Premiere Pro CC and 4k h264 not getting along at all

[KevMo Photog]

This is not the sort of thing that can be described adequately in a short post. Google will reveal several good video tutorials.

Agree!!!

 

[Techcop50]

Would someone briefly describe how to use proxies in PP please.

With my editor, Magix Video Pro, the option appears every time I start a new project. There is bound to be a setting in Premier that determines proxy use. Mine is a check box.
When you enable proxies, the program will generate a smaller, reference file for each video you import. (This takes some time, but it saves you a lot of time on the other end.) From then on, you are basically viewing and working with the proxies, so your machine won't need so much resources. Then, when you render the final product, it goes back to the full-size files and generates the end product using the instructions from the proxy edit. That way the end video is full resolution, or whatever you decide.

 

[Don Barar]

Hi Richard and Jim,

I'll make an attempt at the proxie procedure for Premier Pro CC 2017:

1. Import your media.
2. In the preferences, select Media, and then select the check box enable proxies.
3. Add the proxie toggle button in previews. You will only need to perform this step one time. Below the preview window there are a series of buttons. At the extreme right there is "+" symbol. Select the "+" button. Drag the "toggle proxie" to the button bar.
4. In the Project panel, select the media that you want to create proxies. Right click to bring up the contextual menu and select proxies.
5. This will bring up another panel. I always select H.264 encoding and the lowest resolution. Select go

To use the proxies in your editing, select the toggle proxies button. If it is blue, the proxies are enabled. If white, than the full resolution file is enabled.

Let me know if above procedure works for you.

Don Barar

 

[Jim Roof]

Hi Richard and Jim,

I'll make an attempt at the proxie procedure for Premier Pro CC 2017:

1. Import your media.
2. In the preferences, select Media, and then select the check box enable proxies.
3. Add the proxie toggle button in previews. You will only need to perform this step one time. Below the preview window there are a series of buttons. At the extreme right there is "+" symbol. Select the "+" button. Drag the "toggle proxie" to the button bar.
4. In the Project panel, select the media that you want to create proxies. Right click to bring up the contextual menu and select proxies.
5. This will bring up another panel. I always select H.264 encoding and the lowest resolution. Select go

To use the proxies in your editing, select the toggle proxies button. If it is blue, the proxies are enabled. If white, than the full resolution file is enabled.

Let me know if above procedure works for you.

Don Barar

Just thought I would add that when the Proxy Enable switch is set to ON, Media Encoder will pop up and start to encode the proxy files automatically. I have yet to complete a project with this enables, but I would assume that prior to exporting your media, the Proxy Switch should be turned off to ensure the full resolution files are being used.

 

[Don Barar]

Hi Jim,

I thought this as well. It turns out that the when you export (unless you have made some other change in the setup) Premier Pro will export the full resolution files.

Don Barar

 

[SteelFlyer]

I tried ProRes months ago Jim. It helped some but did not fix totally. Same exact issue here as you have with almost same exact machine too. You have to use proxies man. It has solved all of my problems totally. And the playback on most of them is pretty darn clear too! I've been using one of the Go Pro proxy files I think.

Same exact experience here.

 

[Eddyfisher]

I just upgraded from an older mid-range box to be able to edit and encode more efficiently. I had all the stuttering problems with 2K 60 (not even 4K) and even using proxies to edit I had to wait up to a couple of hours for encoding to 1080 at optimum settings. During that time if I tried opening other apps and attempted to work I was risking a shutdown. I read this thread after spending a tidy sum on a new workstation and I was nervous! I just tested my new system with a 54 second clip of 4K 60 and was amazed and pleased. I imported the 4K footage to Premiere Pro CC untouched and it played in both the Source and Program monitors with only a rare hitch. I slowed it down to 50% speed and played with the color a little, and the exported 1:48 clip took only about 5 minutes to encode to 1080 29.97fps, VBR, 2 pass using Max Render Quality. The graphics card (firepro W5100) was pretty well maxed-out, but the system had adequate memory and CPU to allow me to perform other complex tasks while the encoding was going on. No more proxies! I got a 6C Xeon CPU, 3.6 GHz, 32GB RAM and the AMD FirePro W5100 graphics card. I wish I had gone with the W7100, but this works. First time I've actually slowed down a 4K 60 clip to 30fps then exported and the slow-mo is amazing. Looks like regular speed footage.

 

[KevMo Photog]

I just upgraded from an older mid-range box to be able to edit and encode more efficiently. I had all the stuttering problems with 2K 60 (not even 4K) and even using proxies to edit I had to wait up to a couple of hours for encoding to 1080 at optimum settings. During that time if I tried opening other apps and attempted to work I was risking a shutdown. I read this thread after spending a tidy sum on a new workstation and I was nervous! I just tested my new system with a 54 second clip of 4K 60 and was amazed and pleased. I imported the 4K footage to Premiere Pro CC untouched and it played in both the Source and Program monitors with only a rare hitch. I slowed it down to 50% speed and played with the color a little, and the exported 1:48 clip took only about 5 minutes to encode to 1080 29.97fps, VBR, 2 pass using Max Render Quality. The graphics card (firepro W5100) was pretty well maxed-out, but the system had adequate memory and CPU to allow me to perform other complex tasks while the encoding was going on. No more proxies! I got a 6C Xeon CPU, 3.6 GHz, 32GB RAM and the AMD FirePro W5100 graphics card. I wish I had gone with the W7100, but this works. First time I've actually slowed down a 4K 60 clip to 30fps then exported and the slow-mo is amazing. Looks like regular speed footage.

Thats awesome Eddy! I did hear or watch that your not supposed to actually use Max Render Quality! Forgot why but check it out.

 

[Eddyfisher]

Thats awesome Eddy! I did hear or watch that your not supposed to actually use Max Render Quality! Forgot why but check it out.

I just ran another test and there was a little stuttering just when it started playing in the program window but quickly caught up and played smoothly. I did look around for info about Max Render Quality and it seems to be a must if you are changing the frame size. Render at Max Depth is a setting that should also be used (according to some) if you do (much) color grading or compositing. I did not find anything to suggest that either setting was undesirable other than from a stance of processing time and use of resources. If you see something that says otherwise please link me. Thanks.

 

[KevMo Photog]

I just ran another test and there was a little stuttering just when it started playing in the program window but quickly caught up and played smoothly. I did look around for info about Max Render Quality and it seems to be a must if you are changing the frame size. Render at Max Depth is a setting that should also be used (according to some) if you do (much) color grading or compositing. I did not find anything to suggest that either setting was undesirable other than from a stance of processing time and use of resources. If you see something that says otherwise please link me. Thanks.

Wow! I know I watched one vid several months ago that showed not checking Max Render Quality and a reason for it. Now I don't see it and actually just watched a vid recommending it just like you say if you are doing your own color grading which I am. And he said to check max depth as well. So I totally stand corrected on this. Thanks man!