Solution for Poor Apple TV Exports?

Deleteing the proxy media did not help, but the exports look like the proxy media, where as when you export via Current from Export Media, then create the Apple TV version from that in QuickTime, its great. This makes no sense.

After a second quit and relaunch, this issue is not happening. Beats me. I'll try to recreate the issue again tomorrow.

Thank you. And here is an update. The issue was still happening but appeared to not be quite as noticeable with progressive footage as interlaced. I just did another test from 1080i footage froma different camera. Again, the resolution of the final H.264 file way WAY better when it was exported from FCP X via Current from Export Media, then creating the Apple TV version from that file in QuickTime. But I noticed something about that file made from that camera - when pausing on movement, I can see a ghosted image that isn't in the poorer quality H.264 file created directly from FCP X. Is this from the second field in each frame? If a project is interlaced, is exporting in FCP Xsimply throwing out half the information where the export from QucikTime is not? I want to say when not pausing that the Quicktime export is still way better because of the much better resolution, regardless of the motion blur. How would Compressor handle this? I hope this helps someone and thanks for any answers or comments.

The more I look into this, it simply appears that if I export Apple TV 720p H.264 from FCP X and the project contains an interlaced 1080 file, then FCP throws out one of the fields on export (basically giving me 540p video in a 720p file, where if I export via Current from Export Media in FCP X, I get both fields, which when I export from QuickTime to Apple TV, I get both fields and MUCH better resolution. Wonder which would happen if I used Compressor.

Also, I do see a difference in 1080p footage exported both ways too. Direct from FCP X is not as good but it is very very slight.

Anyway, I hope this helps someone, but if I'm totally wrong, please feel free to correct me.

Billy Gardner

Great news. The new update to FCPx seems to solve this Apple TV issue of droping half the fields. The Apple TV export now looks as clear as can be. The blending of fields for fast motion is superior to the other way I did it through QT as well. When pausing on fast motion, I'm not seeing double images even though the resolution is all there. I'm very happy now.

Man! I may be wrong about the update fixing this issue. It might have something to do with mixing progressive and interlaced footage. I'll update later.

After many, many export tests, I believe I figured it out and it has to be a bug(s). And remember, as far as I can tell, I'm only having this issue when exporting to Apple Devices (specifically the Apple TV setting), not when using the Export Media option. This is not an issue with mixing file types in a project like I last thought was possible. This is an issue with proxy media. First, I was under the assumption that regardless of if you were using proxy media for your playback, your export would be created from your original media. To me that makes sense in a pro application. If I'm wrong about that, someone please chime in. It appears that if your playback is set to proxy media, your export is created from proxy media too. This is bug number one. If this is how it is meant to be though, there is still another bug. Lets say you've exported using proxy media and got a low res output. So you go to prefs and turn that option off so you're now using original media. Now you export again. Here's the next bug. Your output is still low res. The only way I found to correct this is to make a small change in the project while using original media. Once I do that, the project exports to the h264 720p Apple TV setting beautifully. When I get home, I'm going to use Provide Feedback in FCP to submit this issue.

Billy Gardner

By the way, when the Apple TV export is working correctly, it megeres fields on interlaced video much better than the other way I did it to get full resolution. Moving objects look great.

Thank you very much for the link. I rush the search here would have found that for me. I appreciate it.

Actually, maybe I couldn't find it because the page for that link could not be found. Any idea on the name of that thread?

Perfect, thanks again.