How export to Compressor?

Q#1: I just upgraded to FCP 7.02 (but use FCP infrequently). I edited a program and went to export to Compressor, but Compressor no longer shows in Export (didn't it used to?). Do I use Export -- Quick Time Conversions -- Options -- Settings?
Q#2: The footage I edited was shot in HD: MPEG-4 AVC/H.264. Can you direct me to a link for a process to get the highest quality DVD from this (short of Blue Ray?)
Thanks! Duncan

#1 - FILE>SEND TO COMPRESSOR. Now it works in the background and you can continue to edit.
#2 - #42 - Quick and dirty way to author a DVD
Shane's Stock Answer #42 - David Roth Weiss' Secret Quick and Dirty Way to Author a DVD:
The absolute simplest way to make a DVD using FCP and DVDSP is as follows:
1. Export a QT movie, either a reference file or self contained using current settings.
2. Open DVDSP, select the "graphical" tab and you will see two little monitors, one blue, one green.
3. Select the left blue one and hit delete.
4. Now, select the green one, right click on it amd select the top option "first play".
5. Now drag your QT from the broswer and drop it on top of the green monitor.
6. Now, for a DVD from an HD source, look to the right side and select the "general tab" in the track editor, and see the Display Mode, and select "16:9 pan-scan."
7. Hit the little black and yellow burn icon at the top of the page and put a a DVD in when prompted. DVDSP will encode and burn your new DVD.
THATS ALL!!!
NOW...if you want a GOOD LOOKING DVD, instead of taking your REF movie into DVD SP, instead take it into Compressor and choose the BEST QUALITY ENCODE (2 pass VBR) that matches your show timing. Then take THAT result into DVD SP and follow the rest of the steps. Except you can choose "16:9 LETTERBOX" instead of PAN & SCAN if you want to see the entire image.
Shane

Similar Messages

Export using Compressor - How?

I just got DVDSP, v3, and now the "Export>Using Compressor" menu option is available. When I selected it, I couldn't figure out how to get my files to be accessible in Compressor without first doing a "QuickTime Conversion".....
So, why and/or how the purpose for "Export>Using Compressor"???
Or do I even want to do this? From what I read on the forums, it sounds like I will get the best quality final product on my pushing-the-time-limits DVD that was shot with marginally acceptable quality video (DV) by tweaking the presets in Compressor. So that sounds like I need to get uncompressed files into Compressor (....and figure out how to "tweak" it....).
If I just drop a .fcp (Final Cut Express Movie File) into DVDSP, will there be any loss of quality vs using Compressor on its own first?
Well, I guess this shows my inexperience, to be sure, and I apologize to the forum for asking "newbie" questions....
Thanks in advance for the help!
CD

There are no batch send to Compressor, but you should be able to send them one after the other and set them off in the Compressor queue.
after I start the first one the system locks me out until it is finished.
Not sure what's happening here. What versions are you using? This doesn't happen for me. I can set a number of projects one after the other to Compressor, set the process, submit it, and return to FCP to set up the next one. The Compressor queue goes through them one after the other in the order in which they're submitted.

Exporting using Compressor failed, and other awekward issues with FCP

Hi FCP gurus! I need your help!
Everytime I try to export using compressor, my submission fails.
I even try a sequence a exported as m2v on Monday, but today is not working.
Compressor will some times say "Unable to view preview, FCP is busy". When I press submit, it goes to Batch Processor but it either will immediately show FAILED or it will just not do any processing. When I quit and restart, then the submission appears as failed.
Also when exporting, FCP comes back with a pop message saying that 4 files went offline. When I try to reconnect them it says: "There are not clips selected that have files associated with them". So, why is FCP constantly not able to fine this files, if they are not been used?
I need to export a file for my soundtrack guy, and he needs MOV, preferable DV-PAL or Motion-JPEG or similar frame-based codecs. What are my options?
In any case, what the problem here is that I CANNOT export anything. What shall I do? I already restarted the computer twice, nothing.
I realized that I have files using in this project, saved in two different external harddrives, do you think this has anything to do with the issue?
I am using FCP 5.1.4
Thanks so much in advance!

