Export to H264: FCP X vs Compressor 4

I have a 6 minute clip.
Exporting from within FCP X (cmd-E --> H264) takes about 7 minutes and I see about 42% CPU usage.
This is not bad.
I hoped however that using Compressor I could do it faster, perhaps utilizing more of my computer's processing power.
So I chose "send to Compressor" and using the "HD 1080p video sharing" preset I got the following results:
100% CPU utilization and 20 minutes compressing time.
This is a huge difference. About 4 times more processing time.
So I am left wondering.
Is it a difference in the presets (e.g. single pass VS double pass) or is it something else going on here?
Is there a way to discover what settings the built-in H264 export uses? A look at the manual was not helpful...
Taking a look at Activity Monitor I noticed the well known "compressord" processes of the past, which remain 32-bit.
When exporting directly from FCP X, it is the Final Cut Pro 64-bit process which does all the work.
Of course the 64bit vs 32bit issue alone, cannot explain this huge difference in processing time.
Is it perhaps OpenCL vs no OpenCL at all ? I have an ATI HD4870 graphics card, which could make a difference
with OpenCL. At least this is what Apple promised when they started advertising OpenCL 2.5 years ago.
I cannot say I am impressed by Compressor 4. Qmaster does not even run as a service.
You have to keep Compressor open all the time, for your cluster to be available.

Uncompressed and 4x4 are way, way overkill and make enormous files. There are actually five flavors of ProRes. 422 is the middle one, good for most things, but still pretty high data rate. There's also ProRes LT, which is a lower data rate, variable, but also 4:2:2 color. DV50 is twice the size of standard DV, but the 4:2:2 space is a great boon.
To access the additional codecs you need to duplicate one of the Compressor presets. In the inspector, in the second button for the Encoder, click on the Video Settings button. There you can access the codecs like DVCPRO50 (Panasonic's designation).

Similar Messages

Why does a H264 mov looks better with FCP then with compressor

Hi all,
I was wondering why I get better results with making .mov in FCP/ QT Conversion then with Compressor 3.
I've made a movie in FCP -(XDCam EX1080p 25 (35mb/s VBR). It must be exported to a H264 mov. 480x270. When I export it using FCP/QT Conversion it looks good.
After exporting a movie with the same settings in FCP ((XDCam EX1080p 25 (35mb/s VBR), I use it in Compressor. But after rendering it looks aliasing, even with the same settings as in FCP.
I want to work with compressor, so I can still work with FCP when I'm rendering a movie.
Any ideas?

does anybody know why?
In simple terms, in order to edit your footage, iMovie needs a certain amount of data about each frame.
In the compressed form stored on the all the necessary data isn't present, so the missing pieces have to be filled back in to allow you to edit. This process increases the file size.
Once you've edited your movie it can then be re-compressed.
Matt

Exporting direct from FCP vs. sending to Compressor?

I've done both, but the choice ends up being a coin toss. So I'm curious if there's any accepted wisdom as to the Pros & Cons of each workflow (using the current versions of each app, and in a hypothetical All Things Being Equal scenario)?
In other words, if you were to create the exact same "Master File" from a given FCP Project using each route (in terms of the finished file's dimensions, frame rate, etc), and you selected the exact same codec/quality options to create that file (assuming the identical options exist to be chosen), would there still potentially be any significant difference between the two files? Either in terms of file size, length of time it takes for the file to be created, or any appreciable difference in image quality (despite the theoretically identical file settings)?
Because a difference in any one of those three categories might be enough to tip the scales towards using one workflow vs. the other, depending on the priorities in a given situation.
(And for the sake of this comparison, I'm leaving aside the issue of which app could still be used for other tasks while the export is in progress. Let's just assume for the sake of argument that in both cases the machine would not be being used for ANY other work during each of the exports.)
Any theories? Real-world experiences? Or has some 3rd-party test site already attempted this kind of direct comparison (using the latest versions of FCP-X and Compressor 4.x)?
Thanks,
John B
Toronto

Without considering every possibility, here are a couple of general thoughts.
Given the same Compressor preset there should be no quality difference between the output from a master fie to Compressor and sending it from the timeline to Compressor. There are speed differences and exporting from FCP X is the fastest workflow. Lately, I've found second fastest to be Send to Compressor. But the inferences differences aren't great.
Most of this depends on one's workflow preferences. The most lengthy workflow is to first export a master file and then bring that into Compressor;. Funnily enough, that is how I work because I want to have an iFrame master file that I can compress for different purposes over time.
One user recently posted that he used Send-to-Compresssor because it gave him the opportunity to pause the processes without losing his work.
In the past (particularly with legacy FCP) the Send-to-Comnpressor workflow was something I avoided. It was slow and unreliable. 10.0.x to 4.0.x was faster but troubled in other ways. The latest versions, however, seem to get it done efficiently.
Final thought: if you do your own tests, check o ensure you have similar amounts of free memory. Otherwise, it's not a "fair fight"/
Russ
edit: override the auto complete

