Dual Monitor re configuration

So like many who started back in the day I like my configuration of dual monitors to be the Avid way. Bins on the left underneath the menu bar and monitors on the right with timeline underneath.

FCP X when calling up it's only two options for dual screen will either fill the monitor on the right with full screen video or a massive event browser.

UNLESS!!!! Put FPC X into single screen mode and drag the whole window to the right monitor.
Then invoke "Show Events on second display" and BINGO you get Events on the left under the menubar leaving your viewer and timeline on the right!

HAPPY DAYS!!! :lol:

(Of course would still be a lot happier if I could do other things like put the effects browser, info and waveforms on the left as well. But at lest it's a start)

I got lucky here. I always preferred to have my Avid set up backwards to everyone else, the way FCPX works now. I can work with FCP like that but would also prefer to customize my own layout.

Fill out the Frrdback page.

If I didn't have my displayed stacked as opposed to side by side (I don;t have the real estate), then I would love it.

If I select "Show Events in 2nd Display" i get the events and clips on top and the video and storyline on the larger lower screen.

I don't mind this setup if I'm editing in the storyline. But it's a little annoying for me to be looking up to see the Events and Clips. Plus I'm using my second (Samsung LED TV) display to do some approximate color work as it's calibrated for video.

But when I'm working in the storyline it's a nice view, as I don;t have to access the media in the library anyway.

Yep, not being able to configure my screen layout is one of the top FCP X bugbears for me..

I like to see as much as my timeline as possible so to be able to throw the inspector, timeline list, effects etc over to the second monitor would be great.

Oh and I'm getting more and more annoyed about not being able to see the source and timeline pics at the same time. It didn't bother me at first but its starting to bother me occasionally.

Agreed, while being a practical solution Apple doesn't understand how important it is to see the source sitting next to the sequence for determining whether the shots will flow.

Seeing the Master Clip tells me nothing about how to trim my edit. All I need to see is the Timeline to judge my edit. What's in the Event means nothing at that point.

Trimming works just fine in FCP X. What I'm talking about is just editing. There is a lot of trial and error when you don't see the reference frame before you hit the edit button.

This is why the two screen layout has been the paradigm for so long. It works.

But I don't think Apple has any intention of changing it. This interface is clearly designed to be efficient on one screen. There's no doubt we'll be seeing an iPad version of FCP X very soon.

I don't see it as a preparation for an iPad version. It's rather that 75% of all Macs sold are laptops, so it makes sense for Apple to come up with one-screen solution.

I'm on the road a lot, and so I can't say I miss the Viewer window. Took up a lot of space on a 15" MBP.

If you're properly familiar with your footage, and the script, there's not a lot of experimentation during editing.

We already have iMovie for the iPad, and I doubt you'll see anything as powerful as FCP X on an iPad for quite some time.

BenB wrote: If you're properly familiar with your footage, and the script, there's not a lot of experimentation during editing.

We already have iMovie for the iPad, and I doubt you'll see anything as powerful as FCP X on an iPad for quite some time.

And what would be the problem if we did? What if say a director was able to do a quick preliminary cut down or at least view the footage and make some simple cuts.

Or imagine being able to take low res proxy media on an iPad into a clients office, hook up to a projector and just cutting the story line with them. Then go home, hit the sync to FCP X button and the timeline, linked to the high res media is there for you to refine.

Beats lugging a laptop and hard drives, speakers and monitor to a clients office. Would justify buying an iPad in a heartbeat.

iMovie already can do that. In fact, I've done preliminary cuts with iMovie on my iPad, and because it sync's to iMovie on my desktop Mac, I can take it into FCP X in tact. That has been possible since the first day FCP X was released.

BenB wrote: iMovie already can do that. In fact, I've done preliminary cuts with iMovie on my iPad, and because it sync's to iMovie on my desktop Mac, I can take it into FCP X in tact. That has been possible since the first day FCP X was released.

How do you get the footage from say an XDcamHD camera in to iMovie?

Convert it to an iPad compatible format, sync it to your iPad, just like any other NLE that does/will exist on your iPad.

BenB wrote: Convert it to an iPad compatible format, sync it to your iPad, just like any other NLE that does/will exist on your iPad.

And then how do you relink to the original footage?

Inside FCP X, as iMovie creates an Event with your iPad compatible "proxy" media. It's a limitation of the iPad itself. But it can be done fairly easily.

Getting a little off topic here but oh well.

I've no doubt at all that if we see an iPad 3 that is 2048x1536 and has Thunderbolt we will see Final Cut Pro X or a iMoviePro App and an Aperture or the like app out for this device.

Anyway not long to wait now if all the rumour sites are true.

Do not hold your breath for T'bolt on an iPad, that's a long way off. The processing power required to incorporate it into a device is huge.