Thinking about Final Cut Express

I am planning on getting an HD camcorder further down the line. For now all I have is my digital camera that records video. My question is, can Final Cut Express 4 work with .mpg and .mov files? And if I get FC4, is there any reason to still use iMovie? In other words, can FC4 do everything iMovie '09 can and more?

in addition ..
I was an iM enthusiast since vers2..
now, I'm a switcher - I like the options and control FCE offers, allthough the '1 click only' attitude of iM is still seductive
example: Ken Burns.
reading this (=the FCE) board, we frequently see posts asking for plug-ins etc to add the convenience of KB as in iM (two frame handles, done).
you have to understand the concept of keyframing and timelines and xyz-coordinates to create a KB effect in FCE - seems to be complicated, but offers you much more than iM ever did, incl. a simple zoom-to/from-zil ..
perhaps, you miss 'Themes' in the beginning.. after a while, you produce your own 'Themes' in FCE!

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Question about Final Cut Express 4

I'm editing videos I shot with a Sony CX100 this model only shot in AVCHD.
After I finish editing and export will not find a codex ideal for video that's perfect without being dashed
Anyone have any solutions or tips?
Or is it better if I buy Final Cut Pro once and for all.

Convert the original AVCHD files into AIC at the same settings you recorded, then import the resulting AIC files into an FCE project.
-DH

Can you write about Final Cut Express?

Hello All,
I recently read this about a U.S. based filmmaking magazine that is looking for some writers:
"I am looking for someone to write an article each issue about digital facets of Super-8 filmmaking. For example, how to dump your files on to a PC or Mac. How to edit and add special effects, different programs to use to edit etc. etc. In other words, a series of "how to" articles strictly on the digital end of things. The idea of adding a little "digital" knowledge is to broaden the possible base of readers. Also I am in need of someone to write a review (4x a year) of a current music video that incorporates some Super-8 in it. Pay is $75 for each article, and the article need only be one complete page."
If you are interested you can contact the editor (Chris Cottrill) at [email protected] You can view their website at www.super8today.com
Mike

One snag I can see is that a page or so would not be sufficient to explain how to use FCE.
It would be plenty for giving an overview of the main features, but why not simply copy the info from the Apple adverts ?
Ian.

Noob Question about final Cut express

Hey I am using FCE to create a home video atm, and I am trying to create a Title Screen out of Livetype, I'm not really versed in the mac so when I was setting up the preferences for FCE I just kind of took all the defaults without reading or looking. In retrospect a terrible idea, anyway to make a long story short the Title I have created in Livetype keeps saying Unrenderd when I try and place it onto the timeline and view the clip. My best guess would be that the settings are not matching up but I don't know how to check the FCE settings, any insight is greatly appreciated.
Thanks

Regardless of whether or not your settings are correct or not the LiveType project in the timeline will have to be rendered.

IMovie 08, iMovie 6, or Final Cut Express

I just got a new Sony HDR-SR12 HD camera. It records in 1080i. I tried iMovie 08, but I don't like the export options. I used the iMovie 08 import .mov file and opened it in iMovie 6. I exported the video and it doesn't look that good. I'm thinking about Final Cut Express but I don't know how it integrates with iLife apps. What's the best option?

iMovie 08 imports AVCHD in full 1080i. The AVCHD is converted to Apple Intermediate Codec 1920x1080.
The issue comes when you render the project. The iMovie 08 presets max out at 960x540 for Apple TV. Apple TV looks very good because most TVs will upscale it back to 1920x1080.
It is possible to export to Quicktime in full 1920x1080.
However, then you have the problem of how to play it back.
You can play it back at 1920x1080 on your Mac, if your screen is large enough.
You can play it back on a Sony Playstation 3.
You can play it on a BluRay Disk Player.
Toast 9 permits burning a BluRay Disk in full 1920x1080. You will need a BluRay disk Burner for this. Toast 9 also lets you do a short AVCHD/Bluray disk on a regular DVD on a regular DVD burner, but you are limited to about 20 minutes of playing time.
If you burn to a normal DVD in MPEG2, you are limited to 480i, so that is the worst option.
Message was edited by: AppleMan1958

