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Home: Video University Forums: HDV:
HDV editing system

moviedude
Novice

Mar 9, 2005, 5:13 PM

Post #1 of 10 (1649 views)
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HDV editing system	Can't Post

Editing HDV on a Mac (using FCP and third party software), what would be the recommended minimum specs for an editing system (i.e. G4 or G5?, what processor speed?, how much RAM?).

Thanks.

Morris
Enthusiast

Mar 9, 2005, 6:36 PM

Post #2 of 10 (1634 views)
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Re: [moviedude] HDV editing system [In reply to]	Can't Post

In Reply To

Editing HDV on a Mac (using FCP and third party software), what would be the recommended minimum specs for an editing system (i.e. G4 or G5?, what processor speed?, how much RAM?).

Everything I've read on other web sites says that there is no viable way to use FCP to edit HDV at the present time. Indication is that the lower level Mac programs, I think iMovie was one, have HDV capability but with their built-in editing limitations.

Morris

Bob Hudson
User

Mar 10, 2005, 12:20 AM

Post #3 of 10 (1614 views)
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Re: [moviedude] HDV editing system [In reply to]	Can't Post

There are various ways to edit HDV within FCP, including doing the capture with with iMovie HD, which converts the HDV to the new Apple Intermediate Codec, which is also available in FCP after you install iMovie HD. Final Cut Pro can basically handle anything for which you have a codec installed, so the main problem is capturing HDV.

You can also use Lumiere HD, VirtualDHVS along with MPEG Streamclip or HDVxDV.

Apple recommends a 1gHz G4 for working with HDV in iMovie HD so I'd expect about the same minimum requirement for FCP. It's not going to be fast on a 1gHz, but at least it's possible.

An HDV-native version of FCP could be released next month, but no one knows for sure.

Morris
Enthusiast

Mar 10, 2005, 4:55 AM

Post #4 of 10 (1603 views)
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Re: [Bob Hudson] HDV editing system [In reply to]	Can't Post

Hi Bob,

Is there a way to record the video edited in FCP back to the FX1? I read there was not but you seem to be on top of it.

Thanks,
Morris

KevinShaw
Veteran

Mar 10, 2005, 8:52 AM

Post #5 of 10 (1596 views)
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Re: [Bob Hudson] HDV editing system [In reply to]	Can't Post

"Apple recommends a 1gHz G4 for working with HDV in iMovie HD so I'd expect about the same minimum requirement for FCP. It's not going to be fast on a 1gHz, but at least it's possible. "

I find it difficult to believe you could do any significant HDV editing with a 1GHz G4 Mac, when even fast dual G5s are arguably barely enough to handle the amount of processing required for moderately complex projects. Considering that HDV inherently involves at least 4-5 times the amount of data per video stream as DV, saying you can edit HDV at 1 GHz is like saying you can edit DV at 200-250 MHz. Yeah, it's doable, but would anyone edit DV with that little horsepower today?

If someone is doing HDV editing on a slow G4, I'd be interested to hear some feedback on how well that's working.

Bob Hudson
User

Mar 10, 2005, 10:11 AM

Post #6 of 10 (1586 views)
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Re: [kwshaw1] HDV editing system [In reply to]	Can't Post

"DV at 200-250 MHz. Yeah, it's doable..."

That is very doable - I used to do profesional DV editing on a G3/233.

Again, for HDV it's a matter of how much time do you have for rendering: it's slow but not impossible.

Bob Hudson
User

Mar 10, 2005, 10:13 AM

Post #7 of 10 (1583 views)
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Re: [Morris] HDV editing system [In reply to]	Can't Post

In Reply To

Hi Bob,

Is there a way to record the video edited in FCP back to the FX1? I read there was not but you seem to be on top of it.

Thanks,
Morris

I just looked at Lumiere's forums and they say "Lumiere HD does now support writing back to the Sony HDV devices."

moviedude
Novice

Mar 10, 2005, 11:07 AM

Post #8 of 10 (1574 views)
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Re: [Bob Hudson] HDV editing system [In reply to]	Can't Post

Thanks for all of the responses!!!

Also, another question - what would be the minimum RAM needed?

It looks like I am going to have to upgrade from my G4/single 800 Quicksilver if I am going to edit HDV.

KevinShaw
Veteran

Mar 10, 2005, 11:42 PM

Post #9 of 10 (1540 views)
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Re: [Bob Hudson] HDV editing system [In reply to]	Can't Post

"for HDV it's a matter of how much time do you have for rendering: it's slow but not impossible. "

Personally, I don't have the time or patience to wait for rendering if I know there's a practical option to avoid it--hence why I wouldn't consider a 1 GHz G4 very useful for doing HDV editing. But yes, I suppose it would work if you were willing to take your time. I did my share of DV projects on Pentium II running at 350 MHz.

AEMIKEA
User

Mar 14, 2005, 7:13 PM

Post #10 of 10 (1432 views)
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Re: [moviedude] HDV editing system [In reply to]	Can't Post

Not to make this a MAC/PC thing, but the best option at this point is PC with Aspect HD, if you read up on the imovie thing or FCP, there are still many problems with it, performance and quality are lacking. It can do it, but how pleasant the experience is another thing, check the user web boards on the mac solutions.

Mike