Edit on an External Hard Drive and Save Money

[@lizzieblades]

I'm thankful for this. I have had trouble finding videos of people explaining how this all works, and I realized I needed help with this when I made only like 10 videos (not even good videos, just beginner videos) and they filled up my Macbook. Lol!

[@KevinRossRN]

Well, I’m certainly glad that this video has been helpful for so many. Glad to be of service. Happy editing! ✌️

[@Acestlaviee]

What size is your MacBooks ssd?

[@KevinRossRN]

Mine is 512GB, but you may be asking Lizzie.

[@omaryrajabu8619]

@@KevinRossRN you are the man for doing this, I thought about it and humbled my ass to get good advice and this is 👌🏾

[@KevinRossRN]

Many thanks friend. Really glad that you made it over here. Glad to help.

[@chrissarahnowakowski]

The tips are priceless! 1. Saving backup file to internal 2. Deleting the render files after completion.

[@KevinRossRN]

Thanks! Just trying to save a little time and some money. 😉

[@teknobuddie2612]

Hey Kevin! I know that this video was uploaded 2 years ago and you aren't probably reading this but this video was very helpful to me. My video files and other files which the software was generating took a lot of space and I had to clean up my computer every week because I needed space for other files and due to that I had to delete some files which I needed but I had no other option. I figured that an external drive would help through some KZbin videos. All of them said "You could edit on an external drive to save you space." but no one actually showed how to do so. I finally came accross this video and you explained literally everything those videos didn't include. Thank you so much.

[@KevinRossRN]

Well I’m definitely glad you found this video my friend. It’s my pleasure to be of service. Appreciate your time that you spent here.

[@teknobuddie2612]

@@KevinRossRN You earned a sub.

[@KevinRossRN]

And I’m thankful to have you here with us. Looking forward to seeing you around the channel.

[@scottoconnor]

I just picked up a 1TB sandisk ssd and didn't know how to edit from it until I found your video. Well explained. Thanks!

[@KevinRossRN]

Well friend, I’m just glad you found me. Happy to be of service.

[@SarahhhBeth]

Thank you for this video! I’ve been trying to edit on my external hard drive and I can create a library on it and everything but when I go to import to footage straight off of my camera it doesn’t import correctly and none of the files show up! What could I be doing wrong? I had to upload the files onto my computer and then create a folder on my hard drive for them and drag them directly into the editing bar for it to work. Is there an easier way?

[@KevinRossRN]

Yeah, I wouldn’t pull files from the camera if you can help it. It’s very slow and not the best. Do you have a SD card in the camera?

[@SarahhhBeth]

@@KevinRossRN yes! I purchased an SD card reader from Amazon today in hopes that would make things a bit quicker because my MacBook only has 2 usb-c ports! Hopefully that was the right move? Thank you for responding and helping by the way! I really appreciate it!

[@KevinRossRN]

Yeah, so that SD card reader will definitely help. I have a video on here where I discuss and show my workflow, but I put the SD card into the reader, I label the files, and then transfer them over to the external SSD.

[@SarahhhBeth]

@@KevinRossRN thank you so much! I will go try to find that video!

[@KevinRossRN]

I’m on mobile KZbin Studio, so for some reason can’t grab the link, but the exact title is this: File Management for Video Editing | My Workflow

[@oopalonga]

this dudes been doing his pullups

[@KevinRossRN]

Yep. Lifting heavy data 😉

[@minhtudecor]

I just love how you pull out another content that super helpful for Final Cut user like us . Save a tons of data and Choosing the workflow with a SSD External Drive 👍👍👍

[@KevinRossRN]

Awesome! So glad it helped, friend. 👊🤙

[@jenriquefilms1634]

Wow, that bonus tip at the end wow! Game changer right there. BIG thank you!

[@KevinRossRN]

And a big thank you as well. Happy to help and provide value where I can. Appreciate you.

[@ramonalejandro3344]

Nice video bro. Just getting into film editing and I have an old 2012 MacBook Pro. Changed out my HDD for SSD but still want to work off an external drive to keep my old machine fast!

[@KevinRossRN]

Heck yeah. I have the M1 Mac with 1TB of storage and still use external SSDs. I’m actually doing testing on some other setups right now and using these externals. They’re awesome.

[@chrissarahnowakowski]

Thanks

[@KevinRossRN]

Thank you.

[@KevinRossRN]

Be sure to check out the bonus tip toward the end if you've been making the same mistake I made when trying to make space on your drives after you've rendered and exported your final project.

[@riwajtv]

When you want to access in back again after deleting the render folder, do you still have all your edits and colour correction on it? Or do you have to do it all over again?

[@KevinRossRN]

All that is still intact. It just renders those tasks again.

[@riwajtv]

@@KevinRossRN got it thanks ❤️❤️❤️

[@KevinRossRN]

You bet 🤙

[@emadsam5012]

@@KevinRossRN the best advice ever so far 👍 U just got new sub

[@RobertWedderburn]

Great video! Thank you for sharing your experience Kevin!!

[@KevinRossRN]

Happy to help. Thank you 🙏

[@SimonShabo]

OMG you just helped me to clear 110GB from my external HDD! What an amazing trick!Thank you so much, double thumbs up!!

[@KevinRossRN]

It gets a little messy in there, right? Happy to help.

[@Ptpop]

Great video. I just purchased the SanDisk Extreme Pro 2TB. I am working on an exiting video project in Premiere Pro on my iMac. Can I just copy my Premiere Pro work project folder that I have saved onto my desktop onto the Extreme Pro and start working from the external drive or do I have to create a new library file on the Extreme Pro? Thanks.

[@KevinRossRN]

You should be able to move that over, but in the project timeline (within the interface/preferences) you just need to point the program to your external drive.

[@AliBrownie]

Hi Kevin! I’m about to purchase a new Mac and this is exactly what I’ve been thinking about: keeping my internal hard drive ‘clean.’ Do you think 512gb is enough space to run Final Cut Pro, Photoshop and Lightroom? Those are the three main programs I use. For sure getting 16gb RAM. Could I go even lower? Not trying to be stingy but just curious your thoughts. Also going to get the SanDisc 2TB SSD. Thanks so much for this video!

[@KevinRossRN]

Congrats on the upcoming investment. 512GBs will be fine to work with these apps and of course keeping the libraries (media) in the external drive. I’d opt for 16GBs at a minimum if you’re working with those programs. Which Mac are you thinking about?

[@AliBrownie]

@@KevinRossRN For sure getting the upgraded ram. I was thinking the newest 24 inch with M1 chip. Was tempted to get the gold color but kinda want to stick with the classic and neutral silver. Thank you so much for answering my question!!! :)

[@KevinRossRN]

Happy to help, and I do like the classic silver. Have fun!

[@Shayler78]

What about editing a 1 hour 30 minute to 2 hour feature film, shot in 4K. What SSD external hard drive would you recommend for that?

[@KevinRossRN]

Well, how much storage would you need? And do you have thunderbolt 3?

[@Shayler78]

@@KevinRossRN Using an old Macbook Pro 2015. So Thunderbolt 2 & USB 3. Need to find out the average file size of a feature film shot in 4K. Was hoping you knew.

[@KevinRossRN]

Ha! Well, it depends on all the footage. So it’s not just the timeline. So let’s say your timeline might be 300GBs, but all the footage that’s been shot could be anywhere from 1TBs to 5 or more.

[@Jeniferfayy]

watching this 4 years later still a great video

[@KevinRossRN]

Hey, and still very relevant. 😉 Glad you found it. 🤘

[@kiyakiya4075]

I have the Samsung T5 1tb and I was using it for my editing like u but I am running very low on space which was strange so thank you for your help im going to try that out ASAP. I ended up getting a 5tb external drive as a back up so I’m going to see how that goes as well

[@KevinRossRN]

Glad to help, and yes, a back up archiving solution is definitely a must with video footage.

[@rorywalters1614]

I thought I was the only one using Command straps instead of Velcro for attaching SSDs on the lid of a MacBook. Velcro is great for making morale patches, but they do wear out easily, not great for veryfrequent attaching and detaching. Command instead is a lot more durable. I change out the Velcro on my morale patches and tactical gears every year or so since they do fail fast. I've also been using Command straps for several years and haven't got any failed.

[@KevinRossRN]

That’s awesome! Yes, I do love those Command Strips. I use them for so many things. But definitely on the MacBook lid it’s been a real workflow enhancer.

