Compressor Problem

[Jeff Greenberg]

Nikki,

What if you only compressed one minute. Does that work?
What about a different codec (again, just for one minute)?

Best,

Jeff G

Apple Master Trainer | Avid Cert. Instructor DS/MC
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Compressor Essentials from Lynda.com
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[Richard Herd]

What version of compressor are you using?

[Andrew Rendell]

Have you tried exporting a Quicktime in Current Settings and then running that through Compressor as a separate step?

It’s more reliable in my experience as Compressor can get hung up if there’s a clip on the timeline that’s a different codec to the rest of it, or a bit of 44.1 audio, stuff like that.

[Nikki Francis]

Yes, all seems well on smaller projects of the same codec and different codecs. I think it may be due to the size.
It only crashes at the end of the project and the compressed file is totally missing but the compressed audio file is fine.
Where does the file go? It’s got be be on my computer somewhere, right?

I will make a self contained quicktime movie and run that through compressor, I’m sure that will work but there is a quality difference.
I’m also puzzled about the file being totally missing.

[Nikki Francis]

Thanks, yes, will try this. My project is a documentary, with all sorts of stills, so there might be something for compressor to object to.

I would (in a perfect world) like to take it straight off of FCP timeline as the quality is better.

[Joey Burnham]

[Nikki Francis] “I would (in a perfect world) like to take it straight off of FCP timeline as the quality is better.”

Huh? Just export a reference file (or self-contained if you prefer) out of FCP using your current settings. You shouldn’t lose any quality that way unless your sequence render settings are set to something sub-par from your sequence setup.

Joey

[Jeff Greenberg]

[Nikki Francis] “I’m also puzzled about the file being totally missing.
“
The file is malformed – compressor keeps (somewhere, I’m sure) a cache – but it doesn’t build/show you the project midway – only once it’s finished.

I don’t know if it’s due to its size, the fact you’re using a bunch of stills (what format are they in? ) or a piece of bad media.

I think it’s likely the latter two. Try bumping up the Still Cache in the prefs. Try sending the front half and the back half of the sequence separately.

If it’s a question of RAM – bumping the stills cache should fix it. If it’s a piece of bad media, it should show up on the first half/last half method.

Best,

Jeff G

Apple Master Trainer | Avid Cert. Instructor DS/MC
Come See me speak at NAB!
Compressor Essentials from Lynda.com
(older but still good) Marquee, Media Composer (3.5) and Basic/Advanced Color DVDs (1.0) from Vasst.com
Contact me through my Website

[Jeff Greenberg]

A bunch of years ago I thought the same thing – Steve Martin (of Ripple Training) pointed out what the Apple engineers explained to him: two compressions are worse than one. I know you said – “sequence render settings are set to something sub-par” but it’s still two compressions.

Best,

Jeff G

Apple Master Trainer | Avid Cert. Instructor DS/MC
Come See me speak at NAB!
Compressor Essentials from Lynda.com
(older but still good) Marquee, Media Composer (3.5) and Basic/Advanced Color DVDs (1.0) from Vasst.com
Contact me through my Website

[Joey Burnham]

How is rendering out of your sequence in your native sequence settings a degradation of quality? It’s in essence a digital clone. It’s the exact same quality that your footage is. Think of it more like replicated once, compressed once. Not compressed twice.

[Jeff Greenberg]

I understand what you’re talking about- I erefer to it as a digital master.

Except all your stills, generated items (text, etc) were uncompressed until you export. Then they get crunched in your codec of your timeline. Which you then take to compressor to compress into a second codec is a second hit of your information.

When you “send to” compressor- all those elements get handled as if they were uncompressed.

Its faster to export to QuickTime; but technically you get a better end file when you send to compressor.

Oh yeah, fop is kludgy with it’s handling of mixed frame rates and scaling (compared to compressor)

Best,

Jeff G

Apple Master Trainer | Avid Cert. Instructor DS/MC
Come See me speak at NAB!
Compressor Essentials from Lynda.com
(older but still good) Marquee, Media Composer (3.5) and Basic/Advanced Color DVDs (1.0) from Vasst.com
Contact me through my Website