First off, fwiw, I never "send to compressor." I export a self-contained QT movie, not a conversion. Then I run that through compressor with the appropriate settings. I like the self contained file, it becomes a master from which I can make all sorts of variations. The only difference, in theory between self contained and reference, is that if for any reason you lose the render files the reference movie will not work.
Q1 No.
Q2 see above
Q3 There is no such thing as uncompressed. It's just a different codec rather than a perfect copy of your timeline.
Q4 lots of reasons for making a conversion, but none of them are valid for making DVD's
Q5 Nothing wrong with letting DVDSP make the encoding-- just be sure to get into the preferences for DVDSP and set the destinations to a folder for the project, so you don't overwrite any other projects. Depending on how long the project is, you can let it encode in the bg while you set up your project, build the buttons etc. It's all the same encoding engine, whether is is done in compressor or dvdsp. I find it much faster to use compressor then to take to dvdsp becaue you can use quickcluster.
Now a couple of questions for you: what sort of footage are you using and what are your fcp sequence settings?

Exporting using Compressor problem

I have a 3 minute Motion sequence that I can't export in Compressor - it takes over 5 hours to get halfway through the process. It looks as though Compressor has crashed, it goes so slow.
Basically I need to make a DVD in DVDSP, urgently. I exported as an H264 Quicktime, which was a breeze, but that comes up as incompatible format when I import this asset into DVDSP.
What to do? Another CODEC? What MPEG 2 setting might work in Compressor?

I should add I've read a few posts hinting that Motion is pretty rubbish at lengths of 3 minutes and when you have masks, particles, replicators and a load of images (as I have) it's hard to export. I didn't know that - the manual doesn't warn us!!
Does rendering in Motion help with the export, or does that just help with smooth playback in Motion itself?
I exported the file as 10 bit uncompressed, just to see how big that .mov was, and it comes in at 4.3Gb. Hopefully that gives readers of this thread an idea.

Weird file format produced when exporting to Compressor

I em exporting to Compressor from FCP to create an MPEG 2 video. In the past, it's always produced an "_MPEG - 2 Video_." Now it's creating an _"MPEG-2 ( which is followed by a bunch of Japanese symbols)"_. Don't know why this is happening. The default app to open is now a Droplet instead of Quicktime. Also when I try to export to compressor I am getting a message of "Selection contains no media." I am able to work around this, but this is coinciding with this other problem.
I also recall that some of my MPEG - 2 files that were created as QTs have been converted (how? I don't know, but I am suddenly recalling) to this weird Droplet format.
Thanks for the help.

Hi,
this rings a bell, anyhow, here something to try:
-Try to export as QT movie self contained (this will keep identical quality) from FCP and import that in Compressor.
-- Use [this little application|http://www.digitalrebellion.com/pref_man.htm] to trash preferences of bothj FCP and Compressor (note: with preference manager you can back up and reinstall your current preferences if you wished to).
Finally something I'd rather suggest if I had more info handy, however,
--- In Compressor's main menu>Compressor>Click on reset background process then resbmit.
Any of all these help?
G.

Exporting in Compressor VS. exporting in FCP

Hey guys,
I've noticed that when I send a sequence for exporting through compressor it normally takes almost as 10 times longer for it to export compared to when I export directly in FCP. Why is it doing that and what can I do to make compressor export as fast as FCP or at least faster than how it is right now? I installed 8GB or ram on my iMac because I thought that would help but I guess not.
Thanks

Exporting using the Export QuickTime Movie command creates a clip using the settings selected and the render files generated by FCP. From a fully rendered timeline, even a self-contained movie can be output rather quickly.
Exporting using the Export Using Compressor command causes FCP to disregard the render files and re-render every frame in the timeline using the source footage and all applicable effects and filters. This can under some circumstances create a higher quality clip for Compressor to work with. The downside is that it takes a great deal of time and does not support all third-party filters. Another issue is that high quality .mov file is output for "insurance", so if Compressor fails or if you need to create another version of the timeline, you have to go back to the timeline and export again.
Many editors use a workflow that includes an Export QuickTime Movie to create the "insurance" clip, then load it to Compressor for whatever versions if the clip are needed (for example, MPEG-2 for DVD and H.264 for web distribution.) I have no data, but most editors feel that this workflow is substantially faster and involves less risk. The final upside is that FCP is not tied up for extended periods doing the export.

Export Using Compressor locks up FCP

Im kind of a newb to compressor so bear with me.... I was under the impression that when you export using compressor from FCP that you were still able to edit and work within FCP as compressor is a separate program. However, whenever i use the export using compressor option i get a dialogue box in FCP that says 'compressor processing' and then it goes through my whole FCP timeline frame by frame. I know in the past i have exported using that option and was still able to work inside of FCP while compressor rendered. Could i have possibly changed some settings in compressor to cause this to happen?

