[Umberto Aguiar]

Oh, dear. Final Cut X is an upgrade of iMovie. A giant upgrade, but still an upgrade. I am not an engineer so the technical structure of FC X doesn’t really interest me. What I do know is that I didn’t know how to edit on iMovie but after learning to edit on FC X I found out that I could also edit on iMovie…

Their very similar interfaces are right there, on your face. Most of the buttons of iMovie are reproduced on FC X and they have the same function. Most of the concepts of iMovie, not only “events”, are also reproduced in FC X. All those similar ( when not exactly the same ) features don’t exist in FC 7. Moreover, FC X even has an option to import iMovie projects but does not have backwards compatibility with Final Cut 7…

Of course, I can do much more with fc X than with iMovie. After all, FC X is a giant upgrade of iMovie.

As I said, I don’t dislike FC X but I do have a problem with its lack of backwards compatibility, its limited options for compressing and the lack of “print to tape”, feature that was extremely useful when I was shooting/editing in a place where internet was irregular and far too slow so the only way to send stories was via satellite. Apart from that, there are many good features in FC X and many things are better than in FC 7.

What I really don’t like about FC X is the lie that FC X is a revolutionary upgrade of FC Studio. It is not. It is a giant upgrade, if you will, of iMovie. I am not upset with FC X. I am upset with Apple.

My move to Adobeland, where the “sun shines everyday on the birds and the bees”, is partially a personal protest against Apple because what Apple did with fc 7 is disgraceful. It caused and it is still causing a lot of trouble and expenses to many good people. The lack of backwards compatibility is especially revolting. Please don’t tell me that 7toX fixed the problem because it didn’t.

It looks like you are one of those Apple believers who think that Apple can do no wrong, in which case there is no point in go on with this discussion because it is not a technical argument anymore but a religious one.

Be good to your camera and your camera will be good to you

[Umberto Aguiar]

{Bill Davis} “Well, have you considered that all those “installations and “hiding” and white papers ARE necessary because they didn’t just slap some new makeup on the old code, they started with a clean sheet of paper?”

Thanks for your post. Well, this is off the topic but you really can’t say that Apple started with a clean sheet because Final Cut X is an upgrade of iMovie. I learned Final Cut X very well, thanks to three excellent books, and also got Apple’s pro certification on fc X. I worked with final cut studio 2 and 3 before. I never worked with iMovie. I did try once but just couldn’t understand the weird logic of it. Guess what? After learning to edit on final cut X I found out that now I can also edit on iMovie and I didn’t spend one single minute reading or watching tutorials about iMovie.

Final Cut X wasn’t “Rebuilt from the ground up” as Apple misleadingly advertises. Final Cut X’s interface is very similar to iMovie’s , so are many of the buttons, features and concepts such as “events”. All those features shared by fc X and iMovie don’t exist in fc 7. As a matter of fact, FC X even has an option to import projects from iMovie…

I don’t actually dislike Final Cut X. It is certainly faster to edit news than fc 7 was, although fc 7 has far better options to compress and output edited videos, what is so important in news. What I really don’t like about fc X is the lie behind it. This lie that fc X is “revolutionary” and “rebuilt from the ground up”.

I might end up working a lot with final cut X because of the market. I don’t know yet. Meanwhile, I will be moving to Adobeland and I know that I will meet lots of former fc 7 editors over there.

Be good to your camera and your camera will be good to you

[Umberto Aguiar]

Well, months ago I installed fc X in a mac that had fc Studio. I did read, that time, Apple’s white paper on fc X installation but I just installed fc X, without any specific steps. I had no problems.

Considering my previous experience, I didn’t expect that installing final cut studio in a mac that already had final cut X would be a problem. This thing of “hiding” one final cut from another sounds to me like Cain and Abel…I really had enough.

I know, in this case, that I should have read ( is that correct?) the white paper again but to read Apple’s information about a product does not necessarily avoid troubles.

I did read, for example, Apple’s requirement for final cut X and my mid 2009 mac book did meet them.

Despite of that, I had to change the battery mode in order use a more powerful graphics card that would run final cut X . It ran okay but just okay. Motion wouldn’t run at all. Images were jerky and I just couldn’t work with Motion. So I had to buy a new macbook pro and had to install again final cut X and final cut Studio.

I was going to migrate them but then I read, on Apple’s site, that migrating final cut studio to a mac with lion could be problematic so I decided to install fc and installed fc X first because it would be quicker and I would have an editing system in my new mac book pro in a matter of an hour or so. Then I tried to install fc studio and the problems began…

But all those installations and “hiding” and white papers wouldn’t be necessary if only final cut X had backwards compatibility. I have 7to X but it doesn’t work that well so you can’t say it fix the problem.
7toX will improve, I guess, but I don’t see why I should wait. As I said, I had enough. I am moving to “Adobeland”.

Be good to your camera and your camera will be good to you

[Umberto Aguiar]

Well, months ago I installed fc X in a mac that had fc Studio. I did read, that time, Apple’s white paper on fc X installation but I just installed fc X, without any specific steps. I had no problems.

Considering my previous experience, I didn’t expect that installing final cut studio in a mac that already had final cut X would be a problem. This thing of “hiding” one final cut from another sounds to me like Cain and Abel…I really had enough.

