Skip to main content
O
Offbeat Bryce Productions
Inspiring
December 4, 2018
Answered

h264 works fine for editing

  • December 4, 2018
  • 3 replies
  • 2348 views

At least on my machine it does Is there a reason why my machine works fine for editing h264? I hardly ever get crashes, slow playback etc. If I do I just drop the playback resolution down to 1/2 and it solves it. Even more strange is HEVC is even better. I have been using HEVC files as proxy files as they are smaller file size than cineform and seem to super fast when I edit.

I was told by someone not to ever use HEVC or H264 for editing but it works for me. Anyone know why?

This topic has been closed for replies.
Correct answer R Neil Haugen

The general caveat about editing in H.264 is based on that being a long-GOP codec, which places absurd demands on the CPU process for playback compared to an all-intra codec like the Cineform, ProRes, or DNxHD/R codecs. Some cameras keep the distance between full frames (i-frames) pretty close, but some space them out farther ... such as most mirror-less, DSLR's and drones. That longer distance between frames increases CPU load.

So in general ... say, you have 1080p H.264. It may play back for general editing ok, but as you add transitions & color corrections and time-ramps it may start to get stuttery. Throw in some 4k H.264, and ... it gets worse.

If your machine and workflow are handling it well though, then work away. It's always all about what works on your machine with your media and your workflow needs.

Neil

3 replies

Roei Tzoref
Roei Tzoref
Legend
December 5, 2018

H264 proxy is great if you are on the road or have disk space considerations. There is a difference when working with H264 from a camera/drone which can be more compressed than it is when you transcode it yourself (this can maybe explain the decent playback) And the resolution is crucial too (The lower, the better playback you will get)

No matter which option you choose, what you definetly don’t want to do is tranacode an H264 file over and over Because there will be a significant loss of information.

E
excited_Genie16B8
Legend
December 4, 2018

'Fine' is a subjective term.  I'm skeptical I would agree with your assessment.

    O
    Offbeat Bryce ProductionsAuthor
    Inspiring
    December 5, 2018

    Well for me making a proxy in cineform and even dnxhd is 3 times the file size of h264 Unless I make it a SD file at 720x480 then it’s smaller than h264.

    R Neil Haugen
    R Neil Haugen
    Legend
    December 5, 2018

    I don't understand the worry about file-size for a temporary utility file. It's just something you use to make the entire editing process smoother. Then dump.

    Neil

    Everyone's mileage always varies ...
    R Neil Haugen
    R Neil HaugenCorrect answer
    Legend
    December 4, 2018

    The general caveat about editing in H.264 is based on that being a long-GOP codec, which places absurd demands on the CPU process for playback compared to an all-intra codec like the Cineform, ProRes, or DNxHD/R codecs. Some cameras keep the distance between full frames (i-frames) pretty close, but some space them out farther ... such as most mirror-less, DSLR's and drones. That longer distance between frames increases CPU load.

    So in general ... say, you have 1080p H.264. It may play back for general editing ok, but as you add transitions & color corrections and time-ramps it may start to get stuttery. Throw in some 4k H.264, and ... it gets worse.

    If your machine and workflow are handling it well though, then work away. It's always all about what works on your machine with your media and your workflow needs.

    Neil

    Everyone's mileage always varies ...
    Terms & ConditionsAccessibility statement
    Using the community Terms of use Privacy Cookie preferences Do not sell or share my personal information ad choicesAdChoices