

  • Why is the image brighter after converting H264 to Apple Prores 422 in Compressor ?

    Hello -
    Very strange situation, keep reading please!
    I am using Compressor to convert H264 1080p footage from a D600, to Apple Prores 422HQ for editing. Normal.
    I am using the default Quicktime Settings named "Apple Prores 422 (HQ)".
    The converted file is a bit brighter than the original... Why is this even possible! I find this a bit problematic because I'm loosing some details in the whites, at a way too early stage for signal alterationt!
    So I tried different other stuff that you will find interesting:
    • changing gamma correction in the codec settings had no effect
    • I can see the change happening already in the Preview window
    • and this is the best one : if I apply a resize, to anything, like 1919 X 1079, or 1280 X 720... then the color change does not occur, even when exported! If I apply a resize to the same size, then the output is brighter again.
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    I know this is a hot topic and there are many unsolved aberrations like this around this topic, but maybe there is something I don't get ?
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    Apple are so thoughful for making us loose the discussion we clicked on after we log in..
    Alex CVideo > I am so happy that you wrote about this
    Yes: this is the exact problem. Very nice screencap, this is exaclty it (even if I said it 2 times now).
    I have a little secret for you:
    I read in another discussion saying that he had this problem too.
    The only time I ever did in the entire Internet.
    here it is :
    this guy re-installed her entire system
    mac os + final cut systems
    and this time it worked.
    Right now I prefer to convert to 1079p than risk this entire operation even it it worked 100% lol
    At least not right now
    but maybe you will be boosted up enough to give it a try
    Good luck to all of us  and thanks again to Apple for these great moments we spend together talking about their wonderful mysteries

  • Any advantage in working in ProRes 422 start to finish

    Since it's possible to capture ProRes 422 via firewire now is there any advantage to working with it from start to finish? The workflow now has been capture and work in HDV and render to a ProRes Timeline when finished.
    I'd Like to hear some opinions on this subject. I know ProRess captured files are much larger than HDV captures so that's a consideration.
    Also Does ProRes run any smoother in FCP2 than HDV?

    I'm sure there are others, but two things come to mind right away:
    Since ProRes422 is 10-bit, it makes working in Color much more liberating.
    As best I can tell, rendering in in FCP is much quicker (even at the highest quality settings) with ProRes422 on a Mac Pro since it's a much more multi-thread friendly codec than HDV.

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