MackBook Pro and Final Cut Express

Hi,
I want to know if Final Cut Express 4 runs smoothly on a MacBook Pro 15" 2.2 GHz with 60 GB hard drive. (If additional space is needed I’d use Verbatim SmartDisk 250GB FireWire/USB Portable Hard Drive)
I know I meet the minimum requirements to use FCE, but I need to know if I can make edits decently or well enough.
Thank you!!!

Short Answer: Yes, it'll run just fine.
Long Answer: Yes and no. It depends. For the normal stuff to some more process-intensive stuff you'll likely be perfectly fine. The only hang-up could be the fact that your internal drive is so small. Yes, you have the external 250 which is nice but your computer by default uses the extra space on your internal hard drive for data-swapping. Dropping below 10-15GB you'll notice a substantial decrease in speed, especially when you work with large files such as those involved in video post-production.
Internal drives are dirt cheap these days. Seagate makes some very high performance laptop drives that will work great in your Mac. Likewise out of all the drive manufacturers I know Seagate's have the best reputation for internal use. LaCie's may be best external manufacturer, but last I checked they didn't make their own drives.

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OK all, I'm a Mac novice here. Just bought my first Mac last month and added Final Cut Express to it in order to have some nice advanced features when it comes time to edit all kinds of home video shot on the Sony DCR-TRV140 Digital8 Handycam...
But I'm having trouble figuring out how to get my MacBook Pro to recognize the camcorder.
I have a 4-pin firewire connector on the camcorder, and a 9 pin firewire connector on the Mac. Is it as easy as buying a 4/9 pin cable?
I thought about trying to hook it up through the USB cable... but haven't had any luck there either.
As you can tell, I'm quite new to this, so please be nice. Ha!
If I can provide any further information, please let me know.
Specifications for the Sony camcorder can be found here:
http://www.sonystyle.com/webapp/wcs/stores/servlet/ProductDisplay?catalogId=1055 1&storeId=10151&langId=-1&productId=11027762
or here
http://www.amazon.com/Sony-DCRTRV140-Digital8-Camcorder-Streaming/dp/B0000634T4/ ref=cmcr_pr_producttop
Thanks!!

Is it as easy as buying a 4/9 pin cable?
Pretty much.
Hello and welcome to the forum.
Here's one source of such a cable:
http://www.cablestogo.com/product.asp?cat_id=606&sku=50708
I'm not sure what Easy Setup you'll need to use in FCE, but, if you're in the USA, I think it will be DV-NTSC DV Converter or maybe DV-NTSC Firewire Basic.

MacBook Pro and Final Cut Express

Hi,
I want to know if Final Cut Express 4 runs smoothly on a MacBook Pro 15" 2.2 GHz with 60 GB hard drive. (If additional space is needed I’d use Verbatim SmartDisk 250GB FireWire/USB Portable Hard Drive)
I know I meet the minimum requirements to use FCE, but I need to know if I can make edits decently or well enough.
If not, what can I do to improve its usage?
Thank you!!!

MBP is fantastic for FCE/FCP/FCS.
I suggest 2 GB RAM at LEAST. I got 3 GB but mine is an older model; the new ones go up to 4 GB I believe.
Get the super fastest internal HD you can get. And then a FW 800 external (large as you can get).
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' This software requires certain hardware or software which is missing -
AGP graphics card"
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Thanks

Hi(Bonjour)!
You can use keyframe on filters from version 3.5 and later. And the new FCE HD 4.0 (who doesn't includes soundtrack nor the complete content of livetype library) includes newer filters and supports AVCHD.
Michel Boissonneault
Message was edited by: Michel Boissonneault

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Hey Guys - tell me if this configuration of a MacBook Pro would be ok and work great for Final Cut Expess, Aperture, Creative Suite, and other Apps without slowness and other problems
2.4GHz Intel Core 2 Duo
250GB Serial ATA Drive @ 5400 rpm
Superdrive 8x
2GB 667Mhz DDR2 SDRAM - 2 x 1GB
Thanks in advance.

