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Final Cut Pro 6 To Debut At NAB? Final Cut Extreme Too?

Don't worry, there won't be any refreshes to the Mac Pro line this quarter and the 8-core system won't be seen at the earliest before 4th quarter or 2007.

The entire PC industry is being very careful in the "Core Wars", they don't won't to make the same mistakes that were made during the MHz Wars (every month a new CPU would come out and be faster than last months). As a Mac user, we didn't really get to experience that, but just look at the toll that it took at Dell. The constant changing product lines and the rapidly changing hardware took it's toll on their Support.

However, new MacBook Pros are coming....
Lord Nerdos said:
I have a terrible feeling that updated mac pros are going to be announced... Terrible, as I ordered mine last week... :rolleyes:
**Homer style "Doh!!!"**

A hardware/software combo for the extreme version would make sense. The ultra high powered 8-core system with a highly optimised final cut.

I can but dream...
Click to expand...
 
Here's a question for multimedia, and any others interested in answering it. This is vaguely similar to what you already answered, except in my case we're not dealing with the academic version any longer.

I currently have FCP 4 (upgraded from FCP3/Academic - this *did* become commercial when I upgraded), but haven't used it for a while. As I dive back into video, I'd like to upgrade to the latest and greatest, but don't know which will be more cost effective:

1) Upgrade from FCP 4 -> 5.1UB FCS (Current) -> FCP 6
Apple currently offers the FCP 4 & HD upgrade to the complete FCS for $199. This was exactly what I was planning on doing up until the NAB news. I'd then be set to simply go through the regular upgrade, like everybody else, after NAB.

2) Wait until NAB and FCP 6, then try to upgrade from FCP 4 -> FCP 6.
The trade-off of this could possibly lie in whether Apple allows owners of the past several versions to upgrade to FCP 6 for roughly the same price, or whether owners of pre-"current" (i.e. before 5.1UB FCS) are going to be penalized a couple hundred more.


As you know, the previous deal for option #1 expires on March 19th, so I'd need to decide before then. A good part of me suspects that even if Apple charges an additional amount for FCP 4 users to upgrade to the FCP 6 package, that it'd only be an extra $100 or so, or maybe $300. When I'm looking at the "5.1UB FCS" upgrade price + $200 for option #1, I may well be able to skirt out on paying a couple hundred of that.

But is it worth it to gamble, or should I just kick in the bucket and do the FCP 4 -> 5.1UB FCS upgrade now and upgrade to 6 later, like every other good boy?
 
So Multimedia, if I buy FCS now at my EDU discount (HE in the UK) I can then upgrade for free to the commercial version of FCS before March 20? You are certain of this? I was going to buy FCE because FCS was not to be upgradeable and hence a lot of money for software that would have a shortish shelf life, but if this is true, I am ordering today.
 
FINALLY WHERE CAN I PICK IT UP!!

I want better integration with the other apps. I don't want to have to reconnect my media everytime I change something in Motion. I would like to add audio to Layered projects in DVD Studio Pro. I would LOVE to have multicamera editing like Avid Media Composer has.

As a matter of fact... just give me all the benefits of Media Composer with that great Apple integration. I am not too keen on media management in FCP. I am still learning but I never had a problem with it, even with larger projects, especially when I capture my footage the correct way. My card is still ready and waiting.... so bring it on and hopefully it isn't that expensive. :D

And better real time video editing with HD content. Come ON!!! I have to render every piece of footage I import into my timeline. MacPro 3GHz 8GB of Ram.... ummm.. what else does my job need??? (0_0) Still have to render each time I drop a clip...:D :D :D
 
And just for the sake of arguing with myself about the "to upgrade now" or "not to upgrade" thing...

If I were to use my time machine a bit and go forward to the release of FCP 6, here with me still clutching FCP 4 in my hands, I'd be two versions behind. Then if I were to hop back in my time machine and go back to today to look at the current upgrade/crossgrade paths, and let's say, imagine that I was also 2 versions behind today but wanting to upgrade to the current (5.1UB FCS to clarify; all this time travel is difficult), then what would Apple offer me?

A $699 upgrade. To go up two versions from FCP 3 -> 5.1.

So I'd imagine something similar will occur when 6 is released; any Final Cut owner that's two versions behind or greater will be significantly penalized. Even accounting for the $200 upgrade price now, the upgrade from 5.1UB FCS to 6 would have to be $500 or more for me not to get ripped off going from 4 -> 6.

Hmmm.
 
Multimedia said:
I'm thinking the opposite. 8 Core will likely be a Leopard Mac from day one thanks to better multi-task multi-core management capabilities in Leopard and the Stoakley-Seaburg chipset on the new Oct Mac Pro logicboard. This needs to come with or just before the NAB announcement of FCS 6 and Extreeme for maximum impact and super kickstart sales. Pent up demand for the OctMP will probably make getting one another waiting game even after we all order them on day one.
Click to expand...

I agree with you MM.

I'm keeping my fingers crossed for a March announcement of iLife 07, Leopard, & Mac Pro Octo. All of this will be closely followed with FCS 6 and Extreme at NAB.

