Exporting self contained quicktime

I'm fairly new to compression. I've noticed alot of comments saying not to export to compressor from the timeline in FCP, but to export a self contained quicktime. Then encode in compressor.
Doesn't this A)take more time as your exporting twice
B)take up alot more space.
Is it just a compression time issue or do you get better quality results when exporting the self contained QT first.
Thanks

Overall you get better quality
A)take more time as your exporting twice
Can be a bit more time, but worth the results. Generally I find that it is faster to some degree, exporting from Final Cut to Compressor gets slow from rendering and feeding the frames in. Also if you want to tweak the encoding rates after the first encode, having the self contained movie will be faster
B)take up alot more space.
It does take up more space, but it is definately worth getting an extra drive to do this, really worth it because of the quality, potential reencodes, etc.

Similar Messages

Basic question... Mpeg2 vs Self-contained Quicktime?

Hello, I am kind of ashamed to post this question only now but nothing is
losf for asking...!
I have so far made dvds with a Quicktime mov. file, which is
Self-contained movies exported from Final cut, believing that it is the only way.
But actually there is Mpeg2! with options to choose mbps ect.
I have noticed that the color of dvds are slightly different; Mpeg2 has
more deepness while Quicktime mov. less. But other than that,
it doesn't seem problematic.
Must we use always Mpeg2 or can se use self-contained Quicktime files as well?
Still on an elementary level,
Thank you!!
Minobu

Better to encode as m2v outside of DVD SP and not bring in a .mov
Some reasons
Compressor movie
Calculating encoding rates

COMPRESSOR OR EXPORTING SELF CONTAINED?

I just want to find out what is the right thing to do in FCP 7. I need a project to be converted to MPG-4. Should I send the fibished project from timeline to compressor directly? or should I need to export self contained movie first and then send it to compressor? Which would work better in terms of quality.
Thanks

Quality-wise, I've never found a difference, although I've heard some say that if you send an unrendered Sequence to Compressor, Compressor will do a better job of rendering than FCP. Personally, I prefer to export a self-contained movie from FCP then use the resulting file in Compressor. That allows me to continue using FCP while Compressor does its thing ... something you cannot do if sending directly to Compressor.
-DH

Export Self-Contained / Sequence / Aspect Ratio Question

Hello all,
I have source clips, that look like this, with a command+I in quicktime:
Format: 24-bit Integer (Little Endian), Stereo (L R), 48.000 kHz
DVCPRO HD 1080i60, 1280 x 1080 (1888 x 1062), Millions
FPS: 23.98
Normal Size: 1888 x 1062 pixels
Current Size: 1888 x 1062 pixels (Actual)
Now, in FCP, I have to chop this source up into smaller clips, so as I set in and out points, I drag to my sequence, and let FCP adjust the sequence settings to match the clip. It auto-adjusts to:
Frame Size: 1280x1080
Aspect Ratio: HD (1280x1080) (16:9)
Pixel Aspect Ratio: HD (1280x1080)
Compressor: DVCPRO HD 1080i60
Audio: 48khz, 24-bit, Channel Grouped
When I export my clip, I want little/no processing of the source file, and want the aspect ratio to be locked at the highest quality possible, with no funky pixel aspects ratios, etc. So, I export a Quicktime Movie (no Quicktime conversion) with "Current Settings", and I make the clip self contained.
The output ends up as follows:
Format: DVCPRO HD 1080i60, 1280 x 1080 (1888 x 1062), Millions
24-bit Integer (Little Endian), Stereo, 48.000 kHz
FPS: 23.98
Normal Size: 1920 x 1080 pixels
Current Size: 1920 x 1080 pixels (Actual)
So, obviously the pixel aspect ratio has done something in the export, as the original size was 1888 x 1062 and is now 1920 x 1080.
Is there a way to process these clips on export from FCP, where the pixel is a normal 1:1 conversion, be it at 1280x1080, 1888x1062 or 1920x1080 with DVCPRO HD 1080i60, in FCP? Or is this something I have to achieve in Compressor? I'm looking for the Quicktime info on the resulting clip to return the same size for: Format, Normal Size, Current Size.
Any help is appreciated! Thanks!

