Exporting using "Current Settings"

What exactly does "Current Settings" mean? Are these the sequence settings I have or the RT settings or something else?
Simple, I know, but I just want to be sure.
Thanks!
Cameron

It means the timeline settings. If your project is DV, then it will export a DV quality file. If your settings are Offline RT, it will export an offline RT formatted Quicktime...if they are 8-bit uncompressed, an 8-bit uncompressed QT...etc. And the same frame rate as well, 23.98, 29.97 and so on.
It basically means that no further compression is occurring.
Shane

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Audio out of sync after exporting into Quicktime using current settings.

Quicktime file has audio out of sync when I export to quicktime movie using current settings.
Ok for about the first few minutes then, out of sync after about 10 minutes.
I shot the footage on tape with my Sony HVR-Z7u.
My Sequence setting is the same as the format of the footage as shown below.
Pixel Aspect Ratio: HD 1440x1080
Editing Time base: 23.98
Quicktime video settings: Compressor: HDV 1080p24
Audio Settings: Rate 48 KHz
Depth: 16bit
Clip format:
Pixel Aspect Ratio: HD 1440x1080
Vid Rate: 23.98
Compressor: HDV 1080p24
Audio Rate 48 KHz
Audio Format: 16bit

I recently moved and both of my editing machines were unplugged for a couple of days until I could get them set up. After turning them back on, the problem had disappeared. Perhaps leaving the system unplugged had allowed some of the internal components to reset? That's the only thing I can think of. At any rate, the issue is gone.

Editing H.264, exporting with current settings results in transcode?

Hello, I just edited a H.264 (.mov) home video and exported it using "Current Settings". The original file size was 400 MB but the export resulted in a 4.5 GB file. FCP X obviously transcodes the original material. I've also tried exporting the same file using the "H.264" setting, the result then was a 300 Mb file. This corresponds to the cutting I've done but the export process still took a lot of time and CPU to finish which proves transcode taking place again. In the past I used Quicktime 7 Pro to cut and edit H.264, it never transcoded the files and the saving was quick an painless. Am I missing some settings here or is FCP X currently unable to edit H.264 and export it without transcoding the original material? Thank you

Hi Badunit,
thanks a lot for this clarification. It perfectly makes sense in the way you describe it.
Maybe you can give me an additional recommendation ?
At the end I need my film in h.264 format and of course I'd like the film to be in terms of quality as close to the original material as possible. Original files are AVCHD HA (so h.264 codec with 17Mbit/s) in 1080i resolution.
So far I have exported my material directly from FCP X (using either the "export to h.264" from FCP itself but also trying several h.264 export formats from Compressor). All these attempts ended up with a quality that is visibly worse compared to the original AVCHD file, even when I use a bitrate for the output that is much higher than the 17 MBit of the original material. Resolution is fine but scenes with fast moves are really bad in some cases. From a "naive" point of view this seems strange to me: An output file in h.264 25MBit/s should be as good as the input material that was h.264 17MBit/s, shouldn't it ?
From what you stated above, I now wondered if I should better export to ProRes first (thus building what you called the "master" in best available quality) and than build the h.264 file from the master with Compressor in a second step ? means: go the way "Highly compressed" -> Master -> "Highly compressed" instead of directly doing "Highly compressed" -> "Highly compressed" ? Would there be any difference ? Or is the material anyway transcoded to ProRes in the background when exporting to h.264.
Happy to receive any recommendations / experiences on this.

Exporting Using Expert Settings Problem

When I try exporting using expert settings, which is pretty much necessary, any video that I export, in just about any format, but usually .mov or .mp4 looks very strange. Any moving objects appear to be broken up by horizontal lines. I do not know much about these sorts of issues, but I'm guessing it's a problem with the frame rate. I've tried just about every frame rate and nothing seems to work. Thanks for your help!
P.S. Same thing happens when exporting from iMovie!

It means the timeline settings. If your project is DV, then it will export a DV quality file. If your settings are Offline RT, it will export an offline RT formatted Quicktime...if they are 8-bit uncompressed, an 8-bit uncompressed QT...etc. And the same frame rate as well, 23.98, 29.97 and so on.
It basically means that no further compression is occurring.
Shane

Export Quicktime - Current Settings?

I have finished in FCP. 1:45 minutes long. Video yearbook.
I usually just export as quicktime using the default settings. When I click on the Current Settings option (in FCP - export to Quicktime) there are way too many choices. For the entry level guy, which one should I choose? I am thinking
DV NTSC 48 Khz?
Or should I leave it alone?

