To convert any video to DNxHR on Windows: install Grabbit, open the Converter tab, drop a local video file (MP4, MKV, AVI, MOV, WebM), select DNxHR HQ in the format picker, and click Convert. Grabbit runs FFmpeg locally — no Avid license, no command line, no cloud. Pro
DNxHR (Digital Nonlinear Extensible High Resolution) is Avid's professional video codec for modern post-production. It is the successor to DNxHD and supports resolutions from 2K to 4K, 8K, and beyond. DNxHR is the standard intermediate codec in professional broadcast, film, and television workflows — used anywhere Avid Media Composer, Pro Tools, or Avid NEXIS are part of the pipeline.
If you receive MP4, MKV, or MOV footage and need to ingest it into an Avid system, or if your editor requests DNxHR files, Grabbit converts it on Windows in seconds — without installing Avid, without learning FFmpeg, and without uploading your footage to a third-party server.
| Tool | Grabbit | Online converters | Shutter Encoder | HandBrake 1.11 | FFmpeg |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| DNxHR HQ support | ✓ Yes | ✗ None exist | ✓ Yes | ~ Limited (v1.11+) | ✓ Yes (CLI only) |
| File size limit | ✓ None | ✗ N/A — no tool exists | ✓ None | ✓ None | ✓ None |
| Cloud upload required | ✓ No — 100% local | ✗ N/A | ✓ No | ✓ No | ✓ No |
| GUI / ease of use | ✓ Simple UI | ✗ Doesn't exist | ~ Moderate complexity | ~ Complex codec menus | ✗ Command line only |
| Cost | Pro — $8.99/mo or $59.99/yr | ✗ N/A | ✓ Free | ✓ Free | ✓ Free |
As of 2026, no web-based converter properly supports DNxHR. If you search for one, you find FFmpeg tutorials and Avid forum threads. Grabbit fills that gap with a clean desktop UI.
Professional footage is confidential. Grabbit converts locally — no upload to unknown servers, no account required, no data leaves your machine.
Drop any MP4, MKV, AVI, MOV, or WebM file into the Converter and select DNxHR HQ. Grabbit runs FFmpeg locally — no cloud, no command line, no file size limit.
The alternative to Grabbit is FFmpeg with complex codec flags. Grabbit exposes DNxHR HQ as a single format option — no terminal, no syntax to memorize.
Avid DNxHR is a family of codecs. Grabbit outputs DNxHR HQ — Avid's high-quality variant for standard dynamic range content, providing an excellent balance of file size and image quality for professional workflows.
For most broadcast and Avid delivery workflows, DNxHR HQ is the correct choice. It is natively supported by Avid Media Composer, DaVinci Resolve, Adobe Premiere, and Final Cut Pro on both Mac and Windows.
Also need ProRes? Convert video to ProRes HQ →
These two codecs do the same job from different vendors, and at the HQ tier they sit at the same quality level. The choice is almost never about quality — it is about who receives the file and what platform you are on.
| DNxHR HQ | ProRes 422 HQ | |
|---|---|---|
| Created by | Avid | Apple |
| Compression | Intra-frame | Intra-frame |
| Colour sampling | 10-bit 4:2:2 | 10-bit 4:2:2 |
| Encoding on Windows | ✓ Unrestricted | ✗ Restricted by Apple's licence |
| Exports from Resolve on Windows | ✓ Yes | ✗ No |
| Read by Premiere, Avid, Final Cut | ✓ Yes | ✓ Yes |
| Preferred by | Avid and Windows workflows | Final Cut and broadcast specs |
Choose DNxHR when you work in Avid, when you are finishing on Windows, or when nobody has specified a format — it encodes anywhere without licensing friction. Choose ProRes when a client or broadcaster asks for it by name, or when the file is heading into a Final Cut Pro workflow. Grabbit outputs both, so the decision costs you nothing either way. See converting to ProRes if that is what you need.
DNxHD came first and was built around fixed HD raster sizes: 1080p and 720p at specific bitrates. DNxHR ("HR" for resolution-independent) replaced it in 2014 and scales to any resolution, including 2K, 4K and 8K. Both are intra-frame Avid codecs and both live in .mov or .mxf containers.
Unless you are working with an older Avid project that specifically requires DNxHD, use DNxHR. It is the current standard, handles modern resolutions, and every recent version of Media Composer, Premiere and Resolve reads it.
DNxHR comes in four main tiers. Data rates below are approximate for 1080p at 25 fps and scale up with resolution.
| Variant | ~Data rate | Colour | Use it when |
|---|---|---|---|
| DNxHR LB | 36 Mbps | 8-bit 4:2:2 | Offline editing and proxies |
| DNxHR SQ | 75 Mbps | 8-bit 4:2:2 | Standard quality delivery |
| DNxHR HQ | 115 Mbps | 8-bit 4:2:2 | High-quality mastering — what Grabbit outputs |
| DNxHR HQX | 175 Mbps | 12-bit 4:2:2 | HDR and deep colour grading |
| DNxHR 444 | 350 Mbps | 12-bit 4:4:4 | VFX work needing full chroma |
Grabbit writes DNxHR HQ, the tier most post houses treat as the default for mastering and client delivery. HQX only earns its extra file size if you are grading HDR or working in a 12-bit pipeline.
Then DNxHR is likely your best delivery format regardless of preference: Resolve on Windows cannot export ProRes at all, because Apple licenses that encoder for macOS only. DNxHR is right there in the render list and encodes without any restriction.
If a client insists on ProRes specifically, export DNxHR HQ from Resolve and convert that master afterwards — we cover the exact settings in exporting ProRes from DaVinci Resolve on Windows.
Yes. Grabbit converts any video to DNxHR HQ on Windows without needing any Avid software or license. The output .mov file is fully compatible with Avid Media Composer, DaVinci Resolve, and Adobe Premiere for import.
No true online DNxHR converter exists as of 2026. Tools that claim it either only support DNxHD (the older, lower-resolution format) or produce files that aren't recognized by Avid. Grabbit is a free Windows desktop app that correctly outputs DNxHR HQ without cloud uploads or file size limits.
DNxHD is Avid's original codec, limited to HD resolutions (up to 1080p at specific data rates). DNxHR is the successor, designed for resolutions from 2K to 4K and 8K — the format used in modern professional post-production. Grabbit outputs DNxHR HQ, the current standard.
Yes, in two steps within Grabbit: use the Downloader tab to save the YouTube video to your PC first, then open the Converter tab, drop the file, select DNxHR HQ and convert. Both operations run completely locally — no cloud upload at any point.
Grabbit exports DNxHR HQ in a .mov (QuickTime Movie) container, which is widely supported by Avid Media Composer, DaVinci Resolve, Adobe Premiere, and other professional NLEs on both Mac and Windows.
Grabbit is free to download and includes a permanent free plan for video downloads. The Converter (DNxHR HQ, ProRes HQ, and all format conversions) is a Pro feature — $8.99/month or $59.99/year. Download the app free, then unlock the Converter with a Pro license.
Windows 10/11 · No Avid required · No file size limit · 100% local · Converter requires Pro — $8.99/mo or $59.99/yr