I have read this post over and over and there are some strange things going on with analyzing media now. I am absolutely sure that my HD footage (from a Z1U) used to be read by QT at 1440x1080 (1920x1080). Actual pixels were 1440x1080, a 4x3 aspect ratio, but displayed at 1920x1080. Used to be, like I said. I recently upgraded to OS 10.6.4, and QT 10 is quite a bit different. (In fact, other that the new skin, I haven't found any new features I like. Beside the point.) Now I get a QT readout like yours: 1440x1080 (1888x1062). A 4x3 capture aspect ratio and a 16x9 display aspect ratio, but not the same numbers. This can't be right--by law one of them has to be incorrect. I suspect the new version of QT. The same clip in FCP is read as as 1440x1080 with the HDV pixel aspect ratio (Edit --> Item Properties --> Format.) Furthermore, the readout from MediInfo Mac (endorsed by Apple) is even stranger: 1416x1062, a 4x3 aspect ratio, betraying yet another suspect data output. May be MediaInfo is correct, maybe not. I suspect no--my gut says FCP is correct, since it was once matched by QT. So, three analyzations and three results. The only conclusion is one or more of the analyzers is incorrect.
I suspect that the data readout in QT 10 is questionable. According to the Z1U manual, the camera records at 1440x1080, QT and FCP have this correct, but MediaInfo Mac does not. But the display raster information, as read by QT 10, has changed from 1920x1080 to 1888x1062.
So, I did a test. I followed the same procedure you did, including letting FCP set the Sequence Settings (it was correct). The QT 10 data readout from the exported movie was, like yours, 1440 x 1080 (1888 x 1062). Same results when I forced the Sequence Settings to HDV 1060i first. [FCP 6.0.6, QT 10.0 (114) ]. This was consistent with the QT 10 readout for the original, raw media.
My conclusion? Your movie is fine, there was no Pixel Aspect Ratio manipulation. The data readout in QT 10 is wrong. Sounds like a bug to me. I'd say MediaInfo Mac also has a problem--maybe they are both "drinking from the same poisoned well" somewhere deep inside the code.
Last resort: if you have access to an older version of QT, try getting the readout from that. I'm going to. If you'd like to know the results, let me know.
One thing you must do: check the Pixel Aspect Ratio in your edited sequence:
[Sequence --> Settings --> General --> Pixel Aspect Ratio]
Make sure yours is set to HD (1280x1080). Actually, check your camera manual to determine what it should be and make sure FCP is matching it. If not, force it.

Fcp 7 not exporting self contained

Hi, help me out. Fcp 7 is exporting reference movie which doesnt play on other systems. I need to create a self contained movie for distribution. But neither quicktime conversion nor checking 'make self contained' is helping out. I'm doubtful whether there r some special system settings to be checked or some export setting need to altered. Or a program error?

Please post your question on the Final Cut Studio forum.

Exporting self-contained from DVCPRO HD is Stuttery

I have my DVCPRO HD timeline (720p). When I export using "Quicktime Movie", select "Current Settings", and check mark "make movie self-contained", The resulting movie is a bit stuttery compared to my original timeline. Almost as if I was watching a bad conversion of 23.98 to 29.97 timebase. The weird thing is that some shots are smooth, but it could just be my eye :S. Is this stuttering occuring due to the re-compression process of making a self-contained movie?
How would I be able to export a quicktime movie without the stuttering? Would I have to use "Quicktime conversion"?
EDIT: "Recompress all frames" was NOT CHECKMARKED!! Maybe I should checkmark it?

Theoretically, DVCPRO HD 720 should play back off a FW drive.
But if I had a dollar for every issue with shared bandwidth between firewire drives and camera/decks on a single firewire bus Mac.
Others may disagree, but I strongly urge that you:
1. dedicate an internal SATA drive for media
2. Or use a SATA PCI controller and external 2/4 drive SATA enclosure.
Don't know what your camera is, but if you're working in PROHD, it's at least a HVX200.
Throughput is 4 times the overhead as DV.

Can't bring self contained Quicktime movie into DVD Studio Pro?

Is this possible in FCS 1? I'm trying to bring my self contained movie from FCP into DSP so I can encode it (compressor takes FOREVER). Any ideas? Thanks.

If it takes forever in compressor, add extra time for DVDSP!
How big is the file? What format are you encoding in?

Self Contained Quicktime Movie...NO!

