ProRes codec options unavailable in AE render

[CyranoConcepting]

I have FCP X, Motion and Compressor

Running Mountain Lion

New Mac Pro 12 core Xeon processors

And I'm using

Adobe CC

It works on my MacBook Pro laptop but not on my new desktop.

I repaired permissions, relaunched.

Only thing I can think of is that I migrated to a solid state drive using Carbon Copy Cloner and zeroed out the factory install of the OS.

Any help or ideas would be a great help and appreciated.

Thanks gang.

Scott

[Dave_LaRonde]

Sounds like you need a clean install: OS and application software.

There too many differences between a laptop and a desktop machine to rely on cloning a drive.

[CyranoConcepting]

Thanks for the response. I really appreciate it!

Thing is, I don't think I was clear about the cloning. I didn't clone the laptop system. I cloned the factory install with no CC or FCP/Motion/Compressor, just Mountain Lion, from the 1TB standard drive to the new solid state hard drive. Then, I deleted the info on the factory install drive.

So it's not that the system came from the laptop, it's just that I have the same set up on the laptop and it works great. However, the laptop OS is Lion, not Mountain Lion, as I read a lot of comments online that it was twitchy.

Again, thank you for taking the time to consider this. I love this community and am always impressed by how eager people are to help strangers solve problems like this.

Cheers!

Scott Brown

[Rick Gerard]

Do you have Apple Pro video apps installed like Motion? Without the Apple pro apps no ProRez.

[Tim Kurkoski]

Rick Gerard wrote:

Do you have Apple Pro video apps installed like Motion? Without the Apple pro apps no ProRez.

That's not true for After Effects CC (and Premiere Pro CC and AME CC) on Mac OS 10.8. On 10.8, the AE CC can render to ProRes codecs without needing to install Apple pro apps, because on 10.8 we can us the OS-native encoders.

Apple pro apps are necessary for access to ProRes on 10.7 or when using CS6 on any version of Mac OS because they install the required QuickTime component files.

Like Dave, I am suspicious that the cloned OS is causing the problem. Either that or you're using CS6 and haven't installed or properly licensed FCP on that machine.

[CyranoConcepting]

Thanks Tim,

Actually, I think the cloning may be an issue too. I'm going to try a clean reinstall of everything. However, NOT using CS6. It's definitely CC, as I downloaded the programs from the cloud onto the system. Not an install DVD in site. And a double check of the install (after reading your suggestion, as I have done more boneheaded things in the past than installing the wrong version of software from the cloud) confirms that it is indeed CC.

I think it may be the issue with the OS not playing nice with QT and After Effects. There are some threads about how there's trouble with the way Mountain Lion and After Effects interact. So I'm not sure.

Can't wait to get this going though. I've been rendering off of the laptop and wow, is it getting tiresome!

Thanks for taking the time to comment on this. All of you guys are great for helping out a stranger.

I'll try the clean reinstall of the works and let you all know how it goes!

Cheers,

Scott B

[CyranoConcepting]

Okay, I reinstalled the system software (Mountain Lion) from the App store on a reformatted drive, then reinstalled the video programs from CC via the CC desktop app. And it still didn't work.

So I reinstalled it again, and it didn't work. I tried everything I can think of and outputting to ProRes422 using codec options (which I need to meet a client's specific specs) is not happening on this system. Again, it's BRAND NEW. No aja card, no blackmagic anything. It's a clean slate. Final Cut Pro is current and licensed, so is Motion and Compressor.

Not sure this adds to the mystery, but there is no ProRes setting in CC Media Encoder.

I don't have ANY CS6 apps on the system and am completely stumped. The same software (AE CC and ProRes422 with codec options) works like a champ on my MacBook Pro laptop.

Here's my computer:

Mac Pro 2.4GHz 12-Core Intel Xeon
12 GB of RAM

one Crucial solid state drive, 240 GB

One WD Black 2 TB drive

One Toshiba 1TB that came with the machine

Mountain Lion 10.8.5

I have no other software installed other than the Apple Pro Apps and CC (Audition, Premiere, After Effects, Photoshop, Illustrator, Speed Grade, Flash, Bridge).

The software works fine on my laptop with Lion. Is this a Mountain Lion thing? Maybe?

