Final Cut Express playback is slow and slothy?

Question

Level 1

8 points

Final Cut Express playback is slow and slothy?

Alright,

So I recently tranferred my trusty old Final Cut Express from my older Macbook pro to my slightly newer one.

The current one I am using is running OS X version 10.8.5, has the 2.66 GHz Intel Core i7 processor, 4 gb of memory, and has

VIDIA GeForce GT 330M 512 MB listed for graphics. I am attempting to use "Final Cut Express HD" version 3.5.1, which I moved over from my old laptop.

Currently, when I open clips in the Final Cut Express program and attempt playback--- they appear almost choppy, laggy, and most certainly slow. My top render status bar is yellow, unless I change RT to safe--- then it becomes red. I've tried messing with all my RT settings and frame settings with no improvement. I never had any problem like this on my older mac.

Could this be that the software is too dated? Is something wrong with my graphics card?

-Any help= greatly appreciated!

MacBook Pro

Posted on Apr 1, 2014 9:07 PM

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Answer 1

Alchroma

Level 7

23,918 points

Apr 1, 2014 11:47 PM in response to polkapunk

Regards the Render Bar:

If it's not coloured Green, Gray or Blue then it requires rendering and will not play back properly.

What are the Sequence and Clip properties?

Al

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Answer 2

polkapunk Author

Level 1

8 points

Apr 2, 2014 5:52 AM in response to Alchroma

My sequence is currently set to Apple Intermediate Codec 720p30... Though I have triedto switch it and had no luck solving the problem.

The clip I am dropping in there is 1920x1080

Codecs: H.264, Linear PCM

A while back, I did a project with DV video... and had the same results.

I do understand that anything other than green,gray, or blue requires rendering... but its been my understanding and experience that clips without effects or edits shouldn't need rendering unless they don't match the format that I am editing with.

Thanks Al, I greatly appreciate your time and considerations on this!

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Answer 3

MartinR

Level 7

25,460 points

Apr 2, 2014 6:10 AM in response to polkapunk

The clip I am dropping in there is 1920x1080 Codecs: H.264, Linear PCM

That's the main problem. FCE is not designed to natively edit H.264 video ... plus a your 720p30 sequence is the wrong type of sequence for 1920x1080 clips that are also probably interlaced, not progressive.

You need to convert your clip(s) to QuickTime Apple Intermediate Codec in order to edit in FCE. Try using MPEG Streamclip to convert your original clip to QT/AIC. (If that doesn't work then try Clipwrap.) Convert it to 1920x1080 ... don't convert it to 720.

Then in FCE, select the AVCHD Apple Intermediate Codec 1920x1080i60 Easy Setup (assuming the original video was shot in North America with an NTSC camcorder.) Then create a new sequence. Then import your converted clip(s).

Actually, on further thought, with FCE 3.5.1 you probably don't have any of the AVCHD/AIC Easy Setups ... AVCHD support was an FCE 4 feature. You could try the HDV Apple Intermediate Codec 1080i60 Easy Setup ... it may work (emphasis on *MAY* ... HDV and AVCHD are not quite the same when converted to QT/AIC).

The final thing I should mention is that FCE 3.5.1 is really old ... and even FCE 4 was discontinued over 2 years ago before Lion was released. You are on Mt. Lion (10.8.x) and apparently migrated FCE from your previous Mac. There is the likelihood that it may just not work satisfactorily at all. The currently supported application is Final Cut Pro X and I would encourage you to consider moving on to FCP-X instead of trying to continue using FCE.

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Answer 4

Alchroma

Level 7

23,918 points

Apr 2, 2014 6:05 AM in response to polkapunk

polkapunk wrote:

My sequence is currently set to Apple Intermediate Codec 720p30... Though I have triedto switch it and had no luck solving the problem.

The clip I am dropping in there is 1920x1080

Codecs: H.264, Linear PCM

That looks exactly like a mis-match.

Sequences can only be changed after altering the Easy Setups, existing ones are not altered.

Also if the clips are not captured by FCE and converted to AIC (Apple Intermedite Codec) during capture, then there will also be issues. H.264 in its' raw form will always require rendering.

Al

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Answer 5

polkapunk Author

Level 1

8 points

Apr 2, 2014 6:14 AM in response to Alchroma

Al,

So glad I posted my question. I just tried using some footage imported through FCE using firewire. It worked fine. The other files I am having trouble with are from the FLiP camera. I can just drop 'em in and render, right?

I just downloaded screen clip. I can run my fiels through that and drop them into projects where I am already using clips imported through FCE.... like my 720p30 project?

Dude--- thanks for your help on this!

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Answer 6

polkapunk Author

Level 1

8 points

Apr 2, 2014 6:22 AM in response to Alchroma

Update--- I tried that SCREEN CLIP program. Looked like a charm and seems to have solved my problems. I am dropping those clips into my projects without issue. Fast progrma too.

Out of curiousity, if I upgraded to some form of Final Cut Pro, would that eliminate me H.264 problem?

I would have never figured out that 264 problem on my own...

Thanks!

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