FCP on an iMac or any other software that handles 24p

Question

Gentlefolks,
I'm researching a video editing computer + software and would really like to move to a Mac but for a number of reasons I would like to get an iMac instead of a Mac Pro (not just the price). From what I've seen, FCE would work for me except for one thing: it doesn't support 24p
(iMovie is very limited for what I want to do)
I would even consider FCP but it seems an iMac is not the recommended machine for it, even if you spec it out to 4Gb RAM.
So, my question is, is there any other software for the Mac that supports 24p (plus High Def) and will run comfortably on an iMac?
BTW, the camera I'm considering is the Cannon HV20.
Thank you in advance for any comments.
Regards,
Ismenio

Answer 1

FCP will run on an iMac...it just isn't the optimal machine for this. Main reason is the fact that there is only ONE firewire bus for all your ports. So to capture DV, HDV or DVCPRO HD you use that same bus for the camera/deck and for the hard drive...meaning more possibilies of dropped frames when capturing. But, that being said, an iMac can handle any of those formats just fine...24p too. There are NO SPECIAL REQUIREMENTS for handling 24p. It is actually easier on the system. Less frames per second, less data rate.
BUT...the HV20 and it's 24f format....that is another beast. It shoots 24f in a 1080i60 data stream, so you need to capture it as 1080i60 at 29.97fps. (there is an Easy Setup for that). The 24p footage is then obtained AFTERWARDS by using Compressor or Cinema Tools...both only available with FCP.
Here's the workflow:
http://docs.info.apple.com/article.html?artnum=306389
I owned this camera for all of 36 hours. And had no problems capturing or doing this workflow. Why did I return it? That focus 'knob" drove me NUTS! But, I had no problems with that camera.
Shane