Final Cut Express HD: Importing

So I bought final cut, and some HD screen recording software.
Once I had edited my video, I went to export, but it came out very low resolution, even though the original was 1080p.
I thought it was how I was exporting, until I realised upon importing into final cut, the clip was suddenly SD.
What am I doing wrong here?
Final cut express 4 HD

some HD screen recording software
What software? What export settings, specifically codec, frame size & frame rate.
The more specific you can be about your setup the more likely we will be able to help you.
Final Cut Express is designed to work natively with QuickTime DV (NTSC/29.97 or PAL/25) and QuickTime AIC (Apple Intermediate Codec 1080i50/60 or 720p25/30). Your video clips need to conform to one of these selections. FCE does not support 1080p or 24fps footage although there are some workarounds for 1080p. If you search the FCE discussions you will find previous posts about dealing with 1080p footage.
When you import DV, HDV or AVCHD video directly from a camcorder, FCE takes care of saving the video in the proper format/codec provided you have first selected the appropriate FCE Easy Setup (see FCE > Easy Setup.) This is not the case when you import video from other sources - usually you have to convert or transcode those clips yourself first. The default FCE Easy Setup is DV NTSC - that's why you got 4:3 standard def output. If you have other types of video, you need to change your Easy Setup before creating a sequence, importing clips and editing.
Because FCE is based on QuickTime it is possible to import all sorts of video but that doesn't mean that FCE can actually work with it, work with it well, or produce acceptable results. The best approach is to make sure your clips match what FCE is capable of editing natively.

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Is it really true that Final Cut Express cannot import full HD footage?

I have seen a comment on the Apple store website for Final Cut Express saying that FCE cannot import 1940 1080/ 60i/24p/30p frame rates, converting them to a degraded 1440 1080 14p instead!
I have bought a Canon HF100 on Ebay, and it is shipping from Canada to Britain by surface mail, so I have a few weeks to sort out my editing software. I was planning to buy FCE, but when I saw that comment I was surprised to think Apple haven't got a leading edge program for editing HD footage, which is the coming thing. I have trawled through all the posts in this forum, but with my head spinning I am still not sure what FCE can do.
So in desperation I am asking for a simple answer from someone: can I import the best quality footage I will shoot on this camera and retain that quality in FCE, or do I have to look for another program? And what would that program be? Please help me!

Hi Ian, thanks for getting involved with my potential fiasco to help me out! I have just been on ebay and saw a british person selling a vixia camera, so I messaged him to ask about this issue, and this is what he has replied:
"A good question! You are quite right, UK frame rates are 25p and 50i. This used to be an issue with analogue cameras with NTSC vs PAL, but with HD, it is no detriment at all, in fact it is an advantage. Firstly, it means you get more frames per second, so you get less blurring with fast moving objects and have more raw material to work with; secondly, HD TV's will automatically recognise the format and play the footage with no issue; finally, if you do need to output at 25p or 50i, any decent editing package will convert the frame rate. A quick bit of maths shows that a long GOP under 25/50 is 0.6s long, whereas under 30/60, it is only 0.5s. I import the clips into the PC, edit them, render into a single file, then use Nero 9 (the only software currently able to do this) to create an AVCHD folder back on the camera, so that the finished film can be played out in glorious full HD using the HDMI port. Hope this helps! "
I'm not really clear on what he is saying with regards to showing the footage... can only play it via the camera? Means cannot burn DVD? Uploading to Facebook not an issue?
He says editing software can convert the frame rate, so can that be done in FCE? What do you say, Tom?

