Some questions about Aspect HD

[Matthew Pugerude]

David or somebody,
Can I take an XDCAM HD file that FCP turned into an .mov file into HDLink and convert it to a Cineform file I can edit in the CS3 package on a PC or am I living in the clouds.

Here the story:
I asked a FCP editor to send me a couple of files from a shoot I did with him with a XDCAM 350. He sent the mov files to me and later told me he did not have the MXF files on his computer anymore. So I opened HDlink and tried to convert the .mov files but at first it just crashed HDlink. then it started to convert something then a big black screen that said something like active windows popped up and just hung there until I closed it which stopped the convertion. So in a nut shell there it is.

So Can I do it or not. Buy the way the native XDCAM convertion works great now!!!

[David Newman]

FCP can mangle standard media when it put them in MOV files. HDLink will only convert file that can be made to play in mediaplayer -- sometimes it requires a little prompting. If you have a short file, I will see if anything obvious can be done.

[Greg Boston]

Originally Posted by David Newman

FCP can mangle standard media when it put them in MOV files. HDLink will only convert file that can be made to play in mediaplayer -- sometimes it requires a little prompting. If you have a short file, I will see if anything obvious can be done.

David, the main problem is the XDCAM HD codec is what gets used during the conversion to Quicktime on the Mac side. Unfortunately, this codec is not available to the Windows platform so those files won't play at all. Of course that's part of the reason for MXF.. Media eXchange Format.

Matthew, what I would do is take the Quicktime files and use XDCAM Export to re-construct the files as MXF format. You don't have to write back to the actual disc, it can be a folder on your hard drive. Those files should then be usable on the pc side using anything that understands MXF, like Cineform.

Give that a shot and see if it works for you. I don't own Cineform so I can't verify that it will read the files once converted back to MXF. Also of note when you do this there is no proxy file generated as would happen if the XDCAM camera or deck recorded it.

Hope this helps,

-gb-

[Randy Shelton]

I was having problems with my HDV files – as far as I could tell it seems that as the video action increased, the cpu graph would spike and the audio would stutter. Someone on the Adode premiere 2 forum suggested trying Aspect & now that problem seems to have been solved. But other questions have come up. I have read the pfd, reviewed the CineForm site, reviewed several forums, but now the trial version is about to expire. So I am hoping someone out here can help:
I have the following equipment / HW / software:
· Canon XHA1, (capture with firewire) – does not have HD/SDI terminal
· Xp sp2
· Intel core 2 duo processors
· 6400 @2.13ghz
· 2 gb ram
· 128 mb pci express video board
· Adobe creative suite production studio premium (includes PPro 2 & AE 7)
· I am using SD clips from another camcorder as well as HDV, digital Juice products (lower 1/3, backgrounds etc), purchased video libraries etc
· I have downloaded the trial version of Aspect HD
Some questions:
1. Is Aspect the correct product for me? (vs say prospect)
2. I have captured using PPro 2 capture window using the cineform hdv… and with HD link as well as converted files, yet I still have the red line in Ppro2 & have to render the .avi’s and CF transitions. The files look green and are upside down prior to render. What am I doing wrong here?
3. Do the prefs applied in HD link also apply to the PPro 2 capture window if using CineForm settings?
4. I have a CF project set up as 720 x 480 60frame so I can use Encore 2 to make DVD’s but the XHA1 shoots a different size – is this impacting my workflow?
5. When apply slow motion in PPro2 (or any effect) it appears the quality is degraded & jerky.
6. I use AE a lot, current project using time remapping, but cant get the time remapping exported back to PPro2 – or where it looks good – currently has jagged jumpy lines flashing across it. Any ideas?
7. I also get those “jagged jumpy lines” when I use CineForm on SD clips to fit into the widescreen format. So I went back to using the regular clips and just resizing manually in PPRo2. any suggestions?
8. If the computer crashes and burns how can you transfer aspect to a new computer? – actually had this happen on another product.

Thanks for your help,
Randy

[David Newman]

1. Aspect HD is not for feature work or high end broadcast, whereas Prospect HD is much more suitable for those markets.

2. Sounds like you aren't running a CineForm preset or haven't got all our components installed. Nothing should look weird or have a red-lines short of adding a third-party effect filter. Please contact support but filing a trouble ticket at www.cineform.com/support

3. No, Premiere has its own capture setting control panel for CineForm.

4. Yes, don't do that. Your preset should much your source resolution, not your target output format. Completing your project in HD, then export to your target format for much higher quality.

5. Doesn't sound like our presets. Slow motion will show as red but will play fine. Red only indicates that frame blending is not active during preview, it will be upon export or a render.

6. none. We don't limit those funcitons, however I not sure that works in CS2 like CS3. Note: time remapping will require rendering in any case.

7. Still sounds like something not installed.

8. You have two activations for this very reason. When the second PC suddenly dies, contact support for a new activation. You can transfer activations between systems at anytime.

[Douglas Turner]

Does anyone know if the Matrox RTX2 will improve the speed of my editing system, assuming that I'm still going to be editing using cineform preset projects (1080i 25fps) and using CFHD avi's?

I like the idea of the component in/out and the realtime preview DVI out, but obviously not interested in it if all I'm gonna get is a quicker rendering of a few bespoke Matrox filters.

