MSP15 ProResHQ422 DCP Rendering chapters

K_T wrote on 2/9/2019, 2:45 PM

Hello,

I am working with original 2K ProResHQ files with a delivery requirement of the highest quality (resolution/color) least compressed file for making a 2K DCP. For ease of editing, the edit has been broken up into chapters. Each chapter is its own project, with its own .vf file. Project settings are identical for each chapter. ProResHQ source files remain in one folder that is common to each chapter project.

I have not been able to find in the manual, or online, any information about combining or joining these chapters (.vf files) into one project. Is this possible without rendering each individual chapter?

If not, and rendering is required, what codec do you recommend for the highest quality, least compressed file? I am concerned, once I assemble all the rendered chapters into a new project timeline and output a complete file that it will be re-rendered (and compressed) again. Is there a way to avoid re-rendering?

Finally, what output codec at this stage will deliver the highest quality, least compressed 2K file? Do I assume constant frame rate is better than variable? higher profile better than "main"? is there a maximum bitrate best suited for the codec(s) you recommend? is the 10bit RroRes maintained, or do the Magix codecs drop down to 8bit? Rendering time and size is not an issue.

Many thanks for all suggestions!

Comments

j-v wrote on 2/9/2019, 3:10 PM

I don't know what 2K means, do you mean FHD 1920x1080?
You asked more than 1 question, my proposal is first to anser to question one and after you made your new total project, ask the other ones because else becomes answering a mess on comments.
So delete except the first question the rest of your post

Musicvid wrote on 2/9/2019, 3:11 PM

Might be able to nest them in Vegas Pro.

Marco. wrote on 2/9/2019, 3:16 PM

Movie Studio processes 8 bit only, no way to maintain 10 bit.

j-v wrote on 2/9/2019, 3:19 PM

Question one.
Which version of VMS are you using, plain or Platinum?
Of every Vegas program to can start more than 1 session at the same time, so it is possible to open a new total project and besides that the other ones with your chapters.
In the latter select the total timeline and copy it all, than open your total project and past that timeline of a chapter.
And so on and on.
For easier use of that kind of things you need the Pro version with so called "Nesting of a Veg.", that means inserting simpel the projectfile what will become 1 video and 1 audio track in the total project.

j-v wrote on 2/9/2019, 3:22 PM

@Musicvid and @Marco.,

Go ahead I stop it.😄

Eagle Six wrote on 2/9/2019, 3:51 PM

@K_T if you want to stay with 10 bit and nest your project together, I think your Movie Studio would qualify for the upgrade price for Vegas Pro 16 Edit, which will read your Movie Studio projects (not the other way around). Then you could nest the projects putting them altogether into one project and render out with Magix Intermediate format.

The only hiccup to bringing your Movie Studio projects into Vegas Pro that I'm aware would be if you used any plugins or extensions that are specific to your version of Movie Studio that would not be included with Vegas Pro 16. You should be able to test that by downloading the Vegas Pro trial version. However the trial version, if I'm not mistaken will limit the length of render, otherwise it is the full version.

Also, @Marco. or @Musicvid can correct me, I think to maintain 10 bit you will need to work at 32 bit float (available in Vegas Pro Edit). Not sure if that is going to effect any color correction you may have already done to your projects. Hopefully others will help me out with this.

K_T wrote on 2/10/2019, 9:26 PM

thank you all for your comments. I am using Movie Studio Platinum15 build 157.

upon request I am posting the second part of my project questions regarding output for DCP as its own post. 2K is the "film" standard rather than "tv" standard: 2048x1080, and is the preferred format for DCP projection.

I was interested in the suggestion of opening more than one project at a time in MSP and copying one timeline into another. however when I tried this I was unable to keep to projects open at the same time. as I went from one to another, MSP closed the first and the timeline copied would not copy into the newly selected project. I think i'm missing something about how to keep more than one project open at the same time.

