FCP7 rendering and exporting time takes hours for a 7 min clip

>I converted a .mp4 file (which was originally an .m2ts file that a producer sent me) into a .mov file

Whole lotta convertin' goin' on there. First off, a ".mov file" could be anything from a codec that works well with FCP to one that chokes it to death. Sounds like you converted it to the latter. For example, a .mov file using the H.264 codec used in FCP will cause all sorts of playback problems and will require near constant rendering because it doesn't work natively in FCP. Simple as that.

Go back to the original .m2ts file and convert it with MPEG Streamclip or Clipwrap to a format that will match your FCP Sequence settings exactly and you won't need to render much at all until you've added enough effects to the clips. Plus you'll get the added benefit of not having the image degradation that all your unneeded converting was doing to the quality.

-DH

When I'm dealing with a variety of consumer codecs, I convert them all to ProResLT at the same frame size and frame rate.

I have presets set up in Compressor for most of these and use Clipwrap2 for the few that Compressor won't address.

So the short answer is to set up your sequence to ProRes and convert your material to match.

re: hardware specs -

FCP is a 32 bit program so won't use more than 4 GB RAM. For straight cutting of ProRes, your limit is likely to be hard drive speed - make sure you have a fast external your laptop.

On the other hand, you can set up Compressor to run with multiple instances (virtual cluster) which will take advantage of multiple cores and more RAM. For that you need a bigger machine.

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