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http://digitalfilms.wordpress.com/2010/06/12/will-cs5-and-mc5-toast-fcp

• Great article comparing their pragmatics for various kinds of business and workflow situation.
• Also speculating on their likely future developments.

• The mix&match feature of the Avid (e.g. MC4) assumes bringing in footage in corresponding projects. After that, you can instantly access that footage from any other project (or project type), and playback in real-time
• http://lfhd.net/2009/10/01/avid-mc-4-0-inside-look-at-mix-match
  • Your sequence setting is what you tell it.  1080i, 720p, 525i…whathaveyou.  And whatever clip you add to that that ISN’T that format, gets scaled to that format…using a filter called a MOTION ADAPTER.  This add interpolation to match the sequence settings, and this is added automatically when you add new footage that doesn’t match.  And there are all sorts of interpolation modes…these are all user selectable.  AND you can change your sequence settings to match something else later.
    
  • If you want the interpolation to better then you can “promote” the motion adapter to a full blown TIME WARP (that has been there for many years) and the footage will benefit more.
  • Works in software-only (no Mojo required) and takes advantage of multi-core (e.g. 8 core)
  • Avid’s ‘open timeline’ implementation is much better than FCP’s.  Avid MC automatically adds a plugin that is designed to do this upscale in very smart ways. It isn’t just scaling it and then repeating a frame.
  • The editor does need to have certain “switches “ turned on to see the highest quality output, such as: -Full Quality 10bit output, -HQ RT Scaling Decoder, -Advanced Polyphase image interpolation.
• For example: “you will have to import NTSC clips in an NTSC project and 720p60 clips in a 720p60 project. If you try to import 720p60 files into a 30i project, you will be downconverting upon import, which is not as nice, and will not be able to handle certain metadata correctly”
  

The Aja KiPro captures HD (& SD?) from analog or SDI to 10-bit 422 to QT-ProRes (ordinaire and HQ).   In comparison the Convergent Design products currently capture to 8-bit 422 (hi-bitrate Mpeg2).  ProRes is particularly suited to (aimed at) Final Cut.  But since ProRes decoder is freely available, including on Windows, the KiPro could be used with other NLEs.Presumably (haven’t yet tried) once the ProRes is  copied to the editing system’s media drive, it can be simply dropped into an Avid project (bin/timeline).  Some seem to find it OK e.g. “I import ProRes straight into MC all day, no problems. You’ll need FCP 7 to have access to the new 4444 codec though..” [http://community.avid.com/forums/p/76196/426097.aspx#426097].  But some people are cagey about this (on principle?) “…if I were you I would reencode the quicktimes to an Avid codec” [http://forums.creativecow.net/thread/45/866733#866733].  One re-encoding option [http://community.avid.com/forums/p/62217/407573.aspx#407573] is Mpeg StreamClip [http://www.squared5.com].  Not sure what the advantage is (or whether it is real) but some people complain of problems with levels [http://community.avid.com/forums/p/62217/407573.aspx#407573] and metadata.  I would hope that Avid’s “New Thinking” would render any such problems historical, but experience will tell.One slight nuisance - Avid doesn’t work directly with the Aja KiPro.  That is, the KiPro is not a device type recognized by Avid’s Advanced Media Architecture AMA [ http://community.avid.com/forums/t/71260.aspx?PageIndex=1 ].  Not a show-stopper, but definitely a tilting force (from Avid to FCS/FCP).The KiPro is bulkier than the Convergent Design products.  It can record from more kinds of input to more kinds of storage medium. I haven’t looked at power consumption or robustness yet. Links: 

• http://dv411.com/kipro.html 
• http://provideocoalition.com/index.php/atepper/story/ajas_kipro_records_prores422_directly_without_a_computer

http://www.avid.com/resources/qualified/MediaComposer-Qualified-Apple-Workstations.pdf

Just wondered what was happening video-wise in the linux world, for example how was Cinelerra going.  Last I looked (months or a year ago) it was possible to get Cinelerra working under Ubuntu.  So when I came across UbuntuStudio, I thought it was worth checking out, just to keep abreast of developments.