Yes. However, if you want to run +more than one+ of those listed apps simultaneously, the best thing you can do is add more RAM. Go to the max - 4 GB (2 x 2 GB). Note that Apple overcharges for RAM (and they don't make RAM, they just buy it from Samsung, Micron, and others, mark it way way up, and resell it). So, buy Crucial (the consumer division of Micron, in fact) or Kingston RAM. 2 x 2 GB sticks can be purchased for a little over $100 (compared to Apple's $200).
Hope this helps...

How I Install Final Cut Pro 6 on my Mac Pro with Final Cut Express 3?

Any recomendations with the data, previous edits etc?

I think he's asking about problems one might expect when installing both Final Cut Pro and Final Cut Express on the same computer. I assume he's also asking if he'll be able to move files from FCE to FCP without problem. And maybe move them back?
That's my guess.
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Orange, VA

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Something I have found with Final Cut Pro 4.5 and Final Cut Express 3.0.
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Let me know if this helped or if you have found a different solution. Downgrading the os might help but that is too much of a pain and it's time to upgrade the software anyway.

#29: Need AGP Graphics card
Shane's Stock Answer #29 – Error: “Need AGP Graphics card”
http://docs.info.apple.com/article.html?artnum=302667
The Final Cut software is looking for a graphics card type that is required for that version of the software. FCP 4 and FCP 4.5 were released when AGP cards were the requirement. Attempting to open this on a Mac with a PCIe graphics card, such as an Intel Mac, will cause this error. FCP 4.5 is not supported on the Intel Macs. If you happen to have a PowerPC Quad processor Mac and get this error, you can try this hack:
http://www.xlr8yourmac.com/feedback/finalcut_pro_on_oldmacs.html
You can also press the "esc" key as you launch FCP. This enables FCP to open and run, but know that it might not work optimally.
If that doesn’t work, or if you have an Intel Mac, you are going to have to upgrade to a supported version of FCP…and FCP 6, part of Final Cut Studio 2, is the latest version.
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Hi,
I have a client with both of these installed on the same machine (running 10.4.6).
When they try and launch either application, the splash screen comes up, loading various filters, etc. then they get an error message:
"File Error: A file of this name already exists" "OK"
Clicking "OK" closes the app.
Any idea:
1. What the file in question is?
2. Can it be deleted to let the app run?
3. Can Final Cut Pro Studio 5.1.1 and Final Cut Express HD 3.5 be used on the same machine?
I'll post this on the Final Cut Express HD 3.5 thread too (but with the order reversed).

What you did was not enough to delete the preferences properly.
This article tells you how. It is for FCE2 but works the same for FCE3 so I assume it is also OK for FCE 3.5:-
http://docs.info.apple.com/article.html?artnum=93690
It's simple to do so try it before reinstalling etc. - You should completely uninstall before reinstalling:-
http://docs.info.apple.com/article.html?artnum=301182
Ian.

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Hi,
I'm shooting a project on a Panasonic HVX-200A, and my cameraman is going to import the footage to his Final Cut Pro station. He's then going to transfer the FCP footage and data over to an external hard drive, which I am going to use to edit the film using Final Cut Express.
Will there be any formatting issues if I bring the data from Final Cut Pro to Final Cut Express?
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Sameer Ketkar

Clip files can be easily imported into FCE if they are QuickTime DV-NTSC/DV-PAL or Apple Intermediate Codec (720p30, 1080i50/60). If they are other formats/codecs they should be converted to DV or AIC before importing into FCE.
FCPro project files cannot be imported into FCExpress.
I'd suggest a trial run before committing the project to this workflow.

