Prepare Video Media for PIX
The tables below provide the recommended video specifications for uploading SDR and HDR files to PIX.
Please note that we are evolving our platform to support a wider range of file specs, and the information on this page is our recommendation for getting the best playback experience possible within PIX. When starting your production/project we recommend doing some testing to tune the video specifications to best meet your needs.
If you are looking to upload non-video media to PIX, please refer to this help page: Prepare Non-Video Media for PIX
What you need to know about uploading to PIX:
The newer PIX applications listed below support an upload limit of about 40GB. However, please note that the larger your file, the longer it will take to upload and process for playback.
Apps supporting up to 40GB uploads are:
- PIX 2 for macOS version 2.10+
- PIX 3 for macOS and PC
- PIX for Browser
Older applications listed below have an upload limit of 10GB:
- PIX 2 for Windows version 2.81
Please keep project size limits in mind when uploading larger files. If you have any questions about your project’s size limit, please reach out to your PIX Client Success manager to discuss.
If you require any further support or information please contact support@pixsystem.com.
Using PIX for Dailies?
A reel of dailies should not be uploaded as a single file, but rather as individual files (one per take). This provides the best experience for viewers and allows them to reassemble their own reels of selects.
Track Requirements
- One track of video.
- One embedded timecode track.
- No more than one track of audio (if an audio track is present, please ensure it is the same length as the video track).
- No text tracks.
- No hidden tracks.
PIX Pass-through Playback
Upload and playback behavior has been improved to include Pass-through playback. This allows for near-immediate playback of uploaded H.264 files with AAC audio that are under 4GB in size.
Files that fall outside of these specifications will be available as soon as the streaming reps have been transcoded and made available for playback.
SDR
Recommended SDR clip specifications and metadata tags:
| SDR | Additional Information | |
|---|---|---|
| Codec | H.264/AVC | Older applications can only playback H.264 and require the legacy video specs. |
| Container | .MOV/.MP4 | .MP4s are not supported for use with these features in PIX: Subclipping & iOS Offline Clip Viewing |
| Frame Size | up to 3840 x 2160 (4K UHD) | |
| Bit Rate @ 24fps - RECOMMENDED | 720 - 5-10 Mbps 1080 - 10-15 Mbps 2160 - 20-25 Mbps |
|
| Image Bit Depth - RECOMMENDED | 8-bit | |
| Color Primaries - RECOMMENDED | Rec.709 | |
| Transfer Function EOTF - RECOMMENDED | Rec.709 | |
| YCbCr Matrices - RECOMMENDED | Rec709 - Legal Levels | |
| Quicktime 'pasp' (Pixel Aspect) Metadata | Empty or 1:1 | Non-square pixels are not currently supported. |
| Audio Encoding | "Low Complexity/""LC"" AAC Audio (MPEG-4 Part 3 Advanced Audio)" AC3 (5.1 files only) EAC3 (7.1 files only) |
AC3 encoding is required for all 5.1 files and EAC3 is required for all 7.1 files. |
| Audio Channel Layout | Stereo, Mono , 5.1, 7.1 | For 5.1 and 7.1, PIX passes through the channel layout configuration. |
| Audio Sample Rate | 44.1 kHz, 48 kHz, 96 kHz | |
| Audio Bit Depth | 16 or 24 |
HDR
Recommended HDR clip specifications and metadata tags:
| HDR | P3-D65 PQ | Additional Information | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Codec | HDR10 - HEVC (H.265) | ||
| Container | HDR10 - .MOV/.MP4 | ||
| Frame Size | Up to 3840 x 2160 (4K UHD) |
||
| Bit Rate @ 24 fps - RECOMMENDED | 720 - 5-10 Mbps 1080 - 10-15 Mbps 2160 - 20-25 Mbps |
Videos are reprocessed within PIX, so we recommend a range so that each production can determine the bitrate that best meets their viewers' needs. | |
| Image Bit Depth | 10-bit | 10-bit | |
| Color Primaries | Rec.2020 | P3-D65 / Display P3 | |
| Transfer Function/EOTF | PQ (ST 2084) | PQ (ST 2084) | |
| YCbCr Matrices | Rec.2020 NCL - Legal Levels | Rec.709 - Legal Levels | |
| Mastering Display Metadata - RECOMMENDED | P3-D65 Mastering Display metadata is recommended, if this is not provided, PIX assumes P3-D65. | For P3-D65 Mastering display metadata: PIX streams HDR 10 material using a BT 2020 colorspace. The P3-D65 colorspace is a subset of BT 2020 and will be retained in the streaming versions. | |
| Content Light Level Metadata - RECOMMENDED | colspan="2">PIX supports content light-level metadata if included. | ||
