Editing for video screens

Hi I have to edit some videos and still images to project on a video screen.
The dimensions I have been given are 480 x 320 pi and the screen measures 3,48 x 2,32
I have created a sequence in final cut pro 7 with Apple Pro Res and dimensions 480 x 320 but somehow what I preview on my computer doesn't look 100%.
Do you think my video will be alright once screened ? or SHould be using different settings ?
Many thanks !

Don't edit that size...edit in the size of the footage...or more importantly, in a size that FCP works with. 1920x1080 ProRes 422...or 1280x720, depending on your source footage. And when you are done editing, EXPORT to those dimensions.
480x320 is awfully small. Smaller than SD.

Similar Messages

Editing for multiple screens

hello all,
for a 3 channel video installation i need to edit preferably in one sequence; i need to see and here how the 3 channels interact.
hoped to do this by making a 3*720 canvas with 3 layers of video, so a bit like after effects, but this doesn't work!!
so my question is this; how could i do this? i mean is there a way to trick fcp somehow? or a good plugin? i've seen one for this a couple of years ago.. but cannot find it anymore.
my other route would be to first scale all the files to 33.3% and before rendering remove all the scales... but somehow i cannot believe that this cannot be done more proper!
thanks for all the tips!

thanks for the suggestions; looked into watchout, and looks very interesting but it's not what i'm looking for really.
i'm going to use 3 dvd players; if you buy them the same brand it is possible to fire the dvd's up almost in sync; will not be SPOT ON but works for what i'm going to do.
and i get the native video format idea, but what i've hoped for is that it would be possible to trick fcp somehow into a custom size with a, lets say, animation compression.. get all the material into the animation compression, get it on the timeline, cut&pase between middle left an right, and NOT need to render.
it seems to me this should be possible somehow; it works if you scale the the clips in the timeline to 33.3%..
afterwards copying the sequences 3 times, removing all the positioning data, and scaling back to 100% before render works but feels like a work around.
but guess this is my way to go!

Screen Recording Software (Video Screen Cap)

I have been googling for a bit and cannot seem to find any recent results for video screen recording tools for Linux, and certainly nothing on the Archlinux forums.
However, my research led me to believe that XVidCap is the most popular (as of about 3-4 years ago). I was wondering if this is still the case or if there are other programs out there. Also it's page on SourceForge shows the last update being about 4 years ago.
BTW- I am interested in all DE's and do not mind using a command line program.
Thanks for your help!
Last edited by cmays90 (2010-08-08 04:32:14)

I use recordmydesktop and love it! It also has GTK+ and Qt versions in the official repos (gtk-recordmydesktop/qt-recordmydesktop). The recordmydesktop program itself runs from the command line

PC VIdeo Screen Capture for Editing in FCP?

Hello,
I was asked to video screen capture a program on a pc laptop for a tutorial, and to mix it in with my footage that was shot 1440-1080, 30f with my Canon XHA1. Does anyone know the best program I can use to video screen capture the pc, that is professional, and not expensive? Or any methods of preparing it for FCP?
Any help would be great!
Thanks

http://www.google.com/search?client=opera&rls=en&q=windowsvideo+screencapture&sourceid=opera&ie=utf-8&oe=utf-8

How can i use original audio track in video editing for iPad 2?

I am struggling to understand how the video editing apps work for iPad 2, and specifically, to understand why all the editing apps I have looked at explain how you can make these terrific video clips by ADDING audio tracks from iTunes, or. From the audio library. I just want to use the original audio on the tape? Is that so strange? Today I took a video clip of my daughter singing with her guitar. I wanted to shorten the length a bit, so I downloaded a couple of Visio editing apps. When I pulled the clip out of my Camera Roll storage into the video editing screen, there was no sound at all,though there were ways to add other sounds ( for .99cents) most frustrating is that nowhere, does Apple explain this. The tutorials just show someone editing a video of their friends ( with no sound) And adding text and music, as if it's normal not to include the actual sound that originally accompanied the video clip. Seems like i wouldn't be the only customer who would prefer to hear my daughters own voice Ina video of her singing, and would like thisexplainedbefore I started downloading editing apps. If it can't be done, couldn't This be posted?

