AVID TIP: AMA+TRANSCODE. DON'T IMPORT

[Nick Morrison]

Hey guys, wanted to share an Avid tip. We have found that IMPORTING Quicktimes into Avid 6 takes FOREVER. Don't bother. To our surprise, if you AMA link to these same quicktimes, and then TRANSCODE THEM (presumably to your project's resolution, most commonly DNX 145 or DNX 175)...these quicktimes FLY IN SIX TIMES FASTER.

You read that correctly.

If you AMA+TRANSCODE quicktimes, they go into your avid 5-6 TIMES FASTER than if you IMPORT.

I've tried this at our Avid's in our shop, and also at AETN, and it holds true at both places.

Try it. I'd be curious to see if this holds up across the board.


My GUT tells me that IMPORT is an old software legacy of AVID. And that the AMA/TRANSCODE engine is a much newer coded module, specifically designed to handle quicktimes, and just works much faster. At least that's my guess.


Hope this helps.

[MichaelP]

AMA has always been faster as a link to media and transcode than import. As you remarked, import is old code, which it is. AMA+ transcode is new and accesses more processors than import - thus in increase in speed. A couple questions is why are you AMA'ing to the original R3D files, and when linking to the QT proxy of R3D files, which one are you linking to? F, H, M, S ,etc.?

Michael

[Sven Seynaeve]

when no rocket is present, and you connect via AMA to the Epic files, how long does it take to transcode ???

is it going pretty fast, or does it really require rocket?

[Nick Morrison]

AMA has always been faster as a link to media and transcode than import. As you remarked, import is old code, which it is. AMA+ transcode is new and accesses more processors than import - thus in increase in speed. A couple questions is why are you AMA'ing to the original R3D files, and when linking to the QT proxy of R3D files, which one are you linking to? F, H, M, S ,etc.?

Michael

Hey Michael. I actually was referring to QT's in general. Not R3D's. Our Scarlets just arrived. I'm sure I'll have much more to report on our Avid workflow with them as the months progress.

[MichaelP]

Hey Michael. I actually was referring to QT's in general. Not R3D's. Our Scarlets just arrived. I'm sure I'll have much more to report on our Avid workflow with them as the months progress.

Ah got it. Being on REDUSER I assume all things are R3D related. Redrocket is great for full debayer transcode/render, but if using 1/2, etc. it's not bad at all render wise. I have found it to be fast that REDCINE X for software transodes in some cases.

Michael

[Peter Moretti]

I would think that if they are DNxHD QT's, the difference between AMA and Import would be negligable as long the QT "fast imports." (To get that to happen choose 601/709 color levels so no transcode takes place, just a demuxing of the audio and rewraping into the MXF op atom wrapper.)

[MichaelP]

... and the management of two set of copy as a fast import is not a "move" but a copy. When creating native MXF wrapped media, it can be a choice. Also going from R3D to MXF wrapped DNxHD directly keeps that pesky QuickTime wrapper and "gamma du jour" out of the mix. :)

Michael