Blog Archives

Two quick DVD burning tips when using Apple Compressor 4.1.

A short video tutorial explaining the basics of video compression. This tutorial is relevant for any video compression software.

A speed comparison between the iMac and new Mac Pro, testing video compression speeds. The winner may surprise you!

A step-by-step tutorial on how to compress video and audio for the web.

A step-by-step tutorial on converting frame sizes and frame rates from HD to SD video using Compressor.

Job-chaining saves time during compression by sending the output of one compression process into input of the next. Here’s how it works.

Here’s a step-by-step technique that shows you how to create chapter markers manually or automatically in Compressor.

Compressor automatically generates log DPX files. Is there a way to create linear DPX files?

I am looking for a specific workflow instructions. Since I’m dealing with HDV, XDCAM EX, anamorphic SD, recaptured DVD assests and stills, I needed an in depth step by step workflow.

David Scott was having a problem creating a DVD using a Compressor Template. Until he solved it. Here’s what he did.

Here’s what you need to convert GoPro video files to before importing them to FCP.

Ben Balser writes on editing H.264 video natively in Final Cut Pro.

In this article, Larry Jordan answers a question about when to convert HD files to SD for editing in Final Cut Pro 7 or earlier.

An extensive email correspondence with editor/subscriber, Patrick Nugent, concerning some difficulties with video artifacting and the solutions he found, is summarized in this article.

In this article we give a quick examination of how to upsize an original 4:3 sequence into a 16:9 timeline.

Subscriber Mike Henry writes in to see about finding the most highly recommended practices with mixing cameras with different resolutions.

How to upload a file automatically after Compressor has finished converting a file.

Dean Schweinler writes in to ask if he needs an AJA or a BlackMagic capture card to edit HDV. This article explains three options for capture.

While you can create watermarks in FCP, Compressor provides a much better alternative. This technique shows you what to do.

Larry explains the somewhat intensive process of shooting digital video for use with FCP.

Here’s a great technique you can use if your camera only shoots 4:3, but you want it to look like 16:9. This works for any standard-def video format; you don’t need it when shooting HD, because HD is already 16:9.

A few bullet point suggestions for subjects ranging from trying to up-res from SD to HD without losing detail to getting Compressor to launch.

Down-converting HD to SD using Compressor provides better image quality than using Final Cut Pro. This article shows you why.

I ran into an interesting problem over the weekend that I want to share with you because the solution is more complex than at first blush. Here’s the problem: I was asked to create a video for posting on line. The video had two components: me on camera talking, and screen shots, both of which were different sizes and formats. This article describes the process of creating a single, compressed file composed of multiple format video.

Compressor does a really good job of compressing video for the web, or DVD. But, what if you want to change the image size? Well, Compressor does that too – in the Geometry tab. This article shows you how.

The only problem with creating multiple versions of the same file is the time it takes. In this article, I explain how you can do this faster and easier by automating Compressor, than just doing one file at a time from Final Cut Pro.

Adding subtitles is something DVD Studio Pro is very good at. But sometimes, importing a subtitle file doesn’t work. This explains why and how to fix it.

Probably no subject generates more email than questions about the best way to prepare still for both HD and SD. In this article, David Scott provides this step-by-step approach to making your stills look great. (Note: For a video tutorial on this subject, CLICK HERE)

DVDs are always standard definition video. Which means that if you shot your project in HD, you need to down-convert it to SD before you can put it onto a DVD. This short article describes what you need to know.

Video is hard enough to understand. Throw in fields, frames, field order, and interlacing and it’s enough to make you cry. In this article, I explain what you need to know to successfully navigate around the land mines.

With the release of Final Cut Pro 7, we got a new export menu option – Send. In this article, I take a first look at the differences between Share, Send, and Export; and explain which one to use.

There are a variety of ways to export a project from Final Cut Pro for a DVD. This article showcases the best way to do it if you are using Final Cut Pro 6.x. (FCP 7 users may want to consider using Share or Send, which this article doesn’t cover.)

There are four ways inside DVD Studio Pro to control how 16:9 video plays back on a 4:3 monitor. This article describes what you need to know and provides suggestions on which one is best to use.

Are you having problems getting Final Cut to render? It may not be a software problem. Eric Solstein sent us this cautionary tale on the problems of heat. If your system is acting up, read this article.

In spite of the hype, optical media is not dead. The two variations for HD media – AVCHD and Blu-ray Discs – are still valuable tools in an editor’s toolkit. In this article, David Scott writes about his success in using Blu-ray Discs to meet the needs of his project.

In this article I want to give you some suggestions on proper selection of compression bit-rates; as well as how to improve the compatibility of the CDs and DVDs that you burn.

After years of using Compressor Droplets to automate video compression, a very helpful tip has been discovered to engineer Droplets to contain multiple settings. Larry illustrates this simple and innovative process.