Final Cut Express Format Help

Hello,
I have a short film completed. Shot on a Nikon D-90, in HD 1080X720. 24p. It is AVI. Yes laugh. Final Cut Express is what I have to use at the moment. What is the best thing to do with my avi footage to edit and then export, maintaining as much quality as possible. I have edited some scenes compressed with Apple Intermediate Codec but after burning a sequence to watch it on an external monitor, the quality is worthless. Any advice is much appreciated. Is it worth the time to delay the project until I can use Avid Media Composer?

As Tom says, the best way to not lose quality would be to edit it in a program such as Final Cut Pro that supports 24fps. Short of this, converting it to Quicktime and exporting as Quicktime Movie should help.
Quicktime Conversion is good for making smaller file sizes for web export, etc. However, this is compressing the media. Because you have already altered it to make it usable, this compression could result in blurry images with large quality loss. If you plan to export it as a DVD or simply watch it on your computer, you should export as Quicktime Movie, which does not compress it as the Quicktime Conversion does.

Similar Messages

Final Cut Pro to Final Cut Express -- Format issues?

Hi,
I'm shooting a project on a Panasonic HVX-200A, and my cameraman is going to import the footage to his Final Cut Pro station. He's then going to transfer the FCP footage and data over to an external hard drive, which I am going to use to edit the film using Final Cut Express.
Will there be any formatting issues if I bring the data from Final Cut Pro to Final Cut Express?
Thanks!!
Sameer Ketkar

Clip files can be easily imported into FCE if they are QuickTime DV-NTSC/DV-PAL or Apple Intermediate Codec (720p30, 1080i50/60). If they are other formats/codecs they should be converted to DV or AIC before importing into FCE.
FCPro project files cannot be imported into FCExpress.
I'd suggest a trial run before committing the project to this workflow.

IMPORTING MEDIA FILES in FINAL CUT EXPRESS PLEASE HELP!!!!

I recently purchased a sony handycam that uses a hard drive instead of DV tapes. I'm trying to use final cut express to edit my footage but when I try to import the files from my camera, the files are unrecognized. I've tried to view them on the quicktime player and that also doesn't recognize them. I believe the files are MPEG2. Im a student and I have to finish this video project by next week and I was hoping to at least have gotten started tonight but have been spending hours just trying to import files. I'm terribly confused!!! If anyone knows what I should do PLEASE HELP. I don't want to have to do my editing on my dell laptop using a windows movie maker.

Those type of files are not directly supported by FCE. You will have to convert them to DV at the Sequence setting you use. eg. PAL 48 kHz.
Software or hardware based solutions are available.
Search this Forum for "Streamclip". This is one software solution.
Al

Beginner Final Cut Express 4 (Help)

Well i have just recently bought a canon vixia hv40 along with Final Cut Express 4. Before Final Cut Express 4, the only experience i've had with editing software is imovie 6 HD and imove 09'. So its been kinda of tough figuring out this program, but one main question i have is how do you upload videos to youtube in HD. I see so many videos online that look awesome (shot with Canon Vixia HV40) and when i uploaded a video it had the black bars on the side and the quality was "ok". So if anyone could help me with this, i would be very thankful.
P.S. I own a Mac Notebook about 1yrs old

Launch MPEG Streamclip.
Drag one of your native camera files into the box.
Go to the menu File > Export to Quicktime . . .
When the settings Pane opens, set as follows (note that the compression is set to Apple DV/DVCPRO-NTSC)
Click Make Movie.
Drag or import the converted file into FCE.
MtD

Final Cut Express 4 help!

Hi guys, just wondering if you could help me.
I bought my first macbook years ago now and when I got it I bought Final Cut Express 4. FCE4 came with two serial numbers. I installed it onto my new mac using one of the serial numbers.
Not long after my friend had an incident with my mac (spilt a drink on it) LOL, so not long after I managed to get a Macbook Pro. I installed FCE4 on to my new Macbook Pro using the second serial number.
A couple months back I got myself a new iMac. I was wondering is there a way to take the licence off my original macbook and put it onto my new iMac. I will never use my original Macbook again because it doesn't work properly, but would like to take FCE4 off of there and put it on my new iMac.
Is there a way of doing this?
Thanks for your help!

