Proxy Codec64 vs. Other Proxy Codecs: Performance ComparisonProxy codecs are designed to make editing high-resolution video smoother by creating lower-bitrate, easier-to-decode versions of original footage. This article compares Proxy Codec64 with several widely used proxy codecs, examining encoding/decoding speed, file size and storage efficiency, visual quality, color fidelity and metadata support, editing responsiveness, and workflow compatibility.
What is Proxy Codec64?
Proxy Codec64 is a modern proxy codec engineered for fast encoding and decoding while preserving color accuracy and metadata. It targets professional editing environments where speed and fidelity both matter. Typical use cases include multicamera shoots, high-resolution workflows (4K/6K/8K), and remote collaboration where bandwidth and storage are constrained.
Comparison criteria
We evaluated codecs using the following criteria:
- Encoding speed (time to generate proxies from source)
- Decoding speed (playback and scrubbing performance)
- Resulting file size and storage efficiency
- Visual quality at commonly used proxy resolutions (720p, 1080p)
- Color fidelity and metadata preservation (EXIF/Camera LUTs/timecode)
- Editing responsiveness in NLEs (timeline performance, multistream playback)
- Compatibility with major editing software and platforms
Codecs compared
- Proxy Codec64 (subject)
- Apple ProRes Proxy
- Avid DNxHR LB
- H.264 (low-bitrate presets)
- CineForm Proxy
Technical performance
Encoding speed
Encoding speed depends on CPU/GPU hardware and encoder implementation. In typical tests on a modern workstation:
- Proxy Codec64: very fast, often leveraging CPU multithreading and optional GPU acceleration for hardware like NVENC/Quick Sync.
- Apple ProRes Proxy: fast on macOS with optimized libraries; slower on some Windows builds.
- Avid DNxHR LB: moderate to fast; optimized in Avid ecosystem.
- H.264 (low-bitrate): slower CPU software encodes; faster with GPU hardware encoders but with quality compromise.
- CineForm Proxy: fast with multithreading; historically designed for real-time.
Decoding speed and editing responsiveness
For smooth timeline playback and scrubbing:
- Proxy Codec64: excellent — low decode overhead and optimized frame access give responsive scrubbing and stable multistream playback.
- ProRes Proxy: excellent, especially on Apple hardware.
- DNxHR LB: very good in Avid and other optimized NLEs.
- H.264: variable; long-GOP H.264 can be taxing for scrubbing and multistream playback.
- CineForm Proxy: very good, designed for editing.
File size and storage efficiency
At equivalent visual quality and proxy resolutions:
- Proxy Codec64: competitive — smaller files than ProRes Proxy for similar perceived quality due to efficient intra-frame compression.
- ProRes Proxy: slightly larger files but predictable.
- DNxHR LB: comparable to ProRes Proxy; tuned for Avid pipelines.
- H.264: smallest files for a given bitrate, but with editing performance trade-offs.
- CineForm Proxy: larger than H.264, similar to ProRes in many presets.
Visual quality and color fidelity
Perceptual quality at proxy resolutions
- Proxy Codec64: preserves sharpness and motion fidelity well at 720p/1080p proxies; good handling of compression artifacts.
- ProRes Proxy & DNxHR LB: both provide reliably pleasant quality with conservative compression.
- H.264: acceptable at higher bitrates; artifacts appear at low bitrates.
- CineForm Proxy: high quality with robust color retention.
Color and metadata preservation
- Proxy Codec64: strong support for color metadata (camera LUTs, 10-bit color paths) and timecode; suitable for color-managed workflows.
- ProRes & DNxHR: industry standards with broad color and metadata support.
- H.264: limited metadata support depending on container and encoder.
- CineForm: good color fidelity and metadata handling.
Workflow compatibility
NLE support
- Proxy Codec64: supported in major NLEs via native support or plugins; integration tends to be solid with recent updates.
- ProRes: native in Final Cut, Premiere, DaVinci Resolve, and most NLEs.
- DNxHR: native in Avid and widely supported elsewhere.
- H.264: universal playback support but not always ideal for editing.
- CineForm: supported in Premiere and Resolve; sometimes requires plugins.
Remote collaboration and cloud workflows
- Proxy Codec64: favorable for remote teams due to smallish files with high decode performance and preserved metadata for relinking to originals.
- H.264: smallest transfer sizes but may slow collaborative editing due to decoding overhead.
- ProRes/DNxHR/CineForm: commonly used in cloud workflows but often larger.
Example benchmarking summary (typical outcomes)
| Metric | Proxy Codec64 | ProRes Proxy | DNxHR LB | H.264 (low-bitrate) | CineForm Proxy |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Encoding speed | Very fast | Fast | Fast | Variable | Fast |
| Decoding speed | Excellent | Excellent | Very good | Variable/Slower | Very good |
| File size | Competitive | Larger | Similar | Smallest | Moderate |
| Visual quality (720p/1080p) | High | High | High | Moderate | High |
| Color/metadata | Strong | Strong | Strong | Limited | Good |
| NLE compatibility | Good | Excellent | Excellent | Universal (editing trade-offs) | Good |
Practical recommendations
- Use Proxy Codec64 when you need a balance of small proxy size, fast encoding/decoding, and reliable metadata/color retention — ideal for high-resolution, color-managed, and collaborative workflows.
- Choose ProRes Proxy or DNxHR LB if your pipeline is heavily tied to Apple or Avid ecosystems and maximum compatibility is required.
- Use H.264 only when storage or bandwidth is extremely constrained and you’re willing to accept slower scrubbing and lower editing responsiveness.
- CineForm is a solid option when highest visual fidelity in proxies is prioritized and file size is less of a concern.
Common pitfalls and troubleshooting
- Ensure your NLE supports the codec or has the necessary plugin; otherwise proxies may not relink properly.
- If proxies stutter, check whether the codec is using hardware acceleration and whether your system’s drivers are up to date.
- For color-managed projects, confirm proxies carry required LUTs/timecode; if not, export with metadata embedding options enabled.
Conclusion
Proxy Codec64 performs strongly across most proxy-use cases: very fast encoding/decoding, high visual quality at proxy resolutions, and good metadata/color support while remaining storage-efficient. For editorial teams that need both speed and fidelity, it’s a compelling choice; traditional standards like ProRes and DNxHR remain excellent for maximum compatibility.
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