working with Phantom cam again.  using CINE viewer to convert the CINE files to QTs for offline  in symphony.  Does anyone have past experience with these files?  I'm looking for a "best Practice" m.o.  It looks like the "CINE viewer" makes MXF as well, but I couldn't get the avid to see those.  I have also in the past made tiff or targa stacks and imported those, but it is was neither faster or slower.  

Thanks 

David 

great! I would like to try this option. looking around a I am not finding meta-fuze, do you have any info on it, where I can get it, etc.

It's part of the current system install. You might be able to download it by itself, but I'm not sure. Look in the download center under Symphony 3. (You have to have a log in)

I can't find anywhere any info on the use of MetaFuze.  Haven't put in new version yet ( tech staff-Yes I have  a tech/eng. staff!!- is waiting for a window of opportunity) I have searched the new software for any thing and only found install directions as well as Avid.com.

DH

Regarding cineviewer to DPX...

What settings?  I tried the defaults and the colorist is saying that all he can see is digital garbage.

Here are the options:

BYTE ORDER

MSBF

LSBF (default)

--------------

DATA PACKAGING METHOD

Filled to 32-bit Method A (default)

Filled to 32-bit Method B

Packed into 32-bit words

---------------

CONVERT TO 10-bits per sample?

YES

NO (default)

--------------

Convert to 10-bit log?

YES

NO (default)

Well, the settings that worked were MSBF, Method A, and Convert to 10 bits-YES.

Then, I guess for fun, I imported the DPX sequences into Apple COLOR, and rendered them as uncompressed quicktimes.  I had a problem with COLOR crashing on drives with less than 100GB free space (isn't this asking a little much?).

In the "render" directory were my clips as quicktimes - which could then be brought into AVID, but for some reason all the quicktimes were 29.97fps, not 24fps.

I'm disappointed that COLOR did this.  My project settings stated 23.98fps and the timeline 24fps. Actually one of my clips rendered at 60fps for no apparent reason, then I rendered again and 29.97 was the result.

I don't get it.  Any ideas?  Metafuze sounds like a great tool, too, but I'm limited to MAC here.

Ah, it just occurred to me that perhaps the Quicktimes contain 3:2 pulldown...Is there a way I can test this theory?

This is interesting:

The producer on this job just put me on with an "expert" on the Phantom camera.

He recommended against using the VisionResearch software and said that by converting .cine files to DPX I had "locked in" to color choices and therefore not given the colorist sufficient data to work with.

This project is such a disaster right now.  If anyone can help me, I would really appreciate it.

Metafuze can run on a PC without your mac avid dongle... so don't worry about being on MAC.

The expert had a point. If you do go DPX you will end up with a 8bit syphony 422 image. If the shots are flat you could easily run into problem pushing the 'look'... if you still go this way consider trying to get the image into the right place either with the VR software (I have zero experience with this) or using some of the Metafuze controls..

If you want best quality consider using Iridas Speedgrade XR... This is a bit of a Raw master..

Patrick at Iridas may be able to point you to sombody in your area..

regards

Michael Lindsay