I 'thought' I had a pretty quick system... but it's 18 months old now, and it's time for either a face-lift in the form of the Matrox card or the knackers yard.

[David Newman]

The Matrox RTX2 and CineForm do not mix, you need to choose one or the other. If you want component I/O with CineForm use Prospect HD/2K with a AJA Xena LH/e card. That will get you 10-bit I/O, plus HDSDI, something RTX2 can offer.

[Denis Danatzko]

Hi,all.

Need help, please, as my current project must be delivered this week.

When I took delivery of my editing station in May of 2006, I also purchased CS2 and Aspect HD, and bought all as a turn-key package from the same vendor, who is an authorized dealer for both Adobe and Cineform.

This morning, when I started up PPro2, this message popped up on the screen:
"Thank you for evaluating this software. Your evaluation period is over. Please visit http://www.cineform.com to purchase the software."

(Terribly upsetting, as all was working fine as of approx. midnight last night).

In the message window, I clicked "Enter Key" which opened another window, then entered my name and the key I had written down, but that returns another message saying it's invalid.

I do know that I've downloaded one or two free updates since I purchased the package, but am pretty sure it was no more than two. In any case, after the message appears, PPro 2 then immediately closes, preventing me from proceeding with editing, even though I don't think I'm using any of the Cineform features in the project. (I could be wrong about that, though; I don't recall for certain). The project is entirely SD as DV25- no DVCPRO, no High Def at all - not even DVCPRO50.

The machine is a 4vExtreme computer w/2 AMD Opteron 2.7 processors running XP Pro, with a single hard drive and a 1.5 TB RAID.

To top it off, I have to deliver this project this week.

Am more than willing to provide any extra info that helps get this resolved.

How can I get this corrected quickly? I've contacted the vendor (4videoequipment.com), but they generally don't get in the office until after 9:00 AM.

All help invited/appreciated, and gratefully accepted.

Thanks.

[Richard Leadbetter]

My guess is that your unit shipped with Aspect HD v4 and you've updated to v5? If I'm right you could download the last v4 update here and give that a shot with your existing registration details. The step from v4 to v5 requires an extra payment due to the massively engorged feature set.

I had exactly the same issue with an old Connect HD upgrade. I had no issue at all paying the $99 upgrade as the one thing you can guarantee about CineForm upgrades is that they're always worth the money.

It just would've been handy for the installer to tell me about it at the installation point as opposed to overwriting my valid license and bombing me out 15 days later ;)

[Denis Danatzko]

but I have not updated/upgraded to v5. Checking dates in the folder:
Program Files\Adobe\Adobe Premiere Pro 2.0\Plug-ins\en_US\Cineform, files in the folder were last modified on 3/28/2007.

I thought that was before v5 was even available. Even it v5 was available before that date, I'm pretty certain I did not pay to upgrade to v5, (I couldn't afford it then, nor right now), and I haven't purposely/knowingly downloaded any trial version of v5. Was specifically avoiding that until I got a few other projects completed, for fear of project settings maybe causing problems between old & new versions.

If I can't start Aspect HD, AND it prevents PPro 2 from loading, how can I confirm what version of Aspect I last updated to?

Is there some way I can track what I've actually downloaded versus what I THOUGHT I downloaded, e.g. file names/dates/size, or some sort of download "log" that gets built as I downloaded updates?

I simply don't understand how Aspect HD would/could have the power ("gall"?) to prevent Premiere Pro from loading, even if I HAD only used a trial version of Aspect. I know I've paid for both and have never downloaded trial versions of either. Even with an earnestly expired Cineform product, I'd still expect PPro 2 to load, but maybe have "holes" where (supposedly) now-expired Cineform features might have been used in a project.

Thanks, again for your input, and apologies to all if this seems "angry"...I'm sitting here unable to make any progress on a project that's due very soon, and had tried to be very careful to do nothing to jeopardize the delivery. This is just happening at an extremely inopportune time, and sincerely feel it's through no fault of mine.

[Denis Danatzko]

After a few tries, I did get PPro 2 working again. Followed the procedures listed in the Aspect HD User Manual (duh!), and am back in business.

Thanks for the help, and sincere apologies for taking up precious time...mea culpa, mea culpa, mea maxima culpa.

[K. Tessman]

Re: the deregistration of your valid Cineform product, it's my understanding that Aspect HD 4 registration is now simply broken. From Cineform support:

This is due to a recent MS Windows Security update. It has affected our third party security wrapper. We've fixed this in the latest versions of our software, but unfortunately our engineering staff has no plans to go back and fix it in older versions (like Aspect HD 4). I'm afraid you'll have to keep re-entering the info or upgrade.

Best to keep it that 60-character activation key someplace handy for cut-and-paste, or pay for the upgrade.

[Mark Sanford]

A question for Mr. Newman: I'm using Aspect 4(latest build) under PPro 1.5.1. I would like the added functionality of Aspect 5 but Cineform's site is not clear whether V.5 will work with any version of PPro earlier than V.2
Can I use Aspect 5 with V1.5.1?

[David Newman]

Aspect HD V5 still works with 1.5.1. However, please download the trial first as we now do almostly no testing under 1.5.1, while there are going reports of bugs in 1.5.1 and V5, it is good to test for yourself.

[Randy Shelton]

sorry took so long to reply but had a deadline(s). anyway wow...works like a charm thanks for your reply. nice