Is there a way to get the red codec for testing?

[Rob Lohman]

Emery: your assumptions are incorrect. Since it is a QT codec it should work with virtually any QT supporting application, whether they support REDCODE or not.

FCP just adds more support so that the codec is real-time enabled on the FCP timeline and we have some other options for FCP to plug into their transfer (transcode) option.

At the moment we're testing internally and with select partners. When the first few camera's will ship we will work with those customers closely to make sure everything is working properly. Of course that includes testing on multiple platforms and with multiple NLE's.

[Emery Wells]

Well thats great news Rob!

When you say FCP just adds more support so that the codec is 'real-time' enabled do you mean that it will play back in real time (the on the fly demosaicing) or do you mean it works with the FCP real time effects engine?

I know that it will in fact do both in FCP but I was just wondering what exactly you were referring to.

Because if a REDCODE RAW clip will import into Premiere Pro and show up on the canvas but not play back in real time than its not exactly 'working.'

I guess my real question actually refers to the nature of the real time demosaicing. Is that purely a function of the codec?

If you were to open a clip in quicktime, would it automatically choose your preview resolution based on your system specs and play back a 1k or 2k file in real time?

If it is a purely a function of the codec, why will it not be supported in FCP when it ships?

Also, on the subject of the real time demosaicing... once a frame has been decompressed does it store that frame in cache? If so I assume it would just cahce to RAM. But will there be an option to cache decompressed frames to the hard disk?

Im not sure thats even an ideal solution as you'd certainly fill up your hard disks but it could also speed up your editing if you want to stay in a pure REDCODE RAW work flow.

One final question about the codec in FCP. I know FCP is still limited to 2k, but if you are working with 4k REDCODE RAW will it be able to export a full res image sequence or will you still have to conform in another app for full 4k? In other words, I know you cant work in 4k in FCP, but if you could still render out a 4k sequence that would be nice.

[Chris Kenny]

Emery: your assumptions are incorrect. Since it is a QT codec it should work with virtually any QT supporting application, whether they support REDCODE or not.

Have you guys tested in Color yet? (Proxied to 2K, of course, since that's the max Color supports.)

[Chris Kenny]

One final question about the codec in FCP. I know FCP is still limited to 2k, but if you are working with 4k REDCODE RAW will it be able to export a full res image sequence or will you still have to conform in another app for full 4k? In other words, I know you cant work in 4k in FCP, but if you could still render out a 4k sequence that would be nice.

FCP actually can be made to work at 4K, by exporting a blank sequence as XML, manually editing the resolution, and then re-importing it. It'll still show up as only being 4000 pixels wide in the FCP interface (FCP's nominal maximum), but it's really the full 4096.

I haven't done extensive testing, but I did manage to cut some high-rez stills (I don't have any 4K video lying around) into a 4096x2304 sequence like this, with transitions, and export a 4K QuickTime movie that opened fine in QT Player, etc.

[Rob Lohman]

Too much details to go into all this now. We're still in development and testing.

Performance will highly depend on the number of cpu's and the resolution you shot in or you select a lower resolution to work in. Decode quality also effects decode time.

That's all I can say about that at this point in time.

[Stephen Gentle]

Will the RED codecs be available for download even if we don't have a camera? You can get the Avid ones for free... Or maybe you could sell them...