Ken,
Thanks a ton - I probably will be having fun once I lay a-hold of that system! Macs are humungously expensive in India, but what the heck - you only live once!

<<I use Apple's 22" Cinema display...it leaves room for all of the windows and palettes to tile nicely on the screen with no cramped feeling or overlapping.>>
Hey, you don't have to tell me - I'm sold on the Cinema Display, but I can't afford it! :-)

<<Some models of the Quicksilver G4 use an nVidia display adapter which features both ADC and (more standard) VGA display connectors which can, indeed, be used simultaneously to drive separate monitors.>>

Oops, sorry - forgot to mention that the display card on offer is the Geforce 4 with 64 MB on-board ...it was displayed with two monitors, which were combined to form contiguous workspace: One 17"" plasma dispaly, and one 17" La Cie CRT.

<<The Walkman would be a good choice if you need to use a deck in the field since it has a small LCD screen. For studio-only use the Sony DSR-11 or DSR-20 would be good choices.>>
Yup, came up with same answers myself...the Video Walkman is a whole lot cheaper than the DSR-11 and the DSR-20 (and probably the Dv-2000 as well.

Thanks again - and who's up to bat next? :-)
Ram

im pretty sure you will need a G4 to run idvd.yes you can get massive storage for about $1 or so a GB and its not too difficult installing new Hd's in towers though if you have an iMac it can be a little tricky

There currently is no card that supports dual ADC. My system is set up of two 15" Apple LCD's with two ATI cards (AGP and PCI). Coming from an Avid background i like the dual workspace setting. It gives me almost twice the size of a Cinema display workspace at a third of the prize (but the Cinema Display sure is sexy...)

The true "eyes" of any system is the broadcast monitor. I would not set up any system without a decent broadcast monitor.

Martin:
Not sure if I'm confusing issues here, but the system I've been offered has two monitor outputs on a single display card - one ADC output and one VGA.
I totally agree with you about the importance of having a broadcast monitor - only question is whether I can fit it in my budget right away!
Best,
Ram

Your best editors usually use 2 monitors because of the extra space for palettes, bins, browser etc. The extra space allows things to be spread out for maximum efficancy, your not spending all your time clicking windows and resizing to find what you need. The exception is the large Apple Cinema displays. they don't have wide spread use yet, but they are the future. The GeForce4 Ti supports 2 monitors. Complete details are on Apples site http://www.apple.com/powermac/graphics.html If you need a third party solution, Dr Botts have custom connectors http://www.drbott.com/prod/DVIator.html Depending on the number and size of projects you work on simultaniously, a large drive might be in order. An external FireWire drive would be ideal. But if all your work is short form then it may not be necessary.

Jeff

Give the complete specs of your system and I'll try to advize you the best I can. The Apple System Profiler (under the Apple Menu) will give you all the details on your system, amount of ram, CPU speed etc. Also, what fo you want your iMac to do? Editing with iMovie or FCP 3?

Jeff

Jeff, Ken:
Considering the one proprietary ADC + one VGA output on the GeForce 4 card, can I connect two 3rd party CRT monitors (say, the La Cie monitors I was mentioning?) Or does one of the monitors HAVE to be an Apple LCD display? (Just asking because I'm considering all the price variables...)
Also, can I plug in any and all 3rd party audio amp/speaker systems into the audio out? (Say the Cambridge soundworks 5-speaker setup that's available nowadays?) The dealer, naturally, is suggesting Apple Pro Speakers - are they any good?
Best,
Ram

Re Updating Imac G# Special EditionDV
 

Jeff, my system is 400mhz 13gigs of storage 128ks of ram running OS 9.4. I'd love to run FCP3.0.....a web search gave me little in the way of updating my processor to more than the current 400mhz. Thanks Brett

Check out Dr. Bott, I think they make an adapter called the VGA extractor that will give you 2 VGA monitors. I'm not 100% sure it works with the latest video cards.

