Rendering proxy media vs. original

Hi

I'm quite new FCP user and this might be a stupid question.

I've noticed that it's really difficult to edit using FullHD original videos. I cannot smoothly edit 1080p videos with my MBP 2.6 i7 8GB.
If I use proxy media without background rendering, editing is much easier.
Lately I've noticed that when exporting video using proxy media, the quality of final video is worse that if I change from proxy media to original before rendering and exporting. I'm using Compressor to export, but I can see the same difference using FCPX export movie.
I'm not sure if this relates to different original formats or not. I've seen this very clear when editing some avi/divx videos that were created in Windows.

Why is this happening? Shouldn't original media be used automatically by FCP when exporting... even when I'm using proxy media to edit? Is this a bug or known issue?

For now I'm changing from proxy media to original before rendering to get the best quality.

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Tomi Toivonen

Toivonen wrote: Hi

I'm quite new FCP user and this might be a stupid question.

I've noticed that it's really difficult to edit using FullHD original videos. I cannot smoothly edit 1080p videos with my MBP 2.6 i7 8GB.
If I use proxy media without background rendering, editing is much easier.
Lately I've noticed that when exporting video using proxy media, the quality of final video is worse that if I change from proxy media to original before rendering and exporting. I'm using Compressor to export, but I can see the same difference using FCPX export movie.
I'm not sure if this relates to different original formats or not. I've seen this very clear when editing some avi/divx videos that were created in Windows.

Why is this happening? Shouldn't original media be used automatically by FCP when exporting... even when I'm using proxy media to edit? Is this a bug or known issue?

For now I'm changing from proxy media to original before rendering to get the best quality.

______________
Tomi Toivonen

Tomi, what you are doing is correct.
Proxy media is to be used strictly for editing, and is NOT meant to be encoded for final delivery. You would use Proxy media when your system isn't fast enough to edit either native AVCHD h.264 footage, or "Optimized" (transcoded AVCHD to ProRes) media.

So you work as follows...
1. Transcode original media to "Proxy" for editing.
2. Go into Preferences and (in Editing) switch from "Optimized (original)" to "Proxy"
3. When ready to color correct and then encode, switch to "Optimized", then color correct and export.

I figure your having issues editing native AVCHD (h.264) files. AVCHD is very highly compressed and is hard for systems to edit natively (especially multiple streams such as mulicam). AVCHD is meant to be a delivery format, and not really an editing codec.

The best practice for the future, if you have hard drive space, would be to take your original AVCHD footage and transcode it to BOTH Optimized and Proxy ProRes. The reason for this is that you will most likely be exporting to a master ProRes file. So since you export to ProRes, it's best to use ProRes for your "Optimized" media for export. This will make your export much faster, than using the native AVCHD footage. teh Proxy Pro Res files will make it much more painless to edit with, if your system is choking on the Optimized ProRes files. this mihgt be an issue when editing multi camera, using FCPXs multicam.

Something else to keep in mind for the future is that the changes you make to the Preferences effect ALL Events and PRojects in FCPX. So if you happen to be working in a Project or Event that uses Proxy media, and then switch to another Project or Event that doesn't use Proxy media, then FCPX will show that you're missing media. as it's looking for Proxy media in ALL open Events and Projects.

So remember to switch your preferences to be what you want to work with or export when working on a job.

Hi mliebergot

To me it's strange that exporting is not always done with original or optimized media instead of proxy media.

Yeah, I've learned "Cmd ," -shortcut, since preferences needs to be accessed quite frequently.
When importing media, I'm creating proxy and optimized media as you did recommend.
I've been doing color corrections before changing to original or optimized media, but I understand that proxy media is low resolution converted version and colors might not be exactly same as in original media. That's why color corrections are better done with original or optimized media.
Some other corrections like sharpening or noise removal are also easier to do with better quality to be able to better see the final effect.

You did confirm my findings and now I feel that I better understand the correct way to work.
Thanks, mliebergot.

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Tomi Toivonen

mliebergot wrote: Something else to keep in mind for the future is that the changes you make to the Preferences effect ALL Events and PRojects in FCPX. So if you happen to be working in a Project or Event that uses Proxy media, and then switch to another Project or Event that doesn't use Proxy media, then FCPX will show that you're missing media. as it's looking for Proxy media in ALL open Events and Projects.

Wow, I never gave this a thought. Explains some things. Thanks.

You don't always want to export full resolution, like if it's just for a review of edits, proofing credits, etc. And this is MUCH easier then legacy FCP was, or it is in other NLEs.

Hey, mliebergot. Great reply, a fine summary of the workflow

Toivonen wrote: To me it's strange that exporting is not always done with original or optimized media instead of proxy media.

I agree, and sent feedback to Apple about it. I think it's very deceptive, because my logical thinking would also be that FCP X goes back to originals and not proxies for outputting.

Ben's assesment that it can be handy to output a proxy for reviewing, is understandable, but then I rather have a checkbox during export that says 'Use Proxy Output' or something like that, but not make it the standard unless you go back into your preferences.

Again, once you 'know' it, it's not a big issue, but I think it's deceptive, and I think having a checkbox during export would be a better solution.