Freddy Silva

Q: Quicktime files returning inconsistent from Compressor

I created a film in FCP 6, 60 minutes long, split into 3 sequences. Each sequence is exported to Quicktime (self contained, uncompressed) then sent to Compressor, ready for DVD Studio Pro. So far so good.

 

The first disc I burned turned out fine, with legible text, minimal shimmering in jpg images and colour and contrast pretty similar to what I created originally in FCP. The film just needed one of two tweeks to several files, and the process was repeated.

 

The result was nothing like the first: the disc produced shimmering in still images, all the sequences were too light, colour was washed out, and so on.

 

How is it that exporting a movie to Quicktime, uncompresed, using the same format each time  can produce wildly different results?

This is so time-wasting because I must repeat all the steps yet again until I (hopefully) achieve a master that is suitable for duplicating. Any suggestions?

iMac, Mac OS X (10.6.8), 2.8 Intel Core 2 Duo, 4GB Memory 800 MHz

Posted on Feb 16, 2015 9:09 PM

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Q: Quicktime files returning inconsistent from Compressor

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  • by Shane Ross,

    Shane Ross Shane Ross Feb 17, 2015 12:32 AM in response to Freddy Silva
    Level 8 (42,999 points)
    Feb 17, 2015 12:32 AM in response to Freddy Silva

    What is the codec of the footage you are working with? What are the sequence settings?

  • by Freddy Silva,

    Freddy Silva Freddy Silva Feb 17, 2015 6:00 AM in response to Shane Ross
    Level 1 (35 points)
    Feb 17, 2015 6:00 AM in response to Shane Ross

    Using FCP 6, the sequence is mixed media: DV, H.264, Tiffs, JPGs, etc. I know H.264 is problematic but I've never had an issue in the past working like this.

     

    Sequence settings are: NTSC DV (3:2), Anamorphic 16:9, NTSC - CCIR 601 pixel aspect ratio, Lower Field Dominance; QuickTime Video Settings compressor DV/DVCPRO - NTSC at full quality.

  • by Shane Ross,

    Shane Ross Shane Ross Feb 17, 2015 8:56 AM in response to Freddy Silva
    Level 8 (42,999 points)
    Feb 17, 2015 8:56 AM in response to Freddy Silva

    Well, now you are seeing how H.264 is problematic.  Best to convert that footage to DV50, or ProRes.  You can duplicate the sequence, pull out everything NOT H.264, media manage that...either converting to ProRes via media manage, or with Compressor with all the media managed footage, relink, put that new footage back into the old cut...then export.

  • by Freddy Silva,

    Freddy Silva Freddy Silva Feb 17, 2015 9:04 AM in response to Shane Ross
    Level 1 (35 points)
    Feb 17, 2015 9:04 AM in response to Shane Ross

    Thanks for that. The H.264 footage only makes up a fraction of the sequence. At worst, I would expect those files to be compressed imptoperly and all others, ie. DV, would come out correct. The fact that teh entire project appears washed out and overexposed would indicate a fault somewhere else, would it not?

     

    I'm interested in what you say about media management. Is there a simple way in FCP to batch convert all H.264 files in the sequence, or does this have to be done manually over hundreds of individual files?

  • by Shane Ross,

    Shane Ross Shane Ross Feb 17, 2015 9:21 AM in response to Freddy Silva
    Level 8 (42,999 points)
    Feb 17, 2015 9:21 AM in response to Freddy Silva

    It'll batch convert if you use my method...duplicating the sequence, in that duplicate, removing all the NON-H.264 material...so all that is left is H.64...and then media manage that to ProRes.  You cannot select a sequence with multiple footage types, and have FCP only media manage the h.264...it's not that smart.  Nor was FCP 7. 

  • by Freddy Silva,

    Freddy Silva Freddy Silva Feb 17, 2015 12:36 PM in response to Shane Ross
    Level 1 (35 points)
    Feb 17, 2015 12:36 PM in response to Shane Ross

    Yikes, sounds like I have to rebuild the entire project — there are hundreds of files and transitions, I'd need to sort out the H.264s from the others one by one.

     

    Incidentally, when exporting the sequence to Quicktime movie (self contained) and re-importing that into a new timeline, the film looks perfect. But sending that to Compressor, the results are sometimes on sometimes off.

  • by Shane Ross,

    Shane Ross Shane Ross Feb 17, 2015 12:49 PM in response to Freddy Silva
    Level 8 (42,999 points)
    Feb 17, 2015 12:49 PM in response to Freddy Silva

    Hmmmm...then hold off for a moment. If it's fine out of FCP, but COMPRESSOR mucks things up...Compressor might be the issue.  You can try COMPRESSOR REPAIR from digitalrebellion.com.  Maybe something is up. BUT, you also said only this output is mucky, the others are fine.

     

    Hmmmm.

  • by Freddy Silva,

    Freddy Silva Freddy Silva Feb 17, 2015 6:46 PM in response to Shane Ross
    Level 1 (35 points)
    Feb 17, 2015 6:46 PM in response to Shane Ross

    I believe I may have found a reasonable solution to this problem after scouring associated forums. It seems my problem is widespread, and it is due to the inability of FCP to resemble anything on a TV screen, to put it simply. It is also to do with codecs, but mostly the different RGB space used by Compressor — and most important of all, the Gamma.

     

    My solution is to fiddle with the Compressor settings after importing a sequence. Key to image control is Filters: click Gamma and reset to 1.22; then adjust Contrast (-10) and Deinterlace (set to Blur); this last one is very good for dealing with those unpleasant shimmering white artefacts from moving stills. Next is Frame Control: set this to ON, set everything to best, anti- alias around 10, Details level to 90.

     

    You will need to try a few variants and play with Contrast and Gamma, but after four wasted DVDs (and as many days) I can now see on TV something closer to what I had in my original FCP file.

     

    Hope this helps.

     

    It is astonishing that I, the customer, have to go through this time-wasting exercise, after paying good money for this software. Apple should be ashamed of itself  for selling something so flawed and leaving it up to us to figure how how to work it. Sorry, need to vent!

  • by Shane Ross,

    Shane Ross Shane Ross Feb 17, 2015 9:22 PM in response to Freddy Silva
    Level 8 (42,999 points)
    Feb 17, 2015 9:22 PM in response to Freddy Silva

    Well, at the time that your version of FCP was released, the other NLEs...Avid, Adobe Premiere Pro, Edius, (not sure about Vegas)...all behaved in the same way. The colors in the editing interface are not accurate. Mainly due to the color space of computer displays being very different from that of TVs...but also because the interfaces weren't designed to show you accurate colors. For color accuracy, you needed to purchase external hardware (or internal cards installed in MacPro towers) to get the signal from the editing application to the TV in the proper color space, and at full resolution. Those devices are called CAPTURE CARDS or VIDEO IO, and they are made my companies like aja.com and decklink.com and matrox.com (amonst others).  Only with those devices could you send a proper color signal to an HDTV or broadcast monitor.  This was true of ALL the editing software, not just FCP.

     

    Now, FCX and Adobe Premiere Pro have strived to make the colors more accurate on the computer displays...and have done so successfully.  But, if you want to use the older software, you will need one of those VIDEO IO devices.  This way, you don't need to burn and test and burn and test until you get it right.