FCP 5.1 -- Support for 24P?
 

I downloaded the doc. for the lastest version of FCP 5 has not one word about native 24p support for the HD100.

But 5.1 does fully support 24F and P2!

What's really strange is that 24F does not meet the HDV standard while 720p24 does meet the MPEG-2 standard.

Why would Apple do this?

One wonders if Apple/JVC held off 24p support so that it could be bundled with 720p60 ProHD support. Also, bundled might be PCM audio support that's part of ProHD. Apple's documentation would have, perhaps, revealed too much about JVC's NAB announcements.

The problem, of course, is if such support is moved into FCP 6 (for which you must buy the whole STUDIO bundle) which might not arrive for months. Hopefully, there will be a post NAB 5.1.x upgrade.

Actually 24F and 30F, along with four-channel 192kbps Mpeg 1 audio, are new additions to the HDV standard. This according to Canon USA at their September 2005 press conference which introduced the XL H1.

Too bad my computer's or my mac is in Missouri and I'm stuck in California...

I like to try the update... since I'd to rent the Canon for a test shoot...

So maybe those with the camera and FCP can try it out...

Nowhere in the document I saw did it mention 24F or 30F. It did show support for the XLH1 in that FCP will now recognize it, and they recommended using the HDV 1080i60 and HDV 1080i50 presets, but they didn't say anything about 24F or 30F (unless I missed it?)

This is the doc I'm referring to, and while it does mention the XLH1, it doesn't mention 24F:
http://manuals.info.apple.com/en/Fin..._5.0_lbn_z.pdf

This update isn't free.

In fact, I suspect a lot of people will skip it and just wait for the FCP6 Upgrade package for $200 when it shows up after NAB.

Does anyone remember what happened last time an upgrade appeared after NAB? I do becuase in March I purchased FCP 4 and then was mad a month later when FCP HD was released. Well... until I saw the 4.5 upgrade in my software update screen. Here is the deal... Final Cut Studio (along with FCP 5) is very new on the market. Today Apple announced the universal of the bundle. Apple will not go to the trouble to get a old version universal if they are going to replace it in 30 days. If and when Apple updates some features in the Studio (ie: HDV24p support for FCP) at NAB, it will be available in the software update for free. If you want to hold off and wait for FCP 6 to come out next year, you can. I'm going to let my computer update it (FCP 5.5) as soon as it pops up.

PS: If I turn out to be wrong, it will be the worst decision Apple has ever made.

I have it on good authority that FCP6 is happening at NAB. And not from some site or stranger online. Generally the post houses here in L.A. that are invested in FCP know the skinny on this stuff.

A similar report here in Chicago...

You are right -- only 2 formats are listed at the bottom of the section on the H1.

Which means that Apple must be holding all 24fps for FCP 6.

Which is a bit sad given ProHD (with 24p) is now a year old. And, Chris is right -- I did Goggle and find one new reference (2006) that defined: "HDV-2 1080i format at 1080/50i/59.94i (or 23.98 on 59.94i)." Which means it too is well defined.

So, does this mean the FCP 5 editor -- who is happy with iDVD for making NTSC/PAL DVDs -- will be forced to upgrade to the whole new Studio Pro Pak (v6) in order to get 24fps support?

Hopefully, James is correct -- that a 5.5 will come at NAB along with the FCP 6 announcement.

There's a lot of things happening over the next 6 months from BR burners to OS X 10.5 Leopard. Plus, PowerMacs with 32-bit Intel chips. One wonders if FCP 6 will come soon, or wait for these developments.

I hope I'm right too. So how do I get a new tagline under my name? I guess I will continue to be a stranger until I get that "Tourist" thing off of here. Can I change it to be "Captain Filmmaker Pro" or something?

Anyways... next topic—FCP 5.5 -- Support for HDV 24p!!!

There may be another reason for a 5.x release. FCP 5.1 is a "universal" application. If so, that likely means bugs -- at least in the Intel binary. So there should be a need for a bug-fix update.

One hope the missing 24fps support come with it.