I imported an mp4 file into Final Cut Pro, but if I click on it or try and put it on my timeline it gives me a genral error message and says "error: out of memory." I tried to convert the mp4 file in MPEG Streamclip but it said, "Error: can't prepare the movie." The mp4 plays fine on my computer but I can't seem to convert it or edit it. I would really appreciate any help. Thank you so much!
Final Cut Pro 6, Mac OS X (10.6.8)
Short answer: You don't.
Long answer: Search this forum, it's been discussed thousands of times why it doesn't work and what you should do about it when presented with this material to edit.
Search terms: H.264, MPEG, mp4, Long GOP format and the legendary "... is not an editing codec".
Thanks, I appreciate your responses. I do have permission, that is just what the client sent me in dropbox, so it wouldn't be such a massive file (it's 30 minutes and he sent it from another country). Shane and David, I can't open the file in Final Cut so I didn't try to convert it there, only in Streamclip. I tried converting the file to several formats in Streamclip and it wouldn't allow me to do anything. Nick I will also try your suggestion to look into other posts on this topic. If anyone else has another solution I'll give it a try too!
>>If MPEG can't do it, I don't think Compressor will<<
That's what I always thought, too. But a couple of months ago a client brought an HD MP4 file that he shot with a borrowed camera (he couldn't tell me which brand or model) that I needed to convert for an SD Sequence in FCP 6. I first tried converting in MPEG Streamclip and then in QuickTime Pro without success. Compressor was able to convert it properly ... go figure.
-DH
Thank you David! I have only used Compressor to export from my timeline before. I was able to import the file into FCP, but it won't let me put it on the timeline, so cn you tell me how I would convert it in Compressor and what to convert it to? Thank you so much!
In order to determine what format to convert the mp4 to in compressor, we need to know what your end use is, what the original pixel dimensions and frame rate are and if you're going to be using any other formats in your sequence.
The end use is going to be for television, they are requesting a DVD. Would the mp4 file (if I can convert it to edit it) be high enough quality for use on TV? (I'm thinking it's public access in another country, but still thinking about quality). I don't have the information of original pixel dimentions or frame rate. It might be difficult to get that information but I can try and get it if I need to. The dimentions on the mp4 are 1280 x 720 if that is helpful. There will be no other formats in the sequence.
Thank you! How do I use compressor to convert the file if i dont export to compressor via my timeline on fcp? (it won't let me put the mp4 on the timeline) Can I use compressor with the mp4 file alone?
I am having quite an issue with this. I am not sure what format to use instead of prores422 that i can edit in final cut and still have good quality. Those files are just too big for me. I am not trying to make 300mb files into 10gb files. I am trying to convert an mp4 to something. This is difficult for me. Can anyone help?
Yes...don't use FCP. Use Adobe Premiere Pro CC. It has a subscription, meaning you don't pay for it all at once, you pay for it when you use it. It edits those formats natively, without conversion. FCP 7 needs it converted, or you are only looking at issues during the edit, or when you try to export the final. If the MP4 is HD, then ProRes is the option if you want FCP to work with the file. If the MP4 is SD, then you can use DV/NTSC. But I suspect it's HD.
10GB isn't much. You can get a 1TB drive for under $80. Drives are cheap...so if you insist on using FCP, then I suggest converting the footage to ProRes LT, the lightest of the ProRes codecs, and get a larger drive.
How well does it actually edit these formats natively. I received materail today from a dslr shoot and we only needed to find one sound bite out of an hour interview. After copying it to an sata drive connected via esata, the clips would play about 5 seconds or so and then start to choke. Nothing wrong with the drive. This is Premiere 5.5 Wondering if performance has improved that much.
Premiere Pro 5.5 was the worse version of PPRo I have ever had the opportunity to work with. I was evaluating options for NLE's for a company after FCP 7 was discontinued, and 5.5 was the version that was out. it was SO BAD that the company decided to stick with FCP 7...and they still are after nearly 3 years. They are finally looking at Adobe....but the subscription service rubs their accounting department wrong so they are looking at CS6. CS6 is fairly decent. I really like how PPRo CC works, it's slick as heck. And plays back this footage very well on my laptop. And CS6 is pretty good too.
5.5...that was the "Edsel" of Adobe products...
MP4 is a final delivery lossy video format which is not suitable for editing in non-destructive video editing software like FCP X. Though Final Cut Pro X update to import MP4 video, it only support MP4 encoded with H.264. If the MP4 is encoded with other video codec (XAVC, XAVC S...), Final Cut Pro X will still fail to import MP4. For import and edit all MP4 files in Final Cut Pro (FCP 6, FCP 7, FCP x), we can convert MP4 to FCP friendly video format-Apple ProRes 422/Apple ProRes 4444 MOV.
MP4 is a final delivery lossy video format which is not suitable for editing in non-destructive video editing software like Final Cut Pro. Though Final Cut Pro 7 and Final Cut Pro X update to import MP4 video, it only support MP4 encoded with H.264. If the MP4 is encoded with other video codec, Final Cut Pro X/7 will still fail to import MP4.
In order to solve can't import MP4 to Final Cut Pro issue and successfully import various MP4 files to FCP or FCP X, a recommended solution is to convert MP4 to Final Cut Pro more compatible video format like Apple ProRes or DV.
iDealshare VideoGo is just the ideal MP4 to Final Cut Pro Converter! It can easily convert all kinds of MP4 videos whatever recorded from cameras/camcorders or downloaded from website like YouTube, or from other sources to FCP, FCP X, FCE supported Apple ProRes or DV.
You are very wrong on fcp 7 being able to work with mp4 video. Although you might be able to import the files, fcp behavior with them will be buggy and extremely undependable even with mp4 encoded with h264. MpegStreamclip is a free versatile tool that will usually be able to convert the files to a fcp7 friendly format.
Compressor is a stand alone application. Open it up. You'll see a DROP ZONE in the upper left. Drop your video files there, and then look in the presets for ProRes 422. You can even SEARCH.
How do I edit a mp4 file in Final Cut Pro?
