This tutorial describes how to use Final Cut Pro and Compressor to create an MPEG-2 program stream for playback on LEIGHTRONIX MPEG-2 decoders. The following procedure assumes that you have already installed the software used in this tutorial and are somewhat familiar with Final Cut Pro, Compressor, and LEIGHTRONIX equipment. Final Cut Studio 2 was released with an MPEG-2 program stream encoding feature in Compressor 3. This seemed to finally give Apple users an easy, one-stop way to create an MPEG-2 program stream for a LEIGHTRONIX server. Unfortunately, initial testing revealed that MPEG-2 files encoded with Compressor 3 had audio problems when created with variable bit rates (VBR) and/or the correct field dominance. However, files will play on LEIGHTRONIX servers without any problems if you encode the program stream file using a constant bit rate (CBR) and manually configure the field dominance to be either Top or Bottom (depending on your video content). This now seems like a plausible way for customers to get MPEG-2 files created and sent to a LEIGHTRONIX server using a Mac. Software Versions Used in this Tutorial: Final Cut Pro: 6.0.3 Compressor: 3.0.3 LEIGHTRONIX MPEG Specifications: Acceptable stream types: MPEG-1 System Stream or MPEG-2 Program Stream (consisting of a single elementary video stream with an optional single elementary audio stream) NOTE: Transport streams must be converted to program streams before using with your LEIGHTRONIX MPEG-2 server. Elementary video stream Three video resolutions (pixels) are allowed. Other resolutions are not supported. 352 x 240 (Horizontal x Vertical) 352 x 480 720 x 480 Picture rate must be 29.97 pictures per second. A maximum bit rate of 10 Mb/s is allowed. Higher rates are not supported. National TV Standards Committee (NTSC) with 4:3 aspect ratio required. 4:2:0 sampling format required. (Main profile at Main or Low level, 10 Mb/s max) IBBP group of pictures (GOP) structure recommended for best quality (30 frame maximum GOP size). Encode header information in stream every few seconds to aid in error recovery. Audio, if present, must be encoded into the MPEG file using MPEG-1 Audio layer II format. Audio may be encoded at a 32, 44.1, or 48KHz sampling frequency. LEIGHTRONIX recommends an audio sampling rate of 44.1 KHz for optimal performance. MPEG filenames may contain up to 27 characters (no spaces) in addition to the required ".mpg" extension. 2008-08-12 Page 1 of 8
1. Open Final Cut Pro to display the main window shown in Illustration 1. Illustration 1, Final Cut Pro Main Window 2. Using the Browser window in Final Cut Pro, import your content for editing (see Illustration 2). Illustration 2, Final Cut Pro Browser Window 3. Using Final Cut Pro, edit your content and fine tune the look that you want for your clip. (This step can take some time.) 2008-08-12 Page 2 of 8
4. After you finish your clip editing, you need to encode your content. From the File menu, select Using Compressor (see Illustration 3) to open the Compressor window (see Illustration 4) and perform the following steps: Illustration 3, Exporting File to the Compressor Window Illustration 4, Selecting Project File 2008-08-12 Page 3 of 8
a. Once the "Compressor" window is open, choose the project that you want to encode using the tabs located in the batch window (see Illustration 4). b. You will have to create a new preset using the + button in the Settings pane and then select the custom preset from underneath the Custom folder. At this time you are ready to encode your project as an MPEG file using the "Presets" pane within the "Compressor" window (see Illustration 5). You will need to create your own custom MPEG-2 encoding presets in the "Settings" pane, using the settings shown in Illustration 6 and Illustration 7 as a guide. Illustration 5, Custom Presets Pane 2008-08-12 Page 4 of 8
Illustration 6, Custom Presets, Part 1 Illustration 7, Custom Presets, Part 2 2008-08-12 Page 5 of 8
c. After you create the MPEG-2 preset for your LEIGHTRONIX server, drag your custom preset from the Settings tab onto your project located in the batch window (see Illustration 8). Illustration 8, Applying Custom Presets to a Project d. Now click on the Destinations tab in the Settings window and drag a file save destination onto your project in the batch window (see Illustration 9). NOTE: If a destination other than what is listed is desired, you may create a custom destination. 2008-08-12 Page 6 of 8
Illustration 9, Applying Destination to a Project e. In the batch window, click on the Submit button to begin encoding (see Illustration 10). Illustration 10, Start Encoding 2008-08-12 Page 7 of 8
5. After encoding finishes, you are ready to transfer the newly created MPEG-2 CBR file to your LEIGHTRONIX server. If you want to use your Mac to upload the file, any standard FTP program should work or you can use your LEIGHTRONIX management software. 2008-08-12 Page 8 of 8