Export fcp 5 to compressor, bye-bye chapter markers

If I'm reading the manuals and the pro training books right, the only way to export chapter markers from FCP 5 is to a QT movie. That kinda stinks a little.
Would a workaround be to export to QT and then run compressor as stand-alone? Seems like an extra step, more time and a possiblity of introducing artifacts from all of the handling.
I also tried to export markers as text file. DVD SP can import a chapter marker text file.
My original plan was to create the chapter markers in Compressor so I would get exact i-frame placement, but what a royal pain! At least in FCP you can bang through them with keyboard shortcuts.
- Eric

How much space is left on that external drive? As to the rez of your timeline, pick the sequence, and select Command-0 (that's a zero). The dialogue box will tell you what codec you're working with.
Without knowing anything else, you will definitely experience better performance by exporting to a different drive than your media is on - that drive is being asked to both read and write at the same time, which slows it down considerably. If you can export it to a different drive, you can expect to see your export time cut perhaps in half.
However, six hours is still way too long. There's some other problem going on here, it may be the drive being too full or perhaps the rez of your sequence is really high.

Exporting from FCP and using Compressor at the same time?

Is it ok to export from FCP and use compressor at the same time? I am exporting a Self-Contained, Current Setting Quicktime Movie, and using Compressor to compress a similar HDV file to Mpeg2?

Only in FCP 7.

Help! Exporting tracks from FCP to pull into a Compressor 5.1 mix

Hi all
I'm having difficulties pulling audio tracks out of FCP 6 into Compressor to create a 5.1 mix for a DVD, and wondered if anyone could offer advice.
Our sound mixer has given us stereo and 5.1 WAV tracks, which I've laid into separate sequences under picture. (I would love to drop his tracks straight into Compressor, but they have messy heads, and include 2-pops, so I'm first aligning them with the video track in FCP.)
When I export the stereo tracks, I create a stereo mix, getting one AIFF file, which goes into Compressor's 2.0 process to create an ac3 file. All well and good.
But how should I export the 5.1 tracks? Bear in mind that I don't want to do any kind of "mixdown" in FCP, which I'm afraid is happening. The tracks are laid in this order: L, R, C, Lf, Ls, Rs.
This is what I did:
In FCP, set in and out points where I want to trim the audio
In Audio Settings for the sequence, set all 6 tracks to Dual Mono and level at 0. (I can't help but suspect this is where I'm going wrong...)
Export - Audio to AIFF, and set export to "Channel Grouped". This gives me six separate AIFF files. BUT! Files 1 and 2 are blank (although they have the correct duration), file 3 (which I expected to be track 3 - center) has M&E but no dialog. Track 4 (LFE) has all the dialog! And 5 and 6 also sound blank.
Now, if I set Audio Settings to 5.1 (first pair stereo, 3 and 4 dual mono, and last pair stereo) I can't hear the center track playback (I only have stereo speakers).
What am I doing wrong? Am I misunderstanding the export process in FCP? Should I just give up and try to trim the WAV tracks outside of FCP (if so, what do you recommend - Soundtrack perhaps?) and then drop them into Compressor?
Many thanks
Matt

OK. I found the solution!
The six "audio outputs" do NOT automatically correspond to the tracks A1 ... A6. In fact, in my sequence (I don't know if this is default), A1 went to output 3, and the rest of the tracks went to output 4. Go figure.
To set the outputs correctly, you do have to set six outputs, dual mono and zero levels, which I did, but then right-click in each audio track (between the A1 label and the padlock icon) and set the output to the required file. So track 1 should go to output 1, track 2 to output 2, and so on.
My outputs now sound right - hooray! I'll mix it down and make a test DVD now.
Phew. Hope this helps someone else out.
One question that comes out of this: for a stereo mix, am I safe to export as a stereo mix in FCP? (Which is what I've been doing.) The FCP/Compressor process won't somehow be downmixing it twice? I don't see any way to pull two mono files into Compressor for a 2.0 mix. Thanks!
Matt
Message was edited by: Matt Clifton

XL-H1 aspect ratio error when exporting from FCP 1080p24 to compressor

PLEASE HELP
I have a finished project in fcp in a 1080p24 project.
My source footage is 1440 x 1080i 24f from an xl-h1.
When i export from final cut pro to compressor, compressor squeezes my footage into a square.
if i export to dvd from compressor the ratio is fine.
when i export in quicktime thats where the skewed image happens.
Please help
thanks

Hi StingoArmy,
There is an easy fix for this. Once you export your file to Compressor, you can apply an export option, let's say we're going to export a LAN Streaming Quicktime movie for Internet. Now click on the new bar that's been placed inside your media tab. The settings for this export item appear below in the Inspector. Just below the DESCRIPTION line are a series of options buttons. Clicking the option 2nd from the right (Geometry) opens up a new tab where you can change the dimensions. There are several ways to go about exporting to 16:9, the one I use is to change the Frame Size to "Custom (16:9)", however, you can also do the same thing by changing the Pixel Aspect to "HDV 1080i (16:9)" You should test results for both and see which is the preferred method for your final output, depending on what type of Quicktime movie you are creating.

