videoQC - Automated and Visual Video QC Tools
Verify your video media quality manually or automatically
Overview
- Media player with support for everything from broadcast to post production and raw file formats
- RTP, UDP, SRT, RTSP, and NDI stream source support
- Local, network (NFS, SMB, etc) and web/http(s) source support
- Automated metadata generation and comparison to master file or template
- Automated audio and video metric generation (levels, broadcast legal, sizes, types, rep, etc.)
- Real time video playback to desktop and SDI/HDMI
- Time code, closed caption, audio meter displays and overlays
- Full set of scopes for analysis including:
- Waveform (YCbCr and RGB)
- Vectorscope
- Histogram
- H/S (hue/saturation) Scope for ChromaDuMonde lighting calibration
- Chromaticity (601, 709, 2020)
- Real time status
- Audio vectorscope
- Audio phase meter
- Audio histogram
- Audio waveform display
- Graticules for video display: Action Safe, Title Safe, Graphic Safe, Picture Frame, Active Region
- Hex/Decimal video pixel video
- Audio metering, RMS, EBU/r.128
- Audio routing, up to 16 x 16 channels
- File clipping and export, wrapping or standard broadcast formats
- Display modes: Luma, R, G, B, Zebra Luma/Chroma, Clipping, Edge Difference, Focus assist, Flip/flop, False color, Luma key, Greenscreen/despill
- Compressed to original video comparison, including:
- Over under, side by side, difference with threshold, A-B, mirror butterfly, and more
- Flip sources, movable horizontal/vertical lines, alignment grid
- 3D viewing including interlaced, side by side, anaglyph
- For a full list of comparison types, see the Compare tab
Main Interface and Displays
Real Time Playback with optional SDI/HDMI
videoQC is a full fledged player, capable of playing back almost any post production or broadcast file. Play files in the GUI with the computer's audio, or to SDI/HDMI via AJA, Bluefish444 or Blackmagic hardware. During playback, time code is displayed in real time, along with audio meters in RMS or EBU r.128 levels. Frame accurate seeking, by time code or absolute position, along with stepping, off speed play and forward/reverse play are all available via keyboard, mouse or external controller. Looping, palindrome and audio- or video- only playback are also available.
Zoom, Pan and Full Screen
Zoom and pan the video in pause or playback mode. Using the scroll wheel of the mouse, the image can be zoomed out to cover a wider part of the screen, or zoomed in to closely check individual pixels. Left clicking and dragging will move the image to view different parts while zoomed in. Clicking the right mouse button will fill the application with video, and clicking the middle button will set the image to pixel for pixel (where every image pixel is exactly one screen pixel). Zoom is available in windowed or full screen mode. Changing the video background color is also available using <CTRL><SHIFT>-mouse wheel.
Time Code Display
A dedicated time code field not only displays the current time code location, but allows the user to enter a known time code location within a selected clip, and press Enter to cue that frame. In Full Screen mode, an optional time code display may be overlaid. The user may select between available time code sources by clicking on the time code source field. Copy and pasting of time code is also available by using -c and -v
Closed Captioning
videoQC supports 608/708 Closed Captions. The closed caption information will be displayed over the video frame when enabled. Supported sources include SMPTE 436, CEA-708, OP-47/RDD-08, CEA-608, MCC, AAF, SCC, STL, EBU, embedded and many other formats. See the CC section for more details.
Please note: The CC feature is only available when running under a temporary or permanent license, Pro version and above. Please contact Drastic for a license if you want to test this feature.
File Trim And Export
videoQC supports trimming the current clip, or clip list, and exporting it to standard file formats including:
- MXF Sony XDCAM
- MXF DPP (AVCi)
- MXF HDF (XDCAM)
- MXF OP1a (DVHD, MPEG-2, h.264, AVCi, Uncompressed)
- MOV (DVHD, AVCi, ProRes, Uncompressed)
- MP4 (h.264/AVC1)
The export also allows for the closed captioning or audio files to be replaced during the creation of the new file.
Please note: The file clipping and export feature is only available when running under a temporary or permanent license, Inspect version and above. Please contact Drastic for a license if you want to test this feature.
Track Info
All versions of videoQC show basic track info on the main display, and provide a more detailed track info pop up. The track info includes the video parameters (width, height, bit depth, codec), the audio parameters (channels, bit size, frequency) and the basic metadata information (names, device names, aspect ratio, length, camera settings). For the more advanced versions, a separate comparison metadata window is available, and is described under the Analysis tab.