| Quicktime 'pasp' (Pixel Aspect) Metadata | Empty or 1:1 | Non-square pixels are not currently supported. | |
| Audio Encoding | "Low Complexity/""LC"" AAC Audio (MPEG-4 Part 3 Advanced Audio)" AC3 (5.1 files only) EAC3 (7.1 files only) |
AC3 encoding is required for all 5.1 files and EAC3 is required for all 7.1 files. | |
| Audio channel Layout | Stereo, Mono, 5.1, 7.1 | For 5.1 and 7.1, PIX passes through the channel layout configuration. | |
| Audio Sample Rate | 44.1 kHz, 48 kHz, 96 kHz | ||
| Audio Bit Depth | 16 or 24 | ||
Applications & Devices that support HDR Playback
HDR playback is supported on the following devices and PIX applications:
| Playback device | PIX version | OS version |
|---|---|---|
| Apple TV 4K | 2.0+ | tvOS 13+ |
| iPad Pro 12.9-inch (5th generation) | + 2.10+ | iOS 13+ |
| iPhone 11 Pro+ | 2.10+ | iOS 13+ |
| PIX for Browser (Safari only) | PIX for Browser v3.1+ | macOS 11+ |
Functionality not compatible with HDR content:
- iOS Offline
- Display Mirroring from iOS
- Send for download
- Subclipping
Applications & Devices that will support SDR Playback of HDR-sourced Content
HDR-sourced videos will playback in SDR on the following devices and PIX applications:
| Playback device | PIX version | OS version |
|---|---|---|
| Mac | PIX(2) for macOS v2.9 | macOS 10.13+ (High Sierra) |
| Mac/Windows | PIX(3) for Browser v3.1+ (Chrome) | macOS 10.13+ (High Sierra) Windows 8.1+ |
| Mac/Windows | PIX(3) for macOS/Windows v3.1+ | macOS 10.13+ (High Sierra) Windows 8.1+ |
| iPad Pro 11-in (1st Generation)+ | 2.10+ | iOS 13+ |
| iPhone 8 -11 | 2.10+ | iOS 13+ |
Not supported for SDR playback of HEVC & HDR-sourced content:
- PIX for Windows v2.7.4 & 2.8.1
- PIX for macOS 2.8.1
- PIX for HD
- PIX for Screening
Creating HDR Deliverables
DaVinci Resolve
Davinci Resolve Settings
- Go to the Deliver page in the Render Settings panel and set up a new Custom output using the H.265 preset.
- Select the checkbox for Embed HDR10 Metadata, and set the resolution.
- For H.265, we recommend setting Quality to around 10,000-25,000 Kb/s.
- Set the Encoding Profile to Main10 and open the Advanced Settings section.
- Set the Color Space Tag to Rec.2020 and Gamma Tag to a class of ST2084.
- Set Data Levels to Video.
- Once the settings have been applied proceed with Add to Render Queue and the rendering of the timeline.
Adobe Media Encoder
Adobe Media Encoder 14+ Settings
* HEVC files can only be exported by version 14+
- Open the Export Settings window (Cmd-M) and set the Format to HEVC (H.265). The Preset is a convenient way to select a target resolution.
- In the Encoding Settings, uncheck the box for Profile, to allow the selection of the Main 10 setting:
- Then set Level to 5.2, Tier to Main, and ensure the checkboxes are selected for:
- Rec. 2020 Color Primaries
- High Dynamic Range
- Include HDR10 Metadata
Set the options for Mastering Display Color Volume to be correct for the mastering display that is being used:
- Color Primaries: P3-D65
- Luminance Min: 0.005 cd/m^2
- Luminance Max: 1,000 cd/m^2
- Content Light Levels MAX: 1,000 cd/m^2
- Content Light Levels AVG: 200 cd/m^2
Finally, the Bit Rate and Quality will be determined by the Level selection, but can be adjusted in the Bitrate Settings as required:
- VBR, 1pass
- Target Bit Rate: 10,000 Kbps
- Max Bit Rate: 25, 000 Kbps
Colorfront
Step 1: Creating an ACES project
When creating a new project please click on the color pipeline selector and make sure ACES is activated for the new project
Step 2: Color Pipeline
- When using the ACES pipeline the input transformation (IDT) is automatically selected, so all content can be graded in the same, common color space using the standard CDL tool.
- After the CDL there is a Look Transform (LMT) that defines the show look. This can be an external look file in the Common LUT Format (.clf) or one can use the built-in Colorfront Engine look designer.
- We recommend enabling the Colorfront Engine to ensure perceptually matching SDR and HDR dailies deliverables.
Step 3: Setting Up the Output Color Space
- On the Out tab of the HUD panel, the operator can configure the color space of two outputs.
- Please set one of the outputs to Rec2020 PQ 1000 Nits, this will be the HDR output.
Step 4: Rendering with the PIX HDR Preset
- From the list of Web encoder presets please select one of the PIX HDR deliverables presets.
- Upon pressing the render button the system will generate the necessary files to the folder defined in the Paths section of the preferences page.
