Automated Avid, ProRes & LW format conversions - auto file renaming tools

notrons

@cesardeuve - I would be very curious to see if adding

   -pix_fmt yuv422p10le

to your command-line would make any difference or raise any errors. Please let me know if any of the codecs PPU provides work for you.

@Roberto - I'm not sure I can help with Cineform but I will definitely look into anamorphic framing and add at least one 2.35:1 format to the next release. How have you been dealing with it so far?

Roberto

@notrons

Thanks. I will boot to Windows and try some FFMBC settings.

Cineform's not essential, Prores and Mp4 for Lightworks are plenty.

So far I'm not over -happy with my own camera results with the LA7200. For my current project, my client decided to go Blu-Ray instead of projecting with the expensive Panamorphic (1.33/1) projector adapter lens.

I've been doing test-shots only, using (as a reference and learning-tool, lpowell's Max Lat for the GH1 which worked on my GH2). If I used any other patch I had to unqueeze in Sony Vegas, See @ishvar 's post:

For the moment i do AVCHD in Sony Vegas with 1.33 pixel-interpolation in properties, sometimes a boring job! It would be wonderfull to have 1920 X 810p with my LA7200 incamera http://www.personal-view.com/talks/discussion/700/true-wide-scope-with-anamorphic-adapters-lenses-./p1

For me, the in-camera solution is still a Holy Grail. In the meantime, batch-processing will eliminate the "boring job" and let me get on to making better choices as a shooter, after viewing my rushes on a 42" Viera TV.

There are lots of us needing a 1.33/1 stretch for the LA7200. others will be making use of the plentiful 2X anamorphic lenses and will be happy with a batch , 2x unsqueeze from a 1.33 aspect ratio original.

Or, simply make use of @Lpowell's MJPEG VGA MODE anamorphic, http://www.personal-view.com/talks/discussion/151/anamorphic-setting-for-mjpeg-vga-mode-in-ptool-3.55d/p1

Roberto

@notrons

I downloaded, installed and tested the 64-bit version and it works fine. But DPPU's "About" (rmb click returns) "32-bit version". (Is it just mis-reporting that?) Is there a 64-bit version of DPPU or just FFMBC?

notrons

@Roberto - between all of the changes I have made to the program, testing of the codecs and following of discussions my head is spinning ; ) I'm sure I got the About dialogs confused.

I have since consolidated into a single (new) version that ships with the 32bit ffmbc - after a lot of testing I found no real advantage to using the 64bit version - conversion times were identical (right to the second!) for long, short, higher and lower bitrates. It will be easier to keep up with the one version for sure...

Also, this new version does the conversion without the DOS windows - and I have added some ProRes converters to produce 2.35:1 (2538 x 1080) and 2.75:1 (2970 x 1080) output (I'm using 2.75:1 myself for testing). You can then import to Premiere, modify-> interpret footage - select square pixels and you're good-to-go unsqueezed. Do your edits and render out to 1080P (letter-boxed indeed). I find from experience it is better to downsample rather than upsample for quality-sake and this way you get the full 1080 vertical resolution to work with (that you shot with!). Please give 'em a try and let me know how it goes. I am a little confused as to the squeeze factor of your LA7200 - is it not 2.35:1? At any rate, if anybody needs different frame sizes for common anamorphic adapters let me know and I'll build the codecs...

[edit] Never mind the squeeze factor question - I was confusing two different ratios. The 2.35:1 should work okay for you...

You can use the original email link to get the new release - just use the link for the non-32bit version (just the one version now). I did proxy and HQ ProRes anamorphic as they have been the only conversions to work correctly so far. Still testing.

I am also working on a small viewer application that will let you view all those nice anamorphic conversions (based on ffplay) - it is able to portray your files at whatever size you tell it and it will play all the files that PPU can convert. It should be ready for testing real soon.