Normally FCE only ships with one serial number, but there are usually two stickers (both have the same SN).
To install on your new computer, use the original install discs and enter the serial number when prompted. After installation, run Software Update to bring FCE up to the latest version update available. You do not have to "take the license off your original MacBook" but you can uninstall FCE and all components (if your old computer still works) by using this utility: http://www.digitalrebellion.com/fcsremover/
-DH

Final Cut Express Camera Help

I have a Panaonic PV-DV900 camera and when I try to connect it to FCE via firewire, it gives me a message that says it can't located the external device. I have to get this video done by tomorrow and would really appreciate any help I can get. Do I need to do something special to get it to connect so I can capture the video??? Please help! Thank you!

What are your "Easy Setup" settings? (Final Cut Express menu).
In what order do you do the following:
--connect your camera to the computer
--turn on your camera
--start FCE
Ross Hunter
Orange, VA

The best video converter for Final Cut Express format?

I used to have a registration code for Visual Hub so I could convert files from my video camera so they would work with final cut express. My computer crashed awhile back so I lost my registration information (they are no longer selling these codes). Does anyone know a really good (fairly easy to use) video converter? Or maybe like to share a registration code :-)!

I would like one that can do many different formats like Visual Hub did, but the file I am converting is a MPEG file. Also, I have some stuff that I made into a DVD using a Sony DVD burner and I needed to get those files converted.

Final Cut Express HD Help

I'm a teacher and I made a video for my students. I used Snapz to capture the video and it plays crystal clear. However, when I use Final Cut to edit it, and export it, it came out very blurry. I used File>export >quicktime converstion the then .mp4 using .h264 and HD quality; but the image is really blurry. My video is shot at 1920x1200 so the original video is higher than HD quality. Do you know what's wrong? I feel that it must have been some settings- where it compressed the video too much.

A number of things. 1920x1200 is not a video format. You have to work in a correct video format. What codec are you using from SnapzPro? Try using Photo-JPEG. Finally, SnapzPro does not generate frame rates correctly. They appear as 10fps in Final Cut and have to be interpolated. I don't know where you're trying to get to but an HD size image using H.264 will have to have a very high data rate like 18,000kb/sec to be good quality, and will make for a very large file.

Photos used in Final Cut Express

WHen I include photos from iPhoto in my Final Cut Express movie and put the movie to DVD; some of the photos displayed on the TV are good while others are distorted and jump or flicker while displaying. It appears that the ones that are 800K or less display good while those that are about 2GB are the problem. Apple care told me that the photo resolution when taken photos to use in Final Cut Express HD should be set at 720x480 or there abouts.. No where in any documentation can I find this information. Even when I put in a call to the Final Cut Express technical help they could give me an answer. Can anyone help with this... MY DV camcoreder clips display perfectly.. Ken Landgraf

(I'll assume you meant 2MB, not 2GB, Ken.)
I also expect you are talking about distortions when you zoom and pan the photos. 720x480 is okay for still photos and it resolves to about the resolution of a TV screen. If you want to zoom in, you should guess the magnification and approximate the dimensions so that the zoomed portion resolves at about 720x480. A 2MB photos is likely to be from a 4megapixel camera (highest resolution setting) and 2300x1700 pixels.
Note that a 'still' photo in FCE will usually look sharper than on a TV because of the whole chain of 1950s technology that produces a TV image.
If you are commenting on distortions you see when watching your video in FCE, you really need to 'render' the video and watch it on a TV monitor. 'Jumpiness' can be an artifact of the RT rendering or (lack of) TV interlacing.
If you are zooming in/out of images and you're seeing lots of sparkly artifacts, like shimmering on water ripples, try adding a 'gaussian blur' and/or 'flicker' filter to a clip. Either will soften artifacts without much blurring of either the zooming image.

