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Very very dark video in FCP X viewer.

Sort of getting to like FCP X.

I am getting very very dark video in my viewer. The clips look fine in the clip viewer (sorry if thats the wrong name but I mean the central window) but as soon as I select a clip and scrub through it the clip itself goes very dark and the clip playing in the viewer (the large window on the right) is very very dark, I would say maybe three stops darker than it should be. I have output a couple of clips as a QT mov file and they play just fine in QT it's just that they are showing up very dark, to dark to edit in FCP X.

Any ideas?

thanks.

Final Cut Pro X-OTHER, Mac OS X (10.6.7)

Posted on Jun 22, 2011 3:42 PM

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Posted on Jul 3, 2017 8:37 AM

I've drafted up a solution, (mostly incase I forgot how to fix it myself LOL) however,


Please save this photo and share it as much as possible because it's taken me close to 3 years to discover what was going on. And I would like to resolve this for as many people as possible!



Photo is Attached below but Here's a Link too: Dropbox - FIXING DARK MONITOR DISPLAY (Final Cut 7).pdf

User uploaded file

76 replies
Question marked as Best reply

Jul 3, 2017 8:37 AM in response to johnjamesfoto

I've drafted up a solution, (mostly incase I forgot how to fix it myself LOL) however,


Please save this photo and share it as much as possible because it's taken me close to 3 years to discover what was going on. And I would like to resolve this for as many people as possible!



Photo is Attached below but Here's a Link too: Dropbox - FIXING DARK MONITOR DISPLAY (Final Cut 7).pdf

User uploaded file

Jun 23, 2011 1:01 AM in response to phonax

Think I've sorted it. Not satisfactory though!

It is a color management problem. I use a ColorMunki calibration device on my monitor to get some sort of consistency and it seems that FCP X doesn't like the profile that ColorMunki creates. Try going into System Pref's and go to displays and select color then swithch profile to one of the Apple profiles and I reckon it will sort it out.

Not satisfactory because most people want to use calibrated monitors in their workflow.

Jun 23, 2011 5:47 AM in response to johnjamesfoto

Sounds like your graphic card is non-compatible with FCPX.


The same thing happens on my laptop; the thumbnails looks nice and brigth, but the video in the viewer is darkened. Found my laptop on the list of non-compatible graphic cards/machines.


It's a bummer, I know.


This issue should have been emphasised much more in the marketing of FCPX, I think, and I predict a massive claim of refund because of it. I also have a Mac Pro, wich IS compatible, but the majority of people don't.

Jun 23, 2011 6:50 AM in response to johnjamesfoto

Graphics Card info for the 2008 MacBook


Intel GMA X3100:


Chipset Model: GMA X3100

Type: GPU

Bus: Built-In

VRAM (Total): 144 MB

Vendor: Intel (0x8086)

Device ID: 0x2a02

Revision ID: 0x0003

Displays:

Color LCD:

Resolution: 1280 x 800

Pixel Depth: 32-Bit Color (ARGB8888)

Main Display: Yes

Mirror: Off

Online: Yes

Built-In: Yes

Display Connector:

Status: No Display Connected

Jun 23, 2011 6:52 AM in response to julienfrompoitiers

I bought a new graphics card when I found out that the one installed on my MacPro would't work. Don't think the card is the problem. As I said, I switched monitor profile in system prefs and the problem has gone away. I can recreate the issue by using my ColorMunki generated monitor profile and as soon as I switch to the apple cinema profile it works fine. Color management mismatch I think.

Very very dark video in FCP X viewer.

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