14 DAY TRIAL // In addition to updating Final Cut Pro, Apple today offers a new version of Compressor, the sidekick app that powers exporting with options to customize output settings, work faster with distributed encoding, and use an extensive array of delivery features.
First and foremost, Compressor 4.1.2 adds support for Apple ProRes 4444 XQ, a new feature that was added to FCP X as well. Users further get a status display and improved responsiveness when they employ the help of “Send to Compressor” from Motion and FCP.
Performance and color accuracy when encoding H.264 source files from GoPro cameras has been improved, and any issues you may have with transcoding alpha channels in image sequences should be resolved now. The update also includes general stability improvements across the board.
Compressor offers powerful encoding for Final Cut Pro users, with the ability to customize encoding settings available in the professional video editing software, and options to choose from a wide range of codecs, sizes, frame rates, and other parameters.
Creatives can save their custom settings in Compressor and have them automatically appear in Final Cut Pro each time they need to export a clip. These presets can also be shared with others who may or may not have Compressor installed on their Macs.
Standard settings are included for Apple devices, as well as for VOD services like Vimeo, YouTube, and even Facebook.
Themed menus can be used to encode and burn a DVD or Blu-ray disc, and users can add chapter markers for discs or podcasts distributed on iDevices and Apple TV.
Compressor supports standard formats like MPEG-2, H.264, and ProRes and can generate files for HTTP live streaming in a single shot, as well as import Targa, DPX, TIFF, PSD, or PNG image sequences and encode them. Closed captioning can be added with even more advanced encoding features.
Users can further convert any file from its source format to NTSC to PAL or SD to HD, customize content using filters, a timecode overlay, and watermarks, and use tools to speed up or slow down the video, as well as adjust the frame rate.
To download Compressor, users need OS X v10.9.2 Mavericks, 4 gigs of RAM (though 8GB is recommended for 4K resolutions), an OpenCL or Intel HD 3000 graphics card, 256MB of video RAM (1GB recommended for 4K), and at least 1.1GB of disk space solely for the Compressor app. The software sells for $49.99 in the US Mac App Store and goes for €44.99 across Europe.