Hi,
I know i am not doing something correctly and have spent literally hours going through the threads, I am looking for an easy FCP set up for editing 1080p footage from the EX1/3 on a MBP.
As i speak i am trying to compress a 30 min clip to a QT movie and it's taking 3 hrs.
I have at least 80gb storage and nothing else running, so if anyone can lend a hand i would be much appreciative, Mick

I thought the workflow was :

Clipbrowser > Export .mov > Open in FCP > Edit.

No?

Mick - what exactly are you doing? It sounds more like you are transcoding the footage than just importing.

I use the XDCAM transfer software (not clipbrowser) to make a .mov file. An entire card usually takes about 10 minutes to import.

ClipBrowser>XDCAM Transfer rewraps to MOV > FCP
These workflow should be several times faster than real time on MacBookPro.

Start on page 24
http://pro.sony.com/bbsccms/assets/files/micro/xdcamex/downloads/FCP_XDCAM_Workflow_v9_6.pdf

I am using the log and transfer plugin for FCP, I and i apologise if i may have not explained myself more extensively, the actual transfer of footage into FCP does not seem to be an issue it's just after editing etc when i need a different codec etc it is there i find these unbelievable wait times.
So what i am asking to you more experienced operators is the an ideal sequence set up, capture preset and sequence compressor etc that will elimenate all this rendering waiting times?
Cheers guys, Mick

In Final Cut Pro set your Preferences / Sequence Render Control to ProRes. Then there's no Long GOP conform.

When I'm done editing I export QuickTime Self Contained in the sequence (EX) codec. There's no rendering beyond anything you'd experience with any other codec. No Long GOP conform.

But (using Craig's great example) when you then have to go to a standard def DVD, there will be a long wait time for transcoding to SD. Maybe that's what he was talking about.

Now if we could just get everyone to switch to Blu-Ray, it would save a TON of time. :)

thanks Craig.