I know, in this case, that I should have read ( is that correct?) the white paper again but to read Apple’s information about a product does not necessarily avoid troubles.

I did read, for example, Apple’s requirement for final cut X and my mid 2009 mac book did meet them.

Despite of that, I had to change the battery mode in order use a more powerful graphics card that would run final cut X . It ran okay but just okay. Motion wouldn’t run at all. Images were jerky and I just couldn’t work with Motion. So I had to buy a new macbook pro and had to install again final cut X and final cut Studio.

I was going to migrate them but then I read, on Apple’s site, that migrating final cut studio to a mac with lion could be problematic so I decided to install fc and installed fc X first because it would be quicker and I would have an editing system in my new mac book pro in a matter of an hour or so. Then I tried to install fc studio and the problems began…

But all those installations and “hidings” and white papers wouldn’t be necessary if only final cut X had backwards compatibility. As I said, I had enough of this Cain and Abel story. I am moving to “Adobeland”.

Be good to your camera and your camera will be good to you

[Umberto Aguiar]

Thanks a lot for the information.

I deleted the incomplete final cut studio I had in the new mac. I couldn’t find final cut X to delete it so I just installed fc X again. I have a third and “ancient” macbook pro with final cut studio that I will keep but I won’t install fc 7 in the new mac anymore. I installed, instead, adobe CS6…

This final cut X/final cut 7 “situation” caused me a lot of stress and unexpected expenses. I made a few decisions after this last problem I had with final cut X/final cut 7:

1. I will keep final cut X, just in case I am wrong about it or if I have to work with it because of the market.
2. I will try to edit only on Adobe from now on.
3. So long, final cut 7. Rest in peace.

I believe that Apple’s decision to change from fc 7 to fc X was mainly a money matter. Moreover, they showed an extreme arrogance and inconsideration towards its pro customers when they launched a “new” final cut that doesn’t have backwards compatibility. I, for one, had enough. Forgive me the expression but Apple can go to hell and take their greed with them.

Be good to your camera and your camera will be good to you

[Umberto Aguiar]

I’ve just downloaded your chart. It is exactly what I was looking for. Thanks for sharing it.

Be good to your camera and your camera will be good to you

[Umberto Aguiar]

Yes, Apple should be more upfront about the real cost of fc X . My mac meets the requirements to install fc X but Apple doesn’t mention that the compatibility is only partial.

I know that software technologies are always moving forward and they are moving fast but I think there is also a bit of planned obsolescence happening.

My macbook pro, when I bought it, was the most powerful laptop from Apple: 17″, 3.06 GHz, 7200 rpm, 500 GB. Now, this wonderful creature is not even 3 years old and I’m right on the “border” of compatibility with fc X…

My files are playing fine on fc X now but I know for sure that I will need to buy a brand new macbook pro if I really want to take advantage of fc X and, especially, motion 5. An iMac would be much more reasonable for my tight budget but I do need a laptop. In any case, I am preparing myself to buy a new mac, considering the advanced age of my 30 months old computer…

There are many passionate arguments about the pros and cons of final cut X but one thing I know for sure: The apparent low cost of fc X is a wolf in sheep’s clothing.

[Umberto Aguiar]

Hi. I forgot about my post here and should have deleted it. Don Smith, in another thread, found out the solution for the problem I was having.

My mac book pro is mid 2009, probably the oldest generation of laptops that
meet fc X’s requirements. I was using 9400 NVIDIA instead of 9600. I changed to 9600 and now the files
from the JVC play just fine on fc X.

PS. Old computer…Bought less than three years ago…

[Umberto Aguiar]

Thanks for the advice, Jason. My external hard drive is 800 firewire. I also have a portable passport that is 800 firewire. I’m using 95% of the passport. I guess I need to do some cleaning over there. But I leave the mac itself in good shape and am not using even half of its space.

I had this problem with my camera and went through hell for a couple of days. Then good people helped me to sort the problem. This thing with my camera made me learn a lot more about storage then I knew a few days ago. The best thing about this profession is that every single day we learn something new.

[Umberto Aguiar]

Hi, Don. I will be editing on fc X instead of fc 7 from now on but just because Motion 5 seems to be far better than Motion 4. I really don’t like fc X’s interface and don’t think I ever will. I also don’t need all those metadata features as I edit mainly news and short videos.

I have three videos, just personal projects, that I will edit on fc X. Maybe I will change my mind after editing those videos on fc X but it is very unlikely. I believe in love at first sight and I disliked fc X from the beginning.

I will check the tips on your site. I am also learning fc X through books and have three of them:
Ms. Weynand, Wohl/Brenneis and Larry Jordan. They have different approaches and they complement each other. That said, Larry Jordan’s is the best one, in my opinion.

I feel much more freedom whilst editing on fc 7. I know that I need to leave fc 7 in the past because Apple will let it die but I still like the visualisation that I can have with fc 7’s timeline, reason why I will try Adobe.
Moreover, I have to think about the market and AP’s London office, for example, is changing from final cut 7 to Adobe. I work for them sometimes and need to consider that.

I don’t know Adobe and don’t know if I will like it but, despite liking many things in fc x, there are many things on fc X that make me think of children’s games.

I would like to have a 64 bit traditional timeline to work with and will try Adobe. I will have Adobe and fc X and right now I really don’t know which one I will use more. Let’s see.