Final Cut Pro 10.3.3 > Compressor > DVD Studio Pro: which workflow?

Hey there guys,
I hope that this post finds you all in good spirits, and that you are having a relaxing start to the weekend.

We are now nearing the end of our DVD project, and we have managed to export a final file from FCP X. We also found a brand new copy of Final Cut Studio 3 – including DVD Studio Pro 4 – on eBay, which is some kind of miracle in 2017

Our question is this: would a .mov video file (H.264) made in Final Cut Pro 10.3.3 and then encoded in Compressor 5 be importable into DVD Studio Pro 4 (to add a menu and subtitles)?

The reason we are asking is that according to DVD Studio Pro 4: Third Edition, the way to get the highest quality video results is by using your original source material for the encoding process – i.e. by sending your FCP X file direct to Compressor. However, our 2015 FCP X editing computer does not have Compressor installed on it, but we have a mid-2012 MacBook Pro 15” computer which has an unupgradable (owing to OS restrictions) copy of Compressor 4 on it.

So we have the choice of one of two workflows:

A. Final Cut Pro > Send to Compressor 5 > DVD Studio Pro; or

B. Final Cut Pro > Export .mov > Import to Compressor 4 > DVD Studio Pro.

Any ideas about the best way to go are sincerely appreciated.

Thank you so much for taking the time to reading this post!

For best quality, export a ProRes .mov and let Compressor encode that.

AlexMaxim wrote: Our question is this: would a .mov video file (H.264) made in Final Cut Pro 10.3.3 and then encoded in Compressor 5 be importable into DVD Studio Pro 4 (to add a menu and subtitles)?

Yes, however I would not suggest encoding assets from a compressed H.264 file. As Ben indicated, export a master prores file, and then create the assets (Video m2v and Dolby Audio AC3) in compressor from that. Those will import into DVD Studio Pro 4 just fine.

dgwvideo wrote:

AlexMaxim wrote: Our question is this: would a .mov video file (H.264) made in Final Cut Pro 10.3.3 and then encoded in Compressor 5 be importable into DVD Studio Pro 4 (to add a menu and subtitles)?

Yes, however I would not suggest encoding assets from a compressed H.264 file. As Ben indicated, export a master prores file, and then create the assets (Video m2v and Dolby Audio AC3) in compressor from that. Those will import into DVD Studio Pro 4 just fine.

Thank you both so much for your kind advice!

The reason that we thought about using an H.264 file is the sheer size of a ProRes file. While the H.264 file is just over 12GB, the Source - Apple ProRes 422 file is insanely large: 122GB! (The duration of the movie is nearly 2hr 11m.)

We therefore have the following questions:

1. Approximately how long would a 12GB and a 122GB respectively file take to encode (in Compressor) on a 2012 15" MBP Retina?

2. Would the final file size of the encoded 122GB file be less than the ≤7.5GB necessary to burn onto a dual-layer DVD?

AlexMaxim wrote: 1. Approximately how long would a 12GB and a 122GB respectively file take to encode (in Compressor) on a 2012 15" MBP Retina?

Not sure. Probably several times real-time. You can start encoding it and extrapolate the final time from the progress in compressor – and then abort if you're unhappy with the ETA. But each one of those two files should take approximately the same time to encode - a little longer for the h.264 as there will be a slight increase in the amount of time it takes for Compressor to decode each individual frame. You should use the ProRes file (since you've got it) as it will be a cleaner than an h.264.

AlexMaxim wrote: 2. Would the final file size of the encoded 122GB file be less than the ≤7.5GB necessary to burn onto a dual-layer DVD?

You can vary the final file size significantly by altering the video bitrate settings in Compressor. There are plenty of 2++ hour commercial films that have been released on single dual-layer DVDs – so it's certainly possible to make it fit.

smg669 wrote:

AlexMaxim wrote: 1. Approximately how long would a 12GB and a 122GB respectively file take to encode (in Compressor) on a 2012 15" MBP Retina?

Not sure. Probably several times real-time. You can start encoding it and extrapolate the final time from the progress in compressor – and then abort if you're unhappy with the ETA. But each one of those two files should take approximately the same time to encode - a little longer for the h.264 as there will be a slight increase in the amount of time it takes for Compressor to decode each individual frame. You should use the ProRes file (since you've got it) as it will be a cleaner than an h.264.

