fCP express Pro HD. Problems with QTM, WMV, MP4 . Need advice. at DVinfo.net

Julio Laffont · January 29th, 2009, 04:40 PM

I have the new Imac 24 inc 2GB of ram with 320 GB with FCP pro EXpress HD with the converters from FCP pro Express to WMV. The customer gave me mini DV cassettes to make a lot of 7 minutes video clips in QTM (1 Gb average each), WMV(200 MB average each and streaming video (40 megs average each) (which one is good and the rate for video streaming like NBC website or expert suggestion??). I did all he ask and I saw it in my Mac. Everything was fine with the exception of the MP4 (brought from Imovie) that was waving in the edges and pixelated. I explain that to the customer and he said that he wants to the see the whole stuff. Everything ends that he has a Laptop pc and what I saw I did in his Laptop was not good. QTM stopped in the middle of the movie. Only audio no video, grainy, and the Mp4 is a disaster. The weird part is all the WMV were good. I wonder if someone can give me the right setting from the beginning of the download, the settings of the time line and the settings for the conversions from the time line to QTM, WMV and the one that you suggest is good for streaming (and the bit rates, if possible). Also I wonder if this is related with a possible wrong original setting before downloading the Mini DV in the FCP pro express, (Its possible that?). I don't know if exist a step by step manual in FCP that explain Best settings and results to work with the formats and targets explained above.
Best Regards.
J. laffont

William Hohauser · January 31st, 2009, 10:39 PM

Are you playing the files off a DVD or did the client transfer the file to his hard drive. You can't cleanly play full res DV QuickTime off a DVD in any machine. But it''s also possible that his particular laptop can't play full res DV QuickTime because that's what it is if it's around 1gb. Is it an older computer? It's also possible that his laptop might need a Quicktime update

Julio Laffont · February 1st, 2009, 10:42 AM

Hi William. Thanks for your answer, but I don't think that is because the PC is old, because its not. It's a new Toshiba with 2gb of ram. Also I have another 2 more PC running for Sony Vegas and I just finished to upgrade the QTM, and nothing has changed. Out of sync, broken audio no video. I tried to play from the DVDs (they are in folders, for QTM, WMV and MP4). nothing. I transfered the QTM from the DVD to the hard drive of the Pc, same problem. I'm really worry, because the job is already paid, and they are waiting for the solution. Again all the WMV are great, the mp4 bad, and the QTM terrible. I don't know.

William Hohauser · February 1st, 2009, 05:06 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Julio Laffont

Hi William. Thanks for your answer, but I don't think that is because the PC is old, because its not. It's a new Toshiba with 2gb of ram. Also I have another 2 more PC running for Sony Vegas and I just finished to upgrade the QTM, and nothing has changed. Out of sync, broken audio no video. I tried to play from the DVDs (they are in folders, for QTM, WMV and MP4). nothing. I transfered the QTM from the DVD to the hard drive of the Pc, same problem. I'm really worry, because the job is already paid, and they are waiting for the solution. Again all the WMV are great, the mp4 bad, and the QTM terrible. I don't know.

When you do a standard QuickTime export in FCP, if you don't have "Make Self-contained" checked, you get a file with only the audio and any video that needs to be rendered but the unaltered video is not included. "Make Self-contained" will create a complete file. A question, why do the clients need full res files? Or use QuickTime conversion. I am assuming that these options are available in FCE.

Do you have access to another Mac? Check the files on that as well.

MP4 files are never great, use H.264 instead.

Julio Laffont · February 2nd, 2009, 09:57 AM

I believe that I found the problem. I did several full resolution Quicktimes with: export to Quicktime (direct. No settings). Each file weight 1.23 Gb for 6 minutes and was bad for windows. When I changed to h.264 the difference of weight was huge (much lighter and the clip started to run from DVD (file) in windows normally. Seems to be that the automatic conversion doesn't work at all in windows. Only h.264 does. Probably it required to play a little with frame rate to be better, but at least is working.
Best Regards.
J.laffont.

January 29th, 2009, 04:40 PM	#1
Julio Laffont Regular Crew Join Date: Aug 2004 Location: Fort Lauderdale Posts: 51	fCP express Pro HD. Problems with QTM, WMV, MP4 . Need advice. I have the new Imac 24 inc 2GB of ram with 320 GB with FCP pro EXpress HD with the converters from FCP pro Express to WMV. The customer gave me mini DV cassettes to make a lot of 7 minutes video clips in QTM (1 Gb average each), WMV(200 MB average each and streaming video (40 megs average each) (which one is good and the rate for video streaming like NBC website or expert suggestion??). I did all he ask and I saw it in my Mac. Everything was fine with the exception of the MP4 (brought from Imovie) that was waving in the edges and pixelated. I explain that to the customer and he said that he wants to the see the whole stuff. Everything ends that he has a Laptop pc and what I saw I did in his Laptop was not good. QTM stopped in the middle of the movie. Only audio no video, grainy, and the Mp4 is a disaster. The weird part is all the WMV were good. I wonder if someone can give me the right setting from the beginning of the download, the settings of the time line and the settings for the conversions from the time line to QTM, WMV and the one that you suggest is good for streaming (and the bit rates, if possible). Also I wonder if this is related with a possible wrong original setting before downloading the Mini DV in the FCP pro express, (Its possible that?). I don't know if exist a step by step manual in FCP that explain Best settings and results to work with the formats and targets explained above. Best Regards. J. laffont

January 31st, 2009, 10:39 PM	#2
William Hohauser Inner Circle Join Date: Dec 2005 Location: New York City Posts: 2,650	Are you playing the files off a DVD or did the client transfer the file to his hard drive. You can't cleanly play full res DV QuickTime off a DVD in any machine. But it''s also possible that his particular laptop can't play full res DV QuickTime because that's what it is if it's around 1gb. Is it an older computer? It's also possible that his laptop might need a Quicktime update __________________ William Hohauser - New York City Producer/Edit/Camera/Animation

February 1st, 2009, 10:42 AM	#3
Julio Laffont Regular Crew Join Date: Aug 2004 Location: Fort Lauderdale Posts: 51	fCP express Pro HD. Problems with QTM, WMV, MP4 . Need advice. Hi William. Thanks for your answer, but I don't think that is because the PC is old, because its not. It's a new Toshiba with 2gb of ram. Also I have another 2 more PC running for Sony Vegas and I just finished to upgrade the QTM, and nothing has changed. Out of sync, broken audio no video. I tried to play from the DVDs (they are in folders, for QTM, WMV and MP4). nothing. I transfered the QTM from the DVD to the hard drive of the Pc, same problem. I'm really worry, because the job is already paid, and they are waiting for the solution. Again all the WMV are great, the mp4 bad, and the QTM terrible. I don't know.

February 2nd, 2009, 09:57 AM	#5
Julio Laffont Regular Crew Join Date: Aug 2004 Location: Fort Lauderdale Posts: 51	fCP express Pro HD. Problems with QTM, WMV, MP4 . Need advice. I believe that I found the problem. I did several full resolution Quicktimes with: export to Quicktime (direct. No settings). Each file weight 1.23 Gb for 6 minutes and was bad for windows. When I changed to h.264 the difference of weight was huge (much lighter and the clip started to run from DVD (file) in windows normally. Seems to be that the automatic conversion doesn't work at all in windows. Only h.264 does. Probably it required to play a little with frame rate to be better, but at least is working. Best Regards. J.laffont.