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Running Suite V2 on an iMac?
I know that I have broached this before, and that people here are probably not eager to get into it. But I keep hoping that there’s somebody out there who has been running Media 100 Suite on an iMac, and can help me determine whether or not doing that would be feasible.
First of all, has anyone yet verified whether or not V2 has any compatibility issues with iMacs? (I’m talking about only Intel Imacs. So nobody need bother with anything about say, pre-Core 2 Duo machines.)
I can imagine a couple of scenarios where iMacs could come into play. One is where people have other full blown Media 100 systems that can acquire media, create bins, etc. In such circumstances, I could see how having some software-only media 100s (say, iMacs) could be used by people to work out program timelines, etc., but who would not need any I/O. We ourselves would in fact, fall into that category, except that our other Media 100 systems are very old (v8). These old v8 systems are still used to digitize from Beta SP and other analog sources in SD. We have no motivation to disturb those working systems, since they work well for that purpose. Can a current Media 100 work with clips, timelines, etc. from old v8 systems?
Since much work is done here with such footage, but never output to tape or anything like that, a software-only iMac-based machine could conceivably be used to take it from the “digitized into bins of clips” stage through editing and even some light FX work, and on to its final destination of compression to online formats, DVD, etc. We do in fact, already do this, putting “finished” Media 100 programs into things like BitVice, Video Purifier, and DVD Studio Pro on iMac workstations. It would be nice to be able to use modern Media 100 functionality while editing, and while going back and forth to things like After Effects, etc., not to mention Boris Red 5.
Am I missing any crucial concept here? I’m thinking that other than for initial digitizing, the iMac would be able to do anything that any Media 100 could do, albeit more slowly, which in many cases wouldn’t even be an issue, due to the fact that a lot of the work is slow anyway because of creative editing decisions, not because of being limited by technology.
The other scenario in which I can imagine how iMac-based Media 100s could find use here is where they ARE connected to I/O devices of some kind. If they could be so equipped, they could be used to do the digitizing of clips, just as do the old v8 media 100s. Those old machines will eventually die. Replacing them with inexpensive replacements like this would be nice, even if just to avoid disrupting our current workflow. It would also be nice to avoid having to tie up larger budgets in such “digitizing” machines that won’t be used for any other purpose. So I’d love to know if there’s any way to connect something like the MX02 devices to an iMac. If there isn’t, would it make sense to replace the iMacs with Macbook Pros and large, external monitors? In that scenario, are there any limitations to using the bottom of the line Macbook Pro, other than the obvious speed issues? Are they capable of driving a Mac 27-inch LED display in a suitable fashion?
Thanks for reading and considering this.
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10 Replies
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[Robert L. Kopf] ” Can a current Media 100 work with clips, timelines, etc. from old v8 systems?”
[Robert L. Kopf] “Am I missing any crucial concept here?”
No.
[Robert L. Kopf] “So I’d love to know if there’s any way to connect something like the MX02 devices to an iMac. “
Currently not. Let´s hope for ThunderBolt on the next generation of iMacs
[Robert L. Kopf] “In that scenario, are there any limitations to using the bottom of the line Macbook Pro, other than the obvious speed issues?”
No, only the 17″ MBPs have a ExpressCard slot, which is necessary to connect to the MXO2. There are rumors that there will be a ThunderBolt-version of the MXOs at NAB, but I am not sure if this is only a rumor or not. This would mean that you could use them with all MacBook Pro models, since all current models have a ThunderBolt connector.
Overall a current iMac is a very good editing system; you only need a way to get your material into it (and back out, of course) -
There’s not an answer to my “Can a current Media 100 system work with v8 timelines, clips, etc.” question in your response.
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According to what I just read on mactrast.com, in a press release (dated today), Matrox did in fact announce Thunderbolt support in all old (and apparently new) MX02 products. I haven’t read anything yet about any new MX02 products yet.
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[Robert L. Kopf] “There’s not an answer to my “Can a current Media 100 system work with v8 timelines, clips, etc.” question in your response.
“
Yes. At least it should. I haven´t tested it, since I don´t have a V8 system around. -
I can’t answer all of your questions but I can tell you that I am running Media 100 Producer v13 on a refurbished 15″ MacBook Pro that I bought from Apple, August, 2009. Core 2 Duo, 2.4 Ghz. I see no reason not to be able to run M100 on current iMacs. In fact, I’ve edited with Final Cut Pro on iMacs and standard MacBooks and that was about four years ago. I believe that they were all Intel-based Macs.
It is my intention to upgrade to Media Suite V2 this year to run on the same MacBook Pro and at this point I don’t forsee any issues. I mostly use Firewire for I/O. My particular MBP also has an Express Card port through which I could use eSata drives.
You could look at the AJA I/O portable device and maybe the similar device from MOTU (V4HD) since they both connect with Macs through Firewire. They might be able to give you some VTR and Camera connectivity options.
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I should add that the AJA and MOTU solutions were marketed to FCP users, so I suggest checking with those manfacturers and/or with Boris FX to see if both or either is a workable solution for Media 100.
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Thanks for the reply Marcus. But since I don’t have any Macbook Pros yet, when I get them (they’ll be new and), they’ll have Thunderbolt I/O. So it seems like the thing to use would be the Matrox Thunderbolt MX02 stuff.
I’ll post back here when/if I do that, to let you know how it works out.
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Hi. I didn’t want to leave you with the impression that you would have to use MacBook Pros with the AJA Io HD and the MOTU V4HD. Since they connect with firewire they should work with any firewire-equiped Mac. The question is whether these devices support Media 100.
If they do, you would have to weigh the benefits of using these devices with iMacs versus getting Thunderbolt-equiped MacBook Pros.
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I get what you’re saying. And thanks much for the input. The AJA io HD and io LA look like interesting units for our applications. I will look into the Media 100 compatibility issues. I remember being more aware of these units when they came out. But somehow, they slipped off my RADAR.
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Hey,
Just tested a bin and timeline from version 8.2.3 with Media 100 SW (11.1) and it opens fine. I suspect it will also work for Media100 Suite. Remember, you cannot do the opposite!
lc
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