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  1. Member
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    Okay, I have some video files (AVI mp4) 720/HD files that I want to edit in Premiere, but I'm really having a hard time figuring out my workflow.

    I know many people recommend editing "uncompressed" but that is just overkill for me.

    There's got to be a decent codec that can be edited smoothly in Premiere.

    I read some other forums suggesting Microsoft DV, but how can I convert it to that? I use VirtualDub to convert my videos, but all I see listed are:

    Cinepak
    Indeo video 5.10
    Intel 4:2:0 Video V2.5
    Intel Indeo Video R3.2
    Intel Indeo Video 4.5
    Intel IYUV codec
    Microsoft H.261 VC
    Microsoft H.263 VC
    Microsoft Video 1
    Microsoft Windows Media Video 9

    Also, what's a good codec to use for cross-editing between PC/MAC? Because I use FCP too.
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  2. Always Watching guns1inger's Avatar
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    None of those if you value quality.

    DV is out unless you are happy to reduce the size to standard definition.

    You might look at a lossless compression like lagarith or huffyuv. The files will still be large, but smaller than uncompressed.

    Another option is high bitrate mpeg-2, which will give you file sizes comparable to DV. Encode at around 25Mbps.

    Otherwise you are looking at something like NeoScene or Avid DNxHD
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    guns1inger,

    Thanks for the response. I will give those a try.

    What do you think about FLV?

    I'm mostly going to be uploading it online anyway, so some loss of quality is fine. I think FLV can still look pretty amazing (like the HD stuff on Vimeo), despite its file size!
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  4. Always Watching guns1inger's Avatar
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    FLV is a end view format, not an edit format. Output to flv when you are done, by all means, but Premiere isn't going to be happy editing it.

    Editing software is designed to work with footage that is designed to be edited. This is telling when you think about how much trouble these editors have with most HD camcorder footage - obviously the choice of codec used in these cameras is not the best for editing. Editors are catching up, but it is not easy. Like it or not, you have to work with what your editor likes, and if that costs you in space or time, bad luck. Buy more disc (external drives are pretty cheap), and put aside more time to get things done. Especially if you want to work with HD footage.
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    CS4 seems to take FLV, but CS3 seems to require a plugin to edit FLV.

    For some reason, I can't playback uncompressed video smoothly (even outside of Premiere). I have a 2.66 Dual Core.

    Also, I get a red bar in Premiere even though I have the resolution/framerate the same as the video/sequence. I'm thinking it doesn't like my uncompressed video or something is up.

    Weird... H264 seems to playback fine in Premiere CS3. Isn't that a compressed format? Yet I'm having trouble editing/playing back uncompressed format.
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  6. You might be throughput limited from your HDD. Uncompressed video requires high transfer rates, and should be on a separate drive from your system, and your programs. e.g. 1080p24 4:2:0 8-bit YUV requires ~ 100MB/s

    You haven't listed your specs, maybe your system is too old

    One option is a proxy edit (or offline editing) . This uses smaller, easier to decode files to edit, then on final render you switch to the full quality files

    A lossless codec that you can edit in if you have an i7 or decently clocked quad core is UT video codec. Still about 1/2 the size of uncompressed

    As guns suggested, other options are DNxHD (free) and Cineform, both which are near lossless (still about 1/3 size uncompressed). Cineform edits quicker than DNxHD and is more suitable for older/slower systems
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  7. Always Watching guns1inger's Avatar
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    Originally Posted by poisondeathray
    Cineform edits quicker than DNxHD and is more suitable for older/slower systems
    But unfortunately isn't free
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  8. Member edDV's Avatar
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    Originally Posted by Namie
    CS4 seems to take FLV, but CS3 seems to require a plugin to edit FLV.

    For some reason, I can't playback uncompressed video smoothly (even outside of Premiere). I have a 2.66 Dual Core.

    Also, I get a red bar in Premiere even though I have the resolution/framerate the same as the video/sequence. I'm thinking it doesn't like my uncompressed video or something is up.

    Weird... H264 seems to playback fine in Premiere CS3. Isn't that a compressed format? Yet I'm having trouble editing/playing back uncompressed format.
    Uncompressed 720p will take at least a 2 disk RAID 0 (separate from OS drive) to play 1x speed.

    You get the red bar when the import video doesn't match exactly the project format. It means that section of the timeline needs to be rendered before it can preview. If your project format is uncompressed, you will generate huge temp files on your scratch disk and they won't play unless the scratch disk is a RAID.

    When you import a compressed file into Premiere, it plays using DirectShow or other installed codecs. When you move it to the timeline, the clip needs to be rendered to project format.
    Recommends: Kiva.org - Loans that change lives.
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  9. Member edDV's Avatar
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    Premiere CS3 import format support
    http://livedocs.adobe.com/en_US/PremierePro/3.0/help.html?content=WSCE104033-D011-4699...E29332157.html

    For CS3 operating on a single video drive (non-RAID) your choices quicky limit to SD DV formats, HDV (MPeg2) or DVCProHD (third party codec required). The way around this if to use a third party digital intermediate like Cineform.
    Recommends: Kiva.org - Loans that change lives.
    http://www.kiva.org/about
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