Getting from 16X9 xdcam to center cut .wmv
 

I'm new to working with FCP and macs and I'd appreciate it if someone could tell me how, using Flip4mac (which I already have, if needed) I can take a 16X9 xdcam timeline and do a 4X3 center cut .wmv? I 've tried a number of combinations in quicktime conversion but don't seem to get the result I need. I'm a complete novice in compressor.

What I need to do is:

1. Edit in xdcam so I can output 16X9 and hopefully also 4X3 in various formats
2. I can go to tape using my Kona 3 if necessary
3. I can export a very nice QT or .wmv in 16X9
4. But I can't seem to figure out how to get to a 4X3 QT and .wmv that's a center cut, not anamorphic.


Thanks in advance ...

John

You can do this in Compressor, there are some shorter ways and longer ways, but they all require you to spend a little time and figure out the interface. Depending on the purchased version of Flip4Mac plugin you have installed, you should have the ability to change the encoder settings in the Inspector window to Quicktime export components>windows media.
You may be able to do the 4:3 centercut and transcode to .wmv all in one pass (use the preview window to double-check your end result). If not then do it in 2 steps...

Compressor is not the easiest program to use but certainly not the hardest, so if you spend a little time with it you can do a lot.

Benjamin,

Thanks ... any chance of details on compressor? I've spent the last 2 days dealing with FCP crashing and haven't had time to work on anything other than that.

Thanks,
John

I did give details, read again:
<<
Depending on the purchased version of Flip4Mac plugin you have installed, you should have the ability to change the encoder settings in the Inspector window to Quicktime export components>windows media.
>>

You should be able to do this right from FCP (export using compressor). I would give it a try and go from there.

Got that, but I'm such a novice I'm not even clear on how to change the settings in the inspector window. I have someone coming in to do some training with me but not for a couple of weeks, so I'm trying to muddle through until then, while working on multiple shoot & edit projects. I've got the actual editing down reasonably well byt some things like this bite me.

I probably should just do everything on my liquid chrome system, where I can whiz through all this stuff, but each of the FCP shows has reasons why it's better in the long term to edit on FCP. Plus it handles the xdcam ex footage better than chrome *except* it's extremely easy to do what amounts to a center cut in liquid and export it.