Compressor is not working. When I export to compressor from FCP to encode DVD, FCP freezes and Compressor appears to be working but the progress bar never fills no files are created. I'm using a MacBook Pro 10.6.7 version 2.66 GHz core 2 Duo 4GB 1067 MH

Compressor is not working. When I export to compressor from FCP to encode DVD, FCP freezes and Compressor appears to be working but the progress bar never fills no files are created. I'm using a MacBook Pro 10.6.7 version 2.66 GHz core 2 Duo 4GB 1067 MH. I'm not new at this. I re-installed FCP successfully. I trashed the preferences. Please help.

Do you have any filters applied to your clips?
This happened to me before, I accidently had applied a broadcast safe filter to a color matte that was black....
I figured it out by duplicating my sequence and deleting items from my timeline 1 by 1 until I was able to export a reference movie.
Anywho, export again, this time with "self contained" movie selected.
Then try to import to Compressor.

Can the exported video from FCP X play in WMV?

(1) Can the exported video from FCP X play in WMV?
(2) If not, can I convert with the help of Compressor 4 to make it to play in WMV?

No to both. You need third party software to create WMV. Telestream has tools for this.

NTSC to PAL - Export straight from FCP or use an mpeg file?

I was reading this
http://www.macworld.com/article/49306/2006/02/marchcreate.html
however it does not mention what to bring into compressor.
Should I export my ntsc sequence straight from FCP into compressor, or should I drag an ntsc mpeg file I aldeady made into compressor? Ive been trying the latter but can't do much as each step gives me the spinning beach ball for anywhere from 5 to 10 minutes. Thanks much.

Yes, you should export directly from FCP Using Compressor. Exporting to a heavily compressed MPEG-file, and then converting that from NTSC to PAL makes no sense. You would want your video to go through as few conversions/generations as possible.

Export mov WITHOUT time code through compressor

I am trying to send a file from the FCP timeline to compressor. Easy enough. But I want the exported mov to leave compressor with no timecode attached.
Is there a way to tell compressor NOT to include time code on the export?

The only way I know to delete the TC track is using QT Pro.
I don't recall that any of the last 3 versions offered the capability; perhaps it was there and I was unaware of it.
FCP can start TC at some other value. If it is possible in Compressor, I haven't heard of it.
Good luck.
Russ

FCP File to compressor-MAJOR problems

HI,
apologies if this is really dumb-I am new to Compressor.
I have 2 DVDs to make-both are created in FCP, both are 1 hour long. Both are SD Pal 16:9
I send them to Compressor, go to Best Quality 90 min settings, but FCP always crashes along the way, or the file says it is going to take 90 hours to complete!
I am getting quite desperate,as the project is due very soon!
Do I need to export the sequence as another codec first, or can I export straight from FCP?
Can anyone help?
Many thanks

Project properties. Cmd-J. Modify Settings.

Exporting to H264

What is the data rate when setting quality to "best" when exporting to H264 directly for FCP? I get better results from Quicktime than from Squeeze. Max data rate from the pulldown in Squeeze is 1600 kbps. That gives a bit smaller file size and less color than for Quicktime/FCP.

QT H.264 is as good a quality as anyone else's. But you can purchase the MainConcept package (it's pretty expensive), but you won't get any better H.264 from it.

Trying to export video in mpeg 2 but compressor doesn't come up in the export drop down window. Any ideas?

trying to export video in mpeg 2 but compressor doesn't come up in the export drop down window. Any ideas?

Export the file using "Current Settings" and enable "self contained".
Once the export is complete, open up Compressor, drop in your file, select the desired output settings and turn Compressor loose. If you have set up a Quick Cluster and have a multi core Mac, Compressor will use all available cores. It will be a faster process.
x

How to do frame-by-frame editing in iMovie 08 and export in H264?

I wish to edit some videos and then export them in H264 so I can use them on a website.
I have tried to edit with iMovie 08 but can only edit second-by-second. I want to edit frame-by-frame ie to the millisecond. And it appears that iMovie 08 does not export in H264.
I have looked at iMovie 11 which has a Precision Editor which would work to edit as I want but for that I would have to upgrade from Leopard to Snow Leopard which I don't want. It would export H264.
I also have QuickTime Player 7 Pro but that too seems to edit only by the second not by the frame; it does however seem to produce H264
How can I edit these videos precisely and produce H264? Is there another application which would work better (and doesn't cost a fortune).
Thanks for any ideas

iMovie exports in h.264 by default. All the presets are h.264 (except Tiny).
If you need to adjust the h.264 in some way, then SHARE.EXPORT USING QUICKTIME.
To edit to the nearest frame, Go to iMovie/Preferences and select Display Time Codes.

Export to H264: FCP X vs Compressor 4

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