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Final Cut Studio Goes Universal
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i think there's quite a few people here who are missing the point of the crossgrade price completely.
remember, this is software written specifically for PPC machines, and it's extras such as AltiVec are used in FCS to help with certain processes.
this has all been rewritten to work with things like SSE3 on x86 processors, which i'm pretty sure is a big deal.
unlike programmes such as Mathmatica and Office, there's so much code customised specifically for a certain platform, that it will take more than a recompile in xcode.
i think when you take this into account, you should thank your lucky stars that it ain't costing more.
i use my PBG4 15" FW800 1.25 with 2Gb ram regularly for FCS and never have any trouble - even with motion. shake even works at a decent speed.
remember, this is software written specifically for PPC machines, and it's extras such as AltiVec are used in FCS to help with certain processes.
this has all been rewritten to work with things like SSE3 on x86 processors, which i'm pretty sure is a big deal.
unlike programmes such as Mathmatica and Office, there's so much code customised specifically for a certain platform, that it will take more than a recompile in xcode.
i think when you take this into account, you should thank your lucky stars that it ain't costing more.
manu chao said:
i use my PBG4 15" FW800 1.25 with 2Gb ram regularly for FCS and never have any trouble - even with motion. shake even works at a decent speed.
Upgrade pricing (from Apple's crossgrade page): $699 upgrade from Final Cut Pro 1, Final Cut Pro 2, or Final Cut Pro 3; $199 upgrade from Final Cut Pro 4 or HD, Motion 2, Soundtrack Pro, DVD Studio Pro 4, or Production Suite; $99 upgrade from Final Cut Pro 5; $49 upgrade from Final Cut Studio.
Anyone know if there is some sort of upgrade path from Final cut Express?
Anyone know if there is some sort of upgrade path from Final cut Express?
manu chao said:
What the hell else are you running? If you're cutting, you should be cutting. Don't waste your client's time by being one of those guys who checks his stocks while he's on the clock.
I've edited hours and hours and hours and hours of video with less than 2 Gbs of RAM. In fact, I've never in my life worked with anything that even had 2Gb of RAM.
Quit your crying.
kingtj said:
Oh please - it's no different. Apple promised you a package that was made for PPCs. They didn't lie about it. They gave you exactly what you knew you were buying. If you bought it to run on an Intel Mac, that's your decision. Apple still sold plenty of PPC Macs at the time - they didn't force you to buy an Intel Mac.
Apple only owes you a relatively bug free experience based on what they promise you at the time of purchase. They don't owe you a free update at all. If you didn't like that, you should have waited.
You said these were "pro apps". Pro apps cost money. If you are a professional, you should pay the $50 and not even bat an eyelash at it - you'll make your money back on that investment soon enough.
Multimedia said:Speaking for everyone
ROTFLMAO
It would make no sense to sell a quad at this point, but for a user on a G4 or single G5, the intel macs may be a step up. And they're cheap enough that they may be a decent fix to tide you over until intel towers ship. Dare I mention the mini?
Now apple just needs to implement nodes or distributed processing like Logic has.
I think it's funny to see so many people talking about how this effects professionals yet they have little or no knowledge of the pro market and/or pro trends.
Lethal
I regularly have FCP, PS, and AE open at the same time w/o any issues. And this is on a 4yr old dual gig Quicksilver that just recently got bumped from 1gig of RAM to 1.5. And, to the best of my knowledge, I've never worked at a post house or TV show that had NLE's running w/more than 2gigs of RAM.manu chao said:
Lethal
No FC Express Upgrade
Nope. Best advice is sell your Express and buy a used PPC Motion or Soundtrack Pro so you can go to FCS for $199 from there. Gotta get creative to go from Express to Studio.merlin said:
LOL
This debate always cracks me up. Apple takes the whole Final Cut Studio suite to UB for $50 and someone has the gall to complain.
Adobe has all but created a press release stating if you want Creative Suite UB you'd better wait for version 3 ($$$$) How many CS2 users would be chomping at the bit for a $50 upgrade?
As Lethal Wolfe stated, most people talking about what professionals want generally have no idea. $50 is less than an hours billing time for many. Sure if they had their druthers they'd get the UB update for free but FCS isn't a small app and that required some work. Nor did your license include moving the app to another ISA for chrissakes.
Buy the update or wait and see if you want Final Cut Studio 2 at NAB 2006.
This debate always cracks me up. Apple takes the whole Final Cut Studio suite to UB for $50 and someone has the gall to complain.
