It’s been two years since the introduction of Final Cut Studio 2 and apart from some minor make overs Apple have become stagnant to say the least. One major topic that rides round the forums is Blu-ray support. Apple see Blu-ray as a thorn in it’s side but Adobe seems to be quite happy with Blu-ray by adding full support in CS4, Encore.
DVD Studio 4 is very dated in my opinion and really needs a make over. I use Photoshop like everyone else so having to learn Encore was no big deal, I am in no way a wizard with Encore but it’s tie in with Photoshop makes it very refreshing and a joy to use.
What Apple are not appreciating is that as more production companies start to use both applications the bigger the chance that there will be a larger migration to Adobe and that will inevitably cost sales for FC Studio 3. Another major factor will be the inclusion of Blu-ray in DVD Studio 5, unless Apple bite the bullet I think they will loose their market share to Adobe.
Snow Leapord (SL) the new operating system will not be compatible with FC S2 that’s why we have not had an update because Apple are rewriting the code for FC S3 bringing together core elements and moving towards graphic card integration whereby rendering will be solely up to the level of graphics card and not the CPU as is present.
So in other words what you have at present will be redundant … now this might have been ‘cool’ for Apple in the past but a hard hitting recession, a buggy operating system, not to mention the financial implications will not in my opinion warm many hard core Apple fans to join the new revolution.
So lets see what’s on offer…
One new MacPro with Snow Leopard (4Gig Ram) = £2800
Graphics card = £1200
One FC Studio 3 = £800
Total £4800 not to mention the price to add CS4 for SL and all the other apps that you will need to buy again !
Apple must be off their heads if they think we are all going to jump over the edge into the unknown with new software that no matter how good it is will be buggy, new hardware costing £4K upwards…why not reformat the older MacPro I hear you shout…don’t be daft you will need a working system to get the work done so you don’t have that option.
Sorry Apple, I can’t see a solution to your impending implementation of a new OS that is so radical that we are forced to start all over again and spend a fortune, it just won’t happen. As usual Apple will have some form of solution…I hope, as for implementing Blu-ray into DVD Studio-5 that’s anyone’s guess, if not as they say in Glasgow “The games a bogey”.
