HD Compatible Files

[Videonut]

I have been trying different file formats to drop onto the timeline. I used a HD Digital Juice in an uncompressed avi format and it will not go drop onto the timeline and I also used the .mov file right off the DVD and it still does not allow me to drop it onto the timeline. I thought maybe it was something flakey so I opened Vegas 7 and it had no problem with the .mov file but not the avi so maybe there was something wrong there. Any ideas from anyone on which file types will work in SE from Digital Juice HD? Or am I missing something.

[ScorpioProd]

Ah, depends which QT codec...

I use the DJ JumpBacks HD and they use the QT PictureJPEG codec, and I can drop them in SpeedEDIT. They aren't good for real-time playback, at least on my system, so I convert them to SpeedHQ instead, but they do let me drop them in SpeedEDIT.

[Randy Rouse]

I have had success with the JPEG version of Quick Time but not the PNG version. Digital Juice products make use of both. It seems that if the clip contains an alpha channel they choose the PNG format; makes sense. I have been rendering the PNG format to the SpeedHQ format with the alpha and they are useable in speededit.

[ScorpioProd]

With the Juicer 2, right Randy? No different than rendering to RTV+alpha for the VT.

[Randy Rouse]

Right. I use the Juicer, or Mirage if it is already running. If SpeedEDIT would recognize the PNG Quick Time fromat, I think you could convert in the file bin.

[Videonut]

I use the DJ JumpBacks HD and they use the QT PictureJPEG codec, and I can drop them in SpeedEDIT. They aren't good for real-time playback, at least on my system, so I convert them to SpeedHQ instead, but they do let me drop them in SpeedEDIT.

So Eugene, are you telling me that you can cut and paste the file right off the DVD and they will drop onto the timeline? Or do you render them in the Juicer?

[Videonut]

Eugene,

Just a follow up to the above message. You convert them to SpeedHQ and what is that? Is that the SpeedEDIT codec and where do I find that?

Also just tried the Juicer with the files in the Photo JPEG QT codec and worked fine-thanks.

[ScorpioProd]

So Eugene, are you telling me that you can cut and paste the file right off the DVD and they will drop onto the timeline? Or do you render them in the Juicer?

Yup, just copy them from the DVD. It's A LOT quicker than actually rendering from the Juicer 2.

[ScorpioProd]

Eugene,

Just a follow up to the above message. You convert them to SpeedHQ and what is that? Is that the SpeedEDIT codec and where do I find that?

Also just tried the Juicer with the files in the Photo JPEG QT codec and worked fine-thanks.
SpeedHQ is the new Newtek codec that comes with SpeedEDIT. It's the replacement for NT25, which was their 4:2:2 codec that came with VT[4] 4.6.

SpeedHQ is a full 4:2:2 codec useable in SD or HD resolutions, and it also has an optional alpha channel available as well.

SpeedHQ is a normal AVI codec, so any program that can read or write AVIs can use it just like any other.

The Juicer 2 should be able to render directly to SpeedHQ. You would just pick that codec after picking AVI in the Juicer 2.

Myself, I just right click on the QT Photo-JPEG clips in SpeedEDIT's file bin and choose "Convert/Render", and pick AVI and the SpeedHQ preset for 1080i.

Again, I'm only converting to SpeedHQ to get real-time playback. On a more powerful machine, the QT Photo-JPEG may be real-time in SpeedEDIT, but I don't know personally.

[wvp]

SpeedHQ is (currently) only available to people who pre-purchased the speedEdit upgrade and have downloaded the program.
You will need the SpeedHQ codec installed on each pc that you want to play video's that use this codec.

[paulfierlinger]

Doesn't this mean then, for all intents and purposes, SpeedHQ is just an off-line, interim codec to edit in SE with, but for purposes of delivery of your project into the hands of the end user, you must replace all your SpeedHQ clips with your original source clips?

[rbartlett]

Another post (either here or at Yahoo Groups, VTNT) did give mention to NewTek offering the SpeedHQ codec sometime soon. So there is little or no limitation with going forward with SpeedHQ for HD resolution work IMHO.


If I were NewTek I'd ask for a nominal charge to provide access to a download and I'd expect to see a non-redistributable license to prevent it from being used too far from the purchasing public. The alternative is to encourage access to be made via any purchased product. Be it anything that gives you a registration license in the current or historical product set. So even folks with Amiga LW, VideoToaster, DigiView Gold, DigiPaint, Vidget or Aura1.0 could gain access. Although that purchasing info may have been lost since moving to San Antonio.

