viewer and canvas freezeup

[Rob Forsythe]

This list contains about everything to try to enable:
a. External Monitor VIDEO and AUDIO via FireWire & DV deck or camcorder.
b. Viewing in the Canvas window on the computer screen.
c. Being able to record on the external FW DV deck or camcorder.

Try things in this order until you find the “cure”:

1. Make sure you have only ONE (1) FireWire deck, camcorder, DV capture “card”, or D-to-A converter or video device attached to the computer at a time. Any more than one DV device can cause loss of signal and control.
2. Make sure you have View (Menu) > External Video> All Frames set.
(If the ALL FRAMES option is grayed-out… jump to step 6 below and continue.)
3. Make SURE your Canvas window (right window) in FCP is set to “Fit to Window”… AND that it has not been “pushed off” the edge of the computer screen.
4. Make sure your CANVAS View Menu (Box Icon with broken sides) is checked on Image or Image+Wireframe… NOT just Wireframe.
5. Make sure your CANVAS View Menu is checked on RGB… NOT just Alpha.
6. Make sure your Final Cut Pro (menu) > Easy Setup… is set for DV-NTSC (or DV-PAL, if that’s where you are).
7. Some camcorders/decks work better under “FW (NTSC/PAL)” -or- “FW (NTSC/PAL) Basic” control (in the capture settings). Try either setting to see which works best for your device.
8. Make sure your Final Cut Pro (menu) > Audio/Video Settings > A/V Devices (tab) > Mirror on Desktop > must be CHECKED. (If not, playing video will not appear in the Canvas.)
9. Make sure the “Log and Capture” Window is CLOSED and not just “hidden” behind other windows.
10. Turn off the power to the Camera/Deck/Converter Box, then turn it back ON.
11. Make sure the camera is in VTR mode… or the deck is in DV (DV, iLink, or FW) input.
12. On a Sony camcorder or deck, make sure the menu setting “A/V > DV Out” is set to OFF.
13. Re-check that your FW cable is well-connected at both ends (or try a new cable).
14. Important: Quit FCP, then Restart FCP.
15. Now again, make sure you have View > External Video > ALL FRAMES set…

If it still does not work. “Trash” the FCP Preferences on the Mac
https://www.kenstone.net/fcp_homepage/trashing_fcp_prefs.html

“FCP Rescue” is a free Apple Script that will Trash the Preferences.
It will also restore your user settings afterwards.
Download:
https://www.macupdate.com/info.php/id/14729

>Then, start again at my “step 1” above.

[Bouncing Account needs new email address]

About the FireWire device issue:

https://docs.info.apple.com/article.html?artnum=301852

Otherwise:

There is a function in FCP that is often overlooked… and it can help with many audio and video “skipping”, “sticking” and “missing” problems.

You should “Mixdown” the Audio for playback before you dub out of FCP, or during the edit, if you have audio/video stuttering, drop-outs or freezes.

NOTE: Mixdown has even been demonstrated to help with slipping, skipping problems (or “missing” audio clips) for files being EXPORTED as QT (or similar) files out of FCP.

First, SELECT ALL of your audio tracks (highlight them) on the timeline, then:

Sequence Menu > Render Only > Mixdown.

You should see a dialog box telling you its rendering.

It might seem to make little sense that “Mixing down” even simple audio tracks will “fix” complex video “freezes” or random audio dropouts to tape or export, but it CAN.

NOTE: It does not matter of you only have one audio track, if there are random freezes during output, you should try the Mixdown.