[@DamianBrown]

Considering getting a 500gb or 1tb ssd external for editing on my macbook (2011) IF it will really speed up my 4k editing (I use proxy files to make it possible as it stands with regular external drives) and Raw photo editing in C1 / PS. Anybody have any more experiences that might help me decide if I should go for it?

[@KevinRossRN]

Well, speeding up your workflow is relative in this case. First, I always recommend more space if you can afford it, and most of the time, you'll always wish you'd gotten more. With the 2011 you'll be using the USB 3.0 speeds, not the thunderbolt/USB-C speeds which will be slower in transfer and editing, however if this extra space (externally) allows you to free up space on your internal drive to help with memory swap, you may get some small gains here. I was initially editing on a 2010 MBP and still used an external drive because I was editing much larger files and my internal drive was 256GB that would quickly fill up. In this scenario it was more about keeping RAW files and editing on an external device so that I could keep the internal SSD as free as possible.

[@DamianBrown]

@@KevinRossRN I'm not editing off the internal drive. As I said external hard drive, so space isn't what I'm wondering about. Thanks for the reply

[@KevinRossRN]

Sure thing. The SSD is definitely going to offer a speed bump compared to the spinning drive. Even on my 2010, it was noticeable for sure.

[@DamianBrown]

@@KevinRossRN thanks!

[@peteyasmr8315]

I just maxed out my macbook pro's internal SSD - thanks for these tips Kevin!

[@KevinRossRN]

You did! Alright then. Room to grow 😁 And thank you friend.

[@Acestlaviee]

How much ssd does your computer have??

[@tomeatshouston]

Kevin, I watched this several times and I got good info, but I'm still wondering how to all this with VSDC.

[@KevinRossRN]

How long have you used VSDC and what type of footage are you editing?

[@tomeatshouston]

@@KevinRossRN Hi Kevin. I'm using the current free VSDC (but will soon buy the pro version; it's awesome). I'm doing brief video, HD, nothing special. My question, though, was about setting up the directories on an external drive, which I believe I have accomplished. ~ Thanks :-)

[@teachkarnataka]

When I edit in fcp the data written is too much. Can I install fcp in external and keep all files (import and export) to make data written zero?

[@KevinRossRN]

Are you choosing to keep all original media and the library/bundle on the external? If that’s the case all of that should be writing to the external. Any backups that FCPX is writing should be extremely small on the internal.

[@teachkarnataka]

@@KevinRossRN yes I don't need any backup. I just want to save my 256gb m1 ssd. Fcp outputs huge files

[@KevinRossRN]

FCPX makes backups automatically, but they’re super small…like several MBs, not GBs. When you work off the external SSD, everything is on that. The only thing happening on the internal is the program just writing to the external, which happens regardless. And also, what file format are you exporting to because a 10-15 minute timeline should export in 4K at 2.5 - 5 GBs. But that depends on everything you’re adding and correcting in post.

[@teachkarnataka]

@@KevinRossRN thanks sir, I was too worried about ssd writes. You put my mind at ease

[@KevinRossRN]

You’ll be fine. I edit tons of video. The external will take most of the workload here. Best of luck.

[@teadish1448]

Super helpful!! Thanks for sharing this :)

[@KevinRossRN]

My pleasure. Glad to be of assistance.

[@lauriewahlig2819]

Thanks for the video. Couple questions: where do you keep your Lightroom catalog? On external SSD? Where do you keep your cache files? Also my photos would need a HUGE SSD for one year of work.....after processing a photo shoot what would you suggest....move to external hard drive. Issue is if client wants retouches then have to move it all back for LR to see it. Hope that makes sense. Using new laptop and would like to use external SSD for editing but trying to figure out best way to backup and be able to access easily for more touch ups. TIA!

[@KevinRossRN]

So, my Lightroom catalog is on an SSD...all backups happen there actually. I’ve been told by my creative colleagues that I’m a little over the top with my labeling of files and folders, but if I’m looking for something, then I find it pretty quickly 😉 So I’ll typically keep a SSD or two for photos throughout the year that I may need quick reference on projects. However for archiving, I have a Synology NAS for all of those files that need to be stored long term. It’s all setup on my network and via a gigabit connection, so if I need them I can grab those pretty quickly to move back over to the SSD. I would say that although I have several working projects on my SSDs, I don’t use them as backups necessarily as I’m really just trying to keep those as working drives. For video I can actually edit from my NAS if I need to, but I will say that I have a collection of these SSDs with various projects. It’s becoming part of the norm I think, to have these piling up 😁 I even have 1TB of internal on my M1 mini and I’m still just working with everything on an external. I usually keep an eye out for sales, which happen almost all the time. I mean, this 1TB T5 in the video, I might have paid somewhere like 250(ish) USD when it first came out. Now you can find them for about 129 USD.

[@lauriewahlig2819]

@@KevinRossRN thanks for quick response. Hmmmm so maybe I need to look into getting a NAS to move finished work to?

[@KevinRossRN]

It would be advisable if you’re doing this professionally...but heck, I have all my personal/family photos backed up on the NAS as well. It’s an investment, but a good one in my opinion.

[@TheDogVlog]

Thanks for these tips! What is your workflow for KZbin videos with drives? i.e. Do you work on your KZbin videos until you fill up the drive then label the dates and start a new one? I can fill up one TB so quickly with my YT videos and have been using 4 TB spinning drives with a dock. I've ordered the new Mac Mini and need a new hard drive system, 1 TB just seems so small. I also use a lot of previously shot B roll stored on my external drives and I find it hard to remember where the footage is after awhile! Any tips or systems for keeping track of drives would be greatly appreciated!

[@KevinRossRN]

So the external SSD is used for my active projects, but all of my archives live on a Synology NAS. SSDs are great for speed and workflow, but the spinning drives are better for archiving. Although slow, they typically are designed for this type of workflow...usually that is. I can work with files on my Synology if I need to as FCPX easily creates a proxy of those files, but anything for immediate need is on the SSD. So that SSD (mine) gets dumped onto the NAS after several projects have filled it up. I do have several of these SSDs though, so I don't have to do it often.

[@TheDogVlog]

@@KevinRossRN Which Synology NAS do you use? I'd love to see a video on setting that up! I still don't really understand NAS. But that's probably what I need.

[@KevinRossRN]

So the model I have isn't currently offered. I've had it for years, so if that tells you something...this thing is on 24/7. For video editing, this is the one my business has: amzn.to/34kyHs3 But as you'l see these things can add up because it's just the shell and you have to fill them with drives. I'm probably sitting at about 30TBs of video right now. It adds up. It would definitely be more if I was out doing more commercial work, but doing more KZbin these days since we're all mostly inside. I honestly can't recommend Synology enough. I know it is investment, and something you'll likely want to save up for if it's not in the budget right now. I should add that to the list of videos. Been meaning to discuss my workflow. Guess I need to get on it. 😀

[@TheDogVlog]

@@KevinRossRN yes I'd definitely watch it. I also am considering paid cloud storage because honestly I find NAS complicated to understand and I want simplicity. Do you or would you ever consider paying monthly or yearly cloud storage fees to archive video projects or save b-roll?

[@KevinRossRN]

I use cloud storage for certain things, and have an Amazon S3 account. Video files do start to add up though.

[@adamnotmichels]

Fantastic video! I edited my latest video almost entirely off of my internal drive, and it was a challenge. I kept on running out of space, and my computer was running really slowly. I will have to try your workflow out.

[@KevinRossRN]

I hope that this workflow brings your internal drive some peace 😉 Sending you my best.

[@onelifekush]

I am confused between buying the 550mbps SanDisk vs the 1000mbps SanDisk Extreme. Which one do you suggest for video editing? I use M1 Macbook pro 2020 model. Looking forward to your reply.

[@KevinRossRN]

If you’re on the M1, I’ve done several videos on this, so I’d recommend the 1050MB/s read and write if you can. The thunderbolt controller in the M1 is slower, so that 550 will be somewhere around 300-350MB/s.

[@onelifekush]

@@KevinRossRN Got your point. That makes sense. Thank you dude. All the very best for your channel. 💪

[@KevinRossRN]

And sending my best to you as well friend.