Final Cut Express File Import Problem

Can anybody help me? I am doing a class project with final cut express and I imported some songs in AIFF encoding into final cut to work with them…I finished the project but realized I made a huge mistake for class. When I imported the music files I did it from my flash drive directly, instead of copying them to my hard drive first. So when I try to open the project without the flash drive I get an error message saying missing files and then there is a reconnect, ok, and another button. This means it is searching for my flash drive for those source music files, plus the sound edits I made don’t load without them. If I copy those files from my flash to the hard drive how can I have the software locate the files in the new location? I can’t have this project loading from the flash or my professor can’t grade it after the semester….I hope I don’t have to delete my edits and start over….PLEASE HELP!!!!
Mac OS X (10.4.8)
Mac OS X (10.4.8)

Copy the song files to a folder on your hard drive. Then disconnect the flash drive. Start FCE, open your project. When you get the Reconnect Media message, be sure to check "Select Files Manually" and then follow the dialog boxes to point to the files in the folder you just created. Once FCE reconnects to the song files, save your project and you should be fine.

Final cut express HD Importing Video files

I've been trying to import quick time video files I have on my computer they were taken with a kodak easyshare camera model Z812IS. It was easy to import into the mac but when I try to import the files into Final Cut the icons are greyed out! Is there a way that I can convert the files so they are compatable? Will Final cut express 4 solve the problem? The fact is I have other video files on my mac that import just fine. I'm stumped hope you can help!
B

Try opening one in QuickTime Pro, and exporting them as DV files from there.
Jerry

Canon HV20 Compatibility with Final Cut Express

I cannot get the latest version of Final Cut Express to work with my new Canon HV20 video camera. I can get the video into iMovie 08, but nothing I try can get Final Cut Express to recognize the camera. I cannot import the imovie file either. It gives me an error. I can drag the video from the Hard Disk to Final Cut Express to import it, but that is cumbersome.

Start here:
http://www.fcpbook.com/Video10.html
Then come back and do this:
Please give your full system specifications, what computer, what drives, what camera or deck, how everything's connected, what settings are on the media, what settings you're using in FCE, and finally what version of the software, of the OS, and of QT are you using?

Importing itunes into final cut express

I just bought an IMAC with Final Cut Express to do all my video editing of my kids activities. I used Pinnacle Studio on my old PC prior to this but it finally gave out. I downloaded some music CD's I had into itunes and then tried importing the music into FCE. This is not working. I have no problem adding it to my imovies but it will not work with FCE. The music format is m4a which I think is typical.
I went to You Tube and watch several tutorials from some of fellow FC users and still cannot get it to work. There must be something I have to set up in FCE to get this to work but I do not know what that is. I been looking around the program and have not been successful. Any help any of you can provide would be great. Thanks.. Ron

Hi Ron, and welcome to the FCE Forum !
You should convert the audio files to AIFF, 48KHz (aka 16-bit) stereo before importing them into FCE. Neither CDs nor iTunes songs are in that format. You can use iTunes to do the conversion.
With a new Mac and Snow Leopard you probably have iTunes9. Open Preferences, then go to General > Import Settings, then select AIFF and set Custom Settings as 48KHz, 16-bit, stereo. Save the settings. Then in your music library, select the song(s) you want to convert and do Advanced > Create AIFF version. (Note: the format you selected in Import Settings controls what the Advanced > Create menu option does.)

I run Final Cut Express 4.0.1; I shoot with a Sony HDR-CX260V. How do I import from the camera directly to Final Cut, without having to go through the intermediate step of using iMovie?

I use Final Cut Express 4.0.1; I shoot with a Sony HDR-CX260V.
How do I import from camera to Final Cut without going through the intermediate step of using iMovie?

If you shoot in one of the following modes you should be able to Log & Transfer directly into FCE:
HD: 1920x1080/60i (FX or FH mode)
HD: 1440x1080/60i (HQ or LP mode)
SD: 720x480/60i
1080/60p (PS mode) seems to be the default mode in your camcorder. FCE only supports progressive video in 720p50 or 720p60. That's probably why you have had to import via iMovie.
It would be better to upgrade to Final Cut Pro X, the version currently supported. FCE was discontinued over 18 months ago and is not supported on Lion or Mountain Lion.

