Apple has released another Pro Apps update, PRO APPS UPDATE 2008-02. This one upgrades FCP to 6.0.4 and Compressor to 3.0.3. According to the release notes:

“Enhanced Final Cut Server Support
Final Cut Pro 6.0.4 has been enhanced to support the latest updates to Final Cut Server. If you are using Final Cut Server 1.1, the server can directly find, access, process, and track Final Cut Pro 6.0.4 projects and media files without converting them to XML files. This enhancement increases the reliability and efficiency of client and server access.

Changes to XDCAM HD422 Sequence Presets
Because XDCAM HD422 devices always record audio at a bit depth of 24 bits, the XDCAM HD422 sequence presets have been updated to include default audio bit depth settings at 24 bits.

Update to Capturing HDV Clips
Updating your computer to use QuickTime 7.5 fixes a small issue when capturing HDV clips. When you use Capture Now to capture HDV clips and the capture runs beyond the end of the data on your tape, you can now stop the capture process by pressing the Esc key (Escape).

For more information, go to http://www.apple.com/support/releasenotes/en/Final_Cut_Pro_6.0_rn.”

As I always recommend, CLONE YOUR HARD DRIVE to another drive (be it another internal or external firewire drive…something you can BOOT from. USB doesn’t allow that) using Carbon Copy Cloner so that if this update doesn’t work and messes everything up, you will have a working system to return to…by cloning that back to your main drive.

Now for the record, I will NOT but upgrading to this version….yet. But, what I tend to do is download the stand alone installer INSTEAD of using the SOFTWARE UPDATE. This is so that if I ever needed to reinstall the software, I can get it back to the exact state I need it in. Like now…I am running FCP 6.0.2, as is everyone else in the office. If I crashed and needed to reinstall, I can get myself back to FCP 6.0.2 because I downloaded that stand alone installer. If I didn’t, I’d be stuck having to go to 6.0.4 and then be incompatible with everyone else in the office. Not a good thing. And Apple has yet to keep all the various versions online for those who don’t download the stand alone installers. I hope they fix that soon.

Have fun. Let us nervous nellies know how the update works for you.