Final Cut Express 2 System Requirements
- Macintosh computer with a 350MHz PowerPC G4 or G5 processor and AGP graphics card.
- RT Extreme requires a 500MHz PowerPC G4 (550MHz for PowerBook G4) or G5 processor or any dual PowerPC G4 or G5 processors.
- Mac OS X v10.2.5 or later.
- QuickTime 6.4 or later.
- 384MB of RAM (512MB required for RT Extreme).
- 40MB of available disk space required for installation.
Input/Capturing Video
- Plug-and-play support for most DV25-format camcorders and decks: MiniDV and DVCAM (NTSC or PAL).
- FireWire device control of most FireWire-enabled MiniDV camcorders from leading manufacturers, like Sony, Canon, Panasonic and JVC.
- Ignores timecode breaks and incrementally names clips automatically when a recording break is discovered.
- Capture window lets you name, add comments to and organize your clips as you capture them.
- Imports a range of still image formats: PSD, BMP, JPEG, PICT, PNG, SGI, TARGA, TIFF.
- Asset management is made easier with bins that allow you to organize your files and sequences in a project.
- Support for multiple sequences in projects allows you to create alternative edits or break projects up into smaller pieces.
- Sequences can be nested and remain fully editable. They can also be reused in multiple timelines.
- 99 audio and 99 video tracks, with support for nesting sequences together.
- Extensive search, sort, sift capabilities in Browser.
- Clip labels help organize and sort clips.
- Master and affiliate clip relationship automatically updates properties of a clip, such as Clip Name or Reel Name, within the current project.
- Work with multiple sequences and open multiple projects simultaneously.
- Up to 32 levels of undo.
Output
- Print to Video command lets you send a sequence or clip to videotape for recording.
- Projects can be recorded on your DV camcorder.
- Footage can be looped if you want to output your program multiple times on the same tape.
- Import your completed project in iDVD or DVD Studio Pro to create a DVD.
- Add chapter markers with or without comments and durations to jump to specified content.
- Clip, sequence, scoring, chapter and compression markers.
- Marker exports to DVD Studio Pro for chapter and compression settings.
- Scoring marker export to Soundtrack.
- Projects can be exported using any QuickTime file format or the web.
Editing Tools
- Edits to clips reference the original video so the source footage is never altered.
- Editing palette contains most-used functions, so pro-style edits are just a click away.
- Edit overlay for drag-and-drop editing.
- Multiple editing actions, including insert, overwrite, replace, fit to fill and superimpose, give you control over how clips are added to the timeline.
- Insert and overwrite with or without transitions.
- Blade and Blade All tools for adding edit points to your sequence.
- Extend and split edits provide additional editing options.
- Sync detection and correction compensate for audio and video tracks that slip out of sync.
- Active track targeting lets you specify individual or multiple tracks to apply edits to, or to protect from being edited.
- Enabling the Auto Select controls of specific tracks in the Timeline allows the contents of those tracks to be selected via In and Out points in the Timeline or Canvas.
- Trimming edit functions include slip, slide, ripple and roll tools.
- Asymmetric, multitrack trimming.
- Dynamic JKL trimming.
- Trim window.
- Timeline trimming.
- Keyboard and numeric trimming.
- The Autosave Vault saves your project at intervals so you can return to any point in your edit without losing your work.
Transitions, Filters and Effects
- Includes over 200 transitions, filters and effects.
- Unlimited effects favorites.
- Copy and paste motion and effect attributes.
- Unlimited layers with support for nesting.
- Bezier curves with movable motion paths.
- Keyframe capabilities for precise animation.
- Precision numeric controls for effects and animation.
- RT Extreme gives users dramatically more real-time effects, transitions and video layers (up to 8 DV streams).
- Low, medium and high RT Extreme quality settings provide a range of maximum simultaneous real-time streams, effects and resolution options.
- Safe and unlimited RT Extreme modes let you customize performance versus quality tradeoffs.
- Opacity overlays in Timeline let you adjust and keyframe opacity.
- Two-way color corrector.
- YUV.
- Image control filters.
- Make sure flesh tones and other key elements are accurate.
- Mix colors to achieve a visual style.
- Match footage from different sources for consistency.
- Correct errors in color balance and exposure.
Titling
- Use standard and scrolling text generators to create titles that crawl, scroll or appear in the lower third of the screen.
- Combine titles with other filters, effects and compositing for unlimited creative expression.
- Boris Calligraphy plug-ins help you create 2D and 3D titles.
- Precision controls are available simply by clicking a tab.
- Use the titling tools to create a range of title styles to fit your project.
- Full Unicode support.
Audio
- Include up to 99 total audio tracks with up to 8 tracks of audio playback in real time.
- More than 25 audio filters, including three-band and parameter equalizer, compressor/limiter, 60/120-Hz hum remover and noise gate give you control over the quality of your soundtrack.
- Other built-in audio filters include reverb and echo.
- Audio Unit support, including a set of Audio Unit filters you can use to adjust your audio clips. (Audio Unit format is the standard Apple audio plug-in format for Mac OS X applications).
- Automated audio keyframe recording.
- Subframe audio editing to 1/100th of a frame gives you precise control over audio edits.
- Audio level meters allow you to achieve the dynamic range you want.
- Audio pan controls let you control stereo channel playback.
- Sampling at 8 to 48 kHz and 8 to 16 bits enables you to match the recorded source material sample rate and control audio quality.
- Waveform display in Timeline.
- Audio level overlays in Timeline.
- Adjust the volume of any track while listening to playback to make better, more accurate decisions about audio levels.
- Audio tracks can be isolated with solo and mute controls. No re-rendering is required when muted tracks are reactivated.
- Audio filters can be adjusted in real time as the track is playing for immediate feedback on any of the filter parameters.
- Record a voiceover track directly to the timeline.
- Voiceover can be recorded while video is playing back for perfect timing.
Streamlined Workflow
- Unique mode-free interface lets you move seamlessly between editing, trimming, compositing, effects and audio functions in the Viewer.
- Updated UI is more elegant, cleaner and exposes more controls.
- Mode-free interface for workflow efficiency.
- System and user preferences.
- Easy setups for quick configuration.
- Customizable RT effects settings (Safe and Unlimited High, Medium and Low).
- Customizable render settings.
- Dynamic window resizing and customizable window arrangements.
- Customizable Button Bar lets you create shortcuts to favorite functions, saving time and letting you tailor workspace to fit your habits.
- Customizable user interface buttons.
- Customizable Browser layouts.
- Customizable track layouts and custom, independent track heights.
Compositing
- Use nesting to build virtually unlimited compositing layers for complex video effects.
- Import Adobe Photoshop files complete with layers to create effects and motion graphics.
- Use Bezier curves with movable motion paths, graphs and numerical controls to apply and control animations.
- Smooth compositing animations with ease in/ease out motion paths.
- Use time effects, including slow motion with frame blending, to create smooth time-altered playback.
- With accurate subpixel interpolation rendering, effects placed on a clip are applied smoothly to produce a high-quality result.
- Apply effects to time ranges, not just clips, for full control over the look of a sequence.
- Use transfer modes such as multiply and lighten.
- Use the flicker filter to incorporate still frames from video.