SBOD when I first hit play, FCPX unresponsive

This is an annoying issue I've had ever since 10.1.

I launch FCPX, it opens normally with the last project loaded. I can skim the project, open another project, do anything inside FCPX EXCEPT PLAY. When I hit play, the timeline doesn't start, and after a few seconds the SBOD appears, and I have to force quit.

Sometimes this happens several times before FCPX finally work as expected. Once it's working, it's working until it happens again, which is not every time I launch the app. I have really tried to find the cause, but it seems completely random. I guess it happens about 25% of the days I launch FCPX, which is normally every day.

it's not a showstopper, because once it starts working, it's completely stable, in fact it's about the most stable app I run on Mac.

Ideas?

On what drive do you keep the media for your FCP X productions?

- Ronny

Thanks for the response Ronny

I keep the original files on one of 4 3TB internal drives in the 2013 (old style) MacPro 3.3GHZ 6 core, and the working files (Proxy, Optimised and render) on another 3TB drive. The system drive is a Crucial SSD in the second optical drive bay.

The HDs are Western Digital.

Okay, that's perfect and it eliminates possible drive startup problems. Playback issues like this are often caused by drives not starting immediately when you push the play bar, or by using USB2 drives. But this doesn't seem to be the case here. Just make sure that in System Settings > Energy the "put drives to sleep" option is disabled. I also would advise to run a drive test and/or repair permissions on the drive where you keep the original files to rule out any drive issues.

If it doesn't have anything to do with the drive the next thing I would do is refresh the FCP X preferences. The best way for doing this is by using Digital Rebellion's Preference Manager (free utility). And until the next version of Mavericks is released it is also best to restart your computer after refreshing your preferences.

If none of these help post back and we'll try and find out what may be causing this.

-Ronny

Excellent wisdom from Ronny. I think he is spot on.

If the drive sleep isn't the issue, try moving your project timeline a newly created event in the same library. I had a similar problem that was resolved by doing that.

Many thanks both for the replies.

Both of the drives I use with FCPX are WD Caviar Green drives. I confess I didn't think too hard about these when I ordered them and probably the WD Red or Black drives would have been a better choice. I'm not sure if the Greens put themselves to sleep independently of the Mac settings, which is set to NOT put HDs to sleep when possible, and the Computer to sleep NEVER.

I've run Disk First Aid>Verify disk and both volumes 'appear to be OK'

I don't mind replacing the drives if it will help.

I'll follow your suggestion about the prefs. What do you mean by moving the timeline to a new event? Do you mean dragging the project into a new event?

Thanks

david

I just used Preference Manager to trash the prefs (after backing the old ones up). I immediately notice that the timeline starts playing more quickly than it used to do - there was always a ~0.5 sec delay between hitting the spacebar and the timeline moving, now it's more or less instant.

The SBOD hasn't appeared so far, but as I said it usually only happens on the first launch of the day.

Thanks again, cautiously optimistic...