How can I save a "trimmed" QuickTime movie at original high rez?

Question

I use QuickTime 10.1
In the past, after lobbing off part of a QT movie using the "Trim" function, I was never asked what quality to save it in, it just saved when I clicked Save. I never imagined I was losing quality by saving a trimmed movie.
Now, however, when I click Save a window pops up giving me two choices: 480p or 720p. Are we to assume the movie we're working on was no greater resolution than 720 to start with? Or is our movie being condensed against our will?
A test suggests the latter is true. Even if I lob off just a teensy bit, a file saved at 720p is VASTLY reduced in size. What is going on here, and how can I save my movies at the same high quality they start out with? I find nothing in Help about this.
Secondly, if I may slip this less important question in as well: Sometimes when I click Save I get an error message that "This operation cannot be completed," and QT crashes. This has happened a number of times, and I can't see that I'm doing anything wrong. Any clues?
Many thanks.

Answer 1

In the past, after lobbing off part of a QT movie using the "Trim" function, I was never asked what quality to save it in, it just saved when I clicked Save. I never imagined I was losing quality by saving a trimmed movie.
Are you referring to a previous version of QT or your current v10.1 Lion version? Since the introduction of Snow Leopard and QT X v10.0, Apple has been moving towards a single combined "Save", "Save As...", and "Export" function with the name shifting from "Save" to "Export" as it evolved. (I.e., in the latest Mountain Lion rendering you are advised to read the "pop-up" option description to tell if you are performing a "Save/Save As..." or an "Export" action.)
Now, however, when I click Save a window pops up giving me two choices: 480p or 720p. Are we to assume the movie we're working on was no greater resolution than 720 to start with? Or is our movie being condensed against our will?
Since you have not indicated the encoded or anamorphic dimensions for the file you are working on, it is difficult to determine if the QT X player is acting normally or not here. Basically, whatever you are doing is triggering an export action which limits the dimensions to specific category levels. You cannot, for instance, export a 1280x544 (2.35:1) aspect file to a 1920x816 (2.35:1) aspect file but you can export it to a 720p 2.35:1 aspect file because it woud fit within the 1280x720 defined 720p dimension window. I.e., unlike QT 7 Pro, the application will not let you "upscale" the source file during the encode since this would reduce export quality and is the same as exporting the file at its current dimensions and simply rescaling the playback dimensions—a much faster workflow. As to "being condensed against our will," this could be the case in some instances. For instance, a 1280x720p30 file might be re-compressed to a 960x540p30 file for mobile device compatibility which, in turn, usually depends on the specific method of accessing the export action.
A test suggests the latter is true. Even if I lob off just a teensy bit, a file saved at 720p is VASTLY reduced in size. What is going on here, and how can I save my movies at the same high quality they start out with? I find nothing in Help about this.
If you are referring the to QT 7 Pro "Save As..." workflow and you still have your QT 7 Pro registration key, then the obvious answer would be to install the QT 7 v7.6.6 Player and key it for "Pro" use. Both QT players can be installed and used under OS X v10.6, v10.7, or v10.8 simultaneously. (I.e., by default QT X installs and runs/updates in "Applications" folder while QT 7 Pro installs and runs/updates from within the "Applications/Utilities" folder where they should be left.
Secondly, if I may slip this less important question in as well: Sometimes when I click Save I get an error message that "This operation cannot be completed," and QT crashes. This has happened a number of times, and I can't see that I'm doing anything wrong. Any clues?
This would be more difficult to answer. Since QT X is a product "in development" and has proven to be less stable than QT 7 Pro and includes far fewer editing features, I, for one, do not use it for any serious edits no matter how minor they may be. On the other hand, I have no real problems with its playback and conversion features as long as I work within the application's intrinsic limitations as it continues to evolve.