It's Officially a 64bit World Or Is It? 32 vs. 64 bit TranscodingPublished: October 21st 2019
At Cinnafilm, we've had 32bit and 64bit versions of our technology for many years, and I figured the question of 32 vs. 64 bit Transcoding was a moot point. Everyone would just choose the 64bit SDK (Software Development Kit), right? Our Dark Energy Professional switched to 64bit years ago, and our SpaceTime library (which contains Tachyon) has been available as 64bit for years but some companies still used our 32bit SDK for reasons unknown to me.
Please note: RadiantGrid by Cinnafilm has been retired, and we suggest that you now point your attention to Cinnafilm PixelStrings.
RadiantGrid and 32 vs. 64 bit Transcoding Then we purchased RadiantGrid, and I COMPLETELY understood why 32bit was still alive and well in 2017. We weren't in the transcoding business before acquiring RadiantGrid; I didn't know about the legacy support of codecs and containers that were only created in the world of 32bit some in the 16bit world, and they would never be re-compiled to run as 64bit. I did rudimentary research on how many tech-savvy people run a 32bit OS. I found 4.3% of Windows 10 users installed a 32bit version and only 0.002% of Mac users. Digging further, I uncovered Mac users don't have a choice when updating their OS; it automatically installs a 64bit OS. In 2009, Apple shipped 64bit operating systems that could also run 32bit programs, making a seamless transition to 64bit. So if someone is running an Apple OS that is only 32bit capable, it's because they have not updated their OS in 9 years. Had they updated, the 0.002% figure would be even lower.
So why does Microsoft still ship 32bit operating systems, especially since every 32bit application is fully backward-compatible with 64bit versions of Windows OS? I have no idea. But it has perpetuated the continuation of companies creating 32 and 64bit versions of their technology, and that leads us to the question of 32 vs. 64 bit Transcoding.
And that leads me back to when I said, I COMPLETELY understood. We have launched a new version of the RadiantGrid transcoding engine. One critical issue our product/engineering team tackled was how we were going to handle legacy codecs and containers that are simply not available in a 64bit architecture. We had two options: write a 32/64bit bridge so this new engine could support ANYTHING ingested and only output video that is generated by a 64bit SDK, or say no mas when it comes to codecs/containers that use a 32bit SDK.
For the time being, we opted for no mas. (for those that don't speak even a smidgen of Spanish, that means no more. ) We decided to be future-minded and only support technologies that are based on a 64bit SDK and can support UHD/HDR video on output. With that said, our customers are always our number one focus. We will still consider discussions regarding building the 32/64bit bridge to support legacy codecs such as Canopus AVI or Indeo. We love solving challenges that best serve our clients.
For now, we are focusing on the first RadiantGrid build that was fully architected by Cinnafilm. We've taken the time to redo a few things, which make it more powerful and flexible than any previous version of RadiantGrid. Some of the cool things you'll see are:
Vastly expanded audio channel remapping
Removal of the need to fully ingest assets before transcoding
Options for automatically converting 100 nit SDR assets to 2,000 nit HDR assets
Creation of incredibly complex image processing pipelines that render assets in a single pass for any resolution. In 32bit space, the pipeline is limited to 4 Gig, so we can't back the truck up and load it up with image processing functions when images get larger than HD
Movement of many functions into the UI that were only XML-submission based
One other opportunity we had when redesigning the engine was to unify the user interface between RadiantGrid and PixelStrings, our media conversion platform. We want our customers to be able to move between on-premises and cloud with ease, and by 2020 NAB, the new interface will be ready, and it will be a significant upgrade.
So is 32bit dead? No. We'll be here to support our legacy RadiantGrid for customers still working through huge libraries of codecs/containers unsupported in the 64bit world. We'll also have our 32bit SpaceTime library (which has Tachyon in it) because many of our transcoding brethren are in the same boat we are. The bottom line is we have you covered for the past, present, and future.
We hope you found this article about 32 vs. 64 bit Transcoding helpful. If you require more information about our products, please contact us for a demo or more information.
Ernie Sanchez, COO, Cinnafilm, Inc.
[email protected]
Categories: Features / PixelStrings Engine / Products / RadiantGrid (legacy) / Tech Talk / Transcoding
Tags: 64bit / HD to UHD / RadiantGrid (legacy) / SDR to HDR / transcoding / UHD / x64
Most recent headlines
05/01/2027
Worlds first 802.15.4ab-UWB chip verified by Calterah and Rohde & Schwarz to be ...
01/06/2026
January 6 2026, 05:30 (PST) Dolby Sets the New Standard for Premium Entertainment at CES 2026
Throughout the week, Dolby brings to life the latest innovatio...
02/05/2026
Dalet, a leading technology and service provider for media-rich organizations, t...
01/05/2026
January 5 2026, 18:30 (PST) NBCUniversal's Peacock to Be First Streamer to ...
01/04/2026
January 4 2026, 18:00 (PST) DOLBY AND DOUYIN EMPOWER THE NEXT GENERATON OF CREATORS WITH DOLBY VISION
Douyin Users Can Now Create And Share Videos With Stun...
02/03/2026
NBC Sports selected Imaginary Forces to create the main title sequence for the M...
02/03/2026
The NFL announces the launch of the NFL Draft Innovation Challenge, a new crowds...
02/03/2026
The World Teleport Association (WTA) has named Skyline Communications' DataMiner SatOps solution as a finalist for the 2026 Teleport Technology of the Year ...
02/03/2026
Ventum Tech announces a strategic partnership with Pixotope, a real-time graphic...
02/03/2026
Victory , a free, ad-supported sports streaming service, announces the launch of...
