[Iaian]

I'm considering buying a mac mini, but my decision rests on a few details that I need to need before I part with the cash. One of my main questions is How well does the Final Cut software run on a mac-mini?

I'll probably get the Mac mini 1.4GHz G4 SuperDrive with 1GB DDR333 SDRAM - 1 DIMM. Will the software run smoothly on this machine?

[ewiser]

Well I use final cut on a 12" powerbook with the same spec's no problem I do use a 250 gig lacie firedrive for all capture and storage.

[Goldfinger]

FCP 4.5 HD runs smooth as butter on my Ti867 so it will do well on your 1.42 ghz mini. I'd maybe upgrade the internal harddrive to a 7200 rpm drive though.

Can't comment on FCP 5.

[ism]

Since you now can't get Final Cut Pro outside of Final Cut Studio (Unless you are getting an older version, etc or already have it) this means you'll get Motion 2. Motion 2 will not run on the mac mini (graphics card issue).

Final Cut Pro itself will work fine, although you'd need an external drive as a scratch disk.

[Iaian]

scratch disk??

[SirCastor]

Your scratch disk is the disk where FCP is storing and moving information. It allows FCP to manipulate the large amounts of data that will eventually become your cut movie. Make sense?

Two reasons you'd need an external drive for a scratch disk.
1) The Mac Mini does 40 or 80gig. That'll be pretty dang tight if you're editing footage. (about 13gb an hour, iirc)
2) I'm not sure, but I don't know how fast the mac mini drives run. For DV you want to be at 7200 RPM, preferably.

[Iaian]

Thanks SirCastor.