I'm grasping at straws here.

Any help would be greatly appreciated. If not, is there a place to go to solve this mess? I NEED this machine working now. I honestly don't think the kids at the Apple store can swing this. Any ideas welcome.

And thanks guys!

[marq5_1]

Hi Cyrano,

am I getting this right; ProRes is working in Final Cut Pro, and Motion, but is not showing up as an export option for Ae, Pr or Media Encoder? Or is ProRes not working for FCP and Motion either?

[CyranoConcepting]

Actually, mostly right. I have Pro Res working fine with Final Cut and Motion/Compressor. The issue is when I go to render out of After Effects CC, I'm getting the ProRes 422 Codec just fine, just no 'Codec Options' button. It's grayed out. However, on my Powerbook setup, it works just fine and allows me to make the changes to ProRes (I have a client who needs 1080i ProRes Upper Field First).

I spent two hours on the phone with Apple Care today and after we worked with FCP X and QT, it seems to be a problem with CC. I have no idea why it would work on one system and not the other, and as far as I can tell no one else is having this issue. Also, this machine is brand new and I've simply been installing direct from the App Store and the Creative Cloud. So it should theoretically work. But nope... no ProRes 422 422 HQ or 422 Lite codec options. None with the Animation Codec either. Really confusing.

THANKS a million for taking the time to think on this. Hopefully an update fixes this. Until then, I'm going to have to devise a work around.

Cheers!

Scott B

[Tim Kurkoski]

Scott,

Please clarify the problem. It sounds like you are getting the ProRes codecs in AE. Is the problem that:

• You are not seeing all of the flavors of ProRes?
• The Codec Settings button is not enabled?

Here's what I see:

• I have FinalCut's ProRes codecs installed on my 10.7 machine, but not on my 10.8 machine.
• On both my 10.7 and 10.8 machines, I see all of the expected ProRes flavors in After Effects CC: Apple ProRes 422, Apple ProRes 422 (HQ), Apple ProRes 422 (LT), Apple ProRes 422 (Proxy), and Apple ProRes 4444.
• On my 10.7 machine, the Codec Settings button is functional for all of these codecs. On my 10.8 machine, it is not enabled.

My machines show the expected result. More on that in a moment.

If this matches your experience, then AE and AME are operating as expected.

Why do you need to access the Codec Settings dialog for ProRes in AE? It sounds like you're trying to write interlaced video, which doesn't require the Codec Settings dialog.

• To create interlaced video from AE, open the Render Settings and change Field Render to the desired value.
• To create interlaced video from AME, change the Field Order in the Video tab of the Export Settings dialog.

Here's why this is the expected result: the difference in how Adobe video apps handle ProRes betwen 10.7 and 10.8 is due to a change we made that allows us to use the ProRes encoders that are built into 10.8. On 10.7, and in CS6 and older versions, we can encode to ProRes only if the ProRes QuickTime component files are installed by FinalCut (or Motion or Compressor). But on 10.8, After Effects CC (and AME CC and Premiere Pro CC) bypasses that requirement and gets the encoders by using an API available via the OS; you don't have to install the Apple applications. The side effect here is that there's no access to the Codec Settings dialog; my understanding is that the 10.8 API doesn't give us access to that (meaning Apple removed it from the native encoder in 10.8).

The Animation codec doesn't enable the Codec Settings dialog, either. Most QuickTime codecs don't, and when they do it is usually a remnant of obsolete workflows. (For example, many eons ago some applications couldn't set the interlacing flag inside of the QuickTime file. The user would be expected to set the value for the codec by using the Codec Settings dialog.)

[CyranoConcepting]

Wow, that's awesome! I did have Final Cut's codecs installed on both machine's, but wasn't aware of the difference between Mountain Lion and Lion. Your explanation was excellent. Previously, I had just selected interlacing from the codecs dialogue box and when that was gone, I didn't know what could have been the issue. Thanks for clarifying that!

Again, I love the fact that you guys took time out of your busy days to help. I greatly appreciate your efforts.

All the best!

Scott B

[jaybeferg]

I have a similar problem, but the codec settings button is greyed out in Media Encoder during creation of a prores preset. The reason I want to access it is to turn off gamma correction. This is an important feature. Do you know of a worksround through Media Encoder? Thanks.

