QT self-contained best quality: rendering / sequence settings

I want to have the best image quality possible.
I need to export my editing as a self-contained QT.
I filmed in DVCAM NTSC. I captured with the easy setup DV NTSC in FCP 5.
My questions:
1 . In the general sequence setting, for the QT video compressor, should I use:
- DV/DVCPRO NTSC (default setting)
or :
- None or something else?
2. I have some very over-exposed footage that I color corrected with the 3 way filter :
Should I render with YUV 8 bits or with Hight-Precision YUV ?
Thanks.

1 . In the general sequence setting, for the QT video compressor, should I use: * DV/DVCPRO NTSC (default setting)
Yes.
2. I have some very over-exposed footage that I color corrected with the 3 way filter : Should I render with YUV 8 bits or with Hight-Precision YUV ?
8-Bit YUV. DV is an 8-bit codec.
#3 Output lossless Quicktime movies
Shane's Stock Answer #3: How to output lossless Quicktime movies
To export your project so there is no loss in quality, simply go to the File Menu and select EXPORT>QUICKTIME MOVIE. Not Quicktime Conversion, fot this will compress the footage. Make sure the settings match your timeline settings, make it self contained, do NOT recompress the footage, and you are set.
Shane

Similar Messages

Self contained movie or FCP sequence to proper encode Dolby 5.1.

Hi everyone,
I made a test to produce an AVCHD Blu-ray (to be burnt on regular DVD5) disk with Dolby Digital Surround 5.1, using Compressor 3.5 and FCP 7.
FCP timeline was having 6 individual audio tracks in the proper order to assign each channel to the speakers once encoded and burnt into DVD; also the sequence was set to produce 6 outputs.
My first trial was to export a QuickTime self contained movie in FCP7, using current settings for audio/video.
Then I imported it into Compressor and I noticed in the inspector that audio was listed as PCM little endian 48KHz.
I applied my target for H.264 video and Dolby 5.1 for audio.
When I tested the DVD on my Blu-ray player+Dolby 5.1 receiver, the sound was mixing improperly with the speakers.
So I tried in a different way thinking that the source QT movie might have been the issue: this time from FCP7 I used "send to compressor", in order to import directly the timeline.
In this case, in compressor, the inspector revealed the audio to be 5.1 channels and after encoding and burning the DVD (with same exact settings), this time the DVD played nicely with the audio sent properly to the speakers.
So, I guess, either I made a mistake in creating the initial QuickTime MOVIE or there was an issue for compressor to properly understand that the movie was containing 6 audio outputs.
I have checked the QT MOV using QT player and the inspector: it was listing 6 instances of distinct audio tracks PCM little endian 48KHz.
Did anyone else note this behavior?
Regards,
Armando.

Hi Rick,
when I was working with a QT movie export from FCP, in one case I had been working with 6 individual mono AIFF files (created with Soundtrack Pro) in the timeline, each assigned to the proper output channel.
Even though when getting into Compressor I could see it was going to fail, as by checking the inspector I was always seeing the source audio listed as PCM little endian.
Only when I was working directly with the FCP timeline (using the "send to compressor" from FCP menu) I saw in Compressor's inspector the proper audio info as 5.1 channels; then the final export worked fine.
So I guess you could see this even without getting to the end of the process whether your final work will be good or bad.
At the end it doesn't bother me at all using the "send to" command when I have to create this Dolby 5.1 kind of movie... the thing is that I didn't find any mention of this in the documentation.
Regards,
Armando.

Best Capture and Sequence settings for project ending up as digital file

Hi. Looking for capture/setting advice.
I am used to working in broadcast NTSC 10-bit uncompressed video, but I now have a project which needs to end up as MPEG-1 files. The tapes I have were recorded NTSC 4:3. Should I capture the footage in DV instead of Uncompressed 10-bit, and set my sequence frame size as DV? Will this avoid the reshaping of the image when I output to an MPEG1, or will I lose quality?
Thanks for the knowledge.

The tapes were recorded on DVCAM 4:3, but we have an
analogue capture board (AJA IO).
Then for best quality you should be capturing via FireWire as DV (its native format) and then editing in an uncompressed sequence.
This issue came up after I had captured and edited in
the 10-bit uncompressed (space is not an issue), then
was called upon to export stills of the footage,
which, of course, came out in the 720 x 486 format,
much to the consternation of the person who had to
use the stills. This person didn't understand how
the MPEG1 files could come out square, but the stills
came out in 720 x486. So it made me wonder whether I
shoudn't be editing in DV or some other "square"
format to begin with.
DV (DVCam) isn't a square pixel format. It's the same as what you've got except it's missing a measly six usually-blank lines at the top. You just have to make sure it doesn't get stretched into the 486 lines.
For your graphics person: all they have to do is stretch them to 10% narrower or 11% taller when they place them. That's all.