My current os x is 10.9.5, using final cut express vers. 4.0.1. I have imported .mov clips created with a older mac os x (lion) and converted them to import into fce. after doing this as well as putting clips on the fce timeline when playing back t.h

My current os x is 10.9.5, using final cut express vers. 4.0.1. I have imported .mov clips created on a older mac os x (lion) and when I wanted to import them into fce, a quicktime conversion window opened up and converted them (I haven't experienced this in the past). I then imported the converted quicktime clips into my fce project. After doing this I took selected clips and put those edited clips on the fce timeline. When playing the video back in the fce timeline,I noticed
1) the video wasn't playing back smoothly like the original content
2) when looking at the timecode reading of the timeline, the timecode was sputtering as well as the video and audio. I exported to quicktime just to see if that was consistent, it was.
When I play the converted quicktime content independently of fce, it plays normally (no sputtering of timecode, video and audio. Need help to resolve the sputtering playback of converted video content in the fce timeline. I've never experienced this before. Any suggestions?

When you say you converted the clips before importing them into FCE, did you convert to AIC or DV and do the converted clips match your FCE Sequence settings exactly? If not, go back and convert the original files again, using the intended Sequence settings as a guide.
-DH

How do I import an AVI file for use with FInal Cut Express

How do I import or use an AVI file with Final Cut Express?
Thank you. Do I need to convert my AVI file and what is the
easiest way to do that? Thank you.

You should convert the media to QuickTime. Without knowing any specifics most likely the simplest way is to use MPEG Streamclip.

Importing file from final cut express to final cut pro

Hello, I am taking a video I have been working on from final cut express and opening it into final cut pro on another machine. It brings footage over but completely incorrect. I am editing a music video and its basically taking the files and putting them out of sequence etc. When I first open up final cut pro it will say do you want to update this video to the new version which I expected to which I respond yes but its jacked up after that. Any suggestions?

Generally, I just drag the DV file from the finder to the iDVD menu window. Make sure you don't drag it to any Drop Zones, I think that might be your problem with the DV file showing up as the background. If you have default settings in iDVD, this drag and drop should then create submenus based on your chapter markers.
I'm not sure if you have any issues with the Chapters not showing up in QT. If you're expecting them to show up, then make sure that when you do the Export to QT that the option to include Chapter Markers is set. Upon conversion, you should see the Chapters within QT as well as when imported into iDVD.
Hope this helps!

Importing video files into final cut express

I am a pro tools engineer and have just dove into final cut express 4.0 to do some simple video editing.I have a cannon camera with a sd card.I archived the video to a hard drive so I could free up the card.I can not find a single piece of evidence that explains how I can import those files from my hard drive.Everything that is mentioned is comming from a camera.I also tried by the book importing a Imovie to start simple.No luck.It shows up in the directory but there is no video.Needless to say I am lost!!!!

If you still have the original video on the memory card, put it back in the camcorder. (Don't try to copy it back from your Mac to the card, however.) Connect the camcorder to your Mac via USB and try capturing the video via FCE's Log & Transfer function.
In most cases when people merely copy video files from a camcorder's memory stick or hard drive (usually AVCHD video) to the Mac desktop or a folder, they don't copy the full directory structure on the card, which is essential. Is that what you did when you 'archived' the video? Can you provide more specific info?

Importing HD footage to Final Cut Express?

I am going to edit my own wedding video and I am hiring a professional to shoot the raw footage in HD. I have a small, hand held Panasonic PV-GS300 that shoots in SD on Mini DV tapes. I understand that I cannot effectively upload HD footage through this small camera and still maintain the HD quality from the original footage. My conclusion is that I am going to have the HD footage converted into Quicktime files and loaded onto my external hard drive that I can import into Final Cut Express. Will somoene just confirm that this will work? Is there anything I am missing? I just don't want to pay for professional footage and ultimately not be able to edit it, so if you think I'm forgetting something or if there's a specific type of footage or setting that is optimal for Final Cut Express, please let me know and I can pass this on to my videographer. Thank you for your help!

