Proxy vs Optimized/Original

Guys, I am new to compressor and FCP but I have a quick question. What I heard is that you should always change from Proxy to Optimized media FCP before you go to the File/Share menu to render your file.

Does that also affect quality when sending to compressor instead? Do I need to change the view back to optimized media on FCPx?

Thanks,
VA

Proxy files are 1/4 resolution versions of your clips that are useful in editing on the timeline if your computer doesn't have enough horsepower to playback the full original or optimized media files smoothly or without the need to render. If you export the proxies, you will indeed be exporting and creating a lower resolution master file, so yes, you should switch back to "Optimized media" in the viewer menu prior to exporting from FCPX if you want the full resolution master file to be created.

@dgwvideo, Thanks for the reply!

Just to make sure... I understand that when I export/render from FCP I need to change to optimized, but is that the same when sending the project over to compressor to preform the rendering there?

Thanks,
- VA

Yes, it is very straight forward:
If you tell FCPX to refer to Proxies, it will use Proxies for everything.
When you tell FCPX to refer to Original/Optimized, it will use Original/Optimized for everything.

Sorry to be making this topic longer than it needs to be... but just to make sure I sent the same project twice from Final Cut to Compressor. On the first one viewer was set to Proxy and on the second it was set to Optimized/Original. After rendering both in Compressor to MPEG 422 program stream I compared the file sizes expecting to have one bigger and one smaller, the smaller. It turns out that both had the same size. Is there any logic or explanation for this?

Thanks,
- VA

It's an interesting observation you've made.

I ran a quick test and also got equal size PR 422 output files from Original/Optimized and Proxy Timelines using the Send To export workflow. The only difference was that the Optimized to PR422 was half the encode time of Proxy (or what was intended to be Proxy) to PR 422. I also zoomed in pretty tight in QTX and really couldn't detect any IQ difference (although I don't place a lot of trust in my eyes these days). So it isn't just Program Stream. Bug or feature?

Russ

Hum, :dry: Now I am starting to get confused. :silly:

@BenB or @dgwvideo, do you have any input on this one?!

Again, sorry to be asking so much about something that should be simple.

Thanks,
- V.A.