DPX files

[Bill DiPietra]

Hi gang. As I stated in a previous thread, I am planning on scanning my 16mm short film. My question is, if I get it output to a DPX file, will that file format be recognized on a Mac computer so that I could burn DVDs on my own? Or would I have to go back to the labs for that?

 

Thanks for any help.

[John Sprung]

I'd have the facility scan to a DPX stack, and archive it on LTO. Then convert to ProRes and a DVD image file, which you could take home on a hard drive. Check the price, they may even make a DVD for not much money, and you could use that in a duplicating tower.

 

 

 

 

-- J.S.

[Chris Burke]

Hi gang. As I stated in a previous thread, I am planning on scanning my 16mm short film. My question is, if I get it output to a DPX file, will that file format be recognized on a Mac computer so that I could burn DVDs on my own? Or would I have to go back to the labs for that?

 

Thanks for any help.

 

 

Yes, a mac will recognize DPX files. Which program you use matters. Are you using a Final Cut Studio platform? If so, Color can make quicktime files from your DPX stacks and from those quicktimes you can make DVDs. Also, Graphics Converter does a descent job of batch processing dpx to quicktime. With it you can also do a quick "auto balance" while converting to quicktime. Keep in mind that dpx files take up huge amounts of storage space and converting them can take a while. I did all this rescently for a S16 short, worked out great.

 

Gluetools, which is yet another Final Cut plugin, allows you to work with dpx files directly in Final Cut. I have not used Gluetools, perhaps someone who has will answer.

[Bill DiPietra]

Yes, a mac will recognize DPX files. Which program you use matters. Are you using a Final Cut Studio platform? If so, Color can make quicktime files from your DPX stacks and from those quicktimes you can make DVDs. Also, Graphics Converter does a descent job of batch processing dpx to quicktime. With it you can also do a quick "auto balance" while converting to quicktime. Keep in mind that dpx files take up huge amounts of storage space and converting them can take a while. I did all this rescently for a S16 short, worked out great.

 

Gluetools, which is yet another Final Cut plugin, allows you to work with dpx files directly in Final Cut. I have not used Gluetools, perhaps someone who has will answer.

 

 

Thanks a lot, Chris. Yes, I will be using FCP Studio. My finished B&W short will be about 8 minutes in length. I am only getting the finished product scanned. Can you give me an approximate size that you think the file may wind up being?

 

Thanks again.

[Elliot Rudmann]

Can you give me an approximate size that you think the file may wind up being?

 

Thanks again.

 

8 minutes will be about 113 gigabytes worth of dpx files, since one 2k dpx frame of Super 16 (2048x1260) is about 10 mb. A little smaller if it was scanned at HD. How big the quicktime file is (or m2v/mpeg2 file if you're going to burn to dvd) depends on your compression settings.

[Bill DiPietra]

8 minutes will be about 113 gigabytes worth of dpx files, since one 2k dpx frame of Super 16 (2048x1260) is about 10 mb. A little smaller if it was scanned at HD. How big the quicktime file is (or m2v/mpeg2 file if you're going to burn to dvd) depends on your compression settings.

 

Thanks a lot!