Why do photos flicker when imported and played in FCP?

When I import certain photos (some, but not all), they flicker in FCP in various parts of the image, and they also have a funny flickering when played back on QT. I have scanned without any particular precaution. I was wondering if anyone could help me correct the issue.

The flickering you see is an artifact of the interlaced nature of video. It is a result of either very thin (often horizontal) elements that exist on one scanline as is common in text/ titling or scanned images with a great deal of detail in high contrast. (Note: It does no good to import images hugely larger than the necessary pixel dimensions of the video sequence. All it does is force FCP to work harder at interpolation.)
As the alternate fields play, the offending element is essentially being turned on/off creating the impression of a flicker. The basic strategy is to get the element to exist over two scanlines so it is refreshed every time the field plays and/or to reduce the amount of contrast so the difference between ON and OFF is not noticeable.
Things to try (In increasing order of image degradation)
- (in FCP) field order>none
- (in FCP or Photoshop) reduce whites by 10% - reduces overly bright areas
- (in FCP) flicker filter - minimum
- (in Photoshop) motion blur>vertical> .2 - .5 pixels - blurs vertically only
- (In FCP or Photoshop) Gaussian blur> .2 - .5 pixels -blurs both horizontally as well as vertically
- (in FCP or Photoshop) deinterlace - throws away half the image and is generally not appropriate on scanned or still images.
A neat Photoshop trick is to use the selection tool to limit area you apply the vertical and/or gaussian blur to only the troublesome part. This way you don't have to indiscriminately soften the entire image.
Remember: Unless you are viewing your work in the appropriate external NTSC/PAL monitor, you are playing blind. The computer monitor only shows you a proxy image.
good luck.
x

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First thing that I would do is boot in Safe Mode, and choose System Restore, choosing a System Restore Point from a time before you started deleting files.
Now, I am totally unclear which files you deleted. Were you downloading the updated driver for your ATI graphics card, or something else entirely different?
Which files did you delete?
Had you downloaded and installed the latest driver yet?
The normal process for updating a video driver is:
1.) from the mfgr's. Web site, locate your video card and your OS.
2.) download that driver.
3.) read the mfgr's. instructions for installing that driver. This is very important, as it might be as simple as just launching the executable file, or quite involved, requiring the removal of a previous driver, or changing settings in the card's utility program. These steps can differ card to card, and even driver version to driver version, so it is VERY important to read all instructions and understand exactly what you must do, and in which order you will need to do them.
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5.) install the new driver, per those very important instructions. One might have to Extract files and folders from the downloaded file. Sometimes the driver file(s) will be archived in something like a RAR, ZIP or 7Z file. This will depend on how the driver files are packaged. Often, it will just be an executable file, like an EXE, or similar.
6.) reboot and make any necessary setup adjustments. Often, with the reboot, a dialog screen will come up automatically, and maybe even a wizard to do the settings.
What steps did you take?
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I mainly use Lightroom for photos, but I do use it to organize my videos. Lightroom 5.3 on a Macbook Pro running OS 10.9.2.
Videos from all of our iPhones import and play perfeclty.
Video from the Nikon D90 will import sometimes, but will rarely play. You can scroll across the preview icon and see the video, but when you click on to play it, it will only play a few seconds of the video but will continue to play the audio.
I have converted the .avi files to .m4v in order to play in iTunes and Apple TV. I've tried importing the .m4v files to Lightroom as well but always get an error: "Connecting to dynamic link server failed."
Not sure what is going on or what I may be doing wrong. I've successfully imported the videos from the camera to Aperture. Not sure why I can't get Lightroom to work.
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Exact same problem as well. When I try to import CDs either in iTunes or Windows Media Player I have problems. iTunes will play a track or two, but usually the imports ring in around 755 minutes and change and are corrupt. Windows Media Player has similar issues.
What's strange is that my drive works just fine for burning DVDs, installing software from disc, or watching DVD movies, so I'm a little in the dark. Any ideas?

Importing and playing store bought CDs

Just got an I Pod Nano & a great sounding Altec Lansing docking/speaker system. Began syncing songs that I already imported into I Tunes. Of course I also began importing more songs from store bought CDs. Just started having a problem with a majority of my CDs - when I click on import - songs won't import. Status bar never appears and 1st song to import just sticks. Also can't play the CD in I Tunes to listen to it. But........ some of my CDs will still import and play just fine?????????? Have tried changing preferences for the Encoder but nothing seems to work. I have to force quit the App & relaunch it every time. If I try the same CD again I get the same results??????

