Final Cut Pro 7.0: Using and optimizing the iChat Theater Preview

To use the iChat Theater Preview feature:

• Both the host computer playing the video and the remote computer receiving it must have Mac OS X version 10.5 Leopard or later.
• Both computers must have iChat accounts and the remote user’s account must be added to the host computer’s buddy list.
• To hold a video chat session in which you and your iChat buddy can chat and see each other, both computers must have a video camera, such as the Apple iSight, attached or built in to the computer. If the host or remote computer doesn’t have a video camera, you can still use Final Cut Pro to send video by inviting the remote viewer to a one-way video chat session, but you will not be able to see or chat with the remote viewer as you can during a video chat session with cameras.
• The host computer must have Final Cut Pro 7, but the remote computer using iChat does not require it.
• Both computers require a network connection that is fast enough to support a video iChat session.
• During an iChat Theater Preview session, the remote user’s iChat window displays the media being played in the host’s Viewer or Canvas window and an inset of the remote user’s camera image, similar to the image shown below. The remote user can talk to the host user and view the playback simultaneously.

_{Remote user’s iChat window}

The host user’s iChat window displays the video sent from the remote computer, and an inset of the video being played in the Viewer or Canvas window, similar to the image shown below. Final Cut Pro streams the video played in the host’s active Viewer or Canvas window.

Note: Your iChat window may look slightly different from the illustrations shown here, depending on the version of Mac OS X that you are using on your computer.

_{Host user’s iChat window and inset of Viewer or Canvas window}

As you host a video chat session using iChat Theater Preview, you can play clips or sequences in the Timeline in the Canvas window. You can also open specific clips in the Viewer and play them for the remote viewer. You can switch between displaying video from the Viewer or Canvas by clicking the window you want to make active. You can also have multiple Viewer windows open and use them to show a different clip or versions of a clip. For example, you can open three Viewer windows, each holding a different version of a clip, and then play each window one at a time for the remote viewer to compare.

The frame displayed in the Viewer or Canvas appears in the remote viewer’s iChat window. In Final Cut Pro, you can stop clips and reposition the playhead on specific frames to discuss them. You can also have Final Cut Pro display the timecode of the current frame in the remote iChat window to help you identify specific frames. If you wish, you can control the volume of your video using the Audio Mixer. If you make another application active other than Final Cut Pro, a pause overlay appears in the remote viewer’s iChat window.

During an iChat Theater Preview session, the streaming of the Final Cut Pro video is optimized for viewing in an iChat window. The video is streamed at a lower, optimized frame rate, formatted to fit the iChat window. Overlays and warnings or messages, such as alerts about dropped frames during playback, are turned off. During the session, the external video, video playback, and audio playback commands are unavailable in Final Cut Pro.

The actual video playback performance that the remote user sees can be affected by several factors, including the speed of the network connection, the processing speed and power of the host and client computers, and the processing power required to play back video in a specific format.

For optimal playback performance during an iChat video session:

• Ensure that you’re using a stable network connection with sufficient bit rate for video iChat sessions. Refer to iChat Help for more information about setting up video chat sessions.
• Ensure that both the host and client computers have sufficient CPU and GPU processing power.
• On the host computer, set Final Cut Pro to use Unlimited RT mode and render segments that require rendering for optimal playback. You can also set the playback rate to half the standard rate to reduce the overall playback processing of Final Cut Pro. You can also choose to lower the RT playback quality.
• On the host computer, make sure that Final Cut Pro and iChat are the only applications open. On the client computer, make sure that iChat is the only application open.

When using Final Cut Pro to host a video chat session, it’s recommended that you turn off or disconnect any video device connected to your computer to prevent any potential video output conflicts. If you’re having issues using iChat, you can open iChat Preferences to check whether the video device is being recognized correctly by iChat. If you’re having issues during an iChat Theater Preview session with Final Cut Pro, it’s recommended that you check whether you can establish a standard video iChat session to determine whether the issue is with iChat or with Final Cut Pro iChat Theater Preview.

If the iChat Theater Preview session doesn’t start shortly after inviting your iChat buddy, wait a few seconds and try the invitation again. See the following articles for additional iChat troubleshooting information:

Mac OS X 10.5: iChat system requirements
Mac OS X 10.5, iChat: Unable to participate in video conference
Mac OS X 10.5: Using iChat with a firewall or NAT router
"Well known" TCP and UDP ports used by Apple software products
Mac OS X 10.5: iChat AIM account buddy list repeatedly expands, collapses, and generates a login error
Mac OS X 10.5: Mail, Safari, and iChat may unexpectedly quit after installing Java Update 4

For additional iChat information and assistance, visit the iChat Support page.

Note: When hosting an iChat Theater Preview session, it’s recommended that you remind the remote viewers that their display or external monitor may not be using the same color settings, and so there may be visual differences between the host and remote images.