Problem sending FCP sequence to Compressor

I'm a beginner at using Compressor. I had the following problems while completing the Motion 2 DVD tutorial that shipped with the Final Cut Studio Suite:
1. Upon exporting the sequence to Compressor, FCP gave a duplicate file name warning.
2. Compressor opened, but it would not preview the sequence I exported. Compressor said that FCP was "busy".
3. Upon submitting the batch, the compression sequence went by very quickly and I recieved a failure message in the batch monitor.
I ended up sending the the FCP sequence to QuickTime, then I opened up the QT file with Compressor directly. When I followed the directions for compression to DVD quality, the process does seem to have worked.
Questions: Is this the only way that I will be able to compress my movies as I gain more experience with longer files & will this cause a loss in quality?
iMac G5 Mac OS X (10.4.6)

No, you should most certainly be able to
export your sequence (or a group of sequences)
directly from FCP into Compressor.
Can you share some more details about what
exactly you did?
I beleive that I made a mistake in installing the tutorial files from the DVD. I tried Compressor again using different footage and a totally different sequence, and I had no problems at all. Thank you for responding.

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Motion 3 problem - sending FCP sequence to Motion

I have been working in Motion 2 for the past three months. I just got Motion 3.
I'll take a sequence that I edited in FCP - I edited clips ABCDE together - and try to send it to Motion. Each clip's original length was 10 seconds, but in FCP I edited them together so that they are only 3 seconds long in a 15-second sequence. Then I go to Send To>Motion. I save the Motion project.
I add some text. Everything is fine. Then I add a behavior. Suddenly those five clips are not edited in their 3-second-long segments anymore - they are their original lengths of 10 seconds and now the project is 50 seconds long instead of 15 seconds, so everything I did up to that point is ruined. When I hit Control-Z, all that happens is the behavior or whatever I just added is gone. The clips don't return to their original edited state.
What the heck? How can I stop it from doing this???
I should mention that I can export my FCP sequence to a .mov and it works okay, so yes, that is a solution. BUT - shouldn't I be able to just send the sequence to Motion?

Let's see ... I added fade in/fade out to the clip itself. I also tried to apply several different Text Sequence effects - fade from left, fade from center, glow ... that's about as far as I got because then when I deleted the last behavior, the whole thing froze up and I got mad and just quit.

Problem sending FCP X audio output over USB connection

I have an Antelope Eclipse digital audio converter/monitor controller. It connects to my Mac Pro via USB.
I can play audio just fine out of Pro Tools HD Native at any sample rate.
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The audio in question is Linear PCM @ 48kHz.
Is there a problem with FCP X sending audio out through a USB 2.0 connection?
Do I need to change some FCP X settings?

Thanks for the input. Yes, I am aware of possible latency issues. I would stay with low latency sound cards like the Pro Tools card, which worked fine. There would be no D/A conversion, so latency is usually not an issue.
I have asked about compatibility with sound cards in a separate thread, just to be sure any sound card that the Mac Pro recognizes will work:
https://discussions.apple.com/message/18579263#18579263

Compressor 4 and Final Cut 7, how do you send a sequence?

Just bought Compressor 4 and having a problem sending a sequence to it from Final Cut 7, and the old version of Compressor is gone. Any ideas what to do?

If you have FCP X, Motion 5, Compressor 4 and FCS 3 installed, FCS 3 should work as intended. You don't need to place FCP X, Motion 5 and Compressor 4 into a folder and move FCS out of it's folder. If you do this; FCP X, Motion 5 and Compressor 4 won't be able to be updated and you probably won't be to add plug-ins and add-ons to them.
I have the setup like the above paragraph and everything works as intended.
besottedly... I figured out the other day the work-around that you posted. Makes life easier!!!
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Problem sending back to FCP

I am color correcting a feature film, and I broke it down into sections to correct it in Color. Everything transferred from FCP (6.0.5) to Color (1.0.4) with no problem. The first 3 sections rendered and went back into FCP (using the "send to Color" option) without a problem. I encountered a problem with Color when my hard drive ran out of space, but I have another drive and it has rendered with no problem. But now, it wont go back into FCP. I use the "send to" option and it opens FCP, imports to about 50%-53% and freezes. Any idea why this happens and what I can do to fix it?
Footage is XDCAM EX 1080p

error message saying that it could not create a new sequence,
So does a COLOR-generated sequence exist for the fourth act somewhere? Search for anything that might be sitting around that could cause an ambiguity, or try sending an XML with a different name. It should try to create a whole new project.
Failing that, experience is suggesting there is a "poison pill" in the original FCP sequence. It might look totally innocent, but it is corrupting the Markup Language. COLOR is masking it because it doesn't need everything that FCP does. When COLOR drops it.... that's the end of the round trip, thank you; now, if we could get everyone to kindly use the nearest exit. b'bye (the way the stewards say it)...
jPo

Destination u have specified does not have read/ write access- FCP 7 to Compressor problem!