Why is it that if I load I clip into the viewer and mark IN and OUT I get the option to export a Quicktime Movie...but if I locate a shot on the timeline and MATCHFRAME the only export option I have is Quicktime Conversion? I have to export small sections for green screen comping in After Effects, and hunting for the shots is a major pain.
Yes, even us BIG GUYS ask questions...
Shane

Okay the problem is that the clip in your timeline is an independent clip - not that it wants to drink and smoke and hang around with loose women - it is no longer connected to anything in your browser. This can happen when you copy a sequence from another project, maybe you deleted an instance of the source clip from your browser, etc.
Whatever the cause, when you "f" or find or "match", FCP generates an "in-memory" instance of the clip from your timeline in the Viewer. Whenever this happens, FCP won't let you use Export QuickTime Movie... - to get around this, just drag the clip from the viewer into the browser, it is no longer only "in memory" and you'll then be able to use Export QuickTime Movie...
I'm not here to make apologies for the circumstances, just describing the behavior and how to get what you want from the system...
Patrick

Dropped audio when sequence rendered to self contained quicktime movie

last week i rendered my project to quicktime movie file and all was fine --today --after having done some minor tweeking of the project a clip is missing audio when i send project to quicktime--i've tried rebuilding the troublesome clip--the clip has a segment of audio with one segment that is linked to it and 2 other clips that xdissolve before and after the linked items --total duration about 30 seconds---i've checked audio on and made sure there are no track volume adjusters turned down---is this an fce hd problem or quicktime and might the sequence be corrupt?--i'm at a loss with this one? any ideas folks?

Btian
Try Mixing Down the audio just before you export.
Al

Export Self Contained DV PAL in correct 16:9 Aspect Ratio

Hi,
I know that when you export DVPAL 16:9 anamorphic edits out using simple QT export the resulting video is 4:3 in aspect as the ratios are not exported.
I understand that bit and the whole anamorphic behaviour of the files.
However, what I'm trying to do it output a file with NO conversion at all - I want it a pure export of the timeline with no loss in quality - that when played back on another Mac or PC displays properly in 16:9 ratio as it was shot/edited. I want to give a client a master copy of the final edited production.
I've tried the QT player movie properties>presentation> settings of 'clean/production' etc and that didn't show correctly (slightly wider but not full 16:9).
I have seen posts about changing the height of the final movie when being played back on a computer screen to compensate and show properly but they were for NTSC, does anyone have the correct sizes for 16:9 playback in the PAL frame size (786x576). Scales down to what? 786x442???
Ideally is there any other way to get QT or any other program to play it properly - Mac and PC - WITHOUT CONVERSION that would be great!!
Or do I just have ti instruct clients to check the 'anamorphic button in any DVD authoring software they use, or manually change the visual settings frame size within QT player when they watch it???
Thanks
Steve

Thanks Denis.
Strange.
The SD footage is captured on a Sony Z7 with CF card MRC1K unit, and then using the Sony/Apple Log & Transfer Utility this is how it comes into FCP. (it re-wraps the recorded Sony .avi files into .mov)
When looking at a 'captured' file (ie not actually captured but transferred from CF card to hdd) with QT the frame size shows 768x576, but when loaded into FCP is does say 720x576.
Once the file has been exported as QT movie the file is indeed 720x576 in QT player properties.
Fun huh.
Thanks
Steve

Batch capture from self contained quicktime movie??

we have an edl and a 40 minute quicktime movie, but no tape.
is it possible to automatically parse the quicktime movie based on the edl (rather than manually subclip the master clip)? Like using log and capture, but with a digital file? Log and Transfer, maybe?
the timecode addresses should all be accurate.
TIA
eric

Apps like these may help if you have a budget:
http://www.digital-heaven.co.uk/movielogger/
http://www.videotoolshed.com/?page=products&pID=24

Cannot export a self contained Qucktime movie

As of yesterday I have lost the ability to export a self contained Quicktime move from FCE. The sequence is complete and rendered and I have exported as recently as last month but now it simply makes what's known as a reference movie with the suffix .mov
The Export drop down menu still displays all the Quicktime options.
Additionally the Quicktime icon in my dock when clicked displays a question mark. I tried downloading Quicktime but still no go.
Please help Tom

Right but what I am trying to convey is that I need to generate the brushed chrome framed, high quality, up-loadable, stand alone video that I used to get with ease and I cannot get that with my FCE. What are you calling it, what is the proper term because I always called them Quicktime. I made one less than 2 months a go.
Quicktime is present in my System Prefs but is not in the dock. When it was a question mark appeared over it. I cannot find it, launch it, etc.

