Apple Compressor 3 “unknown time remaining” WHY!??!

[Matt Coleman]

If deleting pref’s didn’t work then try this…..
Check your batch monitor to see if you have any previous projects still trying to be processed. Once you open batch monitor, click on “this computer”. If you see old projects still working….go into compressor. At the top, click on “compressor” to get the drop down menu, then “reset background processing.” Should fix the problem.

[Joey Brown]

I’ve been through every “fix” mentioned in this thread and still can’t get it to work. I moved a few weeks ago so my IP is different – I’ve tried uninstalling and reinstalling, removing all the preferences and files associated with the programs and everything else. Hopefully Apple will release a fix to this because I’ve been trying to get this to work for the past week. If anyone else has solved this problem using methods not mentioned yet, I’d love to hear it. Thanks.

[Chris Lachman]

FOUND this thread and the solution works – thank God !!!!!!

Apple should really get off their …. and fix Compressor. I only bother with it because it came with FCP and I dont want to fork out more money. such a shame that they can’t get it to work after all these years.

Export via QT – which I understand uses the same essential engine – never gives problems.

THANKS FOR THE SOLUTION.

[Hope Holmesby]

just a note….

after deleting preferences, restarting, shutting down, etc nothing helped except this:

found that even tho one resets background processing (compressor/reset background processing), and even tho you go to the batch processor and look, and it ‘looks’ as tho all the jobs are gone…

just wait a moment and you will see that they will all pop back on, they are all still there, all the batches you tried to start, and unless you actually go to each one and click the ‘x‘, in the batch monitor panel, they will all be queued and keep running and you will keep getting the ‘unknown time’ message in the history panel.

also read somewhere that the batch monitor only deletes all items queued every 24 hrs. so they will remain. the main point is to CANCEL with the ‘x’ in that box. Otherwise all the batches will remain and just keep trying to process, and you will keep getting the unknown time message.

Good luck to all who come down this road.

Hope

[Hope Holmesby]

In the batch monitor where it lists all the batches, there is the name and status:

Status may be: ‘Cancelled’, ‘Queued’, ‘Done’, or ‘Processing’

Note this very carefully….they need to read that they are ‘done’ or ‘cancelled’.

Also note: this list of batches in the Batch Monitor WILL NOT DELETE OR STOP PROCESSING OR QUEUING even with quitting, or shutting down.

Once that is assured, then start a new compression.

[David Frey]

Hello TG,

it seems like you’ve done extensive research and testing and finally found a solution until apple gets off their butts and does something about this. I believe I understand the basic idea of your solution, but as I’ve spent quite a bit of time trying to fix this problem, could you please clarify a few things for the novice mac operators.

How would I go about switching from a wireless interface to enabling the internal NIC. My main method of connecting to the internet is via Wireless connections, so if I enabled the internal NIC would I not be able to connect wirelessly? If I’m connected wirelessly while I’m installing compressor ( and all of fcs 3)
will compressor work as you’ve mentioned regardless of which wireless network I’m connected too.

Also if you have any advice, or websites that could assist me in removing qmaster, that would be great.

I’m sorry for all the questions. This compressor problem has been driving me mad, and I have a project which needs transcoding pronto.

Thanks you again TG

[Bryce Mcnamara]

I’ve recently had this same initial issue with Compressor while trying to compress using the 90 minute DVD setting. I’ve tried quite a few of the suggestions mentioned here but to no avail. Finally I found a nifty little piece of software that sorted out this issue for me.

Check out the following: https://www.digitalrebellion.com/compressor_repair.htm

Cheers,
Bryce

Melbourne, Australia

[Hope Holmesby]

thanks so much. have used it 2 times alread.

Life is here to enjoy.

[James Goodenough]

It worked!
You are officially my best friend for the next 10 minutes!

[Eric Boucher]

THIS WORKS!
I also trashed batch prefs as noted in earlier posts.
Remember to reset background processing!