Windows alternative to Apple ProRes 422?

[PmPhotographic]

HI

I am running CS5.5 on a HP workstation, Win 7 Pro.  I understand that I cannot use the apple prores codec as I am not on a Mac.  However, I have a client who wants footage delivered as ProRes 422.  What would people suggest as the best output option on a PC to provide the same quality?

Many thanks

[Colin Brougham]

I'd use these: Avid QuickTime Codecs LE 2.3.4

Free, cross-platform, and more-or-less equal to ProRes 422. When you send the client the footage, send them the codecs, too.

[PmPhotographic]

Hi Colin

Thanks for your advice which I will have a look at.  Does this suggest that none of the built in codecs are acceptable?  Although the client has asked for Prores 422, what they are planning is HD broadcasting, do you feel your suggestion would still offer better results than using the inbuilt options for this?

BTW, I am UK based and so am talking 1080i at 25fps

Regards

[Colin Brougham]

Well, there are lots of codec choices and format options in Pr that would potential satisfy any delivery requirement--but we really don't know what your delivery requirement is. I suggested DNxHD, because doughnuts-to-doughnuts, it's pretty similar in quality and function to ProRes; the compression type they both use is the same. They both provide a large, high-quality, able-to-be-edited, suitable-for-broadcast, ready-for-archive video file.

That said, if they don't need to edit the file, or archive it, or are going to be recompressing the file for broadcasting (through some sort of play-out server), then there are other high-quality options you might potential use that are already available in Pr, don't require a codec download and installation, and will create much smaller delivery files. One clear option in this regard would be to use H.264 as the codec; this is either available by selecting H.264 as the Format (which creates an MP4 and has quite a few configurable options) or by selecting QuickTime as the Format (this creates an MOV, but isn't quite as configurable). I actually do most of my broadcast delivery with the QuickTime H.264 option, and I'm on a PC.

I guess the bottom line is that you need to check with the recepient what their needs really are, and if they are flexible on format.

Hope that doesn't confuse too much!

[lasvideo]

Im no dessert expert, but I think the phrase might be "dollars to doughnuts". 

Dollars to donuts is a faux bet in which one person agrees to put up the same amount of dollars to another person's donuts in a bet (where a donut is considered to be worth much less than a dollar). Betting someone dollars to donuts is a rhetorical device that indicates that the person is confident in the outcome of an event, but it does not usually involve an actual bet with actual payoffs (either in dollars or in donuts).

Or , to quote Homer Simpson....."Dooouuuggghhnnuuttsssss".

[Colin Brougham]

I say "doughnuts to doughnuts" because the phrase "comparing apples to oranges" doesn't make sense, and I don't want to say "Apples to apples" because that's just silly and I don't want to give Apple any free publicity.

And I like doughnuts.

[lasvideo]

My humblest apologies . As penance I better go eat some donuts cause eating an apple might also give them free publicity. Besides, sometimes doughnuts are lots more yummy.

[PmPhotographic]

Hi, my belief is that the Prores mainly stems from most of their suppliers being mac based and that was also the way their tech support staff lead the way.  I have assumed they wanted a format which would allow for re editing etc by themselves.  The written specs for SD are Quicktime DV25/50 and HD Prores 422 1920*1080, square pixel, Upper Field Dominent.  There's actually no other option detailed and I want to create a demo to show them what PP on a PC is capable of in order to provide HD as well as SD edits

I've used H264 for my own use (eg streaming to a HD TV) and found it gives very good results in handleable files, but was interested in what others recommended etc

Many thanks

[Guest]

When I had to deliver HD for broadcast, I was asked to deliver as ProRes, too. With agreement, I delivered using Avids free DNxHD codec. Boadcaster happy, me happy.

[PmPhotographic]

To Legs2sag, was their original requirement Prores 422?

[Guest]

PmPhotographic, the exact request was phrased as a question by the broadcaster, as they knew that at that time I was editing using Vegas Pro. "Can you export as Apple ProRes 422 (HQ)?"

