FCP sets arbitrary -12.5 Aspect Ratio

Folks
I am plagued by FCP seemingly to arbitrarily slap a -12.5 Aspect Ratio on certain still images. Time after time I have to go through every image on my Timeline and "Red X" to clear this. My subjects of course look "fat" with this Aspect Ratio on—and my present project is made up of 90% stills.
Why/how does it happen?
How can I stop it?
I Photoshop all my images and make sure they have correct parameters before importing them into FCP as .tifs
Is there any way of "bulk/wholesale" checking/clearing all the images in the Timeline at once?
Anybody help me, please? I sure would be grateful—as always!
Regards
Roy

As the man said elsewhere:
"When you drop a still image into an FCP Timeline, FCP will automatically scale and adjust the aspect ratio to match the Sequence settings. Since most image file are square pixel, if your FCP Sequence is one that requires rectangular pixels, FCP will adjust the image's aspect ratio to -12.5.
If these still images are photographs, my suggestion would be to NOT prep them in Photoshop first. Instead, set Photoshop as the external still image editor in FCP's preferences. Import the photos and add them to the Timeline to see how they look on your external TV monitor. If you see any that need adjustment, then you can right-click and ""Open In Editor" (Photoshop) to make the needed adjustments."

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In the end, I want normal SD 4:3 TV commercials. In FCE, it was a simple NTSC setting. Does my sequence in FCP need to be 4:3 or 3:2? Need a little education on this and can't find any explanation anywhere.
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What format is your source? I would never export out of FCP in that manner to achieve a frame rate conversion.
There are a couple of ways to change your footage from 23.98 to 29.97. The easiest I feel, is to select all the clips in your 23.98 sequence using CMD+A. Then copy (CMD+C),create a new 29.97 sequence and paste (CMD+V) those clips into your new sequence. Render and export a Quicktime Movie, Self-Contained.
However, I'm curious if you're shooting in HD based on your 23.98 frame rate. If you are, then you should be using a better SD sequence than DV which is 4:1:1 color sub-sampling. You may be throwing away half of your color information by working in that format.
Andy
Andy:
Using your method of copy/paste to a new 29.98 sequence solved the problem. Thanks.
What I had done to try out the new features in FCP vs. FCE was to create a 23.98 timeline (since I am shooting in SD 24pa with a DVX100A), add a Motion Master Template, add a few jpg's to the drop zones, add 3 NTSC-formatted jpg's to the end for the logos, add a Soundtrack music bed.
For future commercials, will likely be shooting 24pa footage, so wanted to figure out working in a 23.98 sequence. Just had not understood how to get it back to 29.98 for the cable company and broadcast stations. Your advice (copy to new sequence) makes it simple. Hopefully based on this info, I am still on the right track to accomplish my goal. I want to get the 24p look for some clients, but deliver the finished spots via upload to the stations' servers in a QT MOV.
If you have any other advice that would improve things, ready, willing and able to listen. Been Mac-ing since Mac Plus days, but new to FCP. Made the switch from Express with the access to 24p shooting. Thanks.
Message was edited by: Neil Whittey

FCP project not the correct aspect ratio when exporting to Quicktime

Hello All;
I am trying to export a FCP project in its native resolution (1440 X 1080) to Quicktime but everytime I try, the aspect ratio is messed up and people look taller and thinner than they should.
The project is a resolution of 1440 X 1080 as determined by examining the sequence settings in FCP.
I configure quicktime (see below) to a resolution of 1440 X 1080.
So why isn't my Quicktime video the correct resolution when I play it with the IMac's Quicktime player ? I shrink the player to 1/2 size to fit it all on the screen.
My exact settings are below ...
Export - Using Quicktime Conversion
Format - Quicktime Movie
Video Settings - Compressor - MPEG-4
Quality - Best
Not sure if I changed the framerate - if I did, I probably changed it to 29.97
I didn't touch the other settings in the video settings - left them to default
I didn't change the filter settings - I left them at default
Size - 1440 X 1080 (The actual resolution of my source video)
I checked the box - preserve aspect ratio using letterbox (If applicable)
Other settings were left at default
Sound Settings - Format - AAC
Rate - 48 KHZ
Render Settings - Quality - Best
Target Bitrate - 128 KHZ (This was left at default - I did not change it)
Prepare for Internet Streaming - Fast Start checked (This was default - I did not change it)
All other settings not specifically mentioned were left at default.
Thanks. Tim