NEED THE BEST QUALITY QUICKTIME MOVIE FOR DVD! THANKS FOR ANY ADVICE.

I just finished a three minute piece that will be shown on DVD and projected to a sixteen foot screen. I usually just output a self-contained quicktime movie with current settings and then compress with bitvice. While I'm happy with those results, because of the size of this screening, I'm curious whether there might be better options for output to quicktime, such as uncompressed, etc?
I've also heard that I could output as a Jpeg, or a PNG file, but I'd love some advice on what works best and the workflow, as I need to get this done fast and can't really afford the time to experiment.
Any advice would be HUGELY appreciated. THANKS1

I usually just output a self-contained quicktime movie with current settings and then compress with bitvice.
That will provide the best quality ... the quality won't improve over what you had in FCP. Depending on your source media type(s), you may have had a better quality export IF you had edited and rendered with another setting.
-DH

Auto-adjust Sequence-settings to Footage?

Hi People,
Just a question:
I teach students how to work with Adobe Premiere Elements. In that way I expierenced a nice little auto-message. If a user uses a projectsetting that does not correspond to the footage that he/she imports, APE9 give a nice little warning. Followed up with the question to auto-adjust the project settings to the settings of the film. Not only does it work very well, but projects that had a red bar ontop of the timeline now seem to have less rendering issues, thus, the system works a lot faster.
Now:
I understand that when filming with a professional camera and editing with Premiere Pro, most users know what footage corresponds best with the sequence settings. But sometimes (...and maybe it's just me who expierences this), I get footage from strangers. Not exactly knowing what the settings are. Even if I know that the user shot the film using a Sony XDCam format, there a lots of options to choose from.
What would you guys say, if there was an OPTION (so, not auto-adjust), to have a standard sequence, then put any footage in it, and then click on the option (rightclickmenu -> Auto adjust Sequence to Footage).
I'd love it, but hey, maybe there already is a better way, in which case: I'd love to hear from you!

...maybe there already is a better way, in which case: I'd love to hear from you!
There is. Drag a clip to the New Item button at the bottom of the Project panel (that's the button that looks like a dog-eared sheet of paper). This will create a sequence matching the clip's parameters, and place the clip into it.
You can also right-click a clip and select New Sequence From Clip--that's in CS5.5 only, though.

CS3 Project/Sequence Settings

Hey guys i was just wondering what the best project or sequence settings are for me? my camera is 60i
if that doesnt help its a Jvc everio
Thanks for your help

If you have to ask such a basic question, if you don't understand enough about video in general and using an NLE in particular, then I fear you will have a great deal of difficulty with a program as sophisticated as Premeire Pro. Perhaps a consumer program will suite your needs better.

HDV - self contained .mov OUT OF SYNC!

just exported a 50 min self contained hdv 1080i pal sequence - it gradually goes out of sync, it gets really bad - video ends up around 4 seconds in front of audio
same as reference movie?
HELP!

yeh not kidding - 'About 25hours' -
if i just insert the seq into a dvpal 50 48khz -render - export qt mov self contained (reference mov is ok with dv pal isnt it?) - compressor- compress .mov to mpg2 - will this be quicker than - conform (20+hours) - export qt mov self contained (1/2hours)- compressor (3-4hours) - mpg2 2

Best QUALITY: FCP5 Compressor2 or FCP5 self-contained FCP6 Compressor3 ?

What's up?
From this 2 options, witch one is the best for IMAGE QUALITY?
1. directly export to Compressor 2 from FCP5 and encode in MPEG2
2. make a self-contained Quicktime in FCP5, put this in FCP6 (to edit a few things), export to Compressor 3 from FCP6 and encode in MPEG2
About rendering that could make a quality difference: my movie just has "fade to black" transitions. (On the sound: some rendering but does it affect the image quality?)
So what is the best? What do I loose if I loose some quality between the 2 ??

Thanks David.
From Ken stone, about exporting from Compressor or exporting a self-contained:
"This process might yield slightly better export quality than other methods (exporting as a QuickTime movie), because FCP hands off the video to Compressor in a unrendered state and Compressor renders the video and encodes in one shot. Exporting as a QuickTime movie requires FCP to first render the video using the sequence codec and then the QuickTime movie is re-encoded in Compressor. Encoding the video twice, once in FCP and then again in Compressor can lower final quality a bit."
"The advantage of using this method is that transitions, effects, titles, and other "renderable" footage will be send directly to Compressor without rendering into DV or other codec. This will greatly improve the quality of the footage."
That's why one could be better than the other. Maybe I didn't understand well ??

