Final Cut Pro 4 and Express 4 and AVCHD

[Trevor Harrison]

On the road to moving from FCE4 to FCS, I am in the proses of getting Final Cut Pro 4.0 this week.

I assume I can upgrade FCP 4 to 4.5, next how can I edit AVCHD in FCP4? change to AIC in FCE4?

Also can I run FCP4 on Snow Leopard Mac Pro 2.66GHZ original, after changing the AGP to PCI in the info file?

Thanks all for the excellent help around here.

[Jonathan Jones]

Originally Posted by Trevor Harrison

On the road to moving from FCE4 to FCS, I am in the proses of getting Final Cut Pro 4.0 this week.

I assume I can upgrade FCP 4 to 4.5, next how can I edit AVCHD in FCP4? change to AIC in FCE4?

Also can I run FCP4 on Snow Leopard Mac Pro 2.66GHZ original, after changing the AGP to PCI in the info file?

Thanks all for the excellent help around here.

Hi Trevor,

Can you please clarify the application versions you are intending to work with?

When you noted "FCS" you are referring to a suite of applications that include Final Cut Pro version 5 and newer. (current version 7)

But then you are referring to plans to get FCP 4 (a version that is almost 7 years old). I am not sure you will find such an endeavor to work favorably for you.

I don't think you will find an upgrade plan for FCP 4 to 4.5. FCP 4.5 was it's own independent boxed release, and neither version is commercially available other than through sources like ebay or other independent distributors of older software versions.

I am pretty sure that you will not be able to run FCP 4 in Snow Leopard. To my knowledge, they each require mutually exclusive processors. Snow Leopard runs on Intel Macs, and I believe that FCP 4 requires a PowerPC G3, G4, or G5. I don't think there was ever a Universal Binary version of that version.

And lastly, Neither FCP 4 or FCP 4.5 will be able to work with AVCHD. This capability was not introduced until FCP 6.0.1

-Jon

[Trevor Harrison]

I am getting FCP4 from someone on craigslist. It is $100 and Retail copy (non upgrade, Academic, NFR). on further investigation, Final Cut Pro 4 can be upgraded to Final Cut Pro 4.5 via software update. As I am on disability, I can't afford Final Cut Studio 3 upgrade yet (plus I want to wait until after NAB). I also have Final Cut Express 4. I also have an MDD G4 beside my Mac Pro (previous Mac, I lucked out on being given this Mac Pro as my mom wanted her own computer instead of sharing one).

FCE4 has allot of tiny things that piss me off (no saving motion paths, AIC's massive file size, hearing AIC isn't good for video, when viewing tutorials/training videos they are all Final Cut Pro and the smallest things like scrubbing in Log and Transfer, etc aren't in Express).

While I am saving up (with a very tight budget and no extra money HA) for Studio 3/4, I thought I could get away with using FCP 4/4.5 for editng the HD video (though I do have 68hrs of Video8>DV to also edit). Lastly Snow Leopard can run universal as well as PowerPC apps via Rosette.

[Jonathan Jones]

Originally Posted by Trevor Harrison

, I thought I could get away with using FCP 4/4.5 for editng the HD video (though I do have 68hrs of Video8>DV to also edit). Lastly Snow Leopard can run universal as well as PowerPC apps via Rosette.

I really don't mean to rain on your parade, but I just fear that you may be setting yourself up for a lot frustration.

If you actually are able to get a working installation of FCP 4/4.5 on your current system, it should probably serve you well for your many hours of Video8>DV work. But as far as your HD video, the "HD"moniker attached to FCP 4.5 proved to be very confusing to a lot of folks entering into the FCP arena in the years after it was introduced. FCP 4.5 is capable of working with HD, but most specifically, this is in reference to uncompressed HD, and DVCPRO HD, not the highly compressed variants of HDV style content that became increasingly successful in subsequent years. Support for those codecs didn't arrive in FCP until version 5, and later, with each subsequent version increasing the compatibility with a wider range of compressed HD codecs. As I noted above, working with AVCHD requires 6.0.1 or later.

Please report back as to your findings with the installation process. I know about Rosetta, but understand that it has its limitations, and introduces a hit in performance in some areas. I will be curious to hear about your experiences.

-Jon

[Trevor Harrison]

Ok here's a question that might clear things up. Though Final Cut Pro 4.5, is 4 years older then Final Cut Express, what features does it have that Final Cue Express 4 doesn't have (aka 3-way colour correction, presets for motion paths, filters, etc). Yes it is older, but it still has the "small things" that can drive someone mad in Express 4 when watching all these tutorials/how-tos. Also could I injest in Express 4 and export to a format 4.5 could read, if I am finding Express not meeting my needs for that tiny little thing drives you up the wall?

[Jonathan Jones]

Early version of FCE were missing some very notable features that heavy FCP users would surely have mourned - but each version has added more features (such as keyframing functions, etc), making the current version (4) a pretty solid NLE entry for the needs of a great many users.

Here is a pretty decent comparison list of the notations you are seeking. Maybe not comprehensive, but will probably answer most of your questions:

Studio Foundation Blog Archive Introducing Final Cut Express


Keep in mind that the list references FCP version 6, but many of the FCP-centric features are accurate to earlier versions also.

As far a compatibility workflow between FCP 4 and FCE 4, I don't actually use FCE, and my experience with it is limited. Hopefully someone else in these forums can offer some additional input.

-Jon