Can you mix proxy and original media in a project?

Assuming the quality is sufficient for your project…

Transcode the clips you want as Pro Res Proxy in a compression program like Compressor or MPEG Streamclip and import them. They will be stored in your Original Media folder. In other words, FCP will treat them as original media.

Russ

I should add that the externally transcoded files will default to full res and a somewhat higher bit rate than FCP-generated proxies. But you can always reduce the resolution and bit rate in the compression program as well.

Russ

WWhat's the original? ProRes codecs are fixed VBR codecs. Sliders do nothing.

YYou not going to get any file size benefit making proxies from H.264. You might get help with multistream pplayback, but for 4k media you will need fast drives, preferably a RAID.

PProxies made in FCP are half resolution. The application conforms the media to match the original.

elmerlang wrote:

Interesting 2: The copy of the proxy is 1080, not 3840x2160 as the original. The FCPX proxy doesn't list its dimensions in the library but when proxy is chosen in the project it shows up as 3840x2160.

Hmm.

That is expected behavior. Proxies are created at a quarter the frame size of the original to save space and speed up operations.

Sorry that I haven't been able to stay with this discussion. I've been totally tied up.

But I should have asked you what your goals were in the first place.

In MPEG Streamclip. If you specify the lower resolution (540) that FCP X automatically makes for its version of proxies, Streamclip will lower the bit rate as well. Whether that's sufficient for your needs depends on your system specs (as Tom and Luis have already suggested.)

Russ