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Can I edit 4K video with this MacBook Pro?
- Thread starter eyalgil
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According to Apple's web site, this meets the spec for FCP X and 4K. The minimum graphics capabilities is Intel Graphics 3000.In my experience, using a 2014 15-in MBP with 16GB memory and integrated Intel graphics, this will just barely do so. I found that this Mac seems to have trouble with a Dell 2715Q (4K). Using the proxy media settings should help.
As long as you use proxy media, you'll be fine. I've been editing 4k on the move on a Macbook Air with 8Gb RAM and its perfectly fine as long as I'm using proxy. The only slow part was transcoding the proxies in the first place (that took an age), but exporting the final material was a lot faster than I was expecting.
Thats the exact machine I use and I edit 4k with no issues. The only thing is to use proxy media.
Meeting the specs and actual editing are very different. The problem I have is that Apple has made a development decision in regards how it will deal with media, for example prores 4444 with alpha files are fine when left in the native or unconverted codec, but when the timeline is set to view-proxy, the file needs to be converted into a proxy prores format, and this conversion strips the alpha channel from the prores 4444 with alpha channel.
It seems that no one has picked up on this disaster in the life of FCPX, surely if you're going to down res a codec from 4444 to proxy, you would endeavour to maintain the alpha channel in some form.
When editing above HD, that is, in proxy mode, I find it helpful to create masks when I need to use a prores 4444 with alpha file, this way I can at least edit and see what I am constructing.
For a long time I was confused as to why, and the only solution to my confusion was that Apple strips the alpha channel from the prores 4444 when converted to proxy.
Now Apple has to decide going forward one of 2 ways forward, either carry on with the proxy timeline view, and fix the prores 4444 with alpha -proxy prores bug, or find a way to to not have to convert the prores 4444 with alpha into a cached file that plays on the timeline in proxy mode.
I am not for 1 second saying the proxy mode is a bad idea, NO NO, it is a huge great idea, flawed by bad codec design! Something I keep hoping will be fixed!!
It seems that no one has picked up on this disaster in the life of FCPX, surely if you're going to down res a codec from 4444 to proxy, you would endeavour to maintain the alpha channel in some form.
When editing above HD, that is, in proxy mode, I find it helpful to create masks when I need to use a prores 4444 with alpha file, this way I can at least edit and see what I am constructing.
For a long time I was confused as to why, and the only solution to my confusion was that Apple strips the alpha channel from the prores 4444 when converted to proxy.
Now Apple has to decide going forward one of 2 ways forward, either carry on with the proxy timeline view, and fix the prores 4444 with alpha -proxy prores bug, or find a way to to not have to convert the prores 4444 with alpha into a cached file that plays on the timeline in proxy mode.
I am not for 1 second saying the proxy mode is a bad idea, NO NO, it is a huge great idea, flawed by bad codec design! Something I keep hoping will be fixed!!
I agree, as I have encountered that stupid behaviour before and couldn't understand first.
I circumvented that by using Motion and rebuilding some of the templates I had as After Effects rendered ProRes 4444 with alpha. While a pain in the ass at first, it was quite helpful, as I could edit the template within FCP X (it was a lower thirds graphics with text).
While Motion and FCP X don't speak that well together yet, it is comfortable once one knows the limitation.
Also consider giving feedback via www.apple.com/feedback . While one feedback might not be enough, I suppose we are not alone with this.
Not only have other people picked up on this "disaster", but they have discussed various workarounds:
http://www.fcp.co/forum/4-final-cut-pro-x-fcpx/18870-proxy-media-and-alpha-channel?limitstart=0
It depends on if you are editing as a job, or as a hobby.
As a job, get something newer, with full OpenCL GPU compute support.
As a hobby, that'll do fine. It may "stutter" during editing every so often, but the final output will render without stutter.
As a job, get something newer, with full OpenCL GPU compute support.
As a hobby, that'll do fine. It may "stutter" during editing every so often, but the final output will render without stutter.