Converted clips with weird artifacts... at DVinfo.net

Michael Winget · April 27th, 2010, 10:09 AM

I'm thinking this is all a problem with my G5, but I wanted to see if anybody else has seen this:

There are times when I convert my 7D footage to Pro Res using MPEG Streamclip (I know...use the EOS plugin, right?) and the converted clips play back with some weird artifacting -- colored squares and lines blipping up on the screen every few seconds, in random order, throughout the entire clip. I've taken the same footage and, using Streamclip again, converted them on my Intel iMac at work, and the clips are fine.

Any idea what may be causing that? My Mac is a G5 tower, the last version before the switch to Intel processing, running OS 10.4.11. I've got 6GB RAM, and am using a G-RAID 2TB drive.

I fear it's simply time that I get a new machine, but I'd rather not just yet.

Jeremy Pevar · April 27th, 2010, 11:49 AM

Its very likely that your fear is correct and this is a G5 vs Intel issue. It probably is time to upgrade.

BTW - I ran a test the other day comparing MPEG Streamclip to the EOS Utility in FCP. I converted a 2 minute clip using the ProRes and ProRes HQ settings in both programs and compared the results. I concluded two things from this test:
1. There is no need to use ProRes HQ when transcoding from 7D footage. The HQ footage was indistinguishable from the plain ProRes footage.
2. MPEG StreamClip yields video that more closely resembles the original footage than does the FCP plug-in.

Bill Pryor · April 27th, 2010, 03:22 PM

I've done side-by-side comparisons of footage converted to ProRes 422 by MPEG Streamclip and by Compressor and I can't tell any difference at all.

Jeremy Pevar · April 27th, 2010, 05:51 PM

I didn't use Compressor. I used the Canon DSLR option under Log and Transfer in FCP. It looked to me like a slight difference in the gamma. The difference was subtle, but real.

Chuck Spaulding · April 30th, 2010, 11:17 PM

I noticed a slight difference as well but to me it appears to be a difference in sharpening. How do you think the plugin compares to MPEG StreamClip in speed?

Michael Winget · May 12th, 2010, 11:44 AM

I realized I was getting Pro Res HQ out of MPEG Streamclip simply because I had the wrong setting selected in my preset. I agree...can't see any difference between HQ and standard Pro Res. Doesn't matter though, as I'm buying a new MB Pro with FCS 3 this month.

I haven't used the Canon plug-in yet, but I've read posts from a number of users who say the compression is faster than Streamclip, but with the time it takes to open FCP, open or create a project file, set scratch disks, and log/name the clips, it takes almost the same amount of time. I have yet to test it myself.

Rick Jones · May 12th, 2010, 03:11 PM

I had the same problem with footage converted from the 5DMk2 using the Canon Log & Transfer plug-in. The clip is fine when played from the card. I converted it to ProRes 422 LT. MOV shows heavy pixelization in a slow pan but quick sports. Again, file on card is fine. I then tried Streamclip to convert that file and it worked fine. Looks like I'll be going back to Streamclip for all my conversions for now.

Chuck Spaulding · May 12th, 2010, 09:25 PM

That's interesting, I haven't had any problems [that I know of] converting to ProRes LT with the Canon plugin. I have been shooting quite a bit lately and have to admit I have not edited or reviewed everything I've converted.

A concern this raises for me is that everything has been working so well that I convert directly from the card without backing up original footage from the card which is probably not a good idea.

Michael Winget · May 18th, 2010, 04:02 PM

Yeah, I've made it a habit from the start to burn all my original footage files to DVD. Because I don't use the Canon plug-in, I first copy the card over to my internal hard drive (I've only got one FW800 port, otherwise, I'd go straight to my G-RAID). Then I use MPEG Streamclip and convert the H.264 files to Pro Res, saving them onto my external G-RAID in the corresponding project folder. Then I burn the original, unconverted stuff to DVD using Toast Titanium.

I'd throw out the "are DVDs a good archival method?" question, but we all know where that will lead... :)

April 27th, 2010, 10:09 AM	#1
Michael Winget Regular Crew Join Date: Jan 2010 Location: Provo, UT Posts: 38	Converted clips with weird artifacts... I'm thinking this is all a problem with my G5, but I wanted to see if anybody else has seen this: There are times when I convert my 7D footage to Pro Res using MPEG Streamclip (I know...use the EOS plugin, right?) and the converted clips play back with some weird artifacting -- colored squares and lines blipping up on the screen every few seconds, in random order, throughout the entire clip. I've taken the same footage and, using Streamclip again, converted them on my Intel iMac at work, and the clips are fine. Any idea what may be causing that? My Mac is a G5 tower, the last version before the switch to Intel processing, running OS 10.4.11. I've got 6GB RAM, and am using a G-RAID 2TB drive. I fear it's simply time that I get a new machine, but I'd rather not just yet.