Audio Meters Popup
videoQC provides an independent set of audio meters, which is larger, and may be moved off the GUI so the meters are available even in full screen mode.
Audio Routing
videoQC has a full 16 by 16 audio routing panel. This allows audio signals to be routed or joined from any channel in the file to any channel on the output. Various audio routing configurations for rotating workflows can be saved and recalled for later use.
Please note: The audio routing panel feature is only available when running under a temporary or permanent license, Inspect version and above. Please contact Drastic for a license if you want to test this feature.
videoQC includes two main areas of automated analysis: Metadata and Metric.
Metadata Analysis looks at the incoming file, and determines as many qualities as it can about it. This includes, but is not limited to, file container, channel type and number, frame rate, video height/width/codec/bit depth/aspect ratio/compression/color matrix, audio frequency/bit size/codec/channels/type, and embedded metadata like source/copyright/description/source device/camera settings/reel/take/scene/source/slate/comments. Any of these may be used to create a template to compare incoming files against. One or more templates may exist on a videoQC system, and they can be exported/imported and shared. As well as a go/no go return on this comparison, a visual table will highlight any differences between the file and the expected settings, for easy operator identification.
Metric Analysis - videoQC can also generate a full set of video metrics. These are stored in a SQLite database, so that other applications can access them, and do frame by frame checks including:
- Video size, and frame type (I, P or B)
- Luma, Chroma, Hue, Saturation Min, Max, High, Low, Average
- Vertical line repetition
- Broadcast legal
- Optional PSNR or MS-SSIM charting when pre-compressed source is available
- Audio loudness and RMS
The metric analysis can be manually or automatically started.
The parameters of the analysis can be customized, and the current setting is displayed.
Adjustable parameters include:
- Vertical Line Repitition: lines, frame duration
- Missing Lines: lines, frame duration
- Missing Edges: (example above) top, top maximum, top frame duration, bottom, bottom maximum, bottom frame duration, left, left maximum, left frame duration, right, right maximum, right frame duration
- Black and White: chroma maximum, frame duration
- Still Frames: limit, difference maximum, PSNR check Y (38.0), frame duration
- Broadcast Illegal: broadcast illegal, frame duration
- Over Saturation: maximum, frame duration
- Contrast Blacks: minimum, frame duration
- Gamut Over: maximum, frame duration
- Gamut Under: maximum, frame duration
- Loudness: LKFS (24.0)
- Silence: limit, frame duration
View Data
Once the analysis has completed, you can click a button to view the data.
Export Results
You can export the results for later review.
You can create a CSV, PDF, an XML, or an HTML document to have a look at the analysis in various MAM solutions. There is an option to create a proxy file from the original source or a portion thereof. Results can also be exported as markers to Adobe and Avid.
