problem getting .vob files into final cut studio

[mike789]

Hi, just got a new mac and final cut studio 2. I haven't recorded anything new lately so I wanted to play around with final cut by importing some home movies into the program. When I go to import the DVD it only imports a few seconds of each .vob clip. Also it has no sound. Is there a way to get the whole thing and with sound? Or do I need to find a converter to turn it into another type?

Thanks

 

[-DH]

Use MPEG Streamclip (freeware) to demux/convert the DVD's VOB files to match your FCP Sequence settings.

-DH

 

[ZballZ]

or FFMPEGX - also freeware...

 

[mike789]

thanks, so i downloaded MPEG streamclip and i got it to work and imported the dvd as a quicktime movie... but what is the best type to import it as? there are so many options to choose from, and what does "demux"ing do? thanks

 

[ZballZ]

Actually, I think you should not use quicktime, but "export as DV". DV is a video-format, and the one Final Cut uses. This should mean, that you dont need to render the files again, once you import them in FC...

demux'ing means separating the video and the audio into two different files, as opposed to a video-stream that has both audio and video...

If you end up with one video track, and one audio track, dont worry, just import both in FC, then drop them on the timeline. Make sure they're in sync of course...

 

[LethalWolfe]

Actually, I think you should not use quicktime, but "export as DV". DV is a video-format, and the one Final Cut uses. This should mean, that you dont need to render the files again, once you import them in FC...

QT is a container, not a format, so many different file types can end in .MOV and everything regarding video on the Mac is based around QT. I advise against using .DV as in my experience it produces files different than what FCP expects in a QT DV file.
I'd go:
1. Export to Quicktime
2. Select Apple DV/DVCPro - NTSC from the big, codec drop down menu.
3. Move the quality slider to 100%
4. Sound -> Uncompressed, Stereo, 48k

If you really want to maintain quality though I'd suggest using the Apple DVCPro-NTSC codec instead of the DV one. The file will be twice as large, but the quality will be much better and you'll still be able to edit off of a FW400 HDD w/no problem.


Lethal

 

[ZballZ]

QT is a container, not a format

I realize that. But since "mike789" seems new to the world of video-codecs and FCP, there is no need to complicate things. True, he can do that via Quicktime as well, if he gets all the settings correct. OR, SIMPLE AS H***, "export to DV" straight from MPEG Streamclip...

Using DVCPro for a VOB file is simply overkill. The Vob is already MPEG2 - and you cant recreate quality that just isnt there, by converting it to a better format.

And since "mike789" is probably doing a regular DV-PAL or DV-NTSC-project in FCP, he might as well convert to this format initially, and save time. If he where to import a DVCPro video-file ind a DV-project, FCP would render the whole thing to DV anyway...

 

[LethalWolfe]

I realize that. But since "mike789" seems new to the world of video-codecs and FCP, there is no need to complicate things. True, he can do that via Quicktime as well, if he gets all the settings correct. OR, SIMPLE AS H***, "export to DV" straight from MPEG Streamclip...

Except that, like I said, "export to DV" creates a file that FCP doesn't really like. Drop a .DV file into a standard FCP DV timeline and it will show up as something that needs rendering. Compare the specs of .DV file in FCP's Browser window to a proper QT DV file and they will be different. Creating a proper DV file for FCP takes, what, 1 or 2 extra mouse clicks? I think the OP can handle that.

Using DVCPro for a VOB file is simply overkill. The Vob is already MPEG2 - and you cant recreate quality that just isnt there, by converting it to a better format.

Firs off, DVCPro and DV (as well as DVCAM) are the same (they call all be referred to as "DV25"), but thanks for helping me catch my typo. I meant to say "DVCPro50" not "DVCPro". Now getting back to your point, yes you can't recreate quality, but going w/DVCPro50 will degrade the MPEG-2 signal less than going to DV.

And since "mike789" is probably doing a regular DV-PAL or DV-NTSC-project in FCP, he might as well convert to this format initially, and save time. If he where to import a DVCPro video-file ind a DV-project, FCP would render the whole thing to DV anyway...

Oh no, I'm giving the OP options. Quick, somebody stop me...

Even if the OP was working in DV when he goes to make a DVD of his project FCP and Compressor always go back to the source files when exporting movies. So even if he edited in a DV timeline the DVCPro50 source file would be used, not the DV render files, when it came time to export his movie out of FCP.


Lethal