Customer Rating: 
Summary: Copyright 2008, but content somewhat outdated
Comment: I received this book yesterday and so far I've only gotten through the first three chapters. But I have already found a few outdated statements. A few examples:
1) "HDV video formats record on tape....AVCHD formats, however, record directly onto disks or hard drives." No mention of memory cards or hybrid options.
2) Lesson Review question (page 30): "What kind of cable do you use to connect your camera to your computer?" Answer: "A FireWire cable."
No mention of USB; in fact, the entire section in chapter 2 covering connecting the camera to the computer only addresses FireWire.
3) The book says after launching the first time FCE looks for any FireWire devices and displays an error message if none are found. This didn't happen, at least not in my case, which makes sense since many newer camcorders don't have firewire.
4) When I opened the first project file (provided on the book's DVD) as instructed, FCE displayed a notice that the file was from an earlier version and asked whether or not to update it. The book doesn't even address this alert, leaving the user to wonder whether or not to select "Yes" or "No" to update the project file. Not updating all the files to version 4 (which they really should have done) is one matter; not even addressing the update prompt is even worse.
None of this is detrimental to my learning experience, however it is evident this is old material merely updated for the 2008 edition, and they missed a few parts during the updating process.
So far the book is VERY basic. I'm a long-time Windows user who just received my first mac about a week ago, and it is simplistic, even for me.
UPDATE: I've progressed through the first 12 chapters, and I'm beginning to realize this book is great for walking (crawling, actually) the user through using the software with the project files included on the book's own DVD, but not so great for real-life applications. For example, I've scanned through the remainder of the book and realized it doesn't eplain how to handle existing video files in different formats (AVI's, for example). FCE can do it, but this book doesn't cover it. I've quit reading the book and started reading the FCE4 User Manual instead. So far, it seems far more applicable to what I need to know; unfortunately, the FCE4 electronic user guide is over 1000 pages long --- more pages than I care to print.
If I could change my rating on this book, I would. It was a waste of money and time. Even for the basic material that is covered, the progression is at a snails pace; it could be much more concise and efficient. Even better, it could cover more useful territory by addressing real-life applications in addition to sterile made-to-order projects.
UPDATE 2:I decided to finish the book and have progressed to the "Appendix", the additional chapters available only on DVD. It is so cumbersome trying to learn this way - read a line, switch to FCE4 to perform the step, re-activate the Preview window to read the next step, reactivate FCD4 to perform it, back and forth, back and forth. See, this is why I actually BOUGHT A BOOK. So I wouldn't have to do this. There are plenty of tutorials on line. I paid money for a book for a reason - to spare myself such inconvenience.
One more thing: The last two chapters used terminology I hadn't seen before (keyframes, for example), with no explanation. However those chapters kept referencing the Appendix. I found explanations for those terms in the Appendix. It seems the Appendix chapters should be completed chronologically before the last chapter, making their absence from the book even more annoying.
P.S. Word to the wise: I sent an email inquiry to the author several days ago. Although I've yet to receive a response (and doubt I ever will), I have begun to receive spam emails from her company.
Customer Rating:
Summary: Good But No Cigar
Comment: I have enjoyed the lessons up to lesson 6. At that point it brings up F-9, F-10, and F-11 keys. It was not a big deal until this particular lesson. The book was written at the time of the mac OS Tiger operating system. I went to the book site for an update on reprograming these keys but there was nothing there! The lessons may be useless from here on out without information on programing these keys in Leopard!
Customer Rating:
Summary: Great Book
Comment: I liked this manual. Easy to read and good information. It took about a week of relaxed study and working through the examples, and now I know Final Cut Express. Easy as that.
Customer Rating:
Summary: Great starter resource
Comment: This book has been very helpful in becoming familiar with the basic operations and shortcuts in FCE4. I highly recommend it.
Customer Rating:
Summary: Falls way short!!!
Comment: This is the 3rd FCE training book I brought. This book uses the same examples, pictures and footage as the first one. That is very disappointing. I had hoped it would go over some of the new features in FCE4. To my surprise it did not at all. I am about half way through the book and I am getting a strong deja vu feeling. If you don't have any of the other books, then this will be a good start. This book leaves you wanting more. Much more!!!
