BEST Video Format for Playback on Big Screen

Hi,
can anyone tell me the best codec when exporting from Final Cut Pro that the video will play SMOOTHLY on the screen?
It's running out of a brand new MacBook Pro and I have used 8-bit uncompressed in the past and it works great for some files, but yet won't work right for others.
I am especially having trouble with videos I get from online (YouTube) when I export them back out of FCP to quicktime, they play perfect on the computer but play pretty choppy when shown on the actual full size screen.

Anyone have a fix?

Thanks for your help.
Mike D

My mistake, it's a NEW MacPro desktop...NOT a MacBook Pro. Sorry, not thinking.

Either way, the computer plays the quicktime files fine, it's the program that has problems with them. Which is the best quicktime codec to use when exporting.
Thanks again.

Catalyst is not quicktime - and wont playback every format...

AIC - Apple Intermediate Codec is the one to use... (most of the time)
** you should also use an SSD for content playback **
See notes below regarging video formats

YouTube videos are usually horribly highly compressed and look terrible at full screen res. - if you are then trying to convert them again - they will probably look worse

S**T in = S**T out...

You cant create pixels and information from pictures that have had it removed by high levels of compression for internet streaming.

Look at the size of an HD movie compared to an your-tube internet video...

Also - beware of licence and copyright issues using you-tube videos that dont belong to you...

S

Catalyst file formats

Catalyst is based on Quicktime playback - but it does not support every codec/format.
Catalyst will playback files in the following formats - However, the best movie format is 'Apple Intermediate Codec'
Apple Intermediate Codes - good all round use, especially for HD

Others:
DV PAL
DV NTSC
Photo JPEG
Pro-res
Animation Codec - support transparency

Still Images:
Jpeg
PSD
PNG - Supports transparency
TIFF - Supports Transparency

Current maximum file size is 4480 x 2600 - which can accommodate RED content.
(File Size is not a fixed limit - but is is kept small enough so it doesn't break old computers... Contact us if your requirements exceed this size)

When using an SSD, you should not expect to obtain more than 4-8 layers of HD in Apple Intermediate Codec - depending upon the spec of your system, content, codec, data rates, frame rate etc (Newer 2010/11 - are better performance)
If using SD footage, you will be able to use more layers, depending upon the Mac specifications.
Any live footage should be de-interlaced

Catalyst supports alpha transparency natively. Transparency can also be achieved with the use of transparent black or white or mask colour effects.

Numbering
Catalyst uses folder and file numbering to determine content playback
each folder should have a 3 digit prefix (i.e. 001) plus a name (001-252)
each file should have a 3 digit prefix (i.e. 001) plus a name (001-255)
e.g:
001 Folder 1
001 File one
002 File two
etc...

Thanks Simon. I'll give AIC a shot. I sure am crossing my fingers. Thanks for your suggestions. I definitely can use all the help I can get ;)

hi

whats the maximum resolution of a .mov with AIC?

when i use dualhead2go with 2x1920x1080,
can the .mov be 3840x1080?

also:

currently run 8xHD Layers on current macpro QuadCore with SSD HD and Quadro 4000.
i can also play 16xHD but it slows the frame rate visible.

how can i check if the playback frame rate is true 30fps?
the fps index on the layer shows 30fps, but the movie is playing visible slower.

thx,
roman

Not sure about the maximum allowable with AIC - but catalyst currently has a maximum playback resolution of 4480 x 2600 - which can accommodate RED content.

So your movie could be 3840x1080
...but it doesn't necessarily need to be - it could be smaller, at the same ratio.

7-8 layers of 1920x1080 @ 30fps (assuming a sensible data rate of about 60Mbit/s) is about the maximum currently possible with a 2011-2012 MacPro, SSD and a Quadro 4000.
It depends upon the data rate of the movie and the bandwith available from the SSD over SATA.

You will probably be able to playback more movies at lower resolution, and thus lower data rate. You need to test this yourself on your system -as results can vary.

If your frame rate is set to 30fps, (and playspeed is set to 100%) then the frame indicator should normally say 30fps.

