Decoding of very old CineForm files at DVinfo.net

Lauri Kettunen · August 6th, 2023, 08:50 AM

I have some old footages shot with Canon XL2, PAL model in 16:9 format and stored with CineForm codec (the old Prospect 4K, if remember well). The issue is, Adobe Premiere Pro or After Effects does not recognise the format. Davinci Resolve manages to open the files and show frames, but the order of frames is incorrect.

Does anybody have an idea, how the files can be opened and reformatted (preferable with a Mac)?

Christopher Young · August 6th, 2023, 09:43 AM

Try Shutter Encoder. It seems to handle many codecs. Older version as well. Available for Mac and PC.
If it doesn't decode them, I have some Cineform decode software going back to around 2002 when Cineform was first released by David Taylor, David Newman and Co. So maybe upload a short test file somewhere, and I can check out whether it can be done with what I have.

Chris Young

https://www.shutterencoder.com/en/

Lauri Kettunen · August 6th, 2023, 11:06 AM

Thank you Chris for the suggestion. I'll send you an email.

Tried Shutter Encoder, but it did not help. I think the issue is, the CF-files are PAL-interlaced 1440x1080 anamorphic 16:9 HD files. Likely, either Shutter Encode or Resolve do not recognise such HD-files as such a format is not that common. If remember properly, this was a special format David Newman developed at the time for cameras like XL2.

Andrew Smith · August 6th, 2023, 03:07 PM

At least BM / Davinci Resolve will/should be responsive to a bug report.

Andrew

Andrew Smith · August 6th, 2023, 08:13 PM

Also, is this page from Adobe about a different "cineform" codec usage?

https://helpx.adobe.com/premiere-pro...orm-codec.html

Andrew

Christopher Young · August 6th, 2023, 10:36 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Lauri Kettunen

Thank you Chris for the suggestion. I'll send you an email.

Yes, I got that, Lauri. Also got your file download. Cineform is becoming an issue on Mac, as it's one of the family of codecs Apple decided to abandon. Last year, they put out the list below of now unsupported codecs. Which is a shame.

Anyhow, it can be done very quickly and efficiently on a PC. I emailed you back with some workflow suggestions and a download link to see the conversion done on your sample file. Any further help just reach out. Someone here will have answers.

Chris Young

Apple codec announcement:

https://support.apple.com/en-au/HT209000

Here are examples of media formats affected by this transition:

3ivx MPEG-4
AV1/VP9
AVC0 Media AVA0 Media
Avid DNxHD/DNxHR
Avid DV/DV100/JFIF/Motion JPEG
Avid Meridien/1:1x/Packed/RGBPacked
BitJazz SheerVideo
CineForm
Cinepak
DivX
Flash Video
FlashPix
FLC
GlueTools codecs for Cineon/DPX, Phantom Cine, ARRIRAW, Uncompressed RGB
H.261
Implode
Indeo video 5.1
Intel Video 4:3
JPEG 2000

Microsoft Video 1
Motion JPEG A
Motion JPEG B
On2 VP3, VP5, VP6, VP6-E, VP6-S, VP7, VP8, VP9
Perian collection of codecs (such as Microsoft MPEG-4, DivX, 3ivx, VP6 and VP3)
Pixlet
Planar RGB
QuickTime files encoded using still image formats (sgi, tga, png and others)
RealVideo
REDCODE QuickTime Decoder (.mov)
SGI
Sony HDCAM-SR (SStP)
Sorenson 3
Sorenson Spark
Sorenson Video/Video 3/YUV9
Streambox ACT-L2
Windows Media Video 7, 8, 9
Xiph.org's Theora Video
ZyGoVideo

August 6th, 2023, 08:50 AM	#1
Lauri Kettunen Major Player Join Date: Aug 2004 Location: Kangasala, Finland Posts: 445	Decoding of very old CineForm files I have some old footages shot with Canon XL2, PAL model in 16:9 format and stored with CineForm codec (the old Prospect 4K, if remember well). The issue is, Adobe Premiere Pro or After Effects does not recognise the format. Davinci Resolve manages to open the files and show frames, but the order of frames is incorrect. Does anybody have an idea, how the files can be opened and reformatted (preferable with a Mac)?

August 6th, 2023, 09:43 AM	#2
Christopher Young Trustee Join Date: Apr 2008 Location: Sydney Australia Posts: 1,564	Re: Decoding of very old CineForm files Try Shutter Encoder. It seems to handle many codecs. Older version as well. Available for Mac and PC. If it doesn't decode them, I have some Cineform decode software going back to around 2002 when Cineform was first released by David Taylor, David Newman and Co. So maybe upload a short test file somewhere, and I can check out whether it can be done with what I have. Chris Young https://www.shutterencoder.com/en/ The Best Video Converter for Windows and Mac - YouTube

August 6th, 2023, 11:06 AM	#3
Lauri Kettunen Major Player Join Date: Aug 2004 Location: Kangasala, Finland Posts: 445	Re: Decoding of very old CineForm files Thank you Chris for the suggestion. I'll send you an email. Tried Shutter Encoder, but it did not help. I think the issue is, the CF-files are PAL-interlaced 1440x1080 anamorphic 16:9 HD files. Likely, either Shutter Encode or Resolve do not recognise such HD-files as such a format is not that common. If remember properly, this was a special format David Newman developed at the time for cameras like XL2.

August 6th, 2023, 03:07 PM	#4
Andrew Smith Equal Opportunity Offender Join Date: Feb 2009 Location: Brisbane, Australia Posts: 3,061	Re: Decoding of very old CineForm files At least BM / Davinci Resolve will/should be responsive to a bug report. Andrew

August 6th, 2023, 08:13 PM	#5
Andrew Smith Equal Opportunity Offender Join Date: Feb 2009 Location: Brisbane, Australia Posts: 3,061	Re: Decoding of very old CineForm files Also, is this page from Adobe about a different "cineform" codec usage? https://helpx.adobe.com/premiere-pro...orm-codec.html Andrew