videoQC Pro, videoQC Inspect, videoQC Workstation, and videoQC Server all feature a full set of scopes. They can be viewed as a single large scope, or up to 6 scopes at one time (a second monitor is recommended). The following scopes are provided:
File Formats
Support is Windows + Mac unless otherwise indicated
Extension | File Format | Codec | Read | Write |
3GP | 3GP 26x | h 264, 263, 261 | X | |
4224 | 4224 | YCbCr 4:2:2:4 | X | |
AAF | Avid | AAF Masterclip locator files | X | |
AIFF | Apple audio | 16/20/24/32 bit stereo pairs | X | |
ARC | IFX Piranha | Audio/Video (YCbCr/RGB 8 only) | X | |
ARI | Arri | Raw 12 bit bayer | X | |
Audio: BWF, 8SVX, AU, AVR, GSM, HCOM, IFF, PCM, SF, SMP, SND, VOC, WVE |
Audio files | 44.1/48/96 kHz 16, 20, 24 and 32 bit | X | |
AVC, AVCHD, MTS | AVC-HD | MPEG-2 camera media | X | |
AVI | Windows | DVSD, DV25, DV50, DVHD, CineForm*, CineForm3D*, YCbCr 8 & 10 SD/HD, standard codecs | X | |
AVS | AVS | Video redirection (Windows only) | X | |
BRAW | Blackmagic BRAW | BRAW 12 bit, 3:1, 5:1, 8:1 and 12:1 | X | |
CDX | Codex | Codec raw bayer stills | X | |
CINE | Phantom | Phantom 10, 12 and 14 bit bayer | X | |
CRM | Canon | Canon raw stream | X | |
CRW | Canon | Canon camera raw stream | X | |
DASH | h.264 | DASH Fragmented MP4 and Smooth Streaming | X | |
DNG | CinemaDNG | 10, 12 and 16 bit bayer | X | |
DPX | Cineon | RGB 8, RGB 10, YCbCr 4:2:2 | X | |
DPX | CineForm | CineForm*, CineForm3D* | X | |
DT3D | DT3D | XML 3D redirector | X | |
DV/DIF | DV/DIF | Raw DV files | X | |
DVS | DVS | Uncompressed YCbCr and RGB files | X | |
EXR | OpenEXR | High dynamic range float stills | X | |
fhgDI, fhgDP, fhgAP | fhgDI, fhgDP, fhgAP | Weisscam digimag format | X | |
FLM | FLM | Adobe FilmStrip | X | |
FLV/SWV | FLV/SWV | Flash/Shockwave video h.263/264 | X | |
GEN | GEN | 4:2:2 YCbCr (Avid DSHD) | X | |
GV | XML/N0/T/I/A | Grass Valley disk record native (K2) | X | |
GXF | GXF SMPTE 360 | MPEG-2, DV25, DV50, DVHD | X | |
H264 | h.264 | 4:2:0 SD/HD up to 80 mbits/sec | X | |
HDR | YUV | DV25, DV50, DVHD, AVCi100, RGB, Uncompressed YCbCr 8 & 10 SD/HD | X | |
HDR | YUV | YCbCr10, YCbCr16, DPX RGB, DNxHD* | X | |
HDV | HDV | MPEG-2 camera files | X | |
HLS | h.264 | HLS TS MultiRate | X | |
IHSS | Iridas | RGB | X | |
ISMV ISMA | Smooth Streaming | h.264, AAC, WMV | X | |
JP2 | JPEG-2000 | Series of JPEG-2000 stills | X | |
JS | Jaleo/Mistika | Sgo native 4:2:2 YCbCr | X | |
KRW | Kinefinity | KineRAW Compressed Raw Stills and Stream | X | |
LUMA RMY BMY | LUMA RMY BMY | Uncompressed YCbCr | X | |
LXF | Leitch/Harris | DVSD, DV25, DV50, DVHD, AVCi50, AVCi100, MPEG-2, h.264 | X | |
M3U8 | HLS | h264, h265, TS or MP4 | X | |
MKV | MKV | Matroska audio video, VPx, h.26x | X | |
MLV | Magic Lantern | Raw 14 bit bayer with PCM audio | X | |
MOV | QuickTime | DVSD, DV25, DV50, DVHD, AVCi100, DNxHD*, CineForm*, CineForm3D*, RGBA, RGB-10 (DPX), YCbCr 8 & 10 SD/HD, standard codecs | X | X |
MOV | QuickTime | ProRes, h264, AVCi, MPEG-2, XDCam | X | X |
MOV | Reference File | MOV reference file pointing at h264, ProRes, DV, AVCI | X | |
MP1/MP2/MP3 | MP1/MP2/MP3 | MPEG audio | X | |
MP4 | AVC1,h.264 | Apple h.264, h.264 AVC | X | X |
MP4 | HEVC, h.264 | HEVC/265 | X | |
MP4 | XAVC-S | Sony XAVC-S HD/4K Cameras | X | |
MP4 | MPEG-2 | Sony/Canon camera | X | |
