Compressor Problem

[Pete]

Brian, I just discovered “Compressor”.
How is it different fron the “export using Qt conversion” option?
What do you suggest for files that need to be played on Windows Media players?

[Don Greening]

I got that error message for the first time about a month ago. Since I dodn’ know what to do I just trashed my assets and created new files. This means new QT movies out of FCP. Worked for me, but I still don’t know why the problem appeared in the first place.

– Don

[Håvard]

I`ve found compressor to be unreliable when using the export via compressor setting in FCP. Try to export as a self contained movie, start the application compressor and import the self contained movie into it. Usually works like a charm! For windows I would recommend that you use flip4mac to compress.

[David Bogie]

The problems we have all been having with Compressor are not universal which makes them difficult or impossible to debug and fix.

The “unable” error is usually caused by Qmaster trying to find its children on your network even though you’ve never launched it. Disconnect FW and ethernet before launching Compressor, might work. Might not.

You do not need to launch Compressor to use it. you can use Batch Monitor or Batch Export. Or you can use a reference movie and simply bring that into your target app like iDVD or DVDSP. If you want to use Compressor regularly, get the manual printed and start taking it to the gym with you.

Compressor is superbly lame and full of inexplicably stupid programming glitches. Compressor’s MPEG2 facility has been almost useless since Tiger and FCP5 were released. Be sure you’ve got all of the latest updates but they probably won’t help. We’ve been screaming about it for months. See the Compressor forums at apple.com and here on the cow.

bogiesan

This is my standard sigfile so do not take it personally: “For crying out loud, read the freakin’ manual.”

[Arnie Schlissel]

I have to agree that there are some serious problems with Compressor 2.

I love the new interface (or, at least the fact that they actually gave it an interface!), & I’ve always thought that you got reasonable good quality if you were willing to learn how to use the tools.

Unfortunately, trying to create mpegs with 2 pass VBR is now completely unworkable. The files look fine, but they come out waaaaay larger than they’re supposed to be. Luckily, CBR is still working, & if your DVD has less than 90 minutes of total video, you can still produce a very good looking DVD with it.

However, since I have to regularly produce DVDs with 3-4 hours worth of video, I recently bought megaPegX, & I’m not looking back until Apple fixes the problems.

OTOH, Compressor does do a lot of other things pretty well, & I love the workflow with it.

Arnie
https://www.arniepix.com

[Ed Dooley]

Type in – unable to connect to background process – in search posts and you’ll come up with at least 60 to 80 posts
in the DVDSP and FCP forums. It’s been covered (over and over and over and over).
Ed

[Don Greening]

Arnie,

Does megaPegX do at least as good a job as Compressor v.1? You’re scaring me now, because I’m just about ready to transfer over to my new 2.7 G5 with FC Studio on it. Moving from my dual 800 G4, one of the biggest reasons why I upgraded was to enjoy the quicker encoding times of the faster G5 processors. But if Compressor 2 is a lame duck at the moment, what’s the point, really.

– Don

[Arnie Schlissel]

I ran some tests, & I found it did at least as good a job on making mpegs at low bitrates. I cut together a 5 min movie with lots of fast motion & dissolves & ran it through Compressor, megaPegX & BitVice using VBR at the same bitrates, then burned the results to a DVD & watched it on the same video monitor that I use for editing. You can download a demo from them at https://www.digigami.com/

Arnie
https://www.arniepix.com

[Don Greening]

Great. Thanks for the reply, Arnie.

– Don