alexgrainger

Q: FCPX 10.1 Very slow on iMac and lots of spinning beach balls

I have noticed since I have started to use FCPX 10.1 on my Late 2012 iMac (32GB RAM, 680MX Graphics, i7 quad core, thunderbold Arecca Raid) I am getting lots of spinning beach balls and things are generally slower.

 

I am really hoping Apple thought about people who cannot affored a Mac Pro, and ensure the performance is also good on iMacs, but unfortunately I am seeing a drop in performance compared to 10.0.9.

 

Has anyone else with an iMac noticed this?

Posted on Dec 22, 2013 5:37 AM

Close

Q: FCPX 10.1 Very slow on iMac and lots of spinning beach balls

  • All replies
  • Helpful answers

first Previous Page 13 of 14 last Next
  • by LaraCroft_NYC,

    LaraCroft_NYC LaraCroft_NYC Jan 3, 2015 10:26 AM in response to Russ H
    Level 1 (24 points)
    Jan 3, 2015 10:26 AM in response to Russ H

    The problem with FCPX is similar to the problem Safari has had for a long time.

    They both suck up more and more memory with time, even without doing or adding more, until the system slows to a crawl and eventually crashes.

    I'm sure Apple is up to their chins with bugs to fix. Safari's eating up more and more memory with time has been a VERY long-standing problem.

  • by LaraCroft_NYC,

    LaraCroft_NYC LaraCroft_NYC Jan 3, 2015 10:43 AM in response to LaraCroft_NYC
    Level 1 (24 points)
    Jan 3, 2015 10:43 AM in response to LaraCroft_NYC

    FCPX will crash the system, even if the Mac is sleeping for an extended period of time!!

  • by Tom Wolsky,

    Tom Wolsky Tom Wolsky Jan 3, 2015 10:48 AM in response to LaraCroft_NYC
    Level 10 (118,348 points)
    Apple TV
    Jan 3, 2015 10:48 AM in response to LaraCroft_NYC

    YYou need to take your system to a service technician. Most professionals leave the application open and the system running for many days.

  • by LaraCroft_NYC,

    LaraCroft_NYC LaraCroft_NYC Jan 3, 2015 12:20 PM in response to Tom Wolsky
    Level 1 (24 points)
    Jan 3, 2015 12:20 PM in response to Tom Wolsky

    Not good advice and not practical. Apple's solution is ALWAYS "reinstall the operating system"/"Upgrade the OS". In any case, it is ONLY FCPX that crashes the system (with many projects containing third-party effects and up to 20 "tracks") and ONLY if I do not quit every so often, trashing FCPX prefs to regain memory. With that, however, it's going perfectly smooth. I'm happy enough with that, and would not want to spoil it by putting my system in the hands of a first-level tech person whose sole solution is to "reinstall the operating system" (re: many hours spend on the phone with apple tech support for various issues ending with "reinstall the operating system"/"Upgrade the OS", and intimately solving the problem myself). (And whenever I DID follow the advice of the apple tech person, my system got royally screwed up.)

     

    (P.S. I notice that you got a "YYou" typed. You're using the Apple wireless keyboard--mine too, which I use only for the iPhone--which causes that...yet another Apple bug.)

     

    From latest Safari (with many videos that have type as well, like on youtube):

    Screen Shot 2015-01-03 at 3.18.32 PM.png

    Would you like to see my list of Apple bugs on Mac and iOS?

    ;-)

  • by Tom Wolsky,

    Tom Wolsky Tom Wolsky Jan 3, 2015 12:42 PM in response to LaraCroft_NYC
    Level 10 (118,348 points)
    Apple TV
    Jan 3, 2015 12:42 PM in response to LaraCroft_NYC

    The double caps display is a problem with jive and iOS on these forums. Nothing to do with a wireless keyboard. I don't have one. The problem doesn't occur on other forums on iOS.

     

    Any system that crashes out while it's sleeping has a hardware problem.

  • by LaraCroft_NYC,

    LaraCroft_NYC LaraCroft_NYC Jan 3, 2015 12:52 PM in response to Tom Wolsky
    Level 1 (24 points)
    Jan 3, 2015 12:52 PM in response to Tom Wolsky

    Not correct. A system crash under any circumstance could be caused by a number of things, including, and especially hardware or software that is supposed to be compatible, but is not handed properly by the OS. For example, specs for this new Mac Pro claim that it handles up to 6 displays, but that is misleading. It (apparently) can only handle up to 6 THUNDERBOLT displays. Attaching any other kind by any other means (like DVI, or displayport instead of mini displayport) causes the OS to REJECT one or more displays. I have four, and cannot attach a fifth HDMI display without first DISCONNECTING one of the DVI displays. Gotta read the fine print. Another example, Apple says for many products, "Works out of the box." This really means it works, "Out of the box". add, upgrade, or change anything and you're on you're own...no claim to "work".

  • by Tom Wolsky,

    Tom Wolsky Tom Wolsky Jan 3, 2015 1:22 PM in response to LaraCroft_NYC
    Level 10 (118,348 points)
    Apple TV
    Jan 3, 2015 1:22 PM in response to LaraCroft_NYC

    I'm sure you know everything, but I wouldn't recommend any hardware tech support you get over the phone.

