Final Cut Pro Scratch Disk Question

[EastCoastGirl]

Hi all...I'm relatively new to FCP...been using it about 6 months. In that time I've managed to fill up 2 scratch disks - one on each of the 2 hd's on my mac. My question is, if I go into a scratch disk and delete something, will that clip no longer be available to me when I try to open the corresponding project in FCP?

I'm guessing this is a no brainer since I haven't been able to find a clear cut answer in any of the manuals, but I figured it couldn't hurt to ask.

And while I'm at it, anyone know of a solution to my "full scratch disks" problem besides A.) Getting a third hard drive, or B.) Saving the projects I'm more of less finished with onto DVD and then deleting them?

Thanks! =)

[Baltimore Shooter]

My question is, if I go into a scratch disk and delete something, will that clip no longer be available to me when I try to open the corresponding project in FCP?
That's correct. Once you delete the media from your drives, it's GONE FOREVER! If you start deleting files, make damn sure they are ones you DON'T want anymore. I've accidently deleted files I wish I hadn't and had to go back to the source tape and re-digitize (thank god it was tape and not P2).

And while I'm at it, anyone know of a solution to my "full scratch disks" problem besides A.) Getting a third hard drive, or B.) Saving the projects I'm more of less finished with onto DVD and then deleting them?
Are you running uncompressed or are you compressing what you're digitizing? Unless you're compressing as you digitize, no, that's about your only options. I prefer a RAID5 setup, which I have, but that's about $3,500.

Hope that helps.

Warren

[elvezz]

As to the full drives, you never really want to keep your files on the same drive as the operating system. My newer G5's (last of the Power PCs) firewire capabilities are more that adequate to transfer files to a 3rd hard drive such as a LaCie 500 GB, which I have. I also have a Media RAID setup. This is a great system, but expensive and, nowadays, almost unecessary.

Unless you are really cranking out some long and involved projects, a simple stand alone hard drive should be plenty of horsepower for your needs.

[EastCoastGirl]

Thanks for your replies. My main drive is a G5, and we have two Lacie drives, with a scratch disk on each. Both were full yesterday, so I tranferred some things to DVD and deleted them from the scratch disk. Now it seems to be working fine. (I'm going to transfer the rest of the shows I have stored in there when I find some time...)

I'm just wondering if I have any other options. Right now my limit for storage on the scratch disks is set to 2000. If I set it higher will I have problems?

[Canonman]

so I transferred some things to DVD and deleted them from the scratch disk. Now it seems to be working fine. (I'm going to transfer the rest of the shows I have stored in there when I find some time...)

Keep in mind, DVD is not a permanent archival media. The dyes on burnable DVDs will fade and make them unreadable. Tape is still considered to be one of the best ways. I know some folks who buy a hard drive, archive to it, and then place it in an anti-static bag on a shelf. Can't say that this method is guaranteed either. With either method, you should consider re-archiving every year or so onto newer media.

cm

[Necktie Boy]

I don't know why Apple calls it a " scratch disk"? As other has said, this is where your media files are kept. You want to have about 10% space left for the disk to be happy. If you fill them all the way, playback and other nasty problems will show up.

Depending how important the media, depends on what format to save the footage. At my work, if it will be used down the road, I put the master on tape and a DVD. Since I burn DVD copies for others, that is easy to copy than tape. But if the project isn't going to be used in five years, I just make a DVD copy.

Hard drive are cheap. You didn't say how big of drives you are using.

[Douglas]

Anyone who's serious about editing with FCP should get a copy of Larry Jordan's "Final Cut Pro 5 Hands-On Training" book from Amazon or B&N. It's the best $35 you'll spend. I think it's the best written training book I've read on any subject. Five Stars and two thumbs up.

Doug

[EastCoastGirl]

I got the Larry Jordan book today, and the answer to my question was in the first chapter! I had the settings for the scratch disk set WAYYYY too low. I had it set to 3000, when it was supposed to be 23,300 MB. That should provide me with adequate room, I think. LOL

Thank you all who offered their 2 cents!

[SeattleShooter]

My $0.02...get an EXT HDD. Media storage is so cheap now it does not hurt.