FCE 4 codec

Hi all; new to the community and appreciate the help! I'm using FCE 4 to edit my Contour HD clips. I am wondering what the best Format & Codec options to use for best results (export quality for web and DVD) in the easy setup? The clips are H.264, AAC mostly 1280 × 960 @30fps and rarely 1920 × 1080 @30fps. I have searched for forums but have not found a solution to this issue.
Thanks again!
B

Al,
Thanks for your help. So I had already downloaded streamclip, but of course there are a about 50 different options to choose from. So most of my shots are in 1280x960. What options should I used in MPEG streamclip?
I'm guessing i need to use the following options (again for the best quality with import and export): Compression: Apple intermediate codec, quality: 100%, sound: uncompressed, Frame size: unscaled. Now I get a little confused. What boxes do I need to check and uncheck as far as interlace scaling etc.
Again appreciate the help!
B

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Wow! I've been away from the forum for awhile. Thanks for all your inputs, folks! And, I actually understood some of it. I realize my HF10 is of limited quality capability, but the problem I'm having is this: I operate a real estate video tour business (just started it). I'm new to digital video, and really don't know a whole lot about codecs, etc. Nonetheless, I obviously want good quality for all my projects, and would like to be able to create video for television, eventually. In fact, that's what prompted my question. I recently began to run some 30-second clips on the local cable station, as a way to attract more business from Realtors. What I'm finding is that the picture quality (of MY clips) on the cable station is somewhat jittery and a little pixelized. Certainly, not what one would call 'pro' quality. (For the record, my videos look fine on the Net)
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If you're trying to create a standard DV clip to maintain resolution, one that will play on a PC to the projector using the WMP then you have to either use WMV or AVI.
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Love this forum. I have learned a lot on here thanks to you tech-smart people
Searching this and other forums I can not find a clear answer to my compression import situation below:
1st, why the heck is their no codec in Final Cut Express for 24 frames per second?
Question: And since there is none, which of the HD Apple Intermediate Codec settings do I choose for FCE ‘Easy Setup’ selection?
The closest one seems to be HD Apple Intermediate Codec 1920 x 1080i60 for source material @ 29.97 fps … Will that work even though my source files are 24 fps? (I have no red render line using that choice)
Or is there a better suggestion? How important is this to my overall quality?
I am not making movies for YouTube—I am aiming at Full HD theatre quality final product for clients (Yeah shoulda got the FC-Pro . So I need to be sure I import, edit and finalize movie projects in Full-HD, as far as I understand it all.
My Specs:
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- 1 TB G-Raid external hard drive for scratch and movie files
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I appreciate any suggestions about this, including one I already got from a friend, which was, “Buy Final Cut Pro”… My reply; “Spend all that money just to get five less frames per second!” … To Apple Corp.—add 24 fps to that FCE Codec list please!

Thanks for that suggestion.
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… I can make a one-minute movie as a test but I only have a 23-inch workstation screen to view projects on, I wonder if that will be large enough to pinpoint resolution or codec-line problems. This project, or portions of it, may end up on both TV and theatre screens in the coming year.
You can tell I am new to FCE and the larger movie projects… I have been getting by fine with smaller projects using iMove—But I need to move up to the more serious programs and thought FCE would be a perfect stepping stone….
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(Yes moving up one more step to Final Cut Pro would eliminate this problem But I am stubborn and would like to work with what I already have.
Thanks again, I appreciate your reply, I will give 29.97 a try,
Leigh

Codec problems in audio editor

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There is no way to add more codecs to FCE, that I know.
But you could try using the free application MPEG Streamclip to convert your movie to some standard FCE codec.
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Piero

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I cannot display (in Final Cut Express) a clip in a .mov file that contains HDV 1080i50. The file was created on a different Mac computer running Final Cut Pro. The source was a Sony Z1 camera. No hardware card was used.
I get the error message in FCE - "Codec not found. You may be using a compression type without the corresponding hardware card"
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You didn't say what format the video was, but you can use MPEG Streamclip to convert that video to something that works in FCE.
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Do you have other content you are going to be working with in addition to just this one clip? If it's just this one clip, you will probably want to use the "Easy Setup" settings of HD, AVCHD-Applie Intermediate Codec 1920x1080i50. You'll want to use MPEG StreamClip to convert that video to matching settings -- specifically tell it to convert to AIC (Apple Intermediate Codec). If you have other media/clips you're working with in addition to this one, you'll then need to decide what format you want to use for the timeline and Easy Setup. If you post those details, we can try to help out.

Quicktime screen recording to final cut

Hi there, I'm not sure why but after making a screen recording in quicktime I was unable to place the file as an import into my final cut sequence and kept getting an unknown error. I then went to imovie and exported the screen recording to a PAL setting which I could then place in final cut but this was quite a loopy way of doing things plus lost a lot of the sharpness by exporting through imovie?
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it's not free, but you could use IShowU HD Pro and make screen capture movies that can be dropped right in the timeline. The cheaper versions would work too, but would need conversion to a FCE codec in QuickTime Player or MPEG Streamclip.

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...but all he needs is the sound.
You could have exported AIFFs then, and forgone the unnecessary bulk of even the DV MOVs.
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The only frame rate available on the camera is 24 fps. If I import the same files in to FCP 7, after transcoding in MPEG Streamclip, the files work natively without the need to render. I'm trying to workout whether the frame rate has any effect after the transcoding in FCE.

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To what codec, frame size & frame rate did you convert the files in Streamclip?
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Is there any way to increase the number of codecs supported in FCE?