[@onelifekush]

@@KevinRossRN Thank you mate. ♥️♥️

[@cphaleiellc]

Thank you for this! Definitely starting now to get in the habit of changing my workflow to keep my laptop working great and in top tier performance 👌

[@KevinRossRN]

That’s a great habit to start. Best of luck moving forward. 🤘✌️

[@DoglinsShadow]

Thanks a ton for this video! I've been thinking to have my assistant edit videos on an external hard drive instead of having her transfer it locally, this is just another reason to do it LOL!

[@KevinRossRN]

It’s my pleasure to be able to help. Sending my best on your future workflow.

[@drkaymd]

i want to edit on my i movie, but the storage keeps showing low, can i directly edit on external hard drive?

[@KevinRossRN]

Yep! On your computer find and open the Movies folder, then drag the file named iMovie Library to your external hard drive. When the library file is finished copying to your external drive, double-click the library file on the external drive to open it in iMovie.

[@drkaymd]

@@KevinRossRN thank you , will do so 😀

[@KevinRossRN]

You bet. Sending my best and feel free to keep me posted.

[@drkaymd]

It worked out 😀 Thanks 👍

[@KevinRossRN]

Happy Days! Awesome 👍

[@dwaynerivera]

Thank you for the video. I am running into an issue currently, after I make my library stemming from my drive I go to import the media on the drive but nothing shows up. I go back to the actual drive and the videos are there, but nothing in Final Cut when I want to import something. Why is that? Thank you!

[@KevinRossRN]

So do you mean you’ve imported the footage from the SD card (or other source) onto the external drive? And when importing into final cut you’re choosing the external drive to import from, but it’s not populating in the import window?

[@dwaynerivera]

@@KevinRossRN Yes, I had to give Final Cut Pro permission or something like that. System Preferences > Security & Privacy > Full Disk Access > and select Final Cut Pro. Thanks again!

[@KevinRossRN]

Ah, gotcha. 😉 Always good when the solution is found. Best of luck moving forward.

[@AintPopular]

Heres a question, I have editor installed on my ssd (where my OS is) when i edit videos it outputs the videos on HDD. But my SSD is still getting used. it accelerates wear and tear if im assuming right. How do i let my HDD do all the heavy lifting?

[@KevinRossRN]

So to clarify, are you saying you have your OS installed on an external SSD, or is it installed on an internal SSD in your machine and you also have a “spinning” HDD? Also, which editor are you using?

[@laybackeasy]

Thank you! This is so helpful and that render tip is amazing!

[@KevinRossRN]

Happy to help. Glad you found me.

[@accentontheoff]

Greetings and thank you. I made the mistake of buying a Mac Mini with a 128 Gb hard disk. Is there any hope for me :) I could back up the footage on another separate unused hard disk and then place the files being edited on an external SSD? Any advice? Am not even sure FCP will fit on my hard disk. P.S. I am very new to this.

[@KevinRossRN]

FCPX will definitely fit on the internal (as long as you haven’t already filled it up). It’s about 3GBs in size. You can keep all of your original media and the FCP bundle (library) on an external drive. I’ve done quite a few videos on editing off of an external and even keeping the majority of your media on an external. There’s hope for you 😉

[@accentontheoff]

@@KevinRossRN Ah, so the FCP Library goes on to the external drive as well. A bit like Logic (where I am not a total newbie) I am guessing. Thank you very much for replying!

[@KevinRossRN]

Yep, I’m literally editing a video right now and all my media and the library is on the external. All good 👍 Best of luck friend.

[@accentontheoff]

And yes hope is all we have :)

[@accentontheoff]

Thanks. Cheers.

[@ElliotStephens]

What a great video!! Thank you for explaining how to edit from the SSD!! Got mine coming tomorrow along with my new camera so time to get creative!!😃🏄‍♂️

[@KevinRossRN]

Say what?! That's awesome! Really glad this helped and I'm stoked for you on getting your start...or continuation. What camera did you end up landing on?

[@ElliotStephens]

Kevin Ross ended up going with the Sony A7iii upon lots of research! I’ve been filming videos for a long time using my Canon 70D but I just felt it’s time to invest and upgrade! This is going to be my first time editing 4K footage on my iMac so was browsing the best and easiest ways to edit 4K😊

[@KevinRossRN]

Sweet! I believe that A7iii should serve you well. Here's to you chewing through that 4K timeline... Although I suppose that'll also depend on your GPU 😁 But, I do love having the work happen on the T5 to keep the local drive free.

[@ElliotStephens]

Kevin Ross that’s very true, we’ll see🙏🏼😬

[@pauljordan6295]

Very interesting Kevin! So i tell my situation and i like have your opinion: I have to buy a ne Macbook air m1 for my home music studio. So imagine i will use logic pro for recording myself and for produce music with internal logic plugins and even with third parts plugins.. and i will use final cut for my music video. In your opinion which version you suggest buy? I mean , the 16gb ram with 256SSD or 8gb ram with 512SSD? I ll buy in everyway an external SSD like sandisk extreme..Thanks!

[@KevinRossRN]

Well, not sure if you saw my other video talking about this... You might have. But, I’d say more RAM first, but I always recommend buying what you can afford. You’ve probably seen some of the videos on Logic and all the tracks it handles. I got a sample that has 188 tracks and it plays back without issue. Also, you may have done research on the this, but if you’re using third party plugins, then make sure to right click on the Logic app and have it open with Rosetta.

[@dhahdmoh9830]

Thanks for the command strips life saver. And love the idea of using the external hard drive and keeping hard drive space internally free awesome video thanks

[@KevinRossRN]

It’s a very helpful workflow. And yes, command strips are awesome 👏

[@JimCim]

Thanks, this was helpful, as I was advised when buying my M1 iMac not to spend extra money on increasing the Apple internal storage (because it is the most expensive hard drive storage) and instead to use external SSD's. That has worked well holding all my photos and music off the hard drive, and I do not notice any difference in speed. I also now have my iMovie, Keynote and GarageBand projects off the internal, but the problem was still how do I Airdrop video from the iPhone when it will only download to the internal Downloads folder? I quickly transfer it to the external and delete the files in the Download folder ... But it does not immediately replace the used space on the hard drive, and it sometimes takes days to get to where the hard drive is back to where it was before I started. The only work around I have found for this is to Airdrop the files to my older MacBook Pro ... Transfer them to a thumb USB SSD drive ... Move that drive over to the iMac ... And transfer them to the external SSD to work on them from that SSD drive. That's the only way I have found to have nothing added to the internal while working on large videos projects. Thank you again.

[@KevinRossRN]

Yeah the Airdrop workaround can be a bit of a headache in this particular scenario. Sounds like you’ve at least found something that works for you. I appreciate you taking the time to share your particular experience.

[@StaceyStaser]

Do you think I could edit entirely off an external HDD instead of an SSD? I use FCP. I think I need to prioritise storage (ideally 800GB-1TB) and only have about £50 to spend on it. SSD's are so expensive!

[@KevinRossRN]

You have to ask how much your time is worth. You can edit off of an external HDD, but there will be moments where it will bottleneck. Not impossible though. I have tested it.

[@jennysbirthingstory2975]

Thank you for this information. I have tried video editing for the past couple of years, but I always end up giving up because my computer runs slow. I started using the external SSD trick, but I am a little confused on what the “back up” is. Is it a setting on your video editing software that saves your work to your PC just in case your ssd or the program freezes?

[@KevinRossRN]

The back to that occurs on your computer’s drive contains small files of the progress of the timeline, but shouldn’t be the original media, so the internal drive should only have a small impact on the space it takes up.

[@jennysbirthingstory2975]

@@KevinRossRN Thanks for the quick and helpful response!

[@KevinRossRN]

You bet. Sending my best.

[@jesminemitchell7735]

I'm looking to find information on what settings I'd need on DaVinci Resolve to edit on an External SSD

[@KevinRossRN]

Plug in your external drive and create a folder, and you can call it Video Project (as an example) Your media can live on this folder. Open up Resolve Create new database (make sure to choose disk), and I’d typically call it the name of the project. Click “Browse” to pick the source where you’re saving this, which in this case will be the external drive. Create

[@grumpygrandpa3640]

Hi fella need some advice I just bought a dji drone it shots in 4K which is great but I need a cheap ssd card to stir that on then transfer it to my iPad as I don’t have a laptop. What would you recommend please as it’s a bit if mine field

[@KevinRossRN]

Hey there. Congrats on the drone. So I just want to confirm, are you asking about a SD card, or a portable SSD drive? Do you have a particular budget in mind?

