Random crashing with XDCAM HD

[Rafael Amador]

Hi Alan,
MacOX makes a light self maintenance when you let the computer switched at night. You can run by yourself the same routines with applications like maintenance, Cocktail or MacCleanse.
A good maintenance start when you install your system. After each installation is good to repair permissions. But this is not enough.
After a clean installing in fact the system is a big mess. If you run DiskWarrior you will find like the 30% of the items in the directories out of order. Impossible to run smoothly FC.
After rebuilding the directories things run in other manner. When I do it in my media drives the speed rise easily a 20% (up to the AJA System Test utility).
I work with DiskWarrior. Is really straightforward to use.
TechTools have a more comprehensive set of tests and tools, but you have to paid more attention when you run it. If you are not careful you can start some processes that can take really long. And once started those processes you better don’t try to stop them.
In the other hand a system with TechTools can repairs him self. You don’t need to boost from a CD or another system.
I keep talking about DW and TT, but I know that now there are some other application to do the same task. Whatever you use will make your life with your Mac more easy.
rafael

http://www.nagavideo.com

[Alan Lacey]

Thanks a lot for this Rafael,

I’ve just migrated over to Leopard on my MBP and so will do what you suggest. I have a copy of DriveGenius that is compatible with Leopard but dont think my old DiskWarrior is.

I know you are a XDcam user and have found a problem with XDcam Trasfer 2.5 in my Leopard. It had problems sorting and displaying the clips status. Are you experiencing this on your machine? Perhaps I should upgrade to 2.7?

Many thanks

Alan

[Jason Porthouse]

Just a quick follow-up,

2 days in without a crash whilst editing – turning off thumbs in the timeline has definitely improved things. Had one crash on a render, but I’ve gotten in to the habit of saving before rendering.

Also, as I can’t seem to get the Alsoft (Disk Warrior) site to work (www.alsoft.com) I downloaded OnyX from here:

https://www.titanium.free.fr/index_us.html

Seems to be pretty comprehensive, whilst not doing what DW does but certainly OK for basic first-line maintenance.

HTH

Jason

_________________________________

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*

[Rafael Amador]

Hi Alan,
I’ve been having a look to DriveGenius. As long as can rebuild the directories I think is fine.
Defragmenting I don’t see much need. Drivers never should be so full than fragmentation could represent an issue.
About the EX-1 Transfer software really I haven’t had any issue. The truth is that I use it in avry primitive way. Normally I use it as standalone. No importing from FC. So far no problems. I have downloaded the 2.7 but not installed yet.
Cheers,
rafael

http://www.nagavideo.com

[Alan Lacey]

Thanks Rafael.

Being a PC man I worry about defragging whatever the drive state. Also I have a lot of projects on the go simultaneously so never get the chance to reformat the raids.

Yes that’s the way I us the EX transfer software, it’s been playing up since I started using it on Leopard. So 2.5 is running perfectly under leopard on your MBP?

Regards Alan

[Rafael Amador]

Hi Alan,
I bought iDefrag few years ago. The first time I ran it in my G5 second HD.
When I saw the time that would take to finish I made the mistake to hit the “Cancel” or “pause” button.
The day after I had to go and buy a new HD.
Inexperience, yes. But why the put a button to let you do something that you should never do?
Don’t want to hear of defragging anymore:-)
About the EXCAM Transfer, for me is working well in my MBP (OX10.5.4/QT 7.5/FC6.0.4).
Have you tried to trash the Preffs? (Library> Preferences> com.sony.bprl.xdcamtransfer.plist)
Or just try the v2.7. I know that many people in the CineAlta Forum are using it and I haven’t heard people complaining.
Cheers,
Rafael

http://www.nagavideo.com

[Alan Lacey]

thanks Rafael,

Sorry to hear about your defragging woes. Touch wood I’ve had no issues with DriveGenius. Although it won’t boot, so I can’t maintain the home drive.

Re: Xdcam Transfer, I’ve tried trashing the prefs. I’m having trouble finding 2.7.1 on the web for download, but think that’s my next step.

Regards Alan

[John Godwin]

Just want to confirm this problem exists. I have xdcam ex-1 footage, crashes when I try to render, crashes when I open bins (showing picons), and I’ve had the systems integrator go over everything and it still isn’t fixed. Tried new RAM and all of the normal stuff, prefs and such, and a complete reinstall of FCP. Still crashing. Tried a loaner machine – project still crashed FCP.

Last thing we’ve tried is to switch RAID card and Kona card slots, and that seems to have helped the rendering somewhat but not the crashing when opening bins.

Exact same project, same footage on my Macbook pro works fine.

Thanks,
John

[Matt Slocum]

OK. I’m glad I found this. I’ve been pulling my hair out for several weeks. I’m using a spanking brand new system. I get random crashing while scrolling through the sequence, loading clips, and rendering (especially long renders). I’m going to try shutting off thumbnails. I’m having trouble imagining it being something to do with fragmentation. I’m using a brand new 8 TB RAID. Is using DiskWarrior still something I should do? Has it fixed problems with you?

I’ve heard XDCAM is a very complicated format to process. It seems to me like Final Cut might be corrupting memory while loading/saving clips.

Has anyone tried transcoding everything to another format like ProRez?

2×3.2 GHz Quad-Core intel Xeon
8 GB 800MHz DDR2
FCP 6.0.4
Mac OS 10.5.5
QT 7.5.5

~Matt

[Rafael Amador]

Hi Matt,
A new brand computer with a clean installed system is not a warranty that thinks will work well.
If you run DW after a clean installing you will easily find a 30% items out of order in our directories.
My recommendation is that you use DiskWarrior, TechTools, Drive Genius, or any other application to optimize your system and media store.
About XDCAM I don’t see necessary transcoding unless you will be working with many layers. Proably after optimizing your system you won’t have any difficulty to work with it in your system. Y edit EX-1 with a MBP and eSATA disks and works great.
rafael

http://www.nagavideo.com