As well, I was wondering if rendering of each chapter is the only solution, if there is a codec that won't re-render when I put all the rendered chapters into one timeline. keeping in mind the need for the highest quality, least compressed file, is there a way to avoid re-rendering and compressing again?

Marco. wrote on 2/11/2019, 2:16 AM

"As well, I was wondering if rendering of each chapter is the only solution, if there is a codec that won't re-render when I put all the rendered chapters into one timeline."

For the use of 2k media without recompression in Movie Studio you could render to AVI ("Video for Windows") while using codecs like "Uncompressed", "Sony YUV" or "Grass Valley HQX" (which must be installed as 3rd party codec).

"I was unable to keep to projects open at the same time. as I went from one to another, MSP closed the first and the timeline copied would not copy into the newly selected project."

How exactly did you do this? No problem here to have many instances of Movie Studio Platinum opened and to copy and paste media between the projects.

K_T wrote on 2/12/2019, 6:26 PM

my MSP15 project is broken into chapters, each chapter as a project, all the projects (.vf) with identical settings and all in one folder. all the source media is in its own folder, and the chapters draw from this folder.

this is what I attempted: clicked on chapter1.vf which opened the project. then tried to Add Media by finding chapter2.vf and dragging it to the timeline. this immediately changed the timeline over to chapter2, losing Ch1.

i then tried something similar, this time opening Ch1.vf, then trying to add Ch2.vf to the Project Media box. same result. consulted the MSP15 manual but no instructions on "nesting". suggestions truly welcome!

Eagle Six wrote on 2/12/2019, 6:47 PM

@K_T you cannot nest projects in Movie Studio. You can copy the contents of the timeline from one project into another project. Open Movie Studio and load your chapter1.vf project file. Then go to the desktop and start Movie Studio for the second time and load in your chapter2.vf project. The first instance of Movie Studio will remain loaded. You will now have 2 instances of Movie Studio, one with chapter1 project and the other with chapter2 project.

Go to the 2 instance with chapter2 project and select all in the timeline. 'Ctrl+C' will then copy everything you have selected (which should be 'all').

Go to the 1 instance of Movie Studio containing chapter1 project. Move the timeline cursor to the end and press 'Ctrl+V' and everything you selected and copied from chapter2 will then be pasted into chapter1 project. Repeat the process until you have all your chapter project contents copy into the chapter1 project. I would save this project to a different name something like 'all chapters.vf'. That should do it.

K_T wrote on 2/12/2019, 9:33 PM

appreciate your step by step post. seems to be working for me - a big relief !

now, did I miss something, or is none of this discussed in the MSP15 online manual? I like the software, but MAGIX is really behind compared to (free) Resolve and Premiere when it comes to information about tasks, rendering settings, etc. more and more non-professionals are using DSLR's and little external recorders that require entry-level software to be up-to-date...

Eagle Six wrote on 2/13/2019, 10:13 AM

@K_T I wouldn't want to agree or disagree or argue that point about the manuals, other than to point out there has never been an online manaul on the planet that includes every single thing a user may search for. My primary NLE is DaVinci Resolve and I am often searching the web for answers that are not in the online manual, or I have failed to use the search to find what I want. I will agree the online manual for Resolve is huge, but I doubt it is complete. As for Premiere, never used it. But I respect your opinion and hope you find the software more productive in the future.

K_T wrote on 2/13/2019, 6:17 PM

agreed, manuals can't cover everything, though joining projects (nesting) seems to deserve a "how-to" paragraph, much as you provided. as well, pop-up info for various functions/settings (the ? tab) deserves a Magix overhaul.

thanks again for your help. I figured it must be possible in this software and it was a relief to try your method.

Marco. wrote on 2/14/2019, 2:27 AM

Just to be clear – what Movie Studio offers is not nesting, it is a pure copy and paste of timeline events. Nesting is a Vegas Pro only feature.