FCP compression nightmare

[Michael Moon]

Hi Scott,
Have you tried Mpeg Streamclip instead of Handbrake?
It will create an mp4, and I seem to recall ProRes working with it. I can’t test it at the moment, but you can download Mpeg Streamclip from squared5.com. It is one of the most useful piece of free software I have ever used.
Good luck.
-Mike

[David Johnson]

ProRes is a great codec for editors to work with and it sounds like the client said they want MP4 deliverables so I’m not sure I understand what codec recommendations you need. Is there any reason you don’t want to just use QuickTime Pro to make the MP4s?

By the way, when I take my car to my mechanic to fix, I don’t try to tell him which tools he should use to fix it.

[Mike Schrengohst]

File>Export>Using QuickTime Conversion

Format>QuickTime Movie>Options

Video>Settings>Compression Type>H.264

Framerate>Current

Set your choice of quality.

Size>Custom>960×540

Sound>Settings>AAC

Unclick “Prepare for Internet Streaming”

Now encode the H.264 .mov file

THEN – In Quicktime do a File EXPORT Movie to MPEG-4

OPTIONS Video & Audio Pass through….

This .mp4 file can then be uploaded to YouTube or streamed
from a variety of Flash video players like Longtail or Flowplayer…

If going to YouTube Then I suggest making the file at least 720p 1280×720
and of course a progressive (not interlaced) file is best for internet….

[John Pale]

Just use Compressor. Using Handbrake would be like taking the Ford Pinto and leaving the BMW in the driveway.

[Scott Huster]

David, Mike, and John thanks so much for your responses. I had never heard of anyone using handbrake for compression so I’m glad I’m not going nuts. Also I appreciate all the car references 🙂 Thanks again!

[Mike Schrengohst]

Hello Scott,

A client of mine had a DVD replication job done and they used Handbrake to pull the VIDEO_TS
so they could add CSS. It screwed up playback of DVD’s for the MAC. The client picked them
but I had questioned why they were using handbrake. They had to make 100 DVD-R for free that
will play in a MAC.

Try the method I outlined and let me know if that works.

[Steve Eisen]

I would NOT recommend QuickTime Conversion. Bad workflow. Use Compressor. Export QT Movie and drop that into Compressor. Choose a H.264 preset.

Steve Eisen
Eisen Video Productions
Vice President
Chicago Final Cut Pro Users Group

[Scott Huster]

Currently doing an export out of FCP gives me a 3 GB file for a 7min 40sec video at 960×540 apple pro res.

I’d like to compress that down at the same resolution to less that 100 MB.

I do have MPEG streamclip, so I’ll give that a try along with exporting out of QT pro and compressor.

Thanks!

[Gary Askham]

Everyone is giving you really bad advice (apart from Steve Eisen).

This is really basic post production knowledge freely available on the net (and in the manual of the application suite you are using – Final Cut Studio).

Handbrake is for ripping DVD’s into video that will play on you iPod or PSP. Not really what you’re trying to do. Mpeg Streamclip is great at converting problem video clips into editable formats.

What you want to do is export an MPEG-4 – something that is built into Final Cut Studio and is a very standard procedure. Use Compressor. There are about a dozen MPEG-4 presets with plain english descriptions telling you what each one is best for. Copy one of these and change the size (if it HAS to be 960×540). Easy.

————————
FCP and Avid Technical Support
Air Post Production
Shoreditch – London

[John Pale]

[Gary Askham] “Everyone is giving you really bad advice (apart from Steve Eisen).
“

….cough…cough….cough…

[John Pale] “Just use Compressor. Using Handbrake would be like taking the Ford Pinto and leaving the BMW in the driveway.

“

[Gary Askham] “What you want to do is export an MPEG-4 – something that is built into Final Cut Studio and is a very standard procedure. Use Compressor.”

oh…why didn’t I think of that….