If the results are unacceptable after rendering and viewing the final output from tape on TV then you may need to purchase a plugin. I use Joe's Filters for my slow motion work. Joe Maller is a member here and occasionally drops in.

I should have known I'd end up having to buy a plugin... slowing down a clip is such a simple idea, im not sure why Final Cut can't do it right.

However, Joe's Time Blender filter looks really cool. I'll download the trial version and see if it's worth buying.

Thanks for the link

POLL: Avid Xpress OR FCP
 

What are you using and why?

I'm an Avid guy and I am considering building an FCP suite for on-line work.

Xpress Pro is a superb offline tool, but I don't see Avid opening it up for SD on-line. Mojo and one stream of 1:1 does not cut it.

I am just curious as to your opinions on the two software packages.

Take a look at all the companies and major names that are moving over to FCP.

Cold Mountain, Scrubs, Smallville... I can't think of all the companies and major editors but on Apple's site they have all sorts of stories and stuff.

I used AVID years ago and played with it again not too long ago and really feel that FCP is a better product and that Apple is really more interested in getting a great piece of software out there rather then protecting it's install base.

Would AVID let you upgrade from ANY previous version to the latest and greatest? (buy an old, unregistered, copy of 1.2 and upgrade that to 4.5 HD for only $399.00)

I don't have specifics for my choice right off the top of my head but I chose FCP over AVID and if you look at how they've supported the product, how Apple has bought products like SHAKE and other post production packages you can see that they are really looking to do great things with it.

Here's another option, although a bit pricey http://www.revisionfx.com/rstwixtor.htm

Hi Alex,

I might be able to help, certain devices need certain settings as per http://images.apple.com/finalcutpro/pdf/FinalCutProHD_4.5_Qualified_20040804.pdf or http://www.apple.com/finalcutpro/specs.html

For the GL2 go to Audio Video Settings and switch your device control preset to "FireWire Basic"

Also, if you are using an external FireWire hard drive, try plugging the camera directly into the Mac instead of into the FireWire HD.

Cheers,

Many software updates for download
 

PLenty of new updates

Mac OS 10.3.5 here 88MB

Pro Application Support 2.1 here 2.6MB

Compressor 1.2.1 is available via Software Update

DVD Studio Pro 3.0.1 here 6MB

iSync 1.5 here 6MB

Java Update 1.4.2 Update 1 here 26MB

Do Not update in the middle of a project if at all possible. More update may be available after updating Pro Application Support and running Software Update. I advise repairing permissions before and after any updates. I also advise downloading the updates rather than installing via the internet over Software Update. Read VersionTracker and MacFixIt to read any possible conflicts if you're unsure of updating.

General Error (34)????
 

Ok, i've been using FCP 4.5 and been editing along nice.. every now and then when i try and use a clip and input it onto the timeline, it gives me that error.. no problem cuz when i just slide along diff video levels, it lets me sooner or later import it into the timeline.. now here's the big one.. i've been editing on low quality and now i'm changing it all to high res in order to render.. cept when i render.. it renders for like 10 secs, quits and then gives me this stupid General Error (34) msg... HALP! wtf does it mean??? it's never done it before.. why now?? pls help!

p.s ok this is where it get's weird.. so i rendered everything else like just clip by clip basically, but there's a part in my timeline at about the 30 second mark where even tho there's no clip, the previous clip that was there STILL PLAYS!! it's like.. there's nothing on the timeline (and i've checked up and down everywhere) and yet a clip plays!! argh!! driving me nuts!

and yes i've trashed all the preferences and all that stuff and i still get this stupid msg and that weird ghost clip!

hey ken, yeps i saw that and i did everything suggested but that didn't work either...hence why i posted again... it's the ghost clip that get's me.. so weird... well what i finally did was i copied and pasted everything into a new sequence and that seemed to work.. a bit of a go around way of solving things but one use what what can get... has anyone ever encountered this type of problem before tho? and if so, why the error? thanx in advance

countdown
 

Greetings Ken---
FCP 3 indeed has all the leader/coundown options, (bars, tone, etc.)...My question is, does it render to the head of your project somehow intuitively or do you have to somehow assign it? I plan to put bars/tone, info on who produced it, and the countdown to the first fade up from black...

It's an export option. That is, you would tell FCP to use your own file (containing your countdown, etc) when preparing to export the sequence. It won't show up on your working sequence.

DVD SP 2 pulldown questions
 

DVX100A
DVD SP 2
FCP 3.0.4

---

A question came to me recently.

What is the advantage of removing the pulldown on 24p advanced when outputting to DVD?

If one encodes the 24p and authors that material on DVD then how is it viewed correctly on a monitor - another pulldown from the DVD player itself?

Is there an advantage with encoding 24p instead of 29.97?

---

My understanding is when shooting 24p standard not advanced and going to DVD one is preserving the pulldown and hence the image quality from the camera to outputting is the same?

I've also noticed when encoding to MPEG2 after shooting 24p standard the encode takes quite a but longer than my old XL-1 footage.

Thanks

Apple's Production Suite
 

Anyone seen this? Aparantly they just released it.
It's FCPHD, Motion, and DVDSP3 for $1299.00, but if you can get the student discount, it's only $499.00!

http://www.apple.com/productionsuite/

What a steal!

Motion is released and a new Production Bundle from Apple.
 

I originally wasn't too excited about Motion, being a pretty hard core After Effects user.

However, the particle stuff looks pretty sweet and there's at least one template that I can already use in a current project, so I think I may be picking this up after all.

Anyone else interested in it?