Apple Final Cut Pro 5 - Manual (Page 1307)

520 Part III Output
Note: Even though they may also indicate real-time playback status, these bars are
usually referred to as render bars. In other words, the presence of a colored bar in the
Timeline indicates that a clip requires some kind of processing. Historically, the name
render bars was used because, in the past, all effects had to be rendered and there was
no option for real-time processing.
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Tip: If you position the pointer over a colored render bar, a tooltip appears with
information about the real-time or render status of that section of your sequence.
Identifying Which Effects Can Be Processed in Real Time
Final Cut Pro shows all video transitions and filters that can play back in real time in
bold in both the Effects tab in the Browser and the Effects menu. A real-time effect
appears in boldface type based on:
 The video format used by the currently selected sequence
 The processing capabilities of your computer such as CPU speed, and amount of
installed RAM
 The playback video quality and frame rate select in the RT pop-up menu
 The external video option you have selected in the A/V Devices tab of the
Audio/Video Settings window, and whether or not it is enabled
 The capabilities of the currently selected video effects accelerator card (if you are
using one for real-time video processing)
A tooltip tells you the
status of a particular
section of your sequence.