Movie studio equipment?

[TheSeeker]

I am in an argument with a fellow that believes that movie studios use Macintosh G5 computers straight from the retail stores to master/encode/author their dvd movies for sale. I tried to tell him most have custom hardware configurations to do these things. But he maintains the fact that these big name studios use a computer you or I could easily buy for 2 grand or less. Please point me in the direction of some information so I can set him straight. Or set me straight and tell me how it really is.

[Arky]

It all depends on what level the studio is authoring at, and, importantly, how recently it was set up and how open-minded the studio bosses were when purchasing equipment. At the top level, you'll generally find a room with several Scenarist (http://www.sonic.com/products/Professional/Scenarist/default.aspx) workstations which, of course, are standard PCs. Encoding will be undertaken using either a proprietary turnkey system (such as CCE Pro (http://www.cinemacraft.com/eng/pro.html), CCE Xtream (http://www.cinemacraft.com/eng/xtream.html), Spruce MPX-3000 or Sony Vizaro (http://www.marshallgraphics.com/MGS-Specials.html) ) or, increasingly, software-only CCE SP (http://www.cinemacraft.com/eng/sp.html). Many authoring houses still use Sonic SD-2000s (http://www.sonic.com/products/Professional/SDEncoder/SD2000/quicklook.aspx), often installed on a standard Mac workstation, perhaps with DVD Studio Pro (http://www.apple.com/finalcutstudio/dvdstudiopro/), if they can't (or won't) stretch to a Scenarist license.

The argument you are engaged in is somewhat futile for both of you, since the authoring field these days is much less defined than it was a few years back. These days, computers have become so much more powerful, be they PC or Mac, that hardware-only encoding solutions, for example, are no longer the only viable options for encoding.

Authoring itself can now be done on a standard G4 or G5 Mac, using DVD Studio Pro (http://www.apple.com/finalcutstudio/dvdstudiopro/) (and, if even greater functionality + high-end mastering is required, TFDVDEdit (http://www.tfdvdedit.com) ), for only a couple of grand, and encoding can be done to a genuinely stunning standard on a common PC, using Cinemacraft SP (http://www.cinemacraft.com/eng/sp.html). , also for a couple of grand. My personal standpoint is that it is best to leverage both platforms. In this way, it is genuinely possible to author top-class DVDs for 5 grand (or half that if you know what you're doing and don't mind making a few compromises), utilising a combination of standard machines from both platforms.



Let's say you wanted to peek at the most expensive gear in a top studio. Conceivably, they might be lucky enough to have something like the following:

Panasonic or Toshiba Proprietary DVD authoring system, including proprietary hardware encoder (there are technical reasons why proprietary hardware encoding may be necessary for such set ups, aside from the 'expected' inclusion with such a high-end authoring system, and aside from the perceived image quality of the MPEG output. For example, the Toshiba system requires assets for Seamless Multi-Story Titles (AKA 'Seamless Branching'), such as the Matrix, to be encoded and multiplexed with specific control over the parameters of both the MPEG streams and the multiplexed packets, prior to authoring, but with specific knowledge of what will occur within the authoring system thereafter - in other words, the encoder, multiplexer, and authoring system are all used in such a way that each specialist operator has precise knowledge of what each other will be doing, prior to undertaken their specialist tasks. It's a very (luxuriously) 'tight ship', so-to-speak).




Since so few of even the high-end studios are fortunate enough to own a proprietary Panasonic or Toshiba setup, a more common high-end setup might resemble something like this:

CCE Pro (http://www.cinemacraft.com/eng/pro.html), (or the recent CCE Xtream (http://www.cinemacraft.com/eng/xtream.html), which is an improved version). Both these encoders are turnkey setups, using specialised capture hardware in combination with dedicated software encoding engines. They represent virtually the pinnacle of conventional Standard Definition MPEG 2 MP-ML encoding. Slightly(!) lower down, you might very well find Sony Vizaro (http://www.marshallgraphics.com/MGS-Specials.html) encoders in use, or, perhaps, a Spruce MPX3000 (particularly if authoring is being accomplished with a turnkey DVD Maestro system, which will integrate very nicely with an MPX2000 or MPX3000 to offer such luxuries as segment-based re-encoding or I-frame insertion at specified points, directly within the authoring interface timeline). The MPX3000 apparently also offers some nice prefiltering options, which can make a big difference between a mediocre or an excellent encode, with challenging (i.e. noisy &/or grainy) source material.

Sonic Creator authoring software (Mac-based & discontinued, in it's SD guise, but still widely used) or Sonic (Daikin) Scenarist (http://www.sonic.com/products/Professional/Scenarist/default.aspx) (PC-based), or Spruce DVD Maestro (PC-based, of course). You'd be amazed how many studios still use Maestro, even though Sonic sued the company to extinction some years back (which, of course, led to DVD SP 1.x, which had been based on Astarte's DVD Director, being dispensed with in order to give way to DVD Studio Pro (http://www.apple.com/finalcutstudio/dvdstudiopro/) 2/3/4 which are based upon code from DVD Maestro, ported to the Mac platform).