I don't think it is too bad to give it away for free, but I don't see why they should. Cineform, Pegasys, Sony and Avid all essentially charge for their offline/DI formats.

[wvp]

Doesn't this mean then, for all intents and purposes, SpeedHQ is just an off-line, interim codec to edit in SE with, but for purposes of delivery of your project into the hands of the end user, you must replace all your SpeedHQ clips with your original source clips?
Well if I'm correct Paul (and I don't see how something rendered using the speedHQ codec can play on a computer that does not have the codec), most end users would likely get a dvd or some web format file anyway. In other words, edit in speedHQ and then render the project out to whatever format the end user needs. (or give the speedHQ codec to your partner if you need to share specific clips).
thats my thinking, but I could be wrong

[paulfierlinger]

In other words, edit in speedHQ and then render the project out to whatever format the end user needs.But why put the product through extra conversions. Suppose I was to deliver a DVD of a :30 TV spot to an Agency's lab. The labs usually are OK with a lossless QT, which QT-Animator is. If I were to render my Mirage project to SpeedHQ and once done editing, render out of SE as a QT puts one extra re-rendering in the chain. Wouldn't I be better off staying with QT all the way?

Coming to think of it now, if I stayed with QT all the way, I'd still be rendering twice so maybe it either makes no difference, or going from SpeedHQ to QT makes for better quality than going from QT to QT again?

[Randy Rouse]

I think the real advantage of using a newtek codec is it seems to be optimized for real time performance.

[paulfierlinger]

I think the real advantage of using a newtek codec is it seems to be optimized for real time performance.Which is the reason why I have put all my faith in SE and paid for it sight unseen and untested. This week then.....:D

[ScorpioProd]

But remember, we're talking about real-time performance, not uncompressed quality.

Back in the SD world with VT, doing stuff in LW, you could render out to sequences of uncompressed stills, or generate an RTV based animation, and either way it was uncompressed. And in VT[4], depending on your host PC, either may be able to give you real-time performance, but it would be a lot easier for RTV to play back in real-time.

In the HD world, you can still render out to a sequence of uncompressed stills, or to an uncompressed animation format. But the odds of getting either of those to play back in real-time aren't too good. Maybe with top-of-the-line hardware you could, but I'm not certain. While if you compress the animation to SpeedHQ, you will definately get real-time playback in SpeedEDIT with any decent PC.

But again, SpeedEDIT is a compressed format. So other than for seeing your animations playing in real-time, I don't think you'd really want to use it to generate your output if you're going to film. SpeedHQ is a great quality codec in HD, but uncompressed is always going to look best for CGI.

Of course, another thing that SpeedHQ does support, which RTV wouldn't have is 24p.

[Videonut]

The Juicer 2 should be able to render directly to SpeedHQ. You would just pick that codec after picking AVI in the Juicer 2.

Myself, I just right click on the QT Photo-JPEG clips in SpeedEDIT's file bin and choose "Convert/Render", and pick AVI and the SpeedHQ preset for 1080i.

So Eugene, I assume that you put SE on your VT machine. I did uncover the SpeedHQ setting in the Juicer. I do have SE on another lesser capable machine to try it out and have not registered yet because I am undecided if I don't want to put it on my VT computer which is a new twin dual core machine.

[ScorpioProd]

So Eugene, I assume that you put SE on your VT machine. I did uncover the SpeedHQ setting in the Juicer. I do have SE on another lesser capable machine to try it out and have not registered yet because I am undecided if I don't want to put it on my VT computer which is a new twin dual core machine.

Yup, on my VT machine.

Thing is, you're not really seeing what SE can do if you don't put it on powerful hardware.

Remember, there is NO PROBLEM getting Newtek to switch your registration to a different computer later.

Once VT[5] comes out in the future, you can move the stand-alone SpeedEDIT elsewhere.

[Videonut]

Eugene,

How is the SE behaving with the sound and also with the QT sound problem that the VT hardware has with the system or do you use onboard sound or another sound card? But I also am with you about putting it on my main editing machine to see how it performs.

[ScorpioProd]

No sound problems here.

But you need to remember, SpeedEDIT 1.0 does NOT work with the VT card audio I/O. You MUST have another audio card or on-board audio in order to use SpeedEDIT.

I use my on-board audio. Also note that using your on-board audio for SpeedEDIT doesn't interfere with the VT card audio being used with VT[4] on the same system.