I am not understanding your question, or your complaint, if it is a complaint.
I movies takes a video clip, including its audio track.
You have the option of mutimg it, or of importing some other sound from your music library, or narrating. What other option do you want?

Fusion Drive or HDD for video editing

I'm editing videos with Final Cut Pro and Premiere Pro with a Macbook Pro and I'll be upgrading to an iMac soon. There's an offer in a web store for a new iMac 27" 3,4ghz with a 1tb hdd drive for 2314 dollars. There's not an upgrade possibility, so I would be missing out the Fusion Drive. If I bought the same setup with a Fusion Drive from Mac Store I'd have to pay 2848 dollars, so I would be paying 534 dollars for a Fusion Drive. This seems a bit too much for my budget, though I'd like to have the FD. I went a Apple certified store and they said the performance is seen in opening apps, overall performance and for example scrolling the iPhoto folders. These don't matter at all to me, only what matters is that I will be using this computer for at least 4-5 years and planning on editing 4k video files on it, so it doesn't get old too quick. I'm also planning to buy a external ssd in the future to store all my video files in. So is the Fusion Drive a must have and something I should pay 543 dollars more or could I do with a 1tb hdd -drive and a external thunderbolt drive? Thanks for the answers!

After numerous pageouts and pageins I was forced to go from 4GB of RAM to 8GB of ram due to my Photoshop work, and that was just photoshop. I could have probably gotten by at 6 GB but I figured what the heck. If you get to a place where you need to let your machine sit and render for a while and then want to work in Photoshop for anything but the smallest images, you'll definitely be helped by more than 4GB of memory. BUT - and this is a big but - the iMac should be capable of doing the work. What is sigificant to you is unknown to us. Some folks gag at the thought of not running FCP or even their basic computer, without RAID and consider RAID a significant improvement.
You realize that if you want FULL hdef capability you need RAID, Compressed HD and DV can be done without RAID. I dunno about external RAID on iMacs via firewire. If you are doing full HD then you'll probably want a Mac Pro. If you are not doing full HD then your iMac would be very capable. After all, it's still much faster than many of the old G4 machines that did video and photoshop in years past. Your renders will take a bit longer and photoshop may page out a bit more, but it will all eventually work. If you are making money with it, get the Mac Pro. If not and money is tight the iMac will work.
I think though, when you look at the 24" iMac (the smaller ones use cheap TN screens that are worthless for photography) and add the memory you need and add in the cost of an external HD setup for FCP you will find it won't be that expensive to get a BARE bones Mac and add memory and other internal HD's from Crucial and other suppliers. Dell makes some decent, not too expensive 24" monitors and you'll find the cost of a MacPro won't be that huge - especially after you look at the price of FCP Studio + the Master Collection.

What are the best sequence settings in FCP 5 for exporting screen capture video footage?

I capture video footage of websites in order to showcase in a demo reel. Using Snapz Pro, the compression type I have found to have the best quality is H264. When I take this footage into FCP (v5.1.4), I choose DV NTSC 48khz for the sequence setting. If I then select H264 for the sequence compression type, when I go to render I get a 'Codec error.'
The only way I am able to render properly is by choosing DV NTSC 48khz for the sequence setting and DV/DVCPRO-NTSC as my sequence compression type. The problem with this though is I get a perfect picture in the Viewer, but the picture quality in the Canvas (and the subsequent exported video) is slightly blurred.
I've been trying to find a solution to this problem off and on for years. I've finally decided now to get to the bottom of the issue. If you can solve this one you are my hero!
Ted

Thanks for the suggestions. I've tried using DVCPRO HD in the past, but the picture quality of the captured screen footage turns out blurry. The only codecs I've found that provide a perfectly clear image are H264, Animation and Uncompressed 8-bit. The problem with the latter two is that video files lasting only a few seconds measure in the 100s of MBs. Working with files that large would slow my editing and rendering down to a non-workable length.
I just don't understand why I can't edit H264 video if my sequence codec is set to H264. The 'Codec error' I get is baffling.

