Film-Tech Forum ARCHIVE: which app do you use for QT playback

This is topic which app do you use for QT playback in forum Digital Cinema Forum at Film-Tech Forum ARCHIVE.

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Posted by Anhtu Vu (Member # 7689) on 10-18-2013, 09:22 PM:

Anyone here playing back MOV files for film festival ??

What hardware and/or software do you use ??? In the case of computer with software player...How do you make sure the audience never end up seeing the mouse curser...thx

Posted by Carsten Kurz (Member # 5396) on 10-19-2013, 04:16 AM:

I use Quicktime Player 7Pro (7.6).

It may not be the most efficient Player, but I guess on modern machines there is enough performance. It supports a secondary screen for playout.

What I do like especially about it is the ability to create reference movies with individual playback parameters attached to them.

The only thing I am really missing is a Playlist feature.

Under Windows, we use MPC-HC, we found that to be reliable enough, and it has all necessary options, yet is more complicated to set up initially.

- Carsten

Posted by Bajsic Bojan (Member # 4928) on 10-20-2013, 02:13 PM:

None.

Get films weeks in advance, make a DCP out of them using free tools. Or ask for DCPs.

Stand firm.

If you don't, you will be responsible for 'bad presentation', 'tech problems', 'not being prepared' etc.

Same goes for other thread about a h264 playback machine.

Posted by Scott Norwood (Member # 30) on 10-20-2013, 02:26 PM:

Aja Ki-Pro.

Plays back Pro Res 4:2:2 (sound must be PCM, not AAC). Works reliably. Can be automated via RS422. Comes in both portable and rack-mountable versions. Not horrifically expensive. Has every possible kind of I/O (and can convert between them), and works with any video projector, not just D-cinema equipment. Also works as a recording device.

Posted by Joe Redifer (Member # 3) on 10-20-2013, 04:12 PM:

Just an aside, but I wonder why anyone would bother making a ProRes file with AAC audio. I mean they're already going ProRes, the audio file-size savings wouldn't be enough to make much of a difference in what's already a huge file.

Posted by Bajsic Bojan (Member # 4928) on 10-21-2013, 01:33 AM:

Specifying 'QT playback' is nonsense. QT is again a container with a myriad codec combinations possible. Chance of having it work efficiently/well/even is dependent on the exact codec combination and the fact you have it and your processor power and the program playing it. Chance of it going wrong (ie. no audio, jitter, unsupported codec,..) without one checking every file in advance is great.

Aja Ki Pro is a great playback device for Prores. That said, it is not an APP but a separate hardware device. It costs a bunch (3-4kUSD). It supports a couple of codecs and mainly Prores inside a .mov.

QT otoh is (from wiki) a combination of:

audio
Advanced Audio Coding (AAC)
AMR Narrowband
Apple Lossless
Au file format
Audio Interchange File Format (AIFF)
A-law
Core Audio Format
MACE
Microsoft Adaptive DPCM (MS ADPCM)
MIDI
MPEG-1 Audio Layer 3 (MP3)
Pulse-code modulation (PCM)
QCELP (Qualcomm PureVoice)
QDesign
Waveform Audio File Format (WAV)
μ-law

video
3GP and 3G2
Animated GIF
Animation
Apple ProRes
Audio Video Interleave (AVI)
DV
Cinepak
Component Video
Graphics
H.261
H.262/MPEG-2 Part 2[7]
H.263
H.264/MPEG-4 AVC
Microsoft Video 1
MPEG-1
MPEG-4 Part 2
Motion JPEG
Pixlet
Planar RGB
Qtch
QuickTime Movie
QuickTime VR
Sorenson Video

At varying resolutions and bitrates from 300kbps to 125Mbps or more. Take your chance.

Posted by Scott Norwood (Member # 30) on 10-21-2013, 09:12 AM:

Joe--I have no idea why anyone would do that, but I have seen it happen.

The only significant issue that I have seen with the Ki-Pro is that, if used as a recording device, the output signal is the same type as the input signal. Which is to say that (for example) an SD NTSC monitor cannot be used to monitor the signal when recording a 1080p23.98 signal. It will downconvert the input if desired, but will then only record in SD.

Also, the rack mountable version will accept two hard disks, but will only use one at a time, as opposed to using the second disk as a mirror of the first and/or allowing long recordings to span both disks.

Still, though, it is a great box for the price. We ended up buying one for a performing-arts house, both to record live productions using a security-type camera permanently mounted in the house and to play back custom-made "coming soon" video promos before both films and live events. I have also rented them for playback of custom video promo spots for film festivals and for recording film Q&As directly to disk via HD-SDI.

Sound Devices makes something similar, but their unit is designed more for production than for exhibition, and has a number of limitations that make the Aja unit a better choice for exhibition-oriented users.

Posted by Kirk Futrell (Member # 5006) on 10-21-2013, 11:38 AM:

We use VLC for just about any video file on our IMacs. If you have the prores codec, available from buying final cut x or I think from buying "Compressor" for 50 bucks. VLC is VERY customizable and will allow you to have dual displays with one being your projector and the playlist on screen on your primary display. Also very easy to change audio and subtitle options and outputs. You can also make an a playlist save it to the desktop and with one double click you can play the playlist in full screen on the projector with no play icons or any of that nonsense.

Posted by Paul Gordon (Member # 3320) on 10-21-2013, 12:00 PM:

If you want to spend a little cash you could go with Archimdeia Reference Player with a Bluefish 444 4K SDI card. The player will playback any media format and codec ever made along with DCP's.

http://www.archimediatech.com/#!archimedia-reference-player/c1yc2

Posted by Carsten Kurz (Member # 5396) on 10-21-2013, 12:34 PM:

I see no price for the player. Do you have a number? The number of available DCP Player software is growing, this being the latest addition.

- Carsten

Posted by Paul Gordon (Member # 3320) on 10-21-2013, 01:05 PM:

Not cheap. $2000.00 for the software, $3000 for HD-SDI card, $5000 for 4K SDI card. This is more of a archival tool as it will playback Samma files, JPG2000, Digital Rapids, Front Porch Digital, Amberfin codecs etc... plus uncompressed media.

Posted by Bajsic Bojan (Member # 4928) on 10-22-2013, 04:17 AM:

Add to that the fact one needs a PC worth at least 3k makes this an 'app' for 10kUSD.

Again, why put this in a cinema environment for playback purposes?

Posted by Paul Gordon (Member # 3320) on 10-22-2013, 05:42 AM:

You wouldn't unless you have loads of cash, or are QCing incoming digitized files at an archive.