edit software? at DVinfo.net

Bob Zimmerman · February 2nd, 2003, 12:46 AM

Besides Final Cut Pro, FCX, or iMovie software what works good on a Mac?

Ken Tanaka · February 2nd, 2003, 01:03 AM

Adobe's Premiere and Avid's XPress DV are the other major editing systems on the Mac platform.

Rhett Allen · February 2nd, 2003, 01:09 AM

Supposedly AvidExpress DV. I have also used Cinestream but I don't think they have updated it for OSX. Do you just not like FCP or will it not do something specific you are looking for?

Of course there is also Premier but I just don't like the interface so I haven't used it in a long time on the Mac. (I actually had it from a bundle purchase, Adobe Digital Video Collection-Production Bundle, but never even opened the cellophane on the Premier CD)

Richard Alvarez · February 2nd, 2003, 08:17 AM

If you buy a copy of Avid XpressDV, you get a version for Mac and pc IN THE SAME BOX... So you can literally move between platforms. (One computer at a time). FCP is not cross platform.

Bob Zimmerman · February 2nd, 2003, 09:02 AM

Rhett it is the cost of FCP right now. FCX sounded pretty good but it sounds like they have a few bugs to work out

Jeff Donald · February 2nd, 2003, 09:31 AM

Bob,

Video editing software is an ever evolving product. Each manufacture trying to one up the others. Consequently, the software will have some limitations as to reliability with all Mac configurations. In a few cases actual bugs do exists because of the impossibility of beta testing the software with every conceivable configuration of Mac computers. In those cases the future updates usually contain fixes for the more common problems. If you read over the many support forums for Mac software and various vendor sites you'll see that all video editing software has issues.

FCX is good software and may well suit your needs. I've done some tutoring on it and have found it to be stable software. iMovie 3 has just been released and it is having issues also. If you haven't tried iMovie, now may be the time. After all it is free. I think Premiere will leave you wanting more or frustrated by it's interface and lack of some key features. Avid is great software (it has issues to, check out the Avid forums) but more costly than FCP 3. A free version is due in the 3rd quarter. Maybe use iMovie then try Avid in the fall. If neither suit your needs then it'll be FCP 4 or Avid.

Rhett Allen · February 2nd, 2003, 12:13 PM

I agree with Jeff in that ALL editing programs (not just Mac) are suceptable to bug's. I have been using FCP for a few years now and there have been times when it was buggy but it always comes around. As for the price, well I think FCExpress is a nice learning application, it's missing a few features for some pro work but it is perfectly capable in the right hands.
If you are looking for something to learn on, register for some classes and buy the student version of FCP (same as the full but not for commercial use). If you need it for Pro work, well, not much I can say. It's still almost half the price of the "competition" (AvidXpress DV) If you wait for ANY application to run perfectly on every computer and OS, you may be waiting a while because they ALL are suceptable to problems at some time. (I think Macs in general aren't as bad about this because they are pretty well controlled hardware wise)

Bob Zimmerman · February 2nd, 2003, 12:23 PM

I have iMovie 2 now on my iMac. It works pretty good, but I would like to be able to do more. I called the Apple store in Chicago and the have FCX hooked up so I might run up there and try it out first. Thanks for the info

Jeff Donald · February 2nd, 2003, 12:36 PM

iMove 3 is a free download. Try it yo might like it. My wife played most of yesterday with it. It locked up and had to be forced quit a couple of times. But all in all she really like the capabilities and improvements over iMovie 2. A couple of her plug-ins aren't working either. But for free, it's great.

Bob Zimmerman · February 3rd, 2003, 03:24 AM

I saw that Jeff, but it's a 85mb download. My dial up would take 5 hours if it stay connected. If I get iMovie 3 it will be with that new bundle they have out.

Jeff Donald · February 3rd, 2003, 06:07 AM

Do yo know anybody with a cable modem that would download it and burn it to a CD for you? Even a PC could do.

February 2nd, 2003, 12:46 AM	#1
Bob Zimmerman Major Player Join Date: Nov 2001 Location: Illinois Posts: 888	edit software? Besides Final Cut Pro, FCX, or iMovie software what works good on a Mac?