Better for Video Editing? MBP 13" or 15" w/9600M GT

I am planning on purchasing a Macbook Pro for relatively extensive use of Final Cut Pro (HD video) along with possibly some light Motion work and video transcoding. In addition I will be using it for photo editing and web editing. I don't plan on using it for any high-end gaming.
I will be purchasing a $200 24" external monitor to use most of the time along with external keyboard and mouse (so MBP screen size isn't an issue), but I need the portability and don't have the funds to purchase an additional dedicated desktop yet.
I am having trouble deciding between the 13" and the 15", mainly due to conflicting opinions I've been hearing over the importance of a dedicated graphics card for video editing. Salespeople at the Apple store tell me it's important and I should get the 15". Research online yielded heated forum arguments over whether it really makes a difference or not.
The price difference is quite significant though at the configurations I picked ($765) so I am seeking advice here for whether people think the cost difference is really justified for my needs. Note that both configurations include 4GB of RAM, smallest hard drive option (i've got external drives) and AppleCare protection.
Pricing with education discount after tax:
13" 2.26GHz - $1520
15" 2.66GHz w/9600M GT 256MB - $2285
*Is there a real difference in video editing performance and if so, is it really worth an extra $765? Or is there a better option that I'm not considering?*

Thanks everyone for the feedback!
Studio X wrote:
Are you planning on making any money at this or are you only in it for fun? Have you ever edited before? Have you ever edited with FCS before? What of the 44 billion HD formats are you planning on editing? Do you have a camera? What format does it record? If it's a flash media based device, what's your back up strategy? How are you planning to externally monitor the HD material ? What are you planning to use as media drives as the system drive should not be used for media capture or playback?
Still, I guess I come down on the side of "it doesn't matter as neither one is a serious editing machine". If I was in the market for a laptop and was limited to the current apple lineup, the only machine of interest is the 17" MacBookPro. The other two MacBookPros you are considering have no expresscard slot and come only with glossy screens - both are serious deficiencies in my world.
I do plan on using this computer professionally. I am a recent college graduate but do have professional FCS editing experience under my belt. However my work was done using both school and employer resources. I do have an archive of work in Mini DV(HDV) and AVCHD formats. I don't currently own an HD camera, however will likely be purchasing one in the near future. As far as externally monitoring HD material, what else would I need other than the 24" external monitor (perfectly capable of full HD) or a separate HDTV? In addition to several older usb2 external drives for backup I do have a 1TB 7200rpm external capable of FW800 and eSATA that I would use as a media drive.
I currently have an old 17" dell notebook with a glossy screen. The screen hasn't really bothered me, but the size and weight of the notebook has. And while the 17" MBP is a little lighter and smaller than my old dell, I would still prefer a 13" or 15". But from the opinions I've been hearing I'm steering away from the 13" and fully realize the downsides to the lack of ExpressCard slot in the current 15" as well. Still wondering while Apple decided to remove it.
MartinR wrote:
If budget is a primary constraint, then consider a refurbished 15" or 17" MBP from Apple, or a used MBP from a reputable supplier.
I hadn't checked into the refurbished options, but now that I did, I found a nice 15" (late 2008 unibody) configuration that would provide a lot more value for the buck. For about $550 more than the new 13" config I would get a faster processor, 2" bigger screen, 9600M 512mb GPU, double the internal storage, removable battery as well as the ExpressCard slot (even though its not listed in specs, it's there). The only trade off I can see is battery life.
http://store.apple.com/us/product/FC026LL/A?mco=MjE0NjE5MA

