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The new MacBook Pro 13″ and video capture with FCP
Hi,
I’ve been waiting forever to buy a new main production computer. However, I’m happy to report that my 2003 dual 1.8 G5 is still able to do what I need it to do.
I may be traveling a lot more in the near future, so I have my eyes on the new 13″ MacBook Pro. My major concern is that there is no option for a 7200 rpm internal hard drive.
I guess in using the G5 for so long, my workflow has always been to plug the camera in to the front FW 400 port, and to plug my external 7200 rpm drive into the rear FW 800 port. When I capture video to the computer, I always save into my external drive.
Now that Apple is only outfitting their “pro” computers with a single FW 800 port, I’m not sure how well the system is going to work. The camera I will be using most often is a DVX100A, which needs to connect to the computer via FireWire. That means I will have to record onto the MBP’s internal 500GB Serial ATA 5400 rpm drive.
How well is this system going to work? I have always defaulted to 7200 rpm drives. Seeing as my 2003 G5 is still working for me – because of its multiple FW ports, how well is this computer going to do 4 years from now with more modern higher resolution cameras?
Should I bite the bullet and get the 15″? It’s a bummer because every ounce of weight and every inch of space in my bag is critical. Plus, I just like the little one better.
Any advice is helpful. Thank you.
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5 Replies
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[Sam Mallery] “My major concern is that there is no option for a 7200 rpm internal hard drive. “
Why? You don’t capture video to your system drive. Well, YOU CAN if you want, but it is far from reliable so we, and Apple, recommend against it. I have had success doing this, others have not. Because it is sporatic, it isn’t recommended.
[Sam Mallery] “The camera I will be using most often is a DVX100A, which needs to connect to the computer via FireWire. That means I will have to record onto the MBP’s internal 500GB Serial ATA 5400 rpm drive. “
You can always daisy chain the camera to a firewire drive then the drive to the computer. This works for me. But then it doesn’t for others…so it isn’t recommended….but it can work.
[Sam Mallery] “Now that Apple is only outfitting their “pro” computers with a single FW 800 port, I’m not sure how well the system is going to work”
Yeah, a lot of people reporting issues with FW800 to FW400 converters not working properly.
[Sam Mallery] “Should I bite the bullet and get the 15″”
Well, even that is troublesome, as THEY TOO only have FW800, and they lack proper expandibility. No Express34 slot to add additional things like a firewire 400 card, or eSATA card, to get you the extra FW bus. Nope, they have a compact flash reader now. Only the 17″ sports the proper Express slot. That is the only laptop that I’d recommend.
Again…system drive is not to be used as the capture scratch.
Shane
GETTING ORGANIZED WITH FINAL CUT PRO DVD…don’t miss it.
Read my blog, Little Frog in High Def -
[Sam Mallery] “I may be traveling a lot more in the near future, so I have my eyes on the new 13” MacBook Pro. My major concern is that there is no option for a 7200 rpm internal hard drive. “
Apple doesn’t offer a 7200 rpm upgrade, but the hard drive is a user installable upgrade. This means you can replace the drive without voiding the warranty. There are several options:
https://eshop.macsales.com/shop/hard-drives/2.5-Notebook/
If you want super fast speeds, then look at the SSD drives.
-Russ
Russell Lasson
Colorist/Digital Cinema Specialist
Color Mill
Salt Lake City, UT
http://www.colormill.net -
Thanks Shane.
You gotta wonder, what is Apple thinking by sending out every Mac laptop iMovie, while only one model of laptop is properly outfitted for capturing video? Well, we know what they’re thinking. Dollar signs.
This is really troublesome. The 17″ is just too big and expensive. They never made a 15″ Unibody with both an Expresscard and an anti-glare screen.
What problems arise from capturing video to your internal drive?
Would it be such a big deal if I moved the footage to an external drive once it was captured?
I’m not so crazy about the idea of daisy chaining. It just seems like you could exceed the of bandwidth of the FW bus pretty easily.
I’m fairly certain that the moment a 13″ MacBook Pro is available with an anti-glare screen option, that I will buy right then and there. I need to make this work. Thanks!
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[Sam Mallery] “what is Apple thinking by sending out every Mac laptop iMovie, while only one model of laptop is properly outfitted for capturing video? “
THey are thinking that people are buying ONLY cameras that are tapeless…even though they might already have good working cameras that use tape, or might buy one of the supported cameras that STILL USE tape. I don’t know…they have their head up their…sometimes.
[Sam Mallery] “What problems arise from capturing video to your internal drive? “
Dropped frames. The OS is busy using that drive…so dropped frames might happen when it starts looking for or loading system resources.
[Sam Mallery] “Would it be such a big deal if I moved the footage to an external drive once it was captured? “
Well, not if you get past the first issue of dropped frames. But then you have the second which is…what drive will you use? USB isn’t recommended for video…it is fast, but sends data in bursts, and video needs a steady stream. Firewire provides the steady stream.
[Sam Mallery] “I’m not so crazy about the idea of daisy chaining. It just seems like you could exceed the of bandwidth of the FW bus pretty easily. “
YOu can, which is why it isn’t recommended. However, I have done so successfully, and have had very few issues doing so.
Shane
GETTING ORGANIZED WITH FINAL CUT PRO DVD…don’t miss it.
Read my blog, Little Frog in High Def -
I have the same problem. I bought a Macbook Pro 15″ with an internal drive 500GB 7200rpm. Is it possible to record on that drive, and then just transfer the data to a 2nd firewire 800 drive.
Or is there an other option to capture video on a macbook Pro?
Thanks
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