Poor rendered video quality in Final Cut Pro

Projects are set two ways.

1. Add a VIDEO clip to a newly created Project and FCP X assigns the details based on the first video clips' properties.

2. You manually assign the Project settings on what you KNOW the clip properties are.

You can let FCP X make all the decisions about the Project and it usually works OK when all video clips of the same properties.

In your case there are mixed properties, that means FCP X has to RENDER any clips that do not conform to the Project Properties. Rendering will show as a row of small dots at the top of the Timeline:

This occurs when there is a mismatch. If you Mac has plenty of horse power it will most likely play back in real time without coughing and spluttering.

When the Project and Clips match there is no line of dots and FCP X and the Mac find it smooth sailing.

Let's say your first clip was an SD (standard def) clip the went into the PROJECT, everything else is forced to SD, your HD stuff will suffer. This may be your issue.

Post screen shots of the Inspector showing the Project and then the Clip Properties if you like.

Al

Make a screenshot. Shift-Cmd-4 and drag an area of the screen. Use the camera icon to upload the screenshot. Have to see what you’re talking about. Are you using the same camera?

Am also getting these lines and I have checked the top bar for dots and there isn't any so I assume it's all the same format. I have tried loads of rendering settings and nothing! I know there's Compressor, but I don't want to spend out £50 on a app that might not even work.