FCP Media Manager Memory

Using:
Mac OS 10.5.8
Main HD: 1TB

FCP:
5.1.4

When conforming HDV footage on tracksheet preparing to record to tape I receive a message that reads: Out of Memory. The 1TB HD has 413gb of memory remaining.

The Media Manager indicates (Green bars) original and modified 14.5gb at maximum.

Cannot find a way to allot additional memory for this project even with over 413gb remaining on HD.

Your assistance would be most appreciated.

Thanks

Do you have any large stills in your sequence? If so, scale it down to just the resolution you need.



www.strypesinpost.com

No stills whatsoever. Only footage that runs a little over 5 minutes. I also used 'Scale to Sequence.'

I have plenty of memory remaining on the HD but I cannot find a method to allot additional memory to the project.

Provide us more system and software specs. Us your sequence fully rendered down? What is the format of your timeline? What is a tracksheet and why are you using media manager when you are going to tape?



www.strypesinpost.com

"Memory" refers to RAM, not hard drive space. How much RAM do you have on your system? And now to contradict myself, "out of memory" errors can be caused by a system drive that is too full, as it manages virtual memory. Give us the capacity and available space info on all of your drives.

I addressed Media Manager when I found out that I was out of memory. I edited my HDV footage on the timeline and then conformed it as required. That is when it indicated that I was out of memory. I have additional drives with lots of remaining memory.

From what has been said, I believe that I need more RAM. Never thought of that. I have a total of 6gb.

As I indicated earlier my main HD is a 1TB unit with 413gb remaining, this is ample space so the problem must be too little RAM

6GB is more than enough for a 5 minute HDV video with no stills that's been conformed. Do you have anything else connected to the computer? Other drives? Anything else out of the ordinary we can't se from here?

Can you export a self contained quicktime, then start a fresh project and import the quicktime and go to tape from that copy?

One last question - does your timeline match your footage? Did you need to render much during the edit?

Hi Jude,

Thank you for your response. Sorry it has taken me so long to respond to your input but events alter circumstances.

I cleared up my problem and made my deadline, however, I am not satisfied with only having to make a minor adjustment. I merely removed other programs that were open on the desk top. only a couple. My questions are:

1. I have additional internal HDs connected to this Mac. Does that cut down on the efficiency?

2. I have additional external HDs connected, however, they were turned off.

3. I don't know what you mean when you said: Does your timeline match your footage?

4. I did render a couple of the scenes.

And finally: Would it be advisable to add more RAM (I have 6gb now)?

I greatly appreciate your support and others who have contributed to this thread. Thank you.

PG - I asked earlier how much space on all of your drives, not just the one you have your project on. They all count for performance of your system.

Please stop calling disk space "memory." Memory refers to RAM, what you have available on drives is "disk space." The distinction is important, and you mislead people who are trying to help by confusing these terms. And you are bound to confuse yourself as well.

Scott's right. Any drive with less than 10% free space that is attached to your system is a liability. Check them all, and free up space. Try and keep 20% free on them all, if you can.

6GB is fine. I have 6GB here and I do lots of compositing in all kinds of formats. The 'Out of memory' warning is not always about RAM.

The settings of your timeline have to match the settings of your footage. Well, they don't have to, but it's best if they do. If they don't match, you often have to render. If you have to render something that has no filters or motion adjustments, it's an indication that you have a settings mismatch. If the footage is something like H.264, it will play but get increasingly glitchy over time as this is not an editing codec.

So, you need to know what format your footage is in, and match your timeline to this, OR make your timeline what you need to output in, and prep your footage for this before importing to FCP.

Caveat - this does not apply to all formats. Only some. You need to know which formats do what and when to make adjustments.

Yes. It's complicated. That's why they pay us the big bucks.

Your respective suggestions have increased my knowledge of FCP considerably. Thank you.

RE: Internal hard drives connected to this Mac:

Startup HD: 1TB with 413gb remaining.

Internal HD: 500gb with 152gb remaining.

Internal HD: 250gb with 24gb remaining.

Internal HD: 500gb with 407 remaining.

The problem cleared up once I removed additional programs from the desktop.

My project completed successfully on time, however, I don't want to be faced with that same problem again. From what everyone has indicated 6gb of RAM should be sufficient. It also seems that I have enough remaining disk space on all drives except possibly the 250gb HD with24gb remaining. I assume that this could cause a problem.

Any additional information would be most welcomed. Thanks again to everyone that contributed to this thread.