XDCAM export - takes too long?

Well, let's take it easy on the "you"...I'm working with what they've set up at, uh, this major midwest media conglomerate which sometimes used to use the appellation "World's Greatest Newspaper"...

We shoot in EX as our photogs use Sony EX3s, which only shoot EX; but edit in HD because (A) that's what they use over at the "mothership", where all our systems and tech support/management live; and (B) when feeding the show (playing out from a remote FCP station downstairs into some sort of Kona card and then over a video line to the mothership's facility), the Kona card in question couldn't work with an EX timeline.

As our local tech here said, "I didn't invent this system, I just work around it." So rather than expand this discussion to include an entire system-wide analysis, I'm focusing on my machine...specifically, why, within the parameters I'm given and have to use, the machine is getting slower.

And when I drop EX footage into my HD timeline, I get a green bar...I'm using "safe" RT and dynamic playback settings...don't have to render unless I add an effect.

...and another echo:

"We shoot in XDCAM EX, edit on an XDCAM HD timeline, and export a final QT movie as our deliverable."

Twas ever thus, twill ever be. For the explanation why, read up.

standard clip settings...except for the occasional png or jpg, this is what we use...

and here's the sequence settings.

I'm calling this (the time it takes to export a show) a "problem" because it seems much slower than it used to be. Maybe I'm deluding myself. And looking at the drive/storage combo is great advice, Meg. I've told the powers that be from day one that mixing system and media drives is a no-no. But if someone here could say why this is, in concrete terms, that would give me (a poor day-rate freelancer in a big media conglomeragte world) some ammo to back up that point. Until then, all I can tell 'em is that this config can cause "anomalies"...of which, I believe, this is one.

And an off-topic rant - why can't I give more than one "this helped me" sticker?

OK, I accept that. Certainly.

Just wish I'd timed the output of show, say, 35, compared with more recent output times...my impression is that it's getting slower...guess it's just a mystery of life (and I hear the conspiracy theorist in my head saying "They build 'em that way...) 😉

Thanks for your help, all.

Thanks...I'll check it out.

Here's why I don't use a 1920x1080 square pixel sequence:

Note the red line. No matter what the RT setting, I simply would not be able to see any video without rendering. Now...

...in the 1440x1080 sequence, I get the green "Preview" line. Better. At least I can watch my edits!

But...as you might guess, I DO notice an increase in "picture quality" in the properly sized sequence...when viewing the Canvas at 100%, and on the external monitor, the 1920 sequence has a noticeably sharper image.

And, as you might also have guessed...

when creating and editing in a 1920x1080 XDCAM EX sequence, I retain the sharpness...AND NO rendering is necessary.

just to recap, the reason "the mothership" decided to set things up this was was because our cameras ONLY shoot EX, but the feed process (we're in a remote location) would ONLY handle an HD master.

Thank you all for helping me sort though this. This calls for a pow-wow with the staff honchos. When I can demonstrate an improvement in quality AND an improvement in efficiency, I think it's time they informed the mothership that we need to change some things.