• Apple Final Cut Pro Legacy

  FCP 7 giving a very low quality export video

  Posted by Clem Hennessy on August 23, 2012 at 12:09 pm

  Hi all,

  I am working with FCP7 and am going a little crazy trying to export a high quality video. I have Googled and read forum after forum but can’t seem to resolve the issue.

  Workflow:

  Shot with a PD170, then captured from the tape. The quality is fine going into FCP, its after export that there is very noticeable quality loss especially when I export using the “Command E” shortcut. If I export via the Quicktime conversion option the quality is a bit better but still not 100%…

  If anybody can assist please let me know what information you require from me.

  Any help with this would be greatly appreciated.

  Thanks again

  Clem

  Clem Hennessy replied 14 years, 1 month ago 4 Members · 7 Replies
• 7 Replies

• 

  Shane Ross

  August 23, 2012 at 1:15 pm

  If you export as a QuickTime movie, self contained, not recompressed, using the sequence settings, you are exporting a full quality file. An exact digital duplicate from what you have in the timeline.

  The issue might be that your footage is interlaced, and computer displays don’t like interlaced footage.

  What will be the ultimate final destination for this video? DVD? Web? Back to tape?

  Shane
  Little Frog Post
  Read my blog, Little Frog in High Def
• 

  Clem Hennessy

  August 23, 2012 at 1:28 pm

  Hi Shane,

  Wow, thanks for the quick response. I generally work with interlaced footage but did a test with progressive footage and still had quality loss. The final destination is for DVD (Pal) The thing is when its played back on a TV it still has the quality loss be it interlaced or progressive. As far as the TV set goes, I played back the footage directly via USB (Shot with EX3) and the definition and quality far out-shines the product from FCP.

  I do export as a QuickTime self contained movie with current settings which is why I’m stumped.

  Clem
• 

  Clem Hennessy

  August 23, 2012 at 2:28 pm

  Hi Shane,

  Wow, thanks for the quick response. I generally work with interlaced footage but did a test with progressive footage and still had quality loss. The final destination is for DVD (Pal) The thing is when its played back on a TV it still has the quality loss be it interlaced or progressive. As far as the TV set goes, I played back the footage directly via USB (Shot with EX3) and the definition and quality far outshines the product from FCP.

  I do export as a QuickTime self contained movie with current settings which is why I’m stumped.

  Clem
• 

  Bret Williams

  August 23, 2012 at 4:47 pm

  You’re editing DVCam. Check this box in Quicktime Players settings so it shows full quality in QuickTime.

  
• 

  Steve Eisen

  August 23, 2012 at 7:26 pm

  [Clem Hennessy] “As far as the TV set goes, I played back the footage directly via USB (Shot with EX3) and the definition and quality far out-shines the product from FCP”

  Don’t expect DVCAM footage to look as good as EX3 footage (XDCAM HD).

  Steve Eisen
  Eisen Video Productions
  Vice President
  Chicago Creative Pro Users Group
• 

  Clem Hennessy

  August 25, 2012 at 5:44 am

  Hi,

  No doubt about that. I am not comparing the footage. I used different cameras and shooting formats to test with. The problem is that what comes out of FCP is of a lower quality to what goes in…
• 

  Clem Hennessy

  August 25, 2012 at 6:56 am

  Howdie,

  Thanks for the reply Bret. All is set in QuickTime. The quality loss is visible on my machine as well as on the telly played back on a DVD.

  Is it possible that my FCP may have some sort of bug? Its all I can think of as I have gone through every possible setting (to the best of my knowledge) with no improvement…

  Thanks

  Clem

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