Pro Res 422 on an older G5?

Hi all:

Can I edit Pro Res 422 successfully on a dual 2.3GHz G5? According to Apple, I can't capture Pro Res 422 (from the Apple website) "Capturing HD resolution video using the ProRes 422 format requires a Mac Pro with an Intel Xeon processor or a G5 Quad computer and a qualified third-party capture card." I assume that this is discussing when you are capturing tape? What about if you have DVCProHD or XDCAM EX footage? I assume that it can be converted to Pro Res 422 by simply rendering it out in that codec?

I have a Kona 3 and a Max Upgrade 8 drive RAID that the Aja Kona System Test says is giving me 338.3 MB/s write and 307.7 MB/s read using a 1.0 GB file size of 1920x1080 10-bit video frame size.

Does anyone know general editing data rates with Pro Res 422? Just trying to decide if my system can pull this load since I have been doing a lot in Magic Bullet and Motion and can use the extra quality of the Pro Res codec.

Thanks,

Dan

You can only capture ProRes from HDV on a G5...and only via firewire. There is a tutorial on how to do this on the Cow. That is the only way I have been able to do this capture to ProRes. I cannot do it with the Kona from a DVCPRO HD deck or HDV deck. The machine cannot handle it. But via firewire, the capture ISN'T real time, so the machine can take a few extra moments to encode.

YOu can capture HDV and XDCAM and render it out as ProRes...That works fine. There is an option for this under RENDER CONTROL in the SEQUENCE SETTINGS.

If you capture DVCPRO HD....stick with that codec.


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Shane:

I am curious specifically about XDCAM EX from the new EX-1. Do you think that I can bring that in via the SxS cards and successfully transcode it to Pro Res and edit it on my old G5? Do you think it would have enough power to do that?

So you feel even with heavy usage of Motion graphics with video in them and Magic Bullet Looks, it would behoove me to stay in DVCProHD codec for HVX/HPX footage?

Thanks,

Dan

I have zero experience with the EX1, other than to have held it in my hand and said "hey, the grip swivels...cool!" So I think this question would be better answered by someone else.


www.shanerosseditor.com

Listen to THE EDIT BAY Podcast on iTunes
[itunes.apple.com]

Dan,

You should be able to bring in the footage off the SxS, use Compressor to batch everything into ProRes then edit. It will just take a while to transcode all the EX-1 footage into ProRes.

If you check out the ProRes White Paper you'll see a chart w/all the different ProRes data rates.


-A

Thanks guys for the advice. Looks like if it's a workable format, I may be trading in the HVX for an EX-1.

Best,

Dan

Rick Young and I drove from San Francisco down Highway 1 with an EX and a laptop, stopping every 5 minutes or so because when you are on Highway 1 you are compelled to stop every 5 minutes or so. It worked flawlessly, although panning at less than 60i causes the jerkies no matter how slow you pan. At least that is what we found.

Anyway, we'd offload the cards into the laptop and did so while driving. Stop 5 minutes later to watch the footage on the 15-inch screen. Beautiful. Got lots of very pretty stuff including some great footage of Elephant Seals play fighting. Footage will be up on Macvideo.tv soon.

Michael Horton
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Hi Michael:

That sounded like a fun trip. I did a shoot the other day with this camera, it makes a pretty nice image for a $6,000.00 camera.

Dan