Summary: Copyright 2008, but content somewhat outdated
Comment: I received this book yesterday and so far I've only gotten through the first three chapters. But I have already found a few outdated statements. A few examples:
1) "HDV video formats record on tape....AVCHD formats, however, record directly onto disks or hard drives." No mention of memory cards or hybrid options.
2) Lesson Review question (page 30): "What kind of cable do you use to connect your camera to your computer?" Answer: "A FireWire cable."
No mention of USB; in fact, the entire section in chapter 2 covering connecting the camera to the computer only addresses FireWire.
3) The book says after launching the first time FCE looks for any FireWire devices and displays an error message if none are found. This didn't happen, at least not in my case, which makes sense since many newer camcorders don't have firewire.
4) When I opened the first project file (provided on the book's DVD) as instructed, FCE displayed a notice that the file was from an earlier version and asked whether or not to update it. The book doesn't even address this alert, leaving the user to wonder whether or not to select "Yes" or "No" to update the project file. Not updating all the files to version 4 (which they really should have done) is one matter; not even addressing the update prompt is even worse.
None of this is detrimental to my learning experience, however it is evident this is old material merely updated for the 2008 edition, and they missed a few parts during the updating process.
So far the book is VERY basic. I'm a long-time Windows user who just received my first mac about a week ago, and it is simplistic, even for me.
UPDATE: I've progressed through the first 12 chapters, and I'm beginning to realize this book is great for walking (crawling, actually) the user through using the software with the project files included on the book's own DVD, but not so great for real-life applications. For example, I've scanned through the remainder of the book and realized it doesn't eplain how to handle existing video files in different formats (AVI's, for example). FCE can do it, but this book doesn't cover it. I've quit reading the book and started reading the FCE4 User Manual instead. So far, it seems far more applicable to what I need to know; unfortunately, the FCE4 electronic user guide is over 1000 pages long --- more pages than I care to print.
If I could change my rating on this book, I would. It was a waste of money and time. Even for the basic material that is covered, the progression is at a snails pace; it could be much more concise and efficient. Even better, it could cover more useful territory by addressing real-life applications in addition to sterile made-to-order projects.
UPDATE 2:I decided to finish the book and have progressed to the "Appendix", the additional chapters available only on DVD. It is so cumbersome trying to learn this way - read a line, switch to FCE4 to perform the step, re-activate the Preview window to read the next step, reactivate FCD4 to perform it, back and forth, back and forth. See, this is why I actually BOUGHT A BOOK. So I wouldn't have to do this. There are plenty of tutorials on line. I paid money for a book for a reason - to spare myself such inconvenience.
One more thing: The last two chapters used terminology I hadn't seen before (keyframes, for example), with no explanation. However those chapters kept referencing the Appendix. I found explanations for those terms in the Appendix. It seems the Appendix chapters should be completed chronologically before the last chapter, making their absence from the book even more annoying.
P.S. Word to the wise: I sent an email inquiry to the author several days ago. Although I've yet to receive a response (and doubt I ever will), I have begun to receive spam emails from her company.
Customer Rating:
Summary: Good But No Cigar
Comment: I have enjoyed the lessons up to lesson 6. At that point it brings up F-9, F-10, and F-11 keys. It was not a big deal until this particular lesson. The book was written at the time of the mac OS Tiger operating system. I went to the book site for an update on reprograming these keys but there was nothing there! The lessons may be useless from here on out without information on programing these keys in Leopard!
Customer Rating:
Summary: Great Book
Comment: I liked this manual. Easy to read and good information. It took about a week of relaxed study and working through the examples, and now I know Final Cut Express. Easy as that.
Customer Rating:
Summary: Great starter resource
Comment: This book has been very helpful in becoming familiar with the basic operations and shortcuts in FCE4. I highly recommend it.
Customer Rating:
Summary: Falls way short!!!
Comment: This is the 3rd FCE training book I brought. This book uses the same examples, pictures and footage as the first one. That is very disappointing. I had hoped it would go over some of the new features in FCE4. To my surprise it did not at all. I am about half way through the book and I am getting a strong deja vu feeling. If you don't have any of the other books, then this will be a good start. This book leaves you wanting more. Much more!!!