1) Monitor setup: I think most use a dual comp. monitor setup, get your self a couple of 19-20″ monitors. You’ll do fine.
2) Playback monitor: An ext. video monitor isn’t crucial but necessary if you want to accurately monitor your video, esp. for broadcast work. FCP will display your timeline video full screen on one of the comp. monitors too..
3) Speakers: Subs are generally NOT recommended. Your not truly monitoring your audio for general A/V editing. Get a Mackie Mixer. Get a capture card from decklink. Feed your audio to the mixer and out to an amp/audio receiver and to some good audio monitors, not self powered.
4) Keyboard: Purely a matter of personal prefs if you want the mapped out color coded keyboard.
5) Card reader: You can get a card reader cheap and it’ll plug in USB OR you can bring in the media off the camera. Always off load the entire card structure. Verify, back it up. Ingest into FCP via L&T from the Hard Drive Not the cam.
There is a great tapeless workflow tutorial here on the cow.
Chris Tompkins
Video Atlanta LLC