Smooth Video on 3rd Monitor

[FlorianE]

It makes little sense to first convert & export to H264 from editing, then reconvert to something more suitable in audio post. Wasting time and quality.
DNxHD is an Avid Codec, and will export fast (faster than H264) in the edit facility. Its DNxHD36 variant is not much bigger in size than the old DV codec used to be. For a 45min show, I'd expect around 12 GB or so.
But, if you do have to convert picture in audio post: is nobody using ffworks & ffmpeg? small, fast, cheap, and does batch.

[Leverson]

I forgot to also mention, play your video from a separate hard drive from your project session. That helps smooth plackback as well.

In my setup I've got all my video files playing back from a thunderbolt SSD drive, and my Pro Tools sessions on a separate external drive, and of course all my Pro Tools software installed on the computer's internal SSD drive.

[dalonso66]

Thanks Leverson, I've been doing the way that you mentioned for years, although, I currently don't have an SSD drive installed... that's certainly worth looking into.

I've done several transcode tests using suggestions from this thread but none have given me the results I was hoping for. I'm now looking into being supplied with a better quality video from the editors.

This isn't fatal, I can go on working with the quality I've been working with for many years. Heck, I used to just work with a little quicktime window on the 2nd monitor. But now that I'm in a 3 monitor configuration with a much better GPX card, I'm just trying to get the full screen video to another level and I think I'll get there.

[originalscottyg]

Originally Posted by FlorianE

But, if you do have to convert picture in audio post: is nobody using ffworks & ffmpeg? small, fast, cheap, and does batch.

iFFMpeg user here. It's pretty fast. Definitely faster than QT or MP SC.

[Fish Horse]

It's worth checking your adapters and cabling too. I've had improved video performance on the 3rd screen when I inserted a HDMI audio embedder with different cables. I think it has to do with the extra metadata (type of monitor, resolution etc.) being sent over hdmi/dvi cabling.

[dalonso66]

I think it was an interlacing issue. I did an Mpeg Streamclip transcode using the DNx HD45 (1080/29.97) codec and unchecked Interlaced Scaling, then checked Deinterlace Video. I've attached a screenshot of the setting. The resulting 45 minute file was 15 gigs and played great.

[michaelfbates]

Originally Posted by minister

We now use Edit Ready. WAY Faster than MPEG Streamclip (but, to be fair, MPEG SC is free and hasn't been updated in years) or QT. You can do presets, batch, resize, adjust data rate. for only 50 bucks!

https://www.divergentmedia.com/editready

Just wanted to say thanks minister for this recommendation, bought Edit Ready just before Christmas and really love it.

Very straight forward to use and so much quicker than MPEG Streamclip! Saved me so much time already so thank you to the developers and to you for the tip.