H.263 Codec in Adobe Premier 6.01?

[mcavoy]

I bought a Kodak DX3600 over the weekend. It's a digital still camera that will also take short Quicktime movie clips. I know it's not a DV, but it's "fun", and cheap(er than a DV). Here's my issue with it:

The video clips are encoded in H.263, which is typically reserved for video conferencing. Premier is snobbish, and expects full blown Jpeg compression on imported Quicktime clips. Can I install the H.263 codec in Premier? Or do I need to find some kind of H.263 > Jpeg converter? I know that H.263 isn't the greatest, but it's what I've got. If I can't force Premier to use the H.263 codec, can you recommend a converter?

I'm kind of new to this video game, so go easy on me.

Thanks,
Chris

[Spiro]

You could try a few things. Try exporting the h.263 videos from QuickTime Pro (if you don't have QT pro, just find a serial number or get a cracked version... plenty available in either case). When you export, you'll recompress the video but you don't have to recompress the audio. Export from QT Pro as a valid file format which can be read in Premiere--you can experiment with that process, but motion jpeg at various quality levels should be possible. You could also try other video codecs.

You could also try a program like Sonic Foundry Vegas Video. It might work better for you. I can't conduct a test for you so this is just speculation. Go with QT Pro.

If you are just doing image captures, you can always copy the frame you're on in QT Pro and then paste it, bitmapped, into a picture editor like Photoshop.

Have you tried "importing" into Premiere?

Hope this helps....

Jason

"My shitty attitude is none of your fucking business."

[mcavoy]

Thanks for the advice...I figured I'd have to get QT Pro.

I tried importing in premiere, but it'll only import Jpeg encoded QT. I'm a little dissapointed in Adobe's inability to add a new codec. I know that H.263 isn't the best in the world, but still, someone else in the world probably wants to import H.263 stuff...boo on Adobe.

Thanks again,
Chris

[Spiro]

QT pro isn't too bad if you just have to do simple trims or remove a chunk here or there. It has some advanced features. I realized, if it's in h.263, you shouldn't export from QT Pro, just "Save As".

Can your camera export the file using other codecs or does it compress to h.263 on the fly? Maybe you can change that in the camera.

From what I can tell, the file format, regardless of the codec, should import into premiere. It is a supported exportable codec. The camera creates .mov's ? What about .avi's? Can you try that?

Maybe the following will help:

"

Microsoft NetShow installs a "keyed" codec that identifies itself as
Vivo H.263 Video Codec[32] which installs

[drivers32]
VIDC.VIVO=IVVIDEO.DLL

in Windows 95. Vivo H.263 uses the four character code 'VIVO'.

The Vivo Software Web Site:

http://www.vivo.com/

[Try this, too. -Jason]

http://cws.internet.com/32video-vivo.html

Intel distributes an Intel "I263" H.263 video codec at there Web
site as part of the NetCard product. This installs

[drivers32]
VIDC.I263=C:\WINDOWS\I263_32.DLL
VIDC.I420=C:\WINDOWS\I263_32.DLL

in Windows 95.


As of June 18, 1998, this codec could be found at:

http://support.intel.com/support/createshare/camerapack/CODINSTL.HTM

To get the Intel I263 video codec, download the codec installer
CODINSTL.EXE from the Intel web page. CODINSTL.EXE installs
I263_32.DRV, the I263 video codec, and other Intel video codecs.

Note that Intel, like Microsoft, seems to rearrange their Web site
constantly.

"

[mcavoy]

Thanks for all the info...

I was actually kind of surprised that Kodak is using the H.263, as the MC3 (Kodak's 3 in one gizmo) compressed w/ the traditional Jpeg. Unfortunately, I'm locked in on the compression mode (as far as I know), the camera is a still camera, with mpeg "tacked on".

I'll poke around the registry for those device files, two things that are weird: 1) I'm using XP, so maybe it's an XP thing? and 2) I can still view the clips in Quicktime not-Pro...I need to get a Pro crack / sn and see about the save-as.

I'll play around with it tonight. I hope I can get premiere / windows to start recognizing the compression, I don't like having to add a step of exporting from QTPro.

Thanks again for your help,
Chris

[mcavoy]

It turns out, H.263 is a supported codec in Adobe Premiere. I've been able to import OTHER H.263 files, but still can't import the Kodak stuff. I sent a message to their support center. I think they have a firmware issue.

Chris