Filed under: Video, Apple Professional, iMac, Bad Apple
New iMacs not Final Cut Pro 4.5 Friendly
Lance writes in with this bit of warning for any FCP 4.5 users thinking about upgrading to a new iMac: "If you are wanting to use FCP4.5 with the new iMacs you are out of luck. 4.5 doesn't support the new graphics cards. And there won't be a software update; just got off the phone with Apple. So my grading of the new iMac right now is 'suck', although I haven't tried Front Row, so that might make me feel better. Had I known I would have bought one of the old ones. But I got Apple screwed. So I guess I'll have to upgrade. Suck. Let everyone else know just in case they are debating between an old iMac or the new one. It would've been a great short form DV cutting machine. And it still will for another $300-$500."
This seems like a bad move on Apple's part. I mean, if people are suing over scratched iPods, Apple might want to avoid giving people more reasons to get upset. I know they want everyone to use the latest and greatest version of FCP, so that they can sell more copies, but graphic card support on a standard machine shouldn't be the issue that makes an older version of the software stop performing properly. Couldn't some of the coders who have been spending their time writing things like Photo Booth get up and actually write some useful code like a fix for this (and throw in an iPhoto update while you're at it)?
Lance adds "Photo booth effects unfortunately made a few of us at work laugh out loud. So it is kinda fun." Thanks, Lance!
Get a WordPress.com Blog
![TUAW [Cafepress]](http://www.blogsmithmedia.com/www.tuaw.com/media/tuaw-cafepress-promo.png)
Reader Comments (Page 1 of 1)
Freecam said 3:32AM on 11-13-2005
Hi there,
I'm a new member of the "Apple camp". Just got out of the Microsoft camp and have been editing for a few years. I'm waiting for my new G5 and Final Cut Studio. I didn't skimp on the add-ons (RAM, graphics card, extra large HDD etc.) Windows was a horrible nightmare in my life and I'm glad to be getting away from it. I just hope Mac Tiger and FCP are what I hope they are. I'm ready to pay lots of money as long as it works.
Freecam
P.S. The "Free" in Freecam means FREELANCE, not free. I started out as a freelance camera operator.
Reply
Foad said 1:23PM on 11-13-2005
I recently purchased a G5 Imac and I was trying to install Final Cut 5 on it but it didnt work. It Siad I dont have the required hard ware. I think they are refering to AGP or PCI Express graphics card. I dont know if its true or not. S if any of you guys have more Info Id be really appriciated.
Cheers
Reply
Benno Jacobs said 2:10AM on 11-14-2005
I just bought one of the new iMac G5 20" and was very upset about the FCP 4.5 message that I would need to have an AGP graphics card for the program to work. I immediately thought about returning the iMac as soon as possible (at least within the 14 days period).
AELRequiredIOPCIDevice
AGP
Then I found this link:
http://www.xlr8yourmac.com/feedback/final_cut_pro_on_old_macs.html
I kicked out the lines:
from the Info.plist file of FCP 4.5 HD (found in its contents) as described and succeeded.
It's so simple that Apple would be able to publish a short hack AND TO MODIFY THE INSTALLATION FILES FOR ANY FUTURE UPDATES so that they accept the new graphics cards, additionally. Because this "official" hack does not exist, it's quite obvious to me that Apple is not at all interested in users of "old" software !
Nevertheless, I do not have any experience yet about Tiger compatibility of FCP 4.5 HD but hope for the best as my old QuickSilver G4 which is used for video editing up to now is already upgraded...
Reply
Benno Jacobs said 1:03PM on 11-14-2005
Please add an opening and closing "key" tag to the line: AELRequiredIOPCIDevice
and an opening and closing "string" tag to the line: AGP
in my previous comment which got lost...
Reply
Patrick Montague said 4:34PM on 12-07-2005
We purchased two brand new G5 PowerMacs, fully blown massive internal hard drives, upgraded dual-processors, video cards and so on.....all to run final cut pro 5. Now we find out from the apple techs that the internal hard drive won't support final cut pro and use as a scratch disk.
