[Mark Job]

Hi Michael:
Thank you for the information update. I did not know there was going to be a 3.5 release ? Do you know if this is a “paid” upgrade or free to existing owners of MC 3.x versions ?

Thanks,

Mark Job

[Mark Job]

Hi David:
At this point I’m certainly no expert on Final Cut Pro (But hope to learn it and use it). I do know the DPS systems quite well, since I used my DPS Perception RT for over 11 years. The biggest difference you will see compared to DPS is the absence of really quick realtime cutting and transitions on the timeline. Also, DPS is hardware accelerated allowing you to use it in a relatively slow PC system and get total realtime performance, while FCP runs only on MACS. The greatest advantage of the DPS Paradigm is you are never at the mercy of the system bus ! I understand version 10 of Velocity HD will allow the user to take advantage of both when it comes to rendering with a choice to go hardware based, or use software based rendering.

Mark

[Mark Job]

Hi Arnie. No, no, this came from this thread and not from any rumour site. Someone here posted last night about the great deals to be had at the Canadian Apple site for refurbished units.
Mark

[Mark Job]

Arnie, have you heard anything about the 4 core Super iMAC computers about to be released ?

[Mark Job]

Hey Dave:
Quad core iMACs ? ! Do tell !
Mark

[Mark Job]

Hi Dave:
You have come pretty close to my own plan of action. I think I will be getting an iMAC. I may go for a cheaper refurbished unit, or I may simply go for the maxed out iMAC which will run FC Studio 2 fast enough that my rendering will not be an ultimate issue. I already have to render some stuff down in Avid before I export to DVD or web encode anyway, so these times of rendering can be built into my schedual of working. Like you already suggested, I have my Avid Media Composer 3.0 as my main machine for deadline projects, and I will learn FCP in my spare time. 90 % of my work is on HDV, with the rest coming in on DVC Pro 100 HD and BetaCam SP SD. I think I’ve been on the US Apple site, so I’ll head over to the Canadian site to see what the prices are like. BTW, I have no interest in trying FC Express.

[Mark Job]

Hey Kevin. No, I don’t think Apple will give me a demo either. I was planning on getting proper VAR direction from sales at head office. I think your suggestion to take the Final Cut Pro classes is an excellent idea as well.

Regarding the iMAC, you have to remember I’m totally new to MAC computers as well as FCP, and I simply don’t have the cash in this current economy to put into a decked out MAC Pro if I get into FC Studio. I can always upgrade later. Don’t forget, I already have the Avid as my main editing computer, and it is an Avid certified spec PC with excellent performance. I also have the possible option of running Avid on a MAC or a Mac Book Pro laptop and go that way. I’m not making any firm decisions at this point.

Your point is well taken about using a professional build to run a professional app.

[Mark Job]

Hi Walter. Yes, we will be checking out who’s reselling, but the Apple head office in Canada might be able to direct me to the right one here in the greater Montreal area. Many folks are reselling Macs in town, but I think they don’t specialize in FC Studio suite demos. Ill make some calls this week and see what I can find out.

[Mark Job]

OK thanks for the clarification on the AJA IO HD box Walter. I am now leaning towards some possible experimentation in the very near future with final cut pro. First, I will see about contacting Apple to find out if I could arrange an in suite hands on demo of the FC Studio product in my area (Montreal, Canada). I would like to be able to spernd 2 or even 3 days with an experienced FCP editor to see if I like it.

In my case, I’m as new to MAC computers as I am to FC Studio. I think my first purchase, will be an iMAC computer, and this will be only if I like what I see and hear and personally try in a FCP suite before I make any purchases. I know all but one editor on this thread has recommended to go straight for the MAC Pro all decked out to the max, but in my situation, I think an iMAC is the prudent move to make, if any at all. Of course I’ll go for the maxed out iMAC and not the entry level one with the 3.06 GHz Core 2 Duo CPU and the max 4 GB of DDR 2 800 MHz Ram and the 1 TB HDD and the 8800 nVidia 512 MB GPU. I already use FW 800 external raid 0 drives on my Avid and they are fine for HDV.

Everything is all tentative until I have more personal contact with the app. I thank all of you for giving me your valuable feedback and for educating me more on FCP. I will say this – I’m intriqued about FC Studio bigtime ! 🙂

[Mark Job]

Thank you Todd for your post. I think I’m getting a much more qualified and ballanced opinion of some of the ins and outs of FCP versus Avid. Like on the official Avid user group, some FCP editors also have an Avid and work on either one or both as their needs of the job dictate. It is nice to get some straight talk,(You good American folk are also in election mode down there)if I may dare to use this phrase, on what has become a rather contentious point- Too contentious most likely.

I think we’re all kinda spoiled on the realtime function issue. Back in the day when I first opened shop in 1998, pretty much every editing application required some amount of rendering to be able to push out video to a VTR. I was very fortunate to get a hold of what was then bleeding edge technology, with the DPS hardware accelerated realtime boardset. You got two streams of realtime SD video with realtime transitions and one channel realtime keyed overlay of titles and lower thirds !

I can’t help but wonder how well FCP would run on the top iMAC 3.06 GHz nVidia machine with an AJA IO HD box hooked onto one of the FW 800 channels ? I would think the AJA box would do some of the heavy lifting. This IO HD device reminds me of a non $20K Avid Adrenaline, except the Adranaline worked well on a FW 400 MB connection and the AJA box gets to have twice the bandwidth.