Exports a self contained, then renders. Why?

I exported a self contained Quicktime movie (same settings as footage--HDV--no recompressed frames). My exported file is named exactly as I named it, but with four additional mysterious digits at the end. Here's what I don't get: FCP says it's still writing video. Why? Is it writing a render file? It's already exported a self-contained movie that appears to be complete (I watched the end). What's the point of this render file? (The exported movie contains 4 fades, and 2 text titles). Not sure whether to stop the "writing video" so I can do some other work, or leave it in case it's needed by my self-contained file.

Hi:
If your sequence is just plain video edit, I mean, no effects, color correction, graphic elements (text, etc), then you'll get no quality difference encoding from your timeline or from the self contained. Both sources are same quality.
But if you have effects and graphcis in your sequence that you need to render, then you'll get the best quality encoding directly from the timeline, because FCP will use the raw info from each frame as source for the encoding, NOT the rendered ones.
The difference in quality depends on how heavy your effects/graphics are.
Hope that helps !
Alberto

Export Self-Contained / Sequence / Aspect Ratio Question

Hello all,
I have source clips, that look like this, with a command+I in quicktime:
Format: 24-bit Integer (Little Endian), Stereo (L R), 48.000 kHz
DVCPRO HD 1080i60, 1280 x 1080 (1888 x 1062), Millions
FPS: 23.98
Normal Size: 1888 x 1062 pixels
Current Size: 1888 x 1062 pixels (Actual)
Now, in FCP, I have to chop this source up into smaller clips, so as I set in and out points, I drag to my sequence, and let FCP adjust the sequence settings to match the clip. It auto-adjusts to:
Frame Size: 1280x1080
Aspect Ratio: HD (1280x1080) (16:9)
Pixel Aspect Ratio: HD (1280x1080)
Compressor: DVCPRO HD 1080i60
Audio: 48khz, 24-bit, Channel Grouped
When I export my clip, I want little/no processing of the source file, and want the aspect ratio to be locked at the highest quality possible, with no funky pixel aspects ratios, etc. So, I export a Quicktime Movie (no Quicktime conversion) with "Current Settings", and I make the clip self contained.
The output ends up as follows:
Format: DVCPRO HD 1080i60, 1280 x 1080 (1888 x 1062), Millions
24-bit Integer (Little Endian), Stereo, 48.000 kHz
FPS: 23.98
Normal Size: 1920 x 1080 pixels
Current Size: 1920 x 1080 pixels (Actual)
So, obviously the pixel aspect ratio has done something in the export, as the original size was 1888 x 1062 and is now 1920 x 1080.
Is there a way to process these clips on export from FCP, where the pixel is a normal 1:1 conversion, be it at 1280x1080, 1888x1062 or 1920x1080 with DVCPRO HD 1080i60, in FCP? Or is this something I have to achieve in Compressor? I'm looking for the Quicktime info on the resulting clip to return the same size for: Format, Normal Size, Current Size.
Any help is appreciated! Thanks!

I have read this post over and over and there are some strange things going on with analyzing media now. I am absolutely sure that my HD footage (from a Z1U) used to be read by QT at 1440x1080 (1920x1080). Actual pixels were 1440x1080, a 4x3 aspect ratio, but displayed at 1920x1080. Used to be, like I said. I recently upgraded to OS 10.6.4, and QT 10 is quite a bit different. (In fact, other that the new skin, I haven't found any new features I like. Beside the point.) Now I get a QT readout like yours: 1440x1080 (1888x1062). A 4x3 capture aspect ratio and a 16x9 display aspect ratio, but not the same numbers. This can't be right--by law one of them has to be incorrect. I suspect the new version of QT. The same clip in FCP is read as as 1440x1080 with the HDV pixel aspect ratio (Edit --> Item Properties --> Format.) Furthermore, the readout from MediInfo Mac (endorsed by Apple) is even stranger: 1416x1062, a 4x3 aspect ratio, betraying yet another suspect data output. May be MediaInfo is correct, maybe not. I suspect no--my gut says FCP is correct, since it was once matched by QT. So, three analyzations and three results. The only conclusion is one or more of the analyzers is incorrect.
I suspect that the data readout in QT 10 is questionable. According to the Z1U manual, the camera records at 1440x1080, QT and FCP have this correct, but MediaInfo Mac does not. But the display raster information, as read by QT 10, has changed from 1920x1080 to 1888x1062.
So, I did a test. I followed the same procedure you did, including letting FCP set the Sequence Settings (it was correct). The QT 10 data readout from the exported movie was, like yours, 1440 x 1080 (1888 x 1062). Same results when I forced the Sequence Settings to HDV 1060i first. [FCP 6.0.6, QT 10.0 (114) ]. This was consistent with the QT 10 readout for the original, raw media.
My conclusion? Your movie is fine, there was no Pixel Aspect Ratio manipulation. The data readout in QT 10 is wrong. Sounds like a bug to me. I'd say MediaInfo Mac also has a problem--maybe they are both "drinking from the same poisoned well" somewhere deep inside the code.
Last resort: if you have access to an older version of QT, try getting the readout from that. I'm going to. If you'd like to know the results, let me know.
One thing you must do: check the Pixel Aspect Ratio in your edited sequence:
[Sequence --> Settings --> General --> Pixel Aspect Ratio]
Make sure yours is set to HD (1280x1080). Actually, check your camera manual to determine what it should be and make sure FCP is matching it. If not, force it.

