Will an iMac G5 work with HDV?

[Edwin Hernandez]

For editing weddings, will my iMAC G5 (1.8 Ghz and 756MB RAM) be able to handle it with FINAL CUT EXPRESS?

Is it really hard to edit HDV? Is it hard for me or is it hard for the computer?
-EDWIN

[Kevin Shaw]

Based on reports I've seen from Mac users, I'd say you could only do limited HDV editing on your current computer. With a fast dual-processor Mac and FCP5 your HDV editing experience should be like editing DV now, but HDV needs a *lot* of processing power to get that result.

One thing you can do with some HDV cameras is record in high-definition for future use but capture the video to your computer as widescreen DV, so you can edit on your current setup and then re-use the footage in HD later when you get a better computer. In other words, start building up an HD footage library now even if you can't afford a computer to edit it, and do all your editing and delivery in SD for the next year or two.

[Steve Connor]

I've tried on my G5 iMac it's very sloooooooow! but it does work! I wouldn't like to do it every day though

[Heath McKnight]

I have a single processor G5 1.6 ghz Power Mac and I know I need to get something faster. I just wish the dual dual-cores from IBM would ship (unless Apple is planning on waiting for the Intel switch).

heath

[Steve Nunez]

I have to disagree with the rest of the fellas- the iMac G5 using iMovie works great.......just max out the ram and the machine will surprise you. I also have a G5 dual 2.5ghz so I have a baseline and the iMac version does fairly well. If you use iMovie you'll be using the AIC codec- if you have FCP5, you'll be editing natively- keep that in mind!

(same data rate as dv)

[Dave Perry]

I agree with Steve. The iMac G5 will handle HDV fine. As a matter of fact, it's made for it. It's not considered a "pro" machihne but it is very capable. HDV actually has a slightly lower data rate than DV, however, the strain on the system comes from editing GOPs (group of pictures) rather than frame based editing for SD formats.

[Patrick Jenkins]

Originally Posted by Dave Perry

I agree with Steve. The iMac G5 will handle HDV fine. As a matter of fact, it's made for it. It's not considered a "pro" machihne but it is very capable. HDV actually has a slightly lower data rate than DV, however, the strain on the system comes from editing GOPs (group of pictures) rather than frame based editing for SD formats.

I agree with the previous two. Try to upgrade to at least 1GB of ram - it'll work great.

[Kurt Madel]

We use an iMac G5 2GHz with 2gb of ram. Editing HDV in final cut pro 5 is pretty smooth as long as you don't do too many filters/effects/video layers.

If you can afford to upgrade to FCP 5, I believe it is well worth it for the native HDV capabilities.

I can't wait for HD DVD (Blu Ray or whatever), because when you work with HDV in FCP, on export it is HD MPEG-2 ready to be put onto the dvd.

[Patrick Jenkins]

Fyi, you can already author HD DVDs with DVD Studio Pro 4 using HD Mpeg2 or H264 - that will work with future HD dvd players (the spec is already established - the hardware/media isn't).

[Kurt Madel]

Originally Posted by Patrick Jenkins

Fyi, you can already author HD DVDs with DVD Studio Pro 4 using HD Mpeg2 or H264 - that will work with future HD dvd players (the spec is already established - the hardware/media isn't).

Yes, but they are only playable on a G5 Mac (iMac included). I do believe, however, that a new JVC Pro HD DVD player (http://pro.jvc.com/prof/Attributes/p...&feature_id=08 red laser, not blue) will play these discs if the content in MPEG-2 (i.e. HDV footage from Sony cameras at 25Mbs). It is interesting though, because Sigma makes the chip for this and has announced a chip that will decode H.264 at HD resolutions. Also, it will be interesting to see if this player will work with the menus of a DVD Studio Pro 4 HD DVD or if it will only play the content.

[Tomas Chinchilla]

iMac G5 2.0gz 1GB ram, working perfect. FCP5 DVDSP4

[Heath McKnight]

Awesome.

heath

[Peter Wiley]

New annoucements on Apple products are due on Wend the 12th of October. One of the rumors is that a bump-up in G5 speeds and perhaps even the dual-core will be announced.

http://www.appleinsider.com/article.php?id=1306

[Heath McKnight]

We'll see what happens, but I'm optimistic.

For now, good to know a G5 2.0 ghz works with HDV!

heath

[Patrick Jenkins]

Originally Posted by Kurt Madel

Yes, but they are only playable on a G5 Mac (iMac included). I do believe, however, that a new JVC Pro HD DVD player (http://pro.jvc.com/prof/Attributes/p...&feature_id=08 red laser, not blue) will play these discs if the content in MPEG-2 (i.e. HDV footage from Sony cameras at 25Mbs). It is interesting though, because Sigma makes the chip for this and has announced a chip that will decode H.264 at HD resolutions. Also, it will be interesting to see if this player will work with the menus of a DVD Studio Pro 4 HD DVD or if it will only play the content.

Hrm.. I think you're confused a little or I wasn't clear. The HighDef DVD spec is already established. Meaning, the format of the data that will be written on the disc already exists and is set. It's why you can author HD DVDs with DVD Studio Pro - these aren't some funky format that only work with Macs. THOUGH, it just so happens the only guaranteed to work HD DVD player only comes with a Mac. They will play fine when a hardware player finally exists to play them, or a good PC based player comes along - simply because the data on the disc is authored to the standard and HD/Blueray players will be backwards compatible with DVD+-R/DL media. It really doesn't have anything to do with HD-DVD or Blueray either; those are just the media - the data on either disc will be the same. The data works. The hardware/media doesnt [yet].

I hope that makes more sense.