Mid-range studios would, these days, tend to author with pretty much the same equipment as lower-end (distinct from truly low-end - I'm still talking about professional authors turning out high-quality Titles, but on a smaller scale - perhaps only one or two staff operating the studio). Such operations would generally own setups resembling this:

A Mac G4 or G5 loaded with DVD Studio Pro (http://www.apple.com/finalcutstudio/dvdstudiopro/) 2/3/4. A Sonic SD-2000 (http://www.sonic.com/products/Professional/SDEncoder/SD2000/quicklook.aspx) hardware encoding card or, perhaps, Innobits' BitVice (http://www.innobits.se/) software.

Others might take the PC route, using CCE SP (http://www.cinemacraft.com/eng/sp.html) or Canopus ProCoder (http://www.canopus-uk.com/UK/products/ProCoder2/pm_procoder2.asp) for software encoding, and Scenarist Studio (http://www.sonic.com/products/Professional/Scenarist/compare.aspx) or Advanced, for authoring purposes.

If they do any occasional high-end work, then they'll probably have a Black Magic Design's DeckLink (http://www.blackmagic-design.com/products/sd/) hardware card (and maybe a standalone SDI-capable tape deck, if they can afford it and can't be bothered to rent a deck for the purpose), for capturing uncompressed footage, along with a decent SCSI or SATA RAID HDD array. This can then be encoded in the standard manner, with their preferred encoding solution.


At all levels, if one is authoring for replication, then a DLT drive will be virtually essential (it is technically possible to supply images on DVDR, but this is not ideal). More and more, replicators are willing to accept portable firewire HDDs, and some even cater for FTP transfer of assets (using, for example, Sonic's 'PlantDirect' (http://www.sonic.com/about/press/news/2002/december/plantdirect.aspx) protocol, but DLT remains the defacto standard. Interestingly, many PC-based authors are now choosing to master professional-standard DLTs on the Mac with a third-party utility, even though they may accomplish all other tasks entirely on the PC.



These are just a few examples - there's any number of other possible hardware/software combinations, and, of course, many lower-end possibilities, but the low-end was not what you asked about. The evolution of the DVD authoring scene is now accelerating after many years of virtual stagnation. Prime examples of this are DVDLab Pro (http://www.mediachance.com/dvdlab/dvdlabpro.html) on the PC - an excellent piece of software with truly huge potential, and TFDVDEdit (http://www.tfdvdedit.com) on the Mac, which, while not intended to perform complete authoring duties at the present time, is capable of expanding authoring systems to new heights of authoring power, some of which exceed even that venerable (and expensive), though not unflawed, workhorse, Scenarist's (http://www.sonic.com/products/Professional/Scenarist/default.aspx) capabilities.

In short, both of you would be well advised to quit squabbling - there's more than one way to author DVDs these days. The combination of hardware and software that one chooses, and whether one opts for any proprietary encoding solutions, is more a matter of how deep one's pockets are and what one's personal beliefs are (many of which may, perhaps, be influenced by dogma). If you're working with uncompressed sources, then this would have a tendency to push your machine requirements (and expense) upwards, but even then, it is eminently possible to succeed with the foundations of a standard machine (or machines, if you opt for dual-platform), with no strict proprietary equipment. With the possible exception of encoding (and even here, the gap between ultra high-end and CCE SP is remarkably small), there need not be a significant difference in final Title quality provided you are technically skilled enough and judicious in your HW/SW choices. Therefore, it is technically possible, as your friend asserts, to author a high quality product from Encoding (e.g. BitVice (http://www.innobits.se/)) to Authoring (DVD Studio Pro (http://www.apple.com/finalcutstudio/dvdstudiopro/)) through to Mastering (TFDVDEdit (http://www.TFDVDEdit.com)), although the PC offers stronger encoding solutions (e.g. CCE SP (http://www.cinemacraft.com/eng/sp.html)), good though BitVice is. Encoding quibbles aside, and assuming a truly high-quality uncompressed source tape, it would be virtually impossible (if at all) to distinguish the results of this combo from those of a high-end setup, provided 'Edit was used to strip away all the abstraction layer-generated commands, and to implement, instead, Spec-level command sequences, to speed and refine disc navigation. It's really remarkable what can be achieved on a relatively small budget, these days, when using a Mac for DVD authoring.

HD will, undoubtedly, muddy the waters somewhat, but that's life! :D (I expect a dramatic shift towards the Mac platform to occur, once authors see what DVD SP 5 HD has to offer, this summer - it is likely to be truly groundbreaking for its pricepoint, leaving the likes of Sonic struggling to justify their (arguably :D ) exhorbitant license fees).


Arky ;o)

[hendrix]

you'll be suprised just how many "store bought" systems we use at Technicolor.

[Arky]

I guess you have open-minded (or frugal?! ;) ) bosses, then, Hendrix? :D


Arky ;o)

[hendrix]

I guess you have open-minded (or frugal?! ;) ) bosses, then, Hendrix? :D


Arky ;o)
open minded, after seeing my bonus i would say not frugal :D
well...our Avid Systems is definitely NOT store bought, but the MAC G5s that our CG team uses are straight from the apple store

[Arky]

Bet they can't wait to upgrade to Intel processors, then, huh? (mischievous grin! :D )


Arky ;o)

[hendrix]

dunno...i wonder how the new Apple/Intel will perform

[Arky]

Assuming Apple don't make compiling errors, I'd imagine their apps will fly on the x86 platform.