This also is normal when compressing an HDV source sequence into h.264.
HDV is a Long-GOP format, which requires a lot of processing power to decode. H.264 is also a highly compressed format, which also takes processor power to use.
Depending on your machine, you may want to look into how to set up a Quickcluster.

I can't export to compressor with FCPX send to compressor button.

I installed FCPX, Motion 4, and Compressor 4. When I try the "send to compressor" button, nothing happens. I can open compressor 4, I can "export using compressor settings" but I can't send a file to compressor to render. What I really want to do is render a new clip from part of my timeline. FCPX seems to only let me export (share) the entire timeline. Any insight into my problem would be apreciated.
Thanks

There are a lot of features I would like to request, how about being able to rename a duplicate project. Anyway, thanks for the answer. I still can't send even a full project into compressor using the send to compressor button. I did find I can use the export using compressor settings, then using the advanced menu I get a send to compressor button that does actually send my project to compressor. I can then select an in and out point and render a small sellection from my timeline.

Exporting from compressor to FCPX

Is there a way to export from Compressor directly to FCPX? I am trying to figure out how to best use my nMP. At the moment I am playing with the best way to import 4K mpeg-4 video from my gopro camera.
russ

Video is a new technology for me. I started my project building a 15 year video library of a apprenticeship process. So my focus is not in a less that 3hr video.
The nMP and TB changed the focus from a video library to a video data base. As I was just using FCPX to edit videos thinking of it as a library instead of a database, I really did not care about system design and work flow. When started playing with multiple databases on a TB2 drive, the focus of the project changed to building a video database.
I have five years of raw natural horse videos, there is no movie to be made, but when I want a video of an action or event, I need to be able to search for it. For the data base function I need optimized videos in my libraries so I can skim through the raw footage.
I am experimenting with 4K video seeing how I can import raw 4k video into my FCPX database as efficient as possible. One experiment was to use compressor and render the video into 422 using cluster function of compressor. It looks like the camera transfer rate is too slow to matter. Compressor has not been stable enough for me to really test and understand it. That is probably my issue. Yesterday, I was testing monitor/tb drive combinations to see which combinations were more efficient.
Now I am trying to figure out the most efficient way to import my Video from my GoPro camera. If I shoot 8 hours of 4k video, importing from a flash reader with compressor cluster technology and the batch system might be more efficient.
I am just sorting though my options.

Widescreen Export to Compressor - HELP!!

I've read a few threads about this, but am still having problems getting this to work. I've shot an entire movie in 16x9 format on my DVCAM (Sony PDX10). I imported into FCP 4.5 and set the sequence to Anamorphic. All looks fine on the viewer. However, when I try to export to Compressor, I use the 90 Minute High Quality Widescreen preset - but all i get is the 4:3 version on the preview.
Here's the weird thing: If I select a random clip and put it on another timeline NOT set to Anamorphic, when I import that to Compressor - voila. It looks widescreen as it did in FCP.
Any ideas how to sort this out? I have to get a DVD done pretty quick and this is driving me nutz!!
Eric

New Discussions ResponsesThe new system for discussions asks that after you mark your question as Answered, you take the time to mark any posts that have aided you with the tag and the post that provided your answer with the tag. This not only gives points to the posters, but points anyone searching for answers to similar problems to the proper posts.
If we use the forums properly they will work well...
Patrick

Export to Compressor or Export to Quicktime then into Compressor

Hi,
Already for a long I am wondering whether it would make a significant difference when you export video directly to compressor from FCP or indirectly via Quicktime to Compressor. If you have any experience regarding this, please let me no know.
Thank you

The main difference is that using the Export Using Compressor method, Compressor will look at the original format & framerate of each clip in your sequence and will render out based upon that. So if you have some higher quality clips in your sequence, Compressor will take that into consideration when producing the final encode. It could actually give you a slightly better quality picture.
If you were to export a movie first, then run that through Compressor, Compressor only sees the one file and one format.
MacBreak weekly produced a small episode that explains how Compressor works in this manner. It should answer your question.
http://www.pixelcorps.tv/macbreak89

How does Qmaster/Compressor distribute tasks?