HELP - Choose mid specs laptop for video editing in Premiere and After Effects

Hello there,
Basically I have DSLR Camera (Canon 600D) which I use to film in Full HD (1080P 50fps) for my movies (short plays and medium plays).
So, I am thinking to buy a laptop with main porpouse to edit my videos in Premiere CS6 and After Effects CS6 and I would like to ask you guys if you can help me choose one. Maximum I could spend is 1000€.
So, I don't care how much time my laptop will take to export movies, but what is most important to me is smooth editing ( fast pre-rendering). I know that pre-render / in software render uses Nvidia CUDA cores to acelerate the process.
I choosed these two laptops:
ASUS K750JB:
Intel i7 4700HQ 2.4 - 3.4GhZ
12GB RAM 1600mHz
Nvidia GT 740M 2GB DDR3 384 Cuda Cores <<< ---- can this one do the job done?
1TB 5400RPM <<<--- I am thinking on buying 60GB SSD extra for OS and Adobe Programs
17.2'' Screen 1600x900
Price: 799€
HP Envy 15-j011sp:
Intel i7 4700MQ 2.4 - 3.4GhZ
8GB RAM 1600mHz <<<---- I could buy 4GB extra
Nvidia GT 740M 2GB DDR3 384 Cuda Cores
1TB 5400RPM <---- I could buy 60GB SSD extra
15.6'' Screen 1920x1080
Price: 810€
So, as you saw, Two of these laptops have 740M Graphic card. Asus is parcially alluminun, but HP is totally alluminum.
Do you think these two are good for edit videos from my DSLR camera? As I said, I don't care how much time it takes to render movie. What is most important to me is editing smooth experience.
Thank you!

Do either of these laptops allow you to install a second drive? This ASUS G750 that I am using now does and it made a world of difference when I cloned the OS/Applications disk from the 1 TB 5400 rpm drive to a 128 GB fast SSD and installed a second 256 GB SSD (both are Samsung 840 PRO SSD's). Without doing that I am quite sure you will be disappointed.especially with your media from a DSLR. See the excellant article by Harm on laptops

Best affordable choice for video editing & other stuff?

I've been a PC user forever. I'm looking to enter the world of Mac. I do video editing with Adobe CC on a windows 7 Destop PC with an i7 Quadcore and have a nice LED monitor. I'd like a Mac capable of doing graphics well and has the processing power of an i7. I was thinking of a Macbook rather than than a iMac because I don't need the built in screen - I already have a very nice LED monitor. I also like the idea of portability. So I figure i could hook up the Macbook to my LED monitor when at my desk, and then be able to port it around when I wanted to go mobile. Is this reasonable? Is a macbook laptop capable of this kind of processing? I know my HP Powerbook with Win7 struggles doing this kind of stuff even though it has a dedicated nVidea Graphics and is an i7 2.3GHz with 16G memory, so I never use my HP laptop for video editing. I thought about the Mac Pro, but that is WAY out of my budget. Is there a Macbook that would be good for video editing and not break the bank? Like I've said, I'v discounted the idea of getting an iMac because of space & (I already have a decent size LED monitor that I'd like to continue to use and share with my Windows PC.

the last 2 and the bottom of this link would be more than adequate: http://store.apple.com/us/buy-mac/macbook-pro

Best Monitors for video editing??? NEC LCD2690WUXi² Vs 24"Apple GLOSSY LED

I am so stuck finding the right monitor for video editing in my price range i just cant afford the 30" apple cinema display, what is next best solution out there...?
Is Anyone using the NEC LCD2690WUXi² Monitors? from what i can tell they are better than the 24" apple LED displays for video editing as...
a) anti glare screen & can be properly colour calibrated
b) 26" screen Vs 24" screen size
c) got DVI-I & DVI-D Connectors so compatible with NVIDIA GT 120 outputs (1 Mini DisplayPort and 1 dual-link DVI-D)
i would love the 30" apple but the NEC comes in at 1/2 the price so i can eventually buy two & i would have definitely taken the 24" but its just not suitable for professional video editing from everything I've read - mainly due to glossy screen, colours & calibration
pls can anyone help with any display solutions/setups
warmest regards
graeme
Oh PS do the NEC LCD2690WUXi² work flawlessly with the latest "Nehalem" Mac Pros?