We both know, though, that only time will tell. Personally, I think it's potentially a really good move for end users, from both platforms, if not for IBM and Motorola shareholders.


Arky ;o)

[hendrix]

if their apps aren't developed using CodeWarrior and/or have a lot of G4/G5/Altivec specific code they should be fine or had better get to work porting to Xcode 2.1 sooner rather than later. my bet is the system will be totally pimp.

[Mug Funky]

hmmm... found this thread while googling for something that allows me to control an MPX3000 encoder card... nm.

where i work (not a movie studio - DVD production/distribution house with some recording/editing facilities is more accurate) we do the DVD thing this way:

- authoring is done on PCs with Spruce DVDMaestro on them (this proggy is discontinued for a long time, but licenses are still sometimes available). the PCs are either vanilla store-bought machines, or ones custom built by Spruce Technologies (these are really old now, so we only use them for writing DLT tapes to send to the DVD replicators and backing up data).

- encoding is done with a large and impressive-looking hardware rack.
- 2 DVW A500p digibeta/beta SP decks, and one DVW A500 deck (these are the same deck, just NTSC and PAL... the "p" stands for PAL)
- one Leitch Ixion standards converter (for blending your anime fields and annoying DVD backer-upperers, but it looks good on a TV) for going back and forth from NTSC to PAL, and also denoising if it's really needed (i think i've used it once for denoising. similar to PeachSmoother in performance)
- a tascam DA-88 deck that can't cue to save itself (makes encoding 5.1 audio a PITA)
- a sony DVCAM deck if we need it. sources are usually digibeta, but a lot of people can't afford digibeta equipment, so we also get a few beta-SP tapes and DV tapes of all kinds.
- 3 PCs to receive the video. they've each got MPX3000 mpeg-2 encoder cards on them, and 1 has a 5.1 audio card too. the video is captured directly into MPEG-2 through SDI (serial digital interface - 10-bit 4:2:2 YUV plus 4 16 bit 48k audio channels... enough for english 2.0 and japanese 2.0 on 1 tape)
- 2 mac G5s with decklink cards in them when we need to post-process our sources. this is rare, but i'd like to do more of it when better equipment comes in soon (like NTSC-PAL speedups rather than blend-conversions). the macs are crap and can't capture anything feature length, but they're good for making menus, promos, and they can output fine. once feature length capturing starts i'll be using avisynth to convert to progressive PAL (i've done it on a few sources already).

- design for DVD menus, slicks, posters, etc, etc, etc is all done on macs, though you could do it on anything really. designers generally think macs are better for some reason. i call it "placebo effect", and maybe "denial" :)

hope this helps the discussion a bit...

[edit]

The MPX3000 apparently also offers some nice prefiltering options, which can make a big difference between a mediocre or an excellent encode, with challenging (i.e. noisy &/or grainy) source material.

it's just a checkbox that says "temporal filter enabled". it screws up the ratecontrol and gives you undersized files, at least within the maestro encoding app. in fact, the ratecontrol is probably the weakest point in these very nice encoders. and yes, segment re-encoding is an awesome feature :)

[Arky]

[edit]
it's just a checkbox that says "temporal filter enabled". it screws up the ratecontrol and gives you undersized files, at least within the maestro encoding app. in fact, the ratecontrol is probably the weakest point in these very nice encoders. and yes, segment re-encoding is an awesome feature :)

Lol - well, that remark was based only upon discussions I'd read on Tully's DVD List, not personal experience (hence the "apparently"). I'm sorry to hear you've had problems with that feature of the MPX-3000 software.

Regards,

Arky ;o)

[auenf]

- authoring is done on PCs with Spruce DVDMaestro on them (this proggy is discontinued for a long time, but licenses are still sometimes available). the PCs are either vanilla store-bought machines, or ones custom built by Spruce Technologies (these are really old now, so we only use them for writing DLT tapes to send to the DVD replicators and backing up data).


you *should* be able to write to DLT from any old whitebox PC with a SCSI card hooked up to the DLT drive.


back to the huge studios aparently using off the shelf macs...

the mac platform is a great authoring setup, especially for how little mullah you have to hand over, but the encoding software that comes with the lovely authoring software is rather slow, and got slower with DVD Studio Pro 4. altho compressor 2 added h.264 (for HD-DVD) and great framerate conversions (with a slight tweak), it takes ~60 hours to encode/convert from a 50min DV-NTSC capture to a PAL m2v (2 pass VBR), and a week to encode a 720p 2hr movie (Compressor 2 currently can't handle interlaced H.264 encoding).

i dont see any major studio relying on the off the shelf mac for the supposed 'master/encode/author', unless they are putting a b-grade movie onto dvd and they dont want to disrupt the custom system which is currently in the middle of the latest blockbuster (or 3 or 4 of them)

Enf...