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Question

The best Codec for Premiere CS4

Forum|Forum|16 years ago
June 16, 2009
14 replies
100216 views

I am trying to learn more about codecs, but still having trouble understanding it fully. I have a new computer, so it makes sense that I need a certain codec to install in order to view my video as I edit on Adobe Premiere Pro CS4. My footage works on Windows Media Player, and the quality is somewhat Poor when I play it on Quicktime (but at least it works).

Now a few questions I have. First, does anyone know the best codec to use for Adobe Premiere Pro? I import DV files from my camcorder, and almost all of my video files are ".avi"

Also, I notice that the codecs are different for each media player that I apply this footage to. And I simply see instructions to download the correct codec. Well first I dont know which codec would be best for my setup, plus my second question: Once I do install the correct codec, will Premiere automatically know to use that codec? Or do I have to adjust a certain setting in Premiere to make the correct codec function? I could not see any setting that allowed me to change the codec...

Anyone's help would be greatly appreciated. Thanks!

-Rick Phillips

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Powered_by_Design

Inspiring

Rick

upload the file so others can try opening it to see if it works for us.

Is this a video you shoot and captured ? and if so with what did you capture it with PP 1.5 ?

you can upload a file here under 5MB

try that if you can

Glenn

Harm_Millaard

Inspiring

Bill already said it, but it is better to repeat it, because otherwise you run the severe risk that you need to reformat your hard disk, reinstall your OS and all programs:

DO NOT INSTALL ANY CODEC PACKS!!!

Premiere comes with all the codecs needed for VIDEO editing.

Since you appear pretty new to all this, I suggest you get some schooling, study tutorials and read the manual/help file.

Otherwise you would not have mentioned that your files are AVI, since that is absolutely irrelevant. AVI is just a wrapper and for video editing the contents are relevant, meaning the codec and AVI is NOT a codec.

R

Runamok_USA

Known Participant

I have to say that I have yet to see a post from Harm that builds someone up? What is your capacity here? to tear down every post you read and offer up a superior attitude to show the common folk how much higher and mighter you are? Maybe I am off base here and alot of you guys here respect this guy but I just gotta say you sure do come off sounded like a grouchy old man in every dang post I read of yours...What gives?

Flame away.....

E

excited_Genie16B8

Legend

Harm actually is a grouchy old man. But, as he really does know his stuff, his advice is often well heeded, even if one dislikes the delivery.

Ignore the messanger, heed the message.

Ann Bens

Community Expert

When capturing dv files from your camcorder you do not need to install any codec. Premiere knows excatly which one to use.

the_wine_snob

Inspiring

Rick,

The full-paid version of PrPro ships with and installs the main CODEC's that it needs for most work.

If you are doing the Capture from a miniDV tape-based camera over FireWire via PrPro, your SD (Standard Definition) files will be DV-AVI Type II, which is the base for SD work in PrPro. You do not need anything else for this.

Now, if your Exports look bad, it is likely a setting in AME (Adobe Media Encoder). Those setting can be very important, as will the setting for your Project. What are you using for both?

At the Export stage, some considerations need to be made. This is where other CODEC's can come in. Where do you wish to play your files? Any particular player in mind? You choice(s) here will determine if you need any additional CODEC's. Most of the Windows CODEC's (WMV files) should already be on your computer, from when you installed the OS. Vista might need its CODEC "pack," from MS. Seems that some flavors ship without the WMV CODEC's. Tell us how you wish to distribute your finished files, and someone can help you with both your settings and with the choice of CODEC's.

Good luck, and let us know about your Project and Export settings, plus your intended delivery.

Hunt

PS - with the exception of the Vista CODEC Pack, if needed, I strongly recommend against installing any CODEC "packs." I also suggest that if one is going to be working with a particular CODEC a lot, that they find the true source of that CODEC and buy it, rather than go with a free version. Often, these are hacked, or reverse-engineered copies, and might not work so well.

R

RickP33Author

Participating Frequently

Thank you for the advice so far, as I saw in the tech support, I will not be installing any codec packs. I may seem inexperienced with this type of software, but that is only because I have never encountered any problems with premiere until now. I am actually very much experienced with premiere Pro and would love to use it again once I get this problem fixed

I only brought up codecs because the problem I was describing had everyone pointing me to getting the correct codec. Maybe you can suggest something different if I describe the issue I am having:

The video in my project is completely black. When I import or capture anything, it only plays sound. When I drag the red line along the timeline, it shows sort of a green screen, then when I hit play it goes back to black. Again, I can hear the sound perfectly. I have bought a brand new computer with all of the system requirements, and I had upgraded to CS4 from the 1.5 version (downloaded from adobe, not shipped). My old computer has the 1.5 version and it plays my video files perfectly, and I have compared all of the project settings; all identical. I have also tested my video files on several other media players, and the picture comes clearly through every media player I have tested, except for Premiere CS4...

So based on this info, do you know what could be causing this problem, if not a codec issue?

Thank you very much!

-Rick

R

RickP33Author

Participating Frequently

Rick, like I mentioned before, I had the same issue as you when I first installed PPro CS4 ie. I could hear the audio from the video BUT the video itself was not showing in the source or programme monitor. In the end it WAS a driver which needed updating. May I suggest that you download something like 'Driver Doctor' (google it) or some other software which will scan your computer and tell you what drivers need updating. Once the correct driver is updated, you will be up and running!

Ok, back from my break from all this, now time to get back to work. I will respond to everyone's post with the hopes that everyone will continue to be awesome and help me through this:

Glenn - I would upload a clip, but all of my video files are well over 5MB, and to do this I would have to recapture a clip, and spend alot of time making sure I upload it correctly, when i have already spent so much time trying to fix this and I simply do not think it is relevant at this point.

Harm - I'll see if I can get your questions answered properly. The only item under my Display Adapters is the Mobile Intel(R) 4 Series Express Chipset Family. I contacted HP about how to find out what my Graphics and Video drivers were, and all they could say was that they are all components of this Chipset Family.

I do not know how to determine which Codec Adobe is trying to use (or needs for that matter). And I have downloaded so many suggested codecs it's not even funny, I dont even know which ones are in use at this point.

The camera I am using is a Canon GL2 MiniDV Camcorder, with a firewire cable. These are my Sequence Settings:

-DV NTSC

29.97 Frames/Second

Frame Size 720 x 430 (4:3 ratio)

Pixel Aspect Ratio: D1/DV NTSC (0.9091)

-Lower Field First

Display Format: 30fps Drop-Frame Timecode

Preview File Format: NTSC DV

Codec: DV NTSC (will not allow me to configure)

So G-Spot will not properly identify the codecs that come with Premiere ProCS4... Then why in the world was I instructed to download it?... I have so many things to delete from my computer as soon as I have the solution.

Keano66 - I agree with you completely, I am positive that it is a driver issue. I downloaded Driver Doctor/Driver Detective (and paid for it, eeek...) and it shows that my graphics driver does indeed need to be updated. I have downloaded and updated all of these drivers, However Premiere Pro has not changed a bit...

But the reason I think it is a driver issue: I was instructed by HP support to completely uninstall this chipset Driver, and then to reinstall it from the HP website. So i did that and restarted the computer, and guess what? Premiere was FINALLY WORKING!!!! but then I had a different problem, all the icons on my computer and diplay settings were messed up, and I was then Instructed by HP to install updates to this driver. When I did this, all of my display settings were set back to normal, and everything seemed fine, except now, once again, I am back to square 1 with my problems on premiere Pro... Like before, it plays the sound, but not the video...

Any suggestions? Thanks everyone!

-Rick

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