MPEG | MPEG-1 | 4:2:0 up to 15 mbits/sec | X | |
MPEG | MPEG-2 | 4:2:0/4:2:2 SD/HD up to 80 mbits/sec | X | |
MPEG | MPEG-4 | 4:2:0 up to 50 mbits/sec | X | |
MTS, M2TS | M2TS | AVC-HD camera files | X | |
MXF | AS-02 | AVCi, DNxHD*, DVHD, JPEG-2000 | X | |
MXF | AS-11 DPP UK | AVCi100, IMX 50 | X | X |
MXF | Avid | DV25, DV50, DVHD, DNxHD*, Uncompressed | X | |
MXF | Canon | MPEG-2 | X | |
MXF | Digital Cinema | DCI JPEG-2000 Unencrypted, Uncompressed Audio | X | |
MXF | EditCam | DV25, DV50, DVHD, DNxHD* | X | |
MXF | Grass Valley | Grass Valley iCR | X | |
MXF | Harmonic | MPEG-2 | X | |
MXF | h.264/AVC | MPEG-2 | X | |
MXF | IMF | IMF JPEG-2000 YCbCr, Uncompressed Audio | X | |
MXF | JPEG-2000*** | Grass Valley Infinity | X | |
MXF | OP1a | AmberFin, EVS, MainConcept, MOG, OpenCube, Rovi | X | |
MXF | OP1a/Omneon | DV25, DV50, DVHD, AVCi100, Uncompressed | X | X |
MXF | OP1b | Panasonic AVCi 4K | X | |
MXF | Panasonic-P2 | DV25, DV50, DVHD, AVCi100 | X | |
MXF | Pinnacle | MPEG-2 SD/HD | X | |
MXF | Snell & Wilcox | MPEG-2, IMX | X | |
MXF | Sony | MPEG IMX | X | |
MXF | Sony | XDCamHD, XDCamEX 4:2:0/4:2:2 | X | X |
MXF | Sony | HDCam SR 4:2:2 and 4:4:4 | X | |
MXF | Sony | F65 raw bayer | X | |
MXF | Sony | F5, F700 raw bayer | X | |
MXF | XAVC | XAVC HD and 4K | X | |
OGG | OGG | OGG audio video | X | |
OMF | OMF | DV25, JPEG, Meridien, AVBV, CamCutter | X | |
OMV | OMV | Uncompressed capture format | X | |
QNT | Quantel | Raw uncompressed YCbCr images | X | |
R3D | RED | Red camera files | X | |
RAW | ML/IOI | Magic Lantern RAW, IOIndustries RAW bayer | X | |
RBG | RED BLU GRN | Uncompressed RGB | X | |
RMF | RMF | Canon C500 raw 10 bit bayer files | X | |
RTIN | RTINDEX | Real time replay of CBR and VBR records while still recording | X | |
RTV | RTV | Uncompressed Video Toaster files (Windows only) | X | |
SEQ | Bayer | Raw camera seq bayer files | X | |
SIV | Bayer | Raw camera siv bayer files | X | |
Stills | Series of stills | BMP, SGI, PSD, RAW, YUV10, YUV16, VSR, RAS, RAW, JP2, JPG - Series of stills (many others) | X | |
TGA | Targa | RGB, RGBA (RLE Play Only) | X | |
TIFF | TIFF | RGB, RGBA | X | |
TR-01 | TS J2K | JPEG-2000, AES3 | X | |
TS | Transport stream | MPEG-2, h.264, h.265/HEVC, JPEG-2000, AAC, AC-3, AES3 | X | |
V210 | V210 | 4:2:2 10 bit YCbCr image sequence | X | |
VC1 | VC-1 | WMV of raw wrapper | X | |
VOB | VOB | Unencrypted | X | |
VPB/QTL | Quantel | Quantel uncompressed YCbCr images | X | |
VRW | Varicam Raw | Panasonic Varicam Raw | X | |
WAV | Wave audio | 16/20/24/32 bit mono/stereo pairs/extensible | X | |
WEBM | WEBM | YouTube format | X | |
WMV/ASF | WMV/ASF | Unencrypted/DRM Free only | X | |
XAVC | X-AVC HD/4K | X-AVC 264 in MXF | X | |
Y4M | Y4M | YCbCr raw stream | X | |
YUV | YUV | 4:2:2 and 4:2:0 YCbCr image sequence | X | |
Y U V | YUV | Multi file component YCbCr files | X |
Closed Captions
videoQC (Pro level and above) supports detection and display of a wide range of embedded/internal closed caption formats as well as external closed caption formats and subtitle formats. If any of these caption types are found in the same directory as the main file, with the same file name, they will automatically be loaded and displayed. An existing closed caption file can also be loaded and displayed over the video.
