Adding a Laptop for my editing needs on the go...

D

DVX100Shooter

Veteran
Since I spend a great deal of time at work, I need to be working on my projects during down time. I would want an apple powerbook that can handle the entire Final Cut Pro studio suite. Now I currently have a G5 Powermac and I don't think they are going to release the G5 powerbook anytime soon so what are some options I can get so I will be able to run all of the software including photoshop and after effects and have enough storage. I know an external HD is going to be needed...thats a given!

Now would it make sense to buy the bundle all over again or just upgrade to FCP 5 for my desktop and then put that onto the laptop? Then again, I don't have motion now so I might have to end up buying the bundle.

What is the process for transferring projects from laptop to desktop or vice versa? Would I work on part of the project on the laptop then export to a self contained file and save it then later on transfer that file to the desktop and import that onto the timeline for further editing or to complete what I have been working on, on the desktop?
 
There's a lot of questions to be answered there, but I am a Mac tech by trade so I should be able to answer them:

First off, any Powerbook is going to be slow compared to your G5 - just the limitations of putting all that computer in a small space without being too hot to touch. So, editing will be fine, but don't expect to do too much rendering (or plan on waiting a long time for renders to finish). You'll be able to run all the software you mentioned, but Motion will be VERY sluggish (it's sluggish on my DP 2.0 G5) and After Effects will be slow with it's renders.

As far as buying the software again - I don't think that will be necessary. Unless something has changed (double-check the software agreement), you are allowed to put a single copy on 2 computers you own - the assumption being you will only use one at a time. The only catch is you will not be able to run both at the same time if you are networked together.

I would think the best process for transferring projects would be to use an external drive that you carry with the laptop, then hook up to the desktop when you are home. As long as you set the external to be the main FCP drive for both computers, it will be a seamless way to share - any job you open off the HD will open where you left off regardless of the computer you are on.

Now - which laptop to get? Definitely not the 12" - the screen is way too small. The 15" is a nice size and has plenty of screen. If you can afford the 17" and don't mind that it's a tad unwieldy to carry, the screen is very editor-friendly. Personally I recommend the 15", it's just easier to move.

Hope that helps. Let me know if I was not clear on some of my recommendations...

Jason
 
Thanks Jason,

I heard the G4 powerbooks were pretty fast, not faster than a G5 obviously. Is there anything else I should consider in making it quicker like either bump up or max out the ram, get the biggest hard drive along with the external drive you spoke about?
 
I just got the new 17" powerbook with 120GB hard drive and currently 1.5gigs ram. It's a great machine. I'm doing some editing on it currently and It's been great, but I'm also working in Offline RT format. Then I transfer the project file using media manager to the full rez version when I go back to my Dual G5 at home. Works wonderfully!!

I'm mainly doing still photography now, but I would suggest possibly getting the faster hard drive and 2gigs ram for video stuff. You can customize it all on the online apple store.

You definitely need to learn how to work in the Offline RT format if you are going to be working with files back and forth between your desktop and laptop. It makes editing on the laptop a lot faster.

hope that helps!
 
You definitely need to learn how to work in the Offline RT format if you are going to be working with files back and forth between your desktop and laptop.
Click to expand...

Unless you're working in DV25, in which case I think it's easier to use a FW drive and just hook it up to whichever computer you want to use.
 
optimal laptop config

optimal laptop config

Definitely max out the RAM on whichever one you get.

Laptop hard drives tend to spin at 4200 rpm, as opposed to 7200 on desktops. That's where you take the biggest performance hit when dealing with video.
If there's an option for a 5400rpm or higher hard drive, that would be a good thing.

However - if you are just using it to continue work that you are doing on a desktop, don't worry about the faster hard drive and just use the external firewire drive.

Jason
 
Yea there is an option on the apple site for a 7200 rpm hard drive. Now Skinny I have a question for you. I currently have FCP on my system drive but I use my extra internal drive to capture and save files with. You mentioned that I would need to set it up to have the laptop and the computer set up to the same external FW drive. Can I do that and still have it set up that I way I currently have it?

The whole reasoning for me getting a powerbook is to be able to edit or at least do a cuts only rough edit on the go, or work on a photoshop project that I will transfer everything to the G5 later on. I will have to do some research on the Offline RT mode JT. That sounds like a way to go though.
 
A good way to transfer files is to use the firewire disk target mode.