AlexMaxim wrote: 2. Would the final file size of the encoded 122GB file be less than the ≤7.5GB necessary to burn onto a dual-layer DVD?

You can vary the final file size significantly by altering the video bitrate settings in Compressor. There are plenty of 2++ hour commercial films that have been released on single dual-layer DVDs – so it's certainly possible to make it fit.

Thank you so much for your kind and comprehensive responses, which are sincerely appreciated!

Do you happen to know if it is better to use the Send to Compressor option within Final Cut Pro instead of exporting a Master File? Our training manual says that using the Send to Compressor option should deliver the best results. Is this true in comparison to a 122GB file?

I don't believe that one method is necessarily better than the other. The master file will provide an excellent DVD and the added benefit that you have a full resolution master of your project from which you can always use to make future deliverables from (i.e web version, another DVD, various resized videos, etc.). Especially since you have so much time and effort into this project, it seems you would want to have a master file. Sending to compressor will not provide that, and if your project ever becomes corrupt or incompatible with future FCPX updates you would have nothing to fall back on. I'd suggest you keep a couple copies of a master file on different drives for safekeeping, regardless of whether you choose to use it for the DVD or not.

Technically, and Apple has pushed this gently since the FCP legacy days, Send To Compressor bypasses all render files. It feed raw frame data to Compressor one frame at a time. It is slower, but technically will give the absolute best end result.

A master ProRes 422 file will be full resolution, hold up to multiple transcodes, etc. In the real-world, the human eye probably won't be able to tell the difference between Send To Compressor and a ProRes 422 file concerning image quality.

So I'd go the ProRes 422 master file route, and use that to create your DVD from. File size doesn't matter, what matters is the duration of the project. If it fits the duration limit of the optical media format, then when it gets encoded for that format, it'll fit using the correct bit rate.

dgwvideo wrote: I don't believe that one method is necessarily better than the other. The master file will provide an excellent DVD and the added benefit that you have a full resolution master of your project from which you can always use to make future deliverables from (i.e web version, another DVD, various resized videos, etc.). Especially since you have so much time and effort into this project, it seems you would want to have a master file. Sending to compressor will not provide that, and if your project ever becomes corrupt or incompatible with future FCPX updates you would have nothing to fall back on. I'd suggest you keep a couple copies of a master file on different drives for safekeeping, regardless of whether you choose to use it for the DVD or not.

These are fantastic points. You are absolutely right: this project has been just over five years in the making, so it makes perfect sense to export an a-grade master file. Thank you so much for your guidance!

FCPX.guru wrote: Technically, and Apple has pushed this gently since the FCP legacy days, Send To Compressor bypasses all render files. It feed raw frame data to Compressor one frame at a time. It is slower, but technically will give the absolute best end result.

A master ProRes 422 file will be full resolution, hold up to multiple transcodes, etc. In the real-world, the human eye probably won't be able to tell the difference between Send To Compressor and a ProRes 422 file concerning image quality.

So I'd go the ProRes 422 master file route, and use that to create your DVD from. File size doesn't matter, what matters is the duration of the project. If it fits the duration limit of the optical media format, then when it gets encoded for that format, it'll fit using the correct bit rate.

Thank you so much for your comprehensive and informative response, which is sincerely appreciated!

May I just ask: given that the Send to Compressor option is technically superior, why is going down the ProRes 422 route preferable? Is it a question of speed?

And more generally, would you recommend Compressor 4 or 5?

Question of speed, AND of simply having a full resolution and quality master file around. Two birds with one ICBM. No, I meant "stone"...

As per your last question, there is no Compressor 5.

FCPX.guru wrote: Question of speed, AND of simply having a full resolution and quality master file around. Two birds with one ICBM. No, I meant "stone"...

As per your last question, there is no Compressor 5.

Speed + ICBM. Got it! :lol:

Re: question 2, my sincerest apologies! I meant 4.0.3 versus 4.3.2 :oops: I was thinking of Apple Motion.

Ah, well, Motion won't encode stuff for you, so no, that's not the tool needed.

Compressor 4.4.

FCPX.guru wrote: Ah, well, Motion won't encode stuff for you, so no, that's not the tool needed.

Compressor 4.4.

Thank you so much once again for your kind guidance! We are about to download Compressor from the App Store.

Have a wonderful Christmas, guys!

You, also. Happy Yule