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Editing on old G5

M

marlon69

macrumors newbie
Original poster
Feb 12, 2008
8
0
Hi everyone!

Just finished a low/ no budget film shot on Red Epic and now I need to start editing. However my workstations are getting old. I have a:

Late 2007 MacBook running 10.7.5, 2,2 GHz Intel Core 2 Duo,
Memory 4 GB 667 Mhz,
Graphic card, Intel GMA X3100 144 MB, Bus speed 800MHz and a:

2003 G5 1,8 Dual core 10.5.3, Memory 512 MB but with 8 slots possible to upgrade to 8 GB. GEForce FX 5200, Bus speed 900MHz

On the G5 I have FCP 5. Possible to upgrade to FCP 6 but no further.

Which workstation should I concentrate on? I will make ProRes files to be able to handle them in the edit. If I go with the MacBook I will get FCP 8 or 9 after that it gets "useless" I seem to remember. Could go Premiere possible since that of Avid is where the industry seems to go. I will use my apple cinema display 1680 x 1050 32 bit with either solution.
 
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D

daybreak

macrumors 6502a
Sep 4, 2009
531
0
As you well know this computer game never seems stop still. You buy one software for editing and next year it is dead.
In your case don't invest, until you are ready for new. Take a look at iMovie for editing your work?. Too invest in FCP older version would be money down the drain.
Lets face it it is not the software what makes a perfect video it is the material.
 
H

handsome pete

macrumors 68000
Aug 15, 2008
1,725
259
daybreak said:
Lets face it it is not the software what makes a perfect video it is the material.
Click to expand...

Of course, but that doesn't mean there's nothing to say of the tools to get the work done. And unfortunately in the original poster's case it looks like his older hardware won't be ideal.

I'd probably lean towards the macbook.

Are you trasncoding to ProRes on these machines too? That might take a while.

As for software, I wouldn't bother investing any more into FCP unless you can get it really cheap/free. What version of OSX are you running? I might take a look at Premiere, but you'll have to find an older copy if you're not at 10.7 yet. It's much more similar to FCP in its approach than Avid.

Simply editing on those machines shouldn't be much of a problem. Just don't get too crazy with multiple video layers/streams. But if you have any serious color grading/post work to do then you might be in for some frustration.
 
LethalWolfe

LethalWolfe

macrumors G3
Jan 11, 2002
9,370
124
Los Angeles
RED only works with Intel processors (so the G5 is out) and ProRes didn't come around until FCP 6. I wouldn't consider the G5 for anything as the Intel laptop will be much, much faster and, in general, it could be difficult to find old software to run on the G5.

Transcoding on the laptop will take a very long time (I wouldn't be surprised if it took minutes per frame) so using Premiere and the R3D proxy files might be a better way to go? Honestly, I go over to the official RED forums and ask there in the RED Workflow section.
 
Lil Chillbil

Lil Chillbil

macrumors 65816
Jan 30, 2012
1,322
99
California
I recommend lightworks if you are using the macbook pro but the g5 is still a decent editor if you stick with final cut pro 5 and get to know it really well
 
MIDI_EVIL

MIDI_EVIL

macrumors 65816
Jan 23, 2006
1,320
14
UK
Lethal is right. Only proxies and your MacBook (just about!) is going to give you anything useable.

Final Cut Pro 8 or 9 don't exist. It went from 7 to FCPX. FCPX is fast becoming a very good and stable NLE. Don't discount it! It also cuts RED footage with the plugin available.

Your best bet is to look at a new machine, but at least wait for Monday when Apple is supposed to be announcing new notebooks, and possibly a new Mac Pro. Another option is to build a Hackintosh... which I did.

Don't upgrade the G5, and don't invest in FCP pre FCPX. It is 32Bit and staying there. Focus your finances on a new Intel Core i7 machine at the very least.

LilChilBil - I'm sorry to say this but you are misleading people with your obsession and nostalgia of these older legacy machines and cameras. The G5 is not going to be good for the OP needs, editing RED!
 
Lil Chillbil

Lil Chillbil

macrumors 65816
Jan 30, 2012
1,322
99
California
MIDI_EVIL said:
LilChilBil - I'm sorry to say this but you are misleading people with your obsession and nostalgia of these older legacy machines and cameras. The G5 is not going to be good for the OP needs, editing RED!
Click to expand...

No offence taken, Realisticly


I would recommend this nice Canon Camera XA10

Canon_XA10_Vanity.jpg


Its very prosomer and can deliver quality images


as for a budget pro editing rig you can't beat a mac pro quad core 2009

product-wwdc-macpro1.gif



And Lightworks, its free and has a ton of pro features


Lightworks-For-Linux-616x346.jpg






Course If I was still in an oldschool mood


A Canon Xl2 is the best 480p you will ever see and gives sharp images with interchangeable lenses
Canon-XL2.jpg



A powermac g5 Quad

hl-hero.jpg



Final cut pro 3

final-cut-pro.jpg



But thats too old
 
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D

daybreak

macrumors 6502a
Sep 4, 2009
531
0
Lil thanks for all that. You know i started with FCP-3 and it was very hostile to me to understand how it all worked and how my brain was going to learn that. But after mastering the software it was a delight. FCP-7 was nice. FCP-X is a dream software.
Once again nice to see all that.:)
 
M

marlon69

macrumors newbie
Original poster
Feb 12, 2008
8
0
FCP-X a dream? It doesn't sound right. All professionals are changing back to Avid or going for Premiere over here. FCP-X lost all pro users since they wanted to go wide and get more non-professional users. At least that's what I have understood. (Not editing much these days since I usually have much bigger budgets and therefore hire an editor on my projects)

I have no experince of Lightworks. I learned editing on the Avid system so it would be the wise choice or go for Premiere.