Other editiors had suggested DNxHD, so I gave it a try, and it worked a treat, though rendering time was slow on my dual core PC.

The broadcaster was happy with it, and didn't mind having to install the codec on their Apple Macs. I guess it was just another tool in their armoury of editing tools... and one they didn't have to pay for .

[Guest]

That web page is no longer available, unless it's only temporarily down.  I found it on Avid.com doing a Google search at... http://avid.force.com/pkb/articles/en_US/download/en392959?popup=true&NewLang=en&DocType=1450&q=avid...

BTW, I was glad to get this info and this thread has helped me. Thanks!

[PmPhotographic]

Just to let you know that I did install the avid codecs, and yes they look pretty good

Thanks to all who helped

[davidbeisner2010]

I'll offer another vote for the Avid DNxHD codecs...

[Jim Curtis]

Take a look at Motion JPEG2000, while you're at it.

[shooternz]

Although you can not export Prores422 directly from Premiere on a Windows NLE you can transcode to Prores422 on a windows system.

An application called 5DtoRGB (rarevision) will do this ....and HQ and LT and Proxy... as well as DNxHD  etc...

Export a lossless intermediate master and then trancode it if it must be Prores422

[Jim Curtis]

Shooterns...  Thanks for the heads-up about 5DtoRGB.  I downloaded it, and the Read Me file states:  "Apple ProRes codecs must be installed in order to output files in ProRes format."  Sounds to me that rules out creating ProRes from a Windows system.  But, if you've done this, and know otherwise, I'd love to be able to pass this intelligence on to some of my colleagues.

[shooternz]

I have done this Jim and it works perfectly.

I have QT Pro in my system I might add.

Did you download the Windows vewrsion BTW?

But ...watch this space. I may have even better news once I test a little beta program later today

[Jim Curtis]

Hi and thanks again, Shooternz.  I'm a Mac owner, but I do work freelance on Windows systems, and have associates who are on Windows.  So, no I downloaded the Mac version. 

I was a little behind on my research, and after Googling, it appears that there are a few options now for making ProRes on Windows.  Among them appears to be a Telestream product called Vantage.

BTW, one of the great advantages of ProRes over DNxHD, esp. for compositing apps, is that there aren't any frame size or rate restrictions on ProRes, as there are with DNxHD, which is quite persnickety about them.  DNx won't let you make pre-renders that are 10x1000 at 8 FPS, for example, but ProRes has no problems with that kind of thing.

[Guigozz]

Hi, i have developed a little plugin for AE to convert files to prores 422, you can read more about it and download it here> http://www.dubon.fr/conversion-prores422/

it's free

[Jim Curtis]

Very kind of you to share.  I've posted your link for my Windows colleagues on the Media-Motion Ae list.

[newwikstromkaren]

You may also refer to this video tutorial on how to encode ProRes on Windows at How to Encode ProRes on Windows?

This gudie helps to convert various videos to Apple ProRes  format especially convert video to ProRes 4444 like convert MXF to  ProRes 4444, convert H.264 to ProRes 4444, AVCHD to ProRes 4444, AVI to  ProRes 4444, MP4 to ProRes 4444, MOV to ProRes 4444 or convert to ProRes  4444 from other video including MKV, YouTube, FLV, WMV, MOD, WTV, RMVB, WebM, ASF, SWF, 3GP, and etc.

[Guest]

Hi,

i want to export a timelapse sequence from quicktime in the original resolution of the single frames in professional quality. This would be 6000 x 4000. I know that it works with apple's prores 422 codec, but i'm working on windows and prores cannot encode there. Does anybody know an alternative codec for windows which can export in full resolution (not Full HD)? Thx guys!

simon

[Ann Bens]

TIFF sequence?

[excited_Genie16B8]

The UT codec is free, cross platform, resolution/frame rate independent, and plays nice with Adobe software.

Ut Video Codec Suite 14.2