I need a new Mac Pro and I have waited long enough!
 
whatever said:
Don't worry, there won't be any refreshes to the Mac Pro line this quarter and the 8-core system won't be seen at the earliest before 4th quarter or 2007.


However, new MacBook Pros are coming....
Click to expand...

Now be nice, don't throw the throngs of DQheads (dual quad) into a ferver, they want to believe so badly, it must be true...it's all coming out around NAB, or maybe it's not!

New MBP's with Santa Rosa, LED backlit screens, and for NAB like in the past announcement, finally a 2k res screen on the new 17in model.

IIRC, Apple has never offered a combo hardware/software solution, but I suppose there is a 1st time for everything. But I'll just call it a silly rumor just like last years FCX for the Red (which btw, still is not even close to shipping a working model, though we hear it's supposed to make a 'debut' at NAB this year). So what if Apple ships a modest 4 core speed bumped MP, and launches FC6.0 at the same time, people will still by it irregardless of some upcoming Leopard release or supposed 8 core- SuperMP model. Whatever the hardware, I'll be willing to bet whatever FCX is, you'll be able to buy it separate from any hardware combo. Tying it into one piece of hardware just doesn't fit the Apple strategy, never has. 'FCX' may run slower or do less things, but I'll bet you'll be able to run most, if not all of it, on the NAB announced Santa Rosa based MBP 17in...you read it here 1st, hah!
 
Academic 1, 2, 3 No Upgrade Way. Academic 4/4.5 to 5.1UB for $199 Is A Must Do Now

GeorgeTheMonkey said:
Here's a question for multimedia, and any others interested in answering it. This is vaguely similar to what you already answered, except in my case we're not dealing with the academic version any longer.

I currently have FCP 4 (upgraded from FCP3/Academic - this *did* become commercial when I upgraded), but haven't used it for a while. As I dive back into video, I'd like to upgrade to the latest and greatest, but don't know which will be more cost effective:

1) Upgrade from FCP 4 -> 5.1UB FCS (Current) -> FCP 6
Apple currently offers the FCP 4 & HD upgrade to the complete FCS for $199. This was exactly what I was planning on doing up until the NAB news. I'd then be set to simply go through the regular upgrade, like everybody else, after NAB.
Click to expand...
Yes this is what you must do by March 20. I am happy to read that you are independent confirmation the academic FCP 3 to 4 upgrade turned it into commercial as I have stated elsewhere. This is why I assumed the 4/4.5 to 5.1UB upgrade would do the same. But now I'm not certain because the only report of an upgrade to 5.1UB that didn't become commercial that I've read above from brianbobcat in post #30 is missing the version number of what he upgraded from. I can see PPC 5 to 5.1 UB staying academic. But I still think academic 4/4.5 will become commercial until I read otherwise.

Bigbossbmb confirms the 4/4.5 academic + $199 Upgrade becomes commercial 5.1UB for sure at post #67 below.

Nevertheless the $99 PPC FCP 5 to FCS 5.1UB deal is amazing even though your 5 stays academic after you get 5.1 UB.
GeorgeTheMonkey said:
2) Wait until NAB and FCP 6, then try to upgrade from FCP 4 -> FCP 6.
The trade-off of this could possibly lie in whether Apple allows owners of the past several versions to upgrade to FCP 6 for roughly the same price, or whether owners of pre-"current" (i.e. before 5.1UB FCS) are going to be penalized a couple hundred more.
Click to expand...
NO NO NO NO NO NO NO NO. Only a fool would wait for the unknown price of 4 to 6 when they can get 5.1UB until March 20 for $199. Are you daft?
GeorgeTheMonkey said:
As you know, the previous deal for option #1 expires on March 19th, so I'd need to decide before then. A good part of me suspects that even if Apple charges an additional amount for FCP 4 users to upgrade to the FCP 6 package, that it'd only be an extra $100 or so, or maybe $300. When I'm looking at the "5.1UB FCS" upgrade price + $200 for option #1, I may well be able to skirt out on paying a couple hundred of that.
Click to expand...
In your freaking demented DREAMS! They shut down all upgrade bargains from 1, 2 & 3 to 4 only a few months after announcing 4. Get real George. Don't be a Monkey. ;)
GeorgeTheMonkey said:
But is it worth it to gamble, or should I just kick in the bucket and do the FCP 4 -> 5.1UB FCS upgrade now and upgrade to 6 later, like every other good boy?
Click to expand...
That would be a Duh! Yes to this question. Why? Because upgrade from 4 to 6 price is completely unknown and usually older version (below the number that's immediately below the number of the new version - i.e. 1, 2, 3, & 4) upgrades to a new version cost more. You can see howSo the odds are it will cost less to go from 5.1 to 6 than from 4 to 6. Plus 5.1UB is no slouch and you should be very happy with it for some time even if 6 is the Bomb. 5.1UB is definitely the Bomb Jr.
TheAnswer said:
This is exactly why I upgraded to FCS 5.1 a couple of weeks ago, even though it won't even run on my current machine. Chances are the price for 4 -> 6 will be around the same as 3 -> 5.1 is now. So there is a good chance the 4->5.1->6 upgrade path will be cheaper/equal...plus since 5.1 is universal, I don't have to upgrade to 6 if I don't need it.
Click to expand...
Exactly. Well put.
netdog said:
So Multimedia, if I buy FCS now at my EDU discount (HE in the UK) I can then upgrade for free to the commercial version of FCS before March 20? You are certain of this? I was going to buy FCE because FCS was not to be upgradeable and hence a lot of money for software that would have a shortish shelf life, but if this is true, I am ordering today.
Click to expand...
I was mistaken about academic PPC 5 going to commercial 5.1 so the answer is no. Buying FCE ed would be your right way to go short term. Sorry for the confusion. In Post #38 here I wrote about my mistake explaining why I made it. Sorry folks. :eek: The upgrade window closed on academic FCP 1, 2 & 3 way back in Summer of 2003. I knew that but had forgotten it. :eek:
 