However, if it is showing a lower frame rate - then it is dropping frames.
With what you have described - if you are playing more than 8x 1920x1080@30fps movies - then i wouldn't be suprised if the frame counter is showing less than 30fps and the movie not playing as expected.

One question: Why are you trying to playback 16 HD movies at the same time?

S

thx for info

i thought the 4480x2600 is the maximum of graphics, not movies.

why 16xHD:

A Client asked me for a setup for an installation with widescreen panorama with 8x Full HD Projectors.
So for crossfading i need to run in total 16HD movies at one time.

i´m new to catalyst,
i think currently you can have 4 outputs of 1920x1080 on one machine,
( with dualhead2go),
so i need at least 2 mac´s, each one should be able to play 8xHD.

is the playback resolution limited to x/y, or can the movie also be 7680x1080?
so my client only need to render 2 files, instead of 8.
it might also be easier for synchronization.

thx roman

Ah - that clarifies it a little more....

We did a similar project (with Ian H) using 7x MacMinis with 1080p outouts to 7x 65in plasmas. The content was taken from a red camera and then cropped vertically to fit the aspect ratio of the 7x 1920x1080 screens. To fit the screens we used a scale of aprox 3x in catalyst to fit the 4480pixel width to 7x 1920 (13440)
screen area. Much more than 3x scale started to pixilate slightly with out setup.

However - this demonstrated that you DONT have to use 1920x1080 1:1 pixel content. Lower resolution will usually look fine.
To achieve the full panorama over 7 Mac-Mini servers, we used the X-offset function on each server to offset the image the required amount on each screen.

Quote:

---

Originally Posted by Schoissi

i think currently you can have 4 outputs of 1920x1080 on one machine,
( with dualhead2go),
so i need at least 2 mac´s, each one should be able to play 8xHD.

---

For your setup - if you want to use MacPros - then you can use either 2x DH2G - one on each output. This can sometimes cause problems and also loses your programming/setup screen.

Personally - I'd use 1x Datapath X4 on each MacPro, then this also leaves the 1st output as your programming / setup & desktop screen - which you will need to setup mix windows and blending etc. The Datapath also has more control and offers more refresh rate possibilities.

Quote:

---

Originally Posted by Schoissi

why 16xHD:
A Client asked me for a setup for an installation with widescreen panorama with 8x Full HD Projectors.
So for crossfading i need to run in total 16HD movies at one time.

---

If you are using 2x servers - each with 4x projectors connected. So there is a maximum of 4x HD movie playback, and then crossfade to another 4x - so only a total of 8x movies maximum...

Quote:

---

Originally Posted by Schoissi

i thought the 4480x2600 is the maximum of graphics, not movies.

---

The maximum movie size catalyst will read is currently 4480x2600
you really don't want - or need - to be using files bigger than this... As explained above - smaller movies scales up are sufficient.

The limit is within catalyst - but can be changed - but there is also a limit with your graphics card, and this will depend on the graphics card specs.

Quote:

---

Originally Posted by Schoissi

is the playback resolution limited to x/y, or can the movie also be 7680x1080?

---

The X/Y does not limit playback - only position.

Quote:

---

Originally Posted by Schoissi

so my client only need to render 2 files, instead of 8.
it might also be easier for synchronization.

---

Synchronising 8 movies is no more difficult than synchronising 1x movie - its the same process - so maybe 8x 1920x1080 movies might be an option.

Hope this helps

Do test first!...

Simon

@ Simon

thx for your detailed answer.
the tip with the datapath is great, to still have a setup screen.

also the version with mac mini´s.

well, the scaling thing is something the clients have to choose,
sometimes they want to have "true" 1920x1080,
even if 1280x720 would look the same.
i think in this case i can tell it my client and he has to choose what he want,
or if the time is available to test it on the real location.

it´s not a real project currently,
maybe happening in spring 2013.

i´m working a little bit with pandoras box, axxon and picturall octo mediaservers,
last year at the bregenzer festspiele we had a catalyst playing content on a moving scenery piece which worked very well ( i think they use the exact map thing),
so i become interested in catalyst.

will work on catalyst and hopefully have some projects in the future.

also great forum here !!!

regards,
roman