Issue with ProRes importing into Premiere CC in Windows

[EconomyMetal]

Hey all,

I realize the futility of using ProRes in a Windows environment, so I figured I'd just get that out of the way right off the bat.  This is how I received the footage from the client and it's too much to try and convert into another codec (though if I must, I will, I'd just like to avoid it).  Even so, I didn't really have an issue with this until I tried to work in CC.

I started this project in Premiere CS5 and was having no issues.  I received some AE files in CC and decided I'd bite the bullet and move to the latest and greatest rather than try and rebuild the projects in CS5.  I download, install, update, open up Premiere to rebuild the short edit, and then find that when I import ProRes files, all I get is audio, no video.  I can import other codecs just fine, it's just ProRes that's refusing.

I've made sure Quicktime and the Windows QT Decoder for ProRes are updated, as well as Premiere CC.  I've currently got all my work files bundled up on a drive to take to my 9 to 5 and work on a Mac on my lunch break, but for obvious reasons, I'd like to be able to work at home.

This client doesn't provide enough work to warrant a new Mac purchase, and I'm just at wit's end.  It worked fine in CS5, why not in CC?

Here's my specs:

Windows 7 Professional 64 bit

Premiere Pro CC 7.0.1

Quicktime (fully updated)

Quicktime ProRes Decoder for Windows (fully updated)

Any help you can provide is greatly appreciated!

[cscooper2013]

Why is it futile to use ProRes in Windows?  ProRes is a fine codec and Windows is a fine OS.

I've not had the occassion to try this, yet, but CC claims to have the ProRes codec natively.  So if I were trying this out I might try uninstalling the older Windows codec and see if Premiere could handle the files on it's own...?  If that didn't work, I might try re-installing (or repair, if that's an option) PPr and see if that adds the correct codec back into your system.

Just some basic troubleshooting guesses, mind you. 

If you want to send me a sample file, I'd be happy to let you know if it works on my Windows machine (I have never installed extra ProRes codecs, etc).

[EconomyMetal]

Thank you so much for your reply!  I said what I did about ProRes and Windows because it seemed to me that any question regarding those two things in Google or here were almost immediately met with "what are you doing that's silly go buy a Mac".  So I was just trying to cut that off at the pass, ha ha!

I'll give your suggestions a go and report back with what I find.  I didn't realize CC says they can handle ProRes natively, that's a big bonus!  If it works, that'll be worth the cost of admission!

[Guest]

I'm afraid, 'handling ProRes natively' means handling them on a Mac, i.e. with no needs to install FCP or Compressor first so as to be able to encode to ProRes from Adobe Suite... So as to resolve your current issue you should better share a sample file so that others can test.

[cscooper2013]

Fuzzy Barsik wrote:

...'handling ProRes natively' means handling them on a Mac...

Fuzzy,

I didn't realize that was the case.  Are you sure?  Do you have a Windows setup that you've tested and know this?  The literature should be updated with an asterisk and some fine print for clarification.

[Guest]

Yes, I'm on a PC, and yes I know that for sure even though I'm not on CC.

Apple has never released ProRes encoder for Windows. Encoding to ProRes on Windows is possible either via quite expensive solution from Telestrim or via ffmpeg, which utilises reverse engineered encoder. None of them is appropriate for Adobe.

Decoding ProRes on Windows has been being possible long before CC release, 'cos ProRes decoder comes with QuirkTime for Windows.

[cscooper2013]

No, of course CC doesn't encode ProRes on Windows.  I think Economy's original question is about decoding.  That's what my answer was addressing.  I'm also aware that previous versions of Premiere have been able to decode ProRes via an additional codec.  But now I'm really curious.  Has anyone actually tried "new", "native" ProRes playback in CC (as advertised by Adobe) on Windows?  Again, I'd be more than happy to try it if anyone can upload some ProRes test footage.

[Guest]

Yes, OP question was about decoding issues. I was explaining what 'ProRes native support' means. I will be more than surprised if anything regard to MOV files playback on Windows changed in CC, 'cos it would mean Adobe abandoned their 32-bit QTServer in favour of some magic 64-bit component (which was hardly going to happen).

Meanwhile, OP is not alone in having issues with MOV files in CC. See e.g. this thread (which also provides a solution for some cases, which in turn may or may not be related to the OP issue).

By the way, you can find ProRes sample files here.

[Jim_Simon]

I know that for sure even though I'm not on CC.

I know that for sure and I do use CC.  ProRes files won't work on the PC without QuickTime installed.  (At least, clips from the BM Pocket Cinema Camera did not.  Shame that, seems like a really nice camera.)

[cscooper2013]

EconomyMetal,

I don't know about Fuzzy's 64-bit magic.  But I do know that Adobe claims native ProRes support in Premiere Pro CC without any fine print.

So I downloaded a sample ProRes422 (LT) 23.98 clip from the PIX 220i Sample Files page.  Showed up just fine in the Media Browser.  Imported.  Dropped into new sequence.  Done.  I can confirm that Premiere Pro CC has native playback support for ProRes422 in Windows 7 (at least the kind output by PIX recorders).  I have never installed any version of ProRes codecs, etc on this machine.  The only other component I do have installed is, of course, QuickTime Pro 7.