whatever said:
Don't worry, there won't be any refreshes to the Mac Pro line this quarter and the 8-core system won't be seen at the earliest before 4th quarter or 2007.

The entire PC industry is being very careful in the "Core Wars", they don't won't to make the same mistakes that were made during the MHz Wars (every month a new CPU would come out and be faster than last months). As a Mac user, we didn't really get to experience that, but just look at the toll that it took at Dell. The constant changing product lines and the rapidly changing hardware took it's toll on their Support.

However, new MacBook Pros are coming....
Click to expand...

I agree that companies should wait on adding cores. Very few programs can use them, much less 4+ efficiently. Right now, multiple cores would only truly benefit people who use multiple programs at once.
 
Digital Skunk said:
And better real time video editing with HD content. Come ON!!! I have to render every piece of footage I import into my timeline. MacPro 3GHz 8GB of Ram.... ummm.. what else does my job need??? (0_0) Still have to render each time I drop a clip...:D :D :D
Click to expand...

If you have to render every piece of footage you import into your timeline you project is setup incorrectly.


Lethal
 
GeorgeTheMonkey said:
And just for the sake of arguing with myself about the "to upgrade now" or "not to upgrade" thing...

I'd imagine something similar will occur when 6 is released; any Final Cut owner that's two versions behind or greater will be significantly penalized. Even accounting for the $200 upgrade price now, the upgrade from 5.1UB FCS to 6 would have to be $500 or more for me not to get ripped off going from 4 -> 6.

Hmmm.
Click to expand...

This is exactly why I upgraded to FCS 5.1 a couple of weeks ago, even though it won't even run on my current machine. Chances are the price for 4 -> 6 will be around the same as 3 -> 5.1 is now. So there is a good chance the 4->5.1->6 upgrade path will be cheaper/equal...plus since 5.1 is universal, I don't have to upgrade to 6 if I don't need it.
 
Look for Apple to be making more of a push into the news editing market too this year. While in NYC recently, I was able to see how one of the European networks is using a new workflow with XDCAM and FCP that streamlines the process for ENG editors, and also learned that one of the major US networks' news divisions is in the process of showing Avid the door to the tune of about 60 new FCP stations, both Mac Pros and MacBook Pros. Apparently they spent months trying to convince Apple to be more proactive about the news editing market, and now Apple has finally embraced them and it looking for ways to improve functionality for those users.
 
elppa said:
This signals to me Leopard is nearly ready.

Why would you bring out an app that needs Core Animation if you don't have an operating system with Core Animation to run it on?

That would make no sense, unless FCP 6 is only going to be demoed and not released, but the TS article definitely says released.
Click to expand...

They've shown FCP running on non-released versions of OS X in at least one of the past years (I can't remember which year or which version of OS X though... think it was 2 yrs ago though). I remember Apple>About This Mac'ing the system on display to see if they were running the new OS or not...
 
Only Academic users of FCP 4 or 4.5 will get the commercial version of 5.1. Nobody knows the upgrade price to FCP6. My guess is that it will be reasonable for 5.1users and a LOT for previous versions.

I had Academic 4.5 and made out like a bandit getting 5.1 for only $199 last fall.


As for FCP 6? I think it is very likely that it will require Leopard, which means that 10.5 will ship before FCP. Why? 5.1 requires Tiger and Apple knows that the $129 for an OS upgrade is negligiable to Pro users.
 
tk421 said:
FCP does have multicam editing. You can't mix resolutions, like Avid, but if they are the same res, you can group clips and edit in a mulitcamera way very similar to Avid's.
Click to expand...

But not as easy as assigning cameras to certain keys and just pressing the key and having the clips import into the timeline. Or is there something I am missing?
 
So does this finally mean a real update for the steaming turd that is Soundtrack Pro? Or are they just going to continue to let that one fester?
 
LethalWolfe said:
I don't know what format HD you are working with, but my first suggestion is to use the appropriate "Easy Setup".


-Andrew
Click to expand...

720p... is the format. Maybe I should stop being lazy and ask some people who actually know what they are talking about:p . Or just read the manual. But that isn't the college way.... :cool:
 
Any idea if and when FCE HD 4 will come out. I am thinking of getting 3.5 for $99 with new Mac but that expires 3.27.07. Probably because that is right before Leopard ships.
 
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