What is an DNxHD file?
Avid Technology (the makers of the Pro Tools software) developed DNxHD files, also known as Digital Nonlinear Extensible High Definition files. They‘re a lossy, high-definition video codec, used in post-production.
Their multi-generational compositing enables reduced storage and bandwidth requirements, which means the quality remains high, despite their low bitrate. DNxHD data is usually stored primarily in an MXF container and is stored in QuickTime containers.
History of the DNxHD file.
Avid Technology’s DNxHD files were first supported in Avid’s DS Nitris editing system and visual effects software in 2004. In 2005 they were added to Avid Symphony Nitris.
Then, in 2008, the .dnxhd codec was approved by the SMPTE (Society of Motion Picture and Television Engineers) to be the first codec to be compliant with VC-3 standards. Although intended to be open standard, DNxHD has mostly stayed a proprietary Avid format. Commercial use requires licensing approval from Avid.
How to use DNxHD files.
Editing.
DNxHD files are effective for digital video post-production. Because it’s visually lossless, DNxHD discards unnecessary data without compromising on image quality. This means you can make HD-quality edits, without overloading the processing power of your computer.
Sharing and collaboration.
DNxHD codecs enable responsive, real-time multi-stream performance, so you can share high-res videos for collaboration smoothly, even when working remotely.
Streaming.
You can upload HD-quality videos to streaming platforms, including YouTube, without long waits due to a cumbersome file size. This will also ensure smooth performance for the viewer, avoiding buffering.
Pros and cons of DNxHD files.
Pros.
- Visually lossless. At their higher bitrates, DNxHD files are effectively visually lossless. This means there is no visible degradation, when compared to the raw files.
- Processor-friendly. You won’t test your computer’s processing power to its limit by working on simultaneous streams with DNxHD, compared to uncompressed video files.
- Quality. The DNxHD codec enables you to view and edit visually impressive HD files without taking up excessive storage space, or bandwidth when streaming.
Cons.
- Limited use. DNxHD codecs are intended to be open source but have mostly remained in the use of Avid Technology.
- Resolution. DNxHD codecs display HD-quality video, but for 2K or higher, Avid developed DNxHR.
- ProRes. Apple have their own high-res, low bitrate codec, which nearly resulted in them withdrawing native support for DNxHD in 2018. Although you can use either, ProRes is more effective for Apple devices.
Find out which codec file types are supported by Adobe Premiere.
How to open a DNxHD file.
You can open DNxHD video files in media players such as VLC Media Player on Microsoft and Apple devices. To open in VLC:
- Drag the file and drop into the player’s window.
- Or go to the menu in the top bar and select “Open file.”
- In the next window, find the file you want to open and click on it.
How to create and edit a DNxHD file.
If you‘re having issues with your Avid project in Adobe Premiere, there is software available online that can convert Avid MXF files containing the DNxHD codec.
You can easily export and import DNxHD assets with Adobe Media Encoder, without the need to install extra codecs. You can export DNxHD assets within MXF or QuickTime and you can encode any source to the DNxHD MXF format.
Questions? We have answers.
The DNxHD and ProRes codecs are comparable, with the former designed by Avid for use with Windows programs such as Media Composer, created by Apple.
Although this meant you would likely find one more user-friendly than the other depending on your device, there is little difference nowadays. You may find a slight speed improvement if you use the codec the system was designed for, but it would be very slight.
DNxHR, which stands for Digital Nonlinear Extensible High Resolution, is a lossy post-production codec, like DNxHD, but it was specifically designed for resolutions above 1080p, including 2K, 4K, and 8K. DNxHD continues to be used for HD resolutions.
H.264, like DNxHD, is a codec used for video. H.264 is more widely used and this is largely due to the lower bitrates not sacrificing quality. But if your aim is to edit rather than view video, you may find DNxHD more user-friendly.
At a higher bitrate, DNxHD offers lossless visual quality. However, this can result in a higher file size. That’s because the more bits processed per second, the higher the picture quality, but the larger the video file.
Bespoke video editing software puts you in the driving seat when using DNxHD files. Find out how:
You might also be interested in:
ProRes.
Learn more about Apple’s codec, ProRes and how it reduces storage rates, without trading in image quality.
HEVC.
High Efficiency Video Coding (HEVC), also known as MPEG-H.265. Discover why it’s one of the most widely used formats.
AVC.
Learn all about AVC, perhaps better known as H.264, and explore why it’s the most ubiquitous video compression coding, despite being superseded by H.265.
Xvid.
Xvid files are open-source video codec libraries that follow the MPEG-4 video coding standard. Discover more about them.