compressor depressing me! at DVinfo.net

Brian David Melnyk · November 14th, 2007, 03:15 AM

Hi. either Compressor in the FCP studio 2 is not working or i am doing something wrong...
here's what i attempt:
1) in FCP, i choose 'export using compressor' with either my sequence selected in the browser, or open in the timeline.
2) the sequence shows up in compressor and i choose 'desktop' as a destination and 'PAL DV' as a setting (converting NTSC sequence).
3) i click 'submit' and rename the job in the drop down menu (mostly with swear words now...)
4) the history window opens and says 'waiting' for the job status and 'unknown remaining' in the time bar. same in the batch monitor.
5) i wait and wait and nothing happens. even cancelling the job says 'cancelling', but nothing happens, it remains forever 'cancelling'. all the while, if i hover the mouse pointer over the FCP window, i get the rainbow wheel of death. indefinitely.
i had the same problem for weeks and magically, a few sequences were converted in a matter of minutes (all the sequences i'm trying to convert are short: 1 to 4 minutes), using the workflow above. but now, with a deadline looming...nothing.
i have installed all the studio 2 updates.
any ideas? i'd really appreciate some help.

Brian David Melnyk · November 14th, 2007, 05:59 AM

oh, yeah. forgot to mention that someday i hope to post solutions here, instead of problems!

George Strother · November 14th, 2007, 01:22 PM

If you select "export as Quicktime movie", keeping all settings the same as your timeline, you will create a reference QT .mov that you can import to Compressor and convert.

This has been more reliable for me and it will let Compressor render in the background without tying up FCP.

Dino Leone · November 14th, 2007, 01:49 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by George Strother

If you select "export as Quicktime movie", keeping all settings the same as your timeline, you will create a reference QT .mov that you can import to Compressor and convert.

This has been more reliable for me and it will let Compressor render in the background without tying up FCP.

I do the same. It's much more robust, plus, you can keep working in FCP while compressor is churning on the ref movie. Just drag-and-drop this ref. movie into the compressor main window (this area where the current job is being specified).

Did you make sure you selected "This Computer" in the Submit dialog, and not by accident a non-existing cluster? Happened to me once with similar results as you describe. Also, I did have the exact same problem a couple weeks ago with compressor. There is a document on Apple's support site on how to purge everything in your system that's compressor-related; then you'll have to reinstalll compressor only and it will behave again.

Compressor seems to be a sensitive, bitchy, little devil of an application. Best to treat it very carefully = submit reference movies in order not to upset it... :-)

Best,

George Strother · November 15th, 2007, 04:30 PM

Maybe Apple should change the menu to -

Export as sacrificial lamb.

Brian David Melnyk · November 16th, 2007, 12:43 PM

after a lot of time, research, grief (and wine) i opted for reinstalling. apparently there are many people with the same compressor issues. it now is working, but i somehow half expect that it might stop at any time... others have reinstalled to no avail. Compressor seems about as reliable as the Burundian power grid (hamster wheels...) and the updates fixed nothing. in fact, i haven't reinstalled them...

Brian David Melnyk · November 25th, 2007, 03:12 AM

OK, Compressor stopped working again, so I once again reinstalled. I followed the Apple support instructions. I also used a 'removeQmaster.command' script that was posted as another helpful solution and then reinstalled Compressor, Qmaster and Motion using 'Pacifist' so I wouldn't have to install all the other programs. Now Compressor will not even open, nor will Motion. During the install I was constantly told that numerous files already existed, and opted for the 'replace' option.
At my wits end, I think I should maybe reinstall the whole FCP Studio 2. My question is this:
Do I have to uninstall everything before reinstalling, and if so, how do I go about that? I searched but found no instructions for this procedure on the Apple site or otherwise.
Any thoughts?

Nate Schmidt · November 25th, 2007, 10:54 AM

On the MacBreak video podcast Brian Gary looks at a few Compressor issues...
http://www.techtvforever.net/?p=1827

November 14th, 2007, 03:15 AM	#1
Brian David Melnyk Major Player Join Date: Mar 2007 Location: Winnipeg Canada Posts: 532	compressor depressing me! Hi. either Compressor in the FCP studio 2 is not working or i am doing something wrong... here's what i attempt: 1) in FCP, i choose 'export using compressor' with either my sequence selected in the browser, or open in the timeline. 2) the sequence shows up in compressor and i choose 'desktop' as a destination and 'PAL DV' as a setting (converting NTSC sequence). 3) i click 'submit' and rename the job in the drop down menu (mostly with swear words now...) 4) the history window opens and says 'waiting' for the job status and 'unknown remaining' in the time bar. same in the batch monitor. 5) i wait and wait and nothing happens. even cancelling the job says 'cancelling', but nothing happens, it remains forever 'cancelling'. all the while, if i hover the mouse pointer over the FCP window, i get the rainbow wheel of death. indefinitely. i had the same problem for weeks and magically, a few sequences were converted in a matter of minutes (all the sequences i'm trying to convert are short: 1 to 4 minutes), using the workflow above. but now, with a deadline looming...nothing. i have installed all the studio 2 updates. any ideas? i'd really appreciate some help.

November 14th, 2007, 05:59 AM	#2
Brian David Melnyk Major Player Join Date: Mar 2007 Location: Winnipeg Canada Posts: 532	oh, yeah oh, yeah. forgot to mention that someday i hope to post solutions here, instead of problems!

November 25th, 2007, 10:54 AM	#8
Nate Schmidt Major Player Join Date: Jul 2005 Location: Welland ON Posts: 515	On the MacBreak video podcast Brian Gary looks at a few Compressor issues... http://www.techtvforever.net/?p=1827 __________________ "We've done the impossible, and that makes us mighty."

November 14th, 2007, 01:22 PM	#3
George Strother Major Player Join Date: Jun 2006 Location: San Diego, CA Posts: 204	If you select "export as Quicktime movie", keeping all settings the same as your timeline, you will create a reference QT .mov that you can import to Compressor and convert. This has been more reliable for me and it will let Compressor render in the background without tying up FCP.

November 15th, 2007, 04:30 PM	#5
George Strother Major Player Join Date: Jun 2006 Location: San Diego, CA Posts: 204	Maybe Apple should change the menu to - Export as sacrificial lamb.

November 16th, 2007, 12:43 PM	#6
Brian David Melnyk Major Player Join Date: Mar 2007 Location: Winnipeg Canada Posts: 532	after a lot of time, research, grief (and wine) i opted for reinstalling. apparently there are many people with the same compressor issues. it now is working, but i somehow half expect that it might stop at any time... others have reinstalled to no avail. Compressor seems about as reliable as the Burundian power grid (hamster wheels...) and the updates fixed nothing. in fact, i haven't reinstalled them...

November 25th, 2007, 03:12 AM	#7
Brian David Melnyk Major Player Join Date: Mar 2007 Location: Winnipeg Canada Posts: 532	OK, Compressor stopped working again, so I once again reinstalled. I followed the Apple support instructions. I also used a 'removeQmaster.command' script that was posted as another helpful solution and then reinstalled Compressor, Qmaster and Motion using 'Pacifist' so I wouldn't have to install all the other programs. Now Compressor will not even open, nor will Motion. During the install I was constantly told that numerous files already existed, and opted for the 'replace' option. At my wits end, I think I should maybe reinstall the whole FCP Studio 2. My question is this: Do I have to uninstall everything before reinstalling, and if so, how do I go about that? I searched but found no instructions for this procedure on the Apple site or otherwise. Any thoughts?