Shaun of Bowmanville

Q: Why can't I export my FCP 6 sequence using Compressor 3?

I am wondering if anyone can tell me why I can't export my FCP 6 sequence using Compressor 3.0.5. 

 

I have an hour-long 1080p Pro Res 422 sequence that I am trying to export using Compressor 3.  Whether I export using the 'Pro Res 422' preset or the 'H.264' preset, transcoding commences but then stops abruptly 15 to 20 minutes later with an error message saying 'Quicktime Error: -50.'


For what it's worth, I have an early-2008 dual quad-core Mac Pro desktop with 6 GB of RAM and two ATI Radeon 5770 graphics cards.  I am currently running OS X 10.6.8.  The media (including Motion graphics) and project file are on an external drive connected via Firewire 800.


Any advice on how to properly export this sequence at the highest quality without getting the error message is greatly appreciated!


Shaun

Mac Pro, Mac OS X (10.6.8), Final Cut Pro 6

Posted on Aug 23, 2014 7:36 AM

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Q: Why can't I export my FCP 6 sequence using Compressor 3?

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  • by Michael Grenadier,Helpful

    Michael Grenadier Michael Grenadier Aug 23, 2014 10:20 AM in response to Shaun of Bowmanville
    Level 7 (20,362 points)
    Mac OS X
    Aug 23, 2014 10:20 AM in response to Shaun of Bowmanville

    Are you "sending" to compressor?  Probably not the best way to work.

     

    First step:  make sure the sequence is COMPLETELY rendered.  If you don't understand how to do that, post back.

     

    Then, I'd strongly recommend that you export a quicktime file with current settings (file:  export:  quicktime movie NOT quicktime conversion) and bring that file into compressor and chose the appropriate preset.

     

    This workflow isolates each step and makes it easier to troubleshoot.

     

    Here are a few user tips that might be helpful

     

    Some tips for using compressor

     

    Common FCP Troubleshooting tips

     

    sending to compressor from fcp - a few issues

  • by aliratcliff,

    aliratcliff aliratcliff Aug 28, 2014 2:20 PM in response to Michael Grenadier
    Level 1 (0 points)
    Aug 28, 2014 2:20 PM in response to Michael Grenadier

    However unfortunately for me when using this work around the audio is completely out of sync and I cannot find a way to fix this , but the video quality is great .

    do you know how to correct out of sync audio ?

    if I sent to compressor the audio is always correct.

  • by Michael Grenadier,Helpful

    Michael Grenadier Michael Grenadier Sep 2, 2014 6:26 AM in response to aliratcliff
    Level 7 (20,362 points)
    Mac OS X
    Sep 2, 2014 6:26 AM in response to aliratcliff

    More than likely, your audio and/or video are not in formats appropriate for editing in fcp.  mp3's, h264;s, mp4s etc are not going to work properly.

     

    You might also be mixing frame rates in your sequence which can be problematic.

  • by Shaun of Bowmanville,

    Shaun of Bowmanville Shaun of Bowmanville Sep 5, 2014 1:53 PM in response to Michael Grenadier
    Level 1 (0 points)
    Sep 5, 2014 1:53 PM in response to Michael Grenadier

    Thanks for the suggestion, Michael.  I'll have to get back to you as to whether that works or not.  It didn't work initially when I tried to the "Export to Quicktime Movie," but I'll try it again (when I get around the re-rendering issues I'm currently having) and get back to you.

     

    Shaun

  • by Michael Grenadier,

    Michael Grenadier Michael Grenadier Sep 6, 2014 7:15 AM in response to Shaun of Bowmanville
    Level 7 (20,362 points)
    Mac OS X
    Sep 6, 2014 7:15 AM in response to Shaun of Bowmanville

    If you're having problems rendering, more than likely the problem is the same as your original problem.  Again, make sure all elements are in a fcp friendly format.  Also, one possible source of your synch issue on export is if your source's audio sampling rate is anything other than 48k which should also be your sequence audio sampling rate.

  • by Shaun of Bowmanville,

    Shaun of Bowmanville Shaun of Bowmanville Sep 11, 2014 7:29 PM in response to Michael Grenadier
    Level 1 (0 points)
    Sep 11, 2014 7:29 PM in response to Michael Grenadier

    Michael,

     

    Okay, I hooked up a new 2TB external drive (connected via Firewire 800 and formatted to exFAT) to my Mac Pro to ensure I have enough space to export my master Quicktime sequences.  I was successful in exporting one of the sequences when I rendered it at medium quality, but now when I try to re-render at 'best' quality, I get an "Error: Out of Memory" message and I have no idea why.

     

    So that you know, the two sequences I want to render and export as (high-quality) Quicktime files are about an hour long, each, and are each composed of three to five 'nested' sequences.  Clip and sequence frame rates are all 29.97 (except one) transcoded to Pro Res 422, and audio is all sampled at 48 kHz.  No clips or media appear "offline" in the browser or in the timelines.

     

    Should I go back and re-render all the 'nested' sequences at 'best' quality AND THEN re-render the 'parent/master' sequences at 'best' quality?

     

    Should I just trash all render files and re-render from scratch at 'best' quality?  If so, do I trash the folders they are in, as well?

     

    Any advice you can give me, Michael, is GREATLY appreciated!

     

    Shaun

  • by Michael Grenadier,Solvedanswer

    Michael Grenadier Michael Grenadier Sep 12, 2014 8:26 AM in response to Shaun of Bowmanville
    Level 7 (20,362 points)
    Mac OS X
    Sep 12, 2014 8:26 AM in response to Shaun of Bowmanville

    I think when you export, everything is rendered at best quality.  It's not always easy to troubleshoot these problems from a distance. 

     

    I'd export each nest as a self-contained sequence and replace the nests in your final sequence with these exports.  If one of the nests also fails, you'll have a clue as to where the problem is.

     

    Out of memory errors usually occur because of graphic files that are not rgb (such as cmyk or greyscale) or files that have larger pixel dimensions than 4000x4000. 

     

    I just spent a day tearing my hair out (what little that's left) cause I could not export a quicktime.  I kept getting a general error.  finally realized some of the clips had an extra black frame at the end.  These were originally h264 quicktimes shot on a dslr.  I used compressor to convert them and I don't know whether the problem was in the original files or in compressor.  Anyway, after much angst, I found the problem, trimmed out the last frames where necessary and successfully exported.

  • by Shaun of Bowmanville,

    Shaun of Bowmanville Shaun of Bowmanville Sep 21, 2014 6:17 PM in response to Michael Grenadier
    Level 1 (0 points)
    Sep 21, 2014 6:17 PM in response to Michael Grenadier

    Michael,

     

    Regarding the extra black frames you had to trim away - I feel your pain!  I read all four manuals that came shipped with FCP 6 - cover to cover - and still rely just as heavily on these forums, as on them.

     

    As for my sequences, it turned out I couldn't render them because my render files were still set to save to my old (and maxed out) external drive despite re-setting it to my newly purchased drive in System Settings.  Maybe I didn't re-set them properly...doesn't matter now as I ended up freeing up some space in my old drive.  Your comment about large graphics causing 'Out of Memory' messages prompted me to look into the pixel count of the 50 or so photos that were inserted throughout my sequences - about a third of them were over 4000 x 4000, which seems to have been the problem!  When I resized, re-imported and re-rendered them, my sequences exported as Quicktimes just fine.

     

    SO, THANK YOU MICHAEL!  I can now finally update to a newer editing program.  Also, my wife will now speak to me again knowing that she will finally get to watch our wedding video...the one I promised would be edited three-and-a-half years ago.

     

    Cheers,

     

    Shaun