Video editing setup question (Canon Vixia HG20 + FCE 3.5)

[ghanakidd]

Okay, so here's the deal:

- Macbook Pro (1st Gen); 2 MB RAM, Core Duo 2ghz processor;
- Final Cut Express 3.5
- Canon Vixia HG20 (recently purchased)

Am I crazy to think that I can shoot and edit videos at a high quality with this setup? Since I upgraded to the HG20 (damaged my miniDV camcorder; figured it was time to move into the new media), I was also considering upgrading to the FCE 4.0. But, do I even need to? Is there a real difference between the two in terms of editing effectiveness?

 

[DPA]

I hope you mean you have 2 GB not MB of RAM in your MBP. A as long as it's GB you shouldn't have a problem. You might need an external hard drive for capturing HD if you don't want to fill up your internal hard drive really fast. As for the software. In FCE 3.5 you get LiveType and Soundtrack. LiveType is used for making lower thirds, text animating, and that kind of stuff with text. Soundtrack can be used for more advanced audio editing than in FCE. In FCE 4, you only get LiveType. The reason they took out SoundTrack is because GarageBand is included with every Mac now and can do almost everything that Soundtrack could. FCE 4 also has built in AVCHD support and more filters and transitions than 3.5. I would go with upgrading to 4 because it has support for AVCHD. After look at the specs for your camera I did not see what format it recorded in but assumed it was AVCHD. Is it something else?

 

[ghanakidd]

I hope you mean you have 2 GB not MB of RAM in your MBP. A as long as it's GB you shouldn't have a problem. You might need an external hard drive for capturing HD if you don't want to fill up your internal hard drive really fast. As for the software. In FCE 3.5 you get LiveType and Soundtrack. LiveType is used for making lower thirds, text animating, and that kind of stuff with text. Soundtrack can be used for more advanced audio editing than in FCE. In FCE 4, you only get LiveType. The reason they took out SoundTrack is because GarageBand is included with every Mac now and can do almost everything that Soundtrack could. FCE 4 also has built in AVCHD support and more filters and transitions than 3.5. I would go with upgrading to 4 because it has support for AVCHD. After look at the specs for your camera I did not see what format it recorded in but assumed it was AVCHD. Is it something else?

LOL...indeed, 2GB of RAM (not 2MB). These are the camera specs:

http://reviews.cnet.com/digital-camcorders/canon-vixia-hg20/4507-6500_7-33196959.html?tag=mncol;rnav

I actually grew to like Soundtrack (though LiveType gained much more use for me over time). And it does appear the format is AVCHD. So, that's make FCE 4 a must, huh?

 

[DPA]

Good. I doesn't make 4 a must, but if you don't upgrade you will have to convert the AVCHD files to .mov files using a video converter software like MPEG Streamclip which will convert the files to many different other file extensions you can choose from.

 

[ghanakidd]

Good. I doesn't make 4 a must, but if you don't upgrade you will have to convert the AVCHD files to .mov files using a video converter software like MPEG Streamclip which will convert the files to many different other file extensions you can choose from.

Woohoo! I have MPG Streamclip. Downloaded it a while ago. Still, I might at least look into demoing the latest transitions in 4 that 3.5 doesn't support. Who knows -- might find a deal clincher in there.

 

[DPA]

Yah, I would do some more research. But if AVCHD is all you are going to be dealing with and it's not just a one time thing, that would sell me. There are some really cool filters and transitions in 4 that 3.5 didn't have. Decide for yourself what is going to be best for your budget and you then do what you have to do.

 

[ghanakidd]

Yah, I would do some more research. But if AVCHD is all you are going to be dealing with and it's not just a one time thing, that would sell me. There are some really cool filters and transitions in 4 that 3.5 didn't have. Decide for yourself what is going to be best for your budget and you then do what you have to do.

Sweet. Thanks for the insight. Hopefully, I can offer the same to another one day