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Import Problems with FCE

  • Thread starter thegrimmsleeper
  • Start date
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thegrimmsleeper

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I'm having some trouble importing AVI files into Final Cut Express; when I go to File > Import, none of them are selectable. A few of them don't want to play in Quicktime either, I just receive a white screen. But even the ones that play fine in Quicktime can't be imported.

Am I missing something? A codec or something? I've got the latest version of FCE with all the updates...
 
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thegrimmsleeper

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No one else has experienced this? I can't find anything on it at FCE's support site.
 
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To my knowlage ( i use final cut pro not express but very simluar) avi's can not be used in final cut you have to convert them first.
 
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thegrimmsleeper

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PowerBookG4 said:
To my knowlage ( i use final cut pro not express but very simluar) avi's can not be used in final cut you have to convert them first.

According to the manual, you can use AVI's or Quicktime movie files. But I'm thinking maybe it was the codec the AVI was created with; perhaps it's not compatible with FCE.
 
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thegrimmsleeper

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I'm getting seriously irked here. I've downloaded every codec I can think of and nothing is working.

Is there some way to convert these AVI's to Quicktime format without having to buy additional software?
 
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Install ffmpegX. When you drag a file to where it says "Drop Here", it will tell you the format it is really in. For instance, I'm sure FCE cannot handle AVI DivX files. AVI is a wrapper similar to Quicktime so it could have nearly anything in it.

ffmpegX is a small hassle to install but should allow you to convert the file to a DV file that FCE can handle. Review the Video tab because the default seems to be 16:9 ratio, but you likely want 4:3 and 720x480 I think. For audio you want PCM (DV).
 
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thegrimmsleeper

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I'll check that out; thanks a lot!

xstep said:
Install ffmpegX. When you drag a file to where it says "Drop Here", it will tell you the format it is really in. For instance, I'm sure FCE cannot handle AVI DivX files. AVI is a wrapper similar to Quicktime so it could have nearly anything in it.

ffmpegX is a small hassle to install but should allow you to convert the file to a DV file that FCE can handle. Review the Video tab because the default seems to be 16:9 ratio, but you likely want 4:3 and 720x480 I think. For audio you want PCM (DV).
 
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I'm having trouble with avi. files right now. I formatted my Mac and re-installed FCP. Before that I could play and import avi. files perfectly in FCP. I was even editing some LOST episodes in avi. format, but now FCP cannot import avi. files anymore.

All I did was re-install the software and make the neccessary updates through Sofware Update (to get to the 5.1.4 version). Is it the codecs, the update or what? Any insight on this?
 

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