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My wife presents programs at schools and uses digital movies that we make and edit as one of her media materials. We want to present higher quality videos that look more film-like. I am hoping that the combination I described above will enable this improvement. In the past we used a Canon ZR20 and iMovie HD and put these on DVD's that were then played on a MacBook Pro with with QuickTime or iDVD hooked up to an Epson PowerLite projector.
I am now the proud owner of a new Canon HV30 and Final Cut Express HD3.5.1 (had FCE for a while so know how to use it). From my research, though, it looks like FCE will not be able to handle CINE MODE recording in combination with 24fps progressive frame rate [HDV(PF24)] which would allow the enhanced effect of the Cinema Mode. I can't justify the cost of Final Cut Studio 2 so I am hoping that the new [HDV(PF30)] will allow me to more easily edit in FCE.
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Sincerely,
Lou Hosta

Without totally repeating myself with my post to MaccyLeopard, I haven't shot any footage yet. After doing a lot of reading I think I confused myself more than helped myself as far as settings go. So if you remember from my initial post I am asking for advice and guidance primarily on camera settings with the HV30 that will be used in a classroom (artroom) setting and then edited using FCE HD v3.5.1. I wish I was the type of person that could jump right into using a new piece of equipment but I like to get the advice of others beforehand. That way I'm not always questioning myself as to 'whether or not is this the best I can get'. I also am wondering if the 30fps frame mode would be the best to use in the classroom setting? From my reading, this mode should allow more light onto the tape allowing me to shoot in conditions with lower light levels that are typically found inside? Finally, is FCE HD able to edit this new 30 fps frame mode of the HD30? I've heard that FCE HD can't handle the 20 fps frame mode.
Thanks for taking the time to help me out.
Sincerely,
Lou Hosta

User Contributed Tips in Final Cut Express and Final Cut Express HD Forum

*The following User Contributed Tips are located in the Pro Applications: Video > Final Cut Express and Final Cut Express HD Forum:*
skalicki` - Working with AVCHD: Log and Transfer FAQs
http://discussions.apple.com/thread.jspa?threadID=2672530
Publish date: December 03, 2010
skalicki` - Final Cut Express: Basic Troubleshooting
http://discussions.apple.com/thread.jspa?threadID=2662419
Publish date: November 26, 2010
*The following related tips are located in other areas of Apple Discussions:*
Please see the User Tips Library

I'm relatively new to FCE myself, so I'll answer with what I know. I'm sure the more experienced folks will either add to or correct what I say.
1) For the Inconvenient Truth thing, I believe this would best be done in LiveType, which does allow you to do animations, and to work on individual letters and characters. Whether or not it could exactly reproduce the effects in the clip, I'm not certain, but I'm sure it could come very close.
2) For the Crowd or the Cross effects, there are two things going on at once: effects on the text, and effects on the video. My gut feeling is that both FCE and LiveType can do these, with lots of work and patience, but I'll defer to other people to answer.
3) The page peel is a transition built into FCE.

Adobe CS4/5 and Final Cut Express On a MacBook Air?

Hey all
Im planning to get a MacBook for my GCSE's, and im leaning towards the air.
I will be running applications such as Adobe Photoshop CS5, After Effects CS5, Lightroom CS5, and Final Cut Express regularly, so would a 13" 1.86ghz MBA C2D Processor with 4gb of RAM be able to run these apps fast and efficiently with no lag? Or should I opt for the baseline MBP 13"? Im also looking for portability, as im going to be taking it into school
Thanks

After effects!? Yikes... that is a beast of a program! Depends how in depth you plan on using it. Are you going to be doing 3D animations with several camera layers? If so, I don't think a MBP is going to work too smoothly. If you are doing basic to moderate use of AE functions then I think it would work fine.
Just a heads up before buying, check out the apple refurb store. They have a bunch of MBP with different specs for a very reasonable price. I got my 17" MBP from there and it works awesome with the same warranty as new... for like $500 off!

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I need to record two camera interview shoots and turn the video around quickly. What is the best solution using a MacBook Pro and final cut pro?

Try reimporting all your media: file>>import>>reimport>>continue

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Where do I go from here?

You installed from the discs, right?
What happens when you try to launch? What are you doing to launch and what happens you do it? Can't see you computer from here. If you probably need to contact Apple with an installation issue on a new computer.

MackBook Pro and Final Cut Express

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