avid 'unity' style set up for FCP?

hi all

wondering if there is a way in FCP to network footage between 2 or 3 systems...it would make our lives much easier...goal is to have 2 or 3 systems pulling footage from the same storage set up
is it possible?
thanks

The Apple option would be to use an Xserve RAID with Xsan. I'm not sure how that compares to Unity as I haven't actually used either. I would imagine that the Apple option (with all the Xsan seat licenses) would be more expensive but more inclusive and flexible. Hopefully someone with actual experience could comment further.

[www.apple.com]
[www.apple.com]

And just like Unity, it ain't cheap. Much less than Unity, but still spendy.

you could allways use good ol fashion appletalk- make sure your set up a lan- then have to have each system identify that hard drive- ? raid?

good luck- have sed this way before and it werks

That's not the same thing. That MIGHT allow you to share the media on the drives...if they are DV. But what Unity allows is for two people to work with the same media, and SAME PROJECT, at the same time. And it is high speed, so you can work in uncompressed environments.

Apple's X-SAN system is designed to do exactly what you're asking... network together FCP systems to share storage. We are currently using X-SAN with close to one hundred FCP systems sharing more than 40 terrabytes of data. This is a rather complex installation that isn't cheap.

Go to the Apple website and look up X-SAN. They have a very thorough explanation of what it is and how to set it up.

The second you go beyond connecting more than two systems together you enter into the "IT" world of computer networking. If you're not familiar with things like LDAP and DHCP and TCP/IP then I would suggest that you find a competent, knowledgeable person to help you with the installation. It's NOT going to be plug and play.

Having said that, we're VERY happy with our X-SAN. It does what it promises. It's significantly cheaper than a comparable Unity system. And, X-SAN is enabling us to have more people (non editors) access the media. This means that our story department, our music department and various executives can now see not only rough cuts, but the original media on their desktops. These non editors don't even need FCP... only a quicktime reader to accomplish this.

Mark

I strongly suggest you also take a look at Editshare. We have been using the 4TB model with two Avid Xpress Pro systems, but its designed to work with Final Cut Pro, Adrenaline and Premiere.

Since installing it and turning it on in March we've barely had to do a thing. I works over standard Gig-E so we also have Powerbooks hooked up and sharing files on a separate 'Graphics' partition which we use for After Effects and Photoshop work.

We are working at DV res but the system does support uncompressed although this would reduce the number of systems together I imagine. It will support up to 20 systems all sharing media etc.

In terms of throughput (bandwidth) it will not compete with XServe RAID which is fibre based, but it does not the less support working with anything from DV to Uncompressed SD and compressed HD.

The best part IMHO is how simple it is to set up and look after and the cost is very competitive. Editshare have a new version 3.0 software out soon which introduces a number of very useful features - a few only relate to Avid setups, but others are universally useful.

If you need to run Avid as well as FCP, then this is a no brainer, as its the only real solution to the Avid background processes beyond Unity. If not then it will handle FCP shared storage just as well.

[www.editshare.com]

Mark

mark

One hundred Fcp system ???
Could you tell us more about THAT ?

Mark before i saw francois's question (right after i read your post) i was gonna ask the same question.



Sean

"The second you go beyond connecting more than two systems together you enter into the "IT" world of computer networking. If you're not familiar with things like LDAP and DHCP and TCP/IP then I would suggest that you find a competent, knowledgeable person to help you with the installation. It's NOT going to be plug and play."

Why more than two? In other words, why is more difficult to network three computers than two?

I'm not 100% sure but i think that you can hard wire (via ethernet cord) two computers together.


Sean

Take a look at Micronet's sancube. Same idea as the xsan with the xraid, but much less spendy.

I'm just a piker here. These are toys that I haven't actually played with, but they look cool.

Philip Robert

Francois & Sean,

We've been using X-SAN since last year. First in a beta form, then in public release. Here's a reference to what we've been upto on the apple website.

[www.apple.com]

Mark

<<<I'm not 100% sure but i think that you can hard wire (via ethernet cord) two computers together.>>>

I am 100% sure. You can put a GigE copper cable between two Macs and arrange the sharing so each appears on the other. It all happens at the speed of the slowest computer and the Ethernet Auto Sense means you don't even have to use a turn-around cable.

The magic third Mac means you suddenly have to have a hub or switch and some familiarity with IT.

Koz

HOLY COW!!! thats you. wow!! well any ways good job with your shows you could say that i'm a fan of all of them except the simple life .

None the less good job i thought that the Real World episode one week ago (when danny's mom passed away) was very well edited (not that they aren't all well edited) i really liked the slow fade when danny was talking about regret.

anyways sorry if i was out of line reveling in this moment of glory for me, i just think it is really cool that i have talked to you.


Sean