Is Premiere Pro CS5 100% 64 bit?

jabloomf1230 wrote on 5/20/2010, 10:07 AM
The answer is no. Despite that fact that MainConcept does have 64 bit versions of its various codecs (at least they refer to them on their website, but I've never seen them "in the wild"), Adobe decided to stick with the 32 bit codecs. Premiere Pro CS5 uses a surrogate program to communicate with the 32 bit codecs, just like Vegas Pro does.

I'm guessing that the use of the 3rd party 32 bit codecs is associated with licensing issues. SCS and Adobe probably would have to negotiate a new license with MC for embedded use of their 64 bit codecs.

Comments

kkolbo wrote on 5/20/2010, 10:30 AM


The 64 bit advantage is in memory usage in the main processes. I personally doubt that there would be much benefit in the CODEC being 64 bit. Then again I am not a software/video engineer.

We hear so many things complained about with Vegas, like the 5D file performance, but does anyone look under the emperor's clothes. FCP is all 32 bit. Many of the effects and transitions in FCP have to be rendered to be previewed. Still everyone says it is the King. In the end, they are all just tools. Some like a multi-point screw driver with a square shank, and others like a drawer of individual round shank screwdrivers. What we output with the tools is what is important. I have seen great work done in iMovie and in Pinnacle Studio. Right now, PPro users have a bunch of new toys and features to play with. We should all be happy for them.
ddm wrote on 5/20/2010, 11:54 AM
I assumed that it needed 64 bit codecs, only because I cannot use my canopus codec in cs5, which is 32 bit only. I can still use it in cs4 but it does not show up in cs5.
jabloomf1230 wrote on 5/20/2010, 12:34 PM
CS5 works this way (as does Vegas Pro x64):

1. If the version of Windows has built-in 64 bit DirectShow codecs, PP CS5 will use them.
2. PP CS5 will use 32 bit DirectShow codecs as needed (MainConcept, Quicktime, etc.), if the surrogate program recognizes them. The "recognition" list is built into CS5.
3. PP CS5 will use 64 bit Video for Windows codecs (like Cineform's).
4. All other 32 bit codecs are ignored.

Whether 64 bit versions of video codecs are a benefit or not really depends on how much physical RAM they use, relative to the amount of free RAM available.
ddm wrote on 5/20/2010, 1:48 PM
Thanks for the clarification. I transcoded some p2 mxf files using the avid dnxhd quicktime codec and the speed was impressive using media encoder cs5. A good deal faster than cs4. Pretty sure that the dnxhd codec is 32 bit. I wish it supported canopus's 32 bit codec as well.