The dropped frames warning message may be the most misunderstood error message in Final Cut Pro. Understanding the causes and likely solutions can make all the difference in solving the issue quickly.
Dropped frames occur when, during either capture or playback, FCP and your Macintosh can't process and deliver the number or size of frames of video per second required by the video standard you are using. FCP expects to display or write a new frame of video at certain time intervals. If the frame does not arrive on time because it was delayed elsewhere within your system, FCP will drop (skip) that frame. Capture or playback either continues with the frame missing or stops with a warning message, depending on your preference settings.
The first question to ask when troubleshooting dropped frames is whether the issue occurs consistently in particular situations, or intermittentlyand whether dropped frames occur during capture or playback.
Dropped Frames at a Glance |
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Type of Problem | Symptom | Possible Cause | Solution |
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Intermittent dropped frames during capture or playback | #1: Problem occurs despite correct FCP settings | Hardware does not meet the requirements for your video format | Check hardware system requirements; page 727 |
| #2: Problem occurs despite a fast disk drive and ample storage | Incorrect (or incorrectly configured) software driver for the storage solution | Check software driver and configure it correctly; page 729 |
| #3: Problem occurs after an OS upgrade | Incorrect Mac OS X setup | Configure your Mac operating system correctly; page 730 |
| #4: Problem occurs on some clips that display an orange bar | Incorrect use of Unlimited RT feature | Configure your Unlimited RT settings correctly; page 731 |
Consistent dropped frames during capture or playback | #1: Problem occurs when a camera or deck is connected to a FireWire drive on the same bus | Congested FireWire bus | Add an additional FireWire bus to your system; page 732 |
| #2: Problem occurs with a new FireWire drive | New drive isn't fast enough or large enough for your video format | Ensure adequate storage capacity and drive speed; page 734 |
Consistent dropped frames only during capture | #1: Problem occurs at capture even though you can play back the same content from the scratch disk | Wrong storage solution for the job | Use the right storage solution for the job; page 735 |
| #2: Problem occurs after you've captured and deleted lots of footage | Storage drive incorrectly configured or formatted | Configure and format your storage drive correctly; page 736 |
Consistent dropped frames only during playback | #1: Problem occurs only with one particular clip | Long frame, or duplicated frame, in a clip | Delete long frames; page 738 |
| #2: Dropped frames or picture stuck on a single frame | Scroll bars in Canvas or Viewer window are interfering with playback | Get rid of scroll bars; page 740 |
| #3: Issue occurs at specific clip or location in the sequence | Corrupted clip or media; too many tracks of audio | Re-render media; delete and recapture or replace the clip or media; force an audio mixdown; page 742 |