Adobe has all but created a press release stating if you want Creative Suite UB you'd better wait for version 3 ($$$$) How many CS2 users would be chomping at the bit for a $50 upgrade?
As Lethal Wolfe stated, most people talking about what professionals want generally have no idea. $50 is less than an hours billing time for many. Sure if they had their druthers they'd get the UB update for free but FCS isn't a small app and that required some work. Nor did your license include moving the app to another ISA for chrissakes.
Buy the update or wait and see if you want Final Cut Studio 2 at NAB 2006.
So if I'm running Final Cut Studio on my G5 PPC Powermac...
Will I need to crossgrade to the universal version to continue getting software updates, or will Apple continue to support the power pc version?
Will I need to crossgrade to the universal version to continue getting software updates, or will Apple continue to support the power pc version?
Sgt Pepper said:
Assuming FCP 6 is announced at NAB then updates for 5 (UB and PPC) will stop.
Lethal
Just received my universal FCS today. Am just a lowly film student, and as such wouldn't call myself a pro, but I do a lot of editing, and I'm doing it on a 20" 2GB intel Imac (which is not only practical with my budget, but also plenty fast enough for all but the most intensive Motion use). The universal crossgrade is currently working ok, but just ok, it certainly renders faster than on the G5 (I managed to trade my 20" G5 for the intel imac in Jan with a bit of luck on my side). The problem thus far is still a codec issue. An in-progress project which I transferred from the G5 works for the most part, but there are certain .avi files which simply crash either FCP or DVD Studio whenever I attempt to open them, and mpg files play without sound in FCP (I'm not sure if this was always the case, to my memory it wasn't).
Also, just for laughs I used to import .avi movie or tv show files and toy with them, recutting and redubbing dialogue etc...this isn't something that was ever done with any degree of seriousness...but now the large .avi files crash it again.
Now I realise this is a codec issue, but it is still a little bit irritating.What is good to know though, is that on flat out performance, there is a definite improvement, and as the majority of people using the software will be transferring straight from their camera's to FCP, there shouldn't be any major issues.
And just to add my two cents, (or pence I should say) whilst it still obviously isn't professional standard, the imac has suprised me at how adequate it is for DV editing. I haven't tried it with HD, but for a prosumer it not only looks the part but is actually pretty decent.
Also, just for laughs I used to import .avi movie or tv show files and toy with them, recutting and redubbing dialogue etc...this isn't something that was ever done with any degree of seriousness...but now the large .avi files crash it again.
Now I realise this is a codec issue, but it is still a little bit irritating.What is good to know though, is that on flat out performance, there is a definite improvement, and as the majority of people using the software will be transferring straight from their camera's to FCP, there shouldn't be any major issues.
And just to add my two cents, (or pence I should say) whilst it still obviously isn't professional standard, the imac has suprised me at how adequate it is for DV editing. I haven't tried it with HD, but for a prosumer it not only looks the part but is actually pretty decent.
nuckinfutz said:
Yes, someone has the gall to complain because Apple is selling the whole Intel switch as a transparent "under the hood change." They are telling us that it runs the same OS X, nothing has changed except a few parts." But these "parts" break our current and very expensive software. Now we are supposed to rebuy a compatible version of the same software. Seems like a mixed message to me.
I would have no problem paying a media charge + a handling charge. $25-30 seems fair. I also don't think it's fair to compare FCP with PS. Apple is the one who initiated the whole Intel switch, not Adobe. Apple coded FCP from the start to easily port to Intel. Adobe didn't have that luxury. Apple has an interest to help it's most loyal customers with the transition since it's their OS. Adobe has no such interest.
Chupa Chupa said:
Chupa, I agree with you 100%. But don't try to tell any of the Apple fan boys around here that Apple is being greedy. They will rake you over the coals.
I think it is particularly bad when you take into condsideration that Apple knows an update to FCP Studio is coming at NAB.
How costly can it be for Apple to supply the few number of licensed FCP Studio users who have now bought brand new Intel Macs.
Give me a break. What happened to the old Apple that use to care about it's users and used to think different.
Chupa Chupa said:
Portabilty was discussed before any Adobe applications were ever created. They might not have been ready for one processor or another, but they could be a lot closer. Adobe have been dragging their feet for years.
You would think that Apple coded Final Cut Pro to be easily ported but that's an assumption, not necessarily a fact. Then again, you would think that Adobe would have done something similar after the 68000->PowerPC and Mac OS->Mac OS X. Their patches haven't exactly made their applications' performance optimal.