02/03/2026
Global powerhouse Delta Goodrem to represent Australia at this year's Eurovi...
02/03/2026
SBS brings together prominent voices to discuss rising social division and seek ...
02/03/2026
NITV Unveils Wednesday Night Sport Night
Media releases
A Midweek Hub for Blak Sport
Flagship NRL program Over The Black Dot moves to Wednesdays at 9:30pm
...
02/03/2026
Rohde & Schwarz demonstrates FR1-FR3 carrier aggregation, advancing 6G readiness Rohde & Schwarz and Qualcomm Technologies, Inc. have reached another pivotal ...
02/03/2026
MELBOURNE, Fla., March 2, 2026 - L3Harris Technologies (NYSE: LHX) today announc...
02/03/2026
Harvey Norman tops New Zealand's biggest ad spenders as retail leads and telcos and beverages sure Auckland March 3, 2026 - Nielsen's New Zealand'...
02/03/2026
aconnic AG (ISIN: DE000A0LBKW6), Munich, and Arqit Quantum Inc. (Nasdaq: ARQQ, A...
02/03/2026
Advanced Systems Group, LLC (ASG), a technology and services provider for media creatives and content owners, has appointed Jody Boatwright as Chief Strategy Of...
02/03/2026
Lightware, an industry leader in signal management, is reinforcing its commitment to simplifying complex AV environments with the continued evolution of its TPN...
02/03/2026
ZEISS Cinema opens its doors to an exclusive screening, filmmakers Q&A and hands-on showcase of the new ZEISS Aatma lens family on Tuesday, March 10, 6:00-9:00 ...
02/03/2026
To expand the creative potential of the compact Astera QuikBeam, DoPchoice introduces the SNAPBAG Round. The new light-shaping accessory transforms the powerfu...
02/03/2026
Douglas Dubler
On a rooftop in New York City, veteran photographer Douglas Dubler watched the sun's angle shift across the urban landscape, his internal cl...
02/03/2026
ZEISS is expanding its Otus ML lens family with the introduction of the new ZEISS Otus ML 1.4/35. This manual-focus lens is designed for photographers who live ...
02/03/2026
Matthews Studio Equipment now offers the new Dinkum Systems White FlexiMount and Phone Mount Kit, a compact, highly adaptable setup for mobile content creation...
02/03/2026
Luxembourg, February 26, 2026 - SES and Africa Mobile Network (AMN) have expande...
02/03/2026
02 03 2026 - Media release Ausfilm and Screen Australia launch joint UK market initiative
Ausfilm and Screen Australia have announced Partner with Australia (...
02/03/2026
Monday 2 March 2026
Saturday Night Live UK announces writing team
L-R: Jonno Johnson; Charlie Skelton; Celya AB; Omar Badawy; Gr inne Maguire; Laura Claxton; ...
02/03/2026
Back to All News
Netflix Unveils the Trailer for 53 Sundays, the New Film by Cesc Gay
Entertainment
02 March 2026
GlobalSpain
Link copied to clipboard
Dis...
28/02/2026
With two features seen in Formula 1 coverage, the broadcaster aims to bring view...
28/02/2026
Secretary of War Pete Hegseth addresses a crowd of approximately 1,500 L3Harris employees in Camden, Arkansas, as part of his Arsenal of Freedom tour....
28/02/2026
Share
Copy link
Facebook
X
Linkedin
Bluesky
Email...
28/02/2026
Share
Copy link
Facebook
X
Linkedin
Bluesky
Email...
28/02/2026
Share
Copy link
Facebook
X
Linkedin
Bluesky
Email...
28/02/2026
Share
Copy link
Facebook
X
Linkedin
Bluesky
Email...
28/02/2026
Share
Copy link
Facebook
X
Linkedin
Bluesky
Email...
28/02/2026
Berklee Presents Mambo Mania: Eguie Castrillo and the Berklee All-Stars Big Band...
28/02/2026
Berklee Announces Two New Summer Programs in Los Angeles The Berklee Music Business Program and Electronic Music Production and Sound Design Workshop bring imme...
28/02/2026
AI-RAN is moving from lab to field, showing that a software-defined approach is ...
28/02/2026
Autonomous networks - intelligent, self-managing telecommunications operations -...
28/02/2026
Back to All News
Final Trailer for BEASTARS Final Season Part 2' Roars Tow...
28/02/2026
New way to intentionally discover molecular glues could expand drug discovery Scripps Research scientists and colleagues show how drugs that eliminate certain d...
27/02/2026
The E.W. Scripps Company names Oliver Gray as Vice President, Network Sports and...
27/02/2026
The Gotham Sports App, the exclusive direct-to-consumer streaming home of MSG Networks and the YES Network, is now available for purchase through Prime Video fo...
27/02/2026
ESPN and the Horizon League announce a new multi-year, multi-platform media rights agreement, continuing a 38-year collaboration that began with the 1988 Midwes...
27/02/2026
At the 2026 NAB Show in Las Vegas, NETGEAR will highlight its new switch models and major updates to its Engage Controller software. The company's network d...
27/02/2026
Riedel Communications announces that Fondazione Teatro alla Scala has deployed a...
27/02/2026
Lyuno specializes in media localization, including translation, dubbing, subtitling, and voice-over services for a wide array of entertainment content. The comp...
27/02/2026
Chyron Weather 2.3, the latest edition of Chyron's weather visualization suite for broadcasters and meteorologists, recently launched.
The release includes...
27/02/2026
Telestream, which concentrates in media workflow technologies, announces expanded practical AI enhancements across its Vantage, Vantage Cloud, EDC, Stanza, and ...
It's Officially a 64bit World Or Is It? 32 vs. 64 bit TranscodingPublished: October 21st 2019
