Best quality HD importing from FCE

I'm using a Canon Vixia HFM41 with FCE. The video quality in FCE is amazing. My question is how do I retain that same stunning quality when importing video into iDVD?
Thanks in advance!

You'll see lots of discussion in the forums about maintaining the best quality, and there are workflows which result in better quality... but iDVD creates standard definition DVDs and these are unlikely to match high quality original footage.
To have widely compatible DVDs, standards were created for the video and audio DVD formats. The video format is mpeg-2 for all standard definition DVDs, no matter if I use iDVD or a Hollywood company uses custom software. Even though all DVDs have video in the same format, there are lots of tricks to improve quality. Better software (eg, DVD Studio Pro) use better compression algorithms, and Hollywood uses the services of companies who painstakingly squeeze high quality productions onto fixed-size DVDs.
Look around the forums for tips; look at Apple's tutorials; and get the basics right for standard definition. High-definition? Blue-ray discs could be in Apple's future, but for now, you'll need a Blue-ray burner and special software (eg. one of the Roxio Toast versions).
John

Similar Messages

Quality problem exporting from FCE

Hi,
i have a quality problem exporting from FCE. I have finalized a 30 minute movie and want to send it to friends on DVD or CD-ROM. when i use "export as quicktime movie" the file has 6.5 GB and won't fit on a DVD-ROM. when i use "export with quicktime conversion" and choose quicktime movie with H.264 compression and highest quality the movie goes down to 4.2GB. Now it would fit on a DVD-ROM, but the quality is not good. The picture looks blurred and i see some type of interlace-effect.
which type of export format do i have to choose to avoid the interlace and blurred pictures? is there a magic format that does not cost that much quality and reduces the movie by 30-40%? or would a video DVD work better? how do i create a DVD? with iDVD?
thanks for your help!

or would a video DVD work better? how do i create a DVD? with iDVD?
That's what Id do.
Export as QuickTime Movie (reference file is OK) and drop the export to iDVD.
You will get 1 hour of FCE Timeline on a single sided disc using Best Performance (iDVD setting).
Two hours using Best Quality (iDVD setting)
Al

Best method of importing from external drive?

I have a 1T LaCie and want to know the best method to get those images into LR. The defaults are: "Add" and "NewPhotos" to "MyCatalog"
I think I may have more than one catalog and am not certain how to combine them. Is it best practice to have only one catalog?
Thanks in advance,
Mr Mayor

Duplicate thread, see Best method to import from external drive?

Best way to export from FCE for compression?

Hi again, folks!
I've read/learned that, when you plan to compress your video, you should ideally export from your editing program in the final resolution (size) that you want the video to be. Apparently this is because editing programs do a better job of sizing the video than do compression programs (such as Sorenson Squeeze, which does its best work doing only compression). What I'm wondering is this: When I export to QuickTime from FCE, I have two options, namely Export as a QuickTime Movie, or Export Using QuickTime Conversion (which allows me to save as a QuickTime or other format). So, my question is, if I Export Using QuickTime Conversion, does this actually "convert" the video to some 'bastardized' version of QuickTime, or does it just reduce the size? I'm asking because I don't understand why, on the one hand, FCE refers to exporting a full size video as simply "Exporting as QuickTime" while on the other hand (eg. when I'm lowering the resolution), it's called "QuickTime Conversion" (which is lumped in with a whole bunch of other output format possibilities such as .avi, mpeg4, etc).
I'm probably not being as clear as I'd like, but more simply put, why does FCE consider going from hi-res QuickTime to low-res QuickTime a 'conversion'?

One suggestion I received (just tonight) from another forum was to export the video from FCE, but not as a self-contained movie; this way (I'm told), the video is not being compressed or otherwise altered, and hence will give me the best results when I compress
The information you received on the other forum was half right and half wrong. The difference between a self-contained movie and a movie that isn't (known as a 'reference' movie) is NOT the quality; it's that the self-contained movie is an exact copy of what's in your Sequence while the reference movie only refers to the original media and renders ... it doesn't copy it. Since reference movies rely on the original media (and render files) for playback or when used in other applications (like Sorenson Squeeze), they will not work properly on any other system nor will they work if any of the original media or render files are moved, deleted or otherwise altered.
The quality of the two types is identical.
-DH