Hello everyone,
I finally got a video finished in FCP 7, and sent it to Compressor.
When I try to add a templete (any template, but particularly the Youtube), I get a red || Source ! || message and when I hit the submit button I see: "The destination you have specified does not have read/ write access. Check to see if the folder is set to read-only, or check your write privileges."
What the?
I'm using Apple ProRes 422 files.
I tried looking at the video files themselves, with Control + I. It looks like I have "Read & Write" access to me. I'm not sure what to do.
I also tried looking in my preferences for Final Cut Pro stuff, and it was empty, so nothing to erase. I also repaired disk permissions with the Utility application.
Well, thanks for any help.

I haven't tried to save to any directory.
As soon as I send the sequence from Final Cut to Compressor, I am prompted to drag the settings to the destination... but it won't let me submit it for the "read/ write" reasons above.
So I never get the opportunity to save it, I just close out Compressor and go back to Final Cut Pro.
I'm wondering if it has something to do with the scratch disk files. I converted the MOV files into ProRes files and keep them in my documents, then I just dragged and dropped them into the browser. I'm wondering if somehow this is affecting things, because I can't even find a scratch disk folder with files inside.
I also tried to look at my Final Cut Pro preferences file, but I had no idea what I was looking at so I just left it alone.
I really appreciate this by the way.

Why can't I export my FCP 6 sequence using Compressor 3?

I am wondering if anyone can tell me why I can't export my FCP 6 sequence using Compressor 3.0.5.
I have an hour-long 1080p Pro Res 422 sequence that I am trying to export using Compressor 3. Whether I export using the 'Pro Res 422' preset or the 'H.264' preset, transcoding commences but then stops abruptly 15 to 20 minutes later with an error message saying 'Quicktime Error: -50.'
For what it's worth, I have an early-2008 dual quad-core Mac Pro desktop with 6 GB of RAM and two ATI Radeon 5770 graphics cards. I am currently running OS X 10.6.8. The media (including Motion graphics) and project file are on an external drive connected via Firewire 800.
Any advice on how to properly export this sequence at the highest quality without getting the error message is greatly appreciated!
Shaun

Are you "sending" to compressor? Probably not the best way to work.
First step: make sure the sequence is COMPLETELY rendered. If you don't understand how to do that, post back.
Then, I'd strongly recommend that you export a quicktime file with current settings (file: export: quicktime movie NOT quicktime conversion) and bring that file into compressor and chose the appropriate preset.
This workflow isolates each step and makes it easier to troubleshoot.
Here are a few user tips that might be helpful
Some tips for using compressor
Common FCP Troubleshooting tips
sending to compressor from fcp - a few issues

16:9 problem from fcp- compressor- dvd studio.

Using Compressor 1.2.1
I shot mini-dv(xl-2) in 16:9 mode.
I tried using the widescreen Compressor preset but when I import the my assets to DVD studio 2.0 the aspect ratio is squished to 4:3. Using the display tab I changed it to 16:9, looks fine. But when i try to simiulate, it doesn't work and there an off black 4:3 box in the middle of the 16:9 simulation box. burning does the same. both do not play.
My presets are marked for 16:9.
dvds of the project, burn fine using the best settings of fcp Conversion and DVD studio, but i'm having problems going through Compressor first.
Any ideas?
fcp 4.5, compressor 1.2.1, dvd studio 2.0

fcp 4.5, compressor 1.2.1, dvd studio 2.0
Are you really using DVD Studio Pro 2.0 There is a 2.0.5 update available. You also want to make certain that you have updated to the recommended Pro App Support package.
What aspect ratio do you have set in the simulator preferences (4:3 Letterbox, 4:3 Pan & Scan, or 16:9)?
Also, note the following from the DVD Studio Pro 2.0 help file (PDF):
"The most common error is to letterbox your 16:9 video assets before bringing them into DVD Studio Pro or QuickTime MPEG encoding systems. Once a 16:9 asset has been letterboxed, it becomes a 4:3 asset with black bars along the top and bottom of the video image. If you flag letterboxed source video as 16:9 video when encoding it, you will have problems when you play it back later."
That sounds somewhat like the problem you are having. Have you reviewed the "Preparing Assets" section in the DVD SP help file?<small><hr width="75%"><small>If this suggestion helps in any way, a confirmation or acknowledgment would be appreciated, since that would also help others who may be having the same difficulty. Do for others as you would have them help you.<center>Thanks for sharing, Waymen.</center></small>

When I try to send a sequence to the color fcp closes. What can I do?

when I try to send a sequence to the color fcp closes. What can I do?

