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ussinners

ussinners

I'm up to close to 24 hrs compressing files from DSLR. I'm not even halfway done.

I just got off the phone with APPLE and none of their new processors will handle FCP 6.

I have two things in mind. I can not afford to spend a lot of money.

1. Does anyone know ANYTHING CHEAP that I can plug a USB drive into and watch the DSLR footage?

If I had something like that, I could watch the takes and only transcode the footage I'm going to use.

2. I can buy an old Mac Intel ( I have a PowerPc) desktop computer and download FCP 6 into it. Then I'll be able to watch the footage before I transcode.

Does anyone know what the CHEAPEST configuration would be? What should I be looking for? The Apple lady was no help at all. She had no idea.
 
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FCP 6 isn't able to play DSLR footage natively, I'm pretty sure... I have 7 installed and it's a render just dropping it in the timeline.

Do you own the camera? I've never tried putting videos onto a memory card but if yo could, you could watch it through that. Even plug it into a TV for a larger screen.

This may me a dumb question, sorry, but quicktime won't play it for you right? It plays fine on mine, but not sure if that's because of perian codec package (free) or the install of Adobe or FCP 7 giving a universal codec. With FCP6, I couldn't import the files from a JVC HM100, but after installing Adobe CS3 the files worked in both. I caught the right codec system wide.

Finally, can you plug a USB drive into a friends or public computer and play the footage? Come to think of it, I've previewed DSLR footage on friends macs that didn't have anything special video-wise installed.
 
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I started a thread that donnedonme (I think that's who) answered about raw DSLR footage and a PowerPc.

FCP 6 plays the transcoded footage fine. But, won't at all play the DSLR untranscoded footage.

So, my best bet is to just upgrade to a Mac that is intel and can use FCP 6. But, they don't make them anymore. Thank you very much.

They have all these kindle and ipad and whoseewhatsit that can play video. But, not a damn one of them has a USB plug. The most commonly used port and not one of them has it. You know why? Because it would make everyone's life easier, and you wouldn't have to continually spend and spend and spend and spend.

These companies mind set isn't lets make it better so people not only want, but need it. It's how can we get these suckers to buy this one and not that one. While they have it, lets get to have to get this. Yeah, now I'm ranting.
 
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Here's where it pays to keep looking.

I almost solved my problem for $70.

Apple Store was USELESS.

Sony Store guy took me to their STREAMING TV Player. It has a USB port but doesn't play .mov.

There is one that has a USB and plays .movs. But, you need a new fangled TV to plug it into.

My next thought which might work is DIGITAL FRAMES that play .movs. As long as I can plug it in and play without having to upload a file it'll work.

So close, yet so far.

Oh, and I don't own the camera it belongs to my DP.
 
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what are you trying to do? If it's for importing, I'm not sure how the tv player will help you as it'll compress your footage with low quality compression codecs. What machines were you looking at that won't handle the import from your camera's card? Sounds like you got an Apple rep who doesn't do video at all.

Please state your specific needs, I'd even spend time on the phone with you to help you avoid the frustration that you get from dealing with people who don't know both the computer and video worlds.
 
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knightly said:
what are you trying to do? If it's for importing, I'm not sure how the tv player will help you as it'll compress your footage with low quality compression codecs. What machines were you looking at that won't handle the import from your camera's card? Sounds like you got an Apple rep who doesn't do video at all.

Please state your specific needs, I'd even spend time on the phone with you to help you avoid the frustration that you get from dealing with people who don't know both the computer and video worlds.
Click to expand...

THANKS. Yeah, no one could help at Apple, even the video guy.

It's very simple: I own a PowerPC G5 with Final Cut Pro 6. The raw DSLR will not play on this at all.

I have to compress the footage in order to get it to play. Sunday we shot 180 takes (we used 2 cameras). As I write this, only 60 files have been compressed. My computer has been working over 24 hours.

What I'm looking to do is find someway to see the raw footage. Then I would choose the takes I'm going to use. Instead of compressing 180, I'll be compressing 30. Which is a huge difference.

My other option is find an old Mac Intel and just use that. Any Mac Intel will supposedly play the raw footage.
 
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Yes, I had to upgrade to move into the HD world to an intel based machine... these are the latest machines. The PPC hasn't been a supported platform for almost a decade. Time and technology are harsh mister/mistresses. Unfortunately, to stay relevent, we must move forward. I'm now working entirely in Prores on an older intel laptop for post and it works like a champ.

What outputs do your camera have? There are some possible cheap adapters if you have anything other than HDMI... otherwise, any TV with an HDMI input will do the trick.

Composite or S-Video are easy to convert to any TV for about $5-$20.
 
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Knightly: I don't have the camera. It's the DPs, and he uses it everyday. I'm thinking of getting an Intel.

Will a MAC MINI work? They're not that expensive on ebay? Also, is 4GB of Ram necessary or can I get away with 2 or 3?

Zensteve: They're DSLR, but too high tech for my Leopard PowerPC. They open. But, only the audio plays in QT.
 
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Check the FCP6 requirements... I think it might need a better video card than what the mini offers, one found in a MacPro or MacBook pro? I remember trying to install it on a MacBook and it wouldn't let me.
 
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PaulGriffith said:
Check the FCP6 requirements... I think it might need a better video card than what the mini offers, one found in a MacPro or MacBook pro? I remember trying to install it on a MacBook and it wouldn't let me.
Click to expand...

I have a feeling that's just because of Color - if you just install the other apps you should be fine (and there's a hack to get round it if you're happy using a very sluggish Color).
 
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For the other folks, It's the PPC and HD footage - it brings the computer to its knees, and the codecs for viewing it rely on intel CPUs on the mac platform... and although I don't personally know about fcp6/color/ppc, all the rest of the apps work from FCP6.

I know spinner runs FCP6 on a PPC laptop. But she's not using HD footage either. HD footage works just fine on my intel laptop with 1.5Gb on snow leopard (10.6.8). The mac mini (or a used iMac - avoid the first gen white ones) will work just fine for this. 2Gb should be OK to work with, but more would be better.
 
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No worries, I always find it helps to find folks who have been dealing with the same issues to find REAL answers to a problem. The APPLE rep is there to sell new hardware (when it really gets down to it), the PC folks can only truly help you if your setup is similar to theirs (which is awesome that they want to get to the point where they can render aid!)... that's why my first question for helping folks is always "what platform, what software"

Glad I could help :)
 
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I'd say 2Gb isn't really enough - and the old minis are a real pain to open up for upgrades, so if you can find one with 4Gb I'd recommend it. I'd also watch out for the very first-gen intel minis, 1.8ghz intel core duos - some were single core, some were double, but I believe none were 64bit capable. They can play 1080p h.264 footage but barely. If at all possible look for something with a core 2 duo processor.
 
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When I find something that I'm interested in. I'm going to put the page up here. You folks check it out and tell me what I'm missing. I'd hate to buy something and then have it fail.

THANKS!

BTW: I'm still compressing Sunday's shots. Not even close to being done. Going on close to two days.
 
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