Final Cut Pro problem

[ConnerHCO]

Hi, I have a problem with FCP. I used to be able to drag and drop my video onto my timeline and it would ask 'would you like to change video settings to match your clip' and i pressed 'yes' now for some reason it doesnt do that anymore. and my videos are in 4:3 Instead of 16:9 (clips were captured in 16:9). any way i can fix this or manually change the video settings. thanks so much.

Conner.

 

[spinnerlys]

It does happen with new, empty sequences too?

What about changing the sequence settings manually via right clicking on the sequence and choosing "Sequence Settings"?

What FCP version do you use?

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Have you also taken a look at MRoogle, since that question may have been asked several times?


Dren, opened the FCP manual and found this via entering "ask match" in Preview's search field (I used the PDF version of the FCP 7 manual):

Choosing Automatic Sequence Conform Options

In the Editing tab of the User Preferences window, the “Auto conform sequence” pop-up menu allows you to determine what happens when the first clip is added to the sequence:

• Ask: Final Cut Pro presents a dialog asking if you want to conform your sequence settings to those of the first clip you add. Clicking Yes in this dialog conforms the sequence settings to the current clip settings. Clicking No does not change the sequence settings, but the clip is still added. This option is chosen by default.

• Always: The sequence settings are automatically conformed to the settings of the first clip added. No dialog appears.

• Never: Sequence settings are never affected by the first clip added.​

 

[ConnerHCO]

its looking better but i need to render how do i match the exact settings.


FCP 7

 

[spinnerlys]

its looking better but i need to render how do i match the exact settings.

Use sequence settings that match your clip settings and don't use clips with different settings, especially no H264 encoded videos and such.

Again, from the manual, same page I already quoted:

Conforming Sequence Settings to Match a Clip’s Settings

Although Final Cut Pro can play back mixed-format sequences, you should still try to match clip and sequence settings so that less rendering is required before output. The first time you add a clip to a sequence, Final Cut Pro can automatically conform your sequence video settings to match the settings of the clip.​

Also take a look at Appendix B and at least fly over the Contents pages to see what the manual can offer.

In short, best use videos in .mov format/container with either the DV, ProRes or Apple Intermediate Codec for the video and the audio should be Uncompressed. If you have different formats and codecs, you can use MPEG Streamclip to transcode the clips to one format and codec to get a better editing experience.

 

[ConnerHCO]

Use sequence settings that match your clip settings and don't use clips with different settings, especially no H264 encoded videos and such.

Again, from the manual, same page I already quoted:



Also take a look at Appendix B and at least fly over the Contents pages to see what the manual can offer.

In short, best use videos in .mov format/container with either the DV, ProRes or Apple Intermediate Codec for the video and the audio should be Uncompressed. If you have different formats and codecs, you can use MPEG Streamclip to transcode the clips to one format and codec to get a better editing experience.

they are H.264 :L is there any way that final cut can match the exact settings?

 

[spinnerlys]

they are H.264 :L is there any way that final cut can match the exact settings?

I don't know, but H264 is not an editing codec. I mentioned the ones, that FCP accepts without a problem.

Editing applications don't really like highly compressed video, especially MPEG-4 encoded video, like H264 ones, as not every frame is stored within the file and the CPU is taxed a lot during playback to recreate missing frames. Editing applications need video with every frame stored inside for easier editing.

Again, use MPEG Streamclip to transcode that H264 footage to .mov files using the DV codec for SD material or ProRes codec (or AIC) for HD material. Also use Uncompressed for audio.

If you use MRoogle, you might find dozens of similar threads (people trying to edit highly compressive formats with professional applications, even though H264 is meant for delivery and not editing).