Missing Chapter Markers from Final Cut Express

I have created DVDs with chapters using iMovie and iDVD. No problems. Now I have upgraded to Final Cut Express HD, and I cannot get iDVD to see its chapter markers.
I have followed the Knowledge Base article to the letter. I was careful to have nothing selected in the time line when applying markers. Following hints in this forum I have tried exporting either Chapter Markers or FCP Markers. I have tried exporting the Quicktime movie self contained or not. I have tried restarting Final Cut Express, which helped when other FCX features locked up after long sessions.
I'm stuck. Can anyone suggest something else to try?
Powerbook 12" 1.5 GHz Mac OS X (10.4.3) FCX HD 3.0, iDVD 5.01, Tiger 10.4.3

Hi Al Q,
Welcome to the Discussions.
Suggestion,two things to check:
Open the exported QuickTime movie in QT Player, do you see the chapter markers (a pop-up menu below the viewer)? If it is, then the export from FCE is okay, otherwise, something is still not correct in FCE.
Check the iDVD's Preferences, is the "automatically create scene selection menus" enabled?
Power Mac G4 (QuickSilver) Mac OS X (10.4.3)

A few quick questions before I buy Final Cut Express

I am looking into purchasing FCE because iMovie doesn't meet my needs.
I am currently using Pinnacle Studio to make music highlight videos.
A lot of what I do requires slow motion, or speeding the video up to match the music.
I also use effects like "old film" scratches and sepia tones or B&W.
Does it sound like Final Cut Express will help me????
Thanks,
Chuck

Hi(Bonjour)!
FCE HD can does those effects and many more.
But you'llo have to follow a steppier learning curve than iMovie.
Michel Boissonneault

HELP ME PLEASE!!!!!! Sony HDR SR-11 and connecting it to final cut express

I just got this new Sony HDR SR-11. I recorded a short clip and wanted to put it in my computer. I have Final Cut Express 4.0. So when I got the camera hooked up and went into the cameras files, not with final cut yet, tried to look for the files. Confused I went to a sony support site and it told me how to get to them , for a mac. I found the video file and copied it to my desktop. It was in that wierd black and grey shinney box format and said excu on the top , i think. I clicked it...Nothing. I opend it with quick time....Nothing. So I called up sony and after a long discussion the operator said that I needed to buy the MPEG-2 codec for quick time. which I did and...Nothing. So I called up again this new guy says i need Final Cut Pro to read HD files. Which Im pretty sure I dont. So I open final cut, i go to capture and...Nothing. PLEASE HELP ME. IM SOME WHAT NEW TO MACS AND I HOPE SO ONE OUT THERE CAN HELP ME
THANK YOU IN ADVANCE

I have been trying for three days to the same thing.
I did get the video content off my camera via imovie 08 but the quality is very poor.
Haven't worked out how to improve the quality yet, I also tried importing the video
via ADVC 110 analog conversion device but that doesn't improve the quality.
I do have Final Cut Pro & MPEG-2 Codec and have been searching for the video in the camera's
hard drive but can not find it.
Can you tell me where Sony told you to find the video files so that I can try & import it to Final Cut Pro.
Thanks
KGovey

Hey, I have Final Cut Express 4.0.1 and a JVC everio camera, whenever i try to import my files to FCE via "Log and transfer", it just doesn't do anything, as if FCE doesn't know the camera is there, please help !

Hey,
I have Final Cut Express 4.0.1 and a JVC everio camera.
Whenever i try to import my files to FCE via "Log and transfer", it just doesn't do anything, as if FCE doesn't know the camera is there,
please help !

FCE 4.0.1 can only capture DV/HDV which is produced by cameras using Mini-DV TAPES and cameras shooting AVCHD which is a high definition format.
If your camera shoots standard definition on Memory Cards, DVDs or Hard Drives it will not work in FCE.
What is your camera's exact model name and number?

