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  1. Hello,

    I'm looking for a solution for a maneuver at work. I need to deliver 640x480 FLV files of captured lectures. I use Blackmagic Media Express and an Intensity interface for capture. FCPX.9 for editing. I output a 16:9 720p60 Apple ProRez (LT) file with 4:3 embedded in it from the source material. Currently I can use Handbrake to crop and scale and control bitrate of audio/video to output a nice 640x480 MP4. I then need to use Toast to go from MP4 to FLV. I would really love to keep this a one step process. For example I would like to use MPEG Streamclip to control my crop/scale/bitrate/etc. Problem is with my new MacBook Pro (quad core 2.9ghz i7) at work MPEG Streamclip has no FLV output available. I've been scouring for info on getting a codec or something to allow MPEG Streamclip to output FLV. I've found mention and seen screen shots of it being possible. We can't afford to buy Adobe Media Encoder CC for this. Especially since it isn't really "needed".

    So my question is, how can I get MPEG Streamclip to allow for FLV encoding?

    I'm also all ears for other solutions. I can say that changing the suffix is not going to work. This was suggested but not surprisingly the actual engine that plays these videos back wouldn't handle the tricked h.264 files.

    Thanks for any input!
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  2. Member Budman1's Avatar
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    Since you seem to be doing a multitude of functions on the video, you could use FFMpeg since it handles most every input and outputs to what ever format you tell it to (including FLV) and can accomplish an almost endless number of functions like crop, pad, aspect, etc. It IS command line and does take a little bit of a learning curve but once you have the command line you can just reuse again and again or set up a batch file.

    Personally, I use VirtualDub to handle the crop, pad, scale, etc. and export to an external encoder that I edit, if needed, for FLV (AVC/AAC). Since it exports Raw data, there is minimal loss of quality.

    There may be others but, as you noticed, many have limitations that make additional programs necessary to convert or tweak afterward. FFmpeg alone and VirtualDub in conjunction with AVISynth and External Encoder feature are 2 very powerful, one-step utilities. If you are going to need on an on-going basis, they would be worth looking into since everything needed is free!
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    Originally Posted by cleantones View Post
    Hello,

    I'm looking for a solution for a maneuver at work. I need to deliver 640x480 FLV files of captured lectures. I use Blackmagic Media Express and an Intensity interface for capture. FCPX.9 for editing. I output a 16:9 720p60 Apple ProRez (LT) file with 4:3 embedded in it from the source material. Currently I can use Handbrake to crop and scale and control bitrate of audio/video to output a nice 640x480 MP4. I then need to use Toast to go from MP4 to FLV. I would really love to keep this a one step process. For example I would like to use MPEG Streamclip to control my crop/scale/bitrate/etc. Problem is with my new MacBook Pro (quad core 2.9ghz i7) at work MPEG Streamclip has no FLV output available. I've been scouring for info on getting a codec or something to allow MPEG Streamclip to output FLV. I've found mention and seen screen shots of it being possible. We can't afford to buy Adobe Media Encoder CC for this. Especially since it isn't really "needed".

    So my question is, how can I get MPEG Streamclip to allow for FLV encoding?

    I'm also all ears for other solutions. I can say that changing the suffix is not going to work. This was suggested but not surprisingly the actual engine that plays these videos back wouldn't handle the tricked h.264 files.

    Thanks for any input!
    I'm a MPEG Streamclip user but not a Mac user, so I can only advise you based on what Squared Five's website says. It says Perian needs to be installed to export files in flv format. However, when I looked at the Perian's website, I found that the developers have called it a day, and they state that the final beta sofware they released may or may not work on 10.8. You may need to find another solution.
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  4. And what's the reason for 720p60 export with all the extra cropping , scaling etc.. steps ? Or do you have multiple formats and destinations besides this one ? Doesn't sound like if if you have "4:3 embedded"
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  5. Originally Posted by poisondeathray View Post
    And what's the reason for 720p60 export with all the extra cropping , scaling etc.. steps ? Or do you have multiple formats and destinations besides this one ? Doesn't sound like if if you have "4:3 embedded"
    Not that it matters really but I have to capture at 1280x720 but my content is 4:3 (Powerpoint/etc). I need to deliver 640x480 FLV files for the local internal web hosting. We do the quick post in FCPX.9 and it isn't flexible in terms of output. We don't have Motion or Compressor with FCPX.

