Arg!!! MP4's

[Matt82au]

Originally Posted by tom_lowe

Errr - ProRes IS a QuickTime format. There's no such thing as just a "QuickTime". If I employed people who had such a huge lack of knowledge about video in this day and age, they'd be out on their ear!

I apparently have not made myself clear...

The issue I am having is that for me to get to a Pro-Res encoded .mov file from a received .mp4 file, 50% of the time I need to open the .mp4 firstly in Quicktime X, and convert it using one of their standard 1080p or 720p options. This creates a .mov file which is more friendly to encode using quicktime pro 7, or Mpeg Steamclip without errors.

Also, I have plenty of clients requesting "quicktimes". Which is pretty much known to be a compressed H264 file in a .mov wrapper. In my world it is a common thing, especially when differentiating between needing a .mp4, an .avi or even a .mpg. Who knows.. maybe no one likes saying the word MOV to me?

[tom_lowe]

Originally Posted by Matt82au

I apparently have not made myself clear...

The issue I am having is that for me to get to a Pro-Res encoded .mov file from a received .mp4 file, 50% of the time I need to open the .mp4 firstly in Quicktime X, and convert it using one of their standard 1080p or 720p options. This creates a .mov file which is more friendly to encode using quicktime pro 7, or Mpeg Steamclip without errors.

Also, I have plenty of clients requesting "quicktimes". Which is pretty much known to be a compressed H264 file in a .mov wrapper. In my world it is a common thing, especially when differentiating between needing a .mp4, an .avi or even a .mpg. Who knows.. maybe no one likes saying the word MOV to me?

Odd, I've never had an issue with an H264 in an MP4 wrapper, but then again I do use Adobe Media Encoder. FWIW all the QuickTime X "standard" 1080P and 720P options just create an H.264 only in a MOV wrapper with no control over the compression. Also, saying "QuickTime" does not mean "H.264 in a MOV wrapper". People not knowing that QuickTime is simply a wrapper and not a CODEC/type of video really need to learn the basics.

[Matt82au]

Originally Posted by tom_lowe

Odd, I've never had an issue with an H264 in an MP4 wrapper, but then again I do use Adobe Media Encoder. FWIW all the QuickTime X "standard" 1080P and 720P options just create an H.264 only in a MOV wrapper with no control over the compression. Also, saying "QuickTime" does not mean "H.264 in a MOV wrapper". People not knowing that QuickTime is simply a wrapper and not a CODEC/type of video really need to learn the basics.

Very odd and very annoying!Slows down the process a little bit. It seems to be more common with AVC encoded mp4 files I think. And you are correct in saying that Quicktime X is NOT converting it again, as it is an extremely fast process to create the intermediate file for conversion to ProRes.

If that was the worst example of client technical comprehension, I would consider myself blessed! but alas...

[tom_lowe]

Originally Posted by Matt82au

Very odd and very annoying!Slows down the process a little bit. It seems to be more common with AVC encoded mp4 files I think. And you are correct in saying that Quicktime X is NOT converting it again, as it is an extremely fast process to create the intermediate file for conversion to ProRes.

If that was the worst example of client technical comprehension, I would consider myself blessed! but alas...

All H.264 files are AVC (this often throws people, like how x264 is also the same), however sometimes the name of the CODEC comes up as AVC instead of H.264. It tends to be the H.264 CODEC that Sony and Nero use that calls itself AVC. I think there's a variant in this CODEC which the original QuickTime one didn't like.

[fork-media]

ha! great u guys having this discussion.. came here to ask about a related issue

I use mpegstreamclip to convert my Mp4/whatever QTimes ( as supplied ) to DV

but I have tried looking at mp4 directly in PT - actually for some things the picture is sharper.. ( especially on say white againt pale brown )

but my machine seems to struggle a bit.. ( bit laggy on jog an shuttle etc )


any recomendation for a codec to use 'on screen ' - retainin the sahrpness with the 'fuzziness' of DV

DV has advantage of low load on computer it seems... but really miss the hardware decode!

[Craig F]

photoJPEG for HD
MPEG for SD

[Frank Kruse]

Originally Posted by fork-media

any recomendation for a codec to use 'on screen ' - retainin the sahrpness with the 'fuzziness' of DV

DNxHD36 1080P has about the size of DV (4-5GB/reel) at a given length but is full HD. Works great with PT either as QT or MXF (PT11).

[Danny Caccavo]

Originally Posted by Craig F

photoJPEG for HD
MPEG for SD

FWIW, although it suited many of us well in the past I would start moving away from PhotoJPEG. Apple is deprecating it, and Avid only supports it as AVE, not natively.