Avid and Final Cut on same system
by Craig Hirshberg
on
Jan 31, 2008 at 3:50:53 pm
Hi, sorry if this has been discussed before, but I must not be using the right search criteria.
I'm awaiting the arrival of our new Mac Pro 8-core tower and Final Cut Studio, should be here any day. We've been using Avid and Windows for years, so I'm new to FCP and Leopard, but not Mac - I've had a Powerbook for the past 3 years running 10.3.
Anyway, we need to install both Final Cut Studio and Avid Adrenaline, along with the Adrenaline DNxHD box and the new AJA Kona LHe and KL Box all on same system.
I've heard I should get another hard drive and install Leopard on each as a separate bootable drive, and then install Avid on one, FCP on the other. I'd like to get this right the first time since it's a new system, so is there any other advice?
(Please don't tell me to throw the Avid away, this isn't about that, although I do plan to slowly poison it over time...)
Re: Avid and Final Cut on same system by Russell Lasson on Jan 31, 2008 at 7:20:01 pm
First off, throw away the AVID system....jk
[Craig Hirshberg]"I've heard I should get another hard drive and install Leopard on each as a separate bootable drive, and then install Avid on one, FCP on the other. I'd like to get this right the first time since it's a new system, so is there any other advice? "
If it's going to work, that would be the way to do it, with separate start up disks. You don't have to buy another hard drive. Instead, you could just partition the one you have.
The big question that I can't answer is if the different hardware would cause problems being installed at the same time.
Re: Avid and Final Cut on same system by dave schweitzer on Jan 31, 2008 at 11:08:50 pm
Since the Adrenaline BOB can simply be unplugged from the FW port, that's an easy disconnect if there's a conflict. However, when using Avid, the Adrenaline BOB takes full control of the FW bus so that no other device (or drive) can be hooked up to the FW bus at the same time. Otherwise, there should be no problem with FCP and Avid software on the same drive.
I've actually read reports recently of the Blackmagic card magically outputting Avid's video signal, but I expect they'll kill that happy accident if they haven't already.
Re: Avid and Final Cut on same system by Michael Hancock on Feb 1, 2008 at 2:22:00 am
You can install Avid and FCP on the same drive, but I wouldn't recommend it. The potential for conflict will always be there, and the upgrade paths for both programs vary wildy.
For example, Avid isn't supported on Leopard right now. If you plan on running FCP under Leopard, create a new partition on your drive and install Tiger on it. If you plan on keeping your Quicktime updated (bad idea right now!) install Avid on a seperate partition--I'm sure you know that Avid supports specific versions of quicktime, and if update too far Avid stops working. Such is life.
To be completely safe, and if you only want to do this once, seperate hard drives and dual boot, or partition your main drive and dual boot.
Re: Avid and Final Cut on same system by Kris Anderson on Feb 1, 2008 at 3:25:25 am
I'm doing the same thing.
First off, I wouldn't be switching to Leopard for a while. Not until all my applications support it. But that's just me.
I am installing a 1TB system drive with 800gb partitioned for my FCP work and all other software and then a 200gb partition exclusively for AVID.
FCP and AVID have vastly different Quicktime requirements. ie... FCP is ok with the latest version but AVID will need an older version to be happy (until AVID test/verify and approve). So, no itunes on your AVID partition. But otherwise, totally do-able.
Check the AVID website for correct system requirements.
MacPro 8 core 3ghz - 8gig RAM - Mac OS 10.4.11
2.5tb internal RAID on Apple Raid Card
+ AJA Kona 3 + Sonnet External RAID
Re: Avid and Final Cut on same system by Craig Hirshberg on Feb 1, 2008 at 2:53:57 pm
Wow, you guys stay up late!
Thanks for the feedback, definitely going to take the two-drive path. QT seems to be one of the main factors, thanks for reminding me.
Figured Avid supported Leopard by now, but was wrong. Maybe the Avid can just sit quietly in the corner for now, or forever.
Since this our first Mac, it's shipping with Leopard, we don't have Tiger. Is it possible to buy it from Apple? Sounds like nothing works with it right now (Avid, FCP, Adobe...)
My boss is going to love this (Windows/Avid fan). Loves to rub it in when Mac doesn't "just work." Took me 3 years to convince him to buy a Mac/FCP system.
