mp4 files won't work in Final Cut Pro HD at DVinfo.net

Sergi Bosch · January 22nd, 2006, 11:12 PM

my client has submitted 2 dvd's of her television/video work. i am to make a reel for her with footage that i cull from the dvd's (which have the video and audio _ts folders contained therein).

i've used Handbrake to rip the dvd's.

problem is: Handbrake gives me 3 choices for file output: .mp4, avi or OGM.

i've chosen mp4. it seems that fcp 5 won't accept mp4 on import, ie "file error: 1 file recognized, 0 denied, 1 unknown"

i'm trying to understand why mp4 won't work. anybody know?

i would prefer to use a quicktime over an .avi. i don't even know what an ogm is.

thak you.

Greg Boston · January 22nd, 2006, 11:19 PM

FCP will accept AVI files. It will want to optimize them for you. You'll see a message to that effect but you don't have to.

Choose AVI as your output and see how that goes.

-gb-

Jonathan Jones · January 22nd, 2006, 11:50 PM

If I am not mistaken, I believe the .mp4 version is an umbrella of the recent series of codecs of which the newer h.264 is a variant, although I understand that not all h.264's are created equal. First, I would see if the .mp4 file you have is able to be opened via Quicktime. In OS X, these files by default try to open in iTunes, you may have to control-click it to choose QT to open it. If your QT is up to date, and as you say your are running FCP 5, if it is able to open in QT, I don't understand why Apple wouldn't let it open in FCP...but I haven't tried this yet myself.

Either way, if it is an h.264 file, (as I believe it may be), it will yield a nice image, but at a significantly more compressed ratio than what would likely be offered through the avi version. FCP should be able to open the avi version. If it cannot, try to open in QT. Many (but not all) avi variants can open in QT. You can then just transcode it to a full quality dv stream and then throw it into FCP - but try to just drop it into FCP first.

Hope this helps - I usually don't know what I'm talking about.
-Jon

Sergi Bosch · January 23rd, 2006, 03:46 PM

it turns out mp4 is not an editable file format.

i found a free utility called MPEG Streamclip that converts mp4s. i'm psyched.

here's the link:

http://www.apple.com/downloads/macos...treamclip.html

thanks for your tips, though, greg and jonathan.

sergi

Dave Perry · January 24th, 2006, 06:34 AM

MPEG StreamClip is INDESPENSIBLE in my opinion. Glad you discovered it.

January 22nd, 2006, 11:12 PM	#1
Sergi Bosch New Boot Join Date: Jun 2004 Location: Chicago Posts: 10	mp4 files won't work in Final Cut Pro HD my client has submitted 2 dvd's of her television/video work. i am to make a reel for her with footage that i cull from the dvd's (which have the video and audio _ts folders contained therein). i've used Handbrake to rip the dvd's. problem is: Handbrake gives me 3 choices for file output: .mp4, avi or OGM. i've chosen mp4. it seems that fcp 5 won't accept mp4 on import, ie "file error: 1 file recognized, 0 denied, 1 unknown" i'm trying to understand why mp4 won't work. anybody know? i would prefer to use a quicktime over an .avi. i don't even know what an ogm is. thak you.

January 22nd, 2006, 11:50 PM	#3
Jonathan Jones Trustee Join Date: Jan 2005 Location: Healdsburg, California Posts: 1,138	If I am not mistaken, I believe the .mp4 version is an umbrella of the recent series of codecs of which the newer h.264 is a variant, although I understand that not all h.264's are created equal. First, I would see if the .mp4 file you have is able to be opened via Quicktime. In OS X, these files by default try to open in iTunes, you may have to control-click it to choose QT to open it. If your QT is up to date, and as you say your are running FCP 5, if it is able to open in QT, I don't understand why Apple wouldn't let it open in FCP...but I haven't tried this yet myself. Either way, if it is an h.264 file, (as I believe it may be), it will yield a nice image, but at a significantly more compressed ratio than what would likely be offered through the avi version. FCP should be able to open the avi version. If it cannot, try to open in QT. Many (but not all) avi variants can open in QT. You can then just transcode it to a full quality dv stream and then throw it into FCP - but try to just drop it into FCP first. Hope this helps - I usually don't know what I'm talking about. -Jon __________________ "Are we to go on record, sir, with our assertion that the 'pink hearts, yellow moons, orange stars, and green clovers' are, in point of fact', magically delicious?" - Walter Hollarhan before the House Subcommittee on Integrity in Advertising - May, 1974

January 23rd, 2006, 03:46 PM	#4
Sergi Bosch New Boot Join Date: Jun 2004 Location: Chicago Posts: 10	got it it turns out mp4 is not an editable file format. i found a free utility called MPEG Streamclip that converts mp4s. i'm psyched. here's the link: http://www.apple.com/downloads/macos...treamclip.html thanks for your tips, though, greg and jonathan. sergi

January 24th, 2006, 06:34 AM	#5
Dave Perry Major Player Join Date: Mar 2004 Location: Roanoke, VA Posts: 796	MPEG StreamClip is INDESPENSIBLE in my opinion. Glad you discovered it. __________________ Dave Perry Cinematographer LLC Director of Photography • Editor • Digital Film Production • 540.915.2752 • daveperry.net

January 22nd, 2006, 11:19 PM	#2
Greg Boston Wrangler Join Date: Oct 2003 Location: DFW area, TX Posts: 6,117 Images: 1	FCP will accept AVI files. It will want to optimize them for you. You'll see a message to that effect but you don't have to. Choose AVI as your output and see how that goes. -gb-