Optimizing MacBook Pro performance with FCP 5

[stevevaus]

We're using FCP 5 - just bought a MacBook Pro 17" for field work.

It seems surprisingly sluggish at times - ie even though we have it set not to sleep, seems to take a few seconds from time to time when we hit play before it rolls.

I'm assuming we've got some bad settings that are taking a hit on performance.

Can someone please give some specific guidance so we can get the best performance out of the MacBook Pro. (All the latest software is installed - computer is only 1 month old direct from Apple store.)

Thanks in advance.

 

[agwah]

same thing here w fcp 6 and new mbp 17inch HD screen 4gig ram,

was considering if it was the external monitoring 23 inch cinema display slowing down the graphics card but it is in both single and double screen mode
perhaps it takes a while for the hard drives to gather all the files on the external maxtor 1tb drive firewire 800 but firewire should be fast enough
haven't really done any tweaking of any settings
working with canon a1 hdv 60i material and also tested recorded files to fcs-c with 24f/p frames structure directly
when playing there are horizontal lines across the screen,
it seems it doesn't renew the images often enough to give a smooth looking viewing experience
keep the research going and please post your findings

the lines don't happen when playing the same files in quicktime

 

[Sirocco]

Same problem here. Horizotal lines moving up the screen . I ve spent few hours at the Apple tore and they seems not to understand what is happening.
The problem is not only with my Canon A1 stuff capture (1080i) but also appears in with the video provided with FCE training book.
My MBP is brand new, upgrade with 4gigs of ram and HD screen.
Beware this is resolved before buying a new MBP.