Auto render and other basic ?

Hi,

I'm new to Final cut from premiere and if I leave FCP for awhile and come back I see auto render complete. I know Final cut can render stuff in the background so I'm assuming that is what it's doing. However, I'd like a greater understanding of auto render and if I really need it.

I'm working on a 20 min rough cut (pro res 422 1080p) at the moment, 95% of my edits are straight cuts, there's a few fades, non moving titles and I've adjusted the composition of a few shots by scaling. Therefore, do i really need it to render every time I leave my computer for a couple hours? Is there an advantage to this for my situation? I don't need full quality playback.

Ideally, as long as the clips can play back without stuttering, I'd like to complete the project and then render once when I output to Compressor.

I'm editing on a mac mini so not the most powerful machine, every so often I'll get a warning of dropped frames, is it possible to adjust the playback quality, so I will not drop frames?

If I do adjust the playback settings, will it still export at maximum quality, or will I need to change it back to full?

Thanks

> I know Final cut can render stuff in the background so I'm assuming that is what it's doing.

That, actually, is incorrect. "Background rendering" means you can do other work within the same application as it's rendering. Final Cut Pro can ingest (import files via Log and Transfer) while you edit, but it can't render effects in a timeline or do exports while using other operations. You have to cancel a render before you can initiate any other FCP command.

Auto render kicks in after a user-specified number of minutes FCP has been sitting idle. But if the render starts, you have to stop it before you can do anything else.

> Therefore, do i really need it to render every time I leave my computer for a couple hours?

Why wouldn't you? It's just a way of saving you wait time. If you want to conserve energy or protect your software or project file, then you should quit out of FCP altogether. If you really do want to leave FCP and the computer running but don't want auto render, then turn it off in User Preferences.

Some effects can play without a render. Doesn't mean you shouldn't render. As a general rule, if you want optimum playback, especially when going out to tape, you render.


www.derekmok.com

Yeah, to turn it off, go to Final Cut Pro > User Preferences > and in the General tab, uncheck the 'auto render' button. But I'm with Derek. Happy to let the machine do work while I don't have to wait around for it to do it.

Quote

If I do adjust the playback settings, will it still export at maximum quality,

Playback settings do not affect exports.

i'm with Derek & Jude, i'm happy to let FCP do it's auto-render thing... most of the time.

a couple of exceptions:
sometimes i've worked with my 2-camera doco rushes stacked on top of each other in rushes sequences. (when they were too erratic to make multiclips from, or just to help me get towards making the multiclips)

in that case, i don't want FCP rendering my rushes sequences.

there is an auto-render setting in User Prefs where it will only render the active sequence,
which for me is most often my edit sequence.

the other time i don't like auto render is when i'm working with multiclips.
when they are rendered they don't work properly: the FCP "Open" mode, which should show your separate angles in the viewer only shows the single rendered angle.


cheers,
nick

OKay, so I created a scrolling text and I can't view it unless I render. Is it possible to lower the playback quality in order to playback in real time?

If I have to render every time I make a change, it's a huge waste of time.

You can lower the render quality. Hit apple 0, and change render control to 50%, then switch back to 100% when you're done with the edit.



www.strypesinpost.com