How to use different formats in one timeline?

[Tom Wolsky]

Use MPEG Streamclip to convert the files to QuickTime using the correct settings that match the rest of your media.

All the best,

Tom

Class on Demand DVDs “Complete Training for FCP7,” “Basic Training for FCS” and “Final Cut Express Made Easy”
Author: “Final Cut Pro 5 Editing Essentials” and “Final Cut Express 4 Editing Workshop”

[Matt Hannon]

Thanks for your advice Tom – appreciated.

I take it MPEG Streamclip is software? Do you know if this usually results in a compromise of video/audio quality?

Sorry for my naivety.

[Tom Wolsky]

It’s freeware. Download it. No compromise in quality if you convert to a high quality codec, which I presume you’re already using. The video won’t get any better, but it won’t get worse.

All the best,

Tom

Class on Demand DVDs “Complete Training for FCP7,” “Basic Training for FCS” and “Final Cut Express Made Easy”
Author: “Final Cut Pro 5 Editing Essentials” and “Final Cut Express 4 Editing Workshop”

[Matt Hannon]

Ah ha… thanks Tom you’re a legend… its working well and surprisingly quickly.. cool freeware!

[Matt Hannon]

one last question if I may…

When i import the newly converted files to FCP as .mov (quicktime) files, they need rendering straight away.. is this normal, or have I not converted them under the right settings??

They seemto play fine once they have been rendered…

thanks again

[Tom Wolsky]

No that indicates that the sequence settings do not match the clip settings. Either the clips were not converted correctly or the sequence has not been set up correctly.

Please give the exact item properties of the clips you’re editing and the exact item properties of the sequence in which you’re editing.

All the best,

Tom

Class on Demand DVDs “Complete Training for FCP7,” “Basic Training for FCS” and “Final Cut Express Made Easy”
Author: “Final Cut Pro 5 Editing Essentials” and “Final Cut Express 4 Editing Workshop”

[Matt Hannon]

Ok so this may be lengthy, I will try to be clear – many thanks for your patience..

The sequence (of which I already have a lengthy rough cut from my dominant camera in place) has item properties as follows:

Frame size: 1440 x 1080
Aspect Ratio: HD (1440×1080) (16:9)
Field Dominance: Upper (odd)
Editing timebase:25 (25fps)

The clips from my dominant camera which have been used to create the rough cut, have item properties as follows:

Vid Rate: 25fps
Frame size: 1440 x 1080
Compressor: HDV 1080i50
Creator: Quicktime

Therefore, I am assuming (and hope!), that the clips in my rough cut and sequence are compatible and correct.

The issue begins when trying to introduce clips from my hard drive that have been recorded on 5 different cameras. I converted nearly all of these clips yesterday, by using MPEG Streamclip and exporting using ‘Quicktime’ format, however, as previously mentioned the clips need instant rendering when imported to the main project (the aforementioned rough cut in FCP).

I will now give item properties of the 5 different cameras before they were converted by me yesterday using MPEG Streamclip.

Camera 1:
Vid Rate: 29.97 fps
Frame Size: 1280 x 960
Compressor: HDV 1080i50

Camera 2
Vid rate: 30 fps
Frame size: 720 x 480
Compressor: XVID (Perian)
Pixel aspect: NTSC – CCIR 601

Camera 3
Vid Rate: 25 fps
Frame size: 720 x 576
Compressor: DV – PAL

Camera 4
Vid rate: 27 fps
Frame size: 512 x 384
Compressor: Apple Open DML JPEG

Camera 5
Vid rate: 25 fps
Frame size: 1024 x 576
Compressor: Motion JPEG A

I now realise after looking at the different item properties above, that I have a mixture of PAL and NTSC formats happening here, which is probably going to be a whole another issue…?

……………………

Yesterday, I converted the above 5 camera’s clips with MPEG Streamclip using the ‘Quicktime’ conversion, and when I compared the item properties of these new formats (ie. the ones I just converted) to the older formats (ie. camera 1-5 above) the only significant difference that I could notice, was that the new format’s compressor had been replaced with Motion JPEG A.