Jeff

To use the ADC connnecter with a non-Apple LCD monitor you will need an adapter that goes from ADC to the industry standard DVI (in fact, the first version of Apple LCDs used DVI and then Apple switched to ADC). More info can be found here:
http://www.drbott.com/prod/action.lasso?-database=Products&-layout=all&-response=detail.html&Code=0116-ADCD&Publish=Yes&-search
(there is also info if you want to go from ADC to VGA as well)
As for the audio... you'll notice that there are 2 audio output jacks. One is a standard minijack, the other is an Apple audio jack that only the Apple Pro Speakers work with. At least, they are the only ones I have seen. They have pretty good range on the mids/highs, but you might want to go with something that can work with standard minijack and would need the iSub for lows. The cool thing is that the Apple audio jack is powered so you have the potential to hook up normal speakers using this: http://www.griffintechnology.com/products/cables_accessories/prospeaker_breakout.html
What this doesn't mention is how many watts it supplies in power.
Hope this helps.

1 hour 10 minutes should fit, the limit is 90 minutes and it changes on the fly. Oddly, I have been given that same error when there is not enough Hard Disk space left. I was going crazy looking for a 90 minute check box when I just happened to notice I was almost out of disk space. That might be what is wrong.

You may be better off looking at a new system. My want list to even run FCP 3 is a minimum of 512mb Ram, and 80gig external FireWire Hard Drive. The OS will need to be updated from 9.0.4 to 9.2.2. The updates are a free download from the Apple site. The G3 processor wil not do Real Time effects and the 15 inch screen is very confining. I really don't think there is much in the way of processor upgrades for iMacs.

Jeff

I think it is something like 14 watts, but that spec may have changed with the newer models.

Jeff

Thanks gentlemen for your suggestions. I think the reason might be the 60 minute time limit as I am using version 1. I am waiting for "Jaguar" to be available to upgrade to the next version of iDVD. There is no upgrade for OS 10 (to Jaguar) if I were to buy the old version now. Jaguar will be the same price.

Believe it or not, I have "DVD Pro" which would solve all of my problems but I can't figure it out. The instruction booklet that comes with it has my head spinning. It is not written for those in a hurry to learn... which is why I use iDVD.

If I only had some templates... smile.

thanks again.

Linwood
LBMAESTRO@yahoo.com

I think you can find what your looking for here http://www.gnomedigital.com/ Bruce is very knowledgable about DVD SP and DVDs in general. He may have the templates your looking for.

Jeff

Mark, Jeff, thanks: I'm checking out the Dr.Bott & Griffin Tech sites as I write this.
More from me once I have some kind of an audio solution worked out: I asked about the Apple Pro speakers because the feedback I got was that they were too low-output to be of practical use in editing. [And, damn, but they're expensive! :-) ]
Does anyone have any comments on the choice of the Sony DVE 900 E Video Walkman as a VTR option for editing (playback/print to tape)? It seems to be the lowest cost Mini DV solution for a dedicated VTR - but it might be nice to have a choice of format sometimes. Do the DSR-11 and the DSR -20 play/record DVCAM?
Best,
Ram

rumour has it, the submarine 'ping' sound = an automatic sound design award.

Oops, to answer my own question, the DSR-11 and DSR-20 do indeed play and record DVCAM, according to their specs. But the DV-D 1000 Sony video walkman seems to be a lot cheaper, with an S-Video and composite throughput to boot.
Can anyone tell me whether the Video Walkman can be used via firewire to connect an external broadcast monitor?
Best,
Ram

Pioneer A04 and iDVD
 

Here is some info that many may be interested in :

Until a few days ago if you wanted to burn a dvd with your mac the options were expensive.* Buy a mac with a superdrive, or buy an external drive and DVD Studio Pro.* iDVD would not work with an external drive (even the identical pioneer A04 drive) because the enabler was different than that of the superdrive.

On August 2nd Other World Computing started selling the pioneer A04 with the correct enabler for iDVD 2.1 and OSX for $400.* What this means is that for $400 (and a copy of iDVD 2.1) you can be authoring DVD's on your current firewire enabled mac.

Here is the link to a review of the drive and enabler:
http://www.xlr8yourmac.com/firewire/owc_firewire_dvd_recorder/owc_firewire_dvd-r.html

Hope you find this interesting.

jeffyr

Yeah, I read all that latest, greatest stuff coming out of Finland about the hig pass filter :) :)

Seriously, I think he really meant band-pass filter. The description Adrian gave is correct. Telephones, interestingly enough, don't pass anything above about 3Khz or below about 1Khz.

That's really cool! Thanks for the info. How does one go about downloading iDVD 2.1? Is it a free download somewhere? I was always under the impression that you could only get it with new Macs.

