Using Media Encoder 2017 with AE 2018?

[Blue Guerilla]

I am trying to encode some compositions made with AE 2018, and need to use Media Encoder 2017, and can't seem to find a way. I get a Dynamic Link error every time I try to either export from AE, or just by dragging a composition into ME.

Encoding .mov with a third party codec is my primary workflow (HAP or .h264 codec within a .mov wrapper for media server playback), and of course Adobe decided no one needs that functionality anymore, which makes ME 2018 completely useless for me. To have to encode into an intermediate codec, and then import into ME 2017 is not a fix - as it almost doubles my render time.

Is there any way to do this? Why would Adobe break things so badly?

[Kyle Hamrick · Accepted solution]

I don't believe it's possible for dynamic link to work across versions like you're attempting.

Adobe didn't haphazardly make this decision just to inconvenience you.
Apple stopped supporting these older Quicktime formats, which means that eventually that would have repercussions for other production software. Dropped support for Quicktime 7 era formats and codecs

If you must continue using these formats, AfterCodecs may be a good solution for you.
Alternatively, you could keep an older version of AE + AME installed for projects requiring those formats.

[David Arbor]

Kyle's correct, you can't use Dynamic Link across different versions (and for good reason). Also, are you sure that exporting an intermediate format and then converting will almost double your render time?

Exporting directly to H.264 from Ae is going to be slower than exporting directly to ProRes, Cineform, or DNxHD. Then, once you have that flattened, I-Frame file, converting to H.264 will likely be real-time or faster. I never export from Ae to H.264 via AME because it's so slow.

[Roland Kahlenberg]

"you can't use Dynamic Link across different versions (and for good reason)" - and what is this good reason?

I'm curious. 😉

AFAIK, there is no good reason to create a system that disallows backward compatibility, from the onset.

[David Arbor]

Dynamic Link gets updated just like the rest of the software, so having version mismatch could cause issues with connecting comps. That's not to say that it's not possible. I've gotten different versions to work with older versions of AME by simply having them open in the background before sending a comp to it, but it's not a good idea. Also, I feel like Dynamic Link backwards compatibility would be a waste of development resources. I would argue that most people are on the same versions of Pr, Ae, and AME—not necessarily the same version as everyone else, but on their own machine each is more likely to be the same than different.

As for disconnecting those codecs from everything except AME, I think that would have added just as much confusion and is a seemingly pointless exercise. If you still have access to them in CC 2017 then you should just use that. Confusion was created because people didn't read release notes when they upgrade. I know most people don't do that, but it's our responsibility as users to know what we're installing. There are plenty of things the Creative Cloud Desktop App could do to make updates more transparent (and people should file feature requests for those, such as disabling the "uninstall previous versions" button by default), but that's an issue for that app.

[Roland Kahlenberg]

It would have been preferable to disconnect AE and PPro from QT legacy CODECS but allowed for AME to continue supporting the disaffected CODECs for at least one more major update to DVA apps. This would have provided sufficient context to users while allowing them time and resource to take corrective/preventive action.

[Blue Guerilla]

Well, I realize Adobe didn't do this just to inconvenience me (and thousands of other users). But their decision to do so was a MAJOR shift, and was not adequately communicated to the users (as usual). 

What they also didn't do is put in place any kind of alternative. To not be able to use HAP codec (which is widely used by visual artists in particular) or really any third party codec, was a huge oversight.

And you gotta love that the best solution to make a software I pay for monthly work properly, is to buy a third party extension for AME at $100 a licence... (and I should add for anyone else with this problem, AfterCodec is indeed the solution) The suggestion that I need to use an old version of AE and AME for my projects is somewhat absurd also, since every single project requires it - that would mean never again updating a paid subscription software, which sort of defeats the whole damn point.

And as far as an intermediate render, I did say *almost* double the time, not to mention add an extra step in my encoding process. In the live event industry, things come down to the wire constantly - and even an added 25% to the render process can mean the difference between success and failure.

[David Arbor]

I understand that, and I did see that you said "almost," but what I'm asking is if you've tried exporting an intermediate format and converting it via AME while calculating the total time. In my experience, unless I'm exporting a short piece or one that's not render-heavy, this is the fastest way to go.

As for adding another step, yes, but you can also set up Watch Folders in AME so you can export directly from Ae to a folder and have AME automatically pick it up and convert it to your desired format.

[Kyle Hamrick]

It does seem like HAP support is something where they may have underestimated how widespread the usage was, particularly in a specific niche.

If you haven't already, you can add your name to the chorus asking for this to be reinstated (the AE team has already responded to this request, btw). After Effects: Hot (280 ideas) – Adobe video & audio apps

[Blue Guerilla]

My voice has been added to the chorus of people asking for HAP and it does look like it will happen, which is great. When that will happen is a another question.

It still presents a bit of a challenge though, in that other media server software has other very picky requirements also. One such example; DT Videolabs Playback Pro software, which is a known industry standard, requires h.264 in a .mov container instead of .mp4.

As for the question of intermediate codecs, for my specific usage, what I render most is 10-30 seconds long, but has dozens to hundreds of files, usually at a resolution of 5240 x1080 or higher. I need to export those to a preview mp4 and to final format, in as little time and as few of steps as possible. I am also often live on site, and need to fix or change something sometimes on minutes notice because, you know, clients...  Having to go to an intermediate is really not desirable for my workflow.

It is looking more and more like watch folders with AME 17 and intermediate codec might be the way I have to go though, so far on my testing it seems like AfterCodecs is significantly slower than native in AME. If I run AME 17 with a watch folder on secondary machine it won't be as much of a slowdown, just a bit of a hassle, which it shouldn't have to be.

[Roland Kahlenberg]

"Also, I feel like Dynamic Link backwards compatibility would be a waste of development resources."

Incompatibility with newly created MoGRTs and FFX is a huge PITA in the past and continues to be so - just look at how important backward compatibiltiy is with AEPs, where saving a version down has become a mainstay in AE for decades.

"I would argue that most people are on the same versions of Pr, Ae, and AME—not necessarily the same version as everyone else, but on their own machine each is more likely to be the same than different."

Agreeable on this but time and time again we know it is never wise to upgrade/update in mid-project. And there are projects that run for months and it is prudent for many companies not to update until the smoke has cleared and this may take one or more updates - for the clearing of smoke.

"disconnecting those codecs from everything except AME" The confusion is the lesser of the issues - the bigger issue is the inability to convert unsupported files to a suitable format; using Adobe DVA products. Actually, there is no confusion when your files can no longer be imported - it's as straight as it gets. The real issue is how to make these files importable/workable.