Not sure if that model number is here or not, but these are supposed to be very good for color work, though I do know that my old shops are still using their CRT's.
http://www.necdisplay.com/Products/Series/?series=171d9fbb-281e-44d8-be67-14d146 e8ada0
Third party monitors are having some trouble with the new Macs. Mostly because of the mini-display ports on the newest Apple supplied cards, but there seem to be other issues as well. You can definitely expect to use the DVI port and leave the mini display for whatever Apple will force on us next.
Apples 24"? Well, it works fine for most but in Apples own description of the display it was made to connect laptops to.
Edit: I'm sorry, for video work? Most anything in the upper end is fine.
Message was edited by: Samsara

What Macbook Pro to get for video editing?

For software like adobe after effects cs5, what macbook would be the best, I have pretty limited money so is the base model ok? if not whitch one works well?
Thanks!

The top end non-retina, 15" anti-glare is the best. SSD preferred, has a Superdrive. RAM and hard drive upgradable later by the user.
The retina has a glossy screen which is hard on the eyes and using in various places, it's battery life is terrible and the images are not correct as it's blowing things up to mach the higher pixel rate. No Superdrive. You can't open the machine up, you can't clean the fans of dust you can't upgrade it later, you will have to max it out at purchase for a small fortune and go way over budget. Plus there really isn't too much difference in the quality of the screen with regular MBP's anyway, just eats battery life to drive that huge pixel screen. You'll be replacing it a lot sooner than the standard 15"
Don't waste your money on the 13", it lacks a dedicated graphics, the CPU does it thus it's HOT. Won't 3D game well if your also into play.
Top end 15" antiglare is perfect.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_X0wo6dIsMU
Actually the MacPro is the perfect choice of power and performance for video editing, with it's substancial cooling. But you want a laptop , just know things will take longr and the machien will be hotter as a result and wear out sooner if your doing 3D gaming or video often.

Which G5 for Video Editing?

Hello, I've decided not to wait for an Intel MacPro, but would like to buy a G5 in the next 5 mos (by July) for standard-definition video editing using FCP 5 Studio. I have a few questions:
1) Currently, I have a Quicksilver G4 with dual 1 Gz, 1 Gb ram and 160 Gb ATA drive. Would FCP 5 Studio work effectively on this machine (for editing, color-correction, motion graphics, rendering to DVD etc)? If not, is it worth investing more money into this machine, or should I switch to a G5?
2) Which G5 would work effectively for my purposes? Kindly advise on clock-speed, RAM, Video card, hard disk etc. I take it I will not need RAID for SD, but only high-definition? I would need to use this machine for at least 3 years. Do you see Apple discontinuing hardware or FCP support for this platform during this time?
3) How would the 23" screen be for video-editing? Are there any rumors about a 25" screen replacing it?
4) Lastly, are there any Apple conventions in the next 6 mos (where new products could be announced), which I should wait for, before purchasing?
Thanks for your advice!
G4 Quicksilver Mac OS X (10.3.5) Dual 1 Gz, 1 Gb Ram, 2 x 80 Gb ATA