However it appears not to include Cinelerra, instead OpenMovieEditor http://www.openmovieeditor.org/

From [https://wiki.ubuntu.com/UbuntuStudio/PackageList]: 

Description:

• openmovieeditor - Video editor
• ffmpeg - Multimedia player, server and encoder
• ffmpeg2theora - Theora video encoder using ffmpeg
• kino - A non-linear editor for Digital Video data
• stopmotion - A program for creating stop motion animation.
• dvgrab - Grab digital video data via IEEE1394 links

It is only available as an Installer, not LiveCD [http://ubuntuforums.org/showthread.php?t=703822] . For more info:

• https://wiki.ubuntu.com/UbuntuStudio

Gleaned from Philip Bloom’s presentation on using a 30p native cam to produce to other standards (e.g. 24p):

• Edit native, convert the edit result, not the source (rushes). Saves render time (& space)
• Don’t edit H264 - current machines are not fast enough to avoid jerkiness.
  • Before edit, convert to ProRes (standard is sufficient, no need for HQ).  If disk space at a premium then could instead use XDCAM EX format but that is not compatible with Cinema Tools.
    • Conversion to ProRes is done twice as fast by Mpeg StreamClip (free) than by Compressor.
      • Mpeg StreamClip:
        • [File > Open Files, File> Export to QuickTime, choose format ProRes 422, change top-slider to Full 100% Quality (default is less)
        • Can also use it to batch-convert, result can be either separate files or all concatenated in sequence.
• (DO THE EDIT)
• FrameRate Conversion:
  • Simplest: speed change - change the timebase (the rate at which the existing frames are presented).  OK when speed change does not matter (e.g. static scene).
    • Can be done e.g. via Cinema Tools.
      • Stages: Analysis then select desired new framerate then Conform.
      • (or [Cinema Tools: File > Batch Conform],  select a folder containing set of files, select any example file in it, Open, change speed, go: all the files are done)
  • Speed-preserving frameRate conversion can be done by Compressor or by JES Deinterlacer (free)
    • Compressor
      • Open Compressor
      • Drag file to job-strip
      • Create a Setting if needed
      • Geometry (5th icon along) - set Frame Size to “100% of source” (to ensure Compressor setting doesn’t re-scale)
      • Frame Controls: Unlock
      • (ignore settings that don’t apply e.g. resize method)
      • Rate Conversion: choose the fastest you can get away with
      • It is not compulsory to set a Destination.
        • (what happens if not? same directory as source?  what filename gets generated)
          • If no destination specified then file goes to same directory, auto-named as the original filename plus the name of the export format Setting.  Example: From TRV 12-39 AvidGrade.mov it generated TRV 12-39 AvidGrade-QT ProRes Interlaced.mov, where QT ProRes Interlaced was a compression setting (previously defined by myself).  Incidentally the QT-DV was 35MB, the generated QT-ProRes was 47MB.
    • JES Deinterlacer
      • Choose >  (input your file)
      • Output > Compressor > Export
        • (nothing to do with Apple’s Compressor, at least I assume…)

Based on info from Rick Young’s Blog at MacVideo.tv, 16 Nov 2009

How to export a FCP7 project to FCP6:

• Export XML from the FCP7 project - choose Apple XML Interchange Format, version 4 (not 5).
• Open this in FCP6 then manually reconnect the media.

Alternatives that don’t work:

• Export a project as Apple XML Interchange Format, version 5  then import this into Final Cut Pro 6 - it asks for a Template.
• Export EDLs from the FCP7 project and try to bring these into the FCP6 project - doesn’t work.

