Reghog

Q: Rendering VERY slow or stays at 0% before crashing...

I am working in a project with multiple clips - up to 10 layers  of video and audio at any one time. I'm using all proxy files. I am using split screen effects on most of it and other effects also. Lots of compound clips and I am also cartooning the whole thing by putting the effect on one big compound clip. The whole video is 3minutes long. I've managed to cartoon the whole thing (after hours of waiting and multiple freezing on 28%) but there is still more rendering to do within the large compound clip that I have cartoonise (for some reason nothing within the large compound clip would render unless I click inside the compound clip - is this normal?). So anyway the rendering left to do seems to stay on 0% forever without budging and then eventually the dreaded beachball comes up and it crashes. It's driving me mad. Frankly the whole rendering thing is taking hours and it just seems messed up - again, is this normal?

 

I'm using latest iMac 3.4Ghz. Core i7 16GB Ram. All event and project files are on an external My Book Firewire 800. I am running no other programs during rendering.

 

I tried looking in library-preferences to delete them and restart but I couldn't find them! I haven't tried reinstalling. I logged in froma different user as I read you can test if it works better...but doesn't that mean I have reinstall Final Cut again..? Might as well just do a reinstall no?

 

Any solutions to these problems? I just started using this program...any other recormmendations of video editing software? I won't be able to stand this much longer...

iMac, Mac OS X (10.7.4), 2011 16GB RAM 3.4Ghz

Posted on Sep 10, 2012 4:51 PM

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Q: Rendering VERY slow or stays at 0% before crashing...

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  • by andynick,

    andynick andynick Sep 11, 2012 12:37 AM in response to Reghog
    Level 5 (4,943 points)
    Video
    Sep 11, 2012 12:37 AM in response to Reghog

    This is my pet checklist for questions regarding FCP X performance - you may have already addressed some of the items - and some are relevant to playback rather than rendering, but it's worth checking.

     

    Make sure you're using the latest version of the application - FCP X 10.0.5 runs very well on my 2009 MacPro 2 x 2.26 GHz Quad-Core Intel Xeon with 16 GB RAM and ATI Radeon HD 5870 1024 MB. I run it with Lion 10.7.5.

     

    First, check that you have at least 20% free space on your system drive.

     

    For smooth playback without dropping frames, make sure 'Better Performance' is selected in the FCP X Preferences - Playback Tab.

     

    If you have not already done so, move your Projects and Events to a fast (Firewire 800 or faster) external HD. Make sure the drive's formatted OS Extended (journalling's not required for video). You should always keep at least 20% free space on the Hard Drives that your Media, Projects and Events are on.

     

    Check the spec of your Mac against the system requirements:

    http://www.apple.com/finalcutpro/specs/

     

    Check the spec of your graphics card. If it's listed here, it's not suitable:

    http://support.apple.com/kb/HT4664

     

    If you are getting crashes, there is some conflict on the OS. Create a new (admin) user account on your system and use FCP X from there - if it runs a lot better, there's a conflict and a clean install would be recommended.

     

    Keep projects to 20 mins or less. If you have a long project, work on 20 min sections then paste these into a final project for export.

     

    If you ever experience dropped frames, I strongly recommend you use ProRes 422 Proxy - it edits and plays back like silk because the files are small but lightly compressed (not much packing and unpacking to do) - but remember to select 'Original or Optimised Media' (FCP X Preferences > Playback) just before you export your movie, otherwise it will be exported at low resolution.

     

    If you have plenty of processor power, for the ultimate editing experience, create Optimised Media - most camera native files are highly compressed and need a great deal of processor power to play back - particularly if you add titles, filters or effects. ProRes 422 takes up much more hard drive space but is very lightly compressed. It edits and plays back superbly.

     

    Hide Audio Waveforms at all times when you don't need them (both in Browser and Storyline / Timeline). They take up a lot of processor power. (Use the switch icon at the bottom-right of your timeline to select a format without waveforms if you don't need them at the moment, then switch back when you do).

     

    Create folders in the Project and Events libraries and put any projects you are not working on currently, in those folders. This will help a lot. There's a great application for this, called Event Manager X - for the tiny cost it's an invaluable application.

    http://assistedediting.intelligentassistance.com/EventManagerX/

     

    Unless you cannot edit and playback without it, turn off Background Rendering in Preferences (under Playback) - this will help general performance and you can always render when you need to by selecting the clip (or clips) and pressing Ctrl+R.

     

    The biggest single improvement I saw in performance was when I upgraded the RAM from 8 GB to 16.

    Andy