I know what you mean, but the trouble is that DVDSP will work with a lot of the QT formats...
However, if you are looking to get the best workflow and quality, then export as MPEG2 and bring that into DVDSP. If MPEG2 isn't an option in your settings then you'll need to use Compressor to do this bit. You can export your footage from FCP directly into Compressor, or you can export as a QT format and use Compressor later.
If you choose to go with the QT format for now, look for full sized, full quality DV (if you started with a DV camera) - i.e. NTSC 48Khz DV (or PAL if it is PAL you are using).
If you started with DVCPRO then export as that - the fewer times you change the footage the better.
If you then enter the world of Compressor, you need to think about the length of time the footage plays for, the available space on your disc and the other components that will eat into that space (audio, menu graphics, subtitles, ROM content, etc). Only once you have an idea about all of that can you really get the best compression to MPEG2.
If you go with the 'DV' route into DVDSP then you need to look carefully at the preference settings for encoding. If you are going to encode this to MPEG2 within DVDSP (which is possible, but not necessarily the best way to do it) then you need to adjust the settings to allow the material to fit on the disc. Higher settings create larger file sizes, lower settings create smaller file sizes... BUT you need to allow for the other elements as well (Audio can be especially important to encode correctly).
As you can probably tell, there really is no simple 'one size fits all' formula and there are a lot of different variables. For what it's worth, my general workflow is this:
Capture and edit footage in FCP
Export as DV PAL 48khz, self-contained file
Use MPEG2 encoder (BitVice, MegaPEG.X, Canopus Procoder, etc)
Encode audio to AC3 (need to use Compressor for this bit)
Bring encoded video and audio into DVDSP
Add other elements (menus, subtitles, etc)
Author and build the disc - or write to DLT for replication.
Each stage of the process demands different skills and understandings about DVD in general... no two discs ever seem to be the same and as you can see I use a wide range of different software to accomplish the task.
You certainly don't need anything more than DVDSP to build a disc, but the quality you can achieve may not be as high as if you use different tools for the different parts of the process. Exporting from FCP via Compressor is a Very Good Option™ if you want to have more control over how the compressed file will look - but you need to think about learning how Compressor works...
Lots to think about... sorry!

Export as current settings question

Hello,
I have HDV video on my timeline, Setting is HDV 60i 1440x1080. I export it as Quick Time movie, leaving Current settings. But my resulting video is HDV 1080i 60, but with dimensions 1920x1080.
It looks way too stretch when playing with QT or when imported to Compressor for further compression. How come this is happening?

Michael,
You are probably correct and the OP is getting the sequence size from QT which is giving him the square pixel equivalent and he has anamorphic checked (or not) when he imports it. But who knows? Without any clarification we can spin theories forever ...
Happy Holidays by the way.
x

Why does export with "current settings" compress 1440 x 1080 to 720 x 480?

I am trying to export some clips from fcp x to motion (wish you didn't have to do this, to begin with). Anyway, my clips are being exported in a lower quality )720 x 480)-- all of the choices in the "export" drop-down menu are 720 x 480, even though the clip is 1440 x 1080, imported to dfcp from hdv format.
Thanks for the help; this is driving me nuts.

Ah, well it says 1440 x 1080 in the project that I am editing, but since I wanted to only fix a short clip, I created a "to fix" project and put the files I want to fix in there to export. That project had defaulted to 720 x 480--there's the problem. Thanks, yet another.

Why can't I 'Export Using Compressor Settings' in FCPX?

It keeps telling me I have to buy Compressor, which I did from the App Store.

Can you run Compressor from your applicaitons folder on the dock bar? Just trying to make sure you really got it installed after the download or maybe it had been aborted before completing the installation. It will run as a stand alone app if installed ok. After you confirm that you can look for other potential problems.

Exporting using Quicktime Converter in FCP

I am trying to export a short film using QuickTime conversion, file size PAL 720 x 576 16:9. I am saving it on my external which has loads of space and is MAC formatted it gets half way through and then just comes up as ERROR. This is the first time that I have seen it. I have tried on a number of ocassions and on a couple I have come across a pop up saying Error Missing Volume. Anybody else had these problems? Cheers MAX

Why are you using Quicktime Conversion? Why not export using "current settings"?
What are the original sequence codec settings?
What is the codec of the material in the sequence?
What are the export codec settings?
x

I exported my 1080i project as QT movie with current settings but...

when I burned it onto a dvd using iDVD and displayed it on my LCD HDTV using my PS3 (more acronyms please?) it still look compressed/pixelated and had artifacts. I exported to QT movie using "current settings" so I was assuming that the quality would be as good as it was while viewing it in FCP. Any idea what happened?
(using fcp 5.1.4)

Might try using Compressor and DVD SP for the DVD creation... the encodes to MPEG are better there I believe.
Jerry

Hdv current settings exported file dimension changes to 1920X1080

Hello,
I'm working with HDV-sourced footage (MPEG-2 at 1440X1080). I have a bunch of long clips I simply want to cut into smaller pieces for now. So, I've dragged the HDV footage into a sequence with HDV settings (ie. 1440X1080). I export with "Current Settings" as I want to maintain HDV file sizes and stay in the same codec as the camera and what the files were originally imported as. Then, when I check the codec in Finder, it says the files are MPEG-2 at 1920X1080. So, if the dimensions have changed, have I somehow changed the codec?

