For now, Final Cut Pro X users are still waiting for HEVC H.265 support. For those who import HEVC video to FCP X, you will find there is audio only, no image. To get around issues editing HEVC H.265 files in FCP X, users need to transcode them first at least currently. In this post, we will explain how to convert HEVC H.265 files to Apple ProRes codec for use in FCP X smoothly.
The HEVC codec is, as the name suggests, a far more space-efficient way to compress video, reducing the space needed to store video by as much as 50%. But right now, any HEVC (also known as H.265) video footage you import into FCP X will be unusable …
At the moment, for those who need to edit existing HEVC H.265 footage in FCP X, there’s a slightly less easy workaround – you must convert the HEVC footage to an editable format (e.g. Apple ProRes) for FCP X before editing. Here’s how to do this.
How to encode HEVC H.265 footage to ProRes for FCP X editing?
Here’s what you need
HD Converter for Mac (it works well as an HEVC H.265 Converter for FCP X)
Follow these steps:
Step 1: Install this HEVC H.265 Video Converter software on your computer, launch it and click ‘Add File’ to ingest your source media.
Step 2: Select ‘Apple ProRes 422 (*.mov)’ as output format for opening with FCP X
From the ‘Profile’ menu, move to ‘Final Cut Pro’ catalogue, and select ‘Apple ProRes 422 (*.mov)’ as target format. Apple ProRes is the best suited editing code for FCP X. When loading them into FCP, you needn’t wait for a long time for rendering.
Important: If you’ve loaded a number of video clips to do batch conversion, please do remember ticking off ‘Apply to All’ option before you start.
Step 3: Custom video and audio settings (for advanced users)
Click ‘Settings’ button, the ‘Profile Settings’ window pops up, on which you are allowed to custom video and audio parameters like bit rate, frame rate, resolution, sample rate, and audio channels.
Step 4: Start transcoding HEVC H.265 video to Apple ProRes for FCP X
When ready, click ‘Convert’ to transcode HEVC H.265 files to Apple ProRes for using with FCP X. You can tick off ‘Shut down computer when conversion completed’ and go away to do other things.
Step 5: Click ‘Open Folder’ button to locate exported ProRes files
As soon as the conversion process finished, simply click ‘Open Folder’ button to get the generated Apple ProRes files. Now you are able to open them in Final Cut X for further editing without any hassles.
Also read
H.265/HEVC AMA plugin for Avid Media Composer
H.265 to H.264-how to convert H.265 to H.264 on Mac/PC?
Convert 4K H.265 to 4K H.264-4K HEVC to 4K H.264 conversion
4K HEVC on HDTV-convert 4k H.265 for Samsung/LG/Sony HDTVs