Final Cut vs Avid - Help!

D

dvxorcist

Member
Hey guys. I'll be doing some editing on Mac and I don't know whether to go with Avid Express, or with Final Cut Pro. Which should I choose and why? I know software performance depends on the computer too, so if it matters, I'm using an older 400MHZ G4 with 512MB of RAM. Also. How much difference would Mojo or some FCP hardware make in performance (rendering, real-time preview, etc..)?

Thanks in advance. mark.

PS.. I've been using Vegas on a 1GHZ PC and it's good enough. I just need the Mac to fit into the workflow of Mac-users I've been doing projects with.
 
Re: Final Cut vs Avid - Help!

I work on both. I learned on an Avid (Xpress with Meridien) and am just now getting into the Production Suite from Apple. I must say, I like them both in certain aspects. FCP is a much more open and intuitive program to use - and all software based (can be good and bad). The Avid, although proven, can be pretty particular in the way it does things and the way in which it wants things done. It hasn't been called "dancing the gorilla" for nothing - dance in step, and you'll do fine; dance out of step, and it'll frustrate you to just this side of insanity.

So... I think an older Mac with minimum RAM (single processor?), running FCP will probably have a hard time in keeping up with the Avid's dedicated hardware (in terms of real time performance). If it were a newer CPU, I wouldn't necessarily think this as much an issue, but it'll really depend on what you're throwing at it.

I have had really very little complaints with FCP vs. Avid. At times FCP is liberating when you're used to the Avid system; I'm just not sure how well a slower Mac would compare to a Mojo when it comes to real time processing power.

I hope this may help.

Josh
 
Re: Final Cut vs Avid - Help!

Thanks Josh. As for editing 24PA footage, with FCP, can I preview on an external monitor through firewire? I'm not worried about live 2:3 pulldown. Jerky motion is okay as long as I can preview composition and colors. Thanks again.
 
Re: Final Cut vs Avid - Help!

You can use a canopus advc 100, you use a firewire to you mac and use RCA cables to your tv and you can also pull stuff off DVD's, VHS's, etc.

You can even go around macrovision.  Just have to learn the secret.
 
Re: Final Cut vs Avid - Help!

Definitely.  Just preview through firewire (through the dvx if you like) and you can watch on an external monitor...

Josh
 
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