[Jona Taylor]

@Neil

“I used a new FCP studio (FCP 7.0.3) install DVD though.”

– Yes, and I… I continue wrestling with these silly dmg files now that my new Macbook does not have a DVD burner.

As I don’t have a concrete answer yet, I am just going to assume that I need FCP7 to export an XML file so that I can use: https://assistedediting.intelligentassistance.com/7toX/ to get the file to FCPX. Would still like to know this for sure if anyone can say for sure.

Very much appreciate you chiming in here 🙂
Jona

[Jona Taylor]

“Good new and bad news. The good news is that you can easily do what Shane points out above. The bad news is that you need to open the project in FCP 7 to export the XML that’s necessary for either importing to Pr or using 7toX to get it into X. You don’t need the media online to do it, perhaps you have a friend who could open the project and export XML for the sequence(s) you’d like to open?”

Hey Charlie (Shane)
So then I actually have to find a Mac with FCP7 on it so that I can open my project and export an XML file. Correct?
My friend is running FCP6. Will this work?

@Neil
I’m not sure why either. I think I have read that my Mac’s HDD would have to partitioned to run both FCP7 and FCPX on the same Mac. When I go to instal FCP7 the little FCP box is greyed-out. FCPX and PP6 is already on the system.

Jona

[Jona Taylor]

Crazy that Apple would do this… it’s like giving their supporters the finger.

Really appreciatie your assistance 🙂
Jona

[Jona Taylor]

Wonderful Shane!

One more question? Suppose I used a friend’s mac (FCP6-7) to export my FCP7 sequence as an XML… would FCPX be able to read it?

Huge thanks 🙂

Best regards,
Jona

[Jona Taylor]

Hi Jerry, (and David)

I think you guys nailed it.
Now set to Unlimited RT, Playback Video Quality: Dynamic.
No choppy playback issues.

Big thanks to both of you! I really appreciate this forum 🙂
Jona

[Jona Taylor]

Hi Jerry,

Than you for jumping in here.

I’ve tried both settings and it doesn’t sem to make a difference.

As Neil mentions, I’m thinking the problem is coming form the slower GPU and the external monitor. Hard to believe that the 2008 Macbook can’t power this external monitor and playback smoothly. Is that really asking for too much in 2008?

Best,
Jona

[Jona Taylor]

Hi Neil! Thanks for the reply 🙂

The material is standard Prores 442.

Sadly, I think you are right about the problem being due to the external monitor which is a real drag because I bought this expensive monitor (Dell 2711) make editing easier and I was really looking forward to using it.

I should mention that the Macbook Pro plays the other material (XDCam 4:2:0) material back without any issues. Is this because it is a lower bit rate than the Prores 442 material and therefore has less drain on the GPU?

Does you (or anyone else) know of a way to overcome this ‘slow GPU’ without having to go out and buy another Mac?

Thanks again Neil,
Jona

[Jona Taylor]

Hi Dennis,

As Tom said as well, I really appreciate the extra insight. This place is such a great resource and it would have been very difficult for me to found this straight matter of fact info any place else. After such a epic run collecting all the footage, and now to be stepping into this edit… to have your guidance really means a great deal to me.

I think I mentioned that I am going to stick with the set up (Macbook Pro FC7) I have and see how far caries me. I can always switch over to CS6 and a new Mac down the road. With my nomadic lifestyle I have to watch my budget and carry-on weight. I just started the converting to Prores last night… should be through this process in a week.

Jona

[Jona Taylor]

For sure Dave. Thanks.
I like to see things in front of me on the timeline. It’s all I’ve ever known and I appreciate it and trust it.
I’ve done my searches for tutorials on FCPX but none have so clearly revealed given me a clear sense of the actual difference between 7 and 10 other than the Viewer window is gone.

[Jona Taylor]

Hi Tom. Very much appreciate you adding your experience here.

“One difference is that you can have multiple projects open at the same time in FCP 7, but only a single one at a time in PP (though as I understand it, it is relatively simple to open one project, copy something, close it and them open the main project and copy that in).”

– Very good to know. I know there is really know way to really know unless one goes the distance… I wonder if someone else can add to this???

“My plan at the moment is to stick with FCP 7 until (and if) it gets too problematic and then at that point make the decision to either stick with FCP 7 in multiple smaller projects, or transfer over to PP 6 or FCP 10.7 (I think PP because I’m guessing the learning curve would be easier than starting from scratch with the different editing model of FCP 10.)”

I think this is where I’m at at well. I know it is going to mean converting some 3TB of H264 material into Prores (another 3TB is XDCam 1080, 720)), and on my 2008 Macbook Pro, 2 core 2.6 GHz (4GB Ram), 5 Bay SATA, FCP 7 it is going to take time and be a slower process overall but I’m somewhat excited to believe I that will find the magic in the story if I work slowly on a system with software that is not going to distract me with more bells a whistles. I’ve considered that I may be limiting myself. If it feels like I am, I can switch. I’ll know when I’m further in.

Thanks again for jumping in Tom and best wishes in your work.