Whats the best video exporter/compressor for FCP?

[Michael Gissing]

I would be exporting a QT movie from FCP, straight over the network to the PC. Dropping the file into PPro and doing the rest there whilst getting back to a freed up FCP to continue work.

[Jason Brown]

Hey Chris,

I have a PC background as well (AVID)…have been on FCP for only 3 months and I have to say that I have gained a HUGE appreciation for FCP and the suite.

Yes, there are frustrating things about it…but all software has its weakness.

What exactly is your problem?

Compressor can ABSOLUTELY (granted I only have a few months experience) compress to ANY format I’ve needed.

Mind you, to go wmv…you have to have the flip4mac plugin – to customize settings…it has to be a professional version.

And with the new integration of FCP7 it doesn’t tie up Final Cut to keep you from working…granted, it’s a bit sluggish on playback, but you can continue to work while having a process in the background working on the same sequence you are continuing to edit. I don’t know of any software that can do that.

I’ve used (extensively) Sorenson, Episode Pro, Adobe Media Encoder (briefly), and now Compressor. And I can tell you that Compressor stands up next to and beats out in many ways these other transcoding softwares.

Ask some specific questions if you are having workflow issues…but I’d be willing to guess there is a solution with Compressor. An upgrade to FCS7 is a great investment.

Also, the compression forum probably has people way more knowledgeable than me!

-Jason

P.S. I’ve just got the Matrox MXO2 with max and it transcodes to h264 files faster than real-time (only through compressor)…it’s amazing.

[Michael Gissing]

[Jason Brown] “P.S. I’ve just got the Matrox MXO2 with max and it transcodes to h264 files faster than real-time (only through compressor)…it’s amazing.”

Sorry to hijack, but I am looking at the same interface and was wondering what the downconvert & cross convert looked like. I am tossing up with the Kona but the Max option tips the Matrox if the downconvert is good.

[Jason Brown]

I don’t do much conversion…I do occasionally run a live out through the SD channel of an HD timeline…dubbing live to a DVD recorder…but these are for one off dubs and I don’t pay that much attention to quality. To be honest, they don’t look very good…but then I’m comparing that to the HD timeline I’m working in! 🙂

I can tell you that the Max option is nice if h264 can be a delivery option for you…

One thing I’ve found in my working with it. I monitor everything through my mixer…I have my mac pro running mini plug to 1/4″ stereo unbalanced…there is a buzz in the audio – slight, but it’s there. The Kona (from what I’ve been told) is recognized through the FCP system settings in the audio options as an output…so you can output your system sounds (internet audio…music…desktop previews) all through your sound mixer with balanced audio…this is a HUGE issue for me. I’d really like that option.

Just my 2 cents.

-Jason

[David Roth weiss]

[Jason Brown] “The Kona (from what I’ve been told) is recognized through the FCP system settings in the audio options as an output…so you can output your system sounds (internet audio…music…desktop previews) all through your sound mixer with balanced audio…this is a HUGE issue for me. I’d really like that option. “

Yes, Kona drivers do allow all audio, system as well as FCP, to play out via their hardware. BlackMagic hardware is also thus enabled. I’m very surprised to hear that the MXO2 doesn’t operate that same way. That would be an issue for me as well.

David Roth Weiss
Director/Editor
David Weiss Productions, Inc.
Los Angeles

POST-PRODUCTION WITHOUT THE USUAL INSANITY ™

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

[Chris Newberry]

Ha ha –

Thanks Dave. I don’t stay in Windows-land because FCP is the best edit system I’ve used. If we put it down to what edit suite? Then I prefer FCP overall to everything I’ve worked on. But the outputting on PremPro, I felt, was better than FCP.

I know – as being an editor you have to live amongst them – that PremPro and Windows is very, very, very uncool. The trendy contempories I meet inform me of that all the time. Yet none of them has given me an option to beat PremPro exporter yet.

I suspect this is because after they’ve done their hair and synced their ipods there isn’t much time to look into the problems of the white machines.

It’s morning here and your post tickled me! Thank you.

Many thanks and if you do know of an exporter so I can leave Windows-land far behind then please do let me know. If not, then it’s a case of the best tools for the job – regardless of what’s coolest.

Chris

[Chris Newberry]

Thanks everyone so far. No progs yet though.

I’m aware of flip4mac but I’m still holding out for a package that does it all so I don’t have to keep spending money on little add-ons here and there.

I know thats how the computer world works but I try and accept it as little as possible! 🙂

Thanks for all your time and effort so far.