I don't have much of an answer for you, but to test try not checking the preserve aspect ratio. Rather than reexport the entire 1 hour just export 10 seconds so that you can trouble shoot different things.
Hope that helps a bit,
Eric

FCP scaling/aspect ratio motion algorithms make good video soft?

I have tried everything, but converting 16:9 footage into a 4:3 timeline in Final Cut Pro makes the letter-boxed video soft. I have, of course, double checked against NTSC external broadcast monitor. Original 16:9 clips look great, when converted to letter box 4:3 timeline they go soft. ( I believe it is FCP ineptness in handling Pixel Aspect Ratio conversion from 1.2 to 0.9, but I would love to be wrong at this point) I know FCP has poor scaling algorithms to begin with, but this is a very obnoxious issue when capturing clips widescreen from the deck, but having your final output needing to be edited and taped off in letter-boxed format for SD broadcast.
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Editor
Sour Squirrel Studios, llc.

Patrick,
Thanks for the quick response. My motion filtering quality is set to "Best". After looking over the link you provided ( I will examine more thoroughly, but saw your response and wanted to re-post to answer your question.) I also tried switching to "Fastest (linear)" just to see if it would eliminate the softness/possible double lines, but of course, no luck. (Also, just to clarify, this is working all in SD.)
I would consider using Compressor or (After Effects for that matter), but I am editing using the letter box conversion because we occasionally are mixing in past regular 4:3 footage with the letter boxed 16:9. (the reg 4:3 being a minority of the clips) It is easier just to matte those 4:3 clips to match the converted 16:9 since there are fewer of them. If I fed the timeline to compressor then those clips (the reg. 4:3) would get interpreted incorrectly. I suppose I could just leave them out and re-insert them later, but depending on the number of them and how they are used that could be quite a work-around. It would be great if I could just get FCP to interpret the conversion internally (i.e. plugin) w/out causing quality loss. Sigh.
Everything else is set to 100%; editing 10- bit uncompressed, 10-bit material in High Precision YUV. I have tried multiple combinations of capture, codecs and vid processing options, but all seem to have the same result.
Thanks Again,
Dustin

Can fcp 5.4 use HD 1920 x 1080 footage in its proper aspect ratio?

I just got a Cannon Mark II 5D and am using fcp 5.4 to edit video.
I am not using capture and log... just dragging it in to the project bin. None of my project settings are 1920 x 1080. How do I set my aspect ratio properly?
And... to throw a kink in the mix. I did not realize this right away. I've been editing for a while. But, I'm set at a different aspect ratio. Can I change this midstream?
Thanks for you help.

Try the Final Cut Studio forum.

How to set : Pixel Aspect Ratio?

Hi,
what s'ld i set for my Pixel Aspect Ratio? Square? BTW, Recording using Consumer HD Cam (Panasonic SD100 and Canon HF10) .
and,
what is "Enable 4:4:4 chroma filtering" ? shall i CHECK it?
Thanks for now!

