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View Full Version : Can New Macbooks handle FCE?



jayeskreezy
Oct 14, 2008, 03:26 PM
Does anyone know if the new macbooks video card specs can handle intense final cut express work?


slu
Oct 14, 2008, 04:47 PM
Old Macbooks could handle FCE. The video card in them is more than fine for FCE. Good luck getting video on a new Macbook without Firewire though.

If you have a DV or HDV camera, you are better off with the white Macbook.
UndertheRadar
Oct 14, 2008, 04:52 PM
The new ones can probably handle FC Studio.
slu
Oct 14, 2008, 04:58 PM
Again, unless you can capture footage from DV or HDV cameras on another computer, the new Macbook may run FCS or FCE great, but without content it doesn't matter.
madmaxmedia
Oct 14, 2008, 05:17 PM
If you think about the capabilities/specs of Firewire, an Ethernet to Firewire adapter seems impossible.

With Firewire you can control your video camera, also a computer with Firewire has a dedicated Firewire controller so your CPU isn't doing the legwork during large transfers (as is with USB.) How any of this could be emulated over an ethernet port I have no idea.

All this seems to add up to a big FAIL with the new MacBook and video editing for many users. It's a real shame since the new GPU probably makes the MacBook suitable for even FCP.
bigandy
Oct 14, 2008, 05:20 PM
I doubt the new MBs have an issue with FCE, and prolly cope well with FCS.


If you think about the capabilities/specs of Firewire, an Ethernet to Firewire adapter seems impossible.

Firewire over ethernet is part of the Firewire ratified specs.

Adapter: http://trendnet.com/products/proddetail.asp?prod=125_TC-NTUF&cat=50
bigbossbmb
Oct 14, 2008, 06:45 PM
I doubt the new MBs have an issue with FCE, and prolly cope well with FCS.

It will most likely run the program, but even with FCS on the system, you won't be able to do much without FW. USB struggles with a simple 25Mb/s DV stream. There is no way you can playback ProRes, AIC, DVCProHD, or XDCam on the new macbook. worthless...
Maximillian
Oct 14, 2008, 07:03 PM
Does anyone know if the new macbooks video card specs can handle intense final cut express work?

My '06 Macbook ran FCP and After Effects OK, so these will do express just fine.
fxstb2002
Oct 14, 2008, 07:32 PM
Would a MBP be better, or does the graphics card matter that much (i.e. is it all CPU?)
jayeskreezy
Oct 14, 2008, 07:57 PM
Would a MBP be better, or does the graphics card matter that much (i.e. is it all CPU?)

I was just wondering b/c I purchased a mbpro last year b/c it was said the old mb's couldnt run FCE well. I didn't know they could w/o dedicated graphics.

Oh well...I like my mbpro now, but I wish I'd known that last year.
RedTomato
Oct 19, 2008, 09:52 AM
Firewire over ethernet is part of the Firewire ratified specs.

Adapter: http://trendnet.com/products/proddetail.asp?prod=125_TC-NTUF&cat=50

NOOOOO!!!!!!!

That's an attachment for a bloody cable tester! Read the rest of the page you linked to.

If you look at wiki for fw-over-ethernet, you will see it needs special hardware in the ethernet port, and there is no existing chipset with this facility.

It's been pointed out 100x on these forums. Apple may or may not bring back FW in 2009, but for now, FW on a macbook is dead. :( :mad: