Create Optimized Media broken in FCPX Demo??

Hello all..
just got the demo the other day, and can't seem to get FCP to create the ProRes files it's been promising me..
I've checked the 'Create Optimized Media' in the prefs AND in the import dialog box, but every time i have it copy the files (and transcode, in theory) to my current event folder, it just copies the H.264 files to the new location.

Also, if i try to transcode after the fact, by CTRL CLICKING on the file in the Event Browser, the 'Create Optimized' is greyed out.

I've gone and checked the files that it's been copying, into my events folder, on the Finder level, and indeed they are just the same H.264 files..

Any suggestions?
(aside from the obvious.. i.e. keep using Compressor to do the H.264 -> 422 transcode)

Husky

groundlift.org

On your hard drive in the event folder there should be one folder for Original Media and another folder for Transcoded Media. Do you not have that?

All the best,

Tom

Tom.

Found the "Transcoded" and "High Quality Media" folders.. but in the inspector it still says the clips are H.264.
Is this just now referring to the original clips, and it's in fact using the Pro Res files, or is this some sort of misinformation?

Also, is there a way around the 'Original Media' getting copied to my Events Folder?
I store all my Canon footage on slower external archive drives, and only pull in to the project what i need for each film / short / video.
My FCP6 workflow was: Transcode via Compressor (from H.264 to ProRes) INTO a folder on my Video Drive (scratch disk) the files i would need.
Now it seems i'm having a hard time keeping things from getting duplicated and / or aliased (new word or proxied.

Any ideas?

H

groundlift.org

Ok, so further testing: if i throw the 'Original Media' out, and re-open FCPx, all is ok.
If i throw the 'Transcoded Media' out, i get the offline media prompt.. so clearly FCP is referencing the Pro Res media, but the Inspector is not telling the whole story..

btw. . if i use files already transcoded via Compressor, to Pro Res, and just have FCP reference them (import withOUT copying or transcoding) the Inspector tells me they are ProRes, regardless of origin (H.264)

so perhaps this is an Inspector bug?

H

groundlift.org

The inspector is telling what the original media is not what's being used for playback.

No, the original media is always preserved.

All the best,

Tom

ok, thanks.
good to know.
makes no sense, but good to know.

i.e. if i want to know what kind of file / codec / aspect ratio the clip is, i have to go OUTSIDE of FCP to find this??
wouldn't it make sense that one could use the Inspector to, ehm... Inspect??
what good is it to have it tell me what clips / codecs i'm not using?

is there another way, inside of FCPX, to find out what's going on in the timeline?

H

groundlift.org

If you transcoded the media and your playback option is original or optimized, the optimized is always used for playback.

All the best,

Tom

OK, good.. thanks Tom!!

H

groundlift.org