Background
Final Cut Pro 2.0 introduces the option to export audio to Open Media Framework (OMF) format. Final Cut Pro exports OMF version 2.0. OMF is a file format that facilitates the transfer of digital media from one application to another. For example, Final Cut Pro 2 can export audio to an OMF file, which can then be converted into a Pro Tools project file for further audio manipulation.
To use one of the Digidesign Pro Tools digital audio applications, you must first convert the OMF file to a Pro Tools project file. There are two applications from Digidesign that can be used to convert OMF files into Pro Tools project files:
- OMF Tool
- DigiTranslator
These two applications have different capabilities; DigiTranslator has more features than OMF Tool. For best results, it is important to export your audio from Final Cut Pro 2 into an OMF file in a way that these conversion applications can best handle. The considerations are explained later in this article.
There are also three different Pro Tools digital audio applications:
- Pro ToolsFree
- Pro ToolsLE
- Pro ToolsTDM
The Pro Tools application you use may also affect how you export OMF files from Final Cut Pro.
Considerations for Best Results
To obtain best results with the OMF conversion utility and Pro Tools digital audio application you use, you must consider these factors:
- Whether or not to export Crossfades.
- How many tracks are supported by each version of Pro Tools
- Which sample rates work with each version of Pro Tools
- What to do if you discover audio artifacts at the end of your imported tracks after conversion.
When to Export Crossfades in OMF Files
OMF Tool 2.0.8 is a free utility from Digidesign that has many useful features such as sample rate, bit depth, and edit rate conversion. OMF Tool 2.0.8 does not, however, support Final Cut Pro audio transitions (such as audio crossfades). If you are going to be using OMF Tool to convert OMF files that you exported from Final Cut Pro, make sure that you deselect the Include Crossfade Transitions box in the OMF Audio Export window when exporting from Final Cut Pro. This results in the crossfades in your project being left out of the resulting OMF file so that it can be easily converted using OMF Tool.
Digidesign's other OMF file conversion utility is DigiTranslator. DigiTranslator is a robust conversion application that has full support for Crossfades exported from Final Cut Pro, so you can leave the Include Crossfade Transition option in the OMF Audio Export window selected.
Figure 1 Final Cut Pro 2 OMF Audio Export dialog box
Audio Artifacts at the End of Tracks
When translating OMF files using OMF Tool 2.0.8, the resulting converted Pro Tools project file may contain an audio artifact just after the last clip on each track. To avoid this, you can add audio slug after the last clip on every track.
DigiTranslator does not exhibit this behavior.
Track Limits when Exporting OMF Files
Final Cut Pro exports a maximum of 99 audio tracks when using the OMF Audio Export command. How many of these tracks can be imported into Pro Tools depends on which of the three versions of Pro Tools you use.
| Pro Tools Free | |
| Pro Tools LE | |
| Pro Tools TDM |
Which Sample Rate to Use When Exporting OMF Files
When you export a Final Cut Pro project to OMF, all of the audio in the newly exported OMF file is converted to the same sample rate. For example, your Final Cut Pro project file may have several QuickTime video clips with 48 kHz audio, mixed with several AIFF music clips at 44.1 kHz. When you export the audio tracks from this project using the OMF Audio Export command, all of the audio from your Final Cut Pro project is converted to the same rate, as specified in the Sample Rate pop-up menu of the OMF Audio Export window. The sample rate you use when you export partially depends on whether you are using OMF Tool or DigiTranslator, and which version of Pro Tools you use.
OMF Tool 2.0.8 does not support OMF files that are exported with a sample rate of 32 kHz. DigiTranslator supports all three sample rates.
While Pro Tools LE and Pro Tools TDM both have support for 32 kHz, 44.1 kHz, and 48 kHz audio, Pro Tools Free supports only 44.1 kHz audio. When exporting OMF files for use with Pro Tools Free, set the Sample Rate pop-up menu in the OMF Audio Export window to 44.1 kHz.
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