Best hardware for Final Cut Pro?

What format will you be working in (DV, HDV, DVCProHD, etc)? What's your intended output (DVD, web, broadcast)?

I would stay away from the minis and the imacs. Laptops too for that matter.

The only platform that gives you the ability to add capture cards, decent additional storage, additional firewire bus, etc are the towers.

Plenty here do work on the above machines, but sooner or later they will run into issues that can only be solved by moving to a tower.

Mini's don't meet system requirements because of video chipset. I use a MBP but I'm the only one using it. A tower is probably better for expandability and durability. I would also recommend at least 2 gig of ram. Another recommendation is a large monitor or dual monitors. there's a lot going on and it helps to spread it out, not necessary but certainly helps. I also use a contour shuttle pro2. again not necessay but i like it.

MacBook Pro 17" Mac OS X (10.4.7) Bootcamp, Final Cut Studio

Jeff's already asked the first question, I'll ask the second.

What is your budget?

x

I know others are recommending you get a load of tower units, but since you're a not-for-profit organisation, I'd guess you're a bit strapped for cash - unless you are lucky enough to get a nice big grant, of course!

I just thought I'd let you know that for the last year I've been editing bits and bobs using FCP 4.5 HD on a G4 mac mini! Although the editing I've been doing has just been simple edits, a few cross fades and no effects, it's been immensely reliable and has worked a treat. It's got me to the stage I wanted to be at - that I've used FCP and got to a basic knowledge of which does what. I've also been using an external hard drive to keep my media on.

The way I wanted to do it was get into the subject area without splashing loads of cash on a big expensive machine that I wouldn't appreciate because it was all I had known! I think there's something to be said for starting out on a shoestring - just a personal opinion, but it does make you value the more expensive equipment when you get it.

The other advantage of starting out small is that you can gauge the usefulness of the editing in your application - is it worth spending loads of cash when you're not quite sure how much it'll be used?

A G4 mac mini could be got off EBay for about £300, Final Cut Express for £150, a £120 external hard drive and you're off! Total cost under £600 for a complete editing solution.

Just my opinion...!

John