"I've just finished editing a movie on Premiere Pro CS5 (Windows version). And now, I'm planning to use Davinci Resolve for color grading. The problem is I have to convert my files to ProRess 422 HQ to work on this software. As you know it, this codec is only available for Mac/FCP users only (which I'm not). How can I convert my files to ProRes 422 (HQ) and then modify my Premiere Pro project with my new ProRes 422 (HQ) files?"

Nowadays, most popular non-linear editing applications (iMovie, Final Cut Pro, Adobe Premiere, Avid, Lightworks, etc.) can andle a wide variety of codecs natively. But this may not always be the best path to take. To make the editing process simpler and less resource-intensive, you can choose to transcode your Long-GOP codecs to Apple ProRes codec, which is a codec that is designed for editing. In this article, we will show you what's so good about about ProRes and share an excellent ProRes converter for Windows to help you to encode and decode Apple ProRes codec on Windows (Windows 10 included).

Best ProRes Converter for Windows 10

What's So Good About Apple ProRes?

ProRes is an I-frame (individual frame) files where each video frame is compressed individually and it doesn't compress the video as much. Although this significantly increases the size, it makes it extremely simple for the GPU to process and display the frames on the screen during playback. Also, due to this exact reason, the editing tools don't have to engage the GPU unnecessarily while making modifications to the clips during the post-production processes.

In fact, Apple ProRes and other high-quality codecs (e.g. Avid's DNxHD codec, sometimes called "intermediate" or "production" codecs) sit in a kind of "sweet spot" between the humongous data rates of uncompressed video, and the egregious processing demands of Long Gop video. It's worth stressing that the main reason for ProRes' increased quality is that they are not long-GOP codecs.

Once you converted your video to Apple ProRes codec, your edits will fly. These codecs are so efficient that you can play multiple streams with a fraction of the effort you need for a single stream of H.264 - based video. As an example, on my Macbook Air, playing any HD Long-Gop clip will cause the fan to come on at full power within seconds, but with ProRes, I can play a clip - in much higher quality - with no sign of the fan.

Best Program to Encode and Decode Apple ProRes Codec on Windows

Is there a video encoding tool out there that allow us to convert video to Apple ProRes on Windows? Actually, there are few programs can complete the task. Fortunately, EaseFab Video Converter is one of the best few ways to help you encode and decode Apple ProRes codec on the Windows platform (Windows 10 included). Its features include but are not limited to:

• Transcode MP4, MKV, HEVC, MOV, AVI, WMV, H264, HEVC, MPG, FLV, etc. from/to Apple ProRes codec, Avid DNxHD codec.
• Output ProRes codec while ensuring maximum editing quality and efficiency when working with Avid Media Composer, Adobe Premiere on Windows PC.
• Finish conversion at fast speed with the hardware acceleration technology.
• Edit videos by trimming, merging, cropping, adding subtitle, etc.

Note: If you want to generate Apple ProRes codec on Mac OS X (macOS Big Sur included), please turn to EaseFab Video Converter for Mac.

Tutorial: How to decode Long-GOP codecs to Apple ProRes codec on Windows

To begin with, you need to download and install EaseFab Video Converter Windows (or Mac version) on your computer. The guide below takes the Windows version for an example. Mac version has the same process.

Step 1. Download and launch EaseFab Video Converter on Windows PC or Mac. Click Add Video button to import the source Long-GOP video files. Dragging and droppping works too. (Note: batch conversion is supported, so you can several mov videos to the program to convert at a time.)

Load Source Video Files

Step 2. Click the Profile bar to reveal output panel, and then move mouse cursor to Editing Software category, Choose Final Cut Pro 7 or Final Cut Pro X as the output. The two presets are both encoded with Apple ProRes 422 codec.

Select Apple ProRes as target output profile

Tips: Click the Settings button and customize proper video/audio parameters if necessary. Video size, bitrate and fame rate are flexible and can be adjusted as you like. If you want to modify your video file, before converting, click the Edit button, and you will be able to crop, rotate, trim, or apply other editing options to your video file.

Step 3. Click Folder button in the Output bar, and select a destination folder to save your output Apple ProRes encoded MOV videos. Now you're ready to hit Convert button to begin encoding your video from Long-GOP codec to Apple ProRes codec on Windows.

Final Words:

Don't be shy about using ProRes or DNxHD during editing on Windows. Though they typically need ten times as much storage and that's a lot, hard drives are tending towards being free, so it hardly matters these days. They were designed for a reason. They make editing easier, with almost all the advantages of working with Uncompressed video, without the punishing data rates and storage requirements. You don't need to worry about losing quality, and you may even get better-looking edits as a result. You'll certainly enjoy the experience more, because everyone prefers a fluid, responsive timeline. Use an External Recorder and you can even rejuvenate an older camera, by bypassing the internal compression and recording direct to your optimum editing codec.