Un-advised by Avid but the people are doing it anyway…

• [http://xdvfaq.tripod.com/]
  • Avid® Xpress® DV 3.5 FAQ (2003)
    • Avid does not recommend Athlon systems. While some users are reporting good success with these systems, many more are having problems. If you are going to get an Athlon, make sure you or your dealer install all the latest BIOS upgrades and chipset patches prior to installing Xpress DV (2003)

• [http://community.avid.com/forums/p/71606/400394.aspx] (2009)
  • “New Nested Effects Technique in Media Composer 3.5″ (article, May 2009))
    • MC 3.5.1, HP dv9605ea, Vista Home Premium, AMD Athlon 1.8 GHz, 2 GB RAM, nVidia GeForce 7150M, Conexant HD Audio, G-tech 500GB G-drive
• [http://community.avid.com/forums/p/30313/168427.aspx#168427] (2006)
  • “I have two editing systems, the HP xw8200 with a Quadro FX card, and the d4100e Dual Core Athlon 64x, with a ATI x1600 video card, I had installed Avid Xpress Pro 5.6.2 with Mojo on both machines, for my surprise I do not get any errors on the System with the ATI video card and Athlon Processors. I am able to capture, edit, export and playback audio and video without any problem.” (2006)

Reports and advice vary:

• Some advise “No”.
  • [http://www.editheaven.co.uk/faq.html]
    • “What about installing other video applications such as Premiere Pro or Canopus Procoder?
      Installing other NLEs such as Premiere, Vegas or Edius is seriously not a good idea. You will definitely run into huge problems and this may even result in having to reformat your system in order to fix things. Transcoding applications such as Sorenson Squeeze, Canopus Procoder, CinemaCraft and Media Cleaner are fine. “
    • “There are many software programs which you can install safely on your system without affecting performance or stability. However, our view is that your Avid system should be used for video editing only. If you need Photoshop or After Effects, feel free to install them. However, the problem is that the more software you install, the more likely that something somewhere will have a negative effect on performance. Using your Avid system as an office PC is not a good idea. “
•  Others say yes:
  • [http://community.avid.com/forums/p/42046/237010.aspx#237010]
    • “There was a problem where FCP would act up if the Avid codecs were installed (installing Avid installs them), so maybe that’ll be a problem.  Otherwise, install both and try it–if they don’t run, uninstall and pick your editing poison.  Ghost your drive before hand in case you run into problems.  It’ll be faster than waiting for “definitive” reply.” (2007-05)
    • “I’m running them both, w/no observable deficiencies.  At least on Avid.  I can’t say I’ve used FCP for more than 10 times or so.  I really air out the Avid 2.7, so I can say it’s solid w/the FCP install. ” (2007-05)
    • “I’ve got both on the same cpu and I haven’t noticed any difference. They both seem to work fine even if they are both running at the same time. That is if I’m doing a major export or render on the Avid I can still edit on FCP with Avid working in the background. I would suggest that you keep your media on separate drives though.” (2007-05)
  • [http://community.avid.com/forums/p/18581/105067.aspx#105067]
    • “I run both systems on one partition of my Adrenaline system. There really is no problem. The only thing to be aware of is the capture card. If you are using an Aja card, you’ll need to disable it when launching the AVID by holding down the SHIFT key.” (2006-06)

Context:

• In FCP I imported [File>Import] a CineForm AVI file residing on an NTFS disk.   It showed up in FCP’s browser OK.  I dragged it to Viewer and it played there OK.  I dragged it to timeline and it displayed there as a clip i.e. as a long pale-green block.

Problem:

• When I tried to play teh timeline the Canvas screen remained blank.
• Also the timeline clip-block had no thumbnail (which, given my configuraton of FCP, I would normally expect)

Interpretation:

• Mac support for AVI is said to be half-hearted.  This is probably what is happening here.

Response:

• Try re-wrapping the Cineform AVI file as a CineForm MOV file.
• This can be done via Cineform’s bundled tools as follows:
  •  On the PC by using HDLink
  • On the Mac by using ReMaster
• (I have not yet tried this)