Missing sequence in self-contained movie file.

Hello - this has happened several times, so I know better now, to save in a full quality file, however, when exporting, I specifically marked 'make movie self-contained', so that I can delete/trash files and make room for other projects. Cut to, thinking that I have a self-contained movie, I go to play it, and it gives me the dreaded 'sequence missing' msg... Like I said, I know that I specifically make it self-contained, but then when I go back to it after all the pertaining files have been deleted, it doesn't play. I would think that this would be the case if I only made it a reference file, but I did indeed make then 'sefl-contained' files. Thank you...

Hello - thank you for your input... I am going on memory from this, as I just got this 'missing sequence error msg.', but, I believe I may indeed have put in/out markers in the sequence, in the timeline... why does that effect it though?
And the reason I know I didn't delete anything before exporting is because the self-contained file I made worked just fine at the time after I made it. It wasn't until after I deleted the project, because I was finished with it, and needed to make space, which is what I meant by 'deleted pertaining to files'. Then later I would go back & try opening up the self-contained file, and got the error msg.
At the time, it seemed like everything was rendered properly, but how can that be checked?
Thanks...

Best sequence settings for editing HD video material from Nikon D3S

Hello there,
My quesstion is, what are the best settings in FCP for editing material from the Nikon D3S?
At this point I had a sequence (automatically generated from FCP) with settings
Frame Size: 1440X1080 Aspect Ratio (1440X1080) (16:9)
Pixel Aspect Ratio: HD 1440 X 1080
Field Dominance Upper (Odd)
Editing Timebase: 25
QuickTime Video Settings
Compressor: HDV 1080i50
Now, when I place a video clip form the D3S into the timeline, in the preview screen it does not fill the frame. I have to grab the corners and pull it to fill the gaps.
I opened the same video clip in QT to check on the inspector and this is what is telling me:
Apple OpenDML JPEG, 1280 X 720
FPS: 24
Normal size: 1280X 720
Current size: 1280 X 720 (Actual)
What do I need to do, so that the sequence settings are very similar to my AVI files? Or to make the same? I assume that if I pull the corners to fill the frame, I am loosing quality? Is that the case?
Since I need to deliver this today I will continue working on the sequence as with the former settings, but I am wondering that if I have to change the settings, will this affect my already edited material? Do I then need to start a new sequence from scratch?
Sorry, I guess too many questions, but they all lead to the same thing
Thanks a lot!
Emil

I have a D3s. I'm using FCP7, it's been awhile since I used version 5 so all I can do is let you know my workflow with ver.7 If you convert to ProRes 422 1080x720 24fps, it works very well, change the audio from 44 to 48kHz and set the frame rate to 24 instead of 23.98
Here's what I do.
1. Copy the CF card to the HD of the computer
2. Open Compressor, in these next steps we'll make a custom Droplet.
a. In the Settings tab, select Formats > Quick Time > Apple ProRes 422
b. Drag this to "Drag Settings & Destinations Here" and click it
c. In the Inspector, select Encoder
d. Select Video Enabled, then hit Settings. Frame rate 24 > OK
e. Select Audio Enabled, then hit Settings. Choose 48 kHz
f. Save As. Name it. It will be in > Settings tab > Custom
g. Click your new Cutom setting
h. File > Create Droplet
i. select your new custom setting
j. save it to the desktop, leave destination as source.
3. open the Droplet,
4. drag all you D3s clips in, change destination to a new folder
Now you have all your original .DVI and the converted ProRes clips
5. Open FCP, select Final Cut Pro > Audio/Video Settings
6. in the Sequence Setting tab select Apple ProRes 422 1280x720 48kHz
7. Clip Duplicate and give it a new name
8. change the Editing Timebase to 24 > OK
9. select the summary tab click Create Easy Setup
10. name it, give it a description > Create
11. the next time your open FCP use this Easy Setup
12. your D3s clip should not need rendered now.
13. When your done editing use Send to Compressor
14. Vimeo will accept a wide varity of formats
15. I use Quicktime H.264 with settings set to best
16. For Blu-ray I use Export to QT Movie and use Sony DVD Architect to author the BD at 35 mbps, but that's another story.