BINGO!
You can't migrate the Final Cut Studio apps. They install bits and pieces all over the system folder and libraries. if those files are missing, the apps can't work properly. That's your issue.
use FCS REMOVER from digitalrebellion.com (free) to uninstall FCS 3, and then install again from scratch, and update with the Software Update.

Tough, quirky, hard to figure sync problem with FCP / compressor / DVDSP

OK, where to begin?
I have a dvdsp project. Everything started in FCP. The video, because of poor results in compressor, has been compressed using bitvice. This results in an mpeg2 that is slightly longer than the original, because of the way bitvice handles 24p material (intersting aside, once the track is in dvdsp, its back to the original length)
So, in final cut pro, I took the audio tracks and put them at a speed of 99.9% to make them match. Then the audio went to compressor to make an ac3. The files that compressor output match up with the video, as far as length goes, just fine.
Here's where it gets a little wierd. Out of two tracks, one appears to be just fine on the very first pass through compressor... in sync, proper length etc...
In the other track, I got a delay, in the surround speaker tracks, that got longer as the track went on. I examined the fcp sequences that the individual sound files were exported from... same settings. I looked at the self contained quicktime files that were exported from FCP... all the exact same length. Yet, listening to the tracks separately, I could tell that indeed, a couple tracks drifted later (but still didnt add any length on to the end of the track). The only difference in the workflow for those tracks was that some were exported individually and some were batch exported. (dont ask me how/ why/ if that made the difference). There was also a wierd dropout of audio on some tracks, so I figured maybe just a fly in the ointment, try again.
So then I very methodically started over with the sound and repeated the process. I couldnt repeat the whole batch export making a difference thing. The resulting ac3 was in sync within itself, and matched up in length with the video, but the entire audio track drifted late, out of sync with the video.
My solution has been to encode the audio at 100% which is now in sync, but is actually shorter in length in dvdsp and now ends almost 2 seconds earlier on the timeline (but yet doesnt lose sync).
So, one track worked as expected and one threw me a bunch of curveballs resulting in a fix the doesnt make sense but kind of works. The material in both tracks as far as source, settings etc.. is identical.
Can anyone help me wrap my head around some of this so I can have confidence in a workflow moving forward?
thanks,
sorry for the lengthy post
powermac g4 933

Audio/video timing accuracy is never better than the tool you are measuring it with. Therefore, you can't always trust time measurements based on SMPTE time code with your life, especially when 2:3 pulldown is involved. If you end up with a MPEG-2 multiplex that stays in sync on a set-top DVD player, then you are safe, regardless of what FCP, DVD SP or any other software tool think of it.
Why is that? Because the timing accuracy in MPEG-2 is at least 3000 times as accurate as any SMPTE time code. It is true that MPEG-2 video may contain SMPTE time code information, but it is only optional and even when present it is never used for anything time critical, such as A/V sychronization. It just wouldn't work.
Assuming that I have correctly interpreted your post, that the length of the movie is about 33 minutes and that no further info is required to solve your puzzle, this is my 2 cents guess:
In your paragraph beginning with "My solution" I suspect that that the AC-3 file might have been slowed down by 0.01% even though it "ends almost 2 seconds earlier" according to the DVD SP timeline. Alternatively, the video time code might have been misinterpreted, DF versus NDF, suggesting it being longer or shorter than it really is. This cannot happen in a real DVD decoder, since it does not rely the SMPTE time code at all.
In the BitVice log you can read exactly how many frames there were in your 24p movie. Divide that by 23.976 to get a reliable duration, in seconds, for the encoded file. Note that if you get a reminder (meaning extra split seconds) it represents 1 to 23 extra frames. Roughly, every extra 41.7 ms means an extra frame.
You don't want to go by the 29.97 frame rate, because then (due to the 2:3 pulldown) odd frames will last for 33,37ms but even frames last for 50.05ms.;-)
As you have noticed yourself, different tools like DVD SP, FCP, QT player et.c, may report different lengths of a MPEG-2 video file. But, given the frame count, from the BitVice log, you can always calculate the exact duration, +/- 10 microseconds, because it is controlled by a 90 kHz clock derived from the 27MHz crystal in the DVD player. This clock makes
3003 ticks for every NTSC/29.97fps frame,
3600 ticks for every PAL/25fps frame or
3750 ticks during a 24fps frame.
In comparison, due to its error prone and ambiguous nature, the SMPTE time code system is not even reliable enough to be frame accurate, unfortunately.
Roger Andersson / Innobits AB, makers of BitVice MPEG-2 encoder for Mac.