Hello, I've decided not to wait for an Intel MacPro, but would like to buy a G5 in the next 5 mos (by July) for standard-definition video editing using FCP 5 Studio. I have a few questions:
Get a Quad and get one fast, with a PPC machine you'll have lots of media copying freedom as you have control over your hardware. With the new EFI Mactels, trusted computing and HDCP coming you will not.
Actually I wouldn't waste money on a PowerMactel machine until the whole "Blueray/HD-DVD" thing gets straightened out too, that's going to have a lot of baggage associated with it. When they do at least you'll have a Quad to be able to do things you won't be allowed on the PowerMactel w/BlueRay.
Standard definition is going "bye-bye" in the US mandatory by 2009, mostly by 2007. You'll need to go HD as all the new TV sets being sold are HD/digital ready and all the content will switch as well. (HD Is really nice too, but eats hard drive space fast)
1) Currently, I have a Quicksilver G4 with dual 1 Gz, 1 Gb ram and 160 Gb ATA drive. Would FCP 5 Studio work effectively on this machine (for editing, color-correction, motion graphics, rendering to DVD etc)? If not, is it worth investing more money into this machine, or should I switch to a G5?
Yes sure, but if time = money, you'll need CPU muscle to render faster and large RAM to burn faster.
I say get a PPC Quad, a large stock drive with 16MB of cache and a Western Digital 150GB 10,000 RPM RaptorX for a boot/app and "bare bones" home drive, keeping your video on the large stock drive. Get yourself 4Gb of RAM or slightly more, install it yourself and save money by visiting Crucial.com. (no comp)
2) Which G5 would work effectively for my purposes? Kindly advise on clock-speed, RAM, Video card, hard disk etc. I take it I will not need RAID for SD, but only high-definition? I would need to use this machine for at least 3 years. Do you see Apple discontinuing hardware or FCP support for this platform during this time?
Apple will support PPC based hardware for a long time, so will a lot of third party software makers because it's the majority platform. Not much software is available for the Mactel based machines, so PPC and the Quad is the best longterm professional choice at this time. I would also not get the stock card but the next one up.
RAID you can play with later, rolling your own mini-raid set or if you have volume and require speed then a X-RAID.
3) How would the 23" screen be for video-editing? Are there any rumors about a 25" screen replacing it?
I had a 23", it's small, but it will do the job. A couple of inches increase won't make much of a difference IMO. If you got the bucks get a 30", it's awesome and better than two monitors as you don't need to turn your head back and forth. Just sit back and take it all in.
Of course for standard video your going to need a standard monitor anyway for previewing.
4) Lastly, are there any Apple conventions in the next 6 mos (where new products could be announced), which I should wait for, before purchasing?
We just had one, Macworld, where the Mactels were announced, supposely Intel will release a 64 bit dual core around September, Adobe Photoshop supposely won't be ready with a Mactel version for another 14 months it's been estimated.
Apple is working on universal versions of their apps, some are ready already.
http://appleintelfaq.com/
A site that be of interest to you is HDforIndies.com
I always advise people to clone their boot drives
http://homepage.mac.com/hogfish/Personal11.html

Suitable laptop for video editing

Hello,
for months now I am looking for a suitable laptop for video editing of my footage captured by Canon 60D (and also GoPro). Since it is in a HD quality and h.264 format it puts a great strain on the CPU. I already had to return an ASUS U30J and Dell XPS14 both with i7 processors because of their terribly slow performance :(. So now, I really want to be 100% sure that the laptop will be able to smoothly handle my footage. I am using Adobe Premiere Pro CS5 for video editing and I do need a laptop (preferably 15'') as I travel all the time.
Here are the specifications of the Force 16F2 laptop built on MSI 16F2 (from the xoticpc.com), which I have chosen so far:
FORCE 16F2 / MSI 16F2
- 15.6” FHD 16:9 LED Backlit Wide screen (1920x1080) Super Clear Glare Type Screen
- 2nd Generation Intel® Core™ i7-2720QM, 2.2-3.3GHz, (32nm, 6MB L3 cache)
- IC Diamond Thermal Compound - CPU + GPU (Cools better than all Compounds)
- nVidia GeForce GTX 560M 1,536MB PCI-Express GDDR5 DX11
- 12,288MB (12GB) DDR3 1333MHz Dual Channel Memory (2x4GB 2x2GB)-
- Standard Finish
- - 500GB (w/ 4GB SSD Memory) Seagate XT 7200RPM NCQ Hybrid 32MB Cache (Serial-ATA II 3GB/s)- or 750GB 7200RPM 16MB Cache Buffer (Serial-ATA II 3GB/s)--
- 750GB 7200RPM 16MB Cache Buffer (Serial-ATA II 3GB/s)-
- Raid 0 Stripe Enabled (Requires 2 or 3 Hard Drives. Combines Hard Drives for performance)
- 500GB 7200RPM 16MB Cache Buffer (Serial-ATA II 3GB/s) in ODD Bay
- 3 Year Complete Care Warranty - 3 Year Parts with Ground Shipping, 24/7 Telephone Tech Support & Lifetime Labor Warranty
I would like to ask you what do you think about this configuration regarding my requirements? Will this system be powerful enough to handle the h.264 footage? I would like to use both the SLR camera and the laptop as long as possible and don't have to change the laptop in one year time or so. That's why I would like the system to be powerful enough to withstand even future demands of the software, etc.
I was also not sure about the 500GB (w/ 4GB SSD Memory) Seagate XT 7200RPM NCQ Hybrid 32MB Cache (Serial-ATA II 3GB/s. Do you think it is a smart choice? Is the 4GB SSD memory of any use? Or should I rather go with the 750GB 7200RPM 16MB Cache Buffer (Serial-ATA II 3GB/s)?
I don't have any previous experience with the raid system, do you think that the Raid 0 Stripe Enabled (Requires 2 or 3 Hard Drives. Combines Hard Drives for performance) is the right choice for smooth video editing? I know that I have to use at least 2 hard drives so that's why I'd rather order 3 HDD to get the best performance..
This configuration is worth 1800USD, I would obviously like to save some money as I will need to pay also the shipping costs, tax and duty (I currently live in New Delhi)... So if you think that something from the system might be downgraded and I would still get good video editing results, please let me know.
Do you think that the 3 Year Complete Care Warranty - 3 Year Parts with Ground Shipping, 24/7 Telephone Tech Support & Lifetime Labor Warranty is of any use when I am not from the US? Should I rather go with the 1 Year warranty?
I would very much appreciate any feedback from you!
Misha