Afty wrote:
Thanks for the reply, while that is certainly an option, I would still like to figure out why this problem exists in the first place. Not being able to play CDs is an equally annoying issue.
There have been a bunch of similar problems reported here lately. The only suspicious thing in your diagnostics is the Gear drivers, so the first thing to try is to update your Gear firmware. Then retry with iTunes.
I'm wondering if it might be my CD/DVD RW playing up.
If the CD rips OK in another program, it is probably not a drive problem.

How to import and play audio files in java

Hi, I'm pretty new to java and im trying to make an application that can import and play simple audio clips (mp3, wav, etc formats) when a button is clicked. If any one can help me it would be greatly appreciated.

hi,
i'm not a professional with java sound but it may be possible that you will find something good at this link:
http://www.jsresources.org/examples/
peace

Unable to drag and drop mp4 movies into itunes but the file will import and play using home sharing

Strange problem with my brothers MacBook.
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Files were also saved onto a flash drive which I passed on to my brother.
My brother was unable to import files by drag and drop and also by "add to library", we even copied and pasted files from the flash drive to the desktop but that also didn't work.
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This appears to be a long-standing bug:
https://bugzilla.mozilla.org/show_bug.cgi?id=634720
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Do your videos play in QuickTime Playerwhen you reveal one of them in the Finder with "File > Reveal > Original"? Try to open the revealed movie in QuickTime and see if it plays.
Check the format of the movie. You can see it in the Inspector in QuickTime Player from the "WIndow" menu: Window > Show Inspector.
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IPhoto is quitting unexpectedly and losing the photos I just imported and edited.

iPhoto is quitting unexpectedly and losing the photos I just imported and edited. Any suggestions to fix it?

Option 1
Back Up and try rebuild the library: hold down the command and option (or alt) keys while launching iPhoto. Use the resulting dialogue to rebuild. Choose to Repair Database. If that doesn't help, then try again, this time using Rebuild Database.
If that fails:
Option 2
Download iPhoto Library Manager and use its rebuild function. (In early versions of Library Manager it's the File -> Rebuild command. In later versions it's under the Library menu.)
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Because this process creates an entirely new library and leaves your old one untouched, it is non-destructive, and if you're not happy with the results you can simply return to your old one.
Regards
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Color profile off when importing motion proj into FCP

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No, profile do many things. It is a color space. It allows different apps and systems to view colors the same. Also fcp typically works in a tub color space not rgb.

How do I extract original photo date when importing photos?

Hi,
I am trying to import photos from a backup CD of pictures that I created in August. However, when I import them into iPhoto, the date that gets associated with the photo is the August date of the CD creation instead of the original photo date.
I can see the original date of the photo image file, and I want that to be the date that iPhoto uses to organize the photos.
Is there any preference I can set to extract the date information from the image data itself and NOT from the date stamp on the CD file?
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Message was edited by: JasonGP

Please don't take the following as a flame...
<quote>The move option is grayed out when importing from a card to save you from yourself. At least that's what I've always assumed.</quote>
That's a bit draconian don't you think? Why have the option greyed out if you don't want the user to be able to do this. It's kind of like saying hahah, this is possible to do, but, you, the user, are a moron. Why even place the option on the page in the first place.
<quote>It just happens to be a bug that few on this forum care to see fixed because most of us feel that using it is unwise due to the danger of lost images and corrupted cards.</quote>
Again, why put it on page as an option if it weren't intended to be enabled in a plist somewhere for those who wish to be 'unwise.'
My logic is as follows: If Apple provides software that is more accessible to the 'unwashed masses' (because it's included with Leopard ie. Image Capture) and it deletes images directly from the camera, then why would a professional package (Aperture) limit the so called 'professional' from designing and using his/her own workflow governed by their own experience. Which could include first a backup to dvd or other device of your choice (keyword here: CHOICE) THEN import images and delete directly from the camera. Logically this is completely BACKWARDS, the app available to the 'masses'(Image Capture) should NOT let the user delete images directly from the camera and the 'professional' app (Aperture) should allow more flexibility for the advanced user who understands the implications of his/her work flow and adjusts accordingly.
Besides, And I quote myself "I have searched the forums here and have only seen people offer advice why this is not good. Not to be an A##, but I don't want advice. I need an answer to my question. How do I enable this functionality?"
Therefore, respectfully, your answer is: non sequitur.
Best Regards

Importing and Playing CDs.

