Apple Final Cut Pro 5 - Manual (Page 1306)

Chapter 23 Using RT Extreme 519
III
Using Real-Time Controls in Final Cut Pro
Real-time playback and status are controlled and displayed in several different areas of
the application:
 Timeline and audio clip item render bars: Render bars tell you which parts of your
sequence play back in real time, and at what quality. Some render bar colors (such as
red) indicate that real-time playback is not possible.
 Filter and transition names in bold: Video transitions and filters in Final Cut Pro that
are capable of real-time playback appear in bold in the Effects tab and menu.
 Real-Time Effects (RT) pop-up menu in the Timeline: This pop-up menu gives you a
way to control the playback quality of video and effects in your sequences,
allowing you to choose whether you want higher playback quality or increased
real-time playback capabilities.
Note: These options can also be changed in the Playback Control tab of System
Settings. However, several options can only be changed in the Playback Control tab,
not in the RT pop-up menu.
 Real-time effects options in Sequence Settings: Additional options in the Render
Control tab of Sequence Settings allow you to turn on or off specific, render-intensive
options to increase your computer’s ability to process real-time effects. For example,
you can choose to turn off video filter processing altogether.
About Render Status Bars
There are two render status bars in the Timeline above the ruler. The upper one is for
video and the lower for audio. These render bars indicate various levels of real-time
playback, including which sections of the sequence will play in real time and which
ones require rendering to play back smoothly.
Render bars appear near
the top of the Timeline.