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MacPro/Final Cut Studio 2 System Config
I’m retiring my reliable Discreet edit 6 system and purchasing a new MacPro with FCP Studio 2. The Mac’s specs are:
Two 3.0GHz Quad-Core Intel Xeon
2GB (2x1GB)
NVIDIA GeForce 8800 GT 512MB
320GB 7200-rpm Serial ATA 3G
I’m adding 8GB Ram and two internal 1TB SATA drives. Looking to add the AJA Kona LHe as I still ingest quite a bit of Beta SP footage. I understand this card does a decent job at accelerating HDV performance. Most assets are HDV (HVR M25U), Betacam SP (UVW 1800) and P2.
Any known weirdness with the above hardware configuration would be appreciated. Thanks. -
9 Replies
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No capture card offers hardware acceleration. Not AJA, not Black-Magic, not Matrox. What they do is take the task of anamorphic scaling (making 1440×1080 stretch out to 1920×1080) off of the processor and graphics card so they have more power to handle other things. Other than that, the LHe is a great card.
Shane
GETTING ORGANIZED WITH FINAL CUT PRO DVD…don’t miss it.
Read my blog, Little Frog in High Def -
Thanks, Shane. The claim of hardware acceleration comes right from the Kona LHe description on their website. My main concern is true realtime performance of certain tasks…mostly basic transitions, PIP and video frame rate changes (slomo). If FCP does this with the configuration I’ve described, I’m good.
Thanks again for your time.
Rick
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Just bought Mac Pro and Final Cut Studio 2 – ‘text’ conflict problems when putting text over images or adding effects to images – captions and images go pixalated – cant find a solution??? Help! Please
Bill
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[Rick DeSalvo] “My main concern is true realtime performance of certain tasks…mostly basic transitions, PIP and video frame rate changes (slomo). If FCP does this with the configuration I’ve described, I’m good.”
As long as you are working with a standard codec that FCP uses, and you have speedy drives then you will be fine.
Shane
GETTING ORGANIZED WITH FINAL CUT PRO DVD…don’t miss it.
Read my blog, Little Frog in High Def -
Interesting you should say that. Just got everything loaded and imported an mpeg-4 file. I can set ins and outs but it won’t play back on the timeline without rendering. Keep in mind, I set the defaults to HDV. But my understanding is that you can mix formats. This is my first go, but I’m used to just tossing clips on a timeline regardless of where they came from.
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[Rick DeSalvo] “and imported an mpeg-4 file. I can set ins and outs but it won’t play back on the timeline without rendering.”
MPEG-4 is not an editable codec. It is a delivery codec, pure and simple. YOu need to convert it to an editable one.
[Rick DeSalvo] “my understanding is that you can mix formats”
Yes…formats that you see in the EASY SETUP menu, not just any old codec that you toss on the timeline. Not every codec is editable in FCP.
[Rick DeSalvo] “I’m used to just tossing clips on a timeline regardless of where they came from.”
What did you use before? Vegas?
Shane
GETTING ORGANIZED WITH FINAL CUT PRO DVD…don’t miss it.
Read my blog, Little Frog in High Def -
I used discreet edit 6. MP4 came off a client’s flip cam (USB file Xfer). Is it a lengthy process to convert? Is it converted upon import or rendered on the timeline?
Thanks.
Rick
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Just got mine, too. Sorry I’m still an extreme greenhorn on this. Check the forum, though. Lots of knowledgeable people aboard.
Rick
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[Rick DeSalvo] “Is it a lengthy process to convert?”
Depends on the processing power of the computer and the length of the clips. I can’t tell you how long, you will have to convert and see how long it takes.
[Rick DeSalvo] “Is it converted upon import or rendered on the timeline?”
FCP doesn’t convert files upon import. It just creates clips that points to the media in the format that it exists.
Shane
GETTING ORGANIZED WITH FINAL CUT PRO DVD…don’t miss it.
Read my blog, Little Frog in High Def
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