Any one else encounter such a problem?
Reply
fluffyorca said 4:07PM on 12-11-2005
Has anyone out there tested the compatibility of Final Cut Pro HD 4.5 with Tiger yet?
Reply
DJAEB said 8:18PM on 12-15-2005
I have Final Cut Pro 4 and want to buy a new MAC that will work with it. I am considering buying an iMac G5 2.1GHz 20" (512MB,250G SuperD, X600Pro128, AX, BT). I am such a newbie with Mac and need advice, please. Will Final Cut Pro 4 work on this system? Do I need to upgrade anything or add anything?
Thanks a million!!!!
Reply
LumiTech said 5:45PM on 10-21-2005
While this may be a mis-step by Apple, if you're truly upset about not buying the older version iMac instead, had you known this, then simply return your new iMac in exchange for the less expensive, but compatible with your needs, older iMac. That's why Apple has a 14-day return policy.
IMO.
Reply
ValkRaider said 5:48PM on 10-21-2005
Just as an FYI, all Tiger users can do all the same stuff PhotoBooth does with already taken photos or images.... The only thing PhotoBooth does is integrates it with the iSight "snapshot" functionality.
http://www.macosxhints.com/article.php?story=20050603202507547
It is called "Core Image Funhouse" and is part of the developer tools that are included on the Tiger DVD.
Reply
djones said 6:09PM on 10-21-2005
No professional in their right mind that uses FCP would buy an iMac for said purpose. I'd rather use a Powerbook with FCP than any iMac. The only people I can think of who this would affect are people using a warez version of FCP. Meh.
Reply
Jonathan said 6:25PM on 10-21-2005
I'd like to find out whether the Apple rep said that they wouldn't do a patch, ever, or if they simply said they have no PLANS for a patch. Apple will implement fixes if problems are common enough and the software is still relatively recent.
Reply
bc said 7:57PM on 10-21-2005
Upgrade to Final Cut Pro 5 (Studio). It's a far more stable app and will work on your new machine. Don't listen to the previous comment...the iMac G5 would be great to cut DV/HDV on. best of luck.
Reply
enzochi said 6:41PM on 10-21-2005
it will run.. you just have to do some work..
http://www.macintouch.com/finalcut4.html#jan02
Reply
LD said 6:40PM on 10-21-2005
I think a more proper title would be Final Cut 4.5 not new iMac Friendly. It's a limitation of the software, not a limitation of the iMac.
Reply
Navypoo said 12:57AM on 10-22-2005
FCP 5 is well worth the upgrade. (And FC Studio is an incredible bargain!)
Sorry you feel screwed over. But FCP5 will make up for it!
Reply
Porchland said 9:29PM on 10-21-2005
I think we'll get an iPhoto update at MWSF in January. iLife has updated at Macworld the last two (more?) years in January, and there hasn't been any feature-oriented updating on iPhoto, iDVD, GarageBand or iMovie HD (that I know of) since this past January.
I think all of the iLife apps are pretty rockin' after the last update, but iPhoto could use a couple of things: multiple libraries (categories are great, but I'd really like to be able to completely separate work stuff from home stuff); better color correction; a more streamlined iTunes 6-ish interface.
Honestly, though, iPhoto 5 was a huge step forward.
Reply
Jer said 10:04PM on 10-21-2005
I agree, there's definitely a difference between dragging people kicking and screaming into the future (as Apple has always done) and dicking your customers over. I hate surprises like that, hopefully Apple will decide to play nice and release a patch for 4.5, but chances are they're hard at working making v.6 for the Macintels.
Reply
Reid Bode said 12:07AM on 10-22-2005
"Lance adds "Photo booth effects unfortunately made a few of us at work laugh out loud. So it is kinda fun." Thanks, Lance! "
So true.
Go try it in an Apple Store and you'll have a blast.
Reply
EDIT FOR A LIVING said 2:30AM on 10-22-2005
10.4 doesn't officilly support 4.5 FCP.
Its buggy as hell if you try to make her run.
Remember its called Final Cut Pro....PRO as in Proffesional.
Reply