Exports a self contained, then renders. Why?

I exported a self contained Quicktime movie (same settings as footage--HDV--no recompressed frames). My exported file is named exactly as I named it, but with four additional mysterious digits at the end. Here's what I don't get: FCP says it's still writing video. Why? Is it writing a render file? It's already exported a self-contained movie that appears to be complete (I watched the end). What's the point of this render file? (The exported movie contains 4 fades, and 2 text titles). Not sure whether to stop the "writing video" so I can do some other work, or leave it in case it's needed by my self-contained file.

Hi:
If your sequence is just plain video edit, I mean, no effects, color correction, graphic elements (text, etc), then you'll get no quality difference encoding from your timeline or from the self contained. Both sources are same quality.
But if you have effects and graphcis in your sequence that you need to render, then you'll get the best quality encoding directly from the timeline, because FCP will use the raw info from each frame as source for the encoding, NOT the rendered ones.
The difference in quality depends on how heavy your effects/graphics are.
Hope that helps !
Alberto

Chapter Markers and Self-Contained Exports

OK, Final Cut Express 2.0.3 on a MacOS 10.3.9 system
I pull in some digital video and edit out unwanted parts by making a sequence of sub-clips, each marked with a Chapter Marker.
To save some drive space, I export the sequence, with Chapter Markers, to a self-contained Quicktime file in full DV format.
Re-import the resulting file and I see no Chapter Markers anywhere in FCE. If I drop the same file on iDVD, all the chapters show up, so I know the markers are there.
Anyone know of a way to get them to show up in FCE ?
Thanks.

I just saw my chapter markers by opening my FCE 2 DV export in QuickTime Pro 7.0.3. They show up as a text track and display across the top 32 pixels (or so) of the movie. I disabled the text track. Even so, the QuickTime Player shows the Chapter labels to the right of the controller bar. However, they disappeared for further exports.

Self Contained Final Cut Pro Export Files unreadable in New Final Cut Pro 7

Has anyone come across this? I was using Final Cut Pro 5, created a self contained file of a current project 1.9GB in size. Uploaded the new version of Final Cut Pro 7 and upgraded to Snow Leopard, and now it tells me that this is unrecognizable as a movie file. Quicktime or Final Cut Will not open this file. I'm puzzled.

VideoJunkie88 wrote:
Has anyone come across this? I was using Final Cut Pro 5, created a self contained file of a current project 1.9GB in size. Uploaded the new version of Final Cut Pro 7 and upgraded to Snow Leopard, and now it tells me that this is unrecognizable as a movie file. Quicktime or Final Cut Will not open this file. I'm puzzled.
Hi VideoJunkie
I have not come across this. However, my previous FCP 6 Self-Contained Exported ProRes 422 standard (not HQ) files which are actually 1440 x 1080 will only playback in the new QT version 10 using that aspect ratio (whatever the actual screen ratio is at 1440 x 1080, I'm not sure, but the video width is squashed together... I suppose it has something to do with showing it in square pixels versus rectangle... or do I have that turned around. I'm not sure, I have always been confused about the ProRes 1440 x 1080 format, all I know is it plays back properly in 1920 x 1080 when I transcode it for DVD or ATV, iPhone etc..). In any case, you need QT player 7 (standard or pro version) to display these files at the intended aspect ratio of 1920 x 1080. The old QT Pro player version 7 will let you change this in the properties window, but the QT 7 standard player will not let you (those options are grayed out) and the new QT X player doesn't even show these options (i.e totally unavailable).
Also, these previous files will play just fine (for me anyway) in FCP version 7. If you having a different issue where they will not play at all, then I'm not sure how to help you, but I just wanted you to be aware that my old self-contained files from FCP 6 do work (for me anyway) in the new FCP7 under Snow Leopard.
(ADDED) I must ask, what codec were your previous exported self-contained QT movies? Do you have this codec on the commuter your trying to play your old master self-contained exports on?
Ron
Message was edited by: videocrafter

Exporting self contained quicktime

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