Filmlight/Baselight
Filmlight (Baselight/Daylight) settings
The latest Baselight and Daylight applications from Filmlight can be used to export HDR deliverable files that are compatible with PIX. At the time of writing, Baselight 5.3 beta included the option to export HEVC files as well as ProRes files.
Open the Scene Settings window > Format & Color tab.
Depending on your preferred workflow and the mix of camera formats being used, the Working Color Space can be set to match the gamut/gamma of the primary camera format - for example, ARRI LogC/Wide Gamut for material from ARRI ALEXA - or alternatively using an ACES color pipeline or Filmlight’s own T-Log/E-Gamut.
The Mastering Colour Space should match the Mastering Display, for example Rec 2100: ST 2084 PQ/Rec. 2020/1000 nits if grading on a BT2020 1000 nit monitor with corresponding input settings.
Open the Render window, and set the Codec to HEVC 10-bit hardware encoder. Choose an appropriate Render Format, such as UltraHD 3840x2160.
The Render Color Space should be set to Rec 2100: ST 2084 PQ/Rec. 2020/1000 nits in order to produce valid HDR10 output files.
Color Space Tagging should be set to Automatic which will then tag the rendered files as Primaries:Rec.2020 EOTF:ST-2084-PQ Matrix:Rec.2020 non-const.
The Analysis settings can be used to Analyse MaxCLL/MaxFALL and then include this in the file metadata by selecting Store In Movie Metadata Only.
Apple Compressor
In some circumstances, it may be desirable to use a faster-to-render codec such as ProRes for the initial export from your grading software of choice, and then use a different system to transcode from these ProRes ‘mezzanine’ files to HEVC using Apple Compressor.
Your color space should be set to Rec. 2020 PQ or P3D65 PQ.
Provided that the exported ProRes files are compliant with the Apple HDR10 metadata specification and include the required HDR metadata for PIX then Apple Compressor can be used to perform this HEVC transcode and will simply ‘pass through' the HDR metadata, without alteration, into the outputted files.
The Compressor User Guide provides full information and is available online.
Checking essential metadata in HDR files
Finder and Quicktime
Finder and Quicktime can be used to perform a provisional check that a file has been created with the correct HDR gamma/gamut settings for use in PIX. Note, however, that these checks will not confirm the presence of the required Mastering Display Metadata. In the Finder application on macOS, the Preview provides information on the Color Profile metadata for a file.
The Color profile metadata must be 'BT.2020 HDR10 (9-16-9)' or 'P3 D65 HDR10 (12-16-1)' to be compatible with an HDR workflow in PIX.
The file can also be opened with Quicktime Player and in the Movie Inspector (Cmd-I) the Format is shown including details of the mastering display level.
Using ffprobe To Check Metadata
While Finder and Quicktime are useful there is some metadata they do not display. The command line tool ffprobe can be used in order to check additional file metadata. To use ffprobe on macOS first install Homebrew and once completed from Terminal run the command:
brew install ffmpeg
Follow the instructions to finish installing ffmpeg, and then ffprobe can be run on a file in Terminal:
ffprobe /Users/example/Desktop/myfile.mov
Running ffprobe will show various information contained in the file, including:
- Rec. 2020:
- Color Metadata
- bt2020nc/bt2020/smpte2084
- Mastering Display Metadata
- has_primaries:1 has_luminance:1 r(0.6800,0.3200) g(0.2650,0.6900) b(0.1500 0.0600) wp(0.3127, 0.3290) min_luminance=0.000100, max_luminance=1000.000000
- Content Light Level Metadata
- MaxCLL=1000
- MaxFALL=100
- Color Metadata
- P3-D65:
- Color Metadata
- bt709/smpte432/smpte2084
- Mastering Display Metadata
- has_primaries:1 has_luminance:1 r(0.6800,0.3200) g(0.2650,0.6900) b(0.1500 0.0600) wp(0.3127, 0.3290) min_luminance=0.001000, max_luminance=950.000000
- Content Light Level Metadata
- MaxCLL=888
- MaxFALL=234
- Color Metadata
The information is contained amongst a range of metadata, for example:
Stream Rec.2020: #0:0(und): Video: hevc (Main 10) (hvc1/0x31637668), yuv420p10le(tv, bt2020nc/bt2020/smpte2084, progressive), 3840x2160 [SAR 1:1 DAR 16:9], 25,000 kb/s, 24.00 fps, 24.00 tbr, 60k tbn, 60k tbc (default)
Stream P3-D65: #0:00x1: Video: hevc (Main 10) (hvc1 / 0x31637668), yuv420p10le(tv, bt709/smpte432/smpte2084, progressive), 1920x1080 [SAR 1:1 DAR 16:9], 14482 kb/s, 24 fps, 24 tbr, 24k tbn (default)
Side data will include Mastering Display Metadata and Content Light Level Metadata.