[@grumpygrandpa3640]

@@KevinRossRN I have sd cards sorted thanks but running out of space on my iPad so need a ssd many thanks Budget wise under $100 if I can for around 1tb

[@KevinRossRN]

This is a 2TB for around 100(ish), but you can get the 1TB for around 70-80. geni.us/THET7 The cost of these SSDs have come down significantly. I remember paying a few hundred for 1TB.

[@grumpygrandpa3640]

@@KevinRossRN awesome Thankyou for taking the time to help

[@KevinRossRN]

@grumpygrandpa3640 it’s my pleasure. Sending my best on your workflow.

[@kencampbell5855]

? about storage. I am a new FCP user. Editing on new M1 MacAirI have video files on external drive and setup my library to another external drive. Do I need to have 2 ext drives or 1 sufficient? Do I need 2 ssd drives or 1 large one? Confused on how setup should be? Appreciate your input.

[@KevinRossRN]

I typically recommend keeping it as simple as possible, so really one SSD that you’re working on and have your media. 1TB at a minimum if you can, and then once that project is done, then moving that over to a backup system like an external HDD or NAS. If that makes sense.

[@omardurxn]

Hey!, first of all I wanna say that all of your content is pretty cool, you don't know how helpful your channel has beed for me as a beginner/student editor, and also I wanted to ask you what do you men by "bundle" in this parte of the video 7:50 , English is not my first language and that was the only word I didn't catch the meaning or was relatable for me, I don't even know If I'm writing it right LOL. Thank you so much!

[@KevinRossRN]

Hey glad to help. So the bundle in Final Cut is just the file name for the library and all the media inside of it. So if you look at the file name it’ll be something like (videoproject.fcpbundle) and you’ll see an image of four stars inside four squares. Within that bundle is all the media you’re using, the render files, analysis files…basically everything you’re working with.

[@getwildwithevan]

Thanks for the info Kevin. So I've been using a 2015- 13" Macbook pro with 8 gb for editing and it's always out of storage so I end up deleting files to make room. So if I purchase an external HD I can essentially just upload all my video footage straight to that and then pull from the HD into say I movie? Is that the best process for keeping the computer from bogging down?

[@KevinRossRN]

Yes, as of the current version of iMovie you should be able to move the library and files to an external device. I haven’t used iMovie in many years, although I have it around for testing purposes. But, clearing of that hard drive will help because of the memory swap with the RAM that occurs. That should help things run smoother.

[@getwildwithevan]

@@KevinRossRN Thanks!!

[@KevinRossRN]

You got it 👊

[@getwildwithevan]

​@@KevinRossRN Just order the T5! Should be a good one right!?

[@KevinRossRN]

The T5 is awesome. One of my favorite pieces of tech that I’ve used for a couple of years now.

[@christophertybor]

Using the M1 Mac Mini would the foloowing be correct? Internal SSD for OS and program files, external SSD for editing (would this be the scratch disk?) and source files for the current project, another external SSD for media and file storage (not necessarily related to the current project).

[@KevinRossRN]

So in some of my recent videos I did discuss this, especially the latest one. Programs on the main drive, and then having an active project external SSD, however for archiving, depending on how much media you have, I’d recommend a longer term back up like a NAS, but you could have another SSD... it’s just that per GB they’re more expensive than a HDD.

[@christdawn6416]

Man, you're truly a lifesaver! Thank you so much for the tips!

[@KevinRossRN]

It’s entirely my pleasure.

[@QUICKGIST]

WOW. You truly saved the BEST for last. I’ve gone through 4 external hard drives!!!! 🤦🏾‍♂️

[@KevinRossRN]

Ha! Well I do hope that helps friend. I’ve done other videos where I talk about keeping all the media on an external and the App itself on the internal. That way you’re not duplicating media…and space 😉

[@FictusFilmsPROTrailers]

Can one use a flash drive? I prefer the small physical size of a 256 gb flashdrive vs an external hard drive. Currently looking at a Samsung 256gb flash drive

[@KevinRossRN]

Sure, it’s just that you might want to consider a USB-C version 3.1 gen2 for faster read and write.

[@akammer1000]

Great video! I needed this. Does that bundle thing happen with Adobe Premier Pro as well?

[@KevinRossRN]

Thanks! So, FCPX is a bit different that way it manages these files and the bundle. This resource may help you consolidate a bit: helpx.adobe.com/premiere-pro/using/copy-consolidate-transcode-archive-project.html

[@akammer1000]

@@KevinRossRN thank you!

[@KevinRossRN]

Best of luck 🤞

[@FREEZER4000]

thank you for your video , It sounds like you are well above what I am doing ,which is just trying to find an external hard drive that saves music projects I will be making on native instruments maschine mk3 , its a beat maker that offers sampling clips , software instruments , you name it . They suggest leaving the software in the computer and recommend using and external drive for music projects, They even have an area in the initial set up to dedicate this type of drive to,, which I'm really happy about ( being more creative than tech. ) I have a few external drives where I just dumped in a-lot of photos They were cheap and they worked well for that . Now I need one that when opened helps me find what I've put in it . Can u recommend any ? thx

[@KevinRossRN]

Do you want an SSD drive like I’ve features here? Which in turn would be quicker to work on as far as speed/latency is concerned.

[@FREEZER4000]

@@KevinRossRN - yes , I never bothered to look into what hard drives offer , if they have any helpful preferences built into them for categorizing music files .Before that i was just dumping all my photos of my art into cheap ext. drives . Thousands of photos of my art work taken to use with online arts web sites . Now I need a fast hard drive and wondering which will be the most helpful and easy to use . Thanks for your reply -

[@KevinRossRN]

Well, typically if you're not doing this manually, there are certainly built-in features of your operating system, or third-party software that can help. I'd hate for you to purchase something that costs way more than it should and just get a reasonable back up solution and use the software available that can help you organize some of this.

[@brie7239]

Thank you for the video and tips! I'm a video editing beginner. Right now I'm mostly creating anniversary and memorial service videos for family/friends. I work with a few video clips but mostly pictures. I tend to download a lot of generators to make my videos more appealing. My storage space fills up quickly on my MacBook which causes me to delete my media and project files after the project is complete. Which external hard drive would you recommend for someone starting out like myself?

[@KevinRossRN]

Sure. Glad it helped. I do have some SSD options linked in the description below. I’d advise on at least 1TB to give you the ability to have more working projects and to keep your media on.

[@msnspy]

One quick question what format do you recommend to use the sandisk ssd for the fastest speed to edit on the mack. Should we use the exfat format or the extended journal?

[@KevinRossRN]

I personally use APFS. exFAT would be recommended if you’re going between Windows and MacOS.

[@spirosfilmmaking]

Is it a good option to use the ext ssd for de editing, and when you finish the project, put everything on a ext HDD? And if you need it again you can bring it back to the ssd right?

[@KevinRossRN]

Yep! That’s what I’ve done. I move everything over to a server and, I could technically edit from the server, but I often times move files back over to the SSD.

[@Big_Miks]

Great video!! Does this work if Final cut is on the internal hard drive? Or do you have to have the program saved on the external? I just got a MacBook and want to keep the internal as clean as possible

[@KevinRossRN]

So Final Cut remains on the internal drive. The only thing you’re putting on the external is the library (bundle) and all the other media you’re working with.

[@Big_Miks]

Thank you!

[@Me9s]

Thanks for this video, this is very helpful! I don't use final cut as a video editor but as a creative professional, it has been a huge problem for me to keep my internal storage to not exceed its storage limit, especially with Adobe CC software datas. I wonder if keeping those data/files in my internal storage, counts to making my laptop shuts off randomly?

[@KevinRossRN]

I use PS and LR and will say that those backups that occur on the internal storage really start to add up. I started keeping a specific external SSD just for my Adobe workflow so I could keep those backups elsewhere and not on the internal. It helped quite a bit.

[@cpb2255]

Love your contents, sir! Thank you so much for those tips - especially that last one to save space! Keep it up!!!

