Apple takes Final Cut Express HD Universal

Apple updates its video editing package

19 May 2006 15:08 GMT / By Stuart Miles

Apple has announced that it has updated its entry-level video editing package, Final Cut Express HD to support both the company's Intel and PowerPC based Macs.

Aside from offering Universal support, the new version of Final Cut Express HD 3.5 adds support for real-time playback of multi-stream effects, Soundtrack 1.5 with a complete suite of professional level audio production tools and LiveType 2.1 with even more exciting animated text and titles.

Final Cut Express HD 3.5 promises to provide a complete set of advanced editing tools for DV and HDV video formats with support for multiple video layers, real-time special effects and transitions, and powerful color correction and matting filters for professional-looking results.

New Dynamic RT enables users to view even multi-layered HDV video in real-time, which Apple say, will dramatically speed up the editing process by eliminating the need to render and re-render clips. In addition, all effects, transitions and motion parameters can now be keyframed, providing complete creative control over special effects that can be saved as favourites for use in other projects.

The new package will cost £199 in the UK and $299 in the US. Owners of previous versions of Final Cut Express can upgrade to Final Cut Express HD 3.5 for £65 in the UK and $99 in the US.