Comments on: FCP updated. Now more Avid-like (but not much) UPDATED

By: Mike

Mike — Fri, 07 Jan 2011 20:52:42 +0000

@editblog your timeline does not stop if you map it to a keyboard move.

By: Mike

Mike — Fri, 07 Jan 2011 20:51:20 +0000

HALLELUJAH!!!! I can’t believe this actually came to Final Cut Pro. I’m a zoom freak, and the notion that we could only zoom into our selected clips in FCP seemed totally insane. I also use Avid a lot so this is HUGE for me. One thing, since I COMMAND + Minus or Plus to zoom in and out, I actually mapped it to my keyboard. If you’re used to zooming and out as much as I am, you’re not going to map this as a button (useless). Rather, open your keyboard layout (in tools menu) and map it that way under the command tab.

By: Richard

Richard — Sat, 01 Dec 2007 14:20:43 +0000

A real scroll to playhead feature is one that has been missing in FCP for years. The one Apple has instituted is really a toy-like feature and stops playback when you use it. What we need is real Timeline scrolling around a stationary Playhead.

I use Digital Performer and Logic Pro and both have had a true scrolling Playhead for years. In DP, you can even place the Playhead anywhere along the Timeline and it will stay put and the Timeline will still scroll behind it.

Come on Apple. This has been a top 10 feature request for years.
Take care of your customers.

Richard

By: John Wallace

John Wallace — Mon, 19 Nov 2007 04:59:00 +0000

Sorry… meant to ask if you would have objections to your blog being mentioned as a possible resource in our blog post. I left that out of the earlier post.

By: John Wallace

John Wallace — Mon, 19 Nov 2007 04:55:50 +0000

Scott,

I’m thinking about putting together a blog post that lists different tools/resources that could be helpful for our Editor Network over at StudioNow. Right now we have over 500 editors signed up, and I didn’t know if you might be concerned with overload or whether you would have any objections to that?

Our blog is only linked from our editor pages (approval required). If you want to check the blog out before giving us the go ahead, however, you can visit it directly at http://blog.studionow.com

Let me know. Thanks.

By: Mattechi

Mattechi — Sun, 18 Nov 2007 05:37:53 +0000

There’s another fix which you might like. I think you blogged about the fact that FCP doesn’t have drop frame for 59.94 sequences – unlike Avid. I noticed that this version has drop frame for 59.94 now. You can view the timecode in 59.94 df and also 60@ 30.

By: Mattechi

Mattechi — Sun, 18 Nov 2007 05:32:28 +0000

Found one interesting thing. I opened a 6.0.1 project in 6.0.2 and I upgraded the project and things seemed okay until I tried to render all. Then I got a General Error. I ended up having to export out XML of the project then creating a new project which did the trick, but of course I had to re-render everything after that. I tried the upgrade with another project and I didn’t get the General Error on that sequence. I wonder what the issue could be.

By: editblog

editblog — Sat, 17 Nov 2007 16:27:48 +0000

Ok WOW what a disappointment in the “scroll to playhead” function now that I’ve installed the update. I guess it was as Andy said that we read more into it but when reading the description in the release notes it sure did feel like it would be some kind of a more dynamic scrolling function. The way it currently operates it seems almost useless (unless there is something I am missing). The I would work is that if I lost the playhead the a quick one frame step or a fit to window of the timeline would get it back. This new feature is only one keystroke and that’s good I guess. What is REALLY DISAPPOINTING is that when you press the key while playback it stops the playback. It would be really useful if it would keep playing back. Then it would be like Andy’s idea of a “page right/left implementation for dynamic timeline display” that you have to implement yourself. That is probably better than an Avid dynamic scroll anyway!

By: Andy

Andy — Sat, 17 Nov 2007 07:24:53 +0000

Hmmm… seems like a lot of folk read a lot into the new scroll to playhead function, assuming that it was a dynamic timeline scrolling feature a la Avid rather than the stated function in the release notes. Now, i never liked the scrolling timeline thing so i’m not too distressed that it turned out to be only what the docs decsribed (rather than what folks really wanted it to be) … then again, just because its not my particular cup of tea, having options is never bad, and as Scott also noted, the function as is is essentially the same thing anyway, just a restricted implementation. Perhaps it will come in a later update.
Personally, I prefer the page right/left implementation for dynamic timeline display, where the timeline refreshes to display the next ‘page’ of content when the playhead reaches the extent of the displayed page, rather than the playhead just disappearing off into the unknown.

I think the most interesting and significant thing about this supposed minor point release upgrade is the very fact that it contains interface enhancements at all. It would be wonderful if this turned out to be the start of a new drive by Apple to begin implementing some of those many “little things” that have languished for so long.

Fingers crossed

By: editblog

editblog — Fri, 16 Nov 2007 14:53:13 +0000

Well that’s kinda sad to hear Martin. From the description of the ‘scroll to playhead’ it would seem it would work the same. I was going to update this morning but it seems it requires 10.4.11 as my software update won’t see it. Since I have a client on the way I’ll keep the stable system until after this job is done!