It never displayed as 1440, or at least it shouldn't have. If it did, everyone and everything would've looked squished and skinny. Your export, if it was anything other than HDV, would be 1920. Did you export ProRes, H.264, or something else? And if you exported HDV, open the clip in QT, and click on Window/Show Movie INspector. The inspector window will show you the actual encoded pixels, and the display pixels. The former should be 1440, and the latter should be 1920.

Current Settings vs Uncompressed

I work with XDCam HD primarily and when exporting a final QT master I always do it "using current settings" (ie- native XDCam HD sequence settings) and get a great finished product. A collegue recently complained about a DVCam sequence he exported using the same method ("using current settings") and how the master looked compressed from the original. I looked at it and agreed. We then exported the same DVCam seguence using "uncompressed" setting and it looked better but created a HUGE file. Why does "uncompressed" look better than native? Should I be exporting my XDCam HD footage via QT "uncompressed" vs "using current settings" despite the massive file sizes (if I want the best quality)?

A collegue recently complained about a DVCam sequence he exported using the same method ("using current settings") and how the master looked compressed from the original.
I've done that a hundred times and never saw what you describe. Are you certain he exported to QUICK TIME MOVIE, selected USE CURRENT SETTINGS and DID NOT choose RE-COMPRESS ALL FRAMES. I've also read that exporting using conversion, even if you choose the same settings as your sequence, will affect the outcome.
The only way I know of to export and maintain the same quality you have in the timeline is to USE CURRENT SETTINGS.
rh

Export using Quicktime Conversion Save Prompt Freeze

I'm seeing a bug when I export using Quicktime Conversion using Final Cut Pro 7. From the main save prompt window, if I open "options..." and make my export adjustments and return back to the main save window again, it does not initiate a save when I click the save button. Further, it will not let me cancel out either. The save/cancel buttons will click blue for a moment as if they were pushed, but nothing happens - the save prompt window is totally unresponsive. My only course of action is to force quit. (note: the force quit window does NOT report FCP as unresponsive.) This problem does not happen every time, but enough to be a major annoyance. Has anyone had this issue? Thank you.

Your lunch break long wait rules out any "frustrated after a few seconds" reaction and would certainly be long enough for a drive that has dozed off to react.
Some particularly processor intensive formats could conceivably have a short delay before something starts to happen.
Writing to the system drive is not something I would personally do -I have dedicated storage for my entire video workflow. But this would also rule out a sleeping drive. The system is constantly being written and read.
If you are writing particularly large files to the system drive, bear in mind that a good chunk of the "tons" of free space is allocated to "swap" files -data that can't be written into RAM is off loaded to the hard drive. Depending just how large the swap files are and how large your video files are, there could be a delay in reallocation of swap file space to allow the video files to be written. Having less space for swap files can cause the OS to slowdown. Drives will generally become less responsive, the fuller they are.
Note that I am by no means an expert on this, so the percieved slowdown may be less significant than what the paragraph above implies.
Run Disk Utility and make it a regular part of your maintenance routine. Writing and reading the huge amounts of data that are used in video production can cause problems with the directory structure. Better to catch it early and fix it, directory damage is culmulative. You might not notice it until your files are no longer accessible.
How is the system response when you export a project as a self contained movie using current settings (same as your Timeline)? Exporting with QuickTime Compression always recompresses your video -even when writing using the same codec as the Timeline already uses, so it will take longer to process.
Self contained with current settings is the workflow that I always use. The resulting "master" file is brought into Compressor to make the deliverables. This also frees up FCP and lets me continue editing while compression runs in the background.

FCP "auto resetting" and "current settings"

Hi there,
I am puzzled need help with two questions regarding FCP settings.
Let start with a clip that is shot aas 1440x1080 60i
I create a new FCP project with the following sequence preset :
Apple ProRes 422 1440x1080 60i 48 Khz
then I drag my clip in the timeline and get the message telling me that the sequence and the clip settings are not matching and I am offered to "adapt" the sequence settings to the match the clip setting for best results.
First question :
Why is it doing so since I have used the same settings as those of the clip when I created my FCP project ?
If I proceed and then go to "export with QT"
I am offered to use "current settings"
Second question:
Is current setting referring to the "modified settings" that I accepted to match my clip or is it referring to the original settings that I used when I created my sequence ?
Hoping I am clear,
Many thanks in advance.
Ivan

Hi David,
Actually, I use "log and transfert", with "ProRes422" Setting to import the clips from my Sony camera connected with USB to the computer (see attached)
Does this help ?

Current settings

Hi all - is there a way to export with Compressor using the current settings in the FCP timeline? I'm getting an error message when I try a simple quicktime export at current settings from FCP, and I want to try it with Compressor to see if it works (I need a fast export at current settings).
Thanks -

I'm afraid not - the central assumption behind the Send to Compressor workflow is that you'll be transcoding (going to another codec).
There is no way to set up a setting for video-pass through (which is what I'd want, at least), as there are with audio settings (for example).

Exporting using "Current Settings"

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