[Nick Coombes] "MP4 files and other quite normal codecs"
You seem to have an odd sense as to what "quite normal codecs" meant for EDITING are. MP4...not an editing codec. H.264...not an editing codec. I can spout out a list of others that aren't. What you need to do is look in the FCP EASY SETUP and there you will see what codecs ARE designed for FCP to edit. If the formats you have are NOT in that list...then they aren't "quite normal" at all.
[Nick Coombes] "that exact copies of these files work fine from my Mac's HD but slow when used from the external drive, "
OK then...what is the FORMAT of the hard drive? Connected via FW800..got it. Is it formatted MacOS Extended? Fat32?
[Nick Coombes] "so I don't see how the file formats is an issue."
They are. You are using non-editing codecs and that puts a strain on the system...the processors and hard drive.
[Nick Coombes] "Just plugging the drives in seems to slow the whole laptop down."
Anything else plugged in via firewire?
Shane
GETTING ORGANIZED WITH FINAL CUT PRO DVD...don't miss it.
Read my blog,
Little Frog in High Def