Roberto

@notrons Sorry, your latest executable doesn't convert - even older mts files which converted under previous (64-bit) version. [installed on two separate computers, both 64-bit, Windows 7. One was an uninstall old/ install new, the other clean install.] Sending log file in case you can't replicate the problem yourself.

notrons

@Roberto - thanks for the update - I'm looking into it now...

notrons

@Roberto - I'd be willing to bet that you have a file in C:\PostPrepVideos called 00041.mov, avi or m2v. I made it so that the program would not overwrite a file with the same name (regardless of file extension) in the target directory. The idea is that if you do not rename your files with unique prefixes then you may end up with many different videos from different sessions - all with exactly the same name. Aside from that there are different encoding codecs that use the same file extension (like .mov) - writing into the same target directory could be less-than-desirable. I opted for safety. The log you sent looks exactly like it does when it runs into this. Of course I've been wrong a lot lately too...

If there is NOT a file in that target directory called 00041.something then there is also a real log file written to C:\DSLRPPU_log.txt (overwritten each new session) that does keep the real output from ffmbc operations and will help troubleshooting if we still have a problem. My test instances have been working fine - I did find an unrelated bug that I cured and uploaded to my server - please grab a new copy when you get a chance and let me know how it goes. I know - a lot of stipulations ; ) If you use my ExtensionCord to put timestamps into your filenames it may save a lot of headache down the road - and you'll never run into a multiple-files-with-the-same-name issue.

Roberto

Sorry if it's just me; application hangs after 5 minutes crunching an 8-second mts file, generates proxies without being asked to, proxies have sound but no vision...

andyvia68

SEE MY TUTORIAL FOR STRAIGHTENING LINE IN SONY VEGAS PRO...AND COMMENT.

notrons

@Roberto - Sorry this is being such a bother but I need you to help me pin down a couple of things.

The first log looks like the original file was 1080P 24FPS and being converted to a 1080P 24FPS format. The log window report looks like those I get when I have an existing file of the same name in the target directory. If true please confirm (or not).

The second log looks like it was converting an interlaced 1080i 25FPS file to an anamorphic codec. Please let me know if this was the case also (or not!). It will help me track down the culprit. I have not tested with any 25FPS footage nor is it setup for interlaced. Whatever the case the results are very odd. Also odd about the behavior - I'll continue testing as many permutations as possible. As always thanks for your input - we'll beat this thing into submission somehow!

[edit] Found the problem with the uninvited proxy conversions - will do some more testing and upload a new version - sorry, I've got too many things going at once... [edit]

There is a "real" log file created now - C:\DSLRPPU_log.txt. Perhaps you could email a copy - wnorton@hdcinematics.com - it might give me some more info to work with.

By the way, how are you viewing those proxies - in an NLE or with VLC or QuickTime player?

I'm hoping that anyone else having trouble will chime in and let me know what's happening - I've had a lot of downloads and very few comments. I'd also love to know if anybody has had success using it too! ; )

notrons

@andyvia68 - your method looks like a clever use of the Vegas tools and seems like you achieved the desired effect. I wonder if the steps you took could be put into a preset to easily replicate? (I am not a Vegas Pro user myself)

I would be curious to see a test with a frame full of evenly spaced vertical lines - would it still work out the same way?

By the way, is there an interpret footage feature in Vegas?

Roberto

@notrons yes, first try there was indeed a similar filename in the directory. The rest will have to wait at least 36 hours when I get home.

rajamalik

Which is the most detailed 1080p render from vegas,...the format and render quality,..tell me how we can get the max details lossless video out of vegas???

Roberto

@rajamalik

Do you want to compare Vegas output to that produced by FFMBC? I would also like to see that comparison. Otherwise, you might get more responses on a Vegas thread :-)

Roberto

@notrons OK, tried again, using PostPrep v1.5.2, this time with true 24p - (had to revert to Firmware 1.1 to get GH2 to get out of 50i mode).. re unasked-for proxy: VLC reports on playing (sound only) proxy, "No suitable decoder module: VLC does not support the audio or video format "apco". Unfortunately there is no way for you to fix this".

