[Ed Dooley]

Most posts Atari has made are questions that have been asked many times. Atari, do us and yourself a favor, do a search *before* asking questions, then if you haven’t found the answer, ask.
Ed

[zrb123] “This topic has been beaten to death on this forum please do a search before posting.”

[Ed Dooley]

While I agree that converting MP3s to AIFFs before using in FCP is better than using MP3s, it’s misleading (and wrong) to say that MP3s “cannot work” or “you must first convert an MP3 to an AIFF file”.
MP3s definitely work in FCP. Drop them right into a timeline and then (as I said in my post) render it. It’s not the best workflow, but it absolutely works.
Ed

[Thax] “FCP cannot work with mp3 files at all.
They must be converted to AIFF files before they can be edited to the timeline. “

[Rob Forsythe] “More info to above.
Final Cut Pro (along with virtually every other Pro-level edit software) is not compatible with mp3 files directly.
You must first convert an mp3 to an AIFF file, then import only the new AIFF file.
iTunes does a great job of this.
Here’s how… its really fast once you set up iTunes the first time like this:
iTunes> Preferences > Importing > Import Using: AIFF Encoder> Custom> 48.000 kHz, 16 bit, Stereo >OK
Drop your mp3 into iTunes window.
Select (highlight) the file you want to convert, then:
Advanced (Toolbar Menu)> Convert Selection to AIFF
iTunes will create a new file (in seconds) with the SAME NAME as the original, but ending with .aif
You can set up a special folder for iTunes to send it to, or just use Search to find where it “defaults to” on your HD.
Drag this new .aif file into your open FCP Browser.
The actual .aif file will (and can) stay in the iTunes folder, just its “reference” icon shows in the FCP browser.
It will play and edit just as any other media file in FCP. “

[walter biscardi] “Use the FCP Help Menu and look up Audio Render.
Also, don’t use MP3’s in FCP. “

[Ed Dooley]

Read the friggin’ (that’s what I’m calling it now) manual (and render).
Ed

[Ed Dooley]

I’m (generally) with Chris on this. They had a “seconds” batch a while ago that wasn’t identified by them as less-than-high-quality. People in the know posted batch ID numbers to warn users. Other than that anomaly, they’re considered top of the line.
Ed

[Ed Dooley]

If you’re willing to spend money on a hardware encoder, why not either buy an inexpensive PC and put Procoder on it, or buy a Mac/Intel and put Procoder on that instead? The thing is, you’ll get as good a result with software, it will just be slower than hardware.
I use Compressor for some things, but I also use BitVice, which I think is a much better encoder. So my advice would be, look into BitVice (It’s been talked about in this forum, so do a search) and if you like what you hear, use that.

Here they are:
https://www.innobits.com/
Go to the Downloads page for a free older version to test.
Ed

[Multiple Words] “Thanks David for the reply. What hardware encoding options are available? (other than something like a dedicated Scenarist workstation)

I would be very interested in an (affordable) hardware solution.”

[Ed Dooley]

You’re welcome! 🙂
But actually the help was for all the nice folks who try to help people on these
forums. Spending time answering the most basic questions when the answers
are right there at your fingertips is such a waste.
I subscribe to the school of “give a person a fish and he eats for a day, teach them how
to do a simple search in the manual they already own and they don’t waste everyone’s time”.
I think it goes something like that.
Ed

[leprikan6] “Thanks for the help Ed, so sorry to take up your time.”

[Ed Dooley]

Compressor and DVDSP’s compression engine is the same thing.
I prefer to export a QT from FCP and use Compressor though. I do a “Make
Self Contained” QT so I have a full resolution file to work with. You can
do a reference file instead. Is it HDV and if so did you force render (conform)
the HDV FCP sequence when finished?

Ed

[Ed Dooley]

Did you look it up in your manual? It’s got a whole friggin chapter. C’mon, it’s a book and/or a thing called HELP at the menu bar.
Ed

[Ed Dooley]

David’s right about exporting a reference file, that’s what we do because we don’t have Flix exporter. But you did ask how to reduce your steps and the plug-in does that. Having said that, exporting a ref file is much quicker the extra compression step you’ve been taking, which gives you a big quality hit and takes a long time.
As for de-interlacing, FCP’s isn’t very good. Nattress has a good one (Yes. it’s a plug-in that you have to buy!)
https://www.nattress.com/
If you don’t use that within FCP before exporting, you can use After Effects (which is pretty good), but you’re adding more time-consuming steps. You might want to do a test though,
the lesser quality FCP built-in de-interlacer may work just fine for your purpose.
Ed

[Ed Dooley]

You can buy the ON2VP6 codec (plug-in), Flix, directly from ON2 and install it as a FCP plug-in for direct export.

https://www.on2.com/products/flix/exporter/

Ed