[Tim Kurkoski]

The same applies to AE and AME:

1. If you have the ProRes QuickTime components installed, you get access to the Codec Settings button.
2. If you do not have the ProRes QuickTime components installed, and you are on 10.8 or 10.9, you do not get access to the Codec Settings button.
3. If you do not have the ProRes QuickTime components installed, and you are on 10.7 or earlier, you do not get access to the ProRes codecs at all.

I've asked someone who knows better to clarify, but my understanding is that by using the new API available under 10.8 to access ProRes, Apple simply doesn't make the Codec Settings available.

[Drew_599]

I'm having the same problem, not being able to access the Codec Settings button. I have the QT Codecs installed and the Codec Settings button is turned on in AME CS6 but not in AME CC. I want to use it in the CC version of course. What could be the solution here? Should I un-install AME CS6 and then maybe it will give me access to that Codec Settings button in AME CC?

[Tim Kurkoski]

Should I un-install AME CS6 and then maybe it will give me access to that Codec Settings button in AME CC?

No. The presence of AME CS6 has no relationship to the Codec Settings button in AME (or AE) CC.

The CC applications use ProRes natively (without requiring the ProApps codecs package) on 10.8 and 10.9 and will not enable Codec Settings button under any circumstance. Only in CS6 with the ProApps codecs package, or in CS6 or CC under 10.7 will you see the Codec Settings button enabled for ProRes.

What setting do you need inside the codec settings dialog and why? The information I have from our developers is that the settings there aren't relevant any more.

[Drew_599]

I want access to the automatic gamma control in the ProRes settings. That's the only reason why I want to get into that Codec Settings button.

[Tim Kurkoski]

Drew_599 wrote:

I want access to the automatic gamma control in the ProRes settings. That's the only reason why I want to get into that Codec Settings button.

Why do you need access to that setting?

I hate to repeat myself, but: The information I have from our developers is that the settings there aren't relevant any more.

[Drew_599]

From what I have seen, when you leave the gamma set to automatic it can make the picture look more washed out. I'll do some tests myself and see if there really is a difference or not. But from what I remember seeing there was a difference.

[Tim Kurkoski]

From what I have seen, when you leave the gamma set to automatic it can make the picture look more washed out.

We have fixed all the gamma issues with QuickTime that we know about.

Please try exporting to ProRes without the codec settings controls. If you have a problem with gamma shifts, please file a bug.

[CyranoConcepting]

I do, actually. In fact, I started them up and ran them to make sure they were installed and working correctly.

Still, no luck!

Thanks though, that was a good suggestion. And it wasn't something I knew already. I just coincidentally installed FCP and Motion on the new computer. So knowing this is an issue helps.

Thanks!

Scott B

[ericmlevy]

I have the same problem. It leads to a gamma shift in the exported video.

[HarleyTDavis]

‌has anybody on cc tried this:

1.  move the quicktime components to a desktop folder, removing them from they system folder

2.  hack-install the older quicktime components for prores

3.  restart

4.  open ae and render pro res,  check if settings button works

5.  if settings button works, render a few seconds of footage and adjust settings as needed save close ae

6.  move original qt components back to system folder, repeat the same render and atempt to adjust settings

the theory here is that you can force ae to pick up the older api that will allow the settings to be changed.  if you have a pro app from apple, you already have license to the prores, and putting the older into your system is simply including an older version of the components for compatibility across your workflow.

as for gamma shift...  some retina models produce this shift more heavily than others.  calibrate your monitors, and remember that the gamma of prores is tailored for an older color space and lower dpi.  remember that gamma shifts can occur if pro res detects that a transcode is coming from a format that it believes is using an older colorspace, even if its a newer version of the container.

i dont have cc so i cannot test on my own.  but using only the freely available portion of the api seems like it limits access to key features of the api, even when the full one is licensed.  if there were a way to copy settings files from ame to ae this would mean less issue, but it would be better to simply use codecs registered with ame when they are not standard inclusion, and have people download settings for ame when they have the codec installed.  this worked prfect for CS6.  i didnt have to mess with it to get it to just work after importing the set.  it seems adobe and apple are experimenting way too much right now for me to try an upgrade.  im not paying evey month for software that acts like its still in beta.