Macintosh/Apple question

[Sigarms]

Dumb question.

What's the "best bang for the buck" for $1500?

Again, just looking for transfering/editing videos to DVD.

Thanks /forums/images/graemlins/smile.gif

 

[JPinnell]

This 17" iMac for $1250 might be worth looking at. Add a little more RAM if you like or buy an additional FireWire drive to store all the LARGE Video files you'll be creating. Here's another iMac package with iPod and extended warranty for $1699. PM if you like and we can swap more info.

- JP

 

[getut]

The hardware issue you bring up has valid points from both sides. Closed, but controlled or open and possible for less quality control.

But my main point was not to be fooled into thinking that mac is better for those historic mac strongholds (desktop publishing and video editing). As I said nearly all apps are now available for both and are 100% compatible between platforms.

There is still the issue of how the platforms allocate RAM and this is still major plus for the PC side. A job function on a PC may work fine at 512MB of RAM, where the same task on a Mac may require 1GB or better of RAM especially when multitasking applications on both platforms. They are getting better about this but are still not at the level of a PC for memory management.

Then when you are done with the desktop publishing or video editing, you have quite a bit more software to choose from to fill out the rest of the day.

 

[rvaitor]

Good advice - I think the iMac G5s are a good choice in your price range - also fairly mobile.

I currently have an iMac DVSE and an ibook G3 600. I've also had