Import MPEG-2 files into Final Cut Pro X

well actually you cant even access the download anymore at least i cant. it would be nice if they added support for converting more formats seems to me anything QT can open should be accessable by FCP there is no question that premiere is now way more adaptable as far ingest at this point. at least fcp7 could handle m2v.

at least fcp7 could handle m2v.

No, it couldn't. No more than FCPX. It need conversion to QuickTime.

Don't know what you're doing about the download, but it works for me. BTW, if you have FCP7 you don't need it.

well i no longer have FCP7 installed but i swear i put demuxed video only m2v files into my timeline without issue (maybe it was an earlier version?).

where are you finding your digital purchases? i cant find that section anywhere in the store anymore. i actually bought it seperately ages ago.

Just transcode MPEG-2 to Apple ProRes 422 codec, and then you can edit without rendering. ProRes codec is best for FCP.

I'm able to ingest mpeg2 files straight into FCPX. No fuss. No muss. It transcodes in short order. Are you sure your settings are correct?

What kind of MPEG-2?

Very strange format. Demuxed MPEG-2 in a strange size, smaller than standard definition. I really would not work with this in FCP. It will work if you have the MPEG-2 playback component installed, but it will create problems, and you might get some strange behavior because of the MP3 compressed audio.

Hmm... Then I'd like your opinion . The archive house that I frequent offers several favors. (Admittedly, out of the usual size and aspect ratio.) But, MPEG-2 seems the "richest," and has less distortion whe. I blow it up to fit my screen size.

Which file type codec would YOU choose?

http://archive.org/details/ClassicT1948_5

Yuck. None of them are great. I guess the MPEG-2 is better than the rest, though the MPEG-4 scales well. I would convert them to standard format in Compressor or MPEG-Streamclip with uncompressed audio before bringing them into FCP.

dastoelk wrote:

… But, MPEG-2 seems the "richest," …

the offered mp2 file has twice the bit-rate than the mpeg4, so no wonder it feels 'better'.

.... what impresses me most: opening canned beer with a can-opener! missed that technology … I'm 'too young' for something - excellent start into 2013! 😁

the mp2 file does have slightly better fidelity but it also has more resolution and more noise as well the mp4 (non h.264) should be about the same quality generally speaking at about half the data rate (1/4 for h.264 encoded mp4, again typically) i would also note that the mp4 seems to have slightly more color but given the fact these are b&w im not sure thats a good thing anyway, and the mp2 are also interlaced (good in terms of being true to original format but bad in terms of using for progressive/internet video). it seems like its a matter of opinion which would be preferable but if you were asking mine i'd say for most cases the mp2 would be preferable. Here are two matching frames for comparison both of these frames have been upscaled to the mp2's default playback size (640x480) and then downscaled (by the forum sofware to 449x337):

mp2

mp4

Also for anyone interested i did sort of find a roundabout way of importing mp2 into fcpx with minimal processing steps. First import the file(s) to iMovie then import the iMovie event into FCP X. Now this uses the intermediate codec not ProRes so it may not be ideal for HD MP2 but is probably sufficient for any SD source. ProRes and intermediate are actually quite similar technology designed for minimal degradation in transcodes.

If this helps anyone, I discovered that all I needed to do was change the file extensions to .MOD and then Final Cut Pro X imported the MPEG-2 files with no problems.

Crazy.

that's a very interesting trick thanks for sharing does that work with hd mp2? this article suggests that for hd files you may need to use the .tod extension as an alternative:

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/MOD_(video_format)

Can't say, I'm afraid. I'm only working with SD MPEG-2 content.