Trouble Converting to AVI that will play on PC

I am using FCP Vs. 7..... my video card ATI Radeon HD 4870
I sadly don't have quicktime pro vs 7. I only have the quicktime X that came with snow leopard.
I am exporting a 1920 x 1080 sequence. (ProRes422 Codec)
I need to export to AVI and WMV for viewing on a PC.
The program that it needs to be viewed on is Windows Media Player and Stereoscopic Player.

I haven't been able to export a clip of 3 minutes in length using quicktime conversion. It gets 2 or 3 seconds of visible media and then starts to flicker black and grey for the rest of the file. Also the file is about 30 gigs when finished exporting.

I have tried doing uncompressed quicktime files and converting to AVI through MPEG Sreamclip (http://www.squared5.com/)

Unfortunately the AVI it makes has only Mac Codec options... So the files will only play audio on the PC. I get no image.

Can someone please help me? I'm dying here.

Thanks,
Nate

Quicktime 7 is part of the "Optional Installs" on your Snow Leopard Install DVD and installs in

Applications>Utilities>


Read how to install it here: [support.apple.com]


You then need to get TeleStream Flip4 Mac [www.telestream.net] to export WMVs for PC



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

> Unfortunately the AVI it makes has only Mac Codec options... So the files will only play audio on
> the PC. I get no image.

That's not true. Codecs such as Apple DV NTSC, Photo JPEG, Motion JPEG A, DivX, H.264, Sorenson 3 and even the ancient Cinepak are all available on a PC. Whoever's looking at the file just needs to download the codec. Although I shudder to think of a PC that can't even deal with decade-old codecs like Cinepak and Sorenson 3...


www.derekmok.com

Have you tried flip for mac?

When you say, " he program that it needs to be viewed on is Windows Media Player and Stereoscopic Player. " do you mean that you have no choice because thats what the client wants or can you take liberties with the output?

""" What you do with what you have, is more important than what you could do, with what you don't have."

> > > Knowledge + Action = Wisdom - J. Corbett 1992 """"

People still use AVI?

Windows Media Player is obviously a non-issue. A little googling around revealed the Stereoscopic Player has Quicktime support. Assuming your media is already interlaced for stereoscopic playback in the first place, it should be trivial (according to the vendor's Web site) to deliver a Quicktime movie in some format that can be played back with garden-variety Quicktime. ProRes is such a format. At one time you had to download a special ProRes decoder component to install on top of Quicktime, but I'm pretty sure it's now built right into Quicktime for both Windows and the Mac. Not positive, but pretty sure.

In other words ? it sounds kinda like you don't actually have to do anything at all. Which is the very best sort of problem to have.

I've rendered out cinepak and it looks awful... don't think it can handle 1920 x 1080

How can I make a divx avi... Didn't have a divx option in my compression options

Thanks,
Nate

I have to render out either a AVI or WMV for them
They have to be able to view on Windows Media Player... Also eventually take a stereo pair for stereoscopic player.
What I've been told is the stereoscopic player only takes windows media player files such as AVI or WMV... neither of which I've been able to get to play.
I've asked them to look for patches for windows media that support the apple codecs

The problem is when I try and make an AVI straight out of FCP it won't render out a working clip. I think it's because it is such a big ProRess422 1920 x 1080 sequence that it can't handle the AVI conversion.

I end up with a huge AVI (36 gig's or so) that won't even play.

I rendered out a uncompressed quicktime file and converted that file to a AVI in MPEG Streamclip. That worked as far as making an AVI... but none of those AVI's would play on the Windows Media Player or Stereoscopic Player.

Do you know what kind of downloads they will need to make sure the files will play?

So far nothing I sent them will play... so I'm guessing they need to download the right codec's.

Do I send them to the Windows Media Player website and have them download a patch?

Thanks

> I've rendered out cinepak and it looks awful.

Yeah, it would. That codec is something like 15 years old. Codec is only part of it -- you need to set your data rate high, especially if you're doing HD. But Cinepak is not used by anybody anymore, except maybe the odd sound designer who wants a small, crummy file as picture reference. Even then, I can't imagine why they wouldn't use Photo JPEG, H.264 or any one of a dozen superior alternatives.

