Building a FCP system...looking for links

Hi! My company will be building two final cut pro systems soon. We wish to buy and own the equipement, instead of leasing it. I have scoured the web and came up empty handed while looking for a FCP system equipment list. Does anyone know where I can find some sample system set-ups? I don't want to buy a capture card and a RAID and find out they are somehow incompatable. I am just looking for successful equipment combination options that I can present to those who will make the purchasing decision. Thanks for any help.

www.promax.com
www.thdrgroup.com
www.macgurus.com

Exactly what type business you in and what media do you intend to use/shoot? Tell us more.



Michael Horton
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We are a DVD games company. Will be capturing most source from Beta SP, sometimes DigiBeta. We deal heavily with files, uncompressed QT are output for the DVD authorers.

So esentially you guys edit the Beta and/or digibeta and shoot it out to the DVD boys? That's it? You guys dont do the encoding? You got a lot of workstations? Need a SAN solution?



Michael Horton
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Exactly. No encoding in-house. Will only have two stations. Looking into a shared storage option, but I've heard some bad stories about FCP and SAN...

X-san is quite good with a proven track record as is X-Serve Raid

[www.apple.com]

[www.apple.com]

That said and assuming you have a limited budget look into Decklink's cards and/or AJA Io.

[www.decklink.com]

[www.aja.com]

You can also get by with FW or Sata Raids from either G-Tech, Promax or build your own.

[www.g-technology.com]

[www.promax.com]

[www.promax.com]

[www.macgurus.com]

Get a Dual G-5 and throw as much Ram in it as you can afford



Michael Horton
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Mike- Great resource links, thanks so much for the help man!

but I've heard some bad stories about FCP and SAN...

Mr. MillerTV1,

Don't know who you're talking to, but I'd be happy to share with you our experience with X-SAN and FCP. We now have close to one hundred FCP systems all connected to X-SAN, sharing storage, sharing media, moving projects around. Make no mistake, X-SAN is not a "plug and play" amateur installation. However, with the proper installation and equipment it DOES work as promised. We're very happy with our set up.

Feel free to contact me off list if you'd like more details.


Mark Raudonis

mark,

the two guys i spoke two must have not had the proper installation of X-SAN as you mentioned...

thanks for the offer, don't be surprised if i contact you in a few!

thanks

-Brian

Xsan ROCKS! Not cheap, but I do love the ability to share media.