Avid and Final Cut on same system

[Russell Lasson]

First off, throw away the AVID system….jk

[Craig Hirshberg] “I’ve heard I should get another hard drive and install Leopard on each as a separate bootable drive, and then install Avid on one, FCP on the other. I’d like to get this right the first time since it’s a new system, so is there any other advice? “

If it’s going to work, that would be the way to do it, with separate start up disks. You don’t have to buy another hard drive. Instead, you could just partition the one you have.

The big question that I can’t answer is if the different hardware would cause problems being installed at the same time.

-Russ

Russell Lasson
Kaleidoscope Pictures
Provo, UT

[Dave Schweitzer]

Since the Adrenaline BOB can simply be unplugged from the FW port, that’s an easy disconnect if there’s a conflict. However, when using Avid, the Adrenaline BOB takes full control of the FW bus so that no other device (or drive) can be hooked up to the FW bus at the same time. Otherwise, there should be no problem with FCP and Avid software on the same drive.
I’ve actually read reports recently of the Blackmagic card magically outputting Avid’s video signal, but I expect they’ll kill that happy accident if they haven’t already.

[Michael Hancock]

You can install Avid and FCP on the same drive, but I wouldn’t recommend it. The potential for conflict will always be there, and the upgrade paths for both programs vary wildy.

For example, Avid isn’t supported on Leopard right now. If you plan on running FCP under Leopard, create a new partition on your drive and install Tiger on it. If you plan on keeping your Quicktime updated (bad idea right now!) install Avid on a seperate partition–I’m sure you know that Avid supports specific versions of quicktime, and if update too far Avid stops working. Such is life.

To be completely safe, and if you only want to do this once, seperate hard drives and dual boot, or partition your main drive and dual boot.

Michael.

[Kris Anderson]

I’m doing the same thing.

First off, I wouldn’t be switching to Leopard for a while. Not until all my applications support it. But that’s just me.

I am installing a 1TB system drive with 800gb partitioned for my FCP work and all other software and then a 200gb partition exclusively for AVID.

FCP and AVID have vastly different Quicktime requirements. ie… FCP is ok with the latest version but AVID will need an older version to be happy (until AVID test/verify and approve). So, no itunes on your AVID partition. But otherwise, totally do-able.

Check the AVID website for correct system requirements.

MacPro 8 core 3ghz – 8gig RAM – Mac OS 10.4.11
2.5tb internal RAID on Apple Raid Card
+ AJA Kona 3 + Sonnet External RAID

[Jeremy Presner]

I thought 7.4 QT was dangerous to FCP(?) (and AE)!

[Craig Hirshberg]

Wow, you guys stay up late!

Thanks for the feedback, definitely going to take the two-drive path. QT seems to be one of the main factors, thanks for reminding me.

Figured Avid supported Leopard by now, but was wrong. Maybe the Avid can just sit quietly in the corner for now, or forever.

Since this our first Mac, it’s shipping with Leopard, we don’t have Tiger. Is it possible to buy it from Apple? Sounds like nothing works with it right now (Avid, FCP, Adobe…)

My boss is going to love this (Windows/Avid fan). Loves to rub it in when Mac doesn’t “just work.” Took me 3 years to convince him to buy a Mac/FCP system.

[Bill Gerstenmaier]

Michael,

I was searching for a solution and came across your ideas for loading Avid and FCP on the same drive. I have a similar need. I’m still using Avid Xpress, so I can’t upgrade my OSX past Tiger. But I want to get a screencasting app that requires at least Leopard. I think I can do a partition using Tiger for the Avid, but the Quicktime issue still haunts me. If I keep Quicktime 7.2 on the Avid partition, and put a current version on another partition, will the Avid be content with the version on its partition? Thanks for any advice!

Bill G.

[Michael Gissing]

Wow old thread! I am not sure if Michael Hancock is likely to chip in here but I have historically run two versions of Final Cut with different operating systems by installing a second internal bootable drive with different OS and software. This is how I would approach an AVID/ Tiger – FCS/Leopard install.

Don’t bother with disk partitioning as with two boot drives it is easy to choose which one you want to boot by holding the alt key on startup and selecting either drive.Also if a drive goes belly up you have only lost one, not the whole shooting match.

[Bill Gerstenmaier]

Thanks for responding. I’m doing this on a Macbook Pro, so another drive is not really an option. Mainly wondering about the Quicktime. Would the Avid only see the version on its partition?

[Michael Hancock]

This is an old thread!

I’m not really familiar with how Macs handle partitions and its file system (I’m more of a Windows person), but on a PC if you partition your drive and install two operating systems it will reference only the partition you boot into for system files, and treat the other partition like a separate hard drive.

If Macs operate the same way, you can partition your drive and Avid will only see the quicktime version on the partition you boot into. Boot into the other partition and it will see the Quicktime version on that boot partition.

To be completely safe, get Carbon Copy and clone your drive to an external drive. Boot to that and make sure it’s good to go, then partition your internal drive and give it a shot.

Also, you can upgrade to MC 4.0 now for about $500 and get the free upgrade to MC 5 when it comes out (in June), and I believe 4.0 is supported on Leopard. It’s definitely worth the upgrade, and since MC 5.0 will support Quicktime files natively it will play great with your FCP install.

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Michael Hancock
http://www.oswaldcommunications.com