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Level 1

11 points

What codecs can FCE import?

I'm getting rather tired of having to use an old version of Quicktime Player Pro to turn .mov H.264 files into .mp4 H.264 files just so I can then hope that they MIGHT be able to be imported into FCE.

Is there a list somewhere of exactly which codecs/formats/file types/whatever else parameter - that FCE will accept?

Example:
.mov file NOT IMPORTABLE
1280 x 800 pixels (Actual)
24.94 mbits/s
19,93 fps
H.264, 1280 x 800, Millions
AAC, Stereo (L R), 44,100 kHz

same exact file after going through QTPP and now in .mp4 file format, still not importable:
1280 x 800 pixels (Actual)
9.89 mbits/s
30,03 fps
AAC, Stereo (L R), 44,100 kHz
H.264, 1280 x 800, Millions

random importable .mp4 file, filmed with exact same settings on exact same system, minutes later with exact same software and going through exact same QTPP procedure, similar size file (all files around 20 MB):
1280 x 800 pixels (Actual)
8.34 mbits/s
30,03 fps
AAC, Stereo (L R), 44,100 kHz
H.264, 1280 x 800, Millions

ugh.

EDIT: yes, I have tried the Apple Intermediate Codec. No dice.

Message was edited by: par larsson

Message was edited by: par larsson

iMac 2.8 GHz 4GB RAM, Mac OS X (10.6.2), latest OS, cba to update "My Settings" on the forum every time they do a patch

Posted on Jan 25, 2010 3:48 PM

Best reply

skalicki

Level 5

4,422 points

Posted on Jan 25, 2010 4:10 PM

FCE supports files encoded in DV-NTSC/DV-PAL as well as the Apple Intermediate Codec. The frame size should be 720x480, 1280x720, 1440x1080, or 1920x1080 and the frame rate must be either 25fps or 29.97fps. Audio should be imported as an uncompressed AIFF file (mono or stereo) at either 32kHz or 48kHz.

If your files do not match these settings you should convert them to files compatible with FCE before editing.

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17 replies

par larsson Author

Level 1

11 points

Feb 1, 2010 10:08 AM in response to jazzytimes

all codecs are definitely NOT equal when it comes to importing into FCE

what this thread has done is shed some light on what is DESIGNED to be importable and easily edited in FCE, as well as what CAN be importable under the right circumstances, but with potential trouble.

par larsson Author

Level 1

11 points

Feb 1, 2010 11:08 AM in response to jazzytimes

Short answer to the thread title question:
FCE can import very many different codecs, but the codec is often not the only or even primary factor in determining whether or not a video file can be used by FCE.

Final Cut Express v4.0.1

The title of this thread should have been "What can FCE import?" or "What video files work well, and work - but not so well - with FCE?"

Basically we have a few different categories, all of which are more or less loosely defined and none of which are explained very well by the FCE developers - or at least nowhere I was able to look. Which drove me nuts over a few years.

DESIGNED TO WORK IN FCE:

skalicki` wrote:
FCE supports files encoded in DV-NTSC/DV-PAL as well as the Apple Intermediate Codec. The frame size should be 720x480, 1280x720, 1440x1080, or 1920x1080 and the frame rate must be either 25fps or 29.97fps. Audio should be imported as an uncompressed AIFF file (mono or stereo) at either 32kHz or 48kHz.

If your files do not match these settings you should convert them to files compatible with FCE before editing.

MartinR wrote:
Just a little more specific about file formats & codecs - video clips need to be QuickTime files (.mov) encoded as DV-NTSC, DV-PAL or Apple Intermediate Codec.

FCE can capture DV, HDV and AVCHD video directly from camcorders. HDV and AVCHD are automatically transcoded by FCE to Apple Intermediate Codec during capture/log&transfer from the camcorder.

If you have video that is in a different container (eg. AVI, WMV, MP4 etc.) and/or is encoded with a different codec (eg. H.264, MPEG2 etc.), it needs to be converted before it is imported into FCE. Many people in this forum use MPEG Streamclip to do those conversions.

WORKS IN FCE (non-compliance with these may make a video file not importable into FCE unless it's been re-exported in another program, like MPEG Streamclip, VLC or Quicktime Player):

(most, but not all codecs or file formats)

Frame rate: 25fps or 29.97fps

Alchroma wrote:
In summary: any clip should match the Sequence properties exactly for best results BEFORE importing/ingesting/capturing to FCE.

Matching the Sequence properties will avoid some un-necessary rendering. While there are some file formats and codecs that make a file completely impossible to import, making them match the frame rate may change this.

To ensure a steady, consistent workflow, any video you capture or collect for editing in FCE should first be pre-processed in a program like Quicktime Player, MPEG Streamclip or VLC and exported in accordance with the quotes at the top of this post.

If you know of a place where the above information could be more easily found by people scratching their heads and wondering why their video files didn't import, or imported but didn't work well - in FCE, then please help the FCE user community by posting it there, or linking to this. This could all have been avoided with a little more information included in the manual.

Thanks all who contributed to figuring all this out.

Message was edited by: par larsson

Message was edited by: par larsson

What codecs can FCE import?