FCP "General Error" "out of memory" ONLY with .mp4 files

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Level 1

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FCP "General Error" "out of memory" ONLY with .mp4 files

Alright guys, I've done about an hour worth of research now, and cannot figure out why my FCP is doing this.

When I import an .mp4 (GoPro HD footage to be exact) it will be fine. But once I load in say 2 or 3 .mp4 clips into the canvas, it will say "General Error" and pretty much stop working.

I have tried to clear the preferences, but I don't even have the com.apple. file needed to clear it in there.

Also, I've imported numerous .mov files, worth gig's of file memory, and it will load them in there just fine.

All i want to do is edit right now and this **** thing keeps crashing.

Help me out!

Jonny

Mac OS X (10.5.8)

Posted on Jul 15, 2010 12:15 AM

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Answer 1

Jul 15, 2010 12:19 AM in response to J-tec

you need to to convert the .mp4 file into something like ProRes.

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Answer 2

Jul 15, 2010 12:36 AM in response to J-tec

I've had the same exact problem, FCP seems to be very picky about what video formats you can import.

From my experience, you need to convert (transcode) the video to a format FCP will accept and work with.

From a lot of trial and error, I found that an h264 video stream along with uncompressed audio (PCM 16bit 2 or 6 channels) in a mov container works best. The video seems to have to be transcoded in order for FCP to accept it (simply copying the video stream from one container to another does not work).

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Answer 3

Jul 15, 2010 1:57 AM in response to SandraLAVixen

FCP doesn't take kindly to Mp4 and H264 as this is a delivery codec and not an editable one.

Drop it into Compressor and convert to ProRes422.

Regards,
SJ

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Answer 4

David S.

Level 7

20,630 points

Jul 15, 2010 8:49 AM in response to SandraLAVixen

*FCP seems to be very picky about what video formats you can import*

Not really. It has always require editing codecs, not acquisition codecs.

From a lot of trial and error, *I found that an h264 video stream* along with uncompressed audio (PCM 16bit 2 or 6 channels) in a mov container works best

Absolutely not a good idea. Convert h.264 to pro res or DVCProHD. h.264 is a computational intensive delivery codec, heavily compressed, and among the least ideal codecs to try to edit.

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Answer 5

Jul 15, 2010 11:25 AM in response to David S.

Davids right.

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Answer 6

Sep 23, 2010 12:14 AM in response to J-tec

I've found a solution that's working for me:

http://gogo6969.com/2010/09/21/apple-final-cut-pro-general-error-out-of-memory-s olved/

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Answer 7

Strypesx

Level 1

35 points

Sep 23, 2010 1:12 AM in response to Wolfgang Gaebler

Yea, but if you don't convert your footage to an editing codec BEFORE you start editing, you'll end up with ridiculously long render times when you do something simple to the footage like adding a cross dissolve.

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Answer 8

Sep 23, 2010 7:57 AM in response to J-tec

J-tec you're getting an "out of memory" error because your machine does not have enough RAM to handle editing long GOP-based files like .mp4. Like pretty much everyone else said; you simply need to transcode from .mp4 to an intermediate codec like Pro Res.

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Answer 9

David S.

Level 7

20,630 points

Sep 23, 2010 8:18 AM in response to Wolfgang Gaebler

Not a good idea.

Convert to an editing codec.

You'll see that advice repeated dozens of times a week here.

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