( Additional ) Bad Quality : Photos Imported from iPhoto6 to iMovie 6

Although imovie 6 is caught up with a sum of disadvantages of imovie
5, I observe a new disadvantage which did not exist before.
With knowknowing:
In the "multi-media" mitre + "photographs", when I import
a photograph from iphoto, I observe that the image which is transcribed
in the screen of the visual display of imovie 6 is of a perfect
quality.
For example, a photograph taken with 3,5 Méga pixels with a
weight of 2 Mo. PRECISION : !!!!!! ( FORMAT IS JPEG ) !!!!!
The image is perfect, and in the internal adjustments
with imovie 6 that they are with or without the effect Ken Burns,
it seems the original.
However when I decide to apply it in the
timeline and that I it replay in the visual display, I note that the
quality of the image was strongly degraded ( very bad quality).
There are somebody in the specialists or the helpers who can give me explanations and how to cure that,
because this disadvantage is strongly regrettable and detrimental for me.
Thanks to you.
powerbook G4, 17", 1,5 G Mac OS X (10.4.6)

Hi pierre - here are some more useful references:
Still Photo Quality in iMovie:
http://www.sjoki.uta.fi/~shmhav/SVCDon_aMacintosh.html#slideshow
http://discussions.apple.com/thread.jspa?messageID=961100&#961100
http://discussions.apple.com/thread.jspa?messageID=971053&#971053
http://discussions.apple.com/thread.jspa?messageID=961093&#961093
and maybe especially:
http://discussions.apple.com/thread.jspa?threadID=245638&tstart=0
http://discussions.info.apple.com/webx?[email protected]@.68be025d/13
and from Karl Petersen – to create Best Quality Still Pic for iMovie:
http://discussions.apple.com/thread.jspa?messageID=1921544#1921544
The main point to keep in mind is that before importing your photos, you must have the Ken Burns effect turned on in order to achieve the best quality. Also, remember that the iMovie screen is just there for editing purposes, and does not display the clips at full quality.

Best settings for export from FCE to Web

I'm trying to get a 20-minute project (audio and video) exported from FCE to iWeb in reasonably high quality. I've consulted the manual, and have tried various compression settings and consulted some online tutorials, to no avail - more often than not, if it "publishes" to iWeb, the resulting file looks like it will take the better part of forever to buffer. Any recommendations?

Well, not sure about what you mean “in reasonably high quality”...?
What export-settings did you use...? size and codec...?
A twenty minutes project for the web in reasonably quality...?
Did you start with your project in FCE with the best and highest uncompressed resolution ?
Did you export (compress) from this resolution once to your desired web format ?
Doing file compression properly, I guess, one needs years of experience...
There are far to many variables one has to consider...
t’s rather an art-form than exact science...
Anyway...
If you like, here are one of my settings:
Compression H.264 / Frame Rate Current / Key Frame Automatic / Quality Medium /
Data Rate Automatic (higher rate - higher file size) / Encoding Best Quality /
Size 480 x 270 (16:9) / Sound AAC Stereo 44.1 kHz (Mono and lower Rate reduces size).
Regards
Nolan

Best codec for export from FCE?

Heya, I'm sort of a newbie, so please be patient with me
I'm trying to export a video from FCE using QT conversion. I'm going to be putting it on Youtube. What is the best codec for export? I've always heard that H.264 is the 'best', but my videos have always been pale and washed out. I tried exporting using MPEG-4 video, and it's not washed out. Is H.264 better and I should just deal with the paleness, or does it not matter too much?
Thanks

All the Web video sites re-compress your videos. So it's generally best to upload high quality files – typically determined by bit rate.
My suggestion would be to export as a Quick Time movie at current settings. (Guessing that you edited an AIC sequence,)
If you don;t have MPEG Streamclip, do a search and download it. In Streamclip, open the file you exported from FCE. Export to Quick Time. For Compression, choose H.264 from the drop down menu. Don't change Frame Size. If your movie is interlaced, check De-interlace. Check the Limit Data Rate box and type in 12,000 if the size of your movie is1080; 6,000 if your movie is 720; 3,000 if your movie is 480.
Use the YT uploader and you should be good to go.
Russ

Best way to import from camcorder.