Carelessly, I spent many hours yesterday converting the clips before asking the question of whether or not I was converting to the right format – which I now know I wasn’t.

Now that it looks as though I will have to convert everything again, is it possible to convert again from the newly converted clips that have the new compressor ie Motion JPEG A instead of the original clips? The reason I ask this is because I spent a long time viewing, selecting and putting ‘in’ and ‘out’ points into the clips I converted yesterday.

Obviously, if there will be a reduction of quality, I will start from scratch and just take it as a learning lesson…

Hopefully this is the information you need, sorry it’s so long…. thankyou.

matt

[David Roth weiss]

[Matt Hannon] “is it possible to convert again from the newly converted clips that have the new compressor ie Motion JPEG A instead of the original clips?”

Never, ever, ever, ever even think about adding an extra and unnecessary compression step to your video. Let the extra work this time be a lesson to you, so you never, ever, ever, ever embark upon a lengthy project or even a lengthy aspect of your workflow without proper testing of short clips so that you’re certain what you’re doing before you do it.

BTW, for the record, Motion JPEG A is a very old “legacy” codec. ProRes is the ticket nowadays for anything you transcode. When in doubt pick ProRes 422 and you’ll hardly ever be wrong.

David Roth Weiss
Director/Editor/Colorist
David Weiss Productions, Inc.
Los Angeles
https://www.drwfilms.com

POST-PRODUCTION WITHOUT THE USUAL INSANITY ™

A forum host of Creative COW’s Business & Marketing and Apple Final Cut Pro forums. Formerly host of the Apple Final Cut Basics, Indie Film & Documentary, and Film History & Appreciations forums.

[Matt Hannon]

Thanks for your advice David,

I actually didn’t mean to add an extra compression, as I was under the impression that this is often the cause of quality loss? I left the box in MPEG Streamclip checked as ‘Uncompressed’ – so not sure why it has added that motion compression??

Either way it looks as though I am starting from scratch, which is a good lesson learned – i’ll be sure to check short clips next time before doing a whole days work! A little foolish I admit..

So does anyone know where I am going wrong?

Should I be specifying in the MPEG Streamclip settings that all the files should be converted to 25fps, with a frame size of 1440 x 1080 (as this is my sequence settings)?

What about the fact that I have NTSC and PAL clips?

Sorry guys, I just learning here…

Thanks again,

m

[David Roth weiss]

Matt,

First, for the record, any time you transcode to a different codec, up-res, down-res to a different frame size, etc., you hit your video with a new compression. So, if you do it wrong and use the new version, you’re compressing twice.

You’re gonna have a bear of a time ending up with something technically correct with all the different video types you’re starting with, especially as someone just learning. What you’re trying to do is tough for seasoned pros. You have video types that aren’t editing codecs at all, NTSC and PAL, different frame rates, and different pixel dimensions. Most would have difficulties with any two of these, you have all of them.

The rule of thumb that Tom told you initially is to convert/transcode to a single common format. That means, single codec (ProRes), single frame rate, single pixel dimension, etc. That is typically determined by the one type of video that is predominate in your project, i.e. the one you have the most of.

So, pick what you have the most of and convert all the rest precisely to match it in every way. Cut it all in a sequence that also matches your predominate video type in every way as well.

Okay, other than telling you these things, no one here really has enough time to walk you through the entire minefield of what it takes to learn to make all of those conversions properly. It takes loads of trial and error for anyone to get it all right. You’ll just have go for it and try to make adjustments if something doesn’t look right.

Good luck to you…

BTW, next time, either use one camera type with one video format or hire a pro to edit…

David Roth Weiss
Director/Editor/Colorist
David Weiss Productions, Inc.
Los Angeles
https://www.drwfilms.com

POST-PRODUCTION WITHOUT THE USUAL INSANITY ™

A forum host of Creative COW’s Business & Marketing and Apple Final Cut Pro forums. Formerly host of the Apple Final Cut Basics, Indie Film & Documentary, and Film History & Appreciations forums.