[Steve To]

thanks, but i thought there was only space to add in extra ONE HDD in the G5? am i wrong? can i really add in 2 x 400GB SATA’s )as well as the inbuilt 250gb system drive on a dual 2.7)?

thanks

[Steve To]

Hi Enzo,

thanks for that 🙂

You say i could encode on my DV Storm card? how would i do that in SD? Would i export ehe final project as an avi and load that into ProCoder? I’m not sure i understand that?

It seems the only part i’m REALLY being let down on is Slow Motion and as i use it in every project i’m having second thoughts on the Apple solution! Even re-considering the Edius Pro NX and a Dual Xeon option even though much more expensive!

I only wish folk would tell me there IS a fabby slow mo solution in FCP that is RT, but doesn;t seem to be so!

Thanks again all and keep the comments coming!

Steve

[Steve To]

Thanks Gunner Jones 🙂

You mention: “You just need to know how to set up Compressor for high quality. 2 pass VBR with Optical Flow has fantastic quality. As I mentioned though, it’s fairly slow. “

How slow is slow? For instance how long would a 60min SD DV project take to render as above (2pass VBR Optical) or even say 7mbps CBR (as that’s what i often use right now on the PC and get 1.4x realtime encoding)

Or is ‘slow’ only when talking HDV > MPEG2 conversions? If talking HDV conversion I may actually print it back to the camera in HDV, then recapture the project as downconverted SD and encode from there, or would that result in lower quality MPEG2 and the loss of two hours woth of time in output/re-input? So many options huh!

I assume that these MPEG2’s just import straight into DVD Studio without additonal conversions being needed?

Thanks again, you guys have been superb! [if only Apples own forum had given me such a response]

Steve

[Steve To]

Firstly thanks for all the comments, much apprecoiated!

I do have a couple of followups, hope you can help…

“The only MPEG2 FCP works with AFAIK is HDV.”

I think i was misunderstood here..What i wanted to know is can i edit and just mark IN/OUT and then export a MPEG2 file direct from the timeline in the background without having to RENDER everything first? ie will export tro MPEG2 do the required rendering as it needs? Is this fast (my current edius pro system does this in about 1.4x real time) In fact how DO i export to MPEG2 (see problem reports below)

“Sure, just get the most powerful Mac and speediest drives you can afford”

will a G5 2.7 Dual and Firewire 800 RAID (prob miglia 500mb raid disks) give me bags of RT? (with 4 or 6gb of RAM)

“can i edit in HDV and then play direct from the timeline on my 23” HD Display to a client in FULL SCREEN to show them demos?

is this OK?

“HDV to MPEG2 encoding with Produiction Suite’s Compressor is awful”
and
“the only thing I can really offer my two cents on is that the one thing that disappointed me coming from a Canopus system over to Apple’s Production Suite was the MPEG2 encoding”

is this really true!! sob!!! how on earth and i going to carry on doing my superb quality dvd’s??!!!

thanks again for the comments – all welcome!!!

GREAT forum!! really fast and informative replies!!!

Steve

[Steve To]

Hi Enzo,

thanks for your comments and as you are a previous Canopus user, can you comment on the slow motion in comparison to Canopus? I have a good old Storm DV system and although its hopelessly out of date for HDV use its slomo is superb? Would you say FCP can compare?

What are your (and others) suggestions to MPG2 encoding? I thought Apple’s MPG2 was superb? How can it be that such a well reknowned piece of software can edit but not output such a vital file? Is this common experience?? [worried]

Thanks

Steve