[Craig Alan]

Next year I’ll have a enough FCP X students so those students can help the newbies. You just can’t learn the basics of FCP X in 5 minutes. Plus the FCP X stations are not even installed yet. I have FCP 7 and Imovie on a few stations only.

Other clips are coming into Imovie in decent shape despite the AIC auto-transcode. Not so, so far, with the P2 stuff.

But are you suggesting that FCP X transcodes media with the same quality as compressor? That would be a time saver. I’m just thinking that if i could give Imovie the P2 files in AIC from a pro compression program it would be a better transcode than what Imovie does for itself.

Are any of the compression (send to) options in FCP X AIC?

Mac Pro, macbook pro, Imacs (i7); Camcorders: Panasonic AG-HPX170/AG-HPX250P, Canon HV30/40, Sony Z7U, VX2000, PD170; FCP 6 certified; write professionally for a variety of media; teach video production in L.A.

[Craig Alan]

Thanks Michael and Jeremy,

I’ll download AVC-Intra decoder and the user manual from that link. Not had really good luck with Panasonic user manuals but maybe it will help.

So when I want to get the P2 files into compressor from the P2CMS database, how is this done? I’ve used compressor after exporting self contained QT files, drag and drop, and now I’ve used it by sending it to compressor from FCP X. Whoosh, done for you!

One more thing – if inspector in FCP X is saying that a file is still in the original P2 codec even though its been transcoded to pro res, what software can I use to tell me what I really have? My guess is it’s neither a bug nor a feature – it’s simply that the original codec was a piece of meta data that is attached to that clip. Not so much a bug but certainly immature software. (just a guess) Best of both worlds would be AVC-Intra 1080i60 rewrapped as ai5p(?) and then transcoded to pro res 422. That would be truly informative and help you develop better workflows or at least understand the one in front of you.

Mac Pro, macbook pro, Imacs (i7); Camcorders: Panasonic AG-HPX170/AG-HPX250P, Canon HV30/40, Sony Z7U, VX2000, PD170; FCP 6 certified; write professionally for a variety of media; teach video production in L.A.

[Craig Alan]

Thanks so much Jeremy,

So I gather FCP X does not break the P2 Contents Management Software?

Maybe the version of QT on my computer? But I’ll try to re-download.

Are there any camera recording choices you would recommend with either of these editing codec’s in mind? Would 1080 P be better for example with AIC?

Mac Pro, macbook pro, Imacs (i7); Camcorders: Panasonic AG-HPX170/AG-HPX250P, Canon HV30/40, Sony Z7U, VX2000, PD170; FCP 6 certified; write professionally for a variety of media; teach video production in L.A.

[Craig Alan]

Thanks Jeremy. That FCP X or 7 to compressor workflow was suggested to me. Will Compressor read the original intra files copied over from the P2 card or do I need to copy them via the Panasonic’s P2 Contents Management Software for MAC users?

Do you know of a fix for the video play back with sound but no picture when using Contents Management Software?

I’ll try again directly in compressor and see what the settings are. But I think your intuition might be correct. That’s what it reminded me of – a standard def conversion.

Any particular not obvious settings I should consider?

Also would starting in compressor help with quality into FCP X? The footage looks really good in X but was just wondering.

Craig

Mac Pro, macbook pro, Imacs (i7); Camcorders: Panasonic AG-HPX170/AG-HPX250P, Canon HV30/40, Sony Z7U, VX2000, PD170; FCP 6 certified; write professionally for a variety of media; teach video production in L.A.

[Craig Alan]

I was told that I could create an apple pro res file by optimizing in FCP X then import into compressor and transcode to AIC. Here’s why:

I teach video at a school and need to deal with a large number of projects/codec’s and levels of ability.

We use Panasonic AG-HPX250/Panasonic AG-HPX170 cams among many other cams.

I used Panasonic’s P2 Contents Management Software for MAC users, however, the video plays back with sound but no picture. I read on-line that FCP X being installed creates this disability.

Seems weird. I’ll ask panasonic about it.

That said, it does import into FCP X.

Is there a better work flow for this?

A bigger problem is getting the footage into Imovie.

I have sent the clips to compressor and transcoded it to AIC. But it looks degraded in Imovie viewer.
Much worse than other imported files which I understand Imovie converts to AIC.

I need Imovie for beginners and non-film students and other teachers.

I had no problems with Panasonic’s P2 Contents Management Software for MAC users and FCP 7 last year.

Now I’m making this somewhat painful transition.

Our final product will also be a variety – from on-line, to SD-DVD (I follow Ken Stone tutorial on compressor for that), Blu-Ray, to using a hard drive to play the files directly out a Mac to a HD projector.

Mac Pro, macbook pro, Imacs (i7); Camcorders: Panasonic AG-HPX170/AG-HPX250P, Canon HV30/40, Sony Z7U, VX2000, PD170; FCP 6 certified; write professionally for a variety of media; teach video production in L.A.

