Qmaster/Final Cut Studio problem

[Peter Axford]

I am in contact with Apple Support on this one but if anyone has come across this before please can you help?!

Source files are XDCAM EX 1080p25 35Mbps VBR (HQ) or XDCAM EX 1080i50 25Mbps CBR (SP). Transferring via Sony XDCAM Clip Browser or Log and Transfer plug in Final Cut Pro seems to make no difference (the XDCAM files transfer without incident and can be used normally)

Mac Pro 1.1 (2006) Quad Core 2.66Ghz/4Gb RAM

Apple Qmaster – version 3
Compressor – version 3.5
Final Cut Pro – version 7.0
OS X Snow Leopard – version 10.6.1

Qmaster is set up to create three instances of Compressor (a quick cluster only on this computer) and it has worked fine for at least the last two years without incident. The problem seemed to start with FCS3 rather than Snow Leopard.

Have tried newly transferred files using EX1 and SXS cards and projects under Snow Leopard 10.6.1 and Final Cut Studio 3 same results as below.

With Qmaster … Final Cut Pro > File-Share (any setting) > Export = Error

Without Qmaster … Final Cut Pro > File-Share > Export = OK

With Qmaster … Final Cut Pro > File-Share > Send to Compressor > Submit = Error

Without Qmaster … Final Cut Pro > File-Share > Send to Compressor > Submit = OK

With or without Qmaster … Final Cut Pro > Export QuickTime Movie (using current settings) > close Final Cut Pro > Open movie in Compressor = OK

Error details: Failed – HOST [local.whateveritis] Final Cut Pro generated an error and unexpectedly quit

However FCP is still running – although another error when trying to quit it informs me that FCP is trying to rendering said failed attempt!! Have to Force Quit.

Have removed with FCS Remover and re-installed Final Cut Studio today and no change.

My first major issue with my Mac Pro/FCS in three years of use.

Thanks for any advice/cards of sympathy.

[Scott Cassie]

hi peter.

The quick cluster option at the bottom of the share window only works if you have two or more computers for within that cluster - it doesn't work with clusters made up of your cores. It something to do with final cut not being able to work with this. It will work fine on compressor when not using it via the share option.

I've read this info online in forums and reviews, plus had first hand experience of it myself. Google it and you will find the info.

Hope this helps.

[Jason Lowe]

I've been having the same problems with qmaster using the share function to export to BD. It's a single computer render, so I really don't need distributed computing at all. How are you disabling qmaster? I've turned off everything I can in the qmaster system preferences panel.

[Andrew Clark]

Peter -

I've noticed other people having similar issues. I don't know if this will help, but you may want to have a look:

Qmaster problems

[Peter Axford]

Thanks all for your help and comments. Still waiting for Apple to get back to me...

Scott > Just to let you know the problem is even occurring if I send the project to Compressor via the Share option i.e. Compressor is opening up and I can set the option to use the cluster in Compressor and it wont work. Of course FCP needs to remain open when using this workflow and I wonder if the option to use a cluster is disabled because you can continue using FCP whereas in previous versions of FCP became unavailable (maybe Apple have done this to retain CPU power for FCP?). The only way I can now render using a quick cluster and thus make the most of my 4 cores is to render out a reference or self contained QT movie. I think I have resigned my self to this fact but it isn't too bad as I always keep a copy of the finished movie on as a QT movie anyway.

Jason > To turn off Qmaster go into preferences select Qmaster and click Stop Sharing. However it should not interfere if you select This Computer as the Cluster in the Share window or after clicking submit in Compressor. However if you have 4 or more cores in your Mac I strongly urge you to set up a quick cluster as Compressor does not use your system effectively without it (i.e. my 2 core iMac runs at 95-100% CPU usage without Qmaster whereas my Mac Pro only peaks at about 60-70% usage without Qmaster - with Qmaster set to create 3 instances* of Compressor on my Mac Pro I get 95-100% CPU usage which greatly speeds up rendering which is why I bought a Mac Pro!! (* i.e. it uses your computer as if it is three computers - if you have 8 cores I have read you should set it to 7 instances and you need about 1Gb RAM per core)

Andrew > Sorry your link doesn't seem to be working I'll have another look at the Apple site to see if I can find this post.

Many thanks.

[Andrew Clark]

Apologize about that.

I'll try it again here

The topic in the Apple discussion thread is: "proper QMaster settings for FCS3?"

It's located in the Final Cut Studio > Qmaster section.

[Jason Lowe]

Andrews link is putting an unrecognized character at the end for some reason. It's working in the second attempt if you link from this page, but if you're subscribed to the thread the link in the email doesn't work. All you have to do is delete the unrecognized character at the end (looks like a diamond with a ? inside it).

I wonder if this is a forum bug?

[Peter Axford]

Thanks link is working great now.