Final Cut Pro X - Compressing Videos for Web problems

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Hey hey guys!

Really blooming well struggling here so hoping someone can help me out!

I have edited various clips together shot from an iphone (the total amount of clips probably surmount to around 800mb).

The total length of the final edit is around the 10minute mark.

I have attempted to export to youtube, tried HTTP live streaming and all sorts and it not only takes HOURS but saves them as 19gb files or sometimes fails.

I am really really not editing savvy... it's the first time Ive done something like this in years!!

HALP!! :D
 
Export the full quality version as Pro Res HQ (my fav codec) then use something like MPEG streamclip, Compressor or Adobe Media Encoder to make smaller/compressed versions. Rendering an h264 etc straight from the FCX timeline tends to leave you with a larger file, poorer encode and generally wastes time.
 
Don't use ProRes HQ. It's good but as they are iPhone clips there wont be enough information there to warrant it. Standard Pro Res or even Pro Res LT should suffice.

Using HQ will make the file size bigger before you start. using standard or LT should save you a chunk of space to begin with and probably encoding time as well.
 
Did a quick test.

A 10 second full res clip from an iphone4 encodes in the following way on my machine:

Pro Res
1min 18secs - 109.7MB

Pro Res HQ
49 secs - 70.5MB

Pre Res LT
17 secs - 48.1MB

Encode times might be a bit dodgy as I was doing some work but do give an example.

Heres a screenshot comparing quality (had to decrease the size of them all to get them on screen). Not much in it really.

screenshot20120419at123.png


Top left = Pro Res
Top right = LT
Bottom left = HQ

I'd still go the ProRes route personally, space and time isn't an issue and it'll keep the quality as high as possible.
 
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Don't use ProRes HQ.

No. The idea is you export from Final Cut X as ProRes (I use 4444 - don't ask) and then use Compressor or another dedicated app to output the H.264 for the web.

That way FCX outputs the best quality for the compressing program and that then outputs the best file size depending on your settings.
 
I agree, but I'm going on the basis that he doesnt have Compressor (just assuming so could be wrong).

With the footage that he has, exporting a file from an iPhone in Pro Res HQ instead of Pro Res wont make it any better, its just sitting it in a bigger container. if it was full decent quality video from a non mobile device then yeah HQ your heart out but there won't be any benefit for this situation.
 
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