User Guide

52 Chapter 3 Combining Standard and High Definition Video
Mixing High Definition and Standard Definition Video
in the Same Sequence
Many editors encounter situations in which they must mix HD and SD video, or use
HD media with different resolution, in the same sequence. Because Final Cut Pro is
resolution independent, you are free to add any clips in the Browser to a sequence, but
clips that do not match the current sequence settings often need to be rendered
during playback (indicated by a red bar above the clip in the Timeline).
If you need to mix a lot of SD and HD video footage in a single sequence, it’s often
more efficient to convert all your footage to a common format so that all your media
files have the same dimensions, frame rate, and codec. You can convert many clips at
once using the Batch Export function, or you can have upconverted or downconverted
videotape transfers made at a video transfer facility.
For details about using the Batch Export command, see the Final Cut Pro 5 User Manual,
Volume IV, Chapter 21, “Batch Exporting Clips and Sequences.”
Note: Whenever possible, combine SD and HD media with matching frame rates.
Convincing frame rate conversions are difficult to achieve. If you need to combine
footage with different frame rates, you may want to have your video converted at a
professional facility.
Choosing High-Quality Scaling Options
Upconversion and downconversion in Final Cut Pro usually involves scaling your video.
To ensure the highest quality, you should always choose the best scaling quality option
in your sequence settings.
To select the best scaling quality for a sequence:
1 Select a sequence in the Browser or double-click it to open it in the Timeline.
2 Choose Sequence > Settings, then click the Video Processing tab.
3 Choose Best from the Motion Filtering Quality pop-up menu.
4 Click OK.
∏ Tip: To decrease rendering time during your edit session, you can select a lower-quality
motion filtering option; just remember to set the quality to Best before you output your
final sequence.