Dave Mac
Forum Replies Created
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[Mattdawgpro] “Thanks Dave. Do you know how much more drive space the new files take?
“Hmm… no, I don’t know…
One way for you to check. Use the application Pacifist to “look into” the installer packages for FCS 5.x and FCS 2, especially into individual packages. You can see how much size info is given that way, or extract pieces and check them via “Get Info” in the Finder.
Or, you could go throug the “ReadMe” file for FCS 2 and see what info is contained therein about content sizes or disk requirements. I recall seeing somewhere (Apple’s FCS Web pages) that installing all content media with all the apps in FCS 2 takes up a total of about 60 GB of disk space:
https://www.apple.com/finalcutstudio/specs.html
Best regards,
Dave
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The installer asked if I wanted to reinstall media that was already there, to which I said “yes”.
After I installed FCS 2, I noticed that there was some duplication of SoundTrack-related audio files in this directory:
/Library/Audio/Apple Loops/Apple
Specifically, I noticed a folder called “Apple Loops”. I am guessing that this was there from the FCS 5.1/5.0 install.
The FCS 2 install put another “Apple Loops” folder in this location:
/Library/Audio/Apple Loops/Apple/Apple Loops for Soundtrack Pro/Apple Loops
This folder had the same sub-folders and files as the one in “/Library/Audio/Apple Loops/Apple” but with additional sub-folders and files, so I took this as being the newer version.
If you say “no” when the installer asks you to re-install existing content, you should be okay. Or, you could say “yes” and remove the duplicates as I described above.
Hope this helps.
Best regards,
Dave
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As David mentions, using AIFF audio can be problematic due to the additional load (increased bit rate / bandwidth) on playback.
Playback of higher total bit rate burned DVDs usually is more difficult than a replicated DVD at the same bit rate. AIFF audio adds much more to the total bit rate “budget” than does AC3 audio.
Here’s an article (and Excel spreadsheet) that may prove helpful in determining your bit rate budget:
<https://www.kenstone.net/fcp_homepage/bit_budget.html>
Best regards,
Dave
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Greg,
You’ll have to read through the FCP manuals to figure out how to configure your output audio channels if you’re going to output something with 5.1 (6 channels).
To set up your system, you’ll probably have to visit Audio MIDI Setup to get your audio HW to “talk with” Soundtrack Pro and FCP.
The DVD that comes with FCS 2 has a few video tutorials on surround sound in Soundtrack Pro.
I know of two ways to deal with surround sound audio (in terms of files). One is to put each channel into its own file, the other is to save the file as a multichannel AIF (or WAV) file. Apple also uses its own “.caf” format (Apple Core Audio Format, encoded with Apple lossless codec) files.
The full installation of FCS 2 comes with several multichannel (5.1, for instance) audio files. For example, here is a 5.1 audio file of an explosion:
/Library/Audio/Apple Loops/Apple/Apple Loops for Soundtrack Pro/Detroit Chop Shop/Explosions/Explosion Blast 04.caf
I imported this file into FCP 6 and dropped it into a sequence and it “loaded” into 6 tracks. It played back just fine (after a quick render) via my stereo setup. You would have to map your audio channels in FCP and set up your multichannel HW to get those channels to go to the appropriate surround speakers.
I also dragged and dropped this sound effect file into the timeline/track area of Soundtrack Pro. All 6 channels show up. I then exported this as an AIF file and imported and played it in FCP 6, without any problems.
This should help you get started…
Best regards,
Dave
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Walter,
I’m bowing out of this discussion. I think that the posts are being read out-of-sync, further contributing to the confusion. I apologize if I have added to this.
As George so succinctly stated, if you paid for FCS 5.0 (as an upgrade or new) and did or didn’t crossgrade to 5.1, you SHOULD be able to use the $499 upgrade (and that is what’s described on Apple’s site and confirmed to me by the manager of the department in Apple support that manages the licenses for the Pro Apps).
If you have any version prior to 5.0, you need the $699 upgrade.
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That’s it. Whether the actual boxes and license codes are working properly, who knows?
Several of us have successfully upgraded, as expected by you and the rest of us…
Yikes.
Best regards,
PS – Walter, again, I’m sorry that I missed your statement about actually trying a license code (rather than just repeating what various reps. were telling you).
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Walter,
[walter biscardi] ”
[Andy Field] ”
Here’s the history – which is probably the history of most folks on this forum1. bought original FCP1
2. upgraded EVERY TIME – paying full upgrade price up to and including FCP 5.0
3. Did the CrossgradeSo which one do I buy – the 699 or the 499 — and why pay more for having paid more for years? Doesn’t make sense”
according to what AppleCare told me yesterday and confirmed by my VAR, you need the $699 version. Makes zero sense to me as well.”
