New to FCP and Sony EX1

C

ColorBalance

Active member
I've been a Windows person all along - have used Premiere Pro extensively.

This summer, I got a Mac Pro and FCS, and a Sony EX1. I shoot in 1920 x 1080 24P format. The problem comes when I try to make a DVD. First of all, can't figure out the right format to export the file. Have e tried a bunch of formats. The DVD Studio rejects most of them saying "Bitrate too high". I am trying to make a simple standard 16x9 NTSC DVD to watch the video on a TV for testing purpose. Nothing fancy.

Can anyone please give me a few pointers as to how to go about it? Frankly speaking, I am just not to comfortable with Mac and mac products.
 
ColorBalance said:
I've been a Windows person all along - have used Premiere Pro extensively.

This summer, I got a Mac Pro and FCS, and a Sony EX1. I shoot in 1920 x 1080 24P format. The problem comes when I try to make a DVD. First of all, can't figure out the right format to export the file. Have e tried a bunch of formats. The DVD Studio rejects most of them saying "Bitrate too high". I am trying to make a simple standard 16x9 NTSC DVD to watch the video on a TV for testing purpose. Nothing fancy.

Can anyone please give me a few pointers as to how to go about it? Frankly speaking, I am just not to comfortable with Mac and mac products.
Click to expand...

Well,

DVDs only come in one flavor in NTSC countries:

720x480 Mpeg2, video bit rate around 8 Mb/s max.
 
Export your sequence as a 720x480 DV Stream. (File>Export>Quicktime Conversion) That will make it work for sure.

Then as you get more experience you can try exporting as lossless. We've been able to get better looking DVD's when using the Lossless codec (but you get huge files).
 
Thanks. I'll do all of the above except that my FCP is doing something crazy, and has become useless. I was trying to follow Ken Stone's suggestions, and then something happened.

The source video files are fine. The HDD is fine. When I load them in FCP (any file, any resolution), it shows the files as corrupted, and gives me green screen. At times, I get the message - resolution too high, or something like that. Given that everything else is fine, it must be FCP that is messed up. Any clue on how I can fix it?

Somehow, I just don't like this Mac experience. Feel so helpless. At times, have thought of getting rid of the Mac Pro, FCS, and move back to Premiere Pro on Windows.
 
Right click on the movie and choose "Open With Quicktime Pro". Then export the movie as a DV Stream (or what ever format you choose). In my experience this usually fixes problems with corrupt movie files. But I should note that I only have corrupt movie files about once or twice a year.

Don't give up on Apple yet, in my experience any time you try something new, you end up having lots of weird problems that just mysteriously stop happening after you get more experience with the software. Don't forget about the FCP Help Menu. It's very well written IMHO.
 
I don't have QuickTime Pro. QuickTime Player gives no options. The problem must be very easy to fix - basically, FCP is dropping frames, and hence, the green screen. The source files themselves are perfectly fine - can open with QT. When I try to export from FCP, it gives me I/O error.

To fix this problem, FCP suggests - remove unlimited RT, Lower compression ratio, etc.. Tried the safe RT. Didn't help. Don't know where to go to lower the compression ratio.

So?
 
ColorBalance said:
I don't have QuickTime Pro. QuickTime Player gives no options. The problem must be very easy to fix - basically, FCP is dropping frames, and hence, the green screen. The source files themselves are perfectly fine - can open with QT. When I try to export from FCP, it gives me I/O error.

To fix this problem, FCP suggests - remove unlimited RT, Lower compression ratio, etc.. Tried the safe RT. Didn't help. Don't know where to go to lower the compression ratio.

So?
Click to expand...

I'd also suggest reinstalling Final Cut Studio from scratch. If you're not seeing QT Pro and green screen codec problems you don't have a good install.

Noah
 
Oh, shoot. I thought those things happen with Windows systems only! The program was working fine until yesterday!

Anyway, I'll reinstall it. I believe, to reinstall, you just dump the old program into the trash bin, and start all over. Thanks.
 
I agree with Noah. Quicktime Pro is part of the installation process that comes with FCP. Sounds like that could be your problem. I'd do a re-install of FCP. If you wan

Other things to try are:

1) Throw away your FCP Preferances files. I'd call AppleCare, they'll walk you through it the first time you do it. (800) 275-2273
2) Use the Disc Utility application to Repair Permissions. (takes about 5 minutes)
3) Restart your computer using the OSX install disc and use Disc Utility to Repair your Disc (hard drive)
 
ColorBalance said:
Oh, shoot. I thought those things happen with Windows systems only! The program was working fine until yesterday!

Anyway, I'll reinstall it. I believe, to reinstall, you just dump the old program into the trash bin, and start all over. Thanks.
Click to expand...

I'm pretty sure it's more than that. If you look in the Help menu, do a search for "Uninstall". I bet it will tell you how to do it.

I think if you just throw the application in the trash it won't throw the preferances files away as well as some other files that may be corrupt or something.
 
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