H.264 Quicktime Movie in Compressor 4.2.1

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Level 1

12 points

H.264 Quicktime Movie in Compressor 4.2.1

Hi,

I am using Macbook Pro 13 inch Retina 2015 i5 with the latest FCPX and Compressor 4.2.1. I bought Compressor due to its flexibility. Now I just realise this problem. By the way, I am using the latest OSX El Capitan.

I have been editing videos for the last 8 years and it's my first time to use FCPX last June 2015 but it did not take so much time to learn about using FCPX in my Macbook Pro and I began to like FCPX. I edit AVCHD 1080i purely as this is the output of my Canon HD Video Camera and Sony Mirrorless Camera. I normally output my file into an H.264 format using Quicktime as the wrapper. I have my media player 1080p Micca and it plays the output of FCPX Quicktime H.264 with no issue.

Last month I purchased Compressor and I found it to be so fast in rendering Quicktime Movie H.264 compared with the speed of FCPX. This time, I tried to use my Compressor to render AVCHD into a H264 file in a Quicktime Movie format but to my surprise, it is not playable in my Micca Media Player. I already tried combinations of parameters in Quicktime using entropies and different bit rates and even audio sampling rates but no matter what I chose, the resulting file is not playable. Note, that I don't have any problem playing the file in my Macbook Pro. The only problem only happens in my Micca HD Player. It puzzles me to think about this situation as the one produced by FCPX is playable.

Has anyone already experienced this issue? I would appreciate any help because I am beginning to like also the speed of Compressor in encoding H264 in relation to FCPX.

Thanks.

Posted on Nov 8, 2015 9:59 PM

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Answer 1

Russ H

Level 7

22,432 points

Nov 9, 2015 4:13 AM in response to ReyRR

What export settings are you using in FCP to output the H.264 MOV?

Russ

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Answer 2

ReyRR Author

Level 1

12 points

Nov 9, 2015 4:25 AM in response to Russ H

Hi Russ,

I am using the Share, Master File. Then I go to settings and change the Video Codec from Apple ProRes 422 to H.264. A 17- minute project is rendered at an average of 34 minutes using this setting. The Quicktime Movie file perfectly plays in my HD Media Player.

I tried different settings in Compressor, which actually renders the same file at about 11 to 14 minutes depending on my settings but none of the output plays in my HD media player. The time Compressor takes to render H264 file compared with that of FCPX was already enough justification for me to buy Compressor. I am wondering if I am missing something as none of those rendered Quicktime Movie files using Video Codec of H.264 is playable in my HD media player.

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Answer 3

Russ H

Level 7

22,432 points

Nov 9, 2015 4:30 AM in response to ReyRR

I am not familiar with Micca products so it's a lot of guesswork from here.

Open a FCP-exported H.264 that plays and a Compressor-outputted file that doesn't in VideoSpec or MediaInfo. Go you see any differences that are noteworthy between the two?

Russ

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Answer 4

James Cude

Level 4

1,585 points

Nov 9, 2015 2:41 PM in response to ReyRR

hi, i noticed you also reported this on fcp.co http://www.fcp.co/forum/14-compressor/24421-h264-quicktime-movie-in-compressor. try again after installing pro video formats: https://support.apple.com/kb/DL1396

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Answer 5

ReyRR Author

Level 1

12 points

Nov 9, 2015 10:37 PM in response to Russ H

Thanks. I have been trying to do this via Get Info and thru VLC Player but I only got limited information. This would help.

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Answer 6

ReyRR Author

Level 1

12 points

Nov 9, 2015 10:38 PM in response to James Cude

Thanks James,

I would follow your suggestions and I am sure these help.

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Answer 7

ReyRR Author

Level 1

12 points

Nov 10, 2015 4:51 AM in response to James Cude

Hi James,

Your suggestion to download the latest codec seems to resolve my issues. I always thought I have an updated codec because I am almost always connected to Internet and I download all updates via Apple Store. Now the files I created are now playable with my other Media Player, which happens to be a Micca Player also but a different model. I would like to test these files in my other Media Player at home, which was the one I used to test my previous rendered files.

Now, I am relieved to learn that I have now the correct codec. I hope these files would be playable also with my other media player.

Thanks a lot.

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