How to convert video files en masse (in batch) for a post-Mojave post-QT7 world

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How to convert video files en masse (in batch) for a post-Mojave post-QT7 world

I'd like to convert several dozen or maybe even as many as approx. 100 movie files, the vast majority of which are in Motion JPEG A format at 1440x1080 resolution, to ProRes 422 for a post-Mojave, post-QT7 system. I'm presently on High Sierra (10.13.6) and FCP 10.4.6, and working on my main project. So I don't want to update FCP or macOS quite yet. But it's time to prepare for the future.

What is the best tool to do this en masse (in batch)? Compressor? If so, will it still work with motion JPEG files? Do I need to act fast?

Is ProRes 422 the best way to go? That's what they are once in FCP.

Any other info that might be useful?

Thanks! (^_^)

iMac Line (2012 and Later)

Posted on Oct 31, 2019 12:38 AM

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Answer 1

betaneptune Author

Level 2

227 points

Oct 31, 2019 10:18 PM in response to Luis Sequeira1

Fascinating. I actually dug up an old post saying this, but it didn't include the "Services" part. This is the first time in my 11 years as a mac user that I can recall anything useful, or anything at all (!), on the Services menu. So I've just been tuning it out. And I concluded that, well, my Finder doesn't have this feature. I was wrong.

OK, so I got it to work, but there's some funny business going on. Videos converted and exported via FCP don't come out the same as they do with this Finder method. Also, the Finder method has no progress bar. Is this supported? With the Finder method I get ProRes 422 Color profile SD (6-1-6), but with FCP conversion followed by an export I get ProRes 422 , Timecode Color Profile HD (1-1-1). Say what? Is one better than the other? Why the difference? What do these things mean? Timecode? Also, I've seen this convert panel before, but where? Perhaps an older version of QT X?

Info of examples below. In this case, at least, the FCP version is slightly brighter. Got strange results on another clip. I have to review that.

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Answer 2

betaneptune Author

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227 points

Nov 1, 2019 12:32 AM in response to betaneptune

OK. After some more experimentation I found that if FCP does the conversion from JPEG to ProRes 422, the image gets slightly lighter. If the Finder does it, the image stays the same.

In the example above,

TGR s 15 v01.mov - Motion JPEG A - The original footage.

TGR s 15 v01-1.mov - ProRes 422 SD (6-1-6) - Converted by the Finder.

TGR s 15 v01 fcp.mov - ProRes 422 HD (1-1-1) - Converted by FCP and exported to disk. This one is slightly lighter than the other two.

So what is the Color Profile? What does it mean? I'm guessing SD is standard def and HD is high def, but I don't know what the numbers mean. And why the differences?

Explanations and advice welcome. Thanks! (^_^)

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Answer 3

Nov 11, 2019 1:49 AM in response to betaneptune

I have tried converting an H264 file with the Finder and with FCP X and the results were visually indistinguishable.

They both came out as HD (1-1-1). But the starting file was already encoded with HD (1-1-1) profile.

My guess is that your Motion JPEG files may have been originally encoded with the SD (6-1-6) profile (which I believe is the same as rec 601); apparently converting from the Finder retains this; sharing from the browser in FCP X creates a file with Rec 709 (which I assume corresponds or is the same as HD (1-1-1)).

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Answer 4

betaneptune Author

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227 points

Nov 10, 2019 9:13 AM in response to betaneptune

So no one can tell me what Timecode, SD (6-1-6) and HD (1-1-1) mean? Or why the result of conversion is a lightening of the image when I use FCP to do it?

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Answer 5

betaneptune Author

Level 2

227 points

Nov 11, 2019 8:25 PM in response to Luis Sequeira1

So what does 1-1-1, 6-1-6 and such mean? I can't find anything on that.

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Answer 6

Oct 31, 2019 12:44 AM in response to betaneptune

The Finder?

Select a number of video files, control-click, Services, Encode Selected Video Files...

Depending on the files, you may convert to H264, which will use considerably less drive space than ProRes.

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How to convert video files en masse (in batch) for a post-Mojave post-QT7 world

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