encoding and codec for better timeline preformance ?

LucasHoller · October 9, 2015

hej i just watched linus new video on the teams editing workflow, and was in need of some clarification.
The subject i want explaind a bit more is regarding encoding and changing the codec Pre-editing in premiere pro. I have a Lumix G7 and therefore edit 4k mp4 100 mbps) files, and as a result my timeline playback is a bit laggy. In the video it seemed the this problem could be solved by changing codec before a edit?
so could i use adobe encoder to change codec on the mp4 files from my camera and then have better preformance in premiere pro while editing? and if so, what are the drawbacks of this method - besides the encoding time? any loss of quality ? and what codec should i convert to? (I use mac)

hope the question made sense and that it's not a totally idiotic one i just got very intregede when watching the Our "36 Core Video Rendering Server – Finally Explained" video and saw the drastic change in timeline and playback preformance.

Thank so much! (and sorry about the bad spelling i'm really not a native english speaker )

ALwin · October 9, 2015

Loss of quality will depend on the intermediate codec used. What would concern me more is the file size produced by the intermediate codec (e.g. Apple ProRes) and archiving them for future needs.

One of the biggest reasons for using an intermediate codec is if you have multiple cameras that produce different files. For example, Mp4, AVCHD, Mov, etc. So if you recorded footage using different cameras that record to different codecs and want to work with them in a single timeline for a project, it can bring a bit of overhead to your NLE and workstation. So transcoding all the original out-of-the-camera files into a single consistent codec keeps the workflow smoother, so to speak.

It's better you head over to a forum like Creative Cow to ask about this, you will get a better answer than I can give. Or read the wiki article on Transcoding.

What is the difference between Consolidating and Transcoding?

I wouldn't worry too much about transcoding if I work with only one video camera. Additionally you are working with 4K footage with a bit rate of 100Mb/s, your machine may not be able to handle it, not that I know what your current setup is. My i7-4790K 32GB dual Titan X workstation has performance issues when working with CinemaDNG 4K raw files in Premiere Pro CC 2015.