Well, sort of. iDVD is an upgrade to 2.0 and 2.0 comes with OS X 10.1 etc. I think you can get 2.1 on a CD for 20$ or the download is free. It will come with OS X 10.2 in a few weeks. I would wait until 10.2 in case Apple changes the enabler. They weren't happy about a company bundling A04 with the eMac and shut down that part of their operation.

Jeff

I have 10.1 (CD) and iDVD didn't come with it, unless I am just looking in the wrong place. Is iDVD OS X only?

iDVD v2.x is MacOS X only. iDVD versions of 1.x are OS 9 compatible, but can only burn 60 DVDs. My Mac came out before version 2, so I had to buy the $20 CD to get the new version. They only have patches that you can download because they added tutorials to version 2 that take up 400MB of disk space, and this way they make a little money. (at least, this used to be the only way to upgrade to version 2) I don't know if the system disk for OS 10.1 has iDVD on it...

Joe,

I could have sworn the CD for 10.1 had iDVD on it. I remember deleting it, because I have DVD SP and had no use for it. I'm sure it's part of the pkg. and gets installed with everything else. I'll look for my disc and let you know or maybe somebody else here knows for sure. If you go to the Apple Store the description for the CD says it's an upgrade.

Jeff

Here's a link on the Apple enabler story http://www.macfixit.com/ The enabler violates Apples software license and mfgs. are leary to provoke Apple.

Jeff

iDVD is not included on the OSX 10.1 CD, but it is pre-installed on your Mac if it's equipped with a Superdrive.

Yes, I am now in 10.1.5 and cannot any semblence of iDVD nor can it be downloaded for free from anywhere. Man, I haven't been in OS X in a loooooong time. I'm bored. I think I'll boot back up to OS 9 now since there is nothing to do here. :(

iDVD isn't offered as a download due to the huge size of the application (the templates and tutorial take up a monstrous amount of space). If you have a new Mac with a superdrive, it should be installed already. Otherwise, you have to pay for the CD from Apple.

'Enabler' Software Going Away
 

Turns out that Apple has used its enfluence to end the new drives 'enabler', the enabler will be discontinued after the current stock is sold out. The drives will still be compatible with DVD Studio Pro, iTunes, Toast and such, but no longer with the consumer software iDVD. This was posted at www.xlr8yourmac.com today. Man, that stops me from buying it...

iDVD ships on a DVD
 

To build on what John said about iDVD being too large for download -- it ships on a DVD, not a CD...

Hey,
I'm new at all this... I have a G3 Blue and White. I bought a A04 Internal IDE drive and put it in in place of the stock CD ROM. I only just did this and am still messing with it. I haven't had much luck getting it to work. I was going to try Toast, or iDVD... I'm also new to mac, so I'm still learning Mac-hinese

I'm not sure I understand you all, but does this mean I'm doomed.

Why do Macs have to be so hard...

-Kyle (typing this on a PC.)

Welcome Mac and DV Filmmakers!
 

Greetings to all,

My name is Daniel Berube and by way of Chris Hurd I am happy to become the new moderator of the Non-Linear Editing for the Mac forum here on DVInfo.net. Chris and I know each other from our working together on the road as consultants and spokespeople for Canon USA and CanonDV.

Here's a little bit of info about me. I'm an Apple Certified Instructor for Digital Video and owner of noisybrain. Productions, specializing in digital video production and training for Business, Education and the Arts. I teach classes on Final Cut Pro at The Maine Workshops in Rockport, ME, and I have just co-established Tech Superpowers on Newbury Street in Boston as an Apple Center for Technology to offer Apple authorized classes on digital video and DVD authoring.

I am also a member of the Apple Consultants Network and founder of the Boston Final Cut Pro User Group (BOSFCPUG), the second largest FCP UG in the country. BOSFCPUG meets monthly and with over 800 members, we have quickly become the best source of DV filmmaking in Massachusetts. BOSFCPUG is a grassroots community of filmmakers, and I am very happy to bring that sense of community here to this forum.

As you may guess I'm very passionate about the DV Revolution and Apple and I will do my best to answer your questions about non-linear editing for the Mac. I'm looking forward to communicating with you on this forum and in the process learning new ways of digital storytelling.

