You can't go far wrong with the IBM deskstar series (for DV/DVCAM over FW).

Here's a useful how-to:

http://www.kenstone.net/fcp_homepage/install_third_ata_drive.html

BTW, FCP users should really bookmark Ken Stone's site.

http://www.kenstone.net/fcp_homepage/fcp_homepage_index.html

thanks, I'll try it. If I were to back-up this project onto CD-R, it would take 75cds.

I have had simular problems in OS X with Final Cut Pro. When I capture the audio and video do not sync up. I have a 7200 rpm firewire drive that I capture to. If I capture short segments (under 5 min) I am OK. But sometimes like in weddings I need to capture 30 min segments and the audio gose crazy. I am interested in if anybody has ran into this and found a solution.

Hi,

Under Final Cut Pro / Preferences / is the box checked next to sync audio over 5 minutes? This box should be checked. If the time is longer than 5 minutes it should be lowered. If this does not fix audio sync problem please post back with complete details of hardware, OS, FCP version etc.

Jeff

After more tests to see where the problem lies I have come to the folowing conclusions:

1. I can use FCP 3 and MacOSX to log and capture if my scratch disk is my internal drive. Everything is fine.
2. If I use FCP 3 and MacOSX and my scratch disk is my external que firewire drive, I get garbled, fast QT movies that are useless.
3. IF I use FCP 3 and Mac OS 9.2.2 I can capture to either drive and the results are aok.

There may be more to it - like I am using a Canon XL1. But I think the way to go is to either capture to my internal drive - if the clips are short. Or, and this is the way I am going to go - use Mac OS 9.2.2 for log and capture. Save to the external (read big) HD. Then I can use OSX or OS9 for editing. I have to believe that firewire acts differently between the two OS's. So I have a workaround that is working.

If anyone out there is having similar experiences or has a better solution, I'd love to hear from you.

For DV NLE Newbies
 

I found this article and it has some good info for someone starting out in NLE

http://hotwired.lycos.com/webmonkey/02/15/index4a.html

FCP Title lengths
 

Having recently migrated from EditDV/Cinestream to FCP 3, I'm still in the steep learning curve part of the transition. Forgive me if I've missed something obvious.

When doing a long credit roll in EditDV, it was easy to get repeatable scrolling rates and to avoid 'interlace crawl' by going to the Text Atributes box in EDV and measuring the total length of the list (measured in scan lines) and doing a little math.

I haven't found something similar in FCP. I'm using the Boris Calligraphy plug-in, which is quite nice, but so far, it's been trial and error as far as scrolling speed, etc. On my DP-1Gig, I can preview them without rendering (after turning off my NTSC monitor), but it's still arbitrary and not as clean as EDV. Hopefully, it's just something I've overlooked.

Also, I've been considering taking advantage of the deal on Boris Graffitti. Is that a pretty good program, and is it a useful enhancement over the Calligraphy?

Thanks

I don't think Final Cut Pro has even what I would consider "decent" titling capabilities. Edit DV, to put it bluntly, kicks its ass in the titling department. That is if you want scrolling titles. Of course I usualy don't even bother with FCP titles since it scrolls the titles at 60i and my video is at 30p (frame mode). Sticks out like a sore thumb and looks awful. So I usually render titles at 30p in a 3D program like Ray Dream Studio.

I would suggest doing the titles in EditDV if you still can and just importing that footage into FCP.

Hi,

I use Graffiti and Photoshop to do all my titles. Graffiti works like a charm.

Jeff

What is Graffiti? Also, do you use Photoshop to do scrolling titles? What I mean by scrolling titles is loooong lists of credits (or whatever) like at the end of movies. If so, how?

I'd already considered Joe's suggestion as one alternative. Seems a shame, with all of FCP's other capabilities.

Jeff, when using Graffiti or Photoshop, do you have any problems setting the lengths properly? Also, can either do the center gutter like the '*' mode in FCP? Guess I'm gonna have to get better acquainted with Photoshop.

I can imagine trying to use FCP without any prior editing experience -- it took me some time just to figure out how to get rid of the annoying audio beeps on the Viewer! It'll be fun learning how to tame this puppy.....

Joe,

Boris Grafitti is a text and titling tool. A small version ships free with FCP3. More info: http://www.borisfx.com/

Note that they have a "special" price on the full version for FCP3 owners.

Vic,
Do you have Adobe After Effects? To my eye, AE does the best job of nicely rendering text onto video. Grafitti is a powerful, single-class tool for manipulating text but most of its features are of low/no value for most work.

FCP Academic Version?
 

Does anyone know if the Final Cut Pro Academic Version is the same full featured version that Apple sells? I have a relative that works for a school system and was thinking of having them purchase it for me. The price difference is pretty big. Thanks.

I have no idea about FCP, but the difference is usually just that: the price. Also when the program boots up it says "Academic Version" or "For Academic Use Only" or something along those lines. These are to sale only to schools and other similar institutions which attempt to teach you one thing or another. At least that's been my experience.