Cineform Fomat Handling

kkolbo wrote on 12/26/2009, 6:28 PM
I had a disc crash that took my installation of Cineform with it. I was looking at upgrading to the current version of NeoScene but I was wondering if it will transcode from the .h264 with AAC LC created by the Kodak Zi8, Zi6 and a couple of other pocket camcorders. It is different than AVCHD, so an earlier version that I tested did not handle it.

Because I had tested an older version of Neoscene, I cannot install the trial. I have tried calling Cineform but voice mails have gone unanswered. Has anyone tested this with the current NeoScene and did it work? Does the current version have the batch convert so that I can drag the files on and tell it to make it Cineform?

I understand that these are low end consumer cameras and not professional gear that I can expect Cineform to support. I support a lot of education programs that are starting to use these units. I also have some for my personal use and ended up catching a CNN package with it because it was on me. (I just wanted to prevent the bashing that has become common here lately)

KK

Comments

BudWzr wrote on 12/26/2009, 6:56 PM
Bashing? Flip Cams are the coolest thing out there. The Flip doesn't use AVCHD, it uses 720p 3vix (an Xvid/Divx clone).

I have a Flip Ultra HD, and use it all the time.

I know Kodak has been hawking 1080 HD, which is dumb because the flip-type cameras have no image stabilization.

Anyway, if your Kodak files are in a transport stream, Avidemux can remux them to Huffy, or a lot of other codecs similar (better) than Cineform.
kkolbo wrote on 12/26/2009, 7:09 PM
I know Kodak has been hawking 1080 HD, which is dumb because the flip-type cameras have no image stabilization.

Actually, the new Kodak Zi8 is pretty cool and a Flip Killer. It has real image stabilization, face detection for exposure setting and a few other improvements. With the current firmware I have been surprised. For a pocket puppy it does OK. I expect a new model from Kodak and others at CES (just a hopeful, no knowledge) and I can't imagine what the next step up is going to be.

I will look at Avidemux. The Kodak wraps it in a QT wrapper.

KK
BudWzr wrote on 12/26/2009, 7:17 PM
Hahaha, everyone defends "their brand". Please note that the Flip records TWO HOURS, and uses AA batteries.
BudWzr wrote on 12/26/2009, 7:24 PM
Hmmm..., .mov I dunno, but someone at videohelp.com will know. Your life will be much easier if you remux to 720p or "Web HD" 720X360 if it's for the web and you want "the look".
kkolbo wrote on 12/26/2009, 7:44 PM
Please note that the Flip records TWO HOURS, and uses AA batteries.

Mine comes in Aqua and Red, There!

I am just amazed by what all we can do with the stuff in our pocket now. Avidemux did not produce a usable file from it unfortunately. I tried it with other stuff and it is a pretty cool free app. Thanks for the tip.
BudWzr wrote on 12/26/2009, 7:48 PM
Make sure you get it from the author's site:

http://mulder.dummwiedeutsch.de/home/?page=projects#avidemux

There's a lot of shysters out there trying to make money reselling this stuff, but it's offered free to all thanks to the Free Software Foundation.

And YES, it DOES support .mov container.
BudWzr wrote on 12/26/2009, 7:51 PM
Another wildly popular free editor is VirtualDub. It can stream copy too, very fast.
musicvid10 wrote on 12/26/2009, 8:00 PM
Kodak zi6, zi8, zx1 use AVC/AAC in a MOV wrapper. Renaming the .mov extension to .mp4 opens the files in Vegas, assuming the Quicktime bug isn't present. I don't know if the same renaming trick allows them to be opened in Neoscene or not.

If you'll upload a short clip from your zi6 somewhere, I'll test it in the Neoscene trial, which I have running now.

Flip Mino HD and Ultra HD are AVC/AAC in a MP4 wrapper. It was the older (non-HD) Mino and Ultra that used the 3ivx codec in an AVI wrapper.

kkolbo wrote on 12/26/2009, 8:05 PM

Vegas 9c opens the Zi8 files in the .MOV extension. The key is I would like to work with them in a good intermediate like Cineform. I just need to find someone who can confirm that it works before I throw down my money. For my mostly industrial and educational uses, HDV native works fine, so it is just for the Zi8 that need the Neoscene.
musicvid10 wrote on 12/26/2009, 8:40 PM
Actually, I found a zi8 clip I had downloaded previously.
With the original .mov extension, I got
"Format not supported in Neoscene."

However, by renaming the file extension to .mp4, it converted without complaint in Neoscene, and plays back perfectly. Thought you would want to know! (EDITED).
BudWzr wrote on 12/26/2009, 8:52 PM
Hey, wait a minute. I own a Flip Ultra HD, the latest model, and the files are 3vix in an avi.

Secondly, what was wrong with the remux?

Did you get a popup warning about losing frame accuracy for H.264? That's not an error, just a notice. You should click YES to proceed. Your source file is not changed, don't worry.

Did it render out?
musicvid10 wrote on 12/26/2009, 9:14 PM
Hey, wait a minute. I own a Flip Ultra HD, the latest model, and the files are 3vix in an avi.

Really??
http://store.theflip.com/UltraHD.aspx
Specifications
"Video Format: H.264 video compression, AAC audio compression, saves as MP4 file"

Either you are mistaken or Flip is. I suspect your model is the Ultra (non-HD version), which uses the file type you mentioned.

Secondly, what was wrong with the remux?
No remux was needed.
It encoded just fine in Neoscene once the file extension was changed to .mp4, as I suspected. (See edit above)
BudWzr wrote on 12/26/2009, 9:29 PM
Hmmm...I guess 2 months is the life cycle now, hahaha. No, mine is the Ultra HD, but they're calling it Gen 1 now. Yeah, seems they quietly upgraded the codec. You're right.
kkolbo wrote on 12/26/2009, 9:54 PM

Thanks Musicvid, that is what I needed. The h.264 is such a processor load and so lossy that I was hoping that Neoscene would work.
musicvid10 wrote on 12/26/2009, 10:04 PM
Just to be sure, here is where I got the clip (about halfway down the thread):
http://www.sonycreativesoftware.com/forums/ShowMessage.asp?ForumID=19&MessageID=680108
psg wrote on 1/2/2010, 6:30 PM
musicvid.

Just got a Kodak Zi8. When I bring in a clip (either .MOV or renaming to .MP4), I only get the video, but no audio. Is there a trick to getting these clips into Vegas 9?
musicvid10 wrote on 1/2/2010, 6:54 PM
Yes, you probably have Quicktime 7.6.4 installed. It is broken.
The solution is to roll back to 7.6 and iTunes 9.
MPEG-4 audio is no longer functional
busterkeaton wrote on 1/2/2010, 7:00 PM
http://www.sonycreativesoftware.com/forums/ShowMessage.asp?MessageID=660127&Replies=3
psg wrote on 1/2/2010, 11:03 PM
Thanks for the tip music vid. I tried both methods suggested in the lilnked article and the only way it worked was to uninstall QT 7.6.5 and install QT 7.6.

Now when I bring in the clips from the Zi8 into Vegas 9.0B, I do get both the video and the audio.

I had the Flip HD for awhile, nice video for the price, but the lack of EIS made it extremely difficult to get any kind of steady video. The Kodak Zi8 does have EIS and an audio input jack. However, in side by side comparison of video clips, the Flip HD looked better.