Motion 4 export completely takes over CPU

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Level 1

21 points

Motion 4 export completely takes over CPU

Every time I export from Motion 4 my computer becomes unusable. It doesn't crash, but I can't even switch applications. And when it has finished exporting it never seems to return to normality, and I end up rebooting to start afresh. I don't have this problem while exporting from After Effects, or from Final Cut Pro. These apps might slow things down a bit, but they don't make all other processes grind to a complete halt.

Anyone any idea why this should be, and if there is a solution.

Thanks, KP

MacBook Pro 17, Mac OS X (10.6.8), 2.66 GHz Intel Core i7, 8 GB RAM

Posted on Sep 21, 2011 7:23 AM

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Answer 1

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ToddNashville

Level 3

510 points

Sep 21, 2011 8:26 AM in response to Kevan Pegley

Not sure that it'll help with exporting but under Motion > Preferences > Cache you can change how much memory Motion uses. Mine is set at 80, not sure what the default is. I also tend to leave my computer alone while it is doing something important like creating the final version of a project I've been working on. No reason to put a strain on the system.

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Answer 2

Kevan Pegley Author

Level 1

21 points

Sep 21, 2011 10:46 AM in response to ToddNashville

Thanks for the suggestion Todd. I'll try reducing the memory usage: though it's difficult to understand that allocating 80% of memory should have such a drastic effect on the computer's performance. I shall report back.

As for leaving the computer alone while it's exporting or rendering: would that I had that time luxury! I thought putting a strain on the system was what computing was all about!

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Answer 3

Sep 21, 2011 12:01 PM in response to Kevan Pegley

I hear ya. Also just to check. When you do export, do you export using the current project and canvas settings? Or are you trying to convert to something else. If your project is one thing and you are exporting as something else that may cause issues too.

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Answer 4

Kevan Pegley Author

Level 1

21 points

Sep 21, 2011 1:40 PM in response to ToddNashville

Yes, I am using the current project and canvas settings. And yes, it is a 1080p25 project, and I am exporting to ProRes 4444 (with alpha channel). But the point is that, even if it takes time to render, it shouldn't hijack the CPU to do it! I've done exports from a heavily composited After Effects project with all sorts of effects and serious amounts of blur, that takes a minute to render one frame: but I can still work quite happily in other applications (at least, ones that do not themselves require heavy processing).

No, Motion is definitely not set up to play properly with other elements of the operating system.

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