Ben Holmes
Forum Replies Created
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I believe the third monitor comes with a chiropracter’s voucher, so you can get your neck fixed.
😉
Ben
Editec Broadcast Editing Ltd
EVS & FCP specialists for live broadcast.
OB Server 1 HD – Mobile FCP editing done right.
https://www.editecuk.com/OBServer2.html -
[RJ] “The MCP was able to playback as many layers of video as a Mac Pro 2.66ghz Quad”
That’s down to the drive, and as a measure of performance means little. How often do you need this kind of playback anyway?
The Mac Pro will outperform the MBP (we use both – MBP’s as personal machines) in almost every useful respect. Render times will be lower (really the best reason for a more powerful machine), the gfx card will be more powerful, the screen will be bigger and easier to work with or you can use multiple screens, you can have more RAM in it, components are upgradeable, you can fit a fast SATA array INSIDE it or connect a fibre array, you can install a capture card and work in uncompressed HD and so on.
I love my MBP as much as the next person, but would never consider one as a primary edit system.
Ben
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Beau
Recently purchased a new system from Promax, and the Mac HD was partitioned and a backup image of the system drive put on the second partition. Obviously, this is not as good a solution as a separate drive (for when the drive fails) but it will protect you against drive corruption or user error. Nice touch I thought – especially if you have a large HD on your MBP (mine is 200gb).
Otherwise, I don’t really see what you can’t achieve using folders – you’ll find them an excellent organizing tool! And please use an external media drive…..
Ben
Editec Broadcast Editing Ltd
EVS & FCP specialists for live broadcast.
OB Server 1 HD – Mobile FCP editing done right.
https://www.editecuk.com/OBServer2.html -
Our tests with two workstations are pretty much on the money. Both our systems have dual channels available, so there’s plenty of bandwidth for uncompressed HD. I liked the fact that the system is purchased with the number of fibre channels you actually require, and that you can allocate them based on need. It’s a flexible and easy to manage system – I can’t carry an IT specialist around with the truck. With the Terrablock you just switch it on..
Be happy to publish some speed tests, but I am away for the next two weeks.
Ben
Editec Broadcast Editing Ltd
EVS & FCP specialists for live broadcast.
OB Server 1 HD – Mobile FCP editing done right.
https://www.editecuk.com/OBServer2.html -
Thanks Wayne
Good to hear from someone with more time under his belt. We also have a 12D. It’s reassuring to know that my impressions so far are representative of yours – particularly with regard to the company’s commitment to software etc.
Ben
Editec Broadcast Editing Ltd
EVS & FCP specialists for live broadcast.
OB Server 1 HD – Mobile FCP editing done right.
https://www.editecuk.com/OBServer2.html -
Dan
We have recently purchased and installed the smaller Terrablock for use in our newer edit truck, where it serves two HD systems.
I would be lying if I said we have extensively tested or pushed the system yet, however it has been bench tested and installed and used in a limited manner in situ. So far we have not had any problems, and the system was straightforward to install and configure.
I found the idea and concept for the Terrablock to good the pass on – time will tell if it lives up to the promise, although I understand that others have had problems with earlier versions of the software that runs on it. Facilis seem commited to a program of software improvements, so that may explain why we have found the system better than others.
Sorry to appear vague – we are crazily busy, and I won’t have time to assess it further until September when the truck is in regular use, or sooner if certain jobs come to pass, when I will have to prove it beyond reasonable doubt…
One further note – the system has a great degree of scalability, which may well appeal to you based on your requirements.
Ben
Editec Broadcast Editing Ltd
EVS & FCP specialists for live broadcast.
OB Server 1 HD – Mobile FCP editing done right.
https://www.editecuk.com/OBServer2.html -
If the broadcaster clearly understands that you have edited a 4×3 programme when their spec is for 16×9 FHA (something that would worry me) then you simply need to drop your finished 4×3 sequence (I prefer export to quicktime rather than nesting) into a new 16×9 timeline – just open a new sequence, select the sequence properties and check the anamorphic box.
When you drag your 4×3 original into the new sequence (which will have a widescreen shape to it in FCP) and it will import with black bars either side of the picture. If you then export this via compressor, into the requested mpeg2, it will be anamorphic, since the frame pixel count has not altered, just the pixel shape.
Most broadcasters we work with demand 16×9 material however, using the full frame, with 4×3 footage zoomed or pan/scanned to fit. I would check their full requirements – apologies if you have already been through this process. Also note that many broadcasters request 16×9 FHA masters, with all gfx within 4×3 or 14×9 safe zones, for viewers who are watching on 4×3 tv’s – but this could just be a UK requirement for all I know.
Ben
Editec Broadcast Editing Ltd
EVS & FCP specialists for live broadcast.
OB Server 1 HD – Mobile FCP editing done right.
https://www.editecuk.com/OBServer2.html -
The animation codec quicktime file is a popular choice for after effects work, as it allows you to output any transparency information in the timeline. It’s a pretty space intensive codec however, so make sure you have enough storage space. You don’t specifiy how much/what length of media you want to transfer – but most people don’t transfer the entire programme/project, as it would be extremely hard to work with in AE.
That’s a quick reply – I’m sure others can give you a more considered one.
Ben
Editec Broadcast Editing Ltd
EVS & FCP specialists for live broadcast.
OB Server 1 HD – Mobile FCP editing done right.
https://www.editecuk.com/OBServer2.html -
Thanks for all the responses and new contacts. We have now purchased a system from Promax (the job is actually next week!) so we are all set.
We do a lot of our purchasing in the US anyway (what with the exchange rate) so it’s great to hear from everyone.
Thanks again.
Ben
Editec Broadcast Editing Ltd
EVS & FCP specialists for live broadcast.
OB Server 1 HD – Mobile FCP editing done right.
https://www.editecuk.com/OBServer2.html -
Andy
Many thanks for your reply. You appear to be a facilities company – are you also a reseller? We are working for a UK broadcaster in Vegas, so do not need any other production services.
Let me know – It would be useful to have a Vegas contact, as we are there usually twice a year.
Ben
Editec Broadcast Editing Ltd
EVS & FCP specialists for live broadcast.
OB Server 1 HD – Mobile FCP editing done right.
https://www.editecuk.com/OBServer2.html