End of support for interlaced H.264 since FCP 12.2 / Compressor 5.2

[Stephan Stryhanyn]

Hello,

Since Final Cut Pro 12.2 and Compressor 5.2, exporting to interlaced H.264 is no longer supported. Any previously created presets are now disabled. This is a huge regression, as it is no longer possible to have a native end-to-end workflow for footage recorded on 50 Hz AVCHD camcorders sold in Europe. It would seem that Apple has decided to focus the Final Cut suite on TikTok or YouTube "content creators."

My workflow used to be: import AVCHD files into Final Cut, edit, and export a ProRes 422 master at 1920x1080 25 fps interlaced TFF (exactly matching the source). I would then compress it to H.264 using Compressor, keeping the resolution, interlacing, and frame rate identical. It was also possible to export directly to interlaced H.264 from FCP using the Compressor preset. From there, I could either author a Blu-ray (which I stopped doing) or simply put the H.264 file on a USB drive to watch on a TV. This yielded the best playback quality I found, as the TV is capable to synchronize at 50 Hz. Every attempt to deinterlace to 60 Hz for viewing on computer screens or devices failed due to severe quality degradation. As you can imagine, I was very attached to this workflow, which is now ruined.

Have you run into the same issue, or perhaps found a solution? My only lead so far is testing DaVinci Resolve to see if this alternative Mac software (available in a free version or for €350) still supports encoding my ProRes masters to interlaced H.264. However, that represents significant complexity and a steep learning curve that I am quite reluctant to take on.

Thank you!

[Andrew Smith]

Weird that they should remove a feature. It's not as if it has to be programmed again.

Is it possible to downgrade?

Andrew

[Pete Cofrancesco]

I discovered last month when I upgraded that they also removed the audio codec AC3 used to encode for DVD they also I believe removed BluRay support. I found a work around using Audacity through a free plugin to encode AC3. There might be a paid 3rd party utility to encode interlace.

BTW, Apple doesn't allow you to even step back to previous versions even if it is a small revision. The only place I saw the previous version was on T*orrent but I didn't want to risk it had a virus.

Obviously I was pretty angry but nothing I can do.

[Andrew Smith]

Yeah, Apple are jerks.

Might be time to otherwise make the jump to Davinci Resolve. The learning curve is probably not as bad as you imagine it to be, and there are plenty of tutorial videos out there.

Andrew

PS. You would certainly be right to warn others on their forums against upgrading.

[Christopher Young]

Originally Posted by Stephan Stryhanyn

Hello,

Since Final Cut Pro 12.2 and Compressor 5.2, exporting to interlaced H.264 is no longer supported. Any previously created presets are now disabled. This is a huge regression, as it is no longer possible to have a native end-to-end workflow for footage recorded on 50 Hz AVCHD camcorders sold in Europe. It would seem that Apple has decided to focus the Final Cut suite on TikTok or YouTube "content creators."

My workflow used to be: import AVCHD files into Final Cut, edit, and export a ProRes 422 master at 1920x1080 25 fps interlaced TFF (exactly matching the source). I would then compress it to H.264 using Compressor, keeping the resolution, interlacing, and frame rate identical. It was also possible to export directly to interlaced H.264 from FCP using the Compressor preset. From there, I could either author a Blu-ray (which I stopped doing) or simply put the H.264 file on a USB drive to watch on a TV. This yielded the best playback quality I found, as the TV is capable to synchronize at 50 Hz. Every attempt to deinterlace to 60 Hz for viewing on computer screens or devices failed due to severe quality degradation. As you can imagine, I was very attached to this workflow, which is now ruined.

Have you run into the same issue, or perhaps found a solution? My only lead so far is testing DaVinci Resolve to see if this alternative Mac software (available in a free version or for €350) still supports encoding my ProRes masters to interlaced H.264. However, that represents significant complexity and a steep learning curve that I am quite reluctant to take on.

Thank you!

Yes! I have run into the same problem with client AVCHD files. I'm using the following workaround, and it is working in Resolve Studio 21.0.4, the paid version.

First off Resolve WILL NOT import AVCHD files. The following rewrap may well work for you with FCP. Rewrapping requires an extra step. To do this download "Shutter Encoder".

https://www.shutterencoder.com/

In shutter encoder you can either use the folder your camera files are in but I would suggest not. I create a new folder for the output files.

1) Drag all your camera video files, just the video files, nothing else into Shutter Encoder's file import box.

2) Now select "Rewrap" in the drop-down selection menu. For the rewrap output select .MOV. Then select "Start"

Rewrapping is fast. There is no file conversion going on. It is just getting rid of your AVCHD wrapper which is generally .AVI and rewrapping your video and audio essence files into .MOV files. Though oddly in Resolve even though the .MOV files still have AC3 audio tracks Resolve sees them as 'Linear PCM'. Go figure? I don't understand what is going on there but if it works, it works! I'm happy.

3) Now I can't speak for FCP but in Resolve you create a 25FPS project. You MUST select the ALLOW "Interlace Processing" Check box.

4) Save your project with whatever name you wish.

5) Create a BIN. Now import all your freshly rewrapped .MOV footage.

6) (On Windows) Use 'Control A' to bulk select all your footage in the bin. Then Right Click and select "Clip Attributes". Slide down to the "Field Dominance" option, select "Upper Field", click "OK".

Now you are ready to edit your program.

When editing is finished you then select the "Delivery" tab.

Under the Delivery TAB you can now select MP4 as your output preference. Now select either the NATIVE or if you have an Nvidia GPU card, the NVIDIA encoder option. Other options will NOT allow Interlaced H.264 exports. I usually use my Nvidia card for the encoding as it's very quick.

Under the NATIVE or NVIDIA option there are "Interlaced Rendering" and "Field Order" check boxes. Make sure to check both of these options. "Top Field First" is the Field Order option you need to select for 50Hz countries.

Then select whether you want maximum quality, or if you want to choose your own specific bit-rates, punch in the number you want.

Resolve will now export an interlaced H.264 MP4 file for you.

I assume this would also work with the FREE Resolve version but I can't confirm that.

Chris Young