[Todd Reid]

Simple answer….yes!!!!

You don’t want the same drive to be accessing everything needed just the run the computer, then have to configure and run Final Cut, THEN have to manage, configure and run the massive amount of data that is media content.

You will no doubt run into huge slowdowns if you leave it as is.
I’ve never done it that way so I can’t be 100% sure, but if you want to try it, please let us all know how it works out. It would debunk a largely understood principle if it did work.

[Todd Reid]

I’m about to order a 8 core with 10 GB of RAM.
My reseller was going to get me 16GB, but I figured that was way overkill, so I went down to 10.
Should I knock that down to 8?

I assume that FCS (especially motion and compressor) run well with 8 GBs?

Walter, how much do you have on your beefiest system?

[Todd Reid]

Shane-

I may have missunderstood you, but when I posted earlier asking if the AJA HD would do true HD color, you mentioned ….

[todd reid] “2-am I correct in thinking that a 23′ cinema display, paired with the AJAHD will deliver true HD color as an output monitor, so that I can be confident in my color correction nad overall look?”

Nope…it won’t. I would be fine as a reference monitor, but not for color correction. There are a few other options that modify the signal and allow you to balance the Apple display and will make it usable for this (as a low end option)…that being the Matrox MXO and the Decklink HD Link…although the HD link needs a capture card with HD SDI to work.

My goal is to have truer color than what I have now. I’m using a Samsung Synmaster 940 LCD in cinema preview mode. Color seems good and no complaints from clients. But I thought I might need to step up my game.

If the AJA HD in conjunction with the AJA HD is “good enough for government work”, which is literally my scenario, then I save $1k.

I’ll go back and read the post carefully and explore the options mentioned…..

Thanks

[Todd Reid]

my reseller is suggesting the Lacie 5TB raid {301263u} (includes PCIe card).
But I’m going to look at a few more options, starting with what Shane has suggested.

I’ve had very good luck with Lacies in the past. I have 6 of them in various sizes working/storing right now.

[Todd Reid]

I’m rethinking my system now, and will probably add the AJAHD later, since its more than what my current clients are needing. I’d rather see true (or close to true) HD color. knowing that I can add the AJAHD once I require capture/output.

If I buy the Matrox, will it work with comparible monitors (like the dell 2407wfp-hc or the samsung 245bw), or only with the cinema displays?

[Todd Reid]

This is all so confusing.

With the setup I listed, what would be the most cost effective solution for true color?

Also…
RAID protection isn’t my biggest concern (maybe it should be, but…)
My biggest client (about 75% of my work) uses P2 cards, my workflow keeps the P2 folder structure/media on one drive, then I transfer to another drive to edit from. So I usually always have a back up for my media (I also make sure that my project is on one drive and my auto save is on another).

Looking at the AJAHD for the “cool” factor, and knowing that, if I wanted to, I could use it in the field with my current system, macbook pro 17″ with small SATA RAID.
I can envision bringing this setup to a faciluty and digitizing footage, then coming to the home office to edit on the new tower.

Would I be better off with a KONA3 or is the AJAHD the shiznit?

Thanks for putting up with these, possibly dumb, questions.
There is too much to worry about when your about to plunk down $13k for, basically, a computer.

Anything else I should know?

[Todd Reid]

That thread directed me to the correct codec pack.
Even though the AVID site said that I was getting the right one, it wasn’t.
funny thing too, the file that finally fixed it had the same name (exactly) as the one that hadn’t worked all day today.
It came down to which one was intel compatible.
The one I was downloading said it was, but the thread pointed me to a different location on their site and fixed my problem.

THANK YOU for pointing me to it.
I had done a search and didn’t get that thread (maybe I was too impatient and didn’t look down far enough), but anyway…..

FYI-I was on hold with Apple Care, when your post came through, so I was able to fix the problem before they got back on the line with me. Awesome!

LONG LIVE THE COW!!!!!

[Todd Reid]

Walter, please elaborate.

Do you mean you CAN make it as just an editor?

I think that there is still some time left for people who want to “specialize”, but that time is drawing to a close. These people however, must be way above average to thrive.
I pride myself on a VERY solid and experienced editing base, but I also have some photoshop, motion, shake skills that fit in quite nicely. But I would probably not take a gig purely based on my talent in anything but editing.

[Todd Reid]

This is not the best place to speak so harshly about Final Cut.

Yes, every software has its problems, I edited on an AVID for many years, and they were never without issues. Many people have utilized the same upgrade that you have without any problems. Please don’t judge FCP and Apple for what will probably in the end be a minor bump in the road.

Did you repair permissions BEFORE you upgraded, and again AFTER?
This is the recommended procedure when doing ANY major upgrading to a mac.

Do you get the same results on other projects or new ones?
One thing you can try is to create a new project and copy/paste everything into it.
It sounds as if you have corruption somewhere, maybe the project itself.

[Todd Reid]

The file that ended up blurry was exported as a “FCP” quicktime (not conversion)

******by the way******what do you guys call that? I’ve been using the above term and there has to be a better one********

It is then put through flip factory and its destination is the web through their proprietary web streaming player. They are editing in dv, then converting to motion jpeg, in a very weird resolution, I can’t recall, but I’ve never heard of anyone using it. Seemed strange to me, but doesn’t really surprise me.
This place is plagued with “scratch your head” type problems, but I thought I’d see what the cow thought.

I would never use this strategy on my company’s projects, but their check don’t bounce, and their way takes a long time…..and I charge by the hour 😉

Thanks all