Quicktime Support

[Reto]

Hi All,

We have *just* purchased our VT and coming from a strong mac design studio, integrating the very fantastic toaster is somewhat of a surprise. Difficult, even. Do the developers intend Quicktime Support? What is the workaround for us mac users?

Regards,
Reto.

[Dan Hong]

The missing Quicktime component is a licensing issue with Apple. The work around is to import QT sequences into Aura and export them as RTV files. The reverse is also true if you need to export QT files. There are a lot of intermediary steps you can take as well. Most of the Mac apps will export into other formats (the Toaster will read and save any codec that you have installed on the computer), and QT will import a lot of different file types.

[Reto]

Thank you for your reply Dan. Much appreciated. I know first hand how difficult licensing is, esp. Apple.

I'll use the .png sequence workaround for the moment.

But I fear I have another question relating to the sequence that I must ask elsewhere.

Kind Regards,
Reto.

[jdavidbakr]

The missing Quicktime component is a licensing issue with Apple.
This doesn't make any sense to me, if you can't get a license to have QT import into VT then how do you get a license to import it into Aura?

We are seriously considering VT3 for use in a live environment and the primary thing that is causing hesitation for us is the whole QT jump through hoops aspect, as we have FCP on the Mac, and all our graphics are done in QT as well. We are going to have to probably lay the FCP projects to tape (Aura apparently doesn't do audio, and we really don't want the time consuming process of converting several different times anyway), and that means buying an additional DV-CAM deck; for clips that we have an alpha channel for we will have to do a QT through Aura or image sequence, and then export the audio and marry them in VT Edit - something that would be so easy to avoid with a QT import. This is definitely a feature request that I must strongly echo.

[AntAT]

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[RomainR]

Can't you use avi files? Quicktime support avi files doesn't it?

[jdavidbakr]

After Effects will export to AVI files (though not through the render queue), but they apparently don't export with an alpha channel.

[Danner]

I have encoded DV with the toaster, sent to FCP on a mac and it reads them correctly. DV clips from a mac have worked too, (one did, another didn't) just changed the .mov extension to .avi go figre..

[Reto]

Hi Guys,

Since my post, it's been some time with the Toaster. Through version 3 beta and then 3 update the easiest Quicktime integration is on your mac side.

I use export AVI uncompressed (the drawback here is you can't get small file sizes), and they play directly on the timeline.

It would be fantastic if quicktime were supported because of new fast small uncompressed codecs that have recently appeared.

But the AVI works for now.

R.

[jdavidbakr]

We tried doing an AVI with an alpha channel but the alpha channel didn't come in; we were successful bringing in .mov file with an alpha and then exporting .rtv's for the DDR, but that is a lot of extra work and when a deadline is looming it makes it nearly impossible...

[bradl]

One of the fixes in Patch 1 for VT3 was correct handling of alpha in AVI sequences.

[AntAT]

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[eon5]

any "official" answer to this question will be great ;)

[AntAT]

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[DonN]

A render is a render. What's the problem.

The few sec's it takes to SAve the avi wrapped project and load into Aura or Mirage - no pre-loading - where the render to QT takes place, can't be a real issue. Seriously, what's the beef?
Don

[Adam_LightPlay]

My beef is using .mov clips. I couldn't care less about redering a MOV.
But Digital Juice is offering a great buyout stock footage set. For some reason, it's in Apple's greedy, propriatary format instead of the open AVI standard. The DJ salesman recomended using their "Juicer", to do the conversion from MOV to AVI. I'm leary of that for hundreds of clips. The last time I used Juicer it was just slightly faster than a snail on quaaludes traveling thru molasses, on a cold day, uphill, against the wind, you get the picture. :-)

[AntAT]

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[ted]

I'm not really defending NewTek, (well, sort of).
VT3 does support several formats, better then many systems.

While I could really use QT in/out also due to our biggest client needs every project e-mailed as a QT for approval, we've just learned to deal with it.

If QT was our bread and butter, I'd probably have purchased FCP. Not every system can do it all.

I'm sure NewTek sees the need and I'm lobbying them often as well as several of us here. I'm sure in time they will overcome the QT issue and we'll be that much better off. I too hope it's sooner then later.

[Jim_C]

I've heard mentionings it's because of some color space/real time issue and I've heard ramblings it's licensing costs.

Just a thought, but could it be that Apple wants a grandiouse chunk of change to license support, and untiil the T2/3/4 puts some serious profit in Newtek's pocket, quicktime is on hold?

Of course I really have no idea what I am talking about just babbling away.

Jim

[vanguard]

We send our spec's out via .wmv files to our clients.

It plays on their systems, and is small enough to E-mail.

We don't use QT for anything... ever....

Of course we've somehow managed to stay in the Video-Biz for 26 years without a Mac in the house....

Hmmmmmm.....

[Jean]

I'm using Radtool's bink encoder.

http://www.radgametools.com/bnkmain.htm

very light, preserves the contrast and colors (usefull when your need an OK on a graphic package's look).

and plays everywhere. No need for a player under win platforms (it's an ".exe" which contains the player and the codec) can be played on a Pentium 300 / 64 mo ram. (Usefull when you'r having middle ages clients)

you need to install a player for mac :(