Hook up your computers with a firewire cable, reboot your powerbook and hold down F when you start up. The powerbook HD should show up on whatever computer you have it hooked up to.
 
I am currently doing all my editing on a PowerBook G4 (17"). I'm very happy with it. Eventually, I plan on getting a G5 DP but for now the PowerBook is working for me. We just finished a feature length movie at the end of August and have been in post since then. Hopefully, we will be finished by the end of the year. The rendering isn't too bad, except when we rendered Magic Bullet's MisFire filters. (for that old MovieTone look). It took 33 hours to render a two minute section. I appllied a Broadcast safe filter to a couple of those clips - another 13 hours last night. Other than that, though, the render takes from a few seconds to a couple of minutes.

Another great thing about the PowerBook was the ability to see all the clips on location and to match scenes days later.
 
DVX100Shooter said:
Yea there is an option on the apple site for a 7200 rpm hard drive. Now Skinny I have a question for you. I currently have FCP on my system drive but I use my extra internal drive to capture and save files with. You mentioned that I would need to set it up to have the laptop and the computer set up to the same external FW drive. Can I do that and still have it set up that I way I currently have it?

The whole reasoning for me getting a powerbook is to be able to edit or at least do a cuts only rough edit on the go, or work on a photoshop project that I will transfer everything to the G5 later on. I will have to do some research on the Offline RT mode JT. That sounds like a way to go though.
Click to expand...

I guess it depends on how much time you want to devote to moving files. If you keep your internal drive on the desktop for capture, you'll have to transfer files to the laptop in order to edit.
If you plan on using the laptop a lot for working on the same project that's on the desktop, your best bet will be to use an external drive for all capture, scratch and project saving. You can then take the external drive off your desktop and bring it with you, open the project on the laptop and be exactly where you were in the project.
If you use this approach, you will be able to take your projects with you very quickly - just a matter of ejecting the drive from the G5 and pulling the cables. If you continue using an internal drive, you'll have to allot extra time for file transfer.

The only possible gotcha with this idea is if you take the laptop somewhere without power - you won't be able to get a fast external drive that doesn't need AC.

Get a firewire 800 drive and you will be in great shape, speed-wise. Hard drives are cheap right now.

If you go the external route, don't worry about the speed of the hard drive that comes with the laptop.

Hope that helps.

Jason
 
skinnyboy said:
The only possible gotcha with this idea is if you take the laptop somewhere without power - you won't be able to get a fast external drive that doesn't need AC.
Click to expand...

I think LaCie now do 1TB FW800 drive that runs at 7200rpm in raid 0 and it has switchable option between its own AC and the laptop power. Think it's called Bigger Disk Extreme and costs around 800 dollars.
 
I use only firewire drives for editing. The trick I use is to create a folder for each project before I even create the project file or start capturing. Then I reset every scratch disk and capture disk to this folder as well as save as the project into that folder. This way everything I could ever want for that project is in that folder on that drive. So if you need to take that drive with you on your laptop or take it to a clients computer and work or hand it off to another editor, everything is there. Just thought I would throw my way of doing it out there. But remember, you have to reset these for every new project. Hope that helps.

yaso
 
Eventually the entire Macintosh line will be Intel based. It's been recieved as fairly controversial among Mac fans...in addition, your old Macintosh apps will not be entirely compatible with the new Intel machines. Apple has an app dubbed "Rosetta" which will "translate" PowerPC (the current processor used in Macs) binarys to x86 (machine level languange in Intel and other processors) code, BUT it is not native. Performance is said to be at about 70% using Rosetta then just using it on a PPC Mac.

In any case, what I would do is wait for the Intel 'books to come out, then wait for a revision. In my experience, being an early adopter never pays. Generally in the first revision alot of the problems and odditys of a first-gen product have been resolved (case in point, DVX100 --> DVX100A).
 
As someone who makes a living installing, fixing and working on Macs, I would NOT recommend you get an Intel Powerbook if they come out next month.
FCP will most likely not run natively on it, and probably won't for a few months.

And, actually, it probably won't be Powerbooks that are released. The rumor sites are all saying iBooks and the Mac Mini. The professional computers (Powerbook, "G5") will go Intel later in the year (June-ish).

The only reason to wait would be that if they do release Intel Powerbooks (not likely), you'll be able to find a great deal on the current models, as all the retailers try to unload them.
 
You must log in or register to reply here.
Back
Top