So I've decided to try to work with my MacBook (not Pro) or give in and buy something new/ used. However I have tons of other bills to pay first. I am on the Red User site as well.

Now I have installed the Red CineX and Red Player on my MacBook 3,1 (late 2007) 2,2 GHz Inter Core 2 Duo. Memory 4 GB 667 MHz BUT it wont even start the program. I'm running OS 10.7.5. My girlfriends Macbook Pro will run it my not my computer. I'm trying to find out what the minimum requirements are but still haven't found it. Any ideas?

Found a 2012 MacBook Pro fro $1677 with i7 2,3 GHz RAM 16 GB. See comparing them all here:

http://www.everymac.com/ultimate-mac-comparison-chart/?compare=all-macs&0&prod1=PowerMacG5014

How much better off would I be with this laptop?
 
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MIDI_EVIL

MIDI_EVIL

macrumors 65816
Jan 23, 2006
1,320
14
UK
marlon69 said:
FCP-X a dream? It doesn't sound right. All professionals are changing back to Avid or going for Premiere over here. FCP-X lost all pro users since they wanted to go wide and get more non-professional users. At least that's what I have understood. (Not editing much these days since I usually have much bigger budgets and therefore hire an editor on my projects)

I have no experince of Lightworks. I learned editing on the Avid system so it would be the wise choice or go for Premiere.

So I've decided to try to work with my MacBook (not Pro) or give in and buy something new/ used. However I have tons of other bills to pay first. I am on the Red User site as well.

Now I have installed the Red CineX and Red Player on my MacBook 3,1 (late 2007) 2,2 GHz Inter Core 2 Duo. Memory 4 GB 667 MHz BUT it wont even start the program. I'm running OS 10.7.5. My girlfriends Macbook Pro will run it my not my computer. I'm trying to find out what the minimum requirements are but still haven't found it. Any ideas?

Found a 2012 MacBook Pro fro $1677 with i7 2,3 GHz RAM 16 GB. See comparing them all here:

http://www.everymac.com/ultimate-mac-comparison-chart/?compare=all-macs&0&prod1=PowerMacG5014

How much better off would I be with this laptop?
Click to expand...

Much better off! But wait for Monday...!

FCPX is becoming a super NLE. I must admit, I cut 75% of my stuff in it these days. Premiere the remainder. It's very quick, and intuitive, and it does make the other NLE's seem dated. Of course, it's got a few things to add, but check FCPX.tv for a few suggestions... http://fcpx.tv/top.html

The MacBook Pro you listed will definitely crunch through what you're wanting to edit, I would still suggest using proxies for cutting. I used to play around with RED 4k shots in RedCine using a 2008 Core 2 Duo MacBook Pro. Was smooth!

I think the limitation of your MacBook is the GPU. Wait until Monday for WWDC, where Apple are set to unveil the latest Haswell notebooks. Of course, if your budget doesn't allow a new notebook, then you can't go wrong with a 2010 onwards Mac Pro, or a 2011 onwards MacBook Pro.

You should really look at FCPX. If you're getting back into editing, it's the way to go. I was a FCP7/Premiere Pro CS5-6 advocate, but FCPX has won me over.

Download the trial, and start cutting your project on it...!

----------
Lil Chillbil said:
No offence taken, Realisticly


I would recommend this nice Canon Camera XA10



Its very prosomer and can deliver quality images


as for a budget pro editing rig you can't beat a mac pro quad core 2009




And Lightworks, its free and has a ton of pro features







Course If I was still in an oldschool mood


A Canon Xl2 is the best 480p you will ever see and gives sharp images with interchangeable lenses



A powermac g5 Quad




Final cut pro 3




But thats too old
Click to expand...

It's not this thread that he's asking for camera advice... He shot his film on a RED Epic ;)
 
Lil Chillbil

Lil Chillbil

macrumors 65816
Jan 30, 2012
1,322
99
California
MIDI_EVIL said:
Much better off! But wait for Monday...!

FCPX is becoming a super NLE. I must admit, I cut 75% of my stuff in it these days. Premiere the remainder. It's very quick, and intuitive, and it does make the other NLE's seem dated. Of course, it's got a few things to add, but check FCPX.tv for a few suggestions... http://fcpx.tv/top.html

The MacBook Pro you listed will definitely crunch through what you're wanting to edit, I would still suggest using proxies for cutting. I used to play around with RED 4k shots in RedCine using a 2008 Core 2 Duo MacBook Pro. Was smooth!

I think the limitation of your MacBook is the GPU. Wait until Monday for WWDC, where Apple are set to unveil the latest Haswell notebooks. Of course, if your budget doesn't allow a new notebook, then you can't go wrong with a 2010 onwards Mac Pro, or a 2011 onwards MacBook Pro.

You should really look at FCPX. If you're getting back into editing, it's the way to go. I was a FCP7/Premiere Pro CS5-6 advocate, but FCPX has won me over.

Download the trial, and start cutting your project on it...!

----------



It's not this thread that he's asking for camera advice... He shot his film on a RED Epic ;)
Click to expand...


whoops, I get confused sometimes on which threads are which cause i'm dysthreadic
 
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