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Tip #996: More Proxy Options in Compressor

… for Codecs & Media

Tip #996: More Proxy Options in Compressor

Larry Jordan – LarryJordan.com

Proxy workflows are very helpful for multicam edits, as well as frame sizes greater than 4K.

The new proxy compression options in Apple Compressor.

Topic $TipTopic

With the 4.4.7 update to Apple Compressor, Apple added more proxy options as compression settings. In the past, we could only convert proxies to ProRes Proxy. Now, however, we can create proxies using either ProRes or H.264.

NOTE: Well, that statement isn’t completely true. You could create custom compression settings for just about any format, but this update makes proxy creation a lot easier by pre-building more compression presets.

A new “Proxy” category was added to Compressor. Inside you can choose between ProRes Proxy and H.264. H.264 files will be smaller, but ProRes will be more efficient to edit (meaning they will render and export faster).

NOTE: Using HEVC for editing proxies is not recommended because the complexity of the compression format makes them tend to bog down the system.

In addition to the two codecs, you can also choose the frame size of the proxy as a percentage of the frame size of the master file. Reducing the frame size shrinks file sizes still smaller, but also decreases image quality. To minimize storage requirements, pick the smallest proxy file that still shows enough detail to make informed editing decisions. If space isn’t an issue, use one-half size; that always yields the highest image quality.

I did a quick test. Starting with a 1 GB ProRes 422 master, a half-size ProRes Proxy file was about 90% smaller than the original. In comparison, H.264 was about 10% the size of each ProRes Proxy file. As well, each reduction in frame size cut file size by roughly 2/3.

If file storage is not a big issue or if you are editing on an older system, choose ProRes Proxy. This is a highly-efficient codec, optimized for editing, that runs well on slower systems. It also provides a slightly higher image quality, compared to H.264.

If conserving file storage is important, you need to share project files with another editor, or you have a newer system, H.264 may be the better choice.

Most of the time, we just need to see proxy files to make basic editorial decisions. When the time comes for adding effects and color grading, its a single click in the NLE to switch back to full-quality masters. As with all projects, run tests to see what works best for you before starting a major project. On the other hand, you can always regenerate proxy files and relink them, if you change your mind.

EXTRA CREDIT

You can use Compressor to create proxy files for any NLE. Final Cut also replicates these same proxy formats, so you can use the built-in proxy creation process in FCP X, if you prefer.

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Tip #964: Apple Updates Compressor

… for Codecs & Media

Tip #964: Apple Updates Compressor

Larry Jordan – LarryJordan.com

Better LUT support is the key feature in this release.

New media conversion options in Apple Compressor.

Topic $TipTopic

Last week, Apple continued the evolutionary growth of Compressor – to version 4.4.7 – along with updates for Motion and Compressor. While none of these features are revolutionary, all are useful and include:

  • Camera Log Conversion. You can now convert from log to SDR or HDR color spaces by apply custom camera LUTs, or using built-in LUTs for Panasonic, Sony, Canon, Blackmagic, Nikon or ARRI log formats.
  • Custom LUT effects. These allow applying third-party creative LUTs to clips for adding a custom look during compression. Compressor supports LUTs in .cube, .mga, and med file formats.

Both of these new features are especially helpful for on-set DIT work, converting camera masters into something more visually pleasing for initial review and rough editing.

NOTE: LUTs applied to media being transcoded are permanently attached to the media.

Compressor 4.4.7 also includes:

  • Improved speed and reliability using distributed processing over SMB.
  • Create ProRes IMF Packages including support for multiple languages.
  • Support for playback of PNG movie files.
  • Fixes an issue in which droplets would not recognize .m4v files.
  • Fixes an issue where a DV codec with a 709 Color Profile fails to transcode.
  • Fixes an issue in which image sequences may export with the incorrect color bit depth.
  • Fixes an issue where a system could run out of memory when the Active tab is open while processing a batch on a MacBook Pro with Touch Bar

These free updates are accessed through the Mac App Store.

EXTRA CREDIT

Here’s a link to learn more.

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Tip #965: Thoughts on the Mac T2 Chip

… for Codecs & Media

Tip #965: Thoughts on the Mac T2 Chip

Larry Jordan – LarryJordan.com

The Apple T2 chip provides more than simple system security.

The Apple T2 chip

Topic $TipTopic

We first heard about Apple’s T2 chip with the release of the 2017 iMac Pro. Apple’s support pages wrote:

“The Apple T2 Security Chip is Apple’s second-generation, custom silicon for Mac. By redesigning and integrating several controllers found in other Mac computers—such as the System Management Controller, image signal processor, audio controller, and SSD controller—the T2 chip delivers new capabilities to your Mac.

“For example, the T2 chip enables a new level of security by including a secure enclave coprocessor that secures Touch ID data and provides the foundation for new encrypted storage and secure boot capabilities. And the T2 chip’s image signal processor works with the FaceTime HD camera to enable enhanced tone mapping, improved exposure control, and face-detection–based autoexposure and auto white balance.”

