Blackmagic Raw files

[andrezagato]

Hello,
I've searched around but haven't found any information regarding encoding RAW files. Specially BRAW for me (blackmagic Raw) files.

Is there a way ? I've tried and I get this kind of errror.
Thanks

braw.png (5.77 KiB) Viewed 9070 times

[emcodem]

Aye, long time not seen, good to have you back

As far as i know, blackmagic decided not do add their braw decoder to ffmpeg. If they provided at least some directshow or vfw filter, we could use it in avisynth at least. Are you aware if they deliver anything that lets you play their stuff in "windows media player"?
Otherwise you'd need to find some tool from blackmagic (forum maybe) that lets you convert their stuff to some more common format.

[andrezagato]

Hey encodem!

yes! it has been a while! My latest freelances didn't need to convert video. So I haven't been messing around with FFastrans in a while! But now I'm back.

So, on their website they have a free SDK to be able to use it. I have no idea how that could be used with FFastrans. But if you could check it out, that would be awesome.
is its on their page, there is 3 installers for windows, mac and linux. https://www.blackmagicdesign.com/products/blackmagicraw

[emcodem]

Yeah i know about their own api for their own format, when i first saw it on IBC i was like "oh no, not yet another propreitary format"
Their SDK seems to contain some example commandline program to convert to uncompressed and a few other formats, but it is not easy to compile. As i don't need it i'll skip investing the needed hours for this.
Maybe you can ask in the bmd forum if anyone ever was able to compile their "openexrtranscode" example program and share it with you
I'm not sure if all the stuff allows to be "shared" in public license wise.

[andrezagato]

I see!
I will try that! thanks for the direction!
Lets hope I find something!

[FranceBB]

I went through the very same annoying format in 2019: https://forum.doom9.org/showthread.php?t=176277
It's a bit depressing to see that it's 2023 and the situation is still the same as it was in 2019: no support anywhere whatsoever...
The only thing you can do is import it into Davinci and re-export it.
It sucks, I know, but it's just the way it is...

[andrezagato]

Thanks for the response also FranceBB.

Looks like BRAW is a deadend. So my next question is there any other RAW file that I could convert in FFAstrans ?

[emcodem]

Basically most really "raw" formats (eg the different rgb and yuv representations) are supported but that's probably not what you want to know.
Might i ask what exactly are you trying to do here and why does it have to be in "raw" format? Are you trying to record from blackmagic and you have no other way than using their own capture software that supports nearly no codecs or something completely different?

[andrezagato]

I am working on a reality show, we are on the pre production and talking about the recording methods. So I am testing different files to see how it will perform.
Because once they start shooting, it a lot of footage a day. I beleive it will be over 10 cameras with 24 hour recordings. So I want to define a workflow that will be able to keep up with all that. And BRAW was one of the options because they will use blackmagic cameras, and the size/quality ratio is very good, but it is still to be determined the format.
I would like to automate the process with ffastrans, but if they choose to go with BRAW, I will use Davinci and convert manually.
I have other question related to hardware, but I will create another post..

[emcodem]

Unfortunately i dont have experience with BMD devices other than capture cards so i fear i am not too helpful here
If i was you, i'd give the BMD forum a shot.