    I've used FFmpeg in the past with the GUI FFmpegX. I installed it and it's libraries here but it wouldn't cooperate with the Apple ProRez source format. Unless it was something else keeping it from encoding.

    If I could figure out how to get MPEG Streamclip to encode to FLV I think I would be good to go. That is my main query.

    Thanks for chiming in folks!
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    Originally Posted by cleantones View Post
    If I could figure out how to get MPEG Streamclip to encode to FLV I think I would be good to go. That is my main query.
    My guess is that if Perian is incompatible with your version of OS X, MPEG StreamClip cannot be used export FLV files. However, who would know more about what is required for FLV output than the developer? You could always try contacting Squared 5 to ask for help with this problem.
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  7. You stated this is for work and imply you do this frequently. Under those circumstances, is $50 for compressor that big a lift?
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  8. It's not up to me. Maybe we can get it. It took 6 months to get through the red tape to get what I have now. Also I'm not sure it would accomplish what I need to get done.

    Why does that matter anyway? That is not my question.

    I'm crafting an email to Squared 5 now.
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  9. Originally Posted by cleantones View Post
    Why does that matter anyway?
    My mistake. I thought you were trying to accomplish a goal, not embark on a time-wasting project. Your current workflow should have clued me in.
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  10. Originally Posted by cleantones View Post
    Originally Posted by poisondeathray View Post
    And what's the reason for 720p60 export with all the extra cropping , scaling etc.. steps ? Or do you have multiple formats and destinations besides this one ? Doesn't sound like if if you have "4:3 embedded"
    Not that it matters really but I have to capture at 1280x720 but my content is 4:3 (Powerpoint/etc). I need to deliver 640x480 FLV files for the local internal web hosting. We do the quick post in FCPX.9 and it isn't flexible in terms of output. We don't have Motion or Compressor with FCPX.

    Well, presumably your flash goal is 640x480p30, so why are you exporting in 720p60 ? (You're encoding twice as many frames, at a dimension larger than required. )

    It should matter to you , because you're doing some extra work, wasting time, and unnecessarily using space and losing quality by taking the prores step. Might be ok if you're dicking around at home, but for work related things , you usually want to do it as fast as possible with the best quality . (Or maybe you get hourly wage and taking longer is better? J/K )

    If you want to do this for "free" or with what you have without spending on plugins or other software - FCPX can't export FLV natively, but it can certainly export h.264/aac in MOV or MP4. If you only have 1 destination format, it makes more sense to do your cropping,resizing manipulations in FCPX and export it as the final format 640x480 in MP4. If you still need FLV as the container (and you might want to check that, because MP4 has been compatible with flash web hosting for years) you can batch re-wrap it without any quality loss with ffmpeg.

    The only semi common reason I can think of that definitely requires FLV container, is when you need VP6A for flash transparency



    I've used FFmpeg in the past with the GUI FFmpegX. I installed it and it's libraries here but it wouldn't cooperate with the Apple ProRez source format. Unless it was something else keeping it from encoding.
    any recent ffmpeg build within the last year can encode/decode prores . Certainly the (free) command line versions can . But you might want to re-think the prores step in the first place

    It might be you're using an outdated ffmpegx or try using iffmpeg
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  11. Thanks. I'm currently exporting 1280x720@60 Apple ProRez (LT) because that is the native capture format. So I end up with a new master file that includes event titles, topping/tailing, and minimal audio processing. FCPX doesn't really have a lot of control for exporting. I mean, I could export to H.264 but I need to crop/scale. So that would be unnecessary transcoding and time spent doing so.

    I think ffmpegX has been abandoned since 2011. So that could be part of it. I'll try iFFmpeg ASAP.

    About working in FCP to export at a "final format 640x480 in MP4". I don't think this is possible. I can start a project at NTSC SD 720x486 but I can't export at 640x480. Unless I'm missing something. I need to talk to the guy who puts these online and see if I 720x486 will work for him. This might be the best solution. I know when we tried (on his suggestion) to merely change the suffix the files wouldn't play in the player he uses.

    I'm about to run out of time for today to work on this. The problem with procuring more software is I have to work through multiple stages of red tape and even a cheap piece of software will be a massive pain to procure. This is not my equipment and I have no admin rights.

    Thanks for the input.
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