Does final cut express really only use -1- processor?

FCE use a single processor... so does Final Cut Pro... the advantage of more cores comes into play for apps like Compressor which can take multiple cores and put them to work on large jobs with many files in a batch.

I routinely watch FCP grab over 100% on activity monitor. I'm convinced it's multicore aware but to nowhere near the extent that newer FCS apps and Compressor are. It is limited to 3 GB of RAM, though.

FCP 8 and technologies such as GCD and OpenCL should address this, as will the Quicktime X framework updating and rewriting in Cocoa. I expect the next version to require Snow Leopard, as well.

I just exported something in Final Cut and it was averaging about 200% processor power which was better than I had thought.

I have to say though that the exporting "remaining time" is really far off.

Sometimes it will say 30 mins to go and then it just finishes and the file is fine!

acearchie said:

Sometimes it will say 30 mins to go and then it just finishes and the file is fine!

Click to expand...

Final Cut bases it's ETA off of it's current rendering/exporting point on the timeline and it assumes the remainder of the timeline is exactly the same as that. For example, if you have a lot of complex graphics at the beginning of your project FC will assume the entire project is composed of complex graphics and give an ETA based on that. Once it moves past the complex gfx to just a simple CC filter it will assume the rest of the project is a simple CC filter and dramatically reduce its ETA.


Lethal

FCP can go to 200% on the activity monitor because 1 proc can equal 2 cores.

LethalWolfe said:

Final Cut bases it's ETA off of it's current rendering/exporting point on the timeline and it assumes the remainder of the timeline is exactly the same as that. For example, if you have a lot of complex graphics at the beginning of your project FC will assume the entire project is composed of complex graphics and give an ETA based on that. Once it moves past the complex gfx to just a simple CC filter it will assume the rest of the project is a simple CC filter and dramatically reduce its ETA.

Click to expand...

I exported a single recording of me playing the piano today all done in one cut with no effects with about 1 minute length however the footage said 15 minutes left for export then it just finished! How would this happen under the ETA system?

acearchie said:

I exported a single recording of me playing the piano today all done in one cut with no effects with about 1 minute length however the footage said 15 minutes left for export then it just finished! How would this happen under the ETA system?

Click to expand...

Simple. FCP is crazy. Honestly, I've never seen an ETA window that was consistently accurate.


Lethal