Hi Tom - sorry it has taken me some time to respond:
This is the thread I mentioned previously:
http://discussions.apple.com/message.jspa?messageID=10705428#10705428
In this thread you indicated:
"Hello,
Copy your 7D card data to a dedicated folder, use a card reader, retain all the files on the card.
Then use Log and Transfer in FCP, at that point you can choose to convert to Prores (LT) or
Prores. It works just fine. I suggest you use 30P, it is actually 29.97, and stay away 24P until
you feel comfortable with this workflow. You can use Toast 10 to archive these files.
There are other sites you should explore:
http://prolost.com/
http://philipbloom.co.uk/
They are exploring these new hybrid cameras very actively
Good luck, Tom"
I tried this to no avail. I'm also having problems with some of the 7D raw files (H.264) freezing on a frame 1/3 of the way through - and Quicktime craches - I haven't seen any information in the Apple forums that address this. Thanks for your input!
Paul

Setting output aspect ratio

I have a jpeg background with 1080p video scaled down to 16.2% overlayed over it. It also has a powerpoint (jpeg) overlayed on it. The final product is an instructor to the right of the powerpoint discussing his presentation. Everything is square pixels (1.0). My sequence is set to 996x625 the same size of the background .jpg. I need to output it to .mp4. in two sizes. When I set the height in my output settings to 996 and leave it set to maintain the aspect ratio, Premiere changes it to 996x560 and adds vertical letterbox. If I unlink the aspect ratio and change the width to 625 I get a message "Invalid frame size/frame rate for this level. Please lower the video bounds or frame rate, or increase the level and profile and try again"
I also wanted to make a second version reduced by 1/3 which is 664x374. Premiere allows that size, but adds letterboxing. If I am in the same ratio as the original I don't understand why it is letterboxed.
thank you

Projects to tend to go sideways at some point when using oddball sizing...best to stick with some sort of standard if at all possible, not just a random set of dimensions. Video encoders work on video content in blocks (matrixes) and odd numbers just don't fit into that world, as Jim stated.
Perhaps you could create a 720p sequence, copy the content of your curent sequence into it, and rework things a bit to fit? That will also then provide a smooth pathway to smaller "standard" encoding sizes such as 640x360.
Thanks
Jeff Pulera
Safe Harbor Computers

Color Changing Clip Aspect Ratio When Sent Back To FCP

Color... Love it...BUT...
When I send my sequence from FCP to Color, grade it, then send it back, the aspect ratio of all the clips is changed to 6.67.
I only corrected our new TV shows teaser so I was not to concerned with having to go into the motion tab in FCP to change each clips aspect ratio back to 0. However, I will grade the whole 80 minutes tomorrow and I don't have time to change each clip back.
In color I only change the Primary In.
Did not mess with the geometry.
I have the latest update.
And I have no clue....
Any help would be great.
Peace

Yup,
Like Fearless I find its best to not have FCP do the anamorphic squeeze. I never tag anything as anamorphic and just do it on the monitor. At the end of the project I'll nest into a timeline for output and do the squeeze there.
If everyone on this thread goes from within Color:
Color > Send Color Feedback
Please log this bug. The more of us that complain, the quicker they'll fix it. And this one is a killer.
- pi

AE changing aspect ratio of rendered frames

I'm rendering .png frames at NTSC DV, 720x480, Pixel aspect 0.9. My composition settings in AE are set to the same, however, when I import the frames they are listed as 720x480 (1.11). When viewed in the composition window the frames extend past the viewable area on both sides. Using AE 7.0.
Why is this happening, and how do I fix it?
Thanks in advance for any suggestions.

This is going to sound weird but it's the truth. The aspect ratio doesn't change the pixels. Aspect ratio only sets the interpretation - or tells a video app how to make those pixels fit in a desired space on a scan line. It's a lot like the PPI tag added to images intended for print. The tag has nothing to do with the actual pixels.
That said, if you can't find a setting for choosing pixel aspect ratio when you setup the output module and the render settings, then the PAR tag won't be added to the render. AE, or your NLE will then take a look at the frame size and make a guess as to PAR and field order. The guess may be wrong. If it is, all you have to do is go into the interpretation settings and change them.
I'd guess you're rendering to a DV codec. If so, there's no PAR tag so all you have to do is reset the interpretation. The same goes for Premiere or FCP or Vegas or any other NLE. Sometimes DV footage gets interpreted as the wrong PAR.
Hope this helps.

