Q: MP4 video looks blurry in Final Cut pro x

Where do they look blurry? In the timeline, after export, on the TV or computer?

If you imported your video with the Proxy media option and have your preferences set to use proxy media, then what you're are seeing is the low resolution version of your video (about 1/4 the resolution of your originals.) You can comfortably edit your video with proxy media, but upon export, switch back to Optimized or High Quality, otherwise your export will also be low resolution.

did you get to the bottom of the problem? i have the same problem. i've tried importing numerous non hd video files from at least one dozen different sources (vhs, dvd, mini dvd, cameras, video cameras, sd cards, etc.... i've tried using/converting to mov, mp4, dv, avi files, to name a few. after importing into my computer, all look fine, untill i import into fcpx. i use import data with optimization. the images blur and the color pales. if i import straight to idvd, they look fine, but they need editing, so i need fcp. Tech support wants all of the specs. for all of the sources and files that i'm having problems with. i'm not a computer/tech geek, but i do have some uncommon sense...... When you have 10-15 different files (that are all different file types), from many different sources, that looked great "pre" fcp, and become degraded when in fcp, it's obvious that the specs. of the files/sources are irrevelant. i even went to the apple store and was told by a so called "genius" that my problem is because fcpx is an hd program, and my files are not hd.  the bottom line is, when i watch them in quicktime, realplayer, and idvd on my computer, they look great. after importing into fcpx........ ****! i've also burned dvds to see if they only look bad within fcp, but the dvds look just as bad. sorry to unload and vent, but either i have a bad download of fcpx and experiencing what no one else is experiencing, or there is an elephant in the middle of the living room that everyone is pretending isn't there. if you solved your problem, PLEASE let me know how. thanks.

DVD is not a HD format, just try to export the movie in some format in hd from FCP and see if the elephant is still there

@whiskey07  ok, thanks, i'll try that. maybe the genius had a point. (in his defense, he wasn't fcpx certified. he was just trying to help with the knowledge that he had). i'll post the results tomorrow.

I had some difficulties with image blur which I resolved by selecting high quality in preferences>playback instead of better performance.

Same here.

From the Finder... SHARP images (even though it's SD 640x480); then in FCPX 10.0.6, the Import files window shows that the image is POOR, and it never improves throughout the process of editing and output.

I can find no way to adjus how FCPX is transcoding the file, so it's automatically interpreted as HD.

I've tried converting the same original file in StreamClip (to a variety of formats)... always crystal clear when viewed outside of FCPX, but ****-poor upon initiation of FCPX import.

I gave up and edited the SD video in iMovie.

If this is NOT a problem for other people, then I'm missing a CODEC or something; if it's the same for everybody, then the Genius is right and FCPX is not meant to work with SD footage.

then the Genius is right and FCPX is not meant to work with SD footage.

I don't know who this Genius is, but he or she is misinformed. Standard definition video has a horizontal size of 720 pixels, either in NTSC or PAL. That's the specification of standard definition video. 640 is not. This is a square pixel representation. I don't know what you're doing or what you're video is or anything at all about it's specs, but starting with 640x480 is not acceptable for the standard definition video specification.

Thanks for your response Tom.

This seems to point to a missing codec or something.

I neglected to point out that I had tried this a couple different ways... introducing the footage to the timeline based on the first clip, as a 720px, and as a custom 640px.

In the Finder, the properties showed this to be a 640x480 .mov file; this is why I referred to it as such.

But... same result for all.

So, side by side, the video appears crisp in the Finder, in StreamClip, and in iMovie; but, at introduction to FCPX is pixelated. I wondered if this was FCPX just working in Proxy display, but again, all these versions kicked out the same poor quality image.

If the codec was missing it wouldn't play at all.

Forget Finder information. Open the clip in the QT player and see what it says in the movie inspector. Post a screen shot.

Can you post screen shots of what you're seeing where.

how to fix blurry video in final cut pro x?

It depends on why it's blurry. If it was shot out of focus there isn't much you can do.