I have been getting constant Frame Dropped Errors even though I just jumped my RAM to 12 GB from 4 and lowered all my rez as far as possible. I am importing only from Canon D7 24P and photoshop stills and doing 5 min projects. There must be a simple check list for getting all my ducks in a row. Thanks in advance.
Final Cut Pro 7, Mac OS X (10.6.8)
In a project that has the problems you describe, click on one of your camera source clips in the FCP browser, and once selected, type Command + 9 to see the item properties for the clip. Either report those properties here, or take a screen shot of the item properties and post that here.
Next, click anywhere on your timeline and type Command + 0 {zero} to see your sequence settings. Either report your sequence settings here, or take a screen shot of the sequence settings and post that here.
Are you converting your source files to an edit friendly format such as Pro Res prior to ingesting to FCP?
Can you describe how you are storing the FCP media files, and how that storage is connected to your computer?
MtD
Dropped frames can be caused by a number of conditions, or any combination of those conditions. Here's are the three most common causes (in no particular order):
1. Using media that is non-native to FCP - formats such as H-264 or MP4 need to be converted prior to importing into an FCP project, or converted during the Log & Import process.
2. Using media that doesn't match the Sequence settings.
3. Storing media on the boot hard drive, or on a low performance hard drive such as USB 2 or drives under 7200rpm. Media should be stored on a non-boot 7200rpm SATA, eSATA, Thunderbolt or Firewire drive for proper performance.
For what it's worth, RAM has little to do with it ... FCP can only address about 2.5gb of RAM.
-DH
OK great so much thanks for your help. I am not converting the Canon D7 files because I thought they were user friendly and I have already done three shorts with no problem. Although I did those three without this Dropped Frame problem, when it emerged, I A) switched everything to FireWire800, B) I put all source material on the video skratch disk which has 750 GB empty and I C) lower all my rez and frame rates and D) reconnected my media. Still bombing like crazy. Here are the Command+9 and here is the command +0 of the timeline
Dear DH, Thanks much for your help.
1. Using media that is non-native to FCP - formats such as H-264 or MP4 need to be converted prior to importing into an FCP project, or converted during the Log & Import process.
>OK, do you know what Canon D7 outputs? I am looking at the manual and doesn't mention.
2. Using media that doesn't match the Sequence settings
But if I import the same type of media into the sequence from the beginning shouldn't it be the same setting.
>BUT I did add a photoshop title file. Although these worked before, now it doesn't work.
3. Storing media on the boot hard drive, or on a low performance hard drive such as USB 2 or drives under 7200rpm. Media should be stored on a non-boot 7200rpm SATA, eSATA, Thunderbolt or Firewire drive for proper performance.
>That I have addressed and now all good.
For what it's worth, RAM has little to do with it ... FCP can only address about 2.5gb of RAM.
>I see, OK.
Again thanks for your help. Best D
It outputs H.264 - Not suitable for working in FCP 7. Transcode to Prores LT.
You need to convert your source material to ProRes and edit on a ProRes timeline. Either use Compressor or a third party app like Magic Bullet Grinder to make the conversion.
H.264 does not work in FCP7.
Your other choice is to switch editing software, both FCP-X and Adobe Premiere Pro support editing with H.264 source without prior conversion.
MtD
Meg, thanks again. So I can convert in MPEG Streamclip but to what do you suggest. This one tutorial recommends DVCPro 720 (he says ProRes is too chunky) but I would like to keep the material its original size no? Or when I conform the whole piece at the end will it reference the original H.264 files ? I am thinking more like this, what do you think, thanks again.
Use ProRes LT - the file sizes will be smaller than ProRes, and more than sufficient quality if your source material originated in H.264.
MtD
Is there a simple way to get Preferences and Specs for FCP 7