Sequence Aspect Ratio for HD

I am transferring HD video from AVCHD into FCP 6.0.4, and I need to know what the correct setting is for the aspect ratio (in the sequence preset editor). The footage is captured 1920x1080 at 30p. I plug that all in, but the only choice for plain HD at 16:9 is at 1440x1080. If I want to select 16:9 it's called HDTV 1080i???
Can someone help me understand why there is not a setting for HD 1920x1080 in that window? Is it normal for me to have to select 1440x1080? Even though all the other settings are at 1920x1080???
Also, do i have to check anamorphic 16:9?
Thanks in advance!

I'm sorry, I'm a bit confused.
this time I set up my session/sequence to be for 1440x1080, transferred the media into the session. When I drag my first clip into the Canvas - the FCP pops up a window saying that the clip and the sequence don't match. I tell it to correct it - and it puts it back to the 1920x1080 - HDTV 1080i setting.
What am I doing wrong? Should I be converting it differently?
And which is correct - anamorphic or no???
Thanks

Letterbox Aspect Ratio Issues

I apologise if this has already been posted, but I am having some trouble with getting fcp to display the correct aspect ratio for some footage I shot.
I filmed it in PAL on a Panasonic DVX100 in Letterbox. When I put it into FCP it appears squashed. This happens regardless of whether I choose normal DV PAL or DV PAL Anamorphic.
Sorry if it is something really obvious.
Thank you in advance.
Jack

Jack Boswell wrote:
When I put it into FCP it appears squashed.
I take it you mean horizontally squashed, making the picture (and consequently people in it) tall and thin as opposed to vertically squashed, making it short and fat. If so then technically you shot 16:9 anamorphic, not letterbox, despite how it appears in the viewfinder.
Jack Boswell wrote:
This happens regardless of whether I choose normal DV PAL or DV PAL Anamorphic.
As what? clip or sequence settings? If the clips are not marked anamorphic then changing the sequence setting won't help. Make sure that the clips are set to anamorphic (right click>item properties>format), and then make an anamorphic sequence to work in.

Squeeze Mode - Aspect Ratio

This is what I am doing...
I have multiple video signals coming into a mix board. The mix board goes into my computer. I am recording the signal into FCP. All the my cameras are shooting in squeeze mode to fake the 16:9 aspect ratio.
This is what I want...
I want FCP to automatically adjust the aspect ratio so I don't have to render the video after the session is over.
Is this possible?
What do I need to do?
To answer these questions do you need more details?

That's right. Anamorphic is squeezed video. This is standard in standard definition. Depending on the format it goes to, there is a setting that lets that program/player/whatever know that it is widescreen and should be stretched out. With HD it is true widescreen. However, if you want to go to the Internet or something where it's displayed on a computer, it should be set to it the equivalent in square pixels, which is 853:480 (sometimes 854 is used when a program can't read an odd number). Quicktime will also recognize it as 720:480 widescreen if you output it correctly for the same reason stated above, it's marked that the program has to stretch it when displayed.

Aspect ratio issues with SD box and no help from Verizon

I just renewed my 2 year contract which included a free box but a billing screwup resulted in repeated charges for the box. A CS rep credited the account and said I had the wrong box and she would send out a new one.
i had a 7100 Motorola HD box. I have an older television set (that cannot control aspect ratio) and I have never had HD service but this was the box I was sent by Verizon as part of my contract. Why they felt it had to be changed I don't know, but ..... the box they sent was a 2500 SD box which does not give me an acceptable picture.
It's totally random. Some channels are 16:9. Some are overzoomed 4:3. The FIOS channel bar at the bottom is partially off the screen and the content is clipped around the edges. Commercials are totally random in size and appearance.
The # key on the remote does not work. There is no option in Settings to change the aspect ratio.
CS was ZERO help. They concluded that I had to either deal with the scattershot image sizes and clipped image content or go buy another television. SERIOUSLY VERIZON?
I couldn't get an answer as to why the box I was sent by Verizon as part of my original contract that provided a perfectly acceptable image had to be replaced with a box that doesn't provide squat. I have had Verizon service for approximately 7 years with this same television and this is the first time I've been given a box that can't produce an acceptable image and a remote that can't resize. So why now?
This smells like a bait and switch, or an attempt to get customers to pay for an upgraded box for a service they don't want just to get an acceptable picture. I live in an urban area and there is plenty of older equipment in these homes. So are customers like myself just being told even though you pay a significant amount of money for a Triple Play you are only getting 2 parts of the service?
I find it hard to believe there isn't some way to make the box or the remote change the image size. Can anyone help?