Best Sequence settings to work with HDV on FCP6

Friends
I'm a wedding videographer, I just got FCP6 and I have some doubts regarding Sequence Settings to work with HDV, if possible, could someone please help me?
I have a MacBook Pro, Intel Core 2 Duo 2.33 ghz and 2 GB Ram...
I started my FCP6 and selected Easy Setup as HDV-1080i60 FireWire Basic
1-) On Sequence Settings, General Tab, I left it as the easy setup set for me (Compressor HDV 1080i60, quality 100%, field UPPER, etc...).
2-) On Video Processing tab which options should I select?
a) Render in 8 bit YUV or Render all YUV material in High Precision YUV ?
b) Motion Filter Quality as Normal or Best ?
c) In Process Maximum White should I selected White or Super White ?
3-) On Render Control tab:
a) I set codec to Apple ProRes 422.
b) in Master Templates and Motion Projects, should I set Quality to NORMAL or BEST ?
c) in Master Templates and Motion Projects, should I check the box "Always Use Best Quality When Rendering Movies" ?
thanks ererybody for your attention.
Regards
Marcelo

Hi Marcelo
After choosing your Easy Setup my advice would be to leave everything on its default setting, except for switching the Render Control to Apple ProRes 422. Don't sweat the details, it really is that simple.
Stand by tho ... others will almost certainly chime in quickly with all the details you can shake a stick at, but if they all get rather confusing then revert to plan A above and enjoy.
Andy

What are the best sequence settings in FCP 5 for exporting screen capture video footage?

I capture video footage of websites in order to showcase in a demo reel. Using Snapz Pro, the compression type I have found to have the best quality is H264. When I take this footage into FCP (v5.1.4), I choose DV NTSC 48khz for the sequence setting. If I then select H264 for the sequence compression type, when I go to render I get a 'Codec error.'
The only way I am able to render properly is by choosing DV NTSC 48khz for the sequence setting and DV/DVCPRO-NTSC as my sequence compression type. The problem with this though is I get a perfect picture in the Viewer, but the picture quality in the Canvas (and the subsequent exported video) is slightly blurred.
I've been trying to find a solution to this problem off and on for years. I've finally decided now to get to the bottom of the issue. If you can solve this one you are my hero!
Ted

Thanks for the suggestions. I've tried using DVCPRO HD in the past, but the picture quality of the captured screen footage turns out blurry. The only codecs I've found that provide a perfectly clear image are H264, Animation and Uncompressed 8-bit. The problem with the latter two is that video files lasting only a few seconds measure in the 100s of MBs. Working with files that large would slow my editing and rendering down to a non-workable length.
I just don't understand why I can't edit H264 video if my sequence codec is set to H264. The 'Codec error' I get is baffling.

Export settings for best quality for pages with letters etc.

Hi, I am trying to make video of a musical piece, featuring the score of the piece with pages turning following the progression of the music. I made the video in Adobe After Effects CS5 and exported it so it would be lossless. The video itself is a .mov file and looks great when I view it in Quicktime, but when I import it into FCE the quality goes down a bit. I don't know if FCE is handling the clips correctly or if it's just for making it quicker to view. Any suggestions on export settings from FCE for best quality of a video of this nature, so that the notes are clearly readable.
Thanks in advance
Ps. It has to be in a format suitable for Youtube.

Under "Sequence" and in "Settings" and in the tab "Render Control" I have: Frame Rate: 100% Resolution: 100%.
If that is what you were referring to... but under the tab which is called RT and is located left of the timeline and left of the timecode. There I have checked : Safe RT, (Playback Video Quality) Dynamic, (Playback Frame Rate) High.
There might be a way to import the clip in better quality (so it doesn't downgrade the quality).
Was mostly trying to find out with the export but it might have something to do with this.
Thanks

QT self-contained best quality: rendering / sequence settings

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