  • by dinky2,

    dinky2 dinky2 Jan 4, 2015 1:31 AM in response to Tom Wolsky
    Level 1 (18 points)
    iPhone
    Jan 4, 2015 1:31 AM in response to Tom Wolsky

    This thread is slowly creeping off topic

     

    In my case, I do not notice anything that is pointing in the direction of a memory leak, as suggested here. I do see an increase in memory usage over time, but nothing you would not expect when adding effects etc to a video. Also FCPX is not crashing the system. The main problem in my case seems to be the inability to handle MTS files. As long as I am in the timeline where it is only containing DV-type video, there is not much of a problem, but as soon as I reach the point where MTS files are inserted, beach balling starts.

    I have only recently started to import all my footage as external files. Before that, I imported my video's into the FCPX library and I cannot remember having these kinds of problems. So I am pretty sure this problem is less eminent if the source material is loaded natively into the FCPX library rather than linked to external files.

  • by Tom Wolsky,

    Tom Wolsky Tom Wolsky Jan 4, 2015 1:48 AM in response to dinky2
    Level 10 (118,348 points)
    Apple TV
    Jan 4, 2015 1:48 AM in response to dinky2

    AAre you importing the raw .mts files or are you importing from the folder structure and letting the application rewrap to QuickTime?  If the former you might try optimizing the media.

  • by dinky2,

    dinky2 dinky2 Jan 4, 2015 10:38 AM in response to Tom Wolsky
    Level 1 (18 points)
    iPhone
    Jan 4, 2015 10:38 AM in response to Tom Wolsky

    Yes, I am importing the camera native .mts files as external links, so I do not copy them into the FCPX library. The reasons being, that the libraries will explode in size and editing across libraries will copy massive data across. The reason I am not using optimized media is the time needed for transcoding. I'd rather only transcode clips I am really using, so at export time, not at import time.

     

    On the other hand, if optimized media is not creating gigantic libraries as well and will speed up the editing process, I might be going to do the transcode overnight per event or library. I will do some tests to see if it makes any difference. But one way or the other, I don't think FCPX currently is fit for purpose.

  • by Tom Wolsky,

    Tom Wolsky Tom Wolsky Jan 4, 2015 10:50 AM in response to dinky2
    Level 10 (118,348 points)
    Apple TV
    Jan 4, 2015 10:50 AM in response to dinky2

    .mts is an acquisition format. It's an incredibly poor format to use for production. If you don't want to optimize your best solution would be to import from the folder structure so the media can be rewrapped to QuickTime.

     

    But one way or the other, I don't think FCPX currently is fit for purpose.

     

    Maybe not for your system.

  • by Tom Wolsky,

    Tom Wolsky Tom Wolsky Jan 4, 2015 10:51 AM in response to Tom Wolsky
    Level 10 (118,348 points)
    Apple TV
    Jan 4, 2015 10:51 AM in response to Tom Wolsky

    .

  • by dinky2,

    dinky2 dinky2 Jan 4, 2015 2:04 PM in response to dinky2
    Level 1 (18 points)
    iPhone
    Jan 4, 2015 2:04 PM in response to dinky2

    Tried using optimized media and skimming/displaying seems to be faster. But, what I was afraid of: the library size is exploding. As an example, I have an event that is some 500KB if I have only the links to the external MTS files. Adding optimized media will blow this up to 10GB !!

     

    So, my course of action will be:

    - import as external files without optimizing

    - optimize events for editing

    - delete optimized media when movie is done

     

    @Tom: if my top of the line iMac is not suited for FCPX Apple should say so

  • by Tom Wolsky,

    Tom Wolsky Tom Wolsky Jan 4, 2015 2:16 PM in response to dinky2
    Level 10 (118,348 points)
    Apple TV
    Jan 4, 2015 2:16 PM in response to dinky2
    if my top of the line iMac is not suited for FCPX Apple should say so

     

    The top of the line iMac works great with FCP. Many people use it for 4K and 5K projects and RED media. Maybe it's your drives, but really I cannot emphasize enough what crap .mts is.

     

    Import correctly rewrapped to QuickTime and you should be fine, unless there is something else wrong with the system. If you using external media set correctly in library properties, the optimized files will not be inside the library.

  • by Luis Sequeira1,

    Luis Sequeira1 Luis Sequeira1 Jan 5, 2015 1:17 AM in response to dinky2
    Level 6 (12,500 points)
    Mac OS X
    Jan 5, 2015 1:17 AM in response to dinky2

    dinky2 wrote:

     

    Tried using optimized media and skimming/displaying seems to be faster. But, what I was afraid of: the library size is exploding. As an example, I have an event that is some 500KB if I have only the links to the external MTS files. Adding optimized media will blow this up to 10GB !!

     

    Optimized media is BIG - that is a fact of life. But, like Tom said, it does not have to be inside the library, so libraries themselves need not explode in size.

    And: you can optimize only the files you need, and can always delete optimized media at any time.

first Previous Page 13 of 14 last Next