Embedded Caption Formats
- MXF SMPTE 436 and Avid embedded
- CEA 608, CEA 708, OP-47/RDD-08
- MPEG-2, h.264, MPEG-4, AVC1 user space
- TS/MTS CC in separate PID
- GXF SMPTE 360
- LXF Leitch/Harris
- MOV CC Tracks
External Broadcast Caption Formats
- SCC Scenarist SD Captions
- MCC MacCaption Format 708 Captions
- AAF Avid Format 708 Captions
- STL EBU Broadcast Captions
Subtitle Caption Formats
- Avid Caption - txt
- Belle Nuit - stp
- Comma Separated - csv
- Digital Cinema 2007/2010 - xml
- EBU Subtitles - stl
- Final Cut Pro - xml
- Final Cut Pro X - xml
- Flash - xml
- iTunes Timed Text - txt
- JSON (various) - json
- QuickTime Text - txt
- SAMI - smi
- SoftNI - sub
- Sony DVD Architect - sub
- Sony DVD - txt
- SubRip - srt
- SubStation Alpha - ssa
- Swift - sif
- Timed Text - dxfp, ttml, xml
- WebVTT - vtt
- YouTube Annotations - xml
- YouTube - sbv
- YouTube Transcript - txt
90 Seconds With videoQC
Full videoQC demo / walkthrough
videoQC Full Reference Tutorial
- videoQC Workstation - Full featured QC Database view/export, Generate QC data/events, with player, SDI I/O, scopes
- videoQC Inspect - QC Database view/export with player, SDI I/O, scopes
- videoQC Pro - SDI output plus real time scopes, with player
- videoQC View - A player designed for front end, visual confirmation
Feature Comparison chart between videoQC versions
View | Pro | Inspect | Workstation | Server | |
---|---|---|---|---|---|
Player/View, most standard broadcast and post production files | X | X | X | X | X |
SD, HD, 2K, QHD, 4K, 8K | X | X | X | X | X |
HDR10, ST 2084, WCG, BT 2020 | X | X | X | X | X |
Time code, metadata display | X | X | X | X | X |
Audio meters: RMS/Peak | X | X | X | X | X |
Audio meters: EBU, R.128 Loudness | X | X | X | X | |
Closed caption display, CEA-608, CEA-708, OP-47, Subtitle formats | X | X | X | X | |
SDI HDMI output with AJA, Bluefish444 or Blackmagic card | X | X | X | X | |
Full set of audio and video scopes | X | X | X | X | |
Hex/decimal pixel display | X | X | X | X | |
NDI (Network Device Interface) Any NDI audio/video source | X | X | X | X | |
HDMI/SDI - requires an AJA, Bluefish444, Matrox, Blackmagic or USB capture device | X | X | X | X | |
SMPTE 2010/2022 - requires an AJA or Matrox IP capture card | X | X | X | X | |
IP - (internet protocol - UDP [User Datagram Protocol], RTP [Real-time Transport Protocol]) | X | X | X | X | |
SRT - (Secure Reliable Transport) | X | X | X | X | |
RIST - (Reliable Internet Stream Transport) | X | X | X | X | |
CDI - (Amazon Uncompressed) | X | X | X | X | |
File clipping and export | X | X | X | ||
Audio routing | X | X | X | ||
Automated metadata comparison to template | X | X | X | ||
Video and audio metric charting | X | X | X | ||
RS-422 serial control as a VTR | X | X | X | ||
Export of results to PDF | X | X | X | ||
Export of results to CSV, SQLite, and HTML | X | X | |||
Automated video and audio metric generation | X | X | X | X | X |
HTTP remote control and monitoring | X | X | |||
Single ended analysis of metadata and audio/video | X | X | |||
Full Reference Analysis - PSNR, SSIM, MS-SSIM | X | X | |||
Full Reference Comparisons - original to source | X | X | |||
REST API | X | X | |||
HTTP job submission and results | X | ||||
Sentinel watch folder analysis and movement | X | ||||
Multi file simultaneous analysis | X |
SDK and APIs
videoQC Server can be run remotely, by script or using watch folders. videoQC also supports copy/cut/paste, keyboard/mouse and a full RESTful HTTP API. There is more information available on these control systems available here:
https://www.drastic.tv/support-59/supporttipstechnical/26-controlling-videoqc
and a sample web page that uses the REST API is included in the installer:
The analysis results are output as a standard SQLite database, PDF, and application return.
videoQC on a workstation can be loaded by command line/script, controlled by video keyboard or remote control, and cut/paste time code and can save uncompressed images as well as JPG grabs of the video. The workstation version also supports the REST API.
videoQC is also based on the DTMediaRead API, available to third party developers:
- DTMediaRead SDK - Integrate all the file types we read into your own application. Read uncompressed audio and compressed or uncompressed YCbCr 10, YCbCr 10, RGBA or RGB 10 frames. More information is available here.
Download videoQC 7.0
End User License Agreement: International Canadian
Download the manual: videoQC version 7 manual
Download the API docs: videoQC REST API
Contour Designs Shuttle Window: Shuttle Pro, Pro2, Xpress
Contour Designs Shuttle Pro2 OS-X: Shuttle Pro2
How To Purchase videoQC
videoQC is available as a full featured temporary demo, which allows you to confirm your workflow is supported. Once you are happy with videoQC, relicensing provides delivery of the permanent key.
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