Where to delete FCP Output Sequence Settings and should I?

[Christopher Drews]

I would like to minimize the number of presets in my Output settings for my various capture cards (I have them all - AJA, BlackMagic, Matrox). It is tiresome to go through a thousand presets which I never intend on using.

I believe I've discover the path in Library>Application Support>Final Cut Pro System Support> Custom Settings> *Millions of Settings*

Can I just delete away, only keeping the ones I want?

Please see attached screenshots for additional info.

Thanks,
-C

[Robert Lane]

So you really want to clean up options, ay? FCP makes it easy:

Goto the FCP main menu and select "A/V Settings..." and in the dialog box that comes up select the "Sequence Presets" tab, highlight the setting you want to delete and presto.

Should you? Totally up to you, however reinstalling the default presets that FCP ships with requires a re-install of the app because manually reinserting them into the presets folder doesn't re-update the preferences library, so I'd be danged-sure you want to get rid of stuff before you do it.

Otherwise, simply deleting preferences will have no adverse effect on your system - but I would NOT do this in the middle of an unfinished project.

[Andy Mees]

Hey Robert

Chris is talking about Video and Audio Playback presets here (A/V Devices tab) and am pretty sure these cannot be managed through the Audio/Video Settings window ... and Chris, sorry but no, they cannot be managed through the Custom Settings folder either.

As I understand it, the Video and Audio playback settings are provided as part of the device's QuickTime Video Output Component and cannot be modified ... this is also one of the possible reasons why multiple devices cannot always be accommodated on a single FCP system, as FCP apparently limits the total number of video output components that can be displayed/handled.

Best
Andy

[Robert Lane]

If you're talking about deleting AV codecs, technically you can manually delete them deep in the core components (requires using X11 tools) but it's most definitely not recommended. I can guarantee that you'll end up with a very confused and hacked version of QT and it's totally not worth going through that hassle of fixing the bugs you'll create just to clean up the plethora of options.

There used to be a tool that allowed for a GUI interface to do just that kind of surgery on QT but it's compatibility ended with QT 7 and the developer has since stopped that work.

Consider it a "badge of honor" that you have so many options; maybe you could include that in your marketing to your clients that you have unlimited options for AV codecs!

[Christopher Drews]

Originally Posted by Andy Mees

... this is also one of the possible reasons why multiple devices cannot always be accommodated on a single FCP system, as FCP apparently limits the total number of video output components that can be displayed/handled.

Yep. This is probably why I cannot use my MXO 1 and MXO 2 on the same system (the output will default to the first installed device).

I thought I've done this before but maybe I'm mistaken.

This is more for my other editors, who come on to a system and are terrified to see a list with many output settings which don't always jive with HD monitors. Namely, when you select RGB vs YPbPr vs 720 59.94 vs 720 50 vs 10 bit vs 8 bit.

Also, in my experience Andy, if you have two different vendors (such as AJA or BlackMagic) - These output settings will work in the same system, since a different manufacturer and driver are created for the hardware.

Thanks for giving it a look,
-C