I agree with you. It makes zero sense. It also contradicts with the wording on Apple’s site (those this is debatable).
Forget what the Apple reps. and VARs are saying… THEY ARE WRONG.. Yes, they are wrong…
I and others with exactly your and Andy’s described situation have successfully upgraded to FCS 2 with the $499 upgrade, having done all upgrades from version 1.x, at each and every upgrade, including the upgrade to 5.0 from 4/4.5 and the crossgrade (really should have been called “disc exchange” cuz that’s all it was, not including true upgrades to FCS 5.1 from version earlier than 5.0).
***
I successfully upgraded my system yesterday, reps and VARs be damned, using the $499 upgrade kit and IT WORKED!!! Actual experience, not just info from some under-trained and under-paid, or simply confused, VAR or Apple rep.
***Best regards,
Dave
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Andy,
You have exactly the same situation as I have. Your last paid upgrade, not counting the discs for the “crossgrade” from 5.0 to 5.1, was 5.0. So, you need the $499 upgrade.
This is what I used to upgrade my FCS 5.1 install yesterday. My license for 5.0/5.1 was in the license file I mentioned earlier in the thread, so I only needed to enter the FCS 2 license number.
Hey, it worked for me. According to others, it shouldn’t have worked. But, hey, maybe I’m living in a nodal zone of the space-time continuum and the laws of physics don’t apply to me, or I’m just real lucky… 😉
Best regards,
Dave
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[walter biscardi] “davemcc] ”
According to an Apple rep. (higher than “base” tier support), you just need the previous “full” version serial number to install an upgrade license. You don’t need to go back to version 1, if that was your first full purchase.”Absolutely we did here. I had to pull out the Serial number for Final Cut Pro v1.2.5 for the $699 Upgrade from Final Cut Pro / Production Suite. That was the last full version I purchase that was not an upgrade. All other serial numbers from Version 2 all the way to Studio 1 came up as invalid.”
That is simply untrue, Walter.
I did just what I described here only yesterday. It worked. Are you now going to respond and tell me what I did really didn’t happen?
In fact, what I have described has worked for every upgrade back to 1.5 (before 2.0 came out).
So, I stated what I had been told by a senior Apple rep. and by WHAT happened in my actual experience. Please don’t assert that my experience is false.
The license file thing is critical here. And, the number of licenses it stores may have varied over the years. So, if you had been upgrading without erasing or somehow removing the license file, the info stored therein was available to the new installer. I can verify this in my personal experience.
[walter biscardi] “[davemcc] “In other words, according to the Apple rep., “Only paid, true upgrades come with a new serial number. And, to use an upgrade, you need the serial number from the previous version of FCP/FCS.””
A previous FULL version of Final Cut Pro / Studio which was the point of my post. A previous Upgrade serial number will not work in the case of the $699 upgrade.”
No, Walter, you aren’t reading what I have written. In my experience, in light of the existence of the license file (which you’ve never mentioned), I have only ever needed the previous version’s license number. That’s it! Back to version 1.x.
So, to go to FCS 5.1 from a copy of FCP 4/4.5 (same license), which originally was bought in version 1.x and upgraded over time (to each new version), miraculously only needed my version 4/4.5 license number to work. To be clear, this was version 4/4.5 that had been upgraded at each new version with the original FULL price purchase being version 1.x.
Additionally, George and others have confirmed my experience. It’s also possible that your Apple rep. was wrong, or the serial number printed on your one upgrade box was not correct. Two distinct and probable possibilities not to ignore…
Again, forget anything that any Apple rerp. has said. What I have described has worked for me, yesterday in fact. Perhaps, I have not stated things clearly enough…
Best regards,
Dave
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Steve,
I concur with your advice completely. It’s also what Graeme suggested.
I just installed FCS 2 on a dual 2.5 GHz G5 and have been editing some HDV footage. No problems, good performance, etc.
When I’m finished, I will change my sequence render settings to ProRes and output that (or send it to Color first)…
In the end, you will get HDV transcoded to ProRes (or another codec) for the final render, which is only one more generation of loss. Transcoding HDV to something else on ingest will add one more generation of loss to the footage.
Best regards,
Dave
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[George Loch] “A little more clarification…
If you have Final Cut Studio or you participated in the Cross-grade, you need to buy the $499 version. All others need to buy the $699 version.
That is as simple as I can see it.”
Yes!
Thanks, George. You completed my post’s missing point…
-Dave