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Looking for direction on my new FCP setup…
Hi,
Not sure if this is the correct place to ask these questions, but haven’t seen another option in the forums (did a brief search as well).I’m switching from PC to a FCP suite which also involves getting into some HDSLR gear, meaning I have quite a few expenses outside my editing suite as well. I’m preparing to purchase a 8 Core Mac Pro with 6gb ram & 1tb drive. Here are 5 questions I was hoping to get some advice/direction on if you could weigh in. For information, I have 7+ yrs of video production experience (income generating) albeit on the lower end of the professional scale.
1) Monitor setup: I’m used to a dual setup, but realize that a large single monitor may work as well. I wanted to know whether most fcp operators use single or dual, and if anyone knows of a really good, large monitor between $500-$1000 you could recommend.
2) Playback monitor: Any suggestions as to what I may need regarding this or should look to use?
3) Speakers: What would be a good speaker setup? Should a sub be a part of that?
4) Keyboard: Do I need a marked editing keyboard or can I use the Mac Pro’s keyboard (accustomed to working with a ‘non-editing’ keyboard.
5) Card reader: This may be a different track, but for the CF high speed cards I’ll be using for my Canon 7D, I’ve been confused about what I need as a card reader (something fast). And should some sort of Nexto drive be a part of this? Just don’t understand what that part of my workflow should look like.
Thank you for any assistance,
Sean -
2 Replies
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1) Monitor setup: I think most use a dual comp. monitor setup, get your self a couple of 19-20″ monitors. You’ll do fine.
2) Playback monitor: An ext. video monitor isn’t crucial but necessary if you want to accurately monitor your video, esp. for broadcast work. FCP will display your timeline video full screen on one of the comp. monitors too..
3) Speakers: Subs are generally NOT recommended. Your not truly monitoring your audio for general A/V editing. Get a Mackie Mixer. Get a capture card from decklink. Feed your audio to the mixer and out to an amp/audio receiver and to some good audio monitors, not self powered.
4) Keyboard: Purely a matter of personal prefs if you want the mapped out color coded keyboard.
5) Card reader: You can get a card reader cheap and it’ll plug in USB OR you can bring in the media off the camera. Always off load the entire card structure. Verify, back it up. Ingest into FCP via L&T from the Hard Drive Not the cam.
There is a great tapeless workflow tutorial here on the cow.
Chris Tompkins
Video Atlanta LLC -
Chris,
Thanks for the replies – I appreciate you taking the time.
S
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