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Memory problem?
Hey Everyone,
I’m in the process of helping a friend who purchased a really nice edit system. It is an dual processor-quad core 3GHZ with 8Gig of ram and KonaLHe.
The machine just isn’t running as fast as I would expect. When I drag across footage, the timeline bar is lagging behind the playhead. I’ve confirmed SEQ matches footage. Green bar above for realtime.
The research I’ve done indicates that it may be a memory *matching* issue…I have yet to open the cabinet to check it, but I was wondering how I make the determination if that is the problem…or if there is any other things I should look for.
When I open the memory allocation tab in system preferences…it only allows me to set 2.5GB of memory. After Effects only allows the usage of 3GB. Does this indicate a problem for anyone?
I’ve never been a mac user, so I’m still trying to figure this out.
Thanks for your help.
-jason
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14 Replies
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[Jason Brown] “I’ve confirmed SEQ matches footage. Green bar above for realtime.
“The green bar indicates only that your material will “preview” in realtime, not necessarily that the footage and sequence settings match.
It sounds as if you are not using the proper Easy Setup to start new projects, which is the only way you should start a new project. I would suggest that you follow the guidelines in this tutorial to the letter every time when starting a project, and have your friend do the same.
https://library.creativecow.net/articles/biscardi_walter/realtime_sequences.php
David Roth Weiss
Director/Editor
David Weiss Productions, Inc.
Los AngelesPOST-PRODUCTION WITHOUT THE USUAL INSANITY ™
A forum host of Creative COW’s Apple Final Cut Pro, Business & Marketing, and Indie Film & Documentary forums.
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Thanks David,
We’re not using the Easy Setup to create new projects. So I should use that when I create ANY NEW project?
And besides that…even when there is no green above timeline (again, sequence matches footage) it is just *sluggish*. I’ve come from an AVID world…but I just can’t accept that a dual-processor quadcore with 8 gig of RAM would run this slow. It should be slamming through things…even in After Effects and Photoshop, the machine just doesn’t respond very quickly.
-Jason
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The Easy Setups sometimes have secret sauce that pretty much guarantees that everything behind the scenes in FCP is in complete agreement. Even those of us who are considered to be experts know to rely on them. The people at Apple have taken a good deal of time to make them very reliable.
As for your system, it does seem as though something isn’t right. I would strip it down to the essentials and add one thing at a time so as be able to pinpoint the offending hardware.
Take out the original 2Gb RAM sticks and see if the new RAM works better on its own, as you may indeed have a mismatch that is causing problems. MacPros are finicky about that.
David Roth Weiss
Director/Editor
David Weiss Productions, Inc.
Los AngelesPOST-PRODUCTION WITHOUT THE USUAL INSANITY ™
A forum host of Creative COW’s Apple Final Cut Pro, Business & Marketing, and Indie Film & Documentary forums.
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You haven’t mentioned your media array. Your performance is almost wholly based on the media array, not the computer / ram.
Walter Biscardi, Jr.
Biscardi Creative Media
HD and SD Production for Broadcast and Independent Productions.STOP STARING AND START GRADING WITH APPLE COLOR Apple Color Training DVD available now!
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Again – the green bar does NOT mean the footage and sequence matches. It means that FCP is able to preview the playback in real time by transcoding or reszing or rendering your footage on the fly. If the footage and the sequence matched properly the bar would not be visible – or rather would be the same color as the timeline itself.
As David says – use the easy setup. However, in FCP 6 you can also open a new sequence and drop your footage into it when it is empty. When FCP asks if you want to match the sequence settings with that of your footage, you select yes. This will ensure the sequence settings are correct.
However, you will still not get smooth playback unless the Kona’s settings match the sequence settings, so you need to check the video output settings as well. If you wish to eliminate this as the issue, turn the external video off whilst you check everything else out.
Finally, as Walter says, you need to have drives fast enough to play back whatever your footage in encoded in. What drives are you using, and for what codec? I assume your friend is smart enough to know NOT to use the system drive for media.
Lastly, if all else fails, go to a good PRO reseller and have them set up your system. Note – this does not mean the Apple Store!
Hope some of this helps – if not, come back to us with more info!
Ben
Edit Out Ltd
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FCP Editor/Trainer/System Consultant
EVS/VT Supervisor for live broadcast
RED camera transfer/post
Independent Director/Producer -
Walter – Media array is a 6TB Fusion D800 RAID.
Everyone else – I cleared up a few things this evening.
Green line was because it was an After Effects render…ProRes footage. But the dissolves still weren’t real time. So I did some research and found this link:
https://support.apple.com/kb/TS1957?viewlocale=en_US
So I opened his case, and wallah! the RAM was all over the place and mismatched. So I replaced all the RAM and distributed it accordingly. Opened up Final Cut and WOW! The dissolves are real-time. The playhead still lags behind when you drag along the SEQ, but it is faster.
However, I go into system settings and the machine is only recognizing 4GB of RAM. ???
Here’s how it is configured. He has
2 x 1GB sticks – factory brand DIMM1 Riser1/2
2 x 2GB sticks – Crucial DIMM2 Riser1/2
2 x 1GB sticks – crucial DIMM3 Riser1/2While I was searching, I found this screenshot…does anyone know how to get to this utility on a mac? It may help me figure out which sticks aren’t working!
https://myskitch.com/agennuso/angelo_gennusos_power_mac_g5-20071029-134050/
OR, should I just use all the same size/brand of RAM.
They are all running at DDR2-6400 so I don’t think mismatched speed is an issue!
Thanks for all your guys help!
-Jason
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[Jason Brown] “does anyone know how to get to this utility on a mac?”
Hi
Apple Menu>About This Mac>More Info>Hardware/MemoryThe memory installation you listed doesn’t correspond with any of the configurations shown in the Apple knowledge base link.
Quote:
…you must not have… three DIMMs on either riser at any time. -
Hi Jason,
I’m pretty sure that mixing 1 and 2 gig sticks is a no-no, from what I’ve researched… For optimal performance I’d be inclined to take the RAM back to 2x1gig sticks in each riser and see if this helps. I know it’s not clear from the Apple article, but having odd sizes, even with even no’s. is a no-no. They ideally must match in size AND be an even numner in each riser. You can’t do this with 1 2gig in each, only with 2 1gigs. That make sense?
HTH
Jason
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Before you criticise a man, walk a mile in his shoes.
Then when you do criticise him, you’ll be a mile away. And have his shoes.*the artist formally known as Jaymags*
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Hi
I replied to this thread (at exactly the same time as Jason P) , but it doesn’t show up in thread view…???
https://forums.creativecow.net/readpost/8/1022667 -
OK…it’s clear now. I did read the “not 1 or 3 DIMM’s” but it didn’t click for some reason.
Do you think it will be an issue to have the stock brand 1GB sticks mixed with the Crucial brand? I did read a couple articles where people scrapped the memory that came with the computer because they were having problems mixing it.
I think our solution will be to purchase identical 2 gig sticks for a total of 8GB and even number of DIMMS matching in size on each riser.
THANKS everyone for your help…I’m liking what I’ve learned about Final Cut so far, I’m excited to get more into it and see what it can do!
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