FCP 7 and HyperDeck Shuttle 2 DNxHD workflow – convert MXF to ProRes


Summary:If you are looking for the best way to make FCP 7 work with HyperDeck Shuttle 2 DNxHD MXF recordings, you are in the right place. This guide covers the process of converting HyperDeck Shuttle 2 MXF footage to Apple ProRes for editing within Final Cut Pro 7.

sony f3 and hyperdeck shuttle 2Blackmagic design’s HyperDeck Shuttle 2 is capable of recording video files straight to Apple ProRes 422 (HQ) or Avid DNxHD MXF files, which are perfect for using within Avid systems. HyperDeck Shuttle 2 also records direct to uncompressed 10-bit QuickTime files that can work with all popular video software like Final Cut Pro, After Effects, DaVinci Resolve, Premiere Pro, and more.

But what to do if you want to import and edit HyperDeck Shuttle 2 DNxHD MXF files in FCP 7? Is it possible to use the DNxHD codec in FCP 7? YES! You will be able to edit HyperDeck Shuttle 2 DNxHD MXF files in Final Cut Pro 7, but it will not be a pleasant experience as the DNxHD codec is not a ‘blessed’ codec, therefore, anytime you do something like apply the 3-way CC filter, adjust the opacity of a clip or add a dissolve, you’ll get a red render bar. To make things easier and smoother, you’d better convert DNxHD to ProRes, the native format of FCP 7 before you start post production. This requires third party software like HD Video Converter for Mac.

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FCP 7 and HyperDeck Shuttle DNxHD workflow – convert DNxHD MXF to ProRes for FCP 7

Follow these steps:

Step 1: Install this HD Video Converter for Mac software on your computer, launch it as a HyperDeck Shuttle Video Converter for Mac and click ‘Add File’ to import your DNxHD files that you want to convert.

Step 2: Select output format for FCP 7
For the purpose of converting HyperDeck Shuttle MXF video to ProRes for FCP 6/7 or FCP X, from the Profile bar, navigate to ‘Final Cut Pro’ catalogue, and select ‘Apple ProRes 422 (*.mov)’ as target format. Apple ProRes is the best suited editing code for FCP 6, 7 and FCP X. When loading them into FCP, you needn’t wait for a long time for rendering.

This Mac format converter program offers a couple of ProRes formats for users to choose from, including Apple ProRes 422, Apple ProRes 422 (HQ), Apple ProRes 422 (LT), Apple ProRes 422 (Proxy), and Apple ProRes 4444, you can select one as target format depending on your requirement in post production.

Apple ProRes 422 – Higher quality than Apple ProRes 422 (LT);

Apple ProRes 422 (HQ) – Keep original video quality for editing in FCP;

Apple ProRes 422 (LT) – Get a smaller file sizes than Apple ProRes 422;

Apple ProRes 422 (Proxy) – SD levels – 480i/p and 576i/p. Used in offline workflows.

Apple ProRes 4444 – Edit and finish 4:4:4 material.

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 HyperDeck Shuttle DNxHD MXF videos to ProRes
When ready, click ‘Convert’ to transcode HyperDeck Shuttle MXF files to Apple ProRes for editing with FCP 7.

Tips:
You can tick off ‘Shut down computer when conversion completed’ and go away to do other things instead of waiting around in front of the computer for the entire conversion process.

Step 5: Click ‘Open Folder’ button to get the generated ProRes files
When the conversion process finished, simply click ‘Open Folder’ button to get the converted HyperDeck Shuttle DNxHD MXF files that encoded with ProRes for using in FCP 7.

Also read:
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