" Final Cut Pro 3.0.4 Updater addresses performance and reliability issues in Final Cut Pro 3. These fixes and enhancements include: effects are now represented correctly in exported EDLs, EDLs with clips containing speed changes are now imported correctly, clips from reels with timecode occurring during hour 23 now capture and import correctly, incorrect sync in Exported OMF files are eliminated, improved real-time performance on Power Macintosh G4/Dual 1.25 GHz computers and more.

Check system requirements:

Final Cut Pro for Mac OS X (3.0, 3.0.1, or 3.0.2)

Mac OS X v10.2.1 or later
(Not 10.1.5 or earlier? - any 10.1.5 users try this?-Mike)

QuickTime 6.0.2 or later

300-MHz or faster PowerPC G3 or G4

384 MB RAM recommended (256 MB RAM required)

Macintosh with built-in FireWire ports

Compatible camera or other device "

Reader Travis wrote with a link to Apple's download page at http://www.apple.com/finalcutpro/download/ and included a note that: "you need both your original serial number as well as the disk you installed fcp3 with". (There's also a questionnaire linked at the Apple FCP download page that offers a free "Time Bender" filter for those that fill it out. )

" Carbon Sound Manager Update 6.02
The Carbon Sound Manager Update improves reliability and performance of some applications that access Carbon Sound Manager. "

(Thanks to Jamie of OWC for the heads-up.)

Note - I applied this update fine on my PowerBook G4, but one reader in the forums noted a boot problem after the update on his G4 tower.
Another reader later wrote regarding an issue he saw with this update and a 3rd party PCI audio card:

"Hey Mike,
I just installed the Carbon Sound Manager Update (noted in Thursday's news) and when I reboot was unable to produce sound via my M-Audio Audiophile 2496. I was initially hoping this would fix some minor glitches that OS 10.2 re-introduced to the Audiophile. To my dismay, it cut sound entirely. I've already tried using the analog out as well to make sure it didn't break the SPDIF out only. I tried reinstalling the drivers as well with little luck. As of right now, I'm unaware of any way to remove the update. I'll test my other Jag install just to confirm that this indeed is isolated to the Carbon Sound Manager.

In short, be wary of installing this update with any 3rd party audio hardware.
- Greg Gant"

(Greg reviewed the Audiophile 2496 vs SB Live card earlier this year.)

" Hi, I have installed the Apple IP over firewire preview as well. I used it to share files between a Windows XP box and my Mac . XP has a similar firewire nic driver built in. It works great! I had Jaguar act as a Windows file server then connected right in with the XP machine. Go Apple! for making the two platforms work together.
James E. "

One reader sent a note about a reported Firewire port failure from using this, but that makes no sense that this software could cause that. (The FAQ's Firewire section however has notes on why some macs can have their firewire ports damaged, usually from bus-powered devices.)

" Just emailing to report that I installed the IP over Firewire extension on a Quicksilver dual gigahertz machine, and a Titanium laptop and connected them via FireWire. File Sharing is working like a charm - faster than ever. I backed up my entire powerbook hard drive in a couple of minutes!
Doug "

Other options would be using Firewire target disk mode or Ethernet. (Modern macs don't even need a crossover cable and the Quicksilver towers and fall 2001 and later PowerBook G4s have Gigabit Ethernet.)

" FWB Software, today announced the immediate availability of two "Built for OSX" Utilities

FWB SMART Toolkit(tm) uses a feature called "Self Monitoring and Reporting Technology" (SMART) that's built into most modern ATA hard drives to monitor and alert users before their data is lost. "STK is the first OSX-exclusive utility from FWB Software. It uses the reporting technology of the drive to determine it's overall reliability," explained Marko Kostyrko, FWB's Director of Product Development. He continued, "When a potential problem is detected, SMART Toolkit will alert the user on screen, with sound, email, or by updating their personal web server."

FWB DriveTest is designed for performance-oriented users and features two types of disk tests. Benchtest - measures the performance of hard drives with different data transfer sizes under four different types of test, and allows you to compare test results from other machines. Verify - analyzes the data integrity of the drive Subsystem including the driver, the drive controller, the cabling, the drive's motherboard, and the operating system.

Pricing, Availability and System Requirements
SMART Toolkit 1.0 is now available for (MSRP) $34.95.
SMART Toolkit requires System 10.2 or higher, Power Macintosh CPU with G3 or G4 processor, and IDE hard disk.
DriveTest 1.0 is now available for (MSRP) $19.95.
DriveTest requires System 9.0 or higher (Built for OSX), 16 MB of free memory, Power Macintosh CPU, and hard disk. "

Some OS X Disk Benchmarks I've seen report rates too high to be accurate for the actual drive/interface capability (rates in excess of the interface max or drive max rates). The rates (often over 100MB/sec or near 200MB/sec in some cases) just seem to be testing OS X's disc cache in RAM. (I wrote FWB to ask about their benchmarks.)

