universal version of fcp????

[Mark Maness]

It should be the same as any other version of the software BUT this one is compatible with the new Intel-based Macs. Here’s a puzzling thing…. the only Intel-based Macs, at this moment, are the iMac and the MacBook Pro. So, where are the Intel-based full size Macs? Why did Apple release the software long before the full size systems are available? Hmmmm……..

_______________________________

Wayne Carey
Schazam Productions

[Arnie Schlissel]

[Wayne Carey] “Why did Apple release the software long before the full size systems are available? Hmmmm……..”

For the MacBook users, perhaps?

Arnie
https://www.arniepix.com

[Scott Davis]

I believe it also works on the current G5’s so if they have the software out before the hardware it might ease the adoption by the pro community of the intel desktops. Just an idle speculation.

Scott Davis

[David Roth weiss]

Wayne,

If they released the software after the release of the new Intel Macs then certainly that would be worthy of complaints, but they’re doing so in advance in this case. Give them an award…

DRW

[Dave Mac]

Hi,

I think I have responded to this issue a few times now over the past week….

[velma] “How about this upgrade from FCP 4.5 to FCP Studio Universal? Is this for real? Is the Universal version the same as FCP 5?”

According to Apple (from one of their sales webcasts), the upcoming Universal version of Final Cut Studio (FCS), which replaces all individual component applications, is for both PowerPC and Intel Mac systems. A few more points made in the webcast:

• Universal versions of the applications are NOT only for Intel based Macs. FCS applications have been ported to the native Mac OS X development environment (Cocoa). Some applications, such as FCP, needed more work than, say, Motion (which has always been a pure Cocoa application). With Universal applications, the vast majority of the program code is the same, regardless of the target platform (PPC or Intel).
• All future development of FCS will be based on the new codebase of the Universal version. This applies to users of current, non-Intel Macs, as well as users of the Intel Macs. This conversion process was done now, so that the next version of FCS (related to FCP 5.5 or FCP 6) would be Universal.
• Any updates to FCP/FCS that occur once the Universal version of FCS is released in early March will require that the Universal versions of the applications are installed. So, let’s say you are using a G5 tower right now with FCP 5.0.x or the entire FCS. If an update to FCP/FCS comes out prior to the next paid upgrade of FCS/FCP, you would need to have the Universal version installed to update.
• The Universal version of FCS should include version 5 of FCP. I haven’t heard whether Apple will actually rev the version to 5.0.5 to “tag” the Universal version, or whether it will stay at 5.0.4 (currently), or use some other designation.

[velma] “Also, if I upgrade, doesn’t that mean I won’t have the actual application in case I ever have to re-install?(like if I do a clean re-install of my OS)”

If you upgrade to the Universal version of FCS, you will have to send in your current set of install discs. If you are worried about not having them for a couple of weeks (less? more?), I would suggest that you hold off until the Universal version of FCS is actually shipping and when you are in-between projects. For more info on upgrades/crossgrades, visit Apple – Pro Appllications Universal Crossgrades.

Another hedge would be to create a backup of your working sytem disk that you could use if your primary setup dies while you’re waiting for the new set of Universal install discs.

Hope this helps.

-Dave

[Velma]

yes, it helps a GREAT deal!

velma

[David Roth weiss]

Very inclusive and very helpful post Dave…

Do you think the cocoa version of FCP will have significant opertional improvements???

[David Bogie]

> I think I have responded to this issue a few times now over the past week….< Thanks for your patience on this topic, davemcc. And my thanks again for providing accurate information instead of the rumors we were using before. Yes, you're going to be seeing this topic come up at least once a week till the new Macs ship and then we'll see it daily. We're going to get sick of it. Maybe you could synopsize your information into a single paragraph and be prepared to cut and paste it. Or ask that some others help out. bogiesan This is my standard sigfile so do not take it personally: “For crying out loud, read the freakin’ manual.”

[Dave Mac]

Thanks for the feedback. I had hoped I didn’t add to the confusion about this….

From what I’ve heard, the codebase for FCP had several sections with “nasty code” (no finger pointing at Macromedia here… likely, some original sections of the FCP codebase haven’t been revisited since version 1).

I had the same thoughts about possible “optimizations” in the move to the Universal version. Motion already better utilizes the graphics card processor, memory, and so on, so it is not surprising (or unexpected) that these “benefits” would end up in FCP… it’s just a matter of when.

So, I am expecting an improvement at some point because of the code transition. Performance jumps? I’m hoping. Robustness improvements? Certainly.

I do feel that the need to move to the Universal codebase was serendipitous… commercial/business/time pressures don’t often afford developers the “luxury” to rewrite outdated/underperforming/inefficient portions of an application, even portions that could really improve overall robustness and performance. As users, we will certainly benefit from this transition, whether we use PowerPC or Intel Mac systems.

-Dave

[Dave Mac]

I didn’t mean to imply that no one was reading/following this topic thread… I was more concerned that I wasn’t explaining things clearly enough.

Hopefully, I will be able to revise my comments into an increasingly concise set of points over the next several weeks/months 😉

(I just hope that the info Apple provided in their webcast remains accurate….)