Does Final Cut Express support ProRes 1080p?

Hi(Bonjour)!

ProRes codecs was introduced with Final Cut Studio 2.

You can't create a ProRes sequence in FCE, but if you've installed the +Apple ProRes QuickTime Decoder 1.0 for Mac+ you will be able to import ProRes footage, but rendering or conversion will be needed.
http://support.apple.com/downloads/AppleProRes_QuickTime_Decoder_1_0_forMac

Michel Boissonneault

Michel,
With the Decoder, one would be able to view ProRes footage in QT, but could it be edited in FCE without first converting to AIC ?

The material must be converted to AIC or DV to edit without rendering in FCE.

Let me run this workflow up the flag pole.
If I have the Decoder.
I can take AVCHD clip....convert to ProRes with Clipwrap 2.0
Import ProRes footage into FCE and then render it.
Now I could edit that ?
Export to full 1920 x 1080 (not progressive because footage was interlaced to start with) ?

When you put it in the timeline it will need to be rendered. This is a pain. When it's rendered it's AIC. When you export it's AIC. You can't export ProRes from FCE.

Why the ProRes step in your desired workflow?

Why not converting AVCHD to AIC with clipwrap 2.0?

As I see on their website, clipwrap support AIC conversion too.

Michel Boissonneault

Would the clipwrap conversion to AIC from AVCHD be any different than what FCE does? For iMovie I see where it might be an improvement, but with FCE I was thinking it would be the same.
I mention ProRes because it is reported to be near lossless, where as with AIC there is some loss of image quality.

Hi(Bonjour)!

The quality issue is with AVCHD source (a relative low bit rate format), not AIC not ProRes.

Try by yourself and see the comparative.

Michel Boissonneault