Hello all,
I have a problem when I try to import tracks from a CD into my iTunes library.
Problem:
The import appears to start properly, then around 30% of the way through track 1 my cd drive goes crazy and iTunes skips to the next track and then through all the rest of the tracks on the cd.
The songs do end up in the library but they all have a length of 789:53:12 and won't play.
Similarly when trying to play a CD iTunes plays the first 50ish seconds of track 1 then skips to track 2 and plays around 6 seconds and then skips through them all again.
This is obviously a very frustrating issue
Computer is new. Has the latest version of iTunes, has the latest drivers for cd/dvd player.
Here is the diagnostic if it helps, oddly I am running Vista Home Premium though this says xp service pack 2.
Microsoft Windows XP Home Edition Service Pack 2 (Build 2600)
System manufacturer System Product Name
iTunes 8.2.1.6
QuickTime 7.6.2
FairPlay 1.4.10
iPod Updater Library 8.1d19
CD Driver 2.1.0.1
CD Driver DLL 2.1.1.1
Apple Mobile Device 2.5.2.2
Apple Mobile Device Driver not found.
Bonjour 1.0.6.2 (118.5)
iTunes Serial Number 1B551FDAF572ECE6
Current user is an administrator.
The current local date and time is 2009-08-17 19:56:42.
iTunes is not running in safe mode.
Video Display Information
NVIDIA, NVIDIA GeForce GTX 260
** External Plug-ins Information **
No external plug-ins installed.
** CD/DVD Drive Tests **
No drivers in LowerFilters.
UpperFilters: GEARAspiWDM (2.1.0.1),
D: HL-DT-ST DVDRAM GH22NS40, Rev NL01
Audio CD in drive.
Found 18 songs on CD, playing time 69:15 on Audio CD.
Track 1, start time 00:02:00
Track 2, start time 00:59:58
Track 3, start time 06:08:66
Track 4, start time 09:19:08
Track 5, start time 12:49:46
Track 6, start time 17:26:47
Track 7, start time 20:33:52
Track 8, start time 24:30:17
Track 9, start time 29:04:70
Track 10, start time 32:29:01
Track 11, start time 36:20:03
Track 12, start time 39:14:35
Track 13, start time 43:02:11
Track 14, start time 47:23:48
Track 15, start time 50:37:53
Track 16, start time 54:54:25
Track 17, start time 60:15:32
Track 18, start time 64:41:40
Audio CD reading succeeded.
Get drive speed succeeded.
The drive CDR speeds are: 4 8 16 24 32 40 48.
The drive CDRW speeds are: 4.
The drive DVDR speeds are: 4.
The drive DVDRW speeds are: 4.
Thanks
Afty

Afty wrote:
Thanks for the reply, while that is certainly an option, I would still like to figure out why this problem exists in the first place. Not being able to play CDs is an equally annoying issue.
There have been a bunch of similar problems reported here lately. The only suspicious thing in your diagnostics is the Gear drivers, so the first thing to try is to update your Gear firmware. Then retry with iTunes.
I'm wondering if it might be my CD/DVD RW playing up.
If the CD rips OK in another program, it is probably not a drive problem.

Timecode Break Issues when Importing, but plays back in camera fine?

Hello,
I am having several timecode break issues. The tapes play fine on the camera in "playback" mode but once I try to import through firewire into final cut express it gives me multiple clips. I have tried using Imovie and QuickTime Pro for importing the footage. Imovie gives me delays in the footage and so does QuickTime Pro.
Why am I getting timecode breaks when importing through final cut express, but then it plays back fine in the camera? I am using a Macbook pro with Maverick and a Sony HVR Z5U camera.
Any helps would be great. The footage is in DV.
Thanks

Why am I getting timecode breaks when importing through final cut express, but then it plays back fine in the camera?
Because the camera basically ignores the timecode when you just play back a tape in the camera. While it may display the TC on the LCD screen as the video plays, the camera really doesn't care about TC during plain old playback. However, with 3 different apps all encountering problems capturing the video, it would appear there are actual TC breaks.
Questions
Is this a problem with one or a few specific tapes, or all tapes you try to capture from?
Also, the HVRZ5U is an HDV-DVCAM-DV camcorder ... are you downconverting HDV material to DV?
Do you have *ANY* other FW devices connected to you Mac when you try to capture video from the camera?
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Lightroom 4 (and 5) unable to see photos in folders (import and sync)