February 2nd, 2003, 01:03 AM	#2
Ken Tanaka Retired DV Info Net Almunus Join Date: Dec 2001 Location: Chicago, IL Posts: 6,943	Adobe's Premiere and Avid's XPress DV are the other major editing systems on the Mac platform. __________________ Lady X Films: A lady with a boring wardrobe...and a global mission. Hey, you don't have enough stuff! Buy with confidence from our sponsors. Hand-picked as the best in the business...Really! See some of my work one frame at a time: www.KenTanaka.com

February 2nd, 2003, 09:31 AM	#6
Jeff Donald Warden Join Date: Mar 2002 Location: Clearwater, FL Posts: 8,287	Bob, Video editing software is an ever evolving product. Each manufacture trying to one up the others. Consequently, the software will have some limitations as to reliability with all Mac configurations. In a few cases actual bugs do exists because of the impossibility of beta testing the software with every conceivable configuration of Mac computers. In those cases the future updates usually contain fixes for the more common problems. If you read over the many support forums for Mac software and various vendor sites you'll see that all video editing software has issues. FCX is good software and may well suit your needs. I've done some tutoring on it and have found it to be stable software. iMovie 3 has just been released and it is having issues also. If you haven't tried iMovie, now may be the time. After all it is free. I think Premiere will leave you wanting more or frustrated by it's interface and lack of some key features. Avid is great software (it has issues to, check out the Avid forums) but more costly than FCP 3. A free version is due in the 3rd quarter. Maybe use iMovie then try Avid in the fall. If neither suit your needs then it'll be FCP 4 or Avid. __________________ Jeff Donald Carpe Diem Search DVinfo.net for quick answers \| Where to Buy? From the best in the business: DVinfo.net sponsors

February 2nd, 2003, 12:36 PM	#9
Jeff Donald Warden Join Date: Mar 2002 Location: Clearwater, FL Posts: 8,287	iMove 3 is a free download. Try it yo might like it. My wife played most of yesterday with it. It locked up and had to be forced quit a couple of times. But all in all she really like the capabilities and improvements over iMovie 2. A couple of her plug-ins aren't working either. But for free, it's great. __________________ Jeff Donald Carpe Diem Search DVinfo.net for quick answers \| Where to Buy? From the best in the business: DVinfo.net sponsors

February 3rd, 2003, 06:07 AM	#11
Jeff Donald Warden Join Date: Mar 2002 Location: Clearwater, FL Posts: 8,287	Do yo know anybody with a cable modem that would download it and burn it to a CD for you? Even a PC could do. __________________ Jeff Donald Carpe Diem Search DVinfo.net for quick answers \| Where to Buy? From the best in the business: DVinfo.net sponsors

February 2nd, 2003, 01:09 AM	#3
Rhett Allen Major Player Join Date: Mar 2002 Location: Plano, TX Posts: 607	Supposedly AvidExpress DV. I have also used Cinestream but I don't think they have updated it for OSX. Do you just not like FCP or will it not do something specific you are looking for? Of course there is also Premier but I just don't like the interface so I haven't used it in a long time on the Mac. (I actually had it from a bundle purchase, Adobe Digital Video Collection-Production Bundle, but never even opened the cellophane on the Premier CD)

February 2nd, 2003, 08:17 AM	#4
Richard Alvarez Inner Circle Join Date: Sep 2002 Location: San Mateo, CA Posts: 3,840	If you buy a copy of Avid XpressDV, you get a version for Mac and pc IN THE SAME BOX... So you can literally move between platforms. (One computer at a time). FCP is not cross platform.

February 2nd, 2003, 09:02 AM	#5
Bob Zimmerman Major Player Join Date: Nov 2001 Location: Illinois Posts: 888	Rhett it is the cost of FCP right now. FCX sounded pretty good but it sounds like they have a few bugs to work out

February 2nd, 2003, 12:13 PM	#7
Rhett Allen Major Player Join Date: Mar 2002 Location: Plano, TX Posts: 607	I agree with Jeff in that ALL editing programs (not just Mac) are suceptable to bug's. I have been using FCP for a few years now and there have been times when it was buggy but it always comes around. As for the price, well I think FCExpress is a nice learning application, it's missing a few features for some pro work but it is perfectly capable in the right hands. If you are looking for something to learn on, register for some classes and buy the student version of FCP (same as the full but not for commercial use). If you need it for Pro work, well, not much I can say. It's still almost half the price of the "competition" (AvidXpress DV) If you wait for ANY application to run perfectly on every computer and OS, you may be waiting a while because they ALL are suceptable to problems at some time. (I think Macs in general aren't as bad about this because they are pretty well controlled hardware wise)

February 2nd, 2003, 12:23 PM	#8
Bob Zimmerman Major Player Join Date: Nov 2001 Location: Illinois Posts: 888	I have iMovie 2 now on my iMac. It works pretty good, but I would like to be able to do more. I called the Apple store in Chicago and the have FCX hooked up so I might run up there and try it out first. Thanks for the info

February 3rd, 2003, 03:24 AM	#10
Bob Zimmerman Major Player Join Date: Nov 2001 Location: Illinois Posts: 888	I saw that Jeff, but it's a 85mb download. My dial up would take 5 hours if it stay connected. If I get iMovie 3 it will be with that new bundle they have out.