Due to a really unfortunate series of circumstances, I find myself needing to reinstall GoPro Studio Premium version 2.0.1 build 319 on a machine that crashed and has to be rebuilt from the OS on up. (Do NOT trust Acronis True Image for backup!) I have terabytes of video encoded with the Cineform codec and I absolutely need to be able to work with these files, I could live without FirstLight and HDLink if I had to. It used to be that the GoPro Studio software would install the VFW and DirectShow version of the Cineform codec but GoPro has stopped distributing that software, too. Perhaps unsurprisingly, I am receiving no response from the Cineform activation server (and my machine ID changed anyway further complicating things since I didn't have a chance to deactivate it first.) What are my options for making sure I can decode and encode Cineform files well in the future?

Hi John,

I checked my Downloads folder and I have a .zip file called GoProCineformDecoders_1.2.0.127 from June 2016. If you think that might help, I can put in in DropBox for you, let me know

Thanks

Jeff

Thank you very much for the offer, Jeff, I have a copy of that file in my downloads folder, too.

Is there a real human being left at Cineform or GoPro that I can talk to about this or has GoPro completely screwed me?

A couple of years back I was in the same boat as you. The solution for me was to install the free GoPro Studio program to get the Cineform codecs installed. I'm using v2.5.7.549 as that is the last version of GoPro studio that didn't screw with some other .dll's on my main machine.

Next was to install Acrovid's FootageStudio. I have no connection with Acrovid but if software is good, reliable and useful I will give it a plug. For me it ended up money well spent as this enables you to encode, decode and manipulate you Cineform files to your heart's content. It also gives you full control of encoding and decoding of DNxHD and ProRes on Windows if you have those free Avid and QuickTime codecs installed. FootageStudio also gives you many other file manipulation options. It's worth downloading their trial version and giving it go.

BTW Once GoPro Studio is installed then your CineForm codec is available in any software that supports VFW codecs that includes, Vegas Pro, Da Vinci Resolve to name a couple of apps that come to mind.

Check it out here:

https://www.acrovid.com/footagestudio.htm

Lastly for new projects I'm using Grass Valley's HQX VFW codecs which I am finding every bit as good as Cineform's but HQX runs smoother and with even less CPU requirement than Cineform. I use it as a intermediate codec much like Cineform.

Chris Young
CYV Productions

if you install free goprostudio old you can read and write CIneform from every app that read from Os codec, win or mac. i used in past to share my master cf, and i can do easely today. Application like adobe and blackmagic support natively cineform files without installing codec or other.
old gopro free also support active metadata then you can add or copy database to see active metadata modify.
actually if you search on gorpo site you cannot find right version of gopro studio free, or you can find a very cutted version.
but you are lucky, you can download from my website the version for win and mac :
http://www.macchiavello.com/tmp/CFhistory/GoProStudio2.5.6.509_win.zip
http://www.macchiavello.com/tmp/CFhistory/GoProStudio2.5.6.75_mac.zip

Hi Carlo. Thanks for the links. I have also got TBs of old projects in Cineform that I need to access.

I used Neoscene:

https://cineform-neoscene.software.informer.com/

Editing goes fine in Adobe CC 2019

at today if you work with adobe suite cineform is integrated, in out files.
if you need to encode in cineform and not use adobe suite, Resolve free allow you to read and convert with media tab in Cineform