Final Cut Express vs. Final Cut Express HD

I am confused between Final Cut Express and the Final Cut Express HD. All the time I though I am using Final Cut Express HD version 4.0.1 which should be capable to capture HDV tapes (to my understanding) until lately I try to capture a tape shoot by a HDV camera (miniDV tape shoot by Canon) but was NOT successful. When I check back my application by opening a final cut project window >,About Final Cut Express, it shows I am using version 4.0.1, but I can’t capture the HDV tape shoot by the HDV camera. I went back to my application folder, I found I have 3 different Final Cut Express versions there which is including version 1.0.1 size 11.7 MB created Jan 25/03;version 3.0 size 160.3MB created Jan 25/05 (this version having HD wording at the end) and version 4.0.1 size 239.4MB was created Nov 6/07. Do I have to delete the version 1.0.1 and 3.0 to make the version 4.0.1 work well or something else in the system that I don't understand such as some kind of configuration should be set/change? Thank you in advance folks. By the way, some one can walk me through how to connect an old Mac 17” monitor to my new 27” iMac so that I can move the Canvas window over (I don’t know if it’s appropriate to ask this question here, if not, I apologize)? Thank you guys.
PS

Thank you Tom
How everything connected: : Using Firewire 400 from Sony HC52 to the tower firewire port.
What setting on the media: Format: – NTSC Use :- DV-NTSC
What setting you’re using in Final Cut: : I look into Final Cut > System Setting but don’t
know which tab containing the answer. please
give me direction.
Version of the software of the OS: OSX 10.5.9
Quick Time 7.6.6
I hope I got most of the answer. Thank you again
PC

Will Shake 4.1 link to Final Cut Express 3.5?

Ok, all this stuff about working seamlessly with Final Cut Pro, but what about Final Cut Express 3.5?

As far as I know, it only meshes with FCP in the "send to Shake" way. You can still export your footage and bring it into Shake and do what you need to do, but there is no "Send to Shake" option.
Shane

"The application Final Cut Express has unexpectedly quit."

I've try everything I found on this site about this problem and it didnt work. I delete my preference I downloaded the new version of final cut pro, I re-installed the program twice and it still didn't mwork. Can anyone that had this problem help me with it. I never had even the chance to open the program since I got it, it just won't open at all.

Josiane
Are you talking about Final Cut Express or Final Cut Pro? If this is a Final Cut Pro. problem you should be in their discussion group.
Mike

Moving To Final Cut Express

I have been using iMovie for a year or so and am considering Final Cut Express in its place but know nothing about Final Cut Express. Is there a document that gives a god overall comparison of iMovie and Final Cut Express. I have found that in some cases there is lots of time and cut and paste to accomplish some tasks and there are some tasks that I haven't determined if they can be done in iMovie. In particular I am wondering about the ability to edit clip content such as blurring image parts - faces, license plates, etc.
Your assistance is appreciated.
Andy

I am a newcomer to FCE too and migrated from iMovie 09, which I used for a number of projects. I had experienced quite some frustration with iMovie as I was getting a better videographer (and editor), so I decided to move on to FCE. One major setback for me was the lack of video stabilization feature in FCE. Going back to iMovie to correct clips is not really an option (tedious, quality loss, etc) so I invested in a third party utility (iStabilize), which is not integrated in FCE but is easier to use (and potentially better) than iMovie.
This being said, the capabilities of FCE are vastly superior to iMovie (can't tell about your specific requirements, but that seems to pertain to more advanced third party toolboxes). The learning curve is also a bit steep. I had to watch a few tutorials before I dared importing my first clips in FCE. I recommend the free tutorial from Izzy Video.
My 2 cts...

How can I find serial number for upgraded Final Cut Express?

On my old G4 laptop, I had upgraded from Final Cut Express to Final Cut Express HD. Just bought a Mac Mini and installed FCE HD, but it's asking me for the serial number from the original Final Cut Express from which I upgraded. Duh. Of course I don't have that any more.
Does anyone know if this might still be found on my hard drive somewhere? Thanks.

Probably not. But just in case, fire up FCE on your old G4 laptop, then do +About Final Cut Express+ and look at the serial number below your name. It's probably the serial number of your FCE-HD Upgrade but there's an off chance it may be your original serial number.
Also, if you sold or gave away your original Full version of FCE, and someone else has installed it on their Mac, you are no longer properly licensed on your current system. You have to keep the original, Full version in order to be licensed to use the Upgrade. That's why the Upgrade asks for both serial numbers.
One other thing, only FCE4 is supported on Show Leopard (assuming your MacMini is new, it will have Snow Leopard on it.)

I have a mpeg file I want to edit in Final Cut Express. How do I best go about importing this file? I assume I must find a way of converting it....?

I have a mpeg file I want to edit in Final Cut Express. How do I best go about importing this file? I assume I must find a way of converting it....?