But, what you may not know is that the T2 chip also provides hardware-based encoding, such as 8-bit HEVC (i.e. the “Faster” setting) when encoding files using Apple Compressor. For those familiar with hardware-based H.264 encoding using Intel CPUs, Apple’s expectation is to have comparable results regardless of which hardware is used.

The T2 will become even more important to video creators as Apple shifts to Apple silicon-based systems in the coming year.

EXTRA CREDIT

Here’s a Apple KnowledgeBase page from Apple with more details.

Here’s a Wikipedia article to learn more about Apple’s custom chips.

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Tip #968: Add Custom LUTs in Compressor

… for Codecs & Media

Tip #968: Add Camera & Custom LUTs in Compressor

Larry Jordan – LarryJordan.com

Compressor does not access FCP X LUT locations. Store LUTs where you can easily find them.

The Custom Lut menu in Apple Compressor 4.4.6.

Topic $TipTopic

One of the big new features in the Compressor 4.4.6 update is the ability to add camera and custom LUTs.

NOTE: A LUT is a lookup table that converts the data stored in your computer into something more pleasing for the eye to view.

We could add LUTs for a long time in FCP X, the news now is that LUTs can be added before editing even starts, as part of the DIT process.

NOTE: There is no reason to add a LUT after a project has been color graded.

Keep in mind that LUTs added during transcoding are baked into the video, unlike LUTs added during the editing process, which can always be changed.

To add a LUT:

  • Select the compression setting applied to a job.
  • Scroll to the bottom of the Video Inspector and add a new Video Effect.
  • Choose Custom LUT.
  • Click the Select button to determine which LUT you want add.

EXTRA CREDIT

Compressor does not default to the same LUT storage location that Final Cut uses. So be sure to store any custom LUTs somewhere you can easily find them.

Here’s an tutorial from my website that describes how to create custom LUTs using Photoshop.

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Tip #954: VP9 Refresher

… for Codecs & Media

Tip #954: VP9 Refresher

Larry Jordan – LarryJordan.com

YouTube uses the VP9 codec exclusively for 4K HDR media.

Topic $TipTopic

Apple introduced support for the VP9 codec in the fourth beta of macOS Big Sur, specifically for Safari. Here’s a quick refresher.

According to Wikipedia:

VP9 is an open and royalty-free video coding format developed by Google. It is supported in Windows, Android and Linux, but not Mac or iOS.

VP9 is the successor to VP8 and competes mainly with MPEG’s High Efficiency Video Coding (HEVC/H.265).

In contrast to HEVC, VP9 support is common among modern web browsers with the exception of Apple’s Safari (both desktop and mobile versions). Android has supported VP9 since version 4.4 KitKat.

An offline encoder comparison between libvpx, two HEVC encoders and x264 in May 2017 by Jan Ozer of Streaming Media Magazine, with encoding parameters supplied or reviewed by each encoder vendor (Google, MulticoreWare and MainConcept respectively), and using Netflix’s VMAF objective metric, concluded that “VP9 and both HEVC codecs produce very similar performance” and “Particularly at lower bitrates, both HEVC codecs and VP9 deliver substantially better performance than H.264”.

Here’s a link for more information.

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Tip #957: Apple Supports VP9 in macOS Big Sur

… for Codecs & Media

Tip #957: Apple Supports VP9 in macOS Big Sur

Larry Jordan – LarryJordan.com

VP9 codec support is coming to macOS Big Sur – specifically Safari.

The Safari icon in macOS Big Sur.

Topic $TipTopic

Last week, Apple introduced support for the VP9 codec in Safari (Mac version) in the fourth beta of macOS Big Sur. Learn more.

Apple’s release notes state: “Support for 4K HDR playback of YouTube videos.” However, 4k HDR video on YouTube only uses the VP9 codec.

According to AppleInsider.com, “this means users will be able to natively stream 4K YouTube clips in Safari on iOS 14, tvOS 14, and macOS Big Sur.

“While 4K videos can be seen in their full resolution on Macs and Apple TV devices with the appropriate displays, the resolution of even the latest iPhones and iPads top out below 4K quality.

“Safari is getting other new additions in macOS Big Sur and Apple’s other software updates, including native support for HDR videos and WebP images.

“The lack of VP9 support has been a sticking point for users since Google introduced the codec, particularly since the Mountain View company has refused to encode clips in other Apple-friendly codecs. Since the introduction of VP9, users have been stuck with viewing YouTube in 1080p or 720p.”

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Tip #958: How Do Audio Cables Prevent Hum?

… for Codecs & Media

Tip #958: How Do Audio Cables Prevent Hum?

Larry Jordan – LarryJordan.com

All cables pick up hum. Shielded, balanced cables cancel that hum in the mixer.

A 2-conductor shielded, balanced line.
Each conductor has equal impedance to ground, and they are twisted together so they occupy about the same position in space on the average. (Image courtesy of ProSoundWeb.com)

Topic $TipTopic

OK, so this is a bit off topic, but… I’ve known for years and years that audio cables with XLR connectors don’t have hum, while cables with RCA connector so. Today, I wondered: why?

