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Upgrading our system
Hi there – I’m after some opinions on upgrading an FCP system.
We currently have a Mac Pro with 2x 3Ghz Dual-Core processor and 6GB Memory, editing with FCP 6. We’re also using a 1.5TB external RAID system for storage and have an AJA Kona LHe card.
Most of the work we’re doing now is outputting to HD, and we need a system that can cope with it. Lately there have been issues with dropped frames during the capture and ETT of uncompressed HD footage. One problem is for sure the external RAID isn’t quick enough, but that’s a separate issue. We need something that will run quickly and cope with things such as HD multiclipping (not necessarily uncompressed HD)
Can people please offer some opinions on what they would want in a Mac if they were working in a similar situation?
Much appreciated,
Alex Elkins -
5 Replies
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One thing you can do as a stopgap is work in a compressed format, such as DVC PROHD. There are a billion posts here about how good the quality is for HD on-air. Walt Biscardi swears by it.
I suspect you are right about your drives.
Have a wonderful day.
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That’s actually what we’re currently resigned to doing – outputting as DVCPro HD. I honestly can’t see a difference in picture quality, although I’m sure that technically there is one.
Originally what we’ve been doing is capturing at DV res, then media-managing and re-connecting uncompressed HD. Only problem is, as I say, there are dropped frames during capture and then ETT. There are obviously fewer problems with DVCPro HD, but it’d be nice to have a system that will do what I tell it to do in the first place!
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Alex –
I often use FCP for 4 camera multi-clip editing of DVCPRO HD material, usually 720P60 and 720P30. I have 2 editing systems – an older Dual 2.5 Power Mac, with a fibre-channel 4 TB X-raid for storage, and a newer Intel Quad MacPro, with a much faster 6 TB Maxx Digital e-sata raid. Both systems have 4 gigs of Memory. Given that the Maxx digital I/O specs are more than double the X-raid specs of about 200Kb/s, and that the Intel is an obviously newer and faster machine it often surprises me that there is no discernible difference in operation when handling an HD work-flow – they both manage fine – although when working with multi-clip HD you tend to get “green” bars in the timeline, meaning it plays back in real time but with reduced visual quality. It’s no problem, if you need to look at pristine video I just collapse the multi-clips, then un-collapse when I go back into editing mode. No dropped frames for either system when going up to 6 cameras.
To me it sounds like your only need is faster storage. I would recommend any of the popular e-sata boxes, all of which do well over 300 Kb/s. I’m pleased with the Maxx Digital, but the Dulce, Sonnet, and Cal-Digit boxes all have their adherents – you can’t go wrong with any of them.
Herb Sevush
Zebra Productions -
Thanks Herb, that’s answered a big headache of a question!
You say both of your systems handle HD editing equally well; what about things like render time, encoding etc – are you finding there’s much in it between the two systems?
It sounds like for me at the moment it’s definitely an issue with slow storage but we will be upgrading the Mac at some point. What sort of spec would people be after for a top-notch machine? I’ve got an idea, but it really goes as far as picking the most expensive stuff we can afford! I’m sure other people know a lot more of the ins and outs of creating a great edit system.
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Alex,
I agree with Herb. Look at the Firmtek boxes too.
Have a wonderful day.
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