[Craig Alan]

I’ve never done this but do remember reading about it. Check this out though its old:

https://www.kenstone.net/fcp_homepage/hd_dvds_on_sd_dvds_young.html

try a google search as well there are a lot of links to this holy grail of HD video distribution in the SD world. It’s dated wishful thinking but have fun.

Mac Pro, macbook pro, Imacs (i7); Camcorders: Panasonic AG-HPX170/AG-HPX250P, Canon HV30/40, Sony Z7U, VX2000, PD170; FCP 6 certified; write professionally for a variety of media; teach video production in L.A.

[Craig Alan]

Get an external HD to store your media files. You do not want to store media on your system drive. Sooner than later your drive will slow down to a crawl. You’ll have lots of room for your media this way and you will be happy.

And check this out;

https://www.larryjordan.biz/fcpx-working-with-proxy-media/

Mac Pro, macbook pro, Imacs (i7); Camcorders: Panasonic AG-HPX170/AG-HPX250P, Canon HV30/40, Sony Z7U, VX2000, PD170; FCP 6 certified; write professionally for a variety of media; teach video production in L.A.

[Craig Alan]

Yes exactly, Oliver. Is there anyway to force FCP X to “optimize” the footage. If not once imported, is there the option to have it do the conversion upon import?

Mac Pro, macbook pro, Imacs (i7); Camcorders: Panasonic AG-HPX170/AG-HPX250P, Canon HV30/40, Sony Z7U, VX2000, PD170; FCP 6 certified; write professionally for a variety of media; teach video production in L.A.

[Craig Alan]

[Shane Ross] “I’d ween them all off of iMovie and onto FCX, or Adobe Premiere.
“

Thanks Shane.

That’s maybe the plan but I kinda need to offer an easy workflow for circumstances that have no time for such weening. I never used the “new” Imovie till now. I used the old Imovie back when it was DV in, DV out, SD DVDs. When Imovie HD 7 didn’t happen, I switched to FCS/FCP exclusively and didn’t look back till now. FCP X borrowed from the Imovie interface/code so using Imovie to get student’s feet wet and for students not in the class makes sense.

If FCP X does not gain any ground with film schools and pro circles I’ll rethink this. For now I just want to produce some decent product. Kinda surprised Imovie 11 can’t use apple pro res. It’s lossy too but way better than AIC. Maybe the next version of Imovie will add more support for the camera’s/codec’s out there since my guess is this is Apple’s plan. If nothing else, FCP X is Imovie Pro.

Most of the test footage looks decent in Imovie. So maybe I didn’t tweak the conversion right in compressor? It doesn’t look any different than letting Imovie convert a direct import from FCP X’s media drive files. FCP X didn’t take any time at all to send it to compressor so it was not optimized as you suggested. Maybe importing directly from those files is not a good idea?

I’ll try importing the FCP X P2 files from the media drive directly into compressor and trying the conversion that way. It seems FCP X has already put a QT wrapper on them. Otherwise Imovie wouldn’t see them at all.

If that doesn’t do it, I could try this with FCP 7. I’ll also ask over at the FCP X forum about transcoding the footage into pro res even though FCP X can edit the P2 stuff.

Mac Pro, macbook pro, Imacs (i7); Camcorders: Panasonic AG-HPX170/AG-HPX250P, Canon HV30/40, Sony Z7U, VX2000, PD170; FCP 6 certified; write professionally for a variety of media; teach video production in L.A.

[Craig Alan]

Shane,

I opened up FCP X’s event window, highlighted a clip, and opened Inspector. The file was still AVC-Intra 1080i60. My guess is since FCP X can edit in this codec it did not transcode it during import to Apple Pro Res. Under FILE>transcode media – optimize media was grayed out. Was this because it was on the timeline as well as the event window? The only choice was create proxy media. I exported the clip to compressor directly from FCP X. In FCP 7 I used to export a self-contained QT movie.

Once in compressor I was able to transcode it to AIC. I imported the AIC file into Imovie. It did not look as good as it does in FCP X. The viewer looks fine for other clips from different sources/codec’s (though I gather they are all AIC after ingesting in Imovie). I tried importing the original FCP X clip directly from the media drive with no transcoding directly into Imovie and it allowed the import and it “optimized” the incoming clip. I don’t see any difference between the two but I’m judging by the viewer window in Imovie which most likely does not mean anything. Will compressor really make a difference for the final exported QT project? I guess as long as a program has put a QT wrapper on the P2 footage it can be imported into Imovie.

I’m wondering if there is a better codec to use with our P2 camera for this workflow. Would 1080P be better than interlaced in terms of AIC?

Mac Pro, macbook pro, Imacs (i7); Camcorders: Panasonic AG-HPX170/AG-HPX250P, Canon HV30/40, Sony Z7U, VX2000, PD170; FCP 6 certified; write professionally for a variety of media; teach video production in L.A.