Chupa Chupa said:
When Apple announced the transition there of course were no Intel Macs. The transperancy was with running applications thanks to Rosetta. They never made any speed guarantees. I don't find the message mixed at all. Just today they had to delay the process of converting Aperture to UB. This speaks volumes as to what the potential effort is to complete such a task.
$25-30 seems fair but you've no idea what programming effort was required. It's very fair to compare...the common denominator is that programming effort is required whether Apple be the platform vendor or not they still have to extend the resources.
Apple coded FCP in carbon which Adobe has every bit of the same access. Adobe has interest but that interest seems to lay in having Creative Suite 3 be the UB application.
Nobody likes to give their work up for free and they shouldn't have to. FCS allows people to make a lot of money if they're talented and Apple doesn't ask for more money.
Are you really "thinking" here? Let's analyze the choices.
Apple does nothing- They fail to create a UB for the current FCS and future FCS. That's not going to help Apple or FCS users who want a new computer.
Apple creates UB for next FCS- This is nice for people who know they want to upgrade to the next FCS. However what if my system works just perfectly as it is but I want to purchase a new computer? I'm stuck in PPC land or stuck with a heftly enough upgrade price.
Apple creates UB for both current and future FCS- Wow! Imagine that...ALL user are covered. Those wishing to stay on FCS can do so and update their hardware and software for price of the Mac + $50. Those who have a feeling they want the next FCS can wait and have the $50 absorbed into the price of the update.
Clearly the 3rd option is the best solution. Could Apple have given the update for free? Yes but they owe their shareholders the effort of monitizing their efforts. There is Quid Quo Pro here. If having common sense is being a fanboy then I'll gladly accept that title.
so, about the books
So do we know for sure if the upgrade (Motion2 to FCPS in my case) comes with printed docs or not? And if not, what it would take to get some ?
I hate reading from PDF's and I just downloaded the FCP 5 manual and it's like 1000 pages or so; so I don't really want to print that off of a printer.
So do we know for sure if the upgrade (Motion2 to FCPS in my case) comes with printed docs or not? And if not, what it would take to get some ?
I hate reading from PDF's and I just downloaded the FCP 5 manual and it's like 1000 pages or so; so I don't really want to print that off of a printer.
Universal does not mean Intel only. It means both PPC and Intel Macs. You would be foolish not to exercise the upgrade to Studio Universal by December 20 since you will be getting so much more for almost no money. You are going to eventually buy an Intel Mac, so you better pay the $49 about December 10th to get the last version available under this offer - deadline Decembr 20.Sgt Pepper said:
Don't give up your Dual 2 G5. Buy a Dell 24" wide for like $800 now. Or wait for the 17" MBP which will be faster and probably include ExpressCard/54 for much better expansion options. Better still, if you can swing it, get a Quad.astral said:
Look For Incremental Upgrade At NAB
Apple always shows off something new at NAB, but I'm not banking on a whole bunch of killer new features. They've obviously been focused on the Intel port lately.
Remember 2004 when FCP 4 went to FCPHD (really an incremental 4.5 upgrade with DVCPRO HD support) and gave it away. They added Motion as a new app at that time which kept sales going a bit. I imagine we could be in for something like that again this time, maybe with a new app thrown into the package to justify a paid upgrade.
I think we'll be seeing what amounts to FCS 1.5 with Universal Binary support for the new Canon, Panasonic, JVC, Sony HDCAM camcorders, support for the first generation Blu-Ray burners (Pioneer's model will be on display at the show and ship later in the summer), some under-the-hood improvements and perhaps a couple of nice but not earth-shattering new features to keep the current users mollified.
Look for the package to be shown off at NAB, but I wouldn't count on shipment until the new towers are ready.
Apple always shows off something new at NAB, but I'm not banking on a whole bunch of killer new features. They've obviously been focused on the Intel port lately.
Remember 2004 when FCP 4 went to FCPHD (really an incremental 4.5 upgrade with DVCPRO HD support) and gave it away. They added Motion as a new app at that time which kept sales going a bit. I imagine we could be in for something like that again this time, maybe with a new app thrown into the package to justify a paid upgrade.
I think we'll be seeing what amounts to FCS 1.5 with Universal Binary support for the new Canon, Panasonic, JVC, Sony HDCAM camcorders, support for the first generation Blu-Ray burners (Pioneer's model will be on display at the show and ship later in the summer), some under-the-hood improvements and perhaps a couple of nice but not earth-shattering new features to keep the current users mollified.
Look for the package to be shown off at NAB, but I wouldn't count on shipment until the new towers are ready.