I did a couple AVI test renders using the HQX codec and what I got was a pixelated 1920x1080 sized video. The project, the media and the render setting are all set to appropriate HD specs. Any idea what went wrong - looks like an 640x480 video just blown up to full HD - very pixelated.

Mike

most likely the quality setting on the codec preferences is very low. use one of the presets, like "fine" or "normal" (in the codec settings dialog)

I had it set on Super fine - must be another setting somewhere else I am missing.

Mike

Ahh, just realized that Quality of 0 is actually better than Qualtiy of 18 (seems counter intuitive) under the configuration settings. That fixed the pixelation issue.

Mike

the "Q" setting is Quantizer, not Quality.

i did the same the first time i used... :(

@diverG:

Geoff, et al,

There is no need to do anything before the end of July. There is an Edius 6.5 crossgrade available (safeHarbor, right now, but probably B&H, etc in the immediate future). All you will have to do is provide a screenshot of the Help\About screen from any of the major NLE's.

http://www.sharbor.com/products/GRVN0320051.html

The end of July "free upgrade" is just for those who have bought Edius 6 recently.

< ")%%%><(

@ cybercom,
Thanks for the heads up on that. I was looking at picking up the crossgrade to 6 which would also give an upgrade to 6v5. Edius6v5 only allows provides two licences (like adobe); 6 can be installed on many machines but only works with a dongle. The codec pack was released to ease cross platform transfers. PC to mac.
I can confirm the color shift identified by wwagg's in an earlier post when using the canopus codec within Vegas. Starting from Vegas (m2t) and rendering out to cineform.avi and canopusHQ.avi and then opening onto an Edius timeline showed no color shift using the vectorscope within edius. Timeline performances were indistinguishable.

Staying with Vegas I would continue to use cineform.

the "color shift" i believe is caused due to incorrect codec settings.

older versions of codec there was a colorspace option, now its gone.

but the registry key is there. the first time i tested it, i was also getting shifts between original/hq in the histogram.

changed the setting, it's now perfect.

DWORD 32bits value:
HKEY_CURRENT_USER\Software\Canopus\Codec\CHQX\color_space
HKEY_CURRENT_USER\Software\Canopus\Codec\CUVC\color_space

set the value to "1"

The Canopus HQ codec has shown much better behaviour, in tems of stability over a lot of render generations. So I prefer to use the Canopus HQ codec... if I do not edit AVCHD native, what has become the prefered approach in the last years.

I can't see any luma or color shift encoding to Canopus HQ or HQX in Vegas Pro.

@Fuchs
check in regedit the keys i mentioned above to see if they are there, and if yes, is set to "1"

Mmh, there is no "color space", only "max_stream_size", "preset" and "quant scale".

@cybercom
The Edius crossgrade that has the time limit and limited stock of version 6 is also through VideoGuys: If you purchase EDIUS 6 between March 2012 and July 2012 you are entitled to a free upgrade to EDIUS 6.5. And is $40 cheaper than the site you mentioned. Just in case anybody may be interested.

I have checked the question of the color shift too - with the codec deliverd in the retail version of Edius 6.5.

I see no color shift also. Hmm.

EDIT: I have to correct that. I see an increase in luminance from 16..235 to 0..255.

I am not seeing an option in Vegas to encode with the Canopus codes to make MOV files. Is what you refere to here only in Quicktime's encoder?


Mike

For Windows systems them are AVI codecs not Quicktime.

Both QuickTime and AVI wrappers are available from Vegas, although AVI is more CPU efficient if you have that option. Often you don't.

Laurence,

That got me a bit confused from the download page since one of the requirments listed was QT. So these can also be wrapped as AVIs in Vegas?

Dave T2

"So these can also be wrapped as AVIs in Vegas?"

The Canopus codecs show up under Video For Windows (avi) after you selct the pixel dimensions and Customize Codec.

I'm sure the performance is way better in an AVI wrapper. Quicktime is such a resource hog.

i tested Debugmode frameserve with varios encoders, modes, mwthods, and the results where "unstable". some videos where missing frames, other encoders audio was out of sync. writing signpost PCM in the frameserve helped some, bugged others.

so, exporting in DNxHD to open directly, or other intermediate codec like Cineform HD and use other methods are more recommended. now back to codecs:

First and Second part of the tests (codecs in 10-bits only):

Time/CPU Test:

8-Bits (Cineform 10-Bits), "High Quality"
Encode Time, 1 min. AVCHD to (1.1GB filesize):
Canopus HQ (setting Q4 S15): 1:15m
Cineform (setting "High"): 1:33m
DNxHD (setting 8bits 145mbps): 3:04m

CPU usage, with preview setting "preview-half":
Canopus HQ : 30% at full framerate
Cineform: 15% at full framerate
DNxHD: 17% at 28-29fps (not realtime)


10-Bits only Codecs, "Very High Quality":
Encode Time, 1 min. AVCHD to (1.6GB filesize):
Canopus HQX (setting Q1 S18): 2:55m
Cineform (setting "FilmScan1"): 1:58m
DNxHD (setting 10bits 220mbps): 3:49m

CPU usage, with preview setting "preview-half":
Canopus HQX : 26% at 15fps (not realtime)
Cineform: 16% at full framerate
DNxHD: 37% at 24fps (not realtime)

Image Quality Test:
http://www.mediafire.com/?dzzs3ey064a2id1
(put together with first test)

Canopus HQX its not optimized as Canopus HQ or Cineform, even at higher quality cineform is much faster for preview and encode. at 8bits, Canopus HQ is faster than cineform to encode, and slower to decode, but still give full-speed preview on my "cheap" system. and its now free! ;P

Canopus HQX on timeline is the slowest :(

Cineform has the highest quality (less difference and less artifacts) in both tests.

DNxHD is the slower of them to encode, and it's even more slow on highest quality. at 8bits, Canopus HQ is more than twice as fast, so it would generate a workflow faster to encode externally.

Thanks for the testing malowz. What version of Debugmode Frameserver did you have problems with? I have used it up to version 2.12 in Vegas up to V10 (32-bit only) on numerous computers and it has always been absolutely rock solid for me.