Advice for a HD editing station

[John Foley]

You can easily edit HDV on an iMac. HDV is just like DV and less quality to boot. Any G5 built in the last 4 years can easily edit HDV over Firewire.

Even Panasonic’s DVCPROHD can be edited on a less than speedy MAC with the correct version of Final Cut Pro. Now that is true HD!

[Adam Claude jones]

I want to edit HDV1 (720p) which I think only FCP 5 supports.
I know any old Mac will do in terms of specifications. My question is more what do you lose by editing on a G5 tower instead of in a new Intel Mac.

[Stuart Ferreyra]

As far as quality you don’t lose a thing.
The most important thing you may lose is your own time when rendering or doing any after effects / compositing work.

Stuart Ferreyra
Timecode Multimedia
President
Santa Monica, CA 90025
https://www.timecodemultimedia.com

[Adam Claude jones]

So quality wise I lose nothing? Great to know! One thing down.
I don’t really mind rendering time, as I can leave it overnight.
But how about real time performance and features?
Thanks again.

[Ryan Holmes]

Yes you can edit HDV on an iMac from 2003, but like was said you will render forever. However, a G5 is adequate to hadnle HDV. Where you will notice the speed difference (between an Intel based mac and a G5) is in your downconversion. To produce your SD-DVD you will have to downconvert your long-GOP HDV format to the appropriate mpeg-2. We run 3 G5’s and 2 Intel mac’s at our shop and the downconversion time takes about twice as long on the G5’s.

Now if your producing pieces that are 5 minutes long – no big deal. But if you are producing 30, 60, or 90 minute movies, weddings, corporate videos, etc. you will be likely be watching the encode much longer than overnight. The extra money spent on an intel based mac is worth it for rendering/exporting/downconversion times alone. Even more than that is to have an updated computer capable of handling FCP 6 (which is likely being debuted tomorrow) and providing full adaptability when Leopard drops in October later this year.

Additionally, if you plan on using Motion or any of the fcxPlug architecture in FCP then a beefy video card is a must. If you opt for the G5 you will need to drop another chunk of change on upgrading the memory and the video card (and likely larger hard drives). If you opt to upgrade to FCP 6 where the fxPlug archtecture is likely going to drive much of the visual FX within the software then a G5 with a poor graphics card will leave you with no hair screaming at your machine. Spend the money now for the Mac Pro (you don’t need the new 8 core, just a nice dual-core machine) – you won’t regret it!

Ryan

[13]

The only problem you will have is LONG conforming times on a older computer like a G5. If time is an issue when getting things done go for a faster computer like the intel.

[Adam Claude jones]

Conforming?

But all the real time functions and features from FCP 5 would work on a G5 then? Or would you get the same features and real time functions on a G5 as you would on a Intel Mac?

[Steve Eisen]

Your computer is not the only factor in determing real-time functions. Hard drives, RAM Capture Cards all factor into the picture.

I believe in putting together an HD system the correct way. Get the fastest processor you can afford, sufficient amount of RAM, HD Capture card, fast hard drive RAID and a true HD monitor (no cheap LCD’s).

Too many editors do the wrong thing. They then post here on the Cow and complain that they don’t get real-time, they can’t monitor their timeline, I could go on and on.

Yes HD can be done on a budget but it involves many components. The components do add to price. A cheap HDV camera and an iMac is the bare minimum you need. That system will not get you very far even if you have “all night” to render.

Steve Eisen
Eisen Video Productions
Director-At-Large
Chicago Final Cut Pro Users Group

[Adam Claude jones]

I can only work with the budget I have. I wish I could afford an extreme high end system but I just can’t. So I’m just trying to findout if what I can afford will do the job and how well.
Thanks.

[Shane Ross]

[Adamcj] “I know any old Mac will do in terms of specifications. My question is more what do you lose by editing on a G5 tower instead of in a new Intel Mac.”

You lose the ability to capture any format other than those that are capturable via firewire…DV, HDV, DVCPRO HD, XDCAM. But those are all fine versions of HD. BUT, you ALSO are limited to using firewire drives. That SEVERLY limits the formats of HD you can work with. And the fact that iMacs only have one firewire bus, with no ability to upgrade, makes the instances of dropped frames higher.

A G5 or Mac Pro you have ALL SORTS of upgradability. Ability to add an additional firewire bus, to add an eSATA controller card for an eSATA raid capable of handling higher formats of HD. The ability to add a capture card at a later date. The only thing you can upgrade on an iMac is the RAM. Period.

Now, with a MacBook Pro (PRO…not the regular MacBook) you have a PCIexpress slot that will allow you to add another firewire bus, or eSATA port. AND, you have the Matrox MXO that connects to it via the DVI out and can output SD and HD to a broadcast monitor for color correction, and to all sorts of professional decks.

But still, a G5 or Mac Pro will still get you beter performance and upgradability. Get a low end MacPro, so that you have the PCIe architecture and the Intel platform that Apple will be supporting for a while.

Shane

Littlefrog Post
http://www.lfhd.net