Final Cut and Macbook Air

[Zane Barker]

I would NEVER NEVER NERVER attempt to edit video on a Macbook Air, especially not the 11″.

Not only does it have less a then desirable CPU and GPU for video editing. An 11″ screen is just to small to properly see every thing going in FCP.

But the biggest reason is that the Macbook Air only has USB, no FireWire, no Thunderbolt connection, no connection that is fast and constant. USB works via bursts of data and therefore just is not suitable for video editing. Video files are large and therefore have constant high data rates.

**Hindsight is always 1080p**

[Carlo Ferraro]

Zane:
I gess I did not express myself right, I do not intend to edit on it, that would be insane, only converting AVCHD video files from SDHC cards to AppleProRes by loading SD card on an USB reader and putting APR files on an external disc. I will only use FCP to be able to convert the files by log and transfer. The process will be very slow but I don’t care it will be a back up of the SDHC cards.
None of the reasons you argue are against it. I do exactly the same when preparing to edit on my Imac, the difference is processor speed, ram memory and graphics memory. I do not need neither firewire nor thunderbolt, files can be imported and converted via USB.

Imac 27 Quad 2.93, 8GB Ram, 1GB Graphics, FW800 external + Raid

[Rafael Amador]

[Carlo Ferraro] “None of the reasons you argue are against it.”
The difference is that the Macbook Air never have been qualified to run any version of FC.
If you want to know what happens, you have to try your self.
I really don’t know nobody running FC on an Air. I don’t know even if will be possible to installing.
The installer may tell you that you can’t go on because the hardware.
rafael

http://www.nagavideo.com

[Fritz Faerber]

Add-on (or hijack) to the original question:

I am a videojournalist. I operate solo and have to carry a TON of gear. I am considering the 13″ macbook air with 2.13 GHz dual core.

Here’s the issue. The weight and bulk of my laptop (2008 year MBPro 2.5 Ghz Core 2 duo) and PMW-EX3, sticks, lights and various other gear really makes travel tough. Every pound counts.

I use FCP but am not making feature films or highly produced work. I do some color correction and other adjustments that require rendering and then compress the final edit for filing via FTP.

The stories max out at around 5 minutes in length.

Will a macbook air suffice? I know it isn’t optimal, but in the field, lightweight and small is better.

ff

[Zane Barker]

If your a video journalist then you should know better then to edit video via USB.

**Hindsight is always 1080p**

[Fritz Faerber]

Yes. I do know better. My intention would be to ingest video onto internal drive, edit quickly n the field and offload media to external drive for archiving when I return to my desktop.
I am not Planning on making this my main editing computer. But, when I need to hike out into middle of nowhere, shoot video of destruction and quickly file, I would like to carry less gear and go as bare bones as Possible.

Thanks for any thoughts.

[Rafael Amador]

Fritz,
Again, if that would work, I would be using an AirBook for the field.
Is not just about performance, but system specs. You will need to crack the installer to be able to install FC on an AirBook.
rafael

http://www.nagavideo.com

[Fritz Faerber]

Thanks Rafael for the input.

I’m wondering if anyone has TRIED running Final Cut on an air. I’m not saying it can be done.

I am hoping Apple will marry the light weight of the air to FC at some point. I see you can have express preinstalled on the air… so it led me to wonder if Final Cut pro would work.

Any reduction of gear weight may help me dodge back surgery number three.

[Raika Gazder]

hey, even i am looking for the same solution, the lightest 1 GB graphic card mac is 2.54 kg… talk about creative baggage.. have you found a solution