Best codec for avi import into Vegas?

bdg wrote on 10/10/2007, 11:47 AM
What do you guys recommend as the best codec to use for avi's created with a landscape prog called Vue?
These are for import into 7d, no sound just video.
End format is currently dvd but I will be switching to hd just as soon as a winner emerges.

I currently use the free DivX 6.5 codec. I tried a test using the DivX not-for-free version but couldn't tell any difference in quality at dvd resolution.

Speed is an issue but quality is more important.

Comments

Spot|DSE wrote on 10/10/2007, 12:01 PM
Almost anything but DivX or Xvid. Can you output sequential PNG, TGA? DV is great, although their encoder may not be.
What other codec choices does Vue offer?
Paul Fierlinger wrote on 10/10/2007, 12:03 PM
Anything uncompressed. For animation programs I use Uncompressed BGR24, unless you have an alpha channel involved, in which case you would use BGR32 Premultiplied.
Jacob Nielsen wrote on 10/10/2007, 12:33 PM
Render as image sequence instead. Then You dont have to rerender the whole avi but can rerender selected frames if you need to. I use opensource Blender 3D - and I always render as either jpg seq or png seq. PNG is good if you need the alpha channel, it doesnt take up huge amounts of space on your harddrive and it's rather "easy going" on your timeline. Import as image sequence from vegas.

jacob
Paul Fierlinger wrote on 10/10/2007, 2:21 PM
Jacob, my experience is just the opposite. For instance a 1080p clip which takes up 2.59 GB of uncompressed AVI, comes out at 629 MB when rendered as a PNG image sequence, but in Vegas, in the middle of an all AVI clips, 7 minute timeline which plays real time at 24fps, this clip barely moves at 4 fps.
DataMeister wrote on 10/10/2007, 2:46 PM
Paul F,
Are you saying the AVI or the PNG moves at 4 fps?

Paul Fierlinger wrote on 10/10/2007, 3:05 PM
The PNG image sequence.
bdg wrote on 10/10/2007, 3:17 PM
Whoe Dude! Replies so quick :)
Here's what's available in Vue: (I guess this is what's available on my system)
Cinepak codec by Radius (v 1.10.011)
Intel IYUV codec
" Indeo video 4.5
" " " R3.2
" " " V2.50
Microsoft H.261 video codec
" H.263 " "
" Video1
" RLE
Indeo video 5.10
DivX 6.6.1 codec
" " YV12 decoder
Cineform HD codec v2.5
Full frames (uncompressed)

I imagine that full frames will produce file sizes that I just can't fit on my hard drives.
Paul Fierlinger wrote on 10/10/2007, 5:38 PM
I never used any of those -- the best is to make some short tests of your own. Keep in mind that QT, using the codec "Animation" is uncompressed too.
DJPadre wrote on 10/11/2007, 9:27 AM
install the Huffy YUV codec and be done with it mate