Why do I have to render a freshly imported clip in FCE? Something must be wrong...

[Mark Light]

I have a new macbook pro - with a gig of ram (soon to be 2 gigs), and it has the newest version of FCE installed.

Whenever I import a video clip and drag it to the timeline... it ALWAYS has to be rendered... and this takes forever! and then if I add any kind of effect to the clip or do basically any re-editing, it all need to be rendered again...

It should be known however, that the video I'm editing was shot from a digital camera (not camcorder) and it's 640X480. So i thought maybe since it wasn't AVI format it was slowing things down. I converted it to AVI with visual hub... and still NO luck whatsoever. I still have to render the video.

This can't be right. I shouldn't have to render a 2 minute clip - which takes 11 minutes to render just to watch it ... NO EFFECTS or anything!

[Mark Bournes]

You need to make sure your sequence settings are the same as your clip. Otherwise you have to render each clip. Make a new sequence with the same settings as you clips and then drag them onto that timeline, then you wont have to render.

[Tobin Strickland]

FCE easy setup for HDV allows 3 options...1 of those is AIC 1080 60i.

If I have already captured all my footage from tape, and while capturing reset frame rate to 29.97 ...then FCE would have to render every clip because there is no 29.97 setting?

I take it (now) that the 60i can be converted to 29.97 when I burn the DVD?

[Matt Stahley]

Tobin 60i is 29.97. The 60i refers to 60 interlaced frames (2 fields = 1 frame) which equals 29.97 fps or basically 30fps for NTSC.

[Dino Leone]

Originally Posted by Mark Light

...It should be known however, that the video I'm editing was shot from a digital camera (not camcorder) and it's 640X480. So i thought maybe since it wasn't AVI format it was slowing things down. I converted it to AVI with visual hub... and still NO luck whatsoever. I still have to render the video....

Well, first of all, as Mark already pointed out, always make sure that your system settings match the source you're about to import (HDV, DV, 60i, 50i. For 30f use 60i).
In this particular case - from what you're writing - it seems you're supplying a non-native format to FCE (not mpeg2). AVI isn't exactly a standard format for quicktime either. Normally FCE uses the AIC (apple intermediate codec - at least when using HDV. I'm not sure about regular DV).
Have you checked that you're using the correct frame rate in the "easy setup"?
Also, when troubleshooting, I found it easier sometimes to test-capture some clips using iMovie6, and then look at the files.
What camera are you using? What's the format of the movie (codec)? What are your settings in FCE? Once we know these things, it's easier to help troubleshooting.
Best,
Dino

[Tobin Strickland]

So can someone tell me what the settings on FCE should be so that match MPEG StreamClip settings? or vice versa.

I have the easy set up in FCE set to HDV AIC 1080i60

I have captured all my clips in MPEG Streamclip, exporting to .MOV, compressing with AIC, 100% quality, and typing in a frame rate of 29.97.

FCE is asking me to render everything.

Thanks for the help guys...total newb here. Really, really appreciate it.
Tobin

[Bradley Paul]

A quick way to find out what the settings are on your captured clips:

In your browser where all the clips are, control-click the clip. In the menu that pops up, go to Item Properties -> Format. This will give you the information you need to match in the Sequence Settings.

Also, keep in mind that if you need to change the editing timebase of a Sequence, you can't do that if there are already clips in the Sequence. Either take the clips out of the sequence or start a new sequence.

[Tobin Strickland]

Looks like I captured a lot of 1440 x 1080 clips
29.97, AIC, 48khz,

how do I change the sequence settings to match that?

I tried clicking on sequence settings and it just gave me choice of track size, type of label, and Import codec. I tried clicking on the items in the sequence tabel (format) and 1440 X 1080 is not an option. Only 1280 x 1080.

I shot it all with XhA1, 60i, HDV, Vividgrab and Panalook presets.

Do I need to recapture with 1280 X 1080 to not have to render every clip.?

[Tobin Strickland]

Also, I am making a DVD and I have heard that the best quality comes from editing in HDV and waiting to compress during the DVD burn later. Is that correct or should I just compress it now and use less space.

Thanks all,

[Tobin Strickland]

Well, I don't know if this is the only set-up that works but here is what I found out after running several test clips captured with MpegStreamClip at diff size settings and importing them into FCE under different import and sequence settings.

The only set that did not require a render was capturing at 1280x720P and importing with a sequence setting of AIC 720P. This worked whether or not I input a frame rate in MpegSC.

FLASH...I also re captured my Flash graphics using MPEG stream clip set to the 1280x720p and imported them into FCE. This worked as well and did not require me to render...although the re capture is essentially using the same time as rendering it would. Can anyone speak to any quality issues I might have.

I guess I am downconverting in MpegSC since I am shooting an XHa1 (I assume it's shooting 16:9 at 1920x1080 60i.

Thanks for helping with the settings input and any other additional thoughts about quality would be appreciated.

Tobin

From this test am I wrong to say that FCE won't edit 1920x1080? or rather it will but it has to render every clip ...and what size is it rendering it too???

[Tobin Strickland]

More experiments. I can import 1440x1080 with the settings at AIC 60i for the clip and the sequence. This also does not require render.

BUT...my question to this is this ratio is 4:3 which is not 16:9. I thought my camera raw footage was 16:9 native, can I not make a HDV 16:9 DVD in FCE? or is the 1280x720 (which is 16:9) enough for DVD HDV 16:9.

Sorry for all the post to my own questions...I promise I am not Schizo LOL.

Just a newb trying to set it up right so I don't have to do it all over later.

[Chuck Fadely]

This is very confusing. Tobin, please don't hijack someone else's thread....

Mark Light -- your digital camera may be shooting motion jpeg codec under the AVI hood. I've never been able to get everything to match some digital files I come across, but the closer you get the less rendering. Just realize that your files are not standard video, so you will have to render.

You might have more luck exporting them as ntsc dv out of quicktime before trying to edit them.

Ok, Tobin -- A Canon XHA1 shoots standard HDV 1080i60 video and it can be edited without any rendering. Close any open projects. Do an easy setup for HDV 1080i60. (Not AIC) Open a new project. Capture your tape into Final Cut. It will all work. You don't need mpeg streamclip. You're making life difficult.

Note that new settings in Final Cut don't take effect until you open a new sequence.

[Hale Nanthan]

Originally Posted by Mark Light

I have a new macbook pro - with a gig of ram (soon to be 2 gigs), and it has the newest version of FCE installed.

Whenever I import a video clip and drag it to the timeline... it ALWAYS has to be rendered... and this takes forever! and then if I add any kind of effect to the clip or do basically any re-editing, it all need to be rendered again...

It should be known however, that the video I'm editing was shot from a digital camera (not camcorder) and it's 640X480. So i thought maybe since it wasn't AVI format it was slowing things down. I converted it to AVI with visual hub... and still NO luck whatsoever. I still have to render the video.

This can't be right. I shouldn't have to render a 2 minute clip - which takes 11 minutes to render just to watch it ... NO EFFECTS or anything!

which camera you use?