[Linux] AV Codecs Clarification

Hello,

I just wanted to get some clarification on codec usage based on the supported codecs docs. For video clips, we can decode (playback) anything using H.264, but can only encode (write) H.264 material if it is using the QuickTime .mov format. And this functionality is only available in the Studio version? Just want to make sure I’ve got this right. Everything else I believe is self explanatory for video codecs.

In regards to audio we need to be a bit more selective, and the offered codecs are preferable anyways, but again .mp4 is tripping me up. If I decide an H.264 clip that contains audio, will I not be able to play it back? If so, I’ll have to pre-transcode anything I ingest in the .mp4 format to something supported.

Again, this is purely for the Linux variant of DaVinci. I’m looking to implement it into my workflow and coming from comp/3D where image sequences reign king, this is still a bit foreign to me. I know I should be going with intermediate codecs anyways, but I just want to get some extra info.

Cheers,
Mike

Some of the limitations seem odd, especially since patents have expired for H.264 and MP3 codecs. Also, why no VP9?
Hopefully those remaining Linux platform support deficiencies will be eliminated in time, so codec support between the platforms can be harmonized.

Should add, I haven't tried 15 myself yet. Also, lets hope the new scripting API will can be applied to import and export (or at least for transcoding in Media Management)

For video clips, we can decode (playback) anything using H.264, but can only encode (write) H.264 material if it is using the QuickTime .mov format. And this functionality is only available in the Studio version?

Last I checked,

h.264 import on Studio,
no h.264 export on the Linux Resolve.

BMD should just add both to Linux Lite, because this gets asked a lot.

I decide an H.264 clip that contains audio, will I not be able to play it back?

Depends.

Of which I know of, you need wav or aiff on it. Mp3 is unsupported. Unless you have access to the masters (as it would make little sense to encode something into h.264 for Resove import), you do need to transcode your audio beforehand.

You can use ffmpeg to create a stream copy from the h.264 video track and a .wav or .aiff of the audio track. How was it again...

Code: Select all

ffmpeg -i video.mp4 -i audio.wav -c:v copy -c:a copy -map 0:v:0 -map 1:a:0 video_h264_audio_wav.mp4

This gives you a wholly importable h.264 clip, with sync sound.

lets hope the new scripting API will can be applied to import and export (or at least for transcoding in Media Management)

Let's.

BMD should just add both to Linux Lite, because this gets asked a lot.

i think, they should just handle it like on all other platforms and support the available options of the given system.
that's why you get ProRes on macs but not on windows.

in case of linux they should simple enable all the capabilities, which you will find on the system wide installed ffmpeg libraries, because that's the actual mechnaism, which handles this kind of tasks in most other linux applications too -- just like similar system libraries on mac os and windows.

Whatever is the best way to get the job done, simple as that.

ffmpeg would be a completely doable and viable solution. It would, basically, deliver BMD from any and all import/export requests on Linux. Just turn it on.

Alas, before BMD takes note, we need to work around it.

ffmpeg would be a completely doable and viable solution. It would, basically, deliver BMD from any and all import/export requests on Linux. Just turn it on.

it could be even realized like in mistika, where you have to willingly install it as a kind of add-on via a special dialog in the application preferences, to prevent [GNU] licensing issues...