3 weeks into feature film
 

Hey David, I have been absent from the forum because I am busy shooting. I have over 600GB recorded using HV30 and Cineform codec on my capture computer. The problem I continue to have is editing this material on FCP 6.0.3. It drops frames constantly. I am on a 17' Macbook Pro HD version with a 2.4 Ghz Intel processor and 4gig of ram. I tried taking the sequence setting to 50 quality for better playback, but I had problems with dropped frames even when I was doing my tests in Korea in the spring on a Quad core.

I am trying to edit something short for investors, but I am about to throw the laptop out the window. I have never had this many dropped frame errors on playback ever and is totally unusable for creative editing. In addition, I have tried to get my license code for the mac authentication, but never received anything from Cineform. I submitted again today, but I fear I may be back on the shoot all week and won't be able to get back here. Please tell me some options so I can edit my footage without having to convert it all to Apple ProRes.

I just ordered Final Cut Studio 2 in hopes of having a better Cineform experience.

You can read my experience with Premiere Pro on a Mac and Cineform here: http://www.dvinfo.net/conf/showthread.php?t=126667

I do know the real-time engine in FCP is not fully optimized because of how Apple works with third-party software.

The guys at Cineform are usually very responsive on this board, so you should hear something quickly. I'm hoping my experience will be better with FCP than it has been with PPro CS3.

Hi Abraham,

We have added a lot of new performance to our Mac codec recently, but as James points out, there are certain features (such as RT transitions and effects) that Apple keeps third parties away from. However, you should be able to use CineForm files in a cuts only timeline in RT in FCP. One trick is to NEVER clip the preview window. Also, try a preview window size of less than 50%, but don't clip the video in the window.

We published a release about a week ago with a lot of new features and performance, including second monitor support, but it has one bug for non-Raw CineForm files that *might* affect you. We will be posting a new release (hopefully) today that fixes this problem.

James, we have not yet focused on PPro/Mac. Essentially all of our testing has been with FCP on Mac. We'll take a look at PPro/Mac in the near future. It shouldn't be too difficult to get PPro running properly after our next FCP release in the next day or so.

Abraham and James,

I just posted a new update to our Mac workflow. I recommend you both download it. We fixed a bug in YUV material that was in the last build, a bug in renders during transitions within FCP, and we have overall QuickTime performance improvements.

Let me know how this works for you.

David.

Doesn't Help
 

So I installed the new mac codec and it didn't help at all. If you do simple assemblies and jam all the clips together, like when you sync dailies it's fine. But if you do any sort of simple L-cut or leave gaps of space or slugs between the clips, it drops frames at every cut point. I am also incorporating a previous trailer that I converted from Apple ProRes to Cineform and it drops at every cutpoint that I use the clip. I am frustrated as hell and need options here, other than converting all my clips to Apple ProRes.

Also it's been 3 months since I bought Neo HD and have yet to get a license authorization code for the mac codec. I have been using the trial everytime and would like someone to get it to me by now. Thanks David I need some help stuck out here in Joliet IL.