switching from G3 to G4 and OS9 to OSx

what kinda disasters am i in for? anyone done this? i need to switch my film to a new computer (G4) and operating system OSX, for obvious reasons -- and i'm kinda quaking in my boots about this...
fcp 3.0.2 works on both so i'm gonna have to exfer everything.
is it as simple as insttalling fcp on the new computer and then just copying the fcp file for my file over??

Get ready to kiss a lot of money goodby! My question for you is why the G4? The G4 is basically outdated. That said, I still use a Quicksilver G4 dual 1.0 GHz MAC for Final Cut Studio and I am running Tiger 10.4.2 on the G4 box.

Get with Tiger MacOS X 10.4 and the Final Cut Studio. Sorry, I can't recommed staying back in the dark ages!

It's not recommended to move systems in the middle of a project, but if you have to do it, then you have to do it.

You will have a lot less trouble if your cut is simple - low on the compositing, nesting, filters and effects. If it's mostly straight cut so much the better.

Do you have to get rid of the old machine before installing on the new machine? I would say keep the old one running the cut until the quirks of the move have been ironed out. And keep in mind that it's even possible that everything will be completely fine.

Keep a backup.

My transition from OS 9 to OS X on my Dual 1 Ghz G4 was the smoothest of any upgrade I have ever done on any computer I have ever owned or worked on.

I did a lot of research...getting all the OS X-compatible upgrades / updates for all my software before starting the OS upgrade (especially plug-ins, IO drivers, Disk Warrior, Printer / Scanner drivers, Tablet driver if you use one, etc.).

I would move up from FCP 3.0.2. if I were you. FCP will update the old project when you launch it.

Backing up is a given...always. Carbon Copy Clone your HD to a FW drive for safety.

All that said, I would skip the G4 totally and go straight to the G5. Why upgrade to a machine that's out of production? My G4 has given me over 3 years of faithful service, but the G5 is coming and the speed of the Dual 2.7 is what I am after. The new FC Studio was written for it.

Good Luck

- Joey



When life gives you dilemmas...make dilemmanade.

Jude hit it. If you have a huge project with hundreds of complicated effects, the transition will kill your show. It is a really bad idea to upgrade in the middle of a show of any kind. Taking an existing show between operating systems, machines, and versions of the programs is begging loudly for trouble.

Nobody mentioned this, but the hardware requirements of OSX are enormously tighter than OS9. If you are used to daisy chaining multiple FireWire drives to get the show on the road, there is a really good chance that's going to stop working. Earlier down the forum, there are many many postings that say things like: "This used to work in OS9 and now it doesn't."

Why are the reasons for upgrading obvious? Are they worth killing the show? Stay with the current system until you complete the show and then do a massive upgrade--to a G5--with the idea that you're never going to go back to that show at all.

Koz
(resident wet blanket)