why do so many topics go to private section? we need to see how it's responded to in case we have the same problem..
but yes, our 2500 sd box, basically the 4:3 standard non HD box broadcasts to fit a 4:3 TV.. now some channels will have the black bars on top and bottom to accommodate the 16:9 aspect ratio.. you'll notice this if you run the 2500 box on a flat screen.. if you have it in 16:9 ratio on a flat screen it looks stretched.. the only way to watch regularly is in 4:3 mode.. which basically has the image with bars on all sides.. or you can zoom it and lose a portion of the image.. but it's because the box thinks you're using a 4:3 sd tv so the boxes appear on top and bottom so it can still fit the wider image it's filmed in.. so with flat screens you need the HD box i guess.. unless there is something i'm missing but there isn't a setting that i can find to change how the box exports the image for a flat screen or 4:3. I know the HD boxes have an 'SD Override' option.. which i guess tells the box you're not using a 4:3 tv anymore.. but that option is not on the 2500 SD box.. believe me i looked.. but this is all in reverse for your issue anyhow as you're having trouble with the SD box on an SD TV... which yeah, if you run SD the quality of picture is not as good as the HD programming.. so please let us know what they say to do for you.

Remove custom aspect ratio

Hi all,
I set up some custom aspect ratios in the crop and straighten tool window for a project I was working on. Now that I'm done w/ them I would like to remove them from the drop down menu. Can some one tell me how this is done?
Thanks,
Mike

As Pete says, they get overwritten with new ones, but that only answers the question indirectly. You can't remove them from the list and make the list empty, except by deleting the preference file. This removes all customisation though, and returns Lightroom to first install preferences. Not something to do lightly, because all of the print/slideshow/web settings you've used are stored there also.

Quality and aspect ratio with FCE and iPhoto

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Then imported into FCE and did serious editing (music, effects, titles, etc.). When finished I tried exporting as both a QT self-contained movie and QT conversion (using DV/DVCPRO and 16:9) but the quality is terrible and when I make a iDVD the picture is squeezed and distorted into a 4:3 ratio despite the fact that the IDVD is set to 16:9. I have spent over a month on this project and have fellow travelers waiting for my “creative” touch. Can anyone tell me where I went wrong on both aspect ratio and quality? Thanks.
PS: Am using MacBook Pro, OS 10.7.4 FCE 4.0.1 and iPhoto-11 9.3.2

Hi
I'm not shure - but I can share my thoughts
I tried exporting as both a QT self-contained movie and QT conversion (using DV/DVCPRO and 16:9)
I DO NEVER - Use Export as QuickTime CONVERSION
I DO - Share as QuickTime .mov - straight off
I had problems with 16x9 until I understood that
• I had to select type of project as WideScreen in FC
• Browser Window in FinalCut E and Pro - can extend far to the Right with several Columns. One Column states Anamorphic. When set my material to this. THEN introduced it into TimeLine. Can not be done in after hand.
• Export as above
• In iDVD there are TWO places to set 16x9
- When creating a NEW iDVD Project - SELECT --> WideSrceen
- In iDVD Project / Projectinfo [ Shift+cmd+I ]- ALSO set 16x9
Yours Bengt W

FCP sets arbitrary -12.5 Aspect Ratio

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