Q: Will Mavericks run FCE 4?

All these things being the case, I'm not sure, then, why you're having this issue. As I said, I've had it in the previous couple versions of OSX but it was due to me trying to import stuff I'd shot ar 60p.

I do, however have a question regarding the resolution of your clips. You're shooting on a Sony HDR-XR260. Looking through the manual, I don't see a setting there for 1440x1080 at 25 fps. Actually, I was looking yesterday for a setting for 29.97 since that's what most video is nowadays anyhow & my stuff is just for YouTube upload.

From the manual:

   [60p Quality  ]: 1920    1080/60p quality, AVC HD 28M (PS)

   [Highest Quality  ]: 1920    1080/60i or 1920    1080/24p*1 quality, AVC HD 24M (FX)

   [High Quality  ]: 1920    1080/60i or 1920    1080/24p*1 quality, AVC HD 17M (FH)

   [Standard  ]: 1440    1080/60i quality, AVC HD 9M (HQ)*2

   [Long Time ]: 1440    1080/60i quality, AVC HD 5M (LP)

I see the 24p under the highest and high quality settings, but they're denoted with the *1 which only applies to the HDR-CX580V/PJ580/PJ580V/PJ600/PJ600V models.

I'm very new to video stuff and as such am pretty green with a lot of it. Any help with the cam would be much appreciated. I'll keep digging to see what I can find. Meanwhile, what are the exact cam settings you're using, i'll shoot some stuff with those settings and see what happens on my system.

"The latest attempts of downloading (since installing Mavericks) keep failing even though the clips on the camera are the same settings as all previous clips and shot at 50i."

One big thing to keep in mind is that FCE 4.0.1 was officially supported by Apple till 10.6.8.

All OS since, Lion, Mountain Lion and Mavericks are not supported and it's a "your risk" user style.

Users have various experinces from mostly works to can't even install.

The issue you have may be a Mavericks quirk then again it may not. The further we get along from 10.6.8 the more issues users seem to experience.

You could look at the Sequence and Clip proerties and see if they indeed do match.

Right click the Sequence icon in t he Broweser and selecet Item Properties.

The same proceedure for a clip except right click a clip icon.

FCE can also set or change the Timeline/Sequence by itself as the first clip hits the Timeline of a new Project.

You would get a warning message in this case. If you say YES the Sequence is changed to FCEs best guess at what this first clip is.

Not the best way to go if you know the exact properties of the clips in use.

If they conform to the specs of one of the Easy Setups you change it to that specific Easy Setup giving clips and Sequence a "marriage made in heaven".

If these two things don't match then the marriage is from another place.

Al

According to Apple, Mavericks will NOT support FCE4.

Has anyone figured out a way to get it working? 

I am on the initial install of the software on a new Macbook Pro with the newest operating system.

It wont even progress when I hit the "Install" button.

Apple said the only option is the $300 new software.

FCE is working fine in Mavericks for me, but It's on old machines that have been upgraded all the way from 10.5 when I first installed FCE.

I believe the FCE installer is PPC, so you have to sort of install it by hand on anything newer than 10.6. I think I saw that someone had posted the instructions somewhere. Do a bit of searching and you can probably find it.

early 2008 iMac

early 2008 MBP

Installed FCE from Time Machine when setting up new iMac 27". Ask for Serial Number which I got which from old iMac. Booth was fine haven't had time to check out completely. But looks like it may work. Ran it on Snow Leopard on old Machine. FCE as I remember it was never perfect since I haven't used it in a while. But I think I'll give it a try. Final Cut Pro for me if I have problems. It is an old program which isn't supported now by Apple. But it was fun, I hope it works. Still setting up new machine so I'll get back when I am ready for the real thing. Good Luck.

Patrick,

It worked for me. But after a while, from one day to another, my FCE4 is stalling and running slow. I've been looking in every menu and so on... it is still very slow. I was considering to change to FCPX, It is fast but it seems not be the very best program.

I hope you don't have the same problems like me.

Is your hard drive getting more than 80% full?

Are you using a separate HDD for your media, as you should?

Do you shutdown your Mac every night or let it sleep?

Have you done any of the following trouble-shooting suggestions?

1. Use this free app to trash the preferences. This should be the first thing you try when any problems occur.

      http://www.digitalrebellion.com/prefman/

   2. Open Disk Utility and Repair Permissions.

I work with an external SSD and Thunderbolt connection. I shutdown every night my Mac....

The same evening reinstalled it, and it works again. But this is more like a "microsoft-solution".

Meg The Dog also proposed this app.

Thanks