RAW 2 CF RAW Now in Version 1.001

[Elvis Deane]

Thanks Mark, though if GoPro Studio can't do it, maybe dpx2cf just doesn't have the capability of dealing with compressed raw yet? That's just my guess. I'm very close to buying a Mac Mini just so I can use Pomfort Cliphouse because workflow-wise, it seems to be a one-stop shop.

[Alex Primehd]

I understand everyone is anxious. At the same time, please note the rollout schedule is clearly stated on RAW 2 CF RAW download page as January.

If the schedule accelerates, I'll be happy to let people who donated towards the project know immediately.

move-it-alex.jpg

[Alex Primehd]

OK I forgot about this thread and haven't been posting for awhile. Of course by now, RAW 4 PRO (formerly RAW 2 CF RAW) works with BMPCC compressed DNG files just fine. Not only that; it also makes After Effects - which natively does not understand compressed DNG - import them fine (after RAW 4 PRO conversion to standard DNGs, no quality loss.) More news:

RAW 4 PRO v 1.1.7 released

DNxHD proxy codec added, free - and tons of other excellent features. We hope this makes your RAW life easier : )

v 1.1.7:

- interface and workflow completely re-designed for fast, convenient use on-location or in-studio
- RAW 4 PRO now safely offloads your RAW clip to the Output folder, before doing any video proxy processing.
- better thumbnail previews of the raw footage, with larger zoom-in. See clearly what footage you are working with.
- more choices: DNxHD 4:2:2 video codec added FREE (similar to ProRes), as well as TIFF sequence, in addition to the existing CineformRAW.
- converts compressed DNGs from Blackmagic Pocket Camera to the standard DNG format all software understands, including After Effects.
- 2x faster processing of raw clips!
- now automatically sets frame rate for your proxy, based on actual source clip's frame rate.
- now automatically reads Time Code from the original raw sequence, and imprints it into the proxy videos - both DNxHD and Cineform. Makes it easy to sync, including the EDL going back from proxy to online edit.
- faster release of your original recording media (SD card, SSD drive...) as source, so you could go ahead and use it again... while RAW 4 PRO continues to work on making a proxy.
- smaller memory / processor footprint

Details here: http://Raw4pro.com

Batch Edition is just around the corner now. Exciting!

[Alex Primehd]

Of course Batch edition is now out, RAW 4 PRO is in its version 2.4

It also comes with a Cineform LUT so proper colors are showing, not just green tint.

With DNxHD/MPEG2, proper white balance (and time code, and frame rate) are automatically transferred from the original footage.

Just an update.

RAW4PRO-Icon-v2-64x64.jpg

[Note Suwanchote]

Works well, thanks Alex!

[Henryo]

Hi Guys,
Does anyone know what has happened to RAW4PRO? The site seems to have ceased offering the software for sale anymore. This software made using the BMPCC software a real pleasure. Short story, I bought the VIP version right at the start and also the VIP upgrades along the way. I was a long term fan of the developers but I ended up with all my registrations getting knocked out by the server so none of the software I paid for works as of now. Basically my reg code was used on two computers as while I was moving from one country to another I was granted a license to keep working on my laptop. Problem is upgrades required re-registration and the server couldn't keep track and eventually choked that my reg was exhausted. I asked to de-register and move, but that was not possible. I made it very clear to Alex that I was in a situation where none of my registrations worked and was stuck but it lead nowhere. I recently considered buying another license but now it appears that one cannot do that. Guess it's not so bad as I would have just been ploughing my money into an uncertain future. As far as I can tell, there are no more of his company videos - Vimeo, youtube pages etc - all gone. After many attempts to get support, unsuccessfully, I gave up and I have found an alternative workflow to get the pocket's CDNG into Cineform but this utility was great and a one stop shop and the merging of audio was genius.

Basically one just needs Adobe's DNG utility to convert the Compressed DNGs into DNGs and then using the free Gopro App to convert to Cineform RAW - so it can be done for free. You have to manually choose the frame rate in the Gopro app as it doesn't read it right. ( Not sure if the meta data gets copied correctly ). There is no merging of audio but if one drags all the files into Vegas, which is what I use, they line up in correct order, thereby matching the correct video files with the audio files. I exchanged many e-mails with Alex about how his copy protection method would penalise genuine supporters of his cause if he went bust but this appears to have fallen on deaf ears. In addition he promised to support any users in case his company stopped selling the software. I have a personal reply about this very issue as early on I told him how disappointed I was that Cineform abandoned the professional line as in particular - HD-Link was crucial to my workflow. I have untold amounts of software that I cannot use because the developers had an intrusive form of protection that left genuine users hung high and dry when they stopped support for the product. Guess that's the world of software and I understand why it's done but man does it drive me mad when I have paid for something and I can't use it.

So does anyone have any status update? Was the company shut down, sold, is he unwell - what happened as I really would like to get this working.