[@KevinRossRN]

Much appreciate you jumping down here in the comments to let me know. Thank you friend... And happy to help provide some value along the creative journey. 👍📸🔥

[@michaelkelleher714]

Have used Sandisk SSD for couple of years now with Lightroom for photography. Started as the best way to create my catalogs between home and university. Workflow is great once it's kept organised, the headache is BACKUP. To backup the backup and backup the backup and make sure to have a backup of everything. It's head melting at times to just keep everything backed up😂😭

[@KevinRossRN]

Ah! The back up conundrum. I know it well. I'm working on a video sharing my exact workflow for everything when it comes to backups. These SSDs are just a life saver though and I love that over the years they've been getting cheaper along with more storage....hopefully that trend will continue. Appreciate you jumping down here to let me know about your workflow, and your appreciation for the Sandisk SSD. A boring piece of tech that is so necessary and I use it every day.

[@michaelkelleher714]

@@KevinRossRN Cheers Kevin. Boring? No way. Essential and I agree with you "life saving" and time saving and peace of mind. I wouldn't be without them. The Sandisk is great for the price and still is superior at the price. Have a good one and I must check out your back up process video👍

[@KevinRossRN]

Ha! Glad we agree. And, I hope to have that video out soon(ish). Forward momentum my friend, and thanks again 👊

[@CrstnzM]

Hi kevin. Im trying to upgrade my 2019 macbook 256gb because i have a huge problem with storage space that i dont use much. I want to learn using final cut pro is the SSD help getting all my footage from the camera?

[@KevinRossRN]

Yes. Even with higher internal storage on my machines, I still use external SSDs for editing and having a place for the media.

[@TruthReviews]

Great work. Do you thinkin editing 4k footage off a external SSD with speeds of 1000mb would be ok? I had the T5 and that was not fast enough for some edits.

[@KevinRossRN]

Yes, I use the SanDisk that has a 1050MB/s read/write all the time. I actually have several videos on this, but an updated video features this very SSD I’m using: M1 Max Mac Studio | Do You Need the Fastest External SSD? kzbin.info/www/bejne/j4mZaqWYg9aCptU

[@TruthReviews]

@@KevinRossRN ah amazing dude thank you. That’s actually the drive I wanted to get.

[@KevinRossRN]

Awesome. It’s held up quite nicely over the years.

[@HardBlues]

What USB-C splitter are you using? all the ones i find are for audio/recharging. I just want one where i can use 2 different devices that use a USB-C connection. Unless those work for that purpose too.

[@KevinRossRN]

I don’t typically use those splitters for data because those cheaper cables can’t keep up with the throughput. If you need more ports I’d highly recommend a dock. I’ve reviewed the USB4 Anker mini dock and still use it daily. It’s a worthwhile investment: amzn.to/3v1N8xl

[@HardBlues]

@@KevinRossRN thank you for responding. i was interested in how to take the content from the scan disk to a backup without using my pc. Seems like a lot of time to move the data from the scan disk to the computer then out to an external. Guess i can use a USB hub

[@KevinRossRN]

Oh yeah, you can use a hub for that. I have a couple of those for reading SD cards.

[@hermanwoods9738]

Hi ! How are you doing today, My Name is Mr.Herman Woods ! I am just started out in video editing. What one should i get ! The final cut ! Our Devinci 17. I have RC BOAT ! AND WONT TO DO 4K . I MEAN SHOT IN 4K ! BUT MIGHT HAVE TO BREAK IT DOWN TO 1080P . TO SAVE SPACE ! WHAT WONT TO ASK ! IS WHAT DO I PUT MY WINDOWS 10 PRO ON, THE M.2 DRIVE OUR SSD DRIVE . AND FINAL CUT AS WELL .I AM TRYING TO KNOW HOW TO SET UP MY SYSTEM. I HAVE A MSI B550 TOMAHAWK MOTHERBOARD . RYSEN 7-3700X , SABRENT 1 TB M.2 .FOR NOW ! LOOKING AT THE ADATA SU760 1TB .FOR SSD ! AND I WONT TO RUN RGB ! AS WELL WHAT DO YOU THINK ! THANK YOU FOR YOUR TIME .

[@KevinRossRN]

Well it sounds like you have a PC, so FCPX is Mac only, so I’d go with Davinci and you can get the free version. You’d install the editor in your internal drive and can keep all of the media on an external. As far running Windows on the external, you can do this, but again I’d choose to run it internally.

[@silviodominianni4673]

Hi. I have 8tb's of 4k footage on a HDD. I have a 5oogb ssd in my computer. I get using a ssd but can't afford to have my footage on a 8tb ssd. How do I create a fast workflow with all this footage?

[@KevinRossRN]

Which editing program are you using, and are needing all of the 8TBs of footage every time you edit?

[@silviodominianni4673]

@@KevinRossRN thanks for your reply. I'm using Davinci and yes 8gb but (theoretically no but its the only drive I have the other is 5gb. its a 90min movie

[@KevinRossRN]

@silviodominianni4673 theoretically it can be done, but the s be concerned about losing connection to your databases and then corrupting your timeline. Honestly, I haven’t used Resolve in a minute, but per my experience I’ve often used external SSDs for my project files, but I’d be a bit nervous with a HDD. I’d have to look into this further with the recent updates because I know that editors work off of a NAS with very little issue, which those are often HDDs, but there’s redundancy. It’s not so much about the drive speed in this case, although you’ll bottleneck at times. The bigger question here is what is your time worth, and is something you’d be doing in the future?

[@melvingutierrez1188]

thank you, I just bought my first MacBook and with just 128 GB is not enough to edit or do work with media, so after saw your review I'll buy a t5, greeting from Dominican Republic

[@KevinRossRN]

Happy to help. And yeah, that 128GB machine should almost be “illegal” to sell. 🤣 You definitely run out of space quick on the internal. But these external SSDs are a life saver.

[@coelisanctus]

I am an external hdd junkie, and I have cables and velcro everywhere! I'm all about saving internal space.

[@KevinRossRN]

Ha! Right there with you! 🤘🤟

[@dinoatcharterdotnet]

I'm using a WD 5TB Elements Portable HDD to edit videos with Final Cut Pro. What format should the HDD be in for best performance? ExFAT?

[@KevinRossRN]

APFS is going to be the fastest, technically speaking. ExFAT is great if you ever using Windows as well since it’ll be compatible for both. How’s it going so far with the HDD as far as editing on it?

[@Movingstaar]

Suddenly my ssd is not shown on device it comes to camera when I tried to import files. Rply soon

[@KevinRossRN]

Which SSD are you using? And, what computer is it connected to? Also when you mentioned the camera, are you connecting the camera to the computer, or are you removing the SD card and transferring files from the SD card to the SSD?

[@henripaja1374]

Hi! Very helpful! But would you suggest buying two 500gb SSDs or just one 1tb SSD? Considering that I plan to use them for editing mainly 1080p footage. Thank you!

[@KevinRossRN]

Well, I typically prefer the larger drives...this way you're not having to dump projects as often. My opinion anyway.

[@RobertSpiller]

Kevin...this Davinci Resolve appears to be just as good as blender but again I'm a newby. Is it possible I can get a laptop with 8 GB ram, 500 SSD and a GPU or another graphics card, and add that external hard drive.. Either of the ones that you recommended. I have no problem going with Davinci.

[@KevinRossRN]

So are you looking at Blender to do 3D modeling, or are you looking for a video editor primarily?

[@RobertSpiller]

I was, but if I can't do it with Blender...what about this Davinci...again using an external hard drive for editing and the hard work. And get a regular 8 GB with 500 GB of Ram and whatever GPU you recommend. If I can't do this, then I'm sunk. But Davinci looks awesome...I didn't know about it until you mentioned it.

[@KevinRossRN]

What kind of footage are you going to edit? I’d just be a little worried with that 8GBs of RAM if you’re thinking 4K, but not all 4K is the same. Minimum 4GBs of VRAM for that GPU, but that’s definitely minimum you’d want to go.

[@RobertSpiller]

@@KevinRossRNLet me research on if they have Vram with 4 GB...so If I go

[@TheFandangovideoguy]

I took your advice and got a Sandisk extreme portable SSD 2 tb for my new 16" M1pro MBP and it works great for 4k (the a6400/Canon 90D variety which is not too heavy) but I wish I could afford a 4TB SSD or bigger!! too much money right now...so if I wanted a regular external Thunderbolt drive, what is the minimum MB/s speed I need for 4k? should it be minimum 400 MB/s or higher? So I guess some of my older lacie thunderbolt 2 that can do 200MB/s or a bit higher are not good enough? No issues for 1080p (even at 60fps) but 4k is more demanding. What's the minimum MB/s I should look? I don't do complicated multicam but 2x 4k streams for sure with some grading...using Premiere but learning FCP X asap! thank so much

[@KevinRossRN]

So when you are asking about a regular Thunderbolt drive, are you referring to something like a Thunderbolt 3 enclosure where you’re adding in your own SSD?