Happy filmmaking,

Dan
--
Daniel Berube
Apple Certified Trainer
Member, Apple Consultants Network

noisybrain. Productions
digital_storytelling/
www.noisybrain.com
(781)-740-5012 tel/fax
(617)-331-8991 cell
----------------------------------------
President/Apple Ambassador
Boston Final Cut Pro User Group - BOSFCPUG
http://www.bosfcpug.org
Email: dberube@bosfcpug.org

Tell me a little more about your system. What size, type drives, memory, what OS etc. the more info the better. I doubt your doomed in any way. What software do you have and what will you be doing with your Mac?

Jeff

I would like to create a similar type of users group in Houston. Any suggestions on how to start it?

Thanks!

re: Welcome Mac and DV Filmmakers!
 

Hi Paul,

As far as starting an FCP UG in Houston, I very much encourage it and recommend that you first start by visiting http://www.mugcenter.com. This is the site where you can learn how to start and Apple User Group. Also, visit http://www.apple.com/usergroups, and read the info there as well. You can also do a search there for Apple UGs in Houston. I recommend doing this because you can learn a lot from the UG leaders in your area before you consider moving forward.

I must tell you, running an FCP UG can be very time consuming yet very rewarding for you and your members. If you choose to be officially recognized by Apple, there are several benefits to that but there are also guidelines you must follow.

Please tell me more about what your experience is. Also, you may wish to connect with Apple Consultants in your area to further network and in doing so you may find volunteers who can help you get started. There may also be some Apple Consultants who are FCP enthusiasts/gurus, who may be able to present at your meetings or even better provide a regular meeting space for you to gather at. Collges and universities are also an excellent meeting space, and there are usually professors on site who would like to help move things forward.

So I again encourage you to go ahead if you do desire to create an FCP UG in Houston. When you are ready, I can do an email introduction between you and my contacts in the Apple User Group Program. Let me know offline and we'll move things forward.

Purchasing Jaguar OS 10.2
 

That is an interesting point about the subscription fee. If you are considering that route, and you are using Macintosh in your business, I would recommend thinking about joining the Apple Consultant Network for $495 per year. You can learn more about this invaluable program by visiting:
http://consultants.apple.com.

This is a program that I recommend for those professionals who are using Macintosh in your profession and believe they can add to the community of Apple Consultants in the field. It's a great way to drive business and leverage the value of your experience and your Apple product.

On another note, MacMall and Club Mac and Mac Warehouse are all offering some sort of discount off the regular $129 purchase price of Jaguar.

As we all know by now, the Amazon deal is now closed.

DVD Studio Pro
 

Some options:

PeachPit Press will be coming out with a DVD Studio Pro Visual QuickPro Guide soon.

Apple offers authorized training in several different parts of the country, one class being on DVD Studio Pro. For more information on these classes, visit:
http://www.apple.com/finalcutpro/training.html and click on authorized training centers.

Another option is to attend a Final Cut Pro User Group in your area. If you would like more information, please review the list of FCP UG contacts available at:
http://www.macworldexpo.com/macworldexpo/v31/index.cvn?ID=10257

Apple also offers free seminars on DVD authoring, you can find out more info at:
http://seminars.apple.com

In Boston, we regularly discuss DVD authoring in our FCP UG, BOSFCPUG (pronounced as BOSSY PUG with a silent "F"). FCP book author and Fitchburg State College Professor Charles Roberts and his Fitchburg associate Jeff Warburg are excellent resources.

If there is enough on an interest, I'll start a DVD Authoring thread in this forum.

Choice of VTR decks for MiniDV
 

If I am correct none of the Video Walkman models do not offer analog OUT.

I would recommend looking at the JVC SR-VS10U, SR-VS20U or SR-VS30U VTRs. They offer both MiniDV and Super VHS compatibilty and they are available through Pro Tape at http://www.pro-tape.com. These decks would allow you to pass through to an external monitor, and they are very well priced at around $1100 or so, depending on which model you choose, with the SR-VS30U being the most recent version.

Time for a new system
 

I do not recommend attempting to install and run OS X on your G3 iMac Special Edition. It is simply too under-powered for this new OS.

Take a little advice and save your money on updating your iMac SE and put that $$ towards a new Mac. FCP 3 requires a good deal of processing power under OS X, and with your system, it will be DOG slow and inefficient. I recommend either the new 17inch iMac or one of the G4 Powermacs. A new lineup of G4 PowerMacs are almost here, meaning that if you are on a budget, that you will be able to purchase one of the soon-to-be discontinued models at a discount.

The investment that you place in a new system will benefit you greatly in your FCP learning curve and in your workflow and productivity.

Hope this helps.