Final Cut Pro Quicktime Export problem

Hello all.

I am having a problem I have not experienced before and all of my web searches have been fruitless.

First I have an Apple 15.2 inch 1.67mhz laptop 1.5 ram with an 80 Gb HD and an external Lacie 250Gb firewire 800 HD and am running FCP 4

I am having trouble exporting a movie to a compressed Quicktime file. No matter what compression I choose it seems to stop compressing at 79 percent. Many times FCP has unexpectedly quit. I have even tried no compression on both audio and video.

I did a test and I can compress a Quicktime movie I already have to another format. It is just when using FCP when I have this issue.

After FCP quits I do see a Quicktime file created but when I tried to open it I get a unreadable Quicktime error (-2048) and when I get info it has a file size of "0 kb"

Thanks for the time

Tim

I forgot to mention I am using Mac OS 10.4.5

Tim

I just found this

[www.dvcreators.net]

I'm suspecting the "unreadable QuickTime" problem is a side effect. If a QuickTime file creation isn't completed, a file gets created which is identified as a QuickTime movie, but doesn't contain the media.

Questions:

1. What method are you using to export out of Final Cut Pro? Export - QuickTime Movie? (This is the method for the best quality) Export - Using QuickTime Compression? Export - Using Compressor? Self-contained or a reference file?

2. Have you dumped preferences and repaired permissions yet?

3. What drive are you targeting for the export? Try doing it to an internal drive, preferably a non-system drive -- though looking at your setup, it seems you only have one internal drive, your boot drive.

4. Did you Render All and perform Audio Mixdown before the export?

5. Where are your render files?

Hi Derek

1. What method are you using to export out of Final Cut Pro? Export - QuickTime Movie? (This is the method for the best quality) Export - Using QuickTime Compression? Export - Using Compressor? Self-contained or a reference file?

I can choose Export>Quicktime Movie (select self contained) and this works. I get a Final Cut like icon with a Quicktime symbol in it. I am unfamiliar with what this option and file is used for.

When I choose Export>Using Quicktime Conversion> then no matter what compression I choose or no matter what disk (internal or external) I choose to save to, I run into the problem.

2. Have you dumped preferences and repaired permissions yet?

I have not tried this. I will try and report back.

4. Did you Render All and perform Audio Mixdown before the export?

Yes I have rendered all but have not tried an audio mixdown. Can you explain that a bit more. I have always adjusted sound levels and left the tracks as they were. So I am unfamiliar with doing this.

5. Where are your render files?

When I create a new FCP project I put all DV footage in a master folder on my external drive and save the project there. I will set all target drives to this folder as well. It makes it easier for me to archive and save a project when I am done.

So on External Drive I will make a new folder call "New Project" and save the FCP file to this folder called "New Project" FCP file. Also in this folder will be New Project Capture scratch, Audio Render, Auto save, Render, Thumbnail and waveform Cache folders.

Thanks for the help and suggestions. I'll post an update later.

Tim

> I can choose Export>Quicktime Movie (select self contained) and this works.
> I get a Final Cut like icon with a Quicktime symbol in it.

This file *is* a QuickTime movie. If you want it with a QuickTime icon, select it in the Finder, press APPLE-I and set "Default Application" to "QuickTime Player". The icon will change from a Final Cut Pro Movie icon to a QuickTime Movie icon.

If this export works, you may want to consider doing your compression in Compressor or QuickTime Player by putting this full-quality QuickTime movie into one of the two applications. Might be a quick workaround to get you through this project, rather than have to troubleshoot.

> Yes I have rendered all but have not tried an audio mixdown. Can you
> explain that a bit more. I have always adjusted sound levels and left the
> tracks as they were. So I am unfamiliar with doing this.

We have to explain this one every week...

Audio Mixdown does NOT mess with your tracks. It does NOT reduce your audio tracks to one or two. It behaves like an audio render and prevents glitches in your movie export. It's a non-negotiable step before any kind of export or output to tape.

Do you get the Spinning Beach Ball Of Death? Are there any messages at all when the export crashes?

Is there at least 10% free space on **all** your hard drives--including the System Drive?

Koz

>This file *is* a QuickTime movie. If you want it with a QuickTime icon, select it >in the Finder, press APPLE-I and set "Default Application" to "QuickTime >Player". The icon will change from a Final Cut Pro Movie icon to a QuickTime >Movie icon. If this export works, you may want to consider doing your >compression in Compressor or QuickTime Player by putting this full-quality >QuickTime movie into one of the two applications. Might be a quick workaround >to get you through this project, rather than have to troubleshoot.


Thanks Derek. After I "get info" I was able to change the application to Quicktime instead of opening FCP when double clicked. That is a good work around I did not know about. I was able to open it with QuickTime and do some compressions. I am stillleft with wondering why the "using Quicktime" is not working. I am starting to wonder if there is a Quicktime 7 issue.

Yes Gregg I do get the spinning beach ball as it gets stuck compressing at 79% on the progress bar. And yes I do have plenty of space on the drives.

Thanks guys for taking the time to help.

Best

Tim