[@TheFandangovideoguy]

@@KevinRossRN gmm...this would require some DIY....maybe...but I was thinking of a regular 7200RPM based drive like from Lacie 2big or G-Technology...but I realize that SSD is the way of the future...I have a Lacie 5Big 20TB thunderbolt 2 which is great but stays at home! Too heavy...would using a regular SSD in an enclosure save money? I would love to get a 4T or even a 8TB SSD for a lot less than buying a Sandisk Extreme Pro SSD...thanks! Happy New Year! 2022 will be a better year!

[@KevinRossRN]

I’ve done a video where I discussed editing on a spinning HDD, which it’s possible. Scrubbing through your particular timeline shouldn’t be an issue. However loading up your timeline with clips, adding effects and grading, additional camera angles…you’ll start to notice a few hiccups here and there, but it’ll really be noticeable with any renders or exports, but again, depends on how complicated the workflow. While adding clips and effects you may see peak read/write at around 300MB/s or more, but you’ll also see sustained read and write of less than 100. I’ve edited off of a NAS with no real issues and this has spinning drives, although I typically try to keep most of the spinning drives allocated to archives and move all of my SSD work to those drives when I’m done. The latest M1s are really efficient and FCP even more so. There will be times where let’s say you’re connected to the HDD and maybe it “sleeps” or needs to spin back up, there could be a delay there, but once you’re working then you should be fine.

[@TheFandangovideoguy]

@@KevinRossRN wow...well...I guess SSDs are the way to go, but price is an issue. I think that even a 2 drive RAID from G-tech or Lacie that gives 400MB/s or higher will do 4k-the compressed flavour-I will never own a RED or something with heavier 4k...I'll see if there is a cheap RAID for sale locally...but otherwise my Lacie 5BIG gets to at least 600MB/s..I just can't take it with me! Thanks so much!

[@KevinRossRN]

Well now a RAID setup would likely help here as you’ll typically find “better” performance when set up in an array like this, depending on the particular RAID of course.

[@lioninzion]

Hey Kevin! Can I run my files from an external hard drive and also use and SSD to run the editing software? will it still be fast or the files need to be inside the SSD? Cheers

[@KevinRossRN]

So, just want to clarify the question, so help me is I misunderstood. The editing program runs on the internal HD, while the video footage is on the external SSD. Is that what you mean?

[@lioninzion]

Kevin Ross So I have a 2t project in 4k that I need to edit and it’s store in a hard drive. My question is if use and external ssd card to run my laptop, will it still do the job to run the 4k footage smoothly? Even if the footage is in another storage device?

[@KevinRossRN]

So you're running your Operating system on an external drive and then you'll have your video footage on another? Sorry my man, just wanted to make extra sure that's what you're asking. The short answer would be that if you're running your operating system or your editing software on an external drive and then trying to edit on another external drive you're going to have a serious slow down with editing.

[@lioninzion]

@@KevinRossRN Thanks Kevin, that was really helpful, I'll give it a try just with ssd. Cheers!

[@KevinRossRN]

Well, not sure how helpful, but hopefully you find this as a solution. You can certainly edit 2TB of footage on an external drive.

[@nunosaraivaphotographer]

Thanks Mate! Hugs from Lisbon 👌

[@KevinRossRN]

Sending my best right back at you 🤙

[@jessieschusterphoto]

How does computer RAM interact with the speed of the HD? I'm wondering if upgrading my RAM to 16GB from 8GB is worth it, or will the 'bottleneck' as you describe it be a limiting factor?

[@KevinRossRN]

The extra memory is typically a good investment, but it’s not going to impact the speed of the HD. The memory on these machines is very efficient and the swap is pretty fluid. Even with 16GBs of unified memory on my MAcBook Air I’m still swapping with day to day use and I can’t really tell.

[@NganNguyen-yz4of]

amazing content. Thank you!

[@KevinRossRN]

Thanks! Appreciate your time.

[@chrisjackson4948]

I am trying to improve my playback on Davinci Resolve because it's so laggy so I got the Samsung T7 portable SSD to help improve it but I'm not sure how to change my settings to make sure I'm editing off the SSD or how to set it up please help.

[@KevinRossRN]

So over in your bin...over on the left side under media storage...do you have the SSD listed there?

[@chrisjackson4948]

@@KevinRossRN I have it plugged in but I don't see it listed. Like in my media pool?

[@KevinRossRN]

Yeah, so over on that left side what do you see as your options?

[@chrisjackson4948]

@@KevinRossRN I only see my current clips but I don't see anything with my ssd on it

[@KevinRossRN]

Gotcha. Mine is a bit different as I have a customized layout...so can you find media storage? Also, you can go to File > Media Management Also, click on Davinci Resolve > Preferences > Media Storage

[@ratboyjames55]

What’s the solution for storage when it comes to editing 8k footage? The files are too big for SSD but there isn’t fast enough read and write speeds on a normal HDD the Final Cut Library is already 2TB and will be about 8TB by the end of the project so SSD isn’t really an option as it would need to be a 10TB SSD which would be too expensive

[@KevinRossRN]

Have you ever worked with proxy files? What's your current setup?

[@ratboyjames55]

I have heard of them but don’t want to have to use them, with it being 8k footage I want to be able to work with it as clear as possible so when doing colour grading and cleaning up the clips I can see it as it will be when it’s finally rendered. I’m running it all on a 2019 5k iMac with 3.6ghz 8 core i9, 128gb RAM, 16gb Graphics (8gb internal and 8gb external) so is more than powerful enough to run the 8k workflow

[@KevinRossRN]

If you're working with that much footage, the possible workaround would be to keep footage on the external SSD and the FCPX bundle on the computer's drive...however that may actually start to become cumbersome. I would however recommend a server/NAS, but this isn't cheap, however you'd be able to edit on it, which is what I do. The thing is my friend, 8K footage and large files like that just come with a hefty price. The Canon R5 is definitely getting into filmmaker's hands that wouldn't otherwise be filming with a cinema camera and/or have filmed in 8K. I get it though, it's awesome to have that much data for post production to push those colors, but having the space to do so is obviously getting in the way. Anyway, this isn't supposed to be a soapbox moment...it's just that there isn't going to be a "cheap" solution, but another option would be to have an external HDD like from LaCie and then the SSD as your editing bundle. As an example, I've used the T5 as my editing drive and my Synology housed all of the raw footage. I do it all the time actually because there are sometimes multiple projects that I've worked on before and I just want to use those files in something new, but without having to transfer the footage over to the SSD. You should still be able to grade these without issue, depending on the type of files you're editing. I know that a few folks are having issues with those raw files out of the R5 until an update is pushed out.

[@ratboyjames55]

Thanks for the advice. I have tried doing both of these already actually, I started with doing it on the internal drive but with it being 8k footage it ballooned very fast and was more than I could fit on my internal HDD. I then purchased a Samsung X5 SSD to Store the content on but that also got full within about 10 mins of editing... I then went out and purchased a 12TB G-Tech Thunderbolt 3 drive to store the library files on but then I’m getting the issue of dropped frames because of it not being a SSD so it seems to be one issue after another. Any other ideas?

[@KevinRossRN]

So you say you have an EGPU as well that you're running? And if so, which version of FCPX are you on? I just ask because when I upgraded to 10.4.7 it completely wrecked everything with the EGPU. It was so bottlenecked and I was dropping frames, which I had never done before...not to mention slowing my render. Dialed it back to 10.4.6 and no issues, crazy... But even if it's not the EGPU setup, you're definitely bottlenecked somewhere here and likely on the spinning drive. Even with the stated 400-500MB/S read/write it's still going to be hard to sustain that even through TB3...are you RAID 0 on that drive?

[@beckprice1858]

Which is your favorite, the San disk or the Samsung? They are about the same price though the San disk is marked at a faster speed. Going to buy one, would appreciate the recommend. 🙂

[@KevinRossRN]

I use the Samsung more often, but honestly it's not for a specific reason other than that I purchased it first and just started it in my workflow years ago... The T5 is primarily my KZbin and personal work and the SanDisk separates my client work, but I think you might have a hard time realizing the speed in a real world use case. The one thing I will say is that when traveling, especially more adventure travel (backpacking, etc.) I do like the SanDisk for its "rugged" build.

