Why Do I Have To Render EVERYTHING In FCE

Hello and welcome to the forum.

Your media doesn't match your FCE Sequence settings. That's why you need to render. Match your Sequence settings to your media and you'll be fine. What are the settings of your HD file?

What about the rest of the information? Codec? Sample rate? Give us everything. For the clip and for the sequence. Take screenshots if you have to.

H.264 is not an editing codec.
In other words, it's nice for cameras,
not nice for editors.

Convert it to Apple Intermediate Codec before you edit.
MPEG Streamclip will do the job for you.

Also the audio is compressed. It needs to be uncompressed 48k.

DerekBrackett wrote:
ok so after I change the settings will the video stay like that or will i have to do that everytime i make an edit (like add an effect, make a cut, etc..)

I assume, you miss the concept how FC/e handles any material:
the clips (a+v) have to 'fit' the setting BEFORE you import them into FC/e.

FC/e doesn't change formats - that is quite different to other editors like iMovie.

• choose a format in FC/e
• convert your material with any converter you like
• 'import' to FC/e
=> no rendering on 'edit', aside you add complex compositings, effects etc.

If you convert the video to the right format and edit in sequence settings that match the converted media you will not have to render when you do normal editing functions. Depending on the filters you apply you may have to render those.

DerekBrackett wrote:
... But why is it like that? ..

consumer = convenience
You don't have to think about codecs, sampling rates, aspect ratio with iMovie - any 'fidget pictures' get converted. plug'n play.

A Pro would never use as highly-compressed material as h.264, which is made for playback. most of those playback-codecs don't store every frame, just 'differences' - for editing with frame-precision, the computer has to estimate content .... whooo, here goes quality. you can edit h.264, but that needs with the actual architecture of Quicktime a lot of computing(-power). if FC/QT/... would use the GPU for additional computation ...

the actual FC/e is intended for editing a few, 'better' codecs, no 'does edit all'-tool. -

Hi -
Because it is more advanced, it is expecting a more advanced user, a user with knowledge of the correct workflow.

iMovie and Windows Movie Maker are anticipating users with no knowledge of the properties of video. They mask as much of the technical side of the process from the user as possible. They also makes assumptions of what the user wants to have happen as opposed to letting the user decide. The trade off to this is that you lose control over a lot of the process. But you don't have to know anything to look like "Ken Burns".

Sony Vegas is doing on the fly conversion for the display while editing. It certainly is a viable alternative to FCE if you are PC based, and are comfortable with the interface.

MtD

FCE isn't Vegas. Vegas actually does a good job working with a variety of codecs but unfortunately, FCE doesn't work like that.

FCE works natively (native = no rendering) with two codecs: DV and AIC. You can ingest AVCHD and HDV, but those two get converted to AIC on ingest. As for audio codecs, ,FCE works with AIFF at either of these settings: 48khz, 16 bit or 32khz at 12 bits.

Do not use audio files from CDs without first converting them to AIFF 48khz, 16 bit. Same goes with MP3 files.

All of this basic information is included in the FCE user's manual and help files.

-DH

Remember that FCE is non-destructive. That is, it never alters your original media. When you add a filter or effect, FCE must render each frame of video with the filter or effect applied. Depending on the speed of your Mac, many of these can be played back in real time. If not, the computer must render the frames before they can be played back. Audio should be AIF files at the same sample rate as your FCE Sequence to avoid needing to render audio.

You can avoid some rendering operations as you work by selecting Unlimited RT in the box at the top left of the Timeline window.