Michael Kammes
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Convert 1 file, and put it on the timeline with the other clips. If it plays with line dominance issues, then switch the field dominance during encode. You SHOULDN’T have any issue, but what’s wrong with a little try and error with 1 short file? 🙂
As far as SD timeline with scaled HD footage or an HD timeline with scaled SD footage, I am a firm believer in:
1. having the timeline match the majority of your footage
or
2. If effects heavy, go with the highest res possible. Scaling down footage with effects looks better than scaling up.So, I would probably scale the HD footage down to SD in the timeline, to match your other footage. Compressor can also take your RAW h.264 HD material and create SD Pro res as well – so, you don’t HAVE to use the scale function in FCP. Don’t forget to select what kind of look you want (letterbox, center cut, etc.)
As far as stills, a few notes:
FCP doesn’t like files over 4K in size (H x W)…it can cause sluggishness. Also, make sure the image doesn’t appear stretched or oddly shaped…round pixels vs square pixels and all.
Good Luck! (Back to vacation)
.: michael kammes mpse
.: senior applications editor . post workflow consultant
.: audio specialist . act fcp . acsr
.: michaelkammes.com -
I would not recommend going DV. I f you can use another SD codec, that would be easier and look much better.
In fact, you can encode SD material into Pro Res and use that. (Pro Res can be 422 or 422 HQ in SD; and you can do all 5 flavors of 422 in HD.)
Then you can mix both the SD & HD material in the same timeline and playback should be smooth, plus the visual quality will be very much improved.
As for dominance, you can adjust that in your compression settings within Compressor…however, if you use ProRes throughout, you should have no issue.
~Michael
.: michael kammes mpse
.: senior applications editor . post workflow consultant
.: audio specialist . act fcp . acsr
.: michaelkammes.com -
Bang for the buck and for less headache, go with a TriCaster. My experience has been that most other “assembled” solutions (software included)tend to be more trouble than they are worth…excluding enterprise grade deployments of components, of course.
In addition, the Tricaster interface and control surface are very familiar to TDs or board ops. I’ve been involved with hundreds of clients, and the solution with the highest success rate in your price range has been the TriCaster.
The SD units are under 10K (street), including the nice Broadcast unit. Find a reseller, they commonly have units which were used for demo, or rental facilities may have gear it is time to sell, in order to buy more.
If you’re on the West Coast, message me…I can give you some names.
~Michael
.: michael kammes mpse
.: senior applications editor . post workflow consultant
.: audio specialist . act fcp . acsr
.: michaelkammes.com -
FCP – like most NLEs – have an issue playing H.264 HD files in real time. It’s a tough file to play.
Even by doing an autoconform – that is, FCP adjusting itself to have the timeline match the clip – will only serve to get you “closer” to 100% playback in RT.
You can change your RT playback to UNLIMITED (vs SAFE) as well as adjust the parameters of it to see if that helps (look to the top left of the timeline for a small oval box)
Best Practice is to convert the files to ProRes prior to editing. FCP will handle that MUCH better. Since the original file hierarchy is not available, you’ll have to manually transode the material into Pro Res. If Log & Tranfer won’t work, you can always run the files through compressor before bringing them into FCP.
You may want to check out the other forums on the cor, such as Apple Final Cut Pro and Apple Final Cut Pro Basics.
Good Luck!
~Michael
.: michael kammes mpse
.: senior applications editor . post workflow consultant
.: audio specialist . act fcp . acsr
.: michaelkammes.com -
No, no sarcasm in the least.
https://www.apple.com/finalcutstudio/compressor/industry-standard-encoding.html
Ken Stone discusses it: https://www.kenstone.net/fcp_homepage/compressor_3.5_stone.html
https://www.dv.com/article/85370
https://creativemac.digitalmedianet.com/articles/viewarticle.jsp?id=826886&afterinter=true
YouTube encoding and upload is mentioned in all of them. I’ve used it many, may times. It’s there.
~Michael
.: michael kammes mpse
.: senior applications editor . post workflow consultant
.: audio specialist . act fcp . acsr
.: michaelkammes.com -
What version of Compressor?
v 3.5 – Came with FCP 7 – has been out for about a year and a half, has a wizard that does it for you. Great results.
H.264 is fine for youtube. Use current frame rate, and I stay under 5000kbits/sec, but you may get away with less, or need more. Use AAC audio (320 kbps & 44.1Khz)
You may need to use a de-interlacing filter, as well.
This are the basics. Compression is part art, part science, so no “recipe” will give you 100% without trial and errors.
~Michael
.: michael kammes mpse
.: senior applications editor . post workflow consultant
.: audio specialist . act fcp . acsr
.: michaelkammes.com -
This is possible, although it is expensive. Philips has a Forensic Watermarking encoder and decoder. Last I heard, they may have sold it to a 3rd party. There are a handful of 3rd party apps as well, but they are all enterprise level.
Easier (and cheaper!) techniques include visible watermarks on the video, either displaying the users name OR fading in and out at random times (and sometimes on different parts of the picture!)to thwart some piracy programs. A users name burned into the image also usually has their name printed on the disc label as well.
~Michael
.: michael kammes mpse
.: senior applications editor . post workflow consultant
.: audio specialist . act fcp . acsr
.: michaelkammes.com -
If you have Pro Res, you must have FCStudio, correct?
Compressor comes with an excellent Preset for YouTube.
YouTube also keeps an updated page on recommendations:
https://www.google.com/support/youtube/bin/answer.py?hl=en&answer=132460
https://www.google.com/support/youtube/bin/answer.py?&answer=165543You may want to also check out the ‘cow Compress Techniques forum: https://forums.creativecow.net/compressiontechniques
~Michael
.: michael kammes mpse
.: senior applications editor . post workflow consultant
.: audio specialist . act fcp . acsr
.: michaelkammes.com -
Playback is gonna be rough with AVCHD, let alone AVCHD & XDCAM.
I would transcode all of the footage to Pro Res so it can A) play in the timeline natively (in Safe Mode) PLUS it will be better for effects, composting, etc…and will hold up during post.
~Michael
.: michael kammes mpse
.: senior applications editor . post workflow consultant
.: audio specialist . act fcp . acsr
.: michaelkammes.com -
I second the DVD Recorder option. That’s what most films out here in Hollywood use. 7 hours is unacceptable each day for dailies.
Telestream’s Episode may yield faster results AND you can cluster like the aforementioned QMaster Compressor solution.
Real Time is not so bad after all, eh?
~Michael
.: michael kammes mpse
.: senior applications editor . post workflow consultant
.: audio specialist . act fcp . acsr
.: michaelkammes.com