Hi folks,
actually I'm reporting about an old problem which still persists with Lightroom. I'm using Lightroom 4.4.1 on Windows 7 (64bit) and also Mac OS X Mavericks. Here's some more background information on my setup first, before describing the actual problem:
My photos are stored on a Mac Mini running Mavericks, which I use as a fileserver. The fileshare is accessed by my Windows 7 PC as well as my Macbook. There is no issue with file access or any problem with any other program but Lightroom on the Windows machine. The Macbook does not have the issue described:
My photos are basically organized by date in a folder structure per the picture below.
The issue is that Lightroom on the Windows PC is not able to sync or even import pictures from some of the folders any more. Trying to sync the affected folders results in Lightroom to delete pictures from the catalogue because they're not found any more.
One special thing is that in the import dialogue, Lightrooms shows me three addional subfolders in my actual picture folder which are not existing in reality. In the attached picture you can see three levels of subfolders "05 Norwegen" which are not there in the regular Windows or OS X structure, and no, they're not hidden or something like that. So something is mixed up with Lightrooms file/folder handling which causes this problem I guess.
Checking the respective folders in Windows Explorer or on my Macbook and also with Lightroom on the Macbook tells me that all pictures are there and absolutely accessible!
Checking different forums for tons of months revealed, that there's others having the same issue. There's also a couple of solutions which worked for some folks but not in my case:
- Deleting the XMP files of the pictures in the folder did not work
- Deleting the Preferences file in Lightroom and creating a new one did not work
- Un- and reinstalling Lightroom, including deleting the registry stuff and system files did no work
- Creating a new catalogue and trying to import the whole picture selection did not work
- Exporting the catalogue from my Macbook and importing it into the Windows PC's Lightroom did not work
- Lightroom 5.x also does have the issue, at least with the current trial version, so updating does not help either
- The issue came like "creeping" into the system and folders behaved like that as of a sudden, even without having edited or modified file in there before.
- Lightroom can actually see all pictures again, if you move the affected folder to the Windows PC's local harddrive (SSD), but as soon as you move the folder back to the shared volume, even with Lightroom, the problem's there again
- Renaming the folder also does not work and the "ghostly" subfolders mentioned above do have the same name again
- A suspicion I had, that the problem is connected to the number of files in the affected folder, could not be confirmed by me. There was a time when I thought exceeding 100 files in the folder would reveal the problem, this is not true.
As the issue is going on for more than a year, basically making my Windows PC useless in terms of photo editing, I'm heavily frustated with Lightroom and Adobe. The only thing I did not try right now was doing a clean install on the Windows PC, which I'm hesitant to do as Lightroom is the only application having problems.
So, I would be happy if anybody would have a hint for me or if somebody from Adobe finally would take note of that issue. I expect it still to be there even if there would be a Lightroom 6. If there's something i can do to my Windows config, let me know!
Regards!

Alright,
no replies so far! Anyways, here's some more information which is leading me to the conclusion that the bug causing the effect described above is a combination of Apple's SMB implementation of Mavericks and the way Lightroom is actually using SMB network access:
I did another trial by connecting a USB hard drive to the USB port of my router (Netgear). The connection is quite slow, but moving one of the folders in question (see my 1st post above) to the shared drive connected to the Router made Lightroom on my Windows machine to see the photos again, when I told Lightroom where to find the moved folder!
Everything was working as expected, on the Windows machine again! Moving the folder back again to the Mac Mini fileshare was causing Lightroom on the PC to get blind again for the pictures trying to sync or import. However, accessing and modifying a photo was possible again, like it was before the trial. So it's only the sync and import function having a problem!
I also did some trial in re-building ACLs and access rights on the file server with no luck. So there's got to be a functionality in sync and import of Lightroom which is using a certain SMB feature which is not supported by Apple's SMB implementation!
Any thoughts or hints?
Thanks!

How do i prevent an mp3 downloaded in Firefox from automatically importing and playing in iTunes?

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i feel like this should be simple, and maybe it is, but i can't figure it out. how do i keep this from happening? anyone?

Please please please update your software RIGHT NOW.
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Why do photos flicker when imported and played in FCP?

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