Also in the spirit of cooperation, does anyone know of any scripts for Virtualdub to batch merge the BMPCC video files to the audio files for a whole folder at a time. I can work it out for one file at a time but I am afraid batch scripts are above my level of expertise. Yes I asked Alex for help on this and again - sadly no response. So I hope some in the community may be able to get me up and running again with the free tools out there in a painless way. I read about someone on the board coding something similar to RAW4PRO but not sure if it came to anything.

And yes Alex if you are reading this, I think it would be a classy touch to offer the software to past customers in a way that they can be free to use it without restriction going into the future.

Best
H

[Michael Bergstrom]

Have you tried emailing Alex? Last version I have is 5. I've been there since kickstarter and have lifetime upgrades, and is my "go to" for processing timelapse. His site seems to be up. Just checked my emails and my linlks for download still work for Raw4Pro and DataMaster. Last email from datamaster was April, and last update email from Raw2Pro was January.

[Henryo]

Hi Michael,
Thanks for taking the time to reply. Sure I have tried to e-mail him. I have sent him many e-mails and he is not willing to assist me. 50 e-mails between us over the years. My recent two this week have been ignored as I think he is tired of me. I persisted only because I wanted to get up and running. Don't get me wrong, it is all cordial and pleasant but when I needed to get up and running again - nothing. VIP pfffffffffff. Supported them mostly from the start. Not sure what that means as the disdain I have experienced has been truly one of the least satisfactory experiences I have had with a software developer. I have spent a small fortune on software over the years and most developers try to keep their paying customers happy. I also have a software business and the customer comes first. Anyway - each to their own and I wish not to tell people how to run their business. His response to me - buy another license. My response what if the same thing happens again and your server has a wobbly. Other things to worry about in life than my software refusing to work anymore. I might as well move on. I even considered buying an extra license to help them fund that movie that stretched them a bit but this issue of support made me reconsider. Even endorsed the product on their site. Anyway - never mind all this, I found the utility a no brainer for my BMPCC.

Now to the reason I posted and why I may be jumping to my conclusion. Perhaps it's just me and my computer but if you go to the website - http://www.datamaster.pro/raw-4-pro.html let me know if you can buy anything. Click on the buy now or try me for free link. The website is up yes but barely. You can download the software I am sure if you have bought it before but for how much longer. The flicker page is also gone. Twitter is dead. Vimeo videos deleted. Facebook - gone. Instagram - gone. YouTube - gone.
Amazon - unavailable. So it appears that RAW4pro is disappearing to me. It would be different if he put a post on twitter or here saying, 'hey guys, doing a redesign of the site, will be back in a moment.' But the cold shoulder treatment I have received and the accounts that have had content deleted suggests that all is not well.

So stringent is the authentication that all my registered computers have become unregistered. I mean you download a small piece of software, it downloads the rest to some arbitrary folder you cannot find in programs. There is no real shortcut to the program so it's installation is bizarre. Microsoft Visual basic? I mean talk about making the thing full of hoops. So in a sense one is completely server dependent to install and run the software and any hiccup - bye bye registration. This is one of the things I warned against and he re-assured me that he would support customers if he closed down. I have his word in black and white and this is what makes me so annoyed. To me in business your word should be your bond. Copy protection should not get in the way of users IMHO. I even asked for a dongle but he dismissed the idea. I would be happy with that. A lot of licenses on ilok and I couldn't be happier. Many audio plugin developers now give you three licenses per purchase. Computer dies - easy - move the ilok - Voila. New computer, hardware change no problem. You can still work. I told Alex that his software was now crucial to my workflow and that if my installations failed or he went out of business it would seriously hurt what I do. I bought the BMPCC AFTER using RAW4PRO. It made using DNG possible using a Cineform workflow because I do not want to use resolve.

In any case, this is just a utility and perhaps it's just me but a utility that is composed of mostly open source tools brought together in GUI for a small niche market should not be treated like pentagon level security software. I mean, there are free tools available to do the same things but in a clumsy way, there is also the option to record in prores or uncompressed via HDMI as well so it is not like the software is worth a fortune in it's return on investment. The difference between RAW and Uncompressed is there but barely an issue. So it's just a handy utility to automate many otherwise annoying multiple processes.

Let's hope I am wrong and all is well with RAW4PRO. If not well I have my alternatives but it sure was a handy utility that I now cannot use anyway in any case.
Let's hope those of you who have working software will never have to experience what I have gone through when you have come to rely on it.
H

[razz16mm]

Alex sent out this news announcement in mid July:

Datamaster announcement.jpg

I have switched to a mostly cineform DI post workflow, so Raw4Pro and Footage Studio 4k for transcoding non-raw formats are extremely valuable if not indispensable utilities to me. Not really into parsing FFMPEG or FFMBC command strings. Pretty much down to just these two plus Resolve and Lightworks on the video side. Resolve will write Cineform if you install the free GoPro studio app for the codecs.

[Henryo]

Thanks Razz16mm for putting that up. Never got that message and have no idea why it isn't on the front page of the website. He could also have replied to my e-mails. Well hey ho. That clarifies a few things. He has probably lost me as a customer but if he cares the door is still slightly open if he reaches out to me as he should to any customer who has an issue.