Can FCPro edit MPEG 2 files

Hi,
I am a bit confused about the FCP and MPEG compatibility and need a little bit of help.
I am going to be editing underwater scientific footage coming from a Remotely Operated Vehicle (ROV), basically an underwater robot. Their staff tells me that they usually work with MPEG 2 files and that they are very "easy to edit". They do not use Macs but Windows with Adobe Premiere. My intention is to use my Mac with FC Studio 2. However in doing my research I have learned that there could be, compatibility issues between FC and MPEG 2 but I am still not clear about it.
Here are my questions then:
1- Can I edit MPEG 2 files in FCP without having to do a conversion to a different file format?
(I will be getting hundreds of hours of video -this is a month long expedition- and do not want
to get stuck converting file after file).
2-If the answer to question 1 is NO, then what is your recommendation for handling this project?
Thank you much,
Maria.

> Their staff tells me that they usually work with MPEG 2 files and that they are very "easy to
> edit".

Not at all. MPEG-2 is not an editing format. You'd have to transcode it to something else first. And given that you'll be getting loads of video in the future, you have to convert to a format that's not only editing-friendly, but also of good quality.

But here's the good part. Converting the footage doesn't mean you have to dump the originals. You'll just need to purchase lots and lots of drive space to store and backup the originals, and to store and backup the converted files. I'm thinking you'd probably want to go the ProRes route. So, I'd suggest you get the first files, choose a few representative clips (eg. with a variety of shots, backgrounds, colours, actions, lengths etc.) and do multiple tests. Convert those sample clips to various codecs and settings and see which ones gel with you, and which ones work well enough in your system. If one set of tests fails, no big deal, just change the test settings and try again.


www.derekmok.com

1. No, Final Cut doesn't support any of the MPEG-2 stream types.

2. You can convert individual MPEG-2 program streams (that's presumably what you'll get) with MPEG Streamclip, but Episode Pro would be better for large batches. Convert everything to ProRes 422 (if you're on FCP 6), ProRes LT (if you're on FCP 7 by then) or DV50 to edit it.

Thank you Derek. That was ultra fast!
"Convert those sample clips to various codecs and settings and see which ones gel with you, and which ones work well enough in your system. If one set of tests fails, no big deal, just change the test settings and try again"

I am not real savvy about codecs and settings, will this be within Pro Res, or other types?
Which ones do you suggest?
Thank you again,
M.

Thank you for your clarification, Jeff.
However I was reading a thread below about MPEGs w/o sound and Derek said :

"MPEG Streamclip doesn't ask you repeatedly for settings unless the specs of the files change. If all the files have the same frame size, frame rate, codec etc., then it will apply the first settings to all of them. It's pretty smart that way."

Will this work for me? I'd rather not spend $1000 bucks on Episode Pro...
M.

MPEG Streamclip has its flaws. It's fast and versatile, but I've run it on movie files with titles (DVCPro HD 720p24, simple white text on black, simple horizontal motion) and its results are drastically worse than Compressor.

My impression of MPEG Streamclip is that:

Pros
- Fast -- about 25 to 40 per cent faster than Compressor when running the same MPEG-4 compression from DV that I'd used as a test
- Versatile -- can demux MPEG files, extract from DVD, In/Out points, exporting AVIs, multipass, de-interlace, adding jobs to the cue before the last batch is done, etc.
- Batch processing, including batch-converting multiple files without tampering with each file's frame size (its "Unscaled" setting); can save presets
- Gives you a pretty accurate estimate of target file size based on your settings, before you actually send the job through

Cons
- Results on titles not great
- Also seems to be weak on motion and frame-rate related issues

I haven't used Episode Pro so I can't compare, but generally, you get what you paid for. MPEG Streamclip is quite good for a piece of free software; I doubt it will do a better job than a $1000 dedicated software. Your job seems large enough to warrant at least exploring all your available options.


www.derekmok.com

Thank you, Derek.
I will run tests on representative MPEG 2 files and decide what route to go.
I am sure I'll have some more questions and hopefully some contributions in the near future.
Later, then.
Cheers,
M.

Compressor won't work here. It can't handle MPEG-2 program or transport streams.

If you're really dealing with hundreds of hours of footage, and this is a month-long contract, you shouldn't have a problem getting your client to drop the grand on Episode. It's a tool you're definitely going to need.

I believe Telestream offers a limited-time demo. You should get it and do some tests to find the right workflow for your situation.

On the titles front - I have a hard time imagining that the submersible will do graphics and titles

I would also recreate any titles from converted material where possible so as long as you are happy with the output of MPEG Streamclip then you are onto a winner.

I've personally not tested Episode converting from MPEG2 to edit CODECs, but it does do a great job of compressing delivery CODECs and depending on your workflow, can be a valuable addition to your post processing.

Let us know what your thoughts are on the quality from both - maybe you could post a screen shot or 2 for comparison?



For instant answers to more than one hundred common FCP questions, check out the LAFCPUG FAQ Wiki here : [www.lafcpug.org]

Ben,
Thank you for your comment.
The video from the ROV will be available in the form of DVD?s of regular DVD format. This format is a compression of the raw Digital Video feeds from the cameras. The compression codec will be MPEG-2 stored in VOB files and there is nothing I can do about changing this...
Absolutely right. There will not be any titles on the ROV footage. I won't have to worry about sound either...So maybe MPEG Streamclip will suffice.
The challenge will be working with an enormous amount of footage and converting it to Pro Res. Somebody mentioned that in previous years they had used a software called DVDxDV with a slider that allows one to quickly scan a loaded DVD, go to particular locations, and select segments for export. It would export selected segments in a variety of Quicktime movie codecs including DV, Sorensen 3 and H.264. ( I believe MPEG Streamclip can do this to, does anyone know?) This is how they got around the storage issue but it seems quite laborious to me...
I am looking forward to getting some files and do the tests.
Thank you for all your posts!
Maria.

Hi. I am using final cut 6. My sequence is hdv 1080i60. Should I use one of the HD settings that apple supplies in compressor? I am compressing a 17 minute sequence with 6 layers of video at times to be burnt to dvd and shown on a screen.
What setting do you recommend.
Thanks so much,
evarita