Use MPEG Streamclip to convert it. Depending on the type of file you might need to purchase the MPEG-2 playback component.

Recently upgraded from Snow Leopard to Lion then Mavericks. I have Final Cut Express and when I export to Quicktime, and open to play the movie, Quicktime starts to "convert" it? What is this about????

Recently upgraded from Snow Leopard to Lion then Mavericks. I have Final Cut Express and when I export to Quicktime, and open to play the movie, Quicktime starts to "convert" it? What is this about????

My existing movies are all the following types straight from FinalCut
Apple Intermediate Codec, 1920 × 1080, Millions
16-bit Integer (Little Endian), Stereo, 48.000 kHz
This particular movie is 6.66 Gb
The new Quicktime player in OS Mavericks converts these to the following format:
Apple ProRes 422, 1920 x 1080
Linear PCM, 16 bit little-endian signed integer, 2 channels, 48000 Hz
And a movie size of 6.48 Gb
Please, please can someone tell me why?

Survey about Mac OS X 10.4.9 and Final Cut Express

Hi(Bonjour)!
Regarding the huge amount of posts, threadjack and splits of the topic about FCE 2.0.3 and OS X 10.4.9, I suggest to make a new topic about individual experiment with the combo 10.4.9 and FCE.
If you have tried this combinaison and want to share your results, feel free to post here.
We need to know the version of MAC OS X, Quicktime, Final Cut Express, the exact model and configuration of your MAC (external HD, the port where camcorder is plugged) etc.
Michel Boissonneault

I have a 800mhz, 15" iMac with 768 ram. I'm running OS 10.4.9, FCEHD 3.0, QT 7.1.5, two external HD (250gb Wiebetech and 120gb EzQuest. The two external hd are daisychained together with one FW connection to the iMac. My camcorder is a Panasonic PV-GS500 and is FW to the iMac.
Immediately after upgrading the OS and QT I was unable to capture video without getting dropped frames.
I purchased the FCEHD upgrade to 3.5 and should receive it this weekend...hoping it solves the dropped frames issues.
How is that mon ami?

How do i render in FInal Cut Express? Every time i click render all the load box pops up for about a second and then disappears :(

how do i render in final cut express? I am a film student and i've been using final cut for 2 years i have never had this problem. i click render all and the load bar comes up for a second and then flashes away, leaving all my shots unrendered? what is this? how do i fix this?:((

Go to menu toolbar and to Sequence>Render All and ensure that all the items you need rendered are checked.
Good luck,
Russ

Is it really true that Final Cut Express cannot import full HD footage?

I have seen a comment on the Apple store website for Final Cut Express saying that FCE cannot import 1940 1080/ 60i/24p/30p frame rates, converting them to a degraded 1440 1080 14p instead!
I have bought a Canon HF100 on Ebay, and it is shipping from Canada to Britain by surface mail, so I have a few weeks to sort out my editing software. I was planning to buy FCE, but when I saw that comment I was surprised to think Apple haven't got a leading edge program for editing HD footage, which is the coming thing. I have trawled through all the posts in this forum, but with my head spinning I am still not sure what FCE can do.
So in desperation I am asking for a simple answer from someone: can I import the best quality footage I will shoot on this camera and retain that quality in FCE, or do I have to look for another program? And what would that program be? Please help me!

Hi Ian, thanks for getting involved with my potential fiasco to help me out! I have just been on ebay and saw a british person selling a vixia camera, so I messaged him to ask about this issue, and this is what he has replied:
"A good question! You are quite right, UK frame rates are 25p and 50i. This used to be an issue with analogue cameras with NTSC vs PAL, but with HD, it is no detriment at all, in fact it is an advantage. Firstly, it means you get more frames per second, so you get less blurring with fast moving objects and have more raw material to work with; secondly, HD TV's will automatically recognise the format and play the footage with no issue; finally, if you do need to output at 25p or 50i, any decent editing package will convert the frame rate. A quick bit of maths shows that a long GOP under 25/50 is 0.6s long, whereas under 30/60, it is only 0.5s. I import the clips into the PC, edit them, render into a single file, then use Nero 9 (the only software currently able to do this) to create an AVCHD folder back on the camera, so that the finished film can be played out in glorious full HD using the HDMI port. Hope this helps! "
I'm not really clear on what he is saying with regards to showing the footage... can only play it via the camera? Means cannot burn DVD? Uploading to Facebook not an issue?
He says editing software can convert the frame rate, so can that be done in FCE? What do you say, Tom?

Thinking about Final Cut Express

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