> I think it's because it is such a big ProRess422 1920 x 1080 sequence that it can't handle the
> AVI conversion.

Well...the other thing is you have to reduce the frame size. If you're looking for compactness, you should go 960x540 (even that is pretty generous), or 640x360. Smaller frame size means your data rate can be dedicated to representing a smaller image area.


www.derekmok.com

Compressor will allow you to make a 640x360 h264(X264) file. These files seem to be much more acceptable to windows anything.
The X264 is better in gamma (better BLKs) than H264.

Now to make it so you can have them view it on a windows machine, i might suggest you use DV Kitchen and your server or shared hosting (Vimeo Even). With DV Kitchen you can up load an embedded file with the company name at the top. It does H264 and flash and i have only had 1 problem with a client viewing it.

Also make sure that the computer they are using has been updated with itune which i believe comes with QT for windows.

DV Kitchen shot



""" What you do with what you have, is more important than what you could do, with what you don't have."

> > > Knowledge + Action = Wisdom - J. Corbett 1992 """"

The name "x264" refers to a particular freeware encoder, not a format. It's notoriously unreliable. Widely considered to be much faster than any other H.264 encoder available, it's got a (in my experience, well deserved) reputation for generating files that just sufficiently out of spec to randomly crash decoders.

Avoid unsupported gear and software when doing production work. That's my advice, for what it's worth.

wow great info thank you...

My only concern is they want hi res files for projecting.. Higher frame sizes than anything DV

640x360 is too small for them.

Has to be minimum 1280 x 720 avi file

Is that possible?

Thanks

Humbling Speaking

I have never heard that from anyone, ever. (not to say that's not your experience)

I have about 80 videos on the web right now (no Vimeo or YouTube embed either). ALL of them are x264 encoded without a single instance of any problem in the last 2 years.

I know you know much more than me but your stuff, from what i understand, goes to TV and big budget formats. I am sure you do web also but I was recommended this encoder by a few people on this forum.

I have tried nearly every encode for web thats been on the mac for the last 5 years. x264 is stable no jitters, no buffering stumbles (under 85mb), no noticeable artifacts (3600kbps and up).

I would suggest to this poster that they do follow the more experienced people like you, derek, and strypes. However, I think the claim that x264 is an unstable or unreliable encoder is more like an opinion than it is an establish caveat. I am about 60% web delivery these days and thats down from 85% in 2006.


pllxnate

1280 x 720 is huge in almost any file type when it comes to the web. Once you pass 85mb then you are waiting for the movie to load. Go Over 150mb and that could be like 15minutes with low bandwidth connection like 6mb download and 1mb upload (which is high grade dsl speed).

Flash might be something to try but you are gonna need a very high bit rate (6400k or so) to keep the majority of the quality.

""" What you do with what you have, is more important than what you could do, with what you don't have."

> > > Knowledge + Action = Wisdom - J. Corbett 1992 """"

x264 is the H.264 encoder they use for YouTube when you upload your vids.


In fact Youtube, Facebook, Hulu, and Vimeo all use ffmpeg and x264

But as Jeff said:

Quote

it's got a (in my experience, well deserved) reputation for generating files that just sufficiently out of spec to randomly crash decoders.

This because people set the complexity way too high or change options that they have no idea about.

One of the best (and most configurable) versions of the x264 CODEC for the Mac is at: [www003.upp.so-net.ne.jp]

However if you are unsure about compressing video & audio then you need to learn about it properly or you will make unnecessary mistakes that will make you look amateurish.



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

Here's a guide to the settings in x264.

[mulder.dummwiedeutsch.de]



www.strypesinpost.com

You guys' knowledge is awesome!

However, this isn't for the web. It is for projection. And they are using windows media player to drive the file for projection.

The actual program being used is Stereoscopic Player.

Nothing is for viewing on the web. So that is why they want bigger frame sizes.

Is it possible to do an avi that is 1280 x 720 minimum? And come out with something that will play on windows media player and not look awful?

Thanks

At the risk of repeating my post...


..read back up the thread.



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