Here’s what I learned at
ProSoundWeb.com.

“One cause of hum is audio cables picking up magnetic and electrostatic hum fields radiated by power wiring in the walls of a room. Magnetic hum fields can couple by magnetic induction to audio cables, and electrostatic hum fields can couple capacitively to audio cables. Magnetic hum fields are directional and electrostatic hum fields are not.

“Most audio cables are made of one or two insulated conductors (wires) surrounded by a fine-wire mesh shield that reduces electrostatically induced hum. The shield drains induced hum signals to ground when the cable is plugged in. Outside the shield is a plastic or rubber insulating jacket.

“Cables are either balanced or unbalanced. A balanced line is a cable that uses two conductors to carry the signal, surrounded by a shield (Figure 1). On each end of the cable is an XLR (3-pin pro audio) connector or TRS (tip-ring-sleeve) phone plug.

“Hum fields from power wiring radiate into each conductor equally, generating equal hum signals on the two conductors (more so if they are a twisted pair). Those two hum signals cancel out at the input of your mixer, because it senses the difference in voltage between those two conductors—which is zero volts if the two hum signals are equal. That’s why balanced cables tend to pick up little or no hum.”

XLR cables (called “balanced”) use two wires and shielding. RCA-type cables (called “unbalanced”) do not.

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Tip #940: Just How Fast is Apple Silicon?

… for Codecs & Media

Tip #940: Just How Fast is Apple Silicon?

Larry Jordan – LarryJordan.com

Apple silicon is hardware optimized for running software.

Topic $TipTopic

Jim Turley, writing for the Electronic Engineering Journal takes a deeper look at the upcoming Apple silicon transition and how an ARM CPU is able to run x86 software. This is an excerpt.

First, the basics. Apple has gone through at least five different processor generations by my count. The company started with the 6502, then 68K, PowerPC, x86, and now ARM. It’s always used ARM for its iDevices – iPad, iPhone, iPod, etc. – since the very first iPod almost 20 years ago.

What’s remarkable is that all three architecture changes supported the previous generation’s binaries. Users won’t be able to tell the difference. It just works.

How well does it work? Well enough that Apple’s emulation beats other systems running natively. Surprisingly, the DTK’s x86 emulation is faster than some real x86 processors.

The consensus is that Apple didn’t need to mess around with the ARM architecture – at least, not the visible parts of it. Instead, the company likely optimized its microarchitecture: the underlying circuitry that implements the programmer-visible parts

Apple is uniquely qualified to create an effective binary translator. The company has done it twice before, always in software. The initial results suggest that it’s pulled off a hat trick, even without any hardware assists. Rosetta 2 running on A14X should be even better.

EXTRA CREDIT

This article is well-written and well worth reading for additional detail and commentary.

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Tip #941: Deep Dive into Metal on Apple Silicon

… for Codecs & Media

Tip #941: Deep Dive into Metal on Apple Silicon

Larry Jordan – LarryJordan.com

Apple silicon seriously leverages the GPU.

Topic $TipTopic

Apple released a developer video focuses on the benefits and performance of moving to Apple GPUs for upcoming Macs. Hosted by Michael Imbrogno, Manager, CPU Software and Domenico Troiano, Engineer, CPU software, this presents how Apple silicon will improve graphics-intensive apps and games. Here’s the link

Apple’s Description

Apple Silicon Macs are a transformative new platform for graphics-intensive apps — and we’re going to show you how to fire up the GPU to create blazingly fast apps and games. Discover how to take advantage of Apple’s unique Tile-Based Deferred Rendering (TBDR) GPU architecture within Apple Silicon Macs and learn how to schedule workloads to provide maximum throughput, structure your rendering pipeline, and increase overall efficiency. And dive deep with our graphics team as we explore shader optimizations for the Apple GPU shader core. We’ve designed this session in tandem with “Bring your Metal app to Apple Silicon Macs,” and recommend you watch that first. For more, watch “Harness Apple GPUs with Metal” to learn how TBDR applies to a variety of modern rendering techniques.

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Tip #942: An Overview of Apple Silicon

… for Codecs & Media

Tip #942: An Overview of Apple Silicon

Larry Jordan – LarryJordan.com

Apple silicon is both a sea-change and a continuation of past practice for Apple.

Topic $TipTopic

To get this discussion started, here’s Apple’s press release announcing the move to Apple silicon.

Next, the team at iMore provided some analysis of what Apple Silicon means and what’s coming. Here’s the link.

Finally, to put this transition into better perspective, four years ago Bloomberg profiled Johny Srouji, senior vice president for hardware technologies at Apple. He’s the man supervising the team building Apple silicon. While the Bloomberg article preceded the announcment of Apple silicon by several years, the article is prescient as we consider the coming transition to Apple silicon.

I think you’ll enjoy reading it. Here’s the link

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