[Don Smith]

To make things simple I choose to sync on first marker and leave audio sync checked.

The multi cam is created MUCH faster this way because it looks to the marker for ball-park and then adjusts from there for perfect sound sync. If it had to search the entire length of every clip to determine the sound sync then the process takes MUCH longer!

So, just play until you clap your hands and create a marker. Don’t worry that you’re exactly on the right frame. Just be close.

If you have a camera that would start and stop be sure to give every clip from that camera the same camera name so you can also choose to organize angles by camera name. That way all the shots will be on the same angle and not create many new angles holding only one clip.

Amazingly, it appears to me, that you can also put a first marker on the first clip of the camera that has many starts and stops and FCPX will still know how to organize those clips fast even though all the rest of the clips won’t have a first marker.

Don Smith

NewsVideo.com

[Don Smith]

Hi Tim… Preview non-functional for an MP4 on my desktop that was compressed with Streaming Hints checked in Compressor. I have a paid version of Flip4Mac installed and preview is also non-function although the movie will launch into QuickTime Player 7 without forcing a conversion. I have Spotlight on and both files are on my system drive. If you can get, say, a WMV file to preview in the Finder, I would like find out what I’m missing.

Thanks very much.

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[Don Smith]

Tim, I read your advice just after doing almost exactly what you outlined. And, yes, now the performance is amazing! The only difference is that I let the install migrate apps and files from my backup. If the performance had not improved I would have then tried it one more time and do another fresh install of the OS and then install all needed apps fresh from their source. But that was not needed. Not on my laptop.

My work 2009 Mac Pro is another story. I did a fresh install on it but the performance is not up to par. I would try a fresh install of the OS and then a fresh download and install of the apps but that will be a LOT of work. Honestly, I’m thinking of just rebooting back into my Mountain Lion boot drive and living with that for a couple of months until I can replace my aging Mac Pro with the new one. Can’t wait.

The quirk of not being able to Finder preview MP4s that were compressed with Streaming Hints turned on remains. Can’t Finder preview WMVs either.

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[Don Smith]

FOUND IT!

If an MP4 was compressed with Streaming Hints turned on in the Compressor setting it will no longer open with the spacebar in the Finder under Mavericks.

But it always did up through Mountain Lion. Why has this changed under Mavericks?

Now, the two co-workers have three years of MP4 files that, when opened in Quicktime, the files starts automatically transcoding and the conversion operation is asking them to then save the file under a new name.

The co-workers have stopped at that point but I’m asking one of them to go ahead and save the file and then do a Get Info to see if it’s the same file but minus the Hints in the Codec section and to see if the transcoded file is playable with the spacebar in the Finder of Mavericks. I’ll keep you updated.

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[Don Smith]

Thank you for the thought Jason but no joy. Using QuickLook on an MP4 or WMV (created in Flip for Mac) results in the same graphic as you get when trying to play a non-media file. The co-workers are on the latest-before-last-Tuesday MacBook Pro. My MB Pro at home is one generation older and it as no spacebar problem running Mavericks. Same as before for me, but something’s different on the MBP’s here at work and I’m on the hunt.

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[Don Smith]

If you are deleting the preferences manually you may be deleting the wrong thing.

There’s an excellent free tool for that. Google ‘preference manager’ and it’ll bubble to the top. Safe, quick way to delete preferences.

Don Smith

NewsVideo.com

[Don Smith]

The MP4s play fine when loaded into an app. They just can’t play it from the Finder using the spacebar like before. My laptop at home with Mavericks will although it’s a generation older than the ones at work.

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[Don Smith]

Hhhmm.. now my co-workers are saying it only acts differently when trying to play an MP4 from the Finder. Quite different than in previous OS’s for us.

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[Don Smith]

Thank you for that Jeff. Two people here at work have brand new MacBook Pro’s and they both have the spacebar change. It’s a puzzlement. I have Mavericks on my personal laptop at home (second version back from current MacBook Pro) and I will test it when I get home tonight.

Don

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[Don Smith]

Once I realized the power of the text object (out of which is created the adjustment layer) it opened up a new world for me.

Ripple Training’s Callouts and many other effects are built on the text object.

The adjustment layer is merely a new text object in Motion with the text itself removed.

But wait, there’s more! I took a new text effect in Motion and swung out one end of the drop zone at the front and swung it back into place at the end. Then I put markers just after the open and just before the close to ‘protect’ the animations and so that the part in between can be stretched to any needed length. In this effect, the video opens like a door to about 40 degrees and reveals the text block. Or, I have the text block write on after the video door is open. Reverse the action at the end.

In use, simply put that text effect above any video to have it ‘swing out, swing in’ as you wish. Change your mind by just moving the text object. It’s a miracle!

Don Smith

NewsVideo.com