April 27th, 2010, 11:49 AM	#2
Jeremy Pevar Regular Crew Join Date: Mar 2010 Location: Los Angeles, CA Posts: 48	Its very likely that your fear is correct and this is a G5 vs Intel issue. It probably is time to upgrade. BTW - I ran a test the other day comparing MPEG Streamclip to the EOS Utility in FCP. I converted a 2 minute clip using the ProRes and ProRes HQ settings in both programs and compared the results. I concluded two things from this test: 1. There is no need to use ProRes HQ when transcoding from 7D footage. The HQ footage was indistinguishable from the plain ProRes footage. 2. MPEG StreamClip yields video that more closely resembles the original footage than does the FCP plug-in.

April 27th, 2010, 03:22 PM	#3
Bill Pryor Contributor Join Date: Jan 2003 Location: Kansas City, MO Posts: 4,449	I've done side-by-side comparisons of footage converted to ProRes 422 by MPEG Streamclip and by Compressor and I can't tell any difference at all.

April 27th, 2010, 05:51 PM	#4
Jeremy Pevar Regular Crew Join Date: Mar 2010 Location: Los Angeles, CA Posts: 48	I didn't use Compressor. I used the Canon DSLR option under Log and Transfer in FCP. It looked to me like a slight difference in the gamma. The difference was subtle, but real.

April 30th, 2010, 11:17 PM	#5
Chuck Spaulding Trustee Join Date: Nov 2004 Location: Thousand Oaks Posts: 1,104	I noticed a slight difference as well but to me it appears to be a difference in sharpening. How do you think the plugin compares to MPEG StreamClip in speed?

May 12th, 2010, 11:44 AM	#6
Michael Winget Regular Crew Join Date: Jan 2010 Location: Provo, UT Posts: 38	I realized I was getting Pro Res HQ out of MPEG Streamclip simply because I had the wrong setting selected in my preset. I agree...can't see any difference between HQ and standard Pro Res. Doesn't matter though, as I'm buying a new MB Pro with FCS 3 this month. I haven't used the Canon plug-in yet, but I've read posts from a number of users who say the compression is faster than Streamclip, but with the time it takes to open FCP, open or create a project file, set scratch disks, and log/name the clips, it takes almost the same amount of time. I have yet to test it myself.

May 12th, 2010, 03:11 PM	#7
Rick Jones Regular Crew Join Date: Aug 2003 Location: Atlanta, GA Posts: 126	I had the same problem with footage converted from the 5DMk2 using the Canon Log & Transfer plug-in. The clip is fine when played from the card. I converted it to ProRes 422 LT. MOV shows heavy pixelization in a slow pan but quick sports. Again, file on card is fine. I then tried Streamclip to convert that file and it worked fine. Looks like I'll be going back to Streamclip for all my conversions for now.

May 12th, 2010, 09:25 PM	#8
Chuck Spaulding Trustee Join Date: Nov 2004 Location: Thousand Oaks Posts: 1,104	That's interesting, I haven't had any problems [that I know of] converting to ProRes LT with the Canon plugin. I have been shooting quite a bit lately and have to admit I have not edited or reviewed everything I've converted. A concern this raises for me is that everything has been working so well that I convert directly from the card without backing up original footage from the card which is probably not a good idea.

May 18th, 2010, 04:02 PM	#9
Michael Winget Regular Crew Join Date: Jan 2010 Location: Provo, UT Posts: 38	Yeah, I've made it a habit from the start to burn all my original footage files to DVD. Because I don't use the Canon plug-in, I first copy the card over to my internal hard drive (I've only got one FW800 port, otherwise, I'd go straight to my G-RAID). Then I use MPEG Streamclip and convert the H.264 files to Pro Res, saving them onto my external G-RAID in the corresponding project folder. Then I burn the original, unconverted stuff to DVD using Toast Titanium. I'd throw out the "are DVDs a good archival method?" question, but we all know where that will lead... :)