As a side note, I can also confirm that DNxHD is also native to Premiere Pro CC.  I'm not positive, but I don't think it was native in CS6.  Tested via the same procedure as above.

Have you been able to sort out your ProRes problem on your machine?

[cc_merchant]

So I downloaded a sample ProRes422 (LT) 23.98 clip from the PIX 220i Sample Files page.  Showed up just fine in the Media Browser.  Imported.  Dropped into new sequence.  Done.  I can confirm that Premiere Pro CC has native playback support for ProRes422 in Windows 7 (at least the kind output by PIX recorders).  I have never installed any version of ProRes codecs, etc on this machine.  The only other component I do have installed is, of course, QuickTime Pro 7.

If you do use QuickTime, then it may work up to a certain extent. However, most sane PC users would NEVER install QuickTime, and then of course it does not work. Have you seen the WARNING here: Balanced Systems.

[cscooper2013]

cc,

cc_merchant wrote:

Have you seen the WARNING here: Balanced Systems.

The warning about Quicktime makes sense.  I was aware that Quicktime 7 has never been updated to 64-bit, but the obvious 4GB RAM limitation had never occured to me.  Makes sense. I have a very decent machine, yet all of my Canon DSLR and GoPro projects are more cumbersome to edit than even AVCHD files.  I've spent a little time thinking it over and running some side-by-side tests.  MOV vs. AVI (same video) Editing, scrubbing, playback—all while running Task Manager on top.  But I didn't need task manager to tell me that the AVI plays back, layers and layers, smooth as butter.  The .MOV footage struggled to keep up with my random access cuts to different locations within the same video file.

cc_merchant wrote:

most sane PC users would NEVER install QuickTime...

So now I'm fascinated.  So many questions:  Why do so many cameras create .MOV or .MP4 files that require QuickTime components?  64-bit QuickTime X has aparently been available on the Mac for quite a while, yet I presume they won't allow anyone else to develop a 64-bit codec for Windows, so why hasn't someone sued Apple for monopoly, anti-trust, conflict-of-interest, etc?  And most importantly, how would a sane PC user go about editing MOV and MP4 files without going insane transcoding hours of footage?

[Guest]

I don't know about Fuzzy's 64-bit magic... I can confirm that Premiere Pro CC has native playback support for ProRes422 in Windows 7 (at least the kind output by PIX recorders).  I have never installed any version of ProRes codecs, etc on this machine.  The only other component I do have installed is, of course, QuickTime Pro 7.

When you have time, try to reflect on the following:

- neither PrPro nor AE can playback MOV files without QuirkTime installed;

- ProRes decoder for Windows doesn't require separate installation, it comes with QuirkTime;

- ProRes decoder is not installed into the system and remains QuirkTime component (AppleProResDecoder.qtx file in the C:\Program Files (x86)\QuickTime\QTSystem folder); media players, which utilise system codecs, can't playback ProRes files; only those, which utilise ffmpeg library with reverse engineered ProRes decoder/encoder, can.

Now, would you be so kind to elaborate in which way 'native ProRes support on CC for Windows' is different from not so native one on CS6, CS5.5, CS5 etc.?

[ferdi@tmc · Accepted solution]

I just ran into the same problem. Windows system, PPro CC 2014 and Prores files would only import the audio. Launched QT7 Pro, reopened PPro CC 2014 and Prores files imported no problem.

[rupertpeddle]

Was having exactly the same trouble, latest CC, QT etc installed. I imported some ProRes files from an Arri Amira into my project and they were only showing as audio files. Thanks to Photoferdi‌ I closed PP, just opened the QT7 player and re-opened PP. I can now import the files and play them in my project.....how odd but at least it works!

[trainingvidguy]

That's weird. I can import and use Prores 422 footage with Premiere Pro CC just fine and I don't have to open QT first, but I do have it installed.

[Rev_Cliff]

I was importing proRes footage just fine until yesterday... don't know what's changed but now it's just audio.  got windows 10 and qt 7.7.7... anyone with any thoughts?

[Alberto Bedin]

Same problem for me on Windows 10 and PR CC 2015 with ProRes!!!!!

Help please

[FeverPitchVisuals]

Just pulled in 4K ProRes 422 HQ files no problem, windows 7

[thereelists]

Just to offer what worked for me, as the solutions above didn't work - Quicktime 7 installed imported, along with ProResDecoder, would not play back PRORES BMPCC files, yet could scrub.

See: Premiere Pro PC timeline only plays for a few frames and then no Audio after installing Miraizon DNx...

When I installed the Miraizon DNxHD / ProRes Codec (though didn't activate) then moved the MProResCodec.qtx to a temp folder it played back and edited fine.

[vincentd74048800]

I had the same problem on a new windows 10. I installed Quicktime for Windows and now everything works fine!