Re converted file, Hangs, as usual - see log

Roberto

@notrons Tried with v1.5.3: same mts file as above. Reports "did not start the process" yet starts anyway. (see log) No Log file created. After 15 mins, creates 212MB sound-only converted file, (No proxy created, thanks).

notrons

@Roberto - very strange - it looks like it converted the file ok but what is concerning is the lack of log file (you did check for C:\DSLRPPU_log.txt, yes?) and the "Did not start process" message. That should pop up if the ffmbc executable is missing. I have had a lot of downloads but no mention of any similar issue. Perhaps you can give it another try with a 24P file and one of the other codecs to see if it produces a log file and operates as it should?

The Prores conversion is the slowest of the lot and converting to the anamorphic sizes will have two side-effects - much slower conversion time and - it will actually create files larger than the original. The reason is that you are converting to an un-squeezed full-sized frame that is considerably larger than 1080P, thus larger files. Don't forget that the anamorphic frames are for experimental use! I have found the anamorphic conversions to take much longer than the regular conversions even on a beefy workstation and fast disc. I also see you are sending your conversions to C:\ - unless it is an SSD drive or part of a stripe set, C:\ is probably not an optimum target.

To help troubleshoot further, you can double-click on the main form itself to show the "Show DOS" checkbox. Click it to let ffmbc run in a DOS window and watch the output, it may give some more clues as to what is happening (you can watch it convert in realtime).

There is a note on my website about the fact that most of the converted files will not play correctly in all players, and that VLC cannot play the ProRes conversions - but QuickTime can. Your NLE should see both the video and the audio though...

Let me know what you find...

MrEdd

@notrons your application looks great! I´m currently converting and it looks very promising! Thank you

notrons

@MrEdd - thanks for the good word! I hope it works out for you - be sure to check for updates often (see below)...

@all - If you happened to end up with version 1.5.3 be sure to grab the new version 1.5.4 as it has some critical logic fixes and handles problems more gracefully. You can use the link provided in the original email to download.

It also now includes ProRes 4:4:4 HQ and proxy conversions for experimenters. Fair warning - the 4:4:4 conversions are slow - but they really hold up in post. I'd love to hear about experiences using the 4:4:4 codecs (or any of the others).

MrEdd

@notrons some things you might consider:

1- I often got identical file names from one shoot, several 0000.MTS for example, and when you join them in the same folder and say you want to keep them both, automatically you get filenames like 0000 (2).MTS, 0000(3).MTS. These files cannot be converted and generate an invalid parameter in text log.

2-When you convert the same MTS file with around 250Mb size, using ProRes 4:2:2 YUV 10bit HQ you end up with a file of 550Mb, while using the same codec with 5dtoRGB it reaches 700Mb

3-I got several times the message in text log " converted 0..." spite the files were correctly convert, both proxy and high quality files

4- when converting several files to ProRes 4:2:2 176Mb YUV 10bit HQ, I always get a message saying "could not start the process" after converting each file

Hope it will help, Keep up your excellent work

Roberto

@notrons Excuse the delay; I just got back from another trip. I installed v1.5.4 and updated .net, converted a 3-second anamorphic file which showed similar results as before - but this time was [sort-of] able to view it in Quick Time with a buggy aspect-ratio change setting. Identical results with ffplay.exe: video appears in severe overscan mode and attempts to re-position or resize result in fragmented image. Maybe there are ffplay settings I've yet to find. Until I see a good playback I won't comment on the washed-out look compared to original.

Still no "show DOS" radio button on my screen - Was it eliminated? Still no "C:\DSLRPPU_log.txt" file created. Hope this helps. Thanks for the ongoing updates and bug fixes.

Roberto

@notrons Second test today, Same file to mp4 wrapper for LightWorks: Still getting "Did not start" alert; however file generated OK, plays well and can be stretched in VLC to 2.35:1. for viewing. I'm not ready to give up on ProRes, thanks for trying. But now I'd like to see if you can stretch the 2.35 files for the Lightworks codec so I can compare stretching within LightWorks itself?

benpak

I found and used the Video Converter Pro from Program4Pc to convert videos and all issues solved. Download this free video converter and give it a try, http://www.program4pc.com/video-converter-pro.html

carlopecic

Is there a way to set up default output directory same as source,or variable to put in output path?Your app is neat,i like it (Y) and nice gui :)

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