Transcode

The Transcode block converts source media files to an intermediate codec. It can run independently or chained after Offload, in which case the transcode source is set automatically to the primary offload destination.

Configuration

Source — when running independently, the source is the folder set in the Workflow tab Source selector. When chained after Offload, the source is the primary offload destination automatically.

Destination — the folder where transcoded files are saved. Required when Transcode is enabled.

TC Mode — timecode behavior is controlled globally by the TC Mode setting in Preferences → General. See Preferences for details.

Transcoding Modes

Smart Mode

Smart Mode analyzes each file before deciding whether to re-encode or pass through:

• Video — if the codec is an intermediate or mezzanine format (ProRes, DNxHR, CineForm), the video stream passes through without re-encoding. If Optimize for Final Cut Pro is enabled in Preferences, only ProRes passes through — CineForm and DNxHR are transcoded to ProRes for FCP compatibility.
• Audio — if the audio is PCM (16, 24, or 32-bit), it passes through unchanged. Otherwise it is transcoded to the selected PCM bit depth.

Smart Mode avoids unnecessary re-encoding and preserves quality wherever possible.

Rewrap Mode

Rewrap Mode passes both audio and video through at full quality, changing only the container. Output is QuickTime MOV, except for MP4 sources which remain MP4 to maintain compatibility.

XMP metadata is embedded in the output for Adobe Premiere Pro compatibility.

Manual Mode

Manual Mode gives full control over codec, bitrate, audio format, downscale profile, and LUT application. Both audio and video are transcoded using the selected settings.

Output Codecs

ProRes and HEVC use Apple VideoToolbox hardware acceleration on both Intel and Apple Silicon. All other codecs are CPU-based.

HEVC is available in Manual Mode only.

Audio

evrExpanse supports PCM audio in 16-bit, 24-bit, and 32-bit formats. Audio is transcoded in a 1:1 configuration — the output has the same number of tracks and channels as the source.

Passthrough mode copies the original audio stream without re-encoding, preserving its original format and quality.

For image sequence formats (DPX, EXR), audio tracks are exported separately as a WAV file, since audio cannot be embedded in these formats.

Video Resolution

Available in Manual Mode only. The Downscale option resizes the output only if the source exceeds the selected target resolution. Available profiles:

• As Source — no resizing
• Standard — 720p, 1080p (maintains aspect ratio)
• Scaling — 50% (Half), 25% (Quarter)
• Common Heights — 1440px QHD, 2160px 4K, 4320px 8K
• Vertical — 1280px HD, 1920px FHD, 3840px 4K, 7680px 8K
• DCI Scope — 858px 2K, 1716px 4K, 3432px 8K

HEVC Bitrate

Two modes are available for HEVC encoding:

Custom — enter a specific bitrate in the Transcode Options.

Automatic Profiles — High, Medium, or Low. evrExpanse calculates the optimal bitrate based on resolution and frame rate using a 4K UHD @ 30fps reference of 24,000 Kbps for High. Medium is 50% of High, Low is 25%. Values scale automatically for other resolutions and frame rates.

10-bit support — if the source is 10-bit, Auto preserves it. If the source is 8-bit, evrExpanse outputs 8-bit, avoiding unnecessary conversion.

3D LUT Application

Three modes for applying a 3D LUT during transcoding:

Sidecar — automatically applies a LUT from the same folder as the source media, matching by filename. For video123.mp4, valid sidecar LUT files include video123.cube, video123_lut.cube, video123_custom.cube.

Custom Folder — select a folder of LUT files. evrExpanse matches each LUT to the corresponding media file automatically.

Apply Single LUT — applies one user-defined LUT file to all files in the batch.

Smart LUT Finder

For supported cameras — Kinefinity, McPRO24fps, ARRI — if no sidecar LUT is found, evrExpanse reads the video metadata to locate and extract the correct LUT automatically. Requires Include Source Metadata to be enabled.

Burn-in Metadata Overlay

When enabled, key metadata is overlaid directly onto the video during transcoding, embedded permanently into the output. Common fields include timecode, filename, gamma curve, color space, frame rate, camera model, and applied LUT name.

Metadata Embedding

With Include Source Metadata enabled, all source metadata — Finder Tags, XMP, and camera-specific tags — is embedded in the transcoded file, and the file creation date is updated to match the original camera CreateDate.

When disabled, evrExpanse skips metadata integration. This may slightly speed up transcoding and is appropriate when only output-specific metadata is needed.

Output File Naming

Default naming convention: SourceFileName_evrE_CodecName_Profile_Suffix.ext

With Preserve Source File Name enabled: SourceFileName_Suffix.ext

A custom suffix can be added via the Filename Suffix field in the Transcode block.

Duplicate Source Filenames

When source files from different subfolders share the same filename and Maintain Folder Structure is disabled, evrExpanse automatically renames duplicates:

SourceFileName_(xxh64hash_DupRefN)_Suffix.ext

The xxh64 hash identifies the file content. The DupRef number is unique per transcoding session. This prevents any accidental overwriting at the destination.

Folder Structure

When Maintain Folder Structure is enabled in Preferences, transcoded files mirror the original directory hierarchy of the source. A subfolder named after the source folder is created at the destination.

When disabled, all transcoded files are placed in a single output folder.

Supported Input Formats

MOV · MP4 · MXF · MKV