Frederick, I will firstly answer your questions, I am in no way a pro video editor, my projects are up to 10MB of size although I wasn't yet able to edit the h.264 footage properly ... I mostly do events and quite simple projects, effects, two to three timelines... I use only h.264, my older projects are in DV quality thought. I usually have to rush to finish a project since I have limited time during the travels.. I usually work at one, maximum two projects at the same time
Now, I have been trying to figure out what would be the best configuration for me and ended up with these two options, which are touching (maybe even overflowing) my budget... Both are worth around USD2100 (without shipping, etc.). Either I will be going for one SSD disk for the OS or for maximum CPU and RAM. Which configuration would you recommend me? Do you think that the second configuration is an overkill when taken into account the size and scope of my projects?
With SSD disk:
FORCE 16F2 / MSI 16F2
- 15.6” FHD 16:9 LED Backlit Wide screen (1920x1080) Super Clear Matte Type Screen
- 2nd Generation Intel® Core™ i7-2720QM, 2.2-3.3GHz, (32nm, 6MB L3 cache)
- IC Diamond Thermal Compound - CPU + GPU (Cools better than all Compounds)
- nVidia GeForce GTX 560M 1,536MB PCI-Express GDDR5 DX11
- 10,240MB (10GB) DDR3 1333MHz Dual Channel Memory (1x4GB 3x2GB)
- Standard Finish
- - 120GB OCZ Vertex 3 MAX IOPS Sandforce Solid State Drive (Up to Sequential Read 550MB/s - Write 500MB/s SSD Serial-ATA III)
- - 750GB 7200RPM 16MB Cache Buffer (Serial-ATA II 3GB/s)-
- HDD Raid Settings - OFF
- 320GB 7200RPM WD or Seagate (Serial-ATA II 3GB/s) in ODD Bay
- 3 Year Complete Care Warranty - 3 Year Parts with Ground Shipping, 24/7 Telephone Tech Support & Lifetime Labor Warranty
With better CPU and RAM:
FORCE 16F2 / MSI 16F2
- 15.6” FHD 16:9 LED Backlit Wide screen (1920x1080) Super Clear Matte Type Screen
- 2nd Generation Intel® Core™ i7-2820QM, 2.3-3.4GHz, (32nm, 8MB L3 cache)
- IC Diamond Thermal Compound - CPU + GPU (Cools better than all Compounds)
- nVidia GeForce GTX 560M 1,536MB PCI-Express GDDR5 DX11
- 16,384MB (16GB) DDR3 1333MHz Dual Channel Memory (4x4GB)-SPECIAL
- Standard Finish
- - 750GB 7200RPM 16MB Cache Buffer (Serial-ATA II 3GB/s)-
- - 750GB 7200RPM 16MB Cache Buffer (Serial-ATA II 3GB/s)-
- HDD Raid Settings - OFF
- 320GB 7200RPM WD or Seagate (Serial-ATA II 3GB/s) in ODD Bay
- Stock OEM Thermal Compound ( IC Diamond Thermal Compound - CPU + GPU Provided FREE with Processor Upgrade!)
- Internal 7-in-1 Card Reader (MS/MS Pro/MS Duo/MS Pro Duo/SD/Mini-SD/MMC/RS)
- Internal Bluetooth + EDR
- Built-in 802.11 Wireless B/G/N - Stock Wireless Card
- Integrated Digital Video Camera
- Sound Blaster Compatible 3D Audio - Included
- Smart Li-ion Battery (9-Cell)
- 3 Year Complete Care Warranty - 3 Year Parts with Ground Shipping, 24/7 Telephone Tech Support & Lifetime Labor Warranty
Frederick, regarding the RAM I checked the 8GB option and it comes in 2GBx4 so I won't be able to save those slots. Plus I have been searching for prices of the RAM, HDD and SSD in the US and they don't seem to be that great for me to even consider them... I would simply have to pay more and would end up with unused parts from the basic configuration. I think that the Xoticpc have quite reasonable prices of the upgrades they offer... Plus I can count on higher prices of the components here in India so all in all I think that it would cost me too much energy and save me minimum bucks... That's why I thought I might go for the 16GB RAM straight away if it isn't an overkill for me. As I said before, I would love to save money (after all I am a woman who controls the common budget) so please let me know, if I am just wasting money for high end technology which I won't be able to use . I rather think that in the future once I will finally be able to make some money when I will have a machine to work on, I might upgrade to better hard drives (SSD possibly). But right now I need a laptop on which I would be able to smoothly edit the HD h.264 footage.
Thank you very much for your help!

