Export XAVC-S source with new audio

[BJBBJB1]

Greetings.  I am running Premiere Pro CC and familiar with AME.

I am pretty familiar with an HD workflow but have been getting into 4K. I have a pretty powerful current i7 system with 36gig of memory and Nvidia card.

I just want to take my original 15 minute XAVC-S 4K 30fps video, merge my digital recorder audio from a WAV file in Premiere Pro, perhaps just cut the resulting clip beginning and end, and export to the same XAVC-S file output type (assume that would require the least processing?).  It does not have to be XAVC-S but again, I assumed that would take the least rendering and retain the quality.  I won't be adding any video effects.

I have searched the forum and see many posts about how long it takes to render 4K which I get, how to export to HD, but not exactly what I want to do.

Will a "match source" setting work?  So if I choose Export in Pr Pro it will take me to AME. If I choose "match source" there will that work?  That would be obvious to me based on what I did in the HD world but I saw a post about 4K saying this would not work?  A little confused about that.....

I will be playing it on a local network streamer that can pretty much play any format if that helps.

Thanks,
BJBBJB1

[Ann Bens]

What you are seeking is Smart Render.

Smart render is only available on a few formats, XAVC-S not being one of them

Smart Rendering in Premiere Pro CS6 (6.0.1, and later), & Premiere Pro CC

[BJBBJB1]

Thanks, so no smart rendering.  Given my situation, what would the recommended 4k preset and codec be to keep the most quality?

Would it be best and can I still just choose "same as source"  even though I won't get the smart render?

BJBBJB1

[excited_Genie16B8 · Accepted solution]

H.264 format, Match Souce - High bitrate preset.

[BJBBJB1]

Thanks!

BJBBJB1

[excited_Genie16B8]

You're welcome.

[BJBBJB1]

Jim,

A follow-up!

So my original source file is  12GB (around 15 minutes), a 4K XAVC-S (100mbps) file from a Sony FDR-AX53 and I merged my portable audio to it.

For my 4K render I used the settings you recommended which was H.264, match source-high bitrate.  I didn't notice until after the render it defaulted to a target bitrate of 10Mbps and a maximum of 12!??   My resulting render was a file size of only 1.4GB?  Now I am not trying to down-rez, , just render to the same 4K quality. So I have not done 4K before but I would have thought it would have matched the source and a high bitrate should be 100 if the source is that, correct?  Or maybe "match source/high bitrate" is not yet intelligent for 4K data rates?

What made me do a double take was I then did a render for 1080P HD, again using H.264 and the HD 1080P 29.97 preset. THAT preset has a target of 32 Mbps and a maximum of 40 which resulted in a 4GB file!

I have done many HD renders but this is my first 4K. Something just doesn't seem to make sense here with file sizes.

My 4K render file says it is 3840x2160 with a data rate of 10032kbps.

My 1080P file says it is 1920X1080 with a data rate of 32049kbps.

The time lengths are identical.

Obviously the difference is due to the data rates. But I would have thought the "match source high bitrate" would have given me the right numbers.  Do I just need to manually adjust those 4K render bitrates and if so what are good numbers for target and max if my source is 100? Just do a constant 100 or VBR?

Any help appreciated.

Thanks,

BJBBJB1

[excited_Genie16B8]

Data rates are not part of the Match.  You can change that manually.

[BJBBJB1]

Thanks.  With a 100mbps source would you use 100Mbps CBR or say 75 target 100 max vbr?  I did research like crazy but not a lot of solid 4k mbps export info.

Thanks,

BJBBJB1

[excited_Genie16B8]

For your situation, I'd probably leave it at the default 10 and 12.  I find the quality sufficient for watching on a TV from 13 feet away.