AVID workflow for SD - Wich codec?

[Greeg]

I'm testing for an AVID workflow with an SD offline phase.
for FCP we used the Prores codec wich was very nice.
For avid however we want to use a codec wich avid doesn't need to reencode whenever we import it.
does anyone know wich codec we can use best for this?

[Greg Huson]

I'm testing for an AVID workflow with an SD offline phase.
for FCP we used the Prores codec wich was very nice.
For avid however we want to use a codec wich avid doesn't need to reencode whenever we import it.
does anyone know wich codec we can use best for this?

I don't believe there's anything right now. If you get the DNxHD codec that comes with 3.0.5 (release any day now??) you can render DNx 175x out of redalert/redcine/redline, but that's still 1080 and would have to be transcoded on import into Avid (unless you work at 1080, of course- then it's just 'fast imported' -copied & rewrapped.)

In build 17 (?) there's a '4k hd' mode- I haven't tried this myself, but it's apparently excactly 2x HD (or I guess, 4xHD, depending on how you look at it) so it the 'h' proxies are exactly HD. This might be worth experimenting with.

The other choice would be to import QT proxies directly into Avid at the resolution you want to work. It's a little slower, but functional.

Even though you're not planning to go back to the R3d files, you should still use the metacheater route, just to maximize your metadata in case you do end up going to another system for online or grading. Also, look at Monkey extract- it's the 'missing link' for recapture/onlining in Avid.

[Greeg]

ATM we're working on the MC 2.8 with the DNA box.
My attempts rendering to DNxHD all in resulted in noise.
Pro-res will import bud the quality is very low and isn't efficient because of the double rendering times (R3D -> QT PRORES -> AVID IMPORT FORMAT).
I have no idea what codec AVID natively uses to reencode for import when set on OMF.
Indeed we are looking for something that will work with 'fast import' because the importing takes forever.

As you said we use Metacheater to get the metadata into the AVID and that works perfectly.
We do need that to match back to the R3D files wich need to be assembled into the filmmaster using an EDL.
For the FCP workflow we bought crimson workflow tool wich does the job for the FCP workflow.
We're taking a look at the 'Monky extract right now. Does this mean we can't use crimson for the AVID workflow?

[Jason Diamond]

Just use compressor to transcode the "proxy" files to whatever ratio of AVID omf you want.
it will be under AVID Compressed or Uncompressed depending on what size file you want to create and obviously it would be a DNxHD codec for any MXF HD media.
make sure to set your audio to 24bit although i think avid may have fixed it but do it just to be sure. then use metacheater however you wish.

try it it should work no prob.