PT 2023.13.1 Video Playback

[rogercollege]

Since upgrading to PT 2023.13.1 and OS 13.16.1, imported videos do not play. No issues before software updates on the same machine. Have tried a couple ideas found on the boards but nothing has worked.

Trying to import QT H.264, AAC. Never had issues until after the OS and PT update

Please help

2.5 GHz 28-Core Intel
Xeon W
AMD Radeon Pro
W5700X 16 GB
384 GB 2933 MHz

[rogercollege]

To add in case anyone from AVID is watching. I purchased an ASC that doesn't appear anywhere on my Avid profile. Can't even pay them to help me

[Eric Lambert]

Are you sure you're using 2023.13? PT follows the months and there is no 13th month. The only reference I see to this version on Google is a crack.

[its2loud]

the 13th month is when everyone's Pro Tools stops working because they're using h264 video in the session.

In all seriousness, none of your version numbers make sense.

There's also no OS version 13.16.1

[rogercollege]

Ugh. frustration leading to too many typos

Running...

PT 2023.12.1
OS 13.6.1

I get playback when I convert the original QuickTime movie file to MPEG-4 movie file. Same codecs. It's a workaround for now...

[its2loud]

This might come down to an issue with how the h264 was encoded. It’s good practice to never work with h264 in Pro Tools. ProRes and DNXHD are the preferred codecs. The fact that it works re-encoded as mpeg4 kind of goes to prove this about your original file.

Some video engine tweaks were made in 2024.3 so you should probably start a case and keep that original h264 to send to Avid.

In the mean time, use Shutter Encoder to convert all your h264 videos to either of the above mentioned formats.

[Eric Lambert]

Originally Posted by its2loud

This might come down to an issue with how the h264 was encoded. It’s good practice to never work with h264 in Pro Tools. ProRes and DNXHD are the preferred codecs. The fact that it works re-encoded as mpeg4 kind of goes to prove this about your original file.

This. Although I often get h264 files to work I do find that the odds of them exhibiting a problem of some sort inside PT are very high. Editors export a varying degree of quality with their file -- some are solid and some are simply too compressed -- but converting to DNxHD helps filter out some issues, and it's a format PT is happier with.

[rogercollege]

Thanks for the help

[smurfyou]

Originally Posted by Eric Lambert

This. Although I often get h264 files to work I do find that the odds of them exhibiting a problem of some sort inside PT are very high. Editors export a varying degree of quality with their file -- some are solid and some are simply too compressed -- but converting to DNxHD helps filter out some issues, and it's a format PT is happier with.

Exactly the issue with MP4s. People can say they're happy to use them and our advice is wrong but there's simply too many variables that affect performance. Having a house standard format with perfect compatibility and repeatable performance just makes sense.

What doesn't make sense is after all this time Avid can't give us a built-in automatic video conversion. It could launch a diffent process and run in the background while we're looking at the timeline mess we're given. We can dream.

[Eric Lambert]

Originally Posted by smurfyou

Having a house standard format with perfect compatibility and repeatable performance just makes sense.

It makes total sense, I just wish that the pro codecs (i.e. DNxHD) didn't have such massive file sizes. It's not bad for :30 and :60 ads but for online videos and short films these consume a lot of bits.