Final Cut Pro has been upgraded to Final Cut Pro HD. If you own FCP, just do a software update and you will recieve Final Cut Pro HD, a huge improvment.

FCPHD can handle 4 simultaneous full quality HD streams or 10 low quality HD streams, I saw this being done at full speed with using 1 Xserve Raid Storage system and a dual 2ghz g5. It can also render real time effects using RT extreme in FCP. Iv'e seen it do page peels, wipes, dissolves, and color correction in real time with 10 layers of 720i content without any lag (they put a TCR on the canvas).

It also comes with all the DVCpro HD codecs now so you can take full advantage of RT FX. You can also bring HD in through firewire via the new panasonic DVCpro HD decks with firewire or any other DVCpro firewire device. Apple has announced that they will soon come up with a solution for HDV, which it has as usual declined to comment on a timeline. My guess would be when the new Sony HDV cam comes out next year. In the mean time Lumier HD and Heuris remain the tools for extracting HDV m2t files into mpg files which can be read and edited into FCPHD after installing the quicktime mpegII component.

There are a few nice fixes and adds to the software, for more info: after you update your software go to help/late breaking news.

Christian