Sony DCR-TRV140 w/Final Cut Express 4 - Capture format question

A big thanks to the forum for patience and direction. You all have helped me get an older digital camcorder hooked up to the Mac to date.
I'm now able to capture video from the camcorder to FinalCut Express.
So, on to today's question...
I have a Sony Digital Handycam DCR-TRV140. I know that it's NTSC (mainly because it says so right on the side of the camcorder). But I don't know what capture settings to use in Final Cut Express to get the best quality video onto the Mac, and ultimately onto DVD's or digital files I publish to my family over the net.
So when I go to the menu path Final Cut Express -> Easy Setup, I have a number of options to choose from... I (think) that I know that the best format option to choose from the dropdown is NTSC... But I don't know what to choose from the drop down list.
Here's a picture of the drop down list:
https://wu20hg.blu.livefilestore.com/y1pNUoJrOOSdf-4NJq3OjEIyrt38TEU64-Pid2LRNbw kG9grywxFV1qA2NshK8uSxl6eiTlYiq4uNbG86CJRUantQ/FinalCutExpressTim1.tiff
Specifications for the Sony camcorder can be found here:
http://www.sonystyle.com/webapp/wcs/stores/servlet/ProductDisplay?catalogId=1055 1&storeId=10151&langId=-1&productId=11027762
or here
http://www.amazon.com/Sony-DCRTRV140-Digital8-Camcorder-Streaming/dp/B0000634T4/ ref=cmcr_pr_producttop
Can you help me decide what is the best option to choose? If it depends, maybe you could explain what it depends on...?
Many thanks!
Tim

The differences among the Easy Setups have to do with audio sample rate, device control, and widescreen shooting.
The Anamorphic setups are for widescreen. If your camera doesn't shoot widescreen (16:9), you can ignore them.
DV media is generally recorded with audio at 48kHz or 32kHz. Choose according to the audio recorded by your camera (some offer different record options). If you capture with the wrong audio selected in your FCE Easy Seutp, you'll get a warning message at the end of the capture.
What FCE Setup are you using at present? I'm guessing it's either DV-NTSC Firewire Basic or DV-NTSC DV Converter. If that's working for you, stick with it.

Preferred input format with VHS via Canpous 55 to iMovie/Final Cut Express

I am using VHS deck to Canpus 55 to iMovie 08/MacBook Pro.
I do the input to iMovie 08 as it is less problematic for input than Final Cut Express and also I can share these with family for their video making in iMovie.
However I import the video files from iMovie events to FCE for editing.
1. I notice the VHS-to Canopus-to iMovie are .dv files with frame size 720x480 and compressor file says DV/DVCPRO - NTSC, not Apple Intermediate Codec.
2. I also import AVCHD files and those are frame size 960x540 and compressor is Apple Intermediate Codec.
When I bring the .dv files in from iMovie 08 to FCE, I sometimes get the warning about the files not in the standard settings and the drop down list of settings include Apple Intmediate Codec in various choices and the NTSC in various choices.
Should these be somehow standardized or will the eventual output be ok? I had one VHS 15 min segment look great on the computer in iMovie, then FCE but was very digitized after output to iDVD.
Thanks for the help.

misterdmmc wrote:
... and I also don't have Imovie.
you do.
on the Installer Disks, your Mac came with, there's 'Installed software', which allows to install the iLife Package only.
for most of your needs, esp. being no professional editor , iM offers all you need:
https://sites.google.com/site/karstenschluter/how-to-make-a-vidcast
shows you how to use pic-in-pic, green-sceen, integration of 'charts' and other 'effects' of iM, to produce a vidcast.
-Subtitles
'Subtitles' is for me a switchable feature on DVD ... if you mean 'titles in lower third' - any editor offers this. what iM does NOT offer, is a free-locatable title (or e.g. logo-bug), but there's a simple workaround working with transparent pngs, see my site too ....-
-Split screen video. Half/Half or Full screen for one video source, and a tiny screen say on the top left of another source...
side-by-side? iM no, FC yes.
-Export video in ipod compatible format
afaik, any Apple video-app allows that ..
general advice:
• iM is meant for consumers - convenient, but limited.
• FC/e or /p is meant for (semi)professionals - what iM offers as a 'one click done'-solution, is a many-steps-process with some background-knowledge and understanding needed.
• for sure, FC offers MUCH more options .. any option, you'll soon get lost
• the learning curve for FC is steep! buy a book of master-mind TOM WOLSKY, who generously participates here at this board ...-
• I don't see a need for you in spending 1.000$ more for the FC/pro suite ... Motion? Color? Compressor? Highly complex tools for even more complex processing ...
I would 'play' with iM to get familiar with your project - what do you need, how should it look? if you reach the limits, have a look at FC/e at any Apple-store ... if it doesn't scare you, get the app and the book, and spend some months studying ...
and Welcome misterdmmc to the  boards ...

Final Cut Express Format Help

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