FCPX 10.1 Very slow on iMac and lots of spinning beach balls

FCPX will crash the system, even if the Mac is sleeping for an extended period of time!!

YYou need to take your system to a service technician. Most professionals leave the application open and the system running for many days.

Not good advice and not practical. Apple's solution is ALWAYS "reinstall the operating system"/"Upgrade the OS". In any case, it is ONLY FCPX that crashes the system (with many projects containing third-party effects and up to 20 "tracks") and ONLY if I do not quit every so often, trashing FCPX prefs to regain memory. With that, however, it's going perfectly smooth. I'm happy enough with that, and would not want to spoil it by putting my system in the hands of a first-level tech person whose sole solution is to "reinstall the operating system" (re: many hours spend on the phone with apple tech support for various issues ending with "reinstall the operating system"/"Upgrade the OS", and intimately solving the problem myself). (And whenever I DID follow the advice of the apple tech person, my system got royally screwed up.)

(P.S. I notice that you got a "YYou" typed. You're using the Apple wireless keyboard--mine too, which I use only for the iPhone--which causes that...yet another Apple bug.)

From latest Safari (with many videos that have type as well, like on youtube):

Would you like to see my list of Apple bugs on Mac and iOS?

;-)

The double caps display is a problem with jive and iOS on these forums. Nothing to do with a wireless keyboard. I don't have one. The problem doesn't occur on other forums on iOS.

Any system that crashes out while it's sleeping has a hardware problem.

Not correct. A system crash under any circumstance could be caused by a number of things, including, and especially hardware or software that is supposed to be compatible, but is not handed properly by the OS. For example, specs for this new Mac Pro claim that it handles up to 6 displays, but that is misleading. It (apparently) can only handle up to 6 THUNDERBOLT displays. Attaching any other kind by any other means (like DVI, or displayport instead of mini displayport) causes the OS to REJECT one or more displays. I have four, and cannot attach a fifth HDMI display without first DISCONNECTING one of the DVI displays. Gotta read the fine print. Another example, Apple says for many products, "Works out of the box." This really means it works, "Out of the box". add, upgrade, or change anything and you're on you're own...no claim to "work".

I'm sure you know everything, but I wouldn't recommend any hardware tech support you get over the phone.

This thread is slowly creeping off topic 😕

In my case, I do not notice anything that is pointing in the direction of a memory leak, as suggested here. I do see an increase in memory usage over time, but nothing you would not expect when adding effects etc to a video. Also FCPX is not crashing the system. The main problem in my case seems to be the inability to handle MTS files. As long as I am in the timeline where it is only containing DV-type video, there is not much of a problem, but as soon as I reach the point where MTS files are inserted, beach balling starts.

I have only recently started to import all my footage as external files. Before that, I imported my video's into the FCPX library and I cannot remember having these kinds of problems. So I am pretty sure this problem is less eminent if the source material is loaded natively into the FCPX library rather than linked to external files.

AAre you importing the raw .mts files or are you importing from the folder structure and letting the application rewrap to QuickTime? If the former you might try optimizing the media.

Yes, I am importing the camera native .mts files as external links, so I do not copy them into the FCPX library. The reasons being, that the libraries will explode in size and editing across libraries will copy massive data across. The reason I am not using optimized media is the time needed for transcoding. I'd rather only transcode clips I am really using, so at export time, not at import time.

On the other hand, if optimized media is not creating gigantic libraries as well and will speed up the editing process, I might be going to do the transcode overnight per event or library. I will do some tests to see if it makes any difference. But one way or the other, I don't think FCPX currently is fit for purpose.

.mts is an acquisition format. It's an incredibly poor format to use for production. If you don't want to optimize your best solution would be to import from the folder structure so the media can be rewrapped to QuickTime.

But one way or the other, I don't think FCPX currently is fit for purpose.

Maybe not for your system.

.

Tried using optimized media and skimming/displaying seems to be faster. But, what I was afraid of: the library size is exploding. As an example, I have an event that is some 500KB if I have only the links to the external MTS files. Adding optimized media will blow this up to 10GB !!

So, my course of action will be:

- import as external files without optimizing

- optimize events for editing

- delete optimized media when movie is done

@Tom: if my top of the line iMac is not suited for FCPX Apple should say so

if my top of the line iMac is not suited for FCPX Apple should say so

The top of the line iMac works great with FCP. Many people use it for 4K and 5K projects and RED media. Maybe it's your drives, but really I cannot emphasize enough what crap .mts is.

Import correctly rewrapped to QuickTime and you should be fine, unless there is something else wrong with the system. If you using external media set correctly in library properties, the optimized files will not be inside the library.

dinky2 wrote:

Tried using optimized media and skimming/displaying seems to be faster. But, what I was afraid of: the library size is exploding. As an example, I have an event that is some 500KB if I have only the links to the external MTS files. Adding optimized media will blow this up to 10GB !!

Optimized media is BIG - that is a fact of life. But, like Tom said, it does not have to be inside the library, so libraries themselves need not explode in size.

And: you can optimize only the files you need, and can always delete optimized media at any time.

Yes, good to know, but still. What happened with FCP 10.1.4

Previous versions worked with mts formats like knife through butter.

Within last 24 hours FCP X has crashed 10 times. Previously maybe once in two days, which was bearable. And after starting again it starts to render something and this takes timeeeeeeeee. Every simple move (selecting track) causes 10 seconds beachball. Sometimes 15 seconds.

And I'm working with audio which shouldn't take too much resource of the machine.

MTS might be crappy format, but still millions are using Sony cameras and mts formats. Optimising is not an option. It is pointless waste of discspace.

Finally if it ever would be possible I'd go immediately back to previous version. I'd rather manage green dropped frames than watching spinning ball, restarting the programme and listening clicks and pops in audio.

So does anybody have information or heard from somewhere - is there any movement at Apple to fix those issues?

thanks, I go back now to see my favourite movie "Spinning Beachball revenge pt.XXXVI",

Lemo