" I haven't actually finished the previous mail but incidentally pushed the return key, so here's what i wanted to point at:
The software is also compatible to the 2 following cards (mentioned in the Q&A ( http://www.meilenstein.de/meilenstein/4_Support/1/content)

• LifeView FlyVideo 3000
• Elta 8641 LV

Both of them are quite common (also cheap, less than 100$) for wintels and use the same Philips SAA7134 chip like televio. There are LifeView FlyVideo 3000 cards with NTSC support but with the SAA7133 chip, so maybe it's worth an email to meilenstein.
greets from switzerland
Dominique "

Another reader also wrote about the software and other cards:

"Hi, Saw this item and my first thought was "Yes a PCI TV card driver for OS X! I wonder if it will work with my ProTV?". I downloaded their software but it didn't recognize my card (original Pro TV with non-PCI audio).
However upon checking their support page (thanks Google translator) they mention support for several 3rd party cards:

"The following products are compatible after our level of knowledge with Televio: (data without guarantee)

* LifeView FlyVideo 3000
* Elta 8641 LV

According to customer data the also following product is to be compatible:
* Medion "PCI Stereo TV/FM radio Tuner map" (available with Aldi south in May 2002)

The map with the same designation, available with Aldi north in December 2002, is mt the current software not compatibly, we examines an adjustment.

* Formac ProTV is incompatible to our software, an adjustment is intended."
(Note: Stephan sent a note that the correct translation is:
"The Formac ProTV is incompatible with our software, an adaptation is NOT planned.")

... I'd love to be able to watch TV on OS X, and it seems like such a waste of money to throw out a perfectly good TV card just because Formac is too cheap to write an updated driver for it
Rory"

A reader replied to Rory's post:

"Hi Mike,
Just wanted to point out a mistranslation (in Rory's post above):

German:
"Formac ProTV ist inkompatibel zu unserer Software, eine Anpassung ist nicht vorgesehen."
English:
"The Formac ProTV is incompatible with our software, an adaptation is NOT planned."

Too bad. I own a Formac ProTV, too and would've loved a better software to use it on OS X. Maybe iTV will get out of it's beta state some time in the future, then all Formac users can rejoice.
Cheers, Stephan."

• Sonnet G4 1GHz in G4/466 AGP (rated 10)
• Sonnet G4 800MHz in G4/450 AGP (rated 10)
• Sonnet G4/800 in 8600/300 (rated 9)

(Warning - Overclocking may not be reliable and could lead to hardware failure or corrupted data.) You can find the full reports by searching the database selecting the indicated Mac model and upgrade card brand/type. If you've upgraded the CPU on your Mac, please post an entry in the database. Search the database for entries from most every upgradable Mac model *before* you buy. (Searchable by mac model/upgrade brand). For detailed reviews with performance tests and install tips, see the CPU Upgrades page.)

DVD-RAM Drive Reports:
• IDE Matshita (Apple OEM Part # 661-2162) in B&W G3 (OS X)
  (Noted no Discburner support in 10.2.x)
  
  DVD-R DVD Recorder Drive Reports:
• Firewire (IDE drive in FW case) Pioneer DVR-105 used w/Dual G4 (OS 9.2) (noted only 1x speeds shown in Toast, but didn't note Toast version or what brand of media used.)
  
  IDE CDRW Drive Reports:
• LG GCE-8480B (48x16x48x) in eMac (OS X)
  (using modified support file for iTunes)
• Plextor 12x10x32x in Beige G3 (OS X)
  (FYI - Illustrated CD drive install guide here covers G4 towers up to the Digital Audio Model, Beige G3 MT, B&W G3 and 8600/9600 Macs.)
  
  Firewire CDRW Drive Reports:
• Que 24x10x40 used w/B&W G3 (OS 9.2)
  
  PCMCIA Interface Hard Drive Reports:
• (Cased) IBM TravelStar 8GB used w/PowerBook G3 2000 (OS X)
  
  Expansion Bay Hard Drive Reports:
• 4GB VST Expansion Bay drive in PowerBook G3 2000 (OS X)

You can find full owner reports (latest shown first) by searching the database by drive/brand/interface/mac models (the latest reports are shown first in searches). For guides to installing CD/CDRW/DVD drives or Hard drives in many mac models, see the IDE Articles page. The Firewire articles page also has guides on case kits, installing drives, etc.
If you've added a IDE, SCSI, Firewire or USB hard drive, CDRW, tape drive, etc. make sure you add a report to the database. [If you post an updated entry - make sure you use the same name, etc. as you did before so I can find your past entry. Thanks.]
(Entries today will be added the following newsday. Incomplete entries are deleted. Do not post questions in the database, it's for drive reports not questions on what drive to buy - for that try searching the database for reports from owners of your mac model on the drive type/brand/interface, etc. you're interested in.)

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