Anyone running FCP on 20" Intel Imac?

mainstreetprod

mainstreetprod

Veteran
Or on a Mac with the same specs? (2GHZ processor, 1 gig memory added to
original 512, external USB drive used for scratch files and all video). Mine
has a problem (stutter) playing back from timeline. Plays back better in the preview window. When capturing from P2, cant play that back well either.
Most projects are DVC Pro HD 720. Wasn't as bad originally, getting worse.
FC express works well.

Is the USB drive the problem - should it be firewire only?
 
definitely going to need at least FW 400 for any kind of video if not 800. USB might work with small graphics and stuff of that matter but I don't know of any USB drive that will hold up to video. Especially HD. Your drive is probly filling up thats why it was better in the beginning. So the drive has to work harder with more stuff on it.
 
I knew better when I purchased the drive, but due to the published specs of the newer USB thought it might make it. I will get a FW drive and start using this for storage. So it needs to be FW 400? Any recommendations in the 200 gig range?
 
The official specs for FCP state you have to use at least a FW 800 drive to edit from. That USB just isn't going to cut it. Don't even bother with a FW400, just don't. FW800 is cheap enough, get the biggest honker you can afford. Or two, one for work, one for backup/archive. No smaller than 250GB, if not bigger. With DVCPRO-HD, you're going to eat it up.
 
Thanks- will get one. If anyone has any recommendations as to a good drive for the price, and best place to buy, let me know. I didn't see any firewire drives in local stores or probably would have bought one in the first place.
 
FCP on an IMAC

FCP on an IMAC

We have a 20" iMac, and I have used it to edit video on while my G5 went to apple for some warranty work. Firewire 400 worked for me, although I was more than glad to get off of that computer for editing on. If I had to recommend any kind of a hard drive enclosure, I am very very happy with my CalDigit raid array. they have recently released a firewire 400/800 and USB 2 disk raid array called a FireWire VR (http://www.caldigit.com/FireWireVR.asp) Their support is awesome, and I couldnt recommend this company any more than I do. I bought my RAID from VideoTex Systems in Dallas, they had the best price of any of the distributors from caldigit. Ask for Charlie Holland.
 
Go to the LaCie website and check out the LaCie d2 eSATA II drives. These drives are extremely fast (twice as fast as SATA I) and ideal for digital audio/video editing with a transfer rate up to 300MB/s (interface transfer rate). Translated - faster than firewire 800! They are now available and the 250GB is $160.00. I have a 500GB on order and should be in next week.

Now, you will need a pci card for the external SATA II connection. I purchased an express 34 card for my macbook pro. In addition to LaCie, there are several other manufactures of eSATA II drives.
 
you won't see any difference between FW800, SATA I, and SATA II on individual drives since the interface isn't the bottleneck... it is the mechanical speed of the drives themselves. a single drive isn't capable of filling the bandwith of those three interfaces.
 
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