Hi there,
Yeah, it should work fine to get the videographer to give you the files. Make sure he/she shoots in a frame-size of *1280x720, 1440x1080, or 1920x1080* at a frame-rate of 29.97fps.
Ask him or her if it is possible to give you the files in the *Apple Intermediate Codec* with *uncompressed audio* at 48kHz.
Sasha

Iam trying to import a short video in final cut express and I'm getting this error... File Error: 1 file(s) recognized, 0 access denied, 1 unknown. How do I solve this problem? The video is on my desktop it's an mpg.

Iam trying to import a short video in final cut express and I'm getting this error... File Error: 1 file(s) recognized. 0 access denied, 1 unknown. How do I solve this problem? The video is on my desktop and it's an mpg file. Please help me

Get a copy of MPEG Streamclip and convert your MPG file to QuickTime/Apple Intermediate Codec (AIC). In FCE, select one of the setups that uses AIC that best matches your clip (say, 1920x1080i60). Create a new sequence, then import the converted file.
Note that if your MPG file is actually MPEG2 you will also need the QuickTime MPEG2 Component in addition to MPEG Streamclip.
What was the source of the MPG file? How about if you open it in QuickTime, then do Window > Show Movie Inspector. Tell us what it says for codec/compression, frame size & frame rate.

Importing video from Sony HDR-SR12 to Final Cut Express 4.0

I have an iMac (iMAC5,1), Intel core 2 duo, 2 GHz processor speed and 1 Gb memory. I have a new Sony HDR-SR12 camcorder. I attempted to import the video to my iMovie 07, but was unsuccessful. I also attempted to import this video to my Final Cut Express 4.0 but had no luck either. I have no trouble importing my photos from the camcorder to PC, why such an issue with the video? Is there something I can do? I have heard that HD video is not compatible with iMovie 07, but shouldn't it work with Final Cut Express 4.0 or is it my iMac hardware?

In short, none of the above.
iMovie '07 and FCE4 are both compatible with HD video, and so is your iMac. If you would like us to help, it would be nice to know your workflow. How are you attempting within FCE to import the footage? Provide us some details here to work with and maybe we can be of more help.

Can I use Final Cut Express 4.0.1. to import movies from Panasonic VDR-D250?

Can I use Final Cut Express 4.0.1. to import movies from Panasonic VDR-D250 via USB 2.0? How? (page in handbook?)
Further specifications of this older camera:
USB 2.0
DVD-RAM (cannot be inserted in my MBP!)
50-PAL (signal)
MPEG2
Dolby Digital
I want to use FCE if possible but maybe could try to install the software of this camera on Windows virtual XP also on my MBP?

I forward an answer of Panasonic (written in German):
So Panasonic does not offer a software which is compatible with Apple!
Bezug nehmend auf Ihre Anfrage teilen wir Ihnen mit, dass der Camcorder
VDR-D250 die Videoaufnahmen nach dem DVD-Videostandard sowie nach dem
DVD-VR-Standard aufnehmen kann. Wir können jedoch nicht beurteilen ob Ihre
Software Final Cut Express 4.0.1 die Bearbeitung dieser Standards
unterstützt. Seitens Panasonic wird weder eine Apple kompatible software
noch Support für Apple Geräte angeboten. Wenden Sie sich diesbezüglich
bitte an Ihren Apple Händler oder Ihren Computeradministrator. Die
mitgelieferte Software des Camcorders ist ausschließlich für folgende
Betriebssysteme vorgesehen:
- Microsoft Windows 2000 Professional
- Microsoft Windows XP Home Edition
- Microsoft Windows XP Professional
Ob diese Software in einer virtuellen Umgebung genutzt werden kann ist uns
nicht bekannt. Um die mit dem Camcorder aufgenommenen DVDs an einem
Computer-Laufwerk auslesen zu können müssen diese vorab mit dem Camcorder
finalisiert werden. Ausnahme ist die Verwendung einer DVD-RAM.

Final Cut Express HD: Importing

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