I've been reading up on all of this and I don't understand how Qmaster and Compressor divy up tasks to the connected CPUs.
Lets say there's a sequence in FCP that needs to be exported to DVD. Does Qmaster/Compressor send bits of the audio and video to each CPU in the cluster or does each CPU get one task, like audio gets sent to one cpu, video gets sent to another cpu and any left over cpu's are left idle?
I guess I'm asking if Qmaster/Compressor divides up the work among all the CPUs for FCP exports/transcodes or does it just assign one task (audio or video) to a dedicated cpu in the cluster. I can't figure it out.
Thanks!
Too many to list Mac OS X (10.4.8)

If you use ref movies tho you can add machines that don't have FCP installed to your cluster (this does not violate the license terms either.)
The only thing w/ use ref movies is that all nodes need to be able to access the referenced footage at the same url, ie:
afp://myserver/sharedfootage
as long as sharedfootage is up, you are all set...
Good to know about the timeline tho - can you still segment jobs when coming off the timeline?

Exporting using compressor 2

On my powerbook using FCS I have a 105 min HDV sequence and I am exporting using fastest DVD encodeing because quality is not an issue because it is a reference DVD. After about 2 days of exporting it stops and I can only find the audio file but no video. This has happened a number of times recently and I don't know how to fix it. Am I doing something wrong? Is there a faster and easier way to down compress HDV to standard? I tried recording straight to DV tape but there are to many drop frames. I tried to export a uncompressed quick time then transfer that to my Mac Pro but that is giving me problems too.
What do I have to do to make a simple DVD?
Thank you
Vince

You'll have to compress audio separately. AC3 is a format that is preferred when mastering to DVD. Bring both the M2V and AC3 file into DVDSP and sync them up there.
When exporting through Compressor, you always have had to assign 2 settings to each source when encoding to DVD. M2V is a video only encode.

When exporting to Compressor, it starts re-rending everything! Why?

I edited a 2-hour project with 5 cameras in multiple images so could see all the cameras at once. It took a long time to render, many days, but at least that is done. Now, when I export to Compressor to make a DVD, it starts re-rendering everything! Not only that, it does not use any of the render files, because I noticed the compressed m2v does not include all the rendering. It will take more than 80 hours to compress! Not only that, when it is compressing, I can see it jumping a few frames forward, a few frames back, forward, back, etc...but I told it to do 1-pass compressing! Arghhhhhh.....! (Mac G5 Dual 2.3 GHz, 1 GB Ram.)
I tried a test of sending just a simple project with one video track and cuts only to Compressor, no rendering needed and no rendering done, and it charges ahead at high speed!
Does anybody know how to send the rendered project to Compressor, not the original unrendered sequence?
Mac Mini Mac OS X (10.3.9)

Now, when I export to Compressor to make a DVD, it starts re-rendering everything! Not only that, it does not use any of the render files, because I noticed the compressed m2v does not include all the rendering.
Can you detail what, exactly, is happening? Do you mean to say that you get a 'Rendering' progress bar? And when you say your ".m2v does not include all the rendering," what does that mean?
The reason I ask is because I always send unrendered timelines directly to Compressor. That way, Compressor does all processing - for filters, motion effects, compositing, etc - directly to the .m2v file, producing much better quality in most cases. I've never seen a Render progress bar though, and I've been using this method since August or so.
It will take more than 80 hours to compress! Not only that, when it is compressing, I can see it jumping a few frames forward, a few frames back, forward, back, etc...but I told it to do 1-pass compressing! Arghhhhhh.....!
Unrendered timelines - depending on how much and what needs to be processed by Compressor - take anywhere between 2x-4x as long as sending a rendered timeline to Compressor. Think of it this way: Compressor is both encoding and doing the processing that rendering would have done. You mentioned that it took days to render, so in that regard 80 hours doesn't seem outrageous if you timeline is now unrendered.
Also, the 'Processing Frames [#=#]' process bar 'jumping' that you're seeing is a necessary part of creating the GOPs that MPEG-2 uses. That happens regardless of a 1-Pass or 2 Pass setting.
Having said all that, if you can't afford the time commitment of this workflow, then I'll second Thrillcat Editorial's recommendation: Export as a QT movie.

How well does Compressor 4 work with Final Cut 6?

How well does Compressor 4 work with Final Cut 6?

The short answer is that there is no interoperability between them. Of course, you can certainly export a QT movie from FCP and bring it into C4.
Honestly, I'm not sure it's worth it for someone already has C3. There is very little that C4 can do that C3 cannot. The major differences are that C4 has certain presets like MPEG 4 h.264 and 1080 Apple TV; it can also create simple Blu Rays and DVDs. Qmaster is integrated, but I'm not sure whether that is a gain.
Russ

How export to Compressor?

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