Will my Mac Pro Tower handle FCPX?

[Ned Miller]

Thanks everyone for your tips. So the consensus is: With a new graphics card, start up drive and perhaps more RAM (all told approx $1000) it will run almost as well as a new iMac? If so, if I get a pro freelance installer and buy the hardware, I will save $2000! Had I pimped up an iMac and had Apple Care that would be around $3K with tax.

Thanks,

Ned Miller
Chicago Videographer
http://www.nedmiller.com
www,bizvideo.com

[Bernard Newnham]

“With a new graphics card, start up drive and perhaps more RAM (all told approx $1000) ”

So what’s costing $1000?

Radeon 5770 (only 3 years out of date) $220
16Gb Ram $80
2TB drive $150
OS $50

….around $500

Bernie

[Ned Miller]

Well, I’m a DP not a computer geek, so I have in the budget for a tech, preferably an Apple Certified Pro, to come way out to my suburban office twice: first to analyze and order parts then a second trip to install and get everything up and humming. That’s why I figured around $1K. That’s still a $2K savings from a pimped out 27″ iMac.

Ned Miller
Chicago Videographer
http://www.nedmiller.com
www,bizvideo.com

[Bernard Newnham]

Ah well, whatever turns you on. I’m a producer/cameraman/editor (mostly retired), so I’d just buy a new model PC and PPro.

B

[Ned Miller]

I didn’t know we were allowed to retire.

Ned Miller
Chicago Videographer
http://www.nedmiller.com
www,bizvideo.com

[Bernard Newnham]

It doesn’t really work like that. As a freelance drama director friend said to me a few years ago “I’m being retired” – the bookings were getting fewer as people booked younger people. It’s the way of things.

In the same way, it’s probably time to just retire your gear, forget FCP7 (as I reluctantly did), and look at the market as a whole. Your Apple Cinemas were extremely impressive in their day, but can now be replaced with the latest monitors with much better resolution for much less money. Premiere Pro or Edius will give you an editing system which gets close to what you’re used to, and a PC is endlessly upgradable for not much money. My Apple gear now sits on the floor next to me gathering dust. Sometimes I have to update FCP7 projects, and I go back to a system I loved – but it just isn’t up to modern needs and that’s that. Time to move on – look at the wider world.

B

[Steve Connor]

[Ned Miller] “That’s still a $2K savings from a pimped out 27″ iMac.”

You can save that and put it towards a new MacPro when they come out later in the year!

Steve Connor
‘It’s just my opinion, with an occasional fact thrown in for good measure”

[Ned Miller]

Hi Bernard,

I’ve always been Mac, never touched a PC so although they are cheaper I feel it’s too late to transition. I am on the fence between PPro ($500 more expensive) & FCPX. The reason I am leaning towards X is I use a lot of young people (mainly for crew) and they tend to be X savvy. Also, I am a very rough, slow editor, when I have high end jobs with decent budgets I have several editors I farm it out to. So my logic is to keep it simple. However, I can’t even try the trial versions until I upgrade the OS. I would like to save $2K, (who wouldn’t?) but if I have to get the new iMac for $3K Apple is doing a 18 month no interest deal so that’s just $166 a month.

This last week I needed some effects, mainly flares, and when I went searching I couldn’t believe the vast universe of Plug Ins for X, you can buy single effects instead of packs, and that’s what got me thinking about going X. I know the benefits of PPro but there is a tsunami towards X among the young pups, probably because it’s only $300?

As to forced into retirement, try my technique: Grey Haired Marketing. I say “yes, you can find someone younger and cheaper but I have done what you’re proposing to do many, many times before.”

That’s why I do a lot of CEO shoots.

Ned Miller
Chicago Videographer
http://www.nedmiller.com
www,bizvideo.com

[Tony Brittan]

I’m sure you’ll get some harsh reactions to what you just said in that post. The thing is? You’re right! And you know what? X is actually really VERY good! Especially with the recent updates. Many old school editors will grouse at the very thought that this “new paradigm” of editing could be used professionally but I’ve been using it for about 20-30% of new projects and it works great! Multi-Cam is freakin’ awesome. The ability to use Motion to create custom effects, titles, and transitions is awesome as well. And you’re right about plug-ins. These companies know that they’re going to sell them because the software sells so well.

And guess what? People I know who are going through school for editing…they’re starting to use X in their schools as well! In fact, one that I know in DC was told that was the required software for the course. If they wanted to use Avid or Premiere, they’re welcomed to learn that on their own time but they need X for the class.

I say…use whatever tool works best for you and your needs. The truth is, if you can create great work…who cares what you used to do it. The old guard is pretty steadfast on the other two A’s in editing but as time goes on, we’ll see how that all goes. Most of the folks who are so up in arms about FCP X haven’t even really tried it…or done enough with it to truly understand how it works. I was in that camp a year or so ago. But the more I use it, on a machine that’s tuned for it, the more I really dig it!

Just my 2 cents.

Tony Brittan
Island Shore Productions

[Tony Brittan]

For the record…I also bought Avid MC 5.5 and have Adobe Production Premium CS6. Got them back when X came out because I was afraid. Afraid of what was, at the time, an incomplete package. I’ve been training on them because I want to become “NLE Agnostic”. Gotta say though…I am really digging FCPX and it’s much better…and complete…than Premiere. Not as clunky as Avid. Just my opinion.

I do love CS6 for After Effects, Photoshop, and other parts that I use in production but I’m not sold on PPCS6 at all.