Which of these macs would you choose for video editing?

The main difference is the MBP has an Serial ATA drive, and the Air has a Flash drive. Also the MPB has 2.9Ghz, and the Air has only 2.0Ghz. Which one would you pick for editing with Final Cut Pro X? (Also curious which one you would pick even if video editing wasn't a concern for you, thanks!)
MacBook Pro 13.3” - Dual-Core i7 2.9Ghz ($1269 refurb, or $1399 new at BestBuy)
Eligible for OS X Mountain Lion Up-to-Date Program
Originally released June 2012
13.3-inch (diagonal) LED-backlit glossy widescreen display, 1280-by-800 resolution
8GB (2 x 4GB) of 1600MHz DDR3 SDRAM
750GB Serial ATA @ 5400 rpm
8x double-layer SuperDrive (DVD±R DL/DVD±RW/CD-RW)
Intel HD Graphics 4000
Or
MacBook Air 13.3” - Dual-Core i7 2Ghz ($1449 refurb)
Eligible for OS X Mountain Lion Up-to-Date Program
Originally released June 2012
13.3-inch (diagonal) LED-backlit glossy widescreen display, 1440-by-900 resolution
8GB memory
512GB flash storage
720p FaceTime HD camera
Intel HD Graphics 4000

Zenman1969 wrote:
Thanks for the answer. Didn't realize the 13" MBPs differed from the 15" MBPs. I thought the screen was the only major difference.
Apple fools a lot of people with that. The 13" is really a MacBook and not a "Pro" machine.
The best machine for video editing depends upon what your going to do, full on production or casual home stuff.
A 15" MacBook Pro and a iMac for the casual lightweight stuff and iMove can do the job.
The new MacPro coming out for the heavy duty stuff.
The industry seems to be moving away from Final Cut Pro X as it's been consumerized or something, lacking needed features and moving towards Avid on powerful Mac's or Windows 7 towers.
http://arstechnica.com/apple/2011/07/does-apple-still-care-about-creative-pros/
http://www.avid.com/US/
So perhaps a mix of Avid and Final Cut Pro X if your serious about furthering your career.

Editing for video screens

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