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FCP7: White Viewer and White Canvas (set to RGB)

Hello,
I had been using the universal version of the first Final Cut Studio for a few years now without any issue. When I upgraded to FCS3, I can't get FCP7 to show any footage (or even Color Bars) in the Viewer or Canvas. You hear the audio of the footage but it's all WHITE. Both frames are set to RGB (not alpha).
I have fully re-installed FCP7 but I still see the same results. It doesn't seem to matter what easy setup I use either.

I can take the same DV or HDV footage and play it in Quicktime outside of FCP7 so I'm confident that my onboard graphics card is not having some sort of trouble.

I have a case open with AppleCare but so far they have not resolved this issue.

Is this White Viewer and Canvas issue happening to anyone else here?

Thanks.

Message was edited by: Udder

24 inch White iMac 2.33, Mac OS X (10.5.7)

Posted on Jul 31, 2009 9:47 AM

Reply
31 replies

Jul 31, 2009 10:19 AM in response to Udder

Trash your preferences?

#44: FCP acting weird - Trash Prefs

Shane's Stock Answer #44: FCP acting weird or unusual. Just not like is normally should

If the program was working fine, and now isn't, or just isn't working the way it should, the first things to do are:

1) Trash your FCP preferences. Download the Preference Manager from Digital Rebellion: http://www.digitalrebellion.com/pref_man.htm

http://www.kenstone.net/fcphomepage/trashing_fcpprefs.html

2) Open the Disk Utility and Repair Permissions.

3) Shut down for 10 min. Go for a quick walk around the block and get SOME exercise today. Come back, turn on the computer and see how things are.

4) (optional) Do the Hokey Pokey and turn your self about. Results may vary.

User uploaded file

Shane

User uploaded file

Jul 31, 2009 3:51 PM in response to Udder

Just an update. I traced everything back what I did before the install and I remembered I switched the monitor connections. I have a Wacom 21ux as my main and a Viewsonic as my external video/canvas out monitor. I switch the monitor connection, my Wacom(main) is now plug to the mini display port using a DVI adapter and the Viewsonic to the reg DVI of the NVIDIA GT 120. This might be an isolated case but this might clear something to those experiencing White Viewer/ White Canvas issue.

Aug 1, 2009 1:09 PM in response to Udder

Same exact problem here! Did all the usual trashing pref.- re-install fcp - reset PRam etc... Still canvas and viewer are white. One more thing: when you bring a clip to viewer or canvas and switch to view RGB + Alpha you can see the clip with the red alpha overlay.
Also, when I try to scrub in viewer I can see the clip but colors are all screwed up ( looks like a string solarize effect)
I hope someone at 1 infinite loop is reading this!!
Apple!! Please help this sounds like bug that could be easily fixed.
Thx

Aug 1, 2009 2:49 PM in response to Eric Peltier

I had the EXACT problem and here's what fixed it for me.

First some background: I bought a New Mac Pro to go along with my new version of FCS. I used Migration Assistant to bring over my user (but not applications) from my old computer, and then installed FCS.

Problem exactly as stated. Trashing preferences, reinstallation all failed to produce results.

Created a new user. Opened FCS in new user and viola, it worked. Turned out that my user was somehow corrupt when bringing it over. Trashed corrupt user. Retried Migration Assistant being sure NOT to bring over Applications or any Library files.

Now FCS opens fine and works perfectly.

I recommend making sure that FCS is installed before bringing over any files from a previous computer.

If you didn't change computers like I did, then I suggest there might be some file in your user's Library folder that is conflicting, but I never discovered what specifically was causing the issue.

Andy

Aug 1, 2009 6:41 PM in response to Eric Peltier

I am having the same exact problem. White canvas and viewer. I have even done the RGB+Alpha thing? I talked to an apple support guy today whose job is (apparently) to make people feel stupid and then tell them to spend a couple of hours re-installing the software. Which by the way, after you re-install the software only to find out that it still doesn't work, does indeed make you feel stupid. So, congrats to Matt for mission accomplished. Now if someone could find a real answer to the problem that would be great since I, like most of you, am working on a deadline here.

Aug 1, 2009 7:44 PM in response to jasondownsouth

Okay here is an update that might help some of you. I have trashed pref's, I have re-installed and nothing works. I just took a shot and opened up my wife's user profile and Ta Dah Final Cut opened and I have video in the viewer and canvas. So, I guess my fix is to create a new user in order to utilize Final Cut Pro 7. Why is this does anyone have any answers???

Aug 1, 2009 9:41 PM in response to Udder

hi everybody! about the problem with the white canvas.

go to USER PREFERENCE
in General desiccative Open last project on application launch.
close FCP and open again with a new project and that it. because the problem is when you open the
first project if it has something wrong that happen to all more project.

Aug 3, 2009 5:10 AM in response to FDuran

Thanks everyone for posting what has worked for them.
I optimistically tried all of your fixes but still I am stuck with the White Viewer and White Canvas issue.

I wonder if this is because my 24 inch iMac is White! 😉

I hope Apple fixes this soon, or perhaps they can comp me a new system that can run this since my hardware IS supported according to the Final Cut Studio page.

Thanks.

Aug 3, 2009 7:46 AM in response to Udder

Hey,

It seems that if you monitor your video on a second monitor it will turn the canvas white. Go to View -> External Video... and select OFF. This fixed the problem for me, although it's not ideal as it's good to have the video in the canvas for editing and then again on the external display for reference.

This was in the support section under Help...

Final Cut Pro is able to display its content on one or two computer displays, but in order to utilize the Digital Cinema Desktop feature on your secondary display, it will need to be connected to a second port on your main graphics card. Digital Cinema Desktop is not supported on a display that is not connected to your primary graphics card.

I never saw this on my old Final Cut so maybe this is a new "feature".

FCP7: White Viewer and White Canvas (set to RGB)

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