Camera:
Sony Handycam v. HDR-XR100
Outputs:
(don't know the exact terms) USB, mini hdmi, component
Question:
I am trying to import videos shot from this camera to the mac. I think firewire works best when it comes to importing, but this camera does not have the port. The USB cable works, but mostly only for programs to import pictures such as iPhoto. Ideally it would be nice to import directly into FCP, but if it is too inconvenient than I understand. What is the best way to import the video? Are there adapters to convert one of the cables into firewire? Just looking for the best option/solution. Thanks again for the help.

I have a tutorial on the full process for tapeless import into FCP. Rule #1: BACKUP YOUR CAMERA ORIGINAL
Tapeless Workflow for FCP 7 Tutorial
Shane

Best quality movie exports from ipad3

What is the best way for exporting movies from the ipad3. There is a huge file size difference if
I use iphoto or imovie. I cant figure out why...
My goal is to have the absolute best quality movie stored for future use.
Thanks in advance!

DNxHD in the MXF format is a good choice. It's cross platform, has none of the issues of QuickTime, yet as good quality as ProRes.
Maybe the 175 or 175X (10 bit) preset, depending on the source material.

Best way to import from iPhoto 6 with albums ?

Hello All !
I have a large collection of photos (well, only about 5500 pics) in my old iPhoto 6 library sitting on my (also) old Mac Book Pro from 3 or 4 years ago, and today I would like to import all that to my (new) iPhoto 09 on my iMac.
What's the best way to do that and keeping the albums and folders I have in my old library ?
. will the standard import function just do the trick and automagically recognize the old iPhoto on the network (just like iTunes does with shared music) ?
. should I use the import function, navigate through the shared folders and import from the "iPhoto Library" folder on the laptop ? Will this sort through the originals and modified pics and get the albums too ?
. or should I export everything from the old iPhoto to reimport them in the new one (using the original file option) ? Will that keep the albums ?
Thanks for your help,
Paul-Henri

None of the above.
There's no importing involved. All you do is open the v6 Library with 09. It will then update the Library, preserving all your work. As always, back up first.
To move an iPhoto Library to a new machine:
Link the two Macs together: there are several ways to do this: Wireless Network, Firewire Target Disk Mode, Ethernet, or even just copy the Library to an external HD and then on to the new machine...
But however you do choose to link the two machines...
Simply copy the iPhoto Library from the Pictures Folder on the old Machine to the Pictures Folder on the new Machine.
Then launch iPhoto. That's it.
This moves photos, events, albums, books, keywords, slideshows and everything else.
Regards
TD

Best way to import from external drive that I'm loading LPs on

I'm transferring many LP's to an external hard drive as MP3 in a LP folder.
#1 - What's the best way to import into iTunes and still keep my original file where it is as well as have a copy in iTunes? Would I just import each song individually or could I add folder? I do have the setting checked for copying song to itunes. Just not sure if I should import or add?
#2 - Is there a way to import into iTunes as AAC or do I have to import original MP3 and then convert to AAC? When I do this and try to delete the MPEG-3 songs from iTunes.. I'm somehow also deleting my original MP3 file that's in the LP folder. I believe this pertains to what I'm doing in question #1

None of the above.
There's no importing involved. All you do is open the v6 Library with 09. It will then update the Library, preserving all your work. As always, back up first.
To move an iPhoto Library to a new machine:
Link the two Macs together: there are several ways to do this: Wireless Network, Firewire Target Disk Mode, Ethernet, or even just copy the Library to an external HD and then on to the new machine...
But however you do choose to link the two machines...
Simply copy the iPhoto Library from the Pictures Folder on the old Machine to the Pictures Folder on the new Machine.
Then launch iPhoto. That's it.
This moves photos, events, albums, books, keywords, slideshows and everything else.
Regards
TD

Bad image quality when importing from word

When importing from MS Word 2003 to RH X5.0.2, embedded
images are converted to jpg whith an obviously quite moderate
compression qulity. This is particularly evident for screenshots.
Is there a way to improve the image quality?

