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How can I add chapter markers without recompressing video?

I have a number of SD videos to which I would like to add chapter markers, then export without recompression. Everything I try results in a recompression that doubles the size of the video. My original video are 640x480, H.264 compressed to about 1.6Mbit/s. All I want to do is add chapter markers to them and then export the new file with the chapters. I can’t seem to export the file, though, without recompressing it at a significantly larger size and higher data rate. This makes no sense, since the recompression can only degrade the quality of the video at the cost of an increased file size.


I begin by setting the FCPX preferences Export File setting to

Format: “Video and Audio”

Video CODEC and Resolution: both “Same as source”


When I attempt to share the project as Export File the setting shows as “Source - Apple ProREs 422” rather than H.264. If I leave that choice it exports a very large ProRES 422 file, while if I change that to H.264 it recompresses the file to twice its original size and bitrate.


Is there any way of exporting the file without recompressing the video, or at least without recompressing it to a larger size?

Final Cut Pro X, OS X Yosemite (10.10.3), 2014 rMBP

Posted on Jun 29, 2015 11:39 PM

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Posted on Jun 30, 2015 5:12 AM

Afraid you can't do what you want to do in FCP X without recompressing, However you don;t have to export as Pro Res. In the Settings dialog, choose H.264. If it's still larger than you want, choose Computer for Format.


Russ

4 replies

Jun 30, 2015 10:24 PM in response to Russ H

Thanks, Russ. These weren't the answers I wanted to hear, but at least I know it's time to stop looking. Choosing Computer for Format doesn't help, btw, because Computer doesn't offer a 640x480 format.


Quicktime Pro 7 offered a "Passthrough" video compression option when exporting, and I was hoping for something like that. Does Compressor offer "passthrough," or just more control over the recompression. It would be nice to avoid the recompression, since repeated recompressions can only degrade quality.


Thanks again,

Ralph

How can I add chapter markers without recompressing video?

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