[@beckprice1858]

Kevin Ross Awesome thanks 😊

[@vanessakwok6770]

Awesome tips! Love your energy! I just started editing my videos and I'm so glad I came across this vid. Thanks a lot 🙏

[@KevinRossRN]

That’s fantastic! Thanks so much for the feedback. Welcome to the filmmaking world. Glad this was helpful.

[@laskovisuals9943]

I have the new Macbook M1 with the 1TB SSD. Is it beneficial to be editing media that is on a different hard drive than the video editing program? For example, have final cut on the computers SSD but have the media located in a external SSD?

[@KevinRossRN]

Most definitely. If you haven’t checked out my recent videos on file management and editing on an external SSD, feel free to check them out. I’ve actually got a few videos on the subject. The editing program on the internal and then use the external as a scratch disk and your media.

[@laskovisuals9943]

@@KevinRossRN Thanks for the quick response man! I'm editing my first view videos on my M1 macbook with 16GB today. First edit I had the media on my older HHD and it was dropping frames and beach balling ( it ran pretty decently on my old iMac set up ). Figured I'd try to do the next video on the computers SSD - it was better but still dropping frames and not playing instantly when hitting the playbar. Kind of annoying since my iMac was pretty fast for the most part. All the videos I watched the M1 wasn't dropping frames at all. Hoping it has to do with not editing off of an external SSD. I'll give your video a watch.

[@KevinRossRN]

Which camera footage are you editing?

[@laskovisuals9943]

@@KevinRossRN Sony A7siii 4k 8 bit. I should have mentioned its the M1 Macbook Pro.

[@KevinRossRN]

I’ve edited A7siii 10-bit h.264 and h.265 without issue. Also edited ARRI Alexa 65 (converted to 4444XQ and 422HQ) on the MB Air, so you should be able to chew through that 8-bit like butter. Great camera for sure.

[@KlaudiaJurewicz]

I’ve noticed you keep the Motion Templates on the laptop. Have you ever tried to move it also on the external hard drive?

[@KevinRossRN]

Indeed. It’s because I typically offload the footage onto a server and just do one big transfer of several projects. It’s possible, and I’ve certainly thought about it. Is that your workflow?

[@KlaudiaJurewicz]

@@KevinRossRN I have to find more space on the MacBook Pro (only 126GB storage) and Motion Templates takes 15GB. I have already deleted almost everything that I don’t need. That’s why I thought, maybe there’s a safe way to move not only libraries on the external hard drive but also Motion Templates, that way I will have more free space and be able to get that BIG Sur update.

[@KevinRossRN]

Yeah, in my experience I don’t believe this would work just based on the way the software UI pulls from the actual program on the drive, while media and the library are not necessarily integrated that way, especially the media. That 128GB limitation is unfortunate. Apple should really stop offering that, but at the same time stop with their premium prices on upgrading storage. What other programs are you using that’s taking up the space? Also, have you gone in to delete any library backups? Those usually occur on the internal drive.

[@KlaudiaJurewicz]

@@KevinRossRN seems like the FCPX backups are just 800 MB) so not that much. In that case I’m not going to touch Motion Templates. Looks like I still have 14GB of Instrument Library (in GarageBand, Logic Pro, and MainStage) and I don’t use it most of the time.

[@KevinRossRN]

Oh yeah, I’d you’re not using those libraries then you could streamline there. Those can always be downloaded later if you need them.

[@RobertSpiller]

Kevin, I'm learning, or will learn and use blender...according to the vids I've seen on YT, I'll need a AmD Ryzen with multi cores or the intel same thing as far as cores are concerned...they all say I'll need a Nvidia Ge force ...........................is that still true when I use an external drive?

[@KevinRossRN]

Well keep in mind the bottleneck will be the CPU and GPU. The drive helps, but that’s certainly not the primary. I’ve run some tests in Blender on the newer Macs and it’s great, however if Blender is something you’re serious about then a PC with a dedicated graphics card would be ideal. I have two AMD machines. One is just the APU while the other is a 5600X with a Vega64 in it, which handles Blender quite well.

[@RobertSpiller]

@@KevinRossRN Kevin wow what is an APU lololo. I'm new at this and I'm on a tight budget. I'm thinking I can buy a nice computer with 8 gb as anything over 16 is out of my price range if I get a GPU. So are you saying that I can get an AMD machine (1) with a dedicated graphics card...say the 5600x with a vega 64 in it (whatever that means lolol) and will I still need an external drive?

[@KevinRossRN]

The APU just means the graphics are integrated. And for Blender, you’d definitely want more than 8GBs of RAM in my opinion. A Vega64 is an older GPU and there are likely better (less expensive) options on that front. I have to check, but AMD should have some newer chips that are either out or on their way.

[@RobertSpiller]

@@KevinRossRN So I'm back from the beginning. It's kind of discouraging when you have a tight budget. So I'll have to get 16 gh of ram, and an external drive as well.

[@KevinRossRN]

Well, as far as the external drive, what size internal are you going with?

[@teddystewart6487]

Great video, very helpful! Question, using the external ssd for housing the files, does this keep from having them stored on and clogging up the c drive?

[@KevinRossRN]

That is correct. The files (media) remains on the external drive. 🤘

[@teddystewart6487]

Awesome!! Thanks again, great stuff!!

[@teddystewart6487]

Do you have your editing software on an ssd, or is that on the machine internal hard drive?

[@KevinRossRN]

@teddystewart6487 is on the machine’s internal. It only takes up a few GBs.

[@teddystewart6487]

@@KevinRossRNperfect, thanks again! I appreciate you!

[@mitchellquartero]

Very interesting I’m considering getting Final Cut Pro next year so very good tips in terms of storage thanks

[@KevinRossRN]

You bet! My pleasure. I’ve definitely appreciated FCPX to create here.

[@joet9451]

Love the way you mount the ssd to the MacBook. Is heat from the ssd not an issue with the MacBook monitor? My sandisk gets real hot. Excellent video!

[@KevinRossRN]

Thanks! And I haven’t had any issues with the heat and the monitor. 👍

[@venusvisions]

i have 1tb internal ssd macbook pro 2019 that I've stored everything on. i know nothing about drives but realized i should start using them being a video editor. i just drag and drop files into it and that's it? i feel like im missing something. i got the SanDisk extreme 1tb.

[@KevinRossRN]

So I keep all of my media and library/bundle on the external, and then I just work off of this drive. I archive and store files I don’t need right away on a network attached storage device. What editor are you using?

[@venusvisions]

@@KevinRossRN makes sense. I use fcp and after effects mainly. Premiere too but as much I was looking to store a lot of video files over 1gb on it and free up space on my computer? Not that I’m running out of storage but would rather have a dedicated drive that stores all that type of media Then for fcp I can keep the library on the external too?

[@KevinRossRN]

Yeah you can keep the library on the external. As you require more space do start to consider a spinning Hard Drive for deeper archiving. Much cheaper. But these SSDs are awesome to work off of.

[@venusvisions]

@@KevinRossRN thanks so much 🙏

[@KevinRossRN]

You bet. Best of luck.

[@VBAD98]

So I am a little confused. You use the SanDisk as scratch storage and finished work? What if the drive fails?

[@KevinRossRN]

Valid question. So yes, the editing occurs on the external drive. You could choose to have the back up occur on your internal drive if anything occurs with the external SSD, or you could mirror this onto another drive, but then it does start to add quite a few moving parts. For a client project I keep all original files on the SD card until the project is complete. I also make a backup of everything on my server/NAS, so I at least have two back ups plus the SSD. I've edited like this for quite some time, and certainly anything can fail, but thus far it's worked out pretty well.

[@johnbutler9196]

Very helpful!!! I do a lot of church videos and this work flow is very helpful. What kind of affordable external drive do you recommend for storage

[@KevinRossRN]

I did do a video on storage, but are you looking for a HDD desk setup, or something where you need a RAID with multiple drives?

[@Alyssa.Hansen]

Can you show how you get you video clips from you as card onto your external hard drive?

[@KevinRossRN]

I did a walkthrough in this video of how I set up my files. kzbin.info/www/bejne/h5nNgp14eK2Kh5o

[@Alyssa.Hansen]

@@KevinRossRN Thanks!!

