Importing video from a server

I'm wondering if there is a way to pull video from a server and bring it into FCP without a loss in video quality. I'm using a PowerBook G4 with FCP 5. I've used a thumbdrive to bring in a 1:30 worth of audio and video from server on a different PC and imported it into my Mac laptop using a thumbdrive. This Quicktime file has the file is 20.1MB with the Dimensions of 320x240. Codecs: MPEG1 Muxed.
Is there any way to return the video and audio back to broadcast quality?

MPEG1? Nope. Not unless you find the original media and capture that.

Michael Horton
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> This Quicktime file has the file is 20.1MB with the Dimensions of 320x240. Codecs: MPEG1
> Muxed. Is there any way to return the video and audio back to broadcast quality?

Broadcast quality!?!?!? Are you serious!?!?!?

MPEG Streamclip can demux the MPEG-1 and make it editable in FCP with audio, but it will be about four generations away from broadcast quality. You won't even get a decent-looking DVD from that. 20MB worth of data would be about, oh, 10 frames of broadcast-quality video.


www.derekmok.com

MPEG1 is a very old technology. The basic picture size inside the file is one quarter what it is for any of the other formats. MPEG1 has about the same picture quality as VHS tape.

MPEG1 is a destructive compressor. Once the picture looks fuzzy, you can't bring it back.

Sorry.

Koz

Back to your original question, Smitty... yes you can bring video files from a server with no loss in quality. As per the prior replies, the quality will match the format. If you're importing a low-quality image, it'll stay that way. If the server contains high-quaility videos in high-quality formats, those will be fine.

It all goes back to silk purses and sow's ears.

bob rice
frameworx media