Hi all - does anyone know if there is a way to allow FCE to natively edit more codecs than are listed in the default sequence settings? I use FCPro and have been encouraging folks at my University to use FCE for intermediate editing. I just found out that many formats supported in FCP are not supported in FCE.
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Apple Intermediate Codec
1280x720
30fps progressive?
bitrate?
audio sampling rate?
It seems odd to me that FCE has such a limited number of formats it supports natively. And why isn't ProRes 422 a part of FCE? I thought that was their big thing now - HD wihtout taking up all the real estate that AIC does.
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Hi(Bonjour)!
Well FCE is a stripped down version of FCP, for a fraction of the price. It was aimed to produce TV content in TV native resolution.
In the past years, HDV and AVCDHD were added through AIC codec.
For most of FCE users (from the beginner to intermediate video editors)those formats are adequate.
To have access to native HDV or to Apple ProRes 422, you have to buy Final Cut Studio 2. All those codecs will be available in FCE export with quickitme conversion settings.
Michel boissonneault

MPEG Streamclip rip - codec for FCE + QT viewing on Mac AND PC?

Based on the helpful advice of this forum, I am ripping a bunch of DVD's of home movies into a large number of discrete .mov files that I can (1) import into FCE for editing and (2) view directly and effortlessly using QT on both a Mac AND a PC (I want to send these files to others). Maintaining image quality is very important given the less than perfect MPEG 2 source material.
I am following the suggested process using MPEG STREAMCLIP, including trimming and light cutting of unwanted sections before creation of each file.
My question is what is the best export process and settings for my situation?. Given the less than ideal quality of the MPEG-2 source, I would like to avoid further degradation if possible. Choices:
1. EXPORT to .mov using AIC codec -- clearly the best choice for editing and QT playback on a MAC -- but unable to playback using QT on a PC without buying/loading the AIC software. This is a problem since I want the ability to give the .mov files to others and allow them play on a PC without instructions or the hassle of a software download.
2. EXPORT to .mov with another Codec -- but which CODEC? --which codec allows effortless playback with QT/ MAC and PC while retaining original MPEG-2 quality -- and allows for later editing in FCE?
3. SAVE AS .mov -- my understanding is that this copies the original MPEG-2 (after trimming and cuts) and eliminates transcoding. Is this accurate? If so, will it play effortlessly on a MAC and PC? Am I sacrificing anything when importing into FCE (other than the need to transcode from MPEG-2 into AIC)
Thanks in advance for the help.

Martin, I Exported my rip using MPEGstreamclip DV/DVCPRO-NTSC full quality, then exported QT Movie out of FC after editing a bit. Put it back to DVD using DVDSP and used Compressor due to tutorials I watched from Larry Jordon, saying I would get a better quality compression using compressor. I know you are probably scratching your head at this point saying, wait, FCE doesn't come with Compressor or DVDSP. At this time I'll have to admit, I have FCstudio but started out with Express and like the FCE forum better then the FC forum.
The setting in compressor I used are:
Name: MPEG-2 6.2Mbps 2-pass
Description: Fits up to 90 minutes of video with Dolby Digital audio at 192 Kbps or 60 minutes with AIFF audio on a DVD-5
File Extension: m2v
Estimated file size: 2.72 GB/hour of source
Type: MPEG-2 video elementary stream
Usage:SD DVD
Video Encoder
Format: M2V
Width and Height: Automatic
Pixel aspect ratio: Default
Crop: None
Padding: None
Frame rate: (100% of source)
Frame Controls: Automatically selected: Off
Start timecode from source
Aspect ratio: Automatic
Selected 16:9
Field dominance: Automatic
Average data rate: 6.2 (Mbps)
2 Pass VBR enabled
Maximum data rate: 7.7 (Mbps)
High quality
Best motion estimation
Closed GOP Size: 1/2 second, Structure: IBBP
DVD Studio Pro meta-data enabled

I'm sorry, I have to convert the mov file. for use with fce and / or imovie11, better ProRes422 or intermediate codec?

I'm sorry, I have to convert the mov file. for use with fce and / or imovie11, better ProRes422 or intermediate codec?

FCE only used AIC for HD.
Al

Codecs and sequence settings in FCE

Hello.
I'm making a video for a local theater. All of the video is coming straight out of Adobe After Effects render queue. I've been having some issues however.
The default codec out of quicktime is the animation codec. Which produces a good quality image. However the preset codec in FCE is the DV/DVC Pro codec. So when i add it it squishes the video and makes me render it, it just looks bad (the video is 16:9). I changed the codec in AAE to the DV/DVCPRO codec, and it worked, as in it kept the aspect ratio and didn't require a render), however the quality kind of *****. I tried to change the sequence settings in the Easy Setup to match something else (like animation or the proress codec) that AAE can export out of the render queue, but none of these exist, unless i'm overlooking something.
So my dilemma is that i can't get a good quality codec to match up between the programs. The only one that works DV/DVCPRO has less than desirable quality. I always thought that FC was supposed to adjust its sequence to the first clip added, maybe that is only for FCP..
regardless, some advice would be appreciated!

danwayfilms wrote:
... I always thought that FC was supposed to adjust its sequence to the first clip added, maybe that is only for FCP..
Hi(Bonjour)!
FCE is limited to 2 video codec family: DV/DVCPRO for standard definition and Apple Intermediate codec for HD.
Animation codec in million+ color is the best quality you can get fron AE. But resulting movie have to be rendered when inserted in FCE timeline as FCE cannot use animation codec natively.
FCP allow editing in many more codec than FCE.
How do you want to distribute your movie in theater ?
Michel Boissonneault

FCE 4 codec

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