Switching to FCPX from Premiere Pro

I have a Mac Pro “Quad Core” (2010) A129 model configured with 8 GB of 1066 MHz DDR3 ECC SDRAM, two 2 TB (7200 RPM, 32 MB cache) 3Gb/s Serial ATA hard drives, two 18X dual-layer "SuperDrives" and an ATI Radeon HD 5770 graphics card with 1 GB of GDDR5 memory, Yosemite 10.10.2. It is soon to have an additional 4TB WD Black HD in internal HD slot three for file storage.

Until recently I have been doing NLE work on a Windows 7 laptop and a Dell desktop, but I am now gradually moving over to the Mac Pro. I am looking to buy FCPX for the Mac but do not have it installed yet. I have been using Premiere Pro on the Windows machines. I do video tape conversion (PAL and NTSC) to DVD, also MiniDV tape (two Sony Camcorders) to DVD, all done with some editing. All of this is for my use only, no commercial or paid work.

Using the PC and laptop, I connect a Multi Standard VCR to a Laird LTM-5500 Convertor using CV and audio cables, then Firewire cable to the PC or laptop. Premier Pro recognizes the Firewire digital connection and works flawlessly.

Is it safe for me to assume the FCPX on the Mac Pro will recognize and capture the digital output from the Laird convertor in the same way?

Having never used FCPX before, I am sure I will find lots of good info in the forum files and posts.

Thanks in advance.

Peter B.

FCPX offers a free 30d trial - just test it!

but .....
Don't try to re-enact your habitual workflow from Premiere - FCPX has a different approach.

Understand, changing from PC to Mac is a bit like emigrating to another country that speaks the same language. It is the same but different if you know what I mean.

Are you saying it will work OK? My concern is will FCPX recognize the Laird Convertor output via Firewire?

Peter B.

as mentioned: utilize the free, unlimited trial .. 30d is really a long time for 'testing'.
Nobody can tell from remote, if a specific set-up works or not.

I don't get tired to recommend
Lessons for FCPX from the rippletraining.com
itunes.apple.com/us/app/lessons-for-fina...-x/id952621966?mt=12
to learn the basic and the concept (e.g. no solid 'drawers'/bins, but flexible tags)

You are right Karsten, 30 days ought to be enough time,to get it installed, connected and running. Connecting from my Laird convertor then directly to a DV port on the Mac Pro. As soon as I turn the convertor on, I should know. Once I can download some DV video, figuring out editing etc with FCPX should be a piece of cake. I just have to change hats.

I will order it later this week and keep you posted. No time before then, now that I am not working I am amazed at the amount of time I do not have. LOL.

Thanks for the link to the lessons, I have it bookmarked.

Peter B.

mb300e wrote: … Connected to my Laird convertor then directly to a DV camera. …

Why this Laird-thingie? Connect your dv-cam straight to Mac; most (all?) converters just cause trouble....... Older Macs like yours had a firewire/iLink connection.

The answer is simple Karsten. When I want to process DV from my camcorders, I connect directly to my PC via Firewire.

When I am copying PAL and NTSC VHS to disc, the video goes from a multi standard tape deck through the converter, comes out the other end as digital via a Firewire port, then to PC via a Firewire cable. I also have a Laird Video Corrector and a Transcoder which come into play now and again as needed.

The Laird convertor handles both NTSC and PAL format. I have hundreds of tapes to do. Enough to keep me busy for 10 years.

Peter B.

I just noticed there was an error in a previous posting about connecting the convertor to my DV camera. Oops on my part. I usually read stuff carefully, but I read the post and saw what I expected to see not what was written.

I have changed the post, it should now make sense.

Peter B.

mb300e wrote: … When I am copying PAL and NTSC VHS to disc, the video goes from a multi standard tape deck through the converter, …

ahh, ok, missed that.
fingers crossed it works with Mac - at AppleSupport I've seen some threads reg. trouble with converters.