It seems I just can't win. Cleaner 6.0.1 seems to be broken. When I encode video, it messes it up, skewing it horribly. Check out this pic (http://64.233.224.176/webimages/cleaner.jpg) for an example. It ONLY does this in OS X. It works freakin' fantastic in OS 9 with the same settings (except that it uses KB instead of kb in OS X for some odd reason when tweaking Sorenson data rates).

Any idea what's going on here? Why is my Mac evil? Are all Macs evil?

EDIT: It only seems to do this with wide-aspect ratio Quicktimes, or when I change the aspect ratio in any way from the original. Again, this does not affect OS 9.

What format is the original footage? 4:3? 16:9? I gather the latter but just to be sure.

Can you copy the text from the Summary tab (of your Cleaner Settings) here?

The original footage is usually flagged for 4:3 as it comes from a DVX100. If I crop letterbox footage I get the skewing... same if I stretch the footage in FCP to be an anamorphic DV file and then change the aspect ratio in Cleaner.

I can't copy and paste the text from Cleaner, but I can do the next best thing and post a screenshot of the summary (http://64.233.224.176/webimages/messedup.jpg)

Nothing jumps out as being a problem. I am assuming, then, that you are exporting from FCP 4 (as Quicktime DV or as FCP file?) and that you are sending Cleaner 30fps 4:3 footage which you then crop to 430x240? What aspect ratio in Cleaner do you select under the crop? (ex: Same as source, same as cropped, etc.)

I wonder if some of your troubles in this thread (http://www.dvinfo.net/conf/showthread.php?s=&postid=123016) could be related to this.

Could you not export from QuickTime Pro as a QT movie yet use MPEG4 to compress it or to stream it?

Question is what do you want your final source to be?

On the Apple FCP discussion pages there are comments relating to Cleaner not working well with compressor. I can't test any of this for you Ted, as I'm still on FCP 3.

The footage is 24fps progressive, and I want it to be Sorenson 3 24fps. I use unconstrained for the cropping and aspect ratio, because I know exactly what size the video needs to be (plus I like the control).

Works great in OS 9.

I'm amazed that you're still on FCP3, Jeff. You seem to know quite a bit about version 4. Though wouldn't someone use Cleaner or Compressor?

Ted,

You're right...it would be either/or.

I got a similar look recently when I accidentally tried to compress a PAL sequence made in FCP as NTSC in Cleaner.

Have you double-checked your FCP settings? Both the sequence settings and the export settings?

Here's what should be the sure fire way of getting a result:

1. Export as "Quicktime Movie" then select "uncompressed 10-bit NTSC"
2. Import that into Cleaner and choose one of the Quicktime NTSC presets, being sure to set the ratio for wide screen.

Did you do a 2:3:3:2 pull down removal upon import and then export in QT with the same settings or converted back?

I don't need to do a pulldown since the source file and the Quicktime will be 24 progressive. I am at work right now so I will try the uncompressed option a little later and let you know my results.

I'm amazed that you're still on FCP3, Jeff. You seem to know quite a bit about version 4. Though wouldn't someone use Cleaner or Compressor?

I have access to a computer with FCP 4 at school, but we're not teaching it yet. We'll probably switch in the summer or next fall. I will purchase FCP 4 for myself when I upgrade to a G5 in the next month or so.

Exporting as an uncompressed movie worked! I guess Cleaner can be a bit finicky with DV files.

Thanks to everyone!