I cannot send anything from FCP X to Compressor

I cannot send anything from FCP X to Compressor. It simply does nothing even after reboot etc..... Anybody have a solution before I'm fired.

Have you tried trashing your preferences?
Unexplained faults like this can often be fixed by clearing out FCP X's preferences (for some reason, they get knotted up from time to time).
Download Digital Rebellion's Preference Manager (free, simple to use, and perfectly safe, both to download and use).
http://www.digitalrebellion.com/prefman/
With Preference Manager, you can backup the Prefs first, then if trashing makes no difference, you can restore all your settings.
If you trash them and don't restore them, you will need to manually restore all your FCP X settings again, so it's a great idea to backup Preferences from time to time when FCP X is working well, then if they get corrupted you can ditch the bad prefs and restore from your (Digital Rebellion) backup.
If you get the App, trash the Compressor prefs while you're at it.
Can't guarantee it, but it's worth a try.
Andy

FCP Export using Compressor hangs 'em both

I searched for the answer earlier this week. Didn't find anything, but I eventually figured it out. Here was my problem:
The Compressor preferences allow you to choose a default preset. I never had defined a default preset, and things worked fine. When I do choose a default preset (I chose DVD Best Quality: 120min: All), there were problems. Selecting sequences in FCP and doing "Export using Compressor" results in a hang on both apps.
The number of sequences or their lengths seem to have no effect on the process. Just thought I'd post this in case anyone else has the same problem.
Alan

This sounds different from my problem. I was getting a hang when the sequences were being added to the batch list. It wouldn't even give me a chance to submit the batch. Maybe someone else has a clearer idea of what you're experiencing.

Problems Sending to Color

Hi there. I'm relatively new to Color, but I have used it successfully on about four projects now, and I feel that I'm starting to get the hang of it.
At least, that's what I thought. Recently, due to a completely different (I think) bug that was causing Motion to malfunction, I had to reinstall my entire boot drive. Everything is working properly since then, except that for some reason when I try to send a sequence to Color, it does everything like normal but when Color opens there is nothing there. Just blank.
I know there's probably a simple explanation to this that I'm just not seeing, but I've had a number of project deadlines this week, and not a lot of sleep. So I thought I'd see what other people thought.
Any help is appreciated. Thanks!
Rob

Hey there. Yeah, sorry. I meant that it opened an empty project. The interface is all working properly, but no clips actually were imported from FCP.
However, since I posted my issue I went back and deleted my preference files, and that seems to have fixed the problem. I think I screwed something up before when setting up the render directory.
Why is it that some days thinking of the simplest things is painful and takes so long?
Anyway, thanks for your response.
Rob

Hopefully a simple q about encoding multiple FCP sequences as DVD

Hi there
I need to know if it is possible to queue sequences output from FCP to Compressor. I will explain:
For our current DVD project there are 4 or 5 sequences to export to DVD and I'd like to be able to set them all away encoding on an evening and come back the next morning to have them all done.
It seems that when you export a sequence to Compressor, FCP won't respond until that sequence has been fully encoded, meaning you have to wait for it to encode before sending the next sequence.
Is there a way around this?
Thanks
jON

Jon
I use to encode from outside FCP, but "I think" you can queue new exports in FCP while you don't submit the batch . . . but I never did it.
You can export your sequences as Quicktime Movie, same settings (including DVDSP chapter markers) and if you have space self contained.
Then you can drag and drop all your movies in Compressor and submit all as a batch.
Hope it helps !
Alberto

When I'm done with my fcp sequence, whats the best way to get it to dvd?

When I'm done with my fcp sequence, whats the best way to get it to dvd?

The advice to go to Compressor left out the part that you may want to convert your audio to AC3 becaus ethe MPEG2 bitrate is probably too high for DVD specs.
This method is in the DVDSP manual and it's in the Compressor manual, both difficult to locate, but easily searchable.
Here's what I'd do: Export the timeline form FCP in the native sequence settings, self-contained. Bring that self-contained movie into DVDSP and let DVDSP handle the transcode.
The advice to go to iDVD is even easier.
bogiesan

Problem sending FCP sequence to Compressor

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