Peter , these images were copied and pasted directly in to
the Word-document (using the Print Screen button) but I did find
out something. RoboHelp generates two image files of the types PNG
and JPG for each Word image (named, e.g., image102.png and
image103.jpg). Regretably, the lesser quality JPG is always
referenced in the topics instead of the much better PNG. Sometimes
the two images greately differ in size (pixel size), but most of
the time they are about the same size.
So the task might be to change the references in all topics
using a script and then manually checking the images for their
size.
An observation: Any GIF images in the Word file (i.e., real
*.gif files that were inserted over the Insert menue) remain GIF
files after the import, they are not converted and maintain a good
quality.

Song Quality after importing from CD

Hi guys,
I bought my nano not long ago, and I'm still familiarizing with the iTunes.
The obvious problem that I have now is that the songs that I imported from CD using iTunes are all of bad quality, overlapping vocals & music.
Usually I import CD using windows media player, it may not be as good as other ripper program, but good enough. But importing with wma means I need a longer process to download songs to my iPod.
According to a friend of mine is about the iTunes setting, which I still can't figure out till now.
So, all the apple wacky out there pelase help.
thanks

If you import your audioCD to a format that has to be converted by iTunes this will result in a loss of quality.
Use iTunes itself to rip your audioCD and choose either AAC as codec or Apple Lossless.

Best quality to go from 1920x1080 to 720x480

How do I take 1920x1080 footage and convert it to 720x480 and maintain best quality?
When I use mpeg streamclip and convert via DV-NTSC - the image is distorted. Is there something else I can do?
Will a different Compression other than Apple Motion JPEG A work any differently?

#42 - Quick and dirty way to author a DVD
Shane's Stock Answer #42 - David Roth Weiss' Secret Quick and Dirty Way to Author a DVD:
The absolute simplest way to make a DVD using FCP and DVDSP is as follows:
1. Export a QT movie, either a reference file or self contained using current settings.
2. Open DVDSP, select the "graphical" tab and you will see two little monitors, one blue, one green.
3. Select the left blue one and hit delete.
4. Now, select the green one, right click on it and select the top option "first play".
5. Now drag your QT from the browser and drop it on top of the green monitor.
6. Now, for a DVD from an HD source, look to the right side and select the "general tab" in the track editor, and see the Display Mode, and select "16:9 pan-scan."
7. Hit the little black and yellow burn icon at the top of the page and put a a DVD in when prompted. DVDSP will encode and burn your new DVD.
THATS ALL!!!
NOW...if you want a GOOD LOOKING DVD, instead of taking your REF movie into DVD SP, instead take it into Compressor and choose the BEST QUALITY ENCODE (2 pass VBR) that matches your show timing. Then take THAT result into DVD SP and follow the rest of the steps. Except you can choose "16:9 LETTERBOX" instead of PAN & SCAN if you want to see the entire image.

Best way to import from iTunes & audio lock to video?

I just started with PrE 10 and am coming from years with iMovie HD6 (never liked the later versions). Can audio tracks be dragged from iTunes (by having 2 minimal sized windows of each application open) into the Project area? Or do you need to try and find each song by going through the whole Get Media File/Folder link process? I've tried dragging a few songs from iTunes, and it didn't seem to work (it was very easy in iMovie). I was able to add photos to the Project area from iPhoto by dragging them over from the iPhoto window.
Also, is there a way to lock (or link) the beginning of an added audio/soundtrack clip to a video clip, so that it does not inadvertently get moved, or so that if you move the video clip, or delete an earlier video clip, the locked audio goes with that video clip?
[Moved to the Premiere Elements main forum]

With Audio, you need to Import the file (Get Media), as Premiere needs to Conform the Audio, creating both a CFA (Conformed Audio) file, and a PEK (Waveform Display) file, and link to those.
Now, with iTunes, there can be some problems, though things have gotten a bit better recently. If you DO have an issue, you can create a Playlist in iTunes, and copy over all the files that you need for your Project, then burn a CD of that Playlist. The Audio-CD will be in the CDA container in as a WAV file, which should Import just fine, into PrE.
Actually, it might be easier, even if the iTunes music does Import, to create a Playlist in iTunes, where you can drag and drop right from the iTunes GUI, and then Import from that Playlist.
Good luck,
Hunt
Message was edited by: Bill Hunt - Added link to Conforming Audio Article

Best quality HD importing from FCE

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