[@KevinRossRN]

You bet

[@joshuanesbit]

What do you mean leave in place? The library is on the external drive surely you’d want to copy it ther3v

[@KevinRossRN]

Yeah, you want the library/project bundle on the external.

[@joshuanesbit]

@@KevinRossRN yes nut surely you would want to store the media IN the library folder?

[@KevinRossRN]

Well, the media is attach library/bundle friend.

[@Call_me_jackk]

Hey friend do you think this will work on my iPad Pro 12.9 2021 editing videos

[@KevinRossRN]

I did a video not that long ago about editing on the M1 iPP with an external SSD. It is possible.

[@Call_me_jackk]

@@KevinRossRN thank you new subscribers here

[@KevinRossRN]

Awesome to have you here.

[@M.S.G-]

I literally am so lost 😔 I make edits on after effects but I don’t have enough space to render it to even post it so that’s why I got a SSD hard drive but everything is so complicated can someone please help me?

[@KevinRossRN]

How big is the SSD?

[@M.S.G-]

@@KevinRossRN omg I can’t believe you actually replied but it’s a virbatim 128 gb

[@KevinRossRN]

I reply to as many as I can. So you’re basically running out of space, I assume? So, are you inquiring about upgrading your SSD? I mean it sounds like on the surface that this may be the case. As an example I’m working on a current project that isn’t that complicated, but the bundle is already over 300GBs

[@M.S.G-]

@@KevinRossRN I’m running low on internal space so I can’t really render nothing works if I delete it so that’s why I’m getting an ssd hard drive but I’m not sure how an ssd would help that’s the part I’m lost about if that makes sense if you don’t understand me that’s alright sorry to bother 😭😭😭.

[@KevinRossRN]

You’re not bothering me. So in after effects the program itself remains on your internal hard drive. However, your project files and editing will occur on the external drive, which is what I believe (based on all my creator friends) is most common to do. You should be able to select your target drive as an external SSD or whatever you’re editing on.

[@syaqiqsidik]

Love the black and white version. Is it only in america?

[@KevinRossRN]

I’m not sure, but I agree, I like it too.

[@DroseMr]

Any updates upto speed w this topic? I have a 6big lacie and hhd g speed shuttle both non ssd. Im runing into compatibility issue w system extentions w future os updates. Got 10000 bucks total in this system in the past year. Def not real fast and i think im getting put in extinction in less than 2 years esspecially w my 6400 dollar intel macbook that is still being sold today along w macpro. Just ventin. GREAT INSTRUCTION. If if i delete a project and original media are there now hidden space of things not deleted somewhere i woudnt know about still taking up space if im making sense?THANKS AGAIN SIR ROSS A

[@KevinRossRN]

I mean, that’s definitely quite an investment. Are you working off of this or are you mostly archiving? Also, you might find some small back up files in your movies folder in the internal drive. They’re not large, but will certainly start to add up.

[@DroseMr]

I am working off them. Both set up as raid 1 . Thinkin now bout using a 4tb ssd to edit. Im going to have to move all from 24tb to the 84 tb and fix my mess. I didnt think i needed archive but with the sounds coming outa the big when editing 4k and up is getting me worried. Also im afraid when i reformat i beleive ill be running into prob of getting reconized. For some reason shuttle machines need drivers and software. Is there a bypass and make it like a fresh formatted plug n play ssd? Not holdin ya to anything . Thank You

[@KevinRossRN]

Honestly, I thought these were more plug and play on MacOS, and the software really only for Windows. I’d have to dive in on this. The thing is though, I’ve done videos after this one where I talk more about the bottleneck being the CPU and GPU. I’ve gotten the editor to maybe read and write at about 400-600MBs when scrubbing through a timeline, but once you start rendering and exporting, it’s more like 100-200 because the program is limited by the hardware. That of course depends on your machine of course. I personally like editing on an external SSD and then archiving, although what I will say is that if I had a setup like this then I’d likely switch to something like the 6big because I’m often not on the move with editing.

[@ag00781]

Great content 👍 do you recommend installing programs such as final edit, logic pro onto internal, or to an external SSD? FYI I have an m1 Mac mini 256 gb 16gb ram

[@KevinRossRN]

So I have done a video on this already about running apps off the external. So the app itself should remain on the internal while all of the media and libraries can live on the external. I’d link up that video, but I’m on my mobile device and for whatever reason YT doesn’t allow me to grab those videos as links to share 🤷‍♂️

[@ag00781]

No worries, I'll look for it on your channel! Thanks for the fast response 👍

[@KevinRossRN]

You bet. Many thanks.

[@teyiowuawi7758]

Would I be able to use an SSD as a new scratch disk on photoshop ?

[@KevinRossRN]

Of course! I use one for mine.

[@teyiowuawi7758]

@@KevinRossRN thank you!

[@KevinRossRN]

You bet. All the best in your setup. 👍🍀

[@BrianneIrene]

I love your whole vibe and energy just so positive, Thank you for teaching us. Clever command strip idea. they also sell a computer harddrive slip for back of computer that you slip in and out too.

[@KevinRossRN]

Ha! Thanks. Command strips: the lowest high tech item in my kit. Happy to help and glad to have you hanging out here. Much appreciated 🙏🤙

[@BrianneIrene]

@@KevinRossRN Welcome, very inovative

[@JohnDoukasPhotography]

Hi. Thanks for this video. Do you backup your SSD's to anywhere besides your mac's internal? I'm looking to get the Sandisk SSD like you show, but also perhaps a 10tb external drive just to backup files/projects when I'm not working on them.

[@KevinRossRN]

Yes, always have a backup solution. I use a Synology NAS at the moment, which I’ll be upgrading at some point. However a HDD backup solution is definitely recommended for archiving.

[@parvezalamm]

If move my media into external ssd and edit in that ssd in premiere pro, but in between i switch off my pc and unplug ssd and again plug in and start editing again. Will it continue or show media offline message?

[@KevinRossRN]

You should be fine. As long as when your SSD is plugged in again it’ll register. I do that all the time.

[@michaelfrymus]

If I already have Premiere, Lightroom, & Photoshop installed on my computer C drive, do I have to move the programs to my new SSD? How about the files with all of my presets, files, etc.? ___ After my shoot, I want to upload my content onto the ext. SSD. From there, I want to edit all of my work from the SSD. Afterwards, I will transfer all of the finished content and files to my Archive HDD. The ext. SSD will no longer contain my files on. If I want to open the files and edit anything again, how do I do this? ___ Is this complicating things? I don't get how to make this workflow happen

[@KevinRossRN]

I definitely need to do a video on this...at least my workflow, which would likely mirror a lot of workflows. So the simple answer is no, you're not moving the programs, plugins or presets over. Those will stay on the computer and even though you're editing footage on the SSD, your NLE is still pulling the presets, etc. from the main hard drive of the computer. If I need to recall the footage from my NAS while on my own network then I'd either grab it and use it in proxy format (in a new timeline), or move it back to the SSD, but again that's not necessary unless you're mobile and won't be on your network to get it from you HDD/NAS. Here's a response that I gave someone else, but now I know I really need to show this breakdown. But, here's my breakdown: So when I transfer my SD card data to the T5 to work on, I do keep all of the files on that SD card until the project is complete. This is mostly for my "personal" data, but for client work, it's a bit different...more on that in a sec. ...Now, after the video is rendered/completed/uploaded, I then take that SSD (the contents) and move it over to my server. Once the files are moved over there I'm then able to free up that space on the SSD and also able to format or free up some space on the SD card. I maintain copies of all raw files and label them carefully because I can't count how many times I've needed a clip that I filmed a week ago or even several years ago that I can access on that server, which I can access over my network...AND I can even work from it if needed, but I usually just bring that file into FCP (from the server) to work on, but maintain the file in its original location. For commercial work I transfer everything as above, however before I start working on the project I also place all raw files on my server to create three locations of these files, however I am really creating four because my server is also attached to a server that is located in another location (offsite)...this might be a bit over the top, but we are certainly not interested in having to re-film something for a client if we don't have to. In summary though, I like the ability to keep the working files and the project bundle on the T5 in case I want to take this somewhere else or really to keep the local drive as free as possible, and I do keep a FCP back up on the local drive in case something does get corrupted, but that file size is relatively small. Working from the T5 vs. working on the local SSD of the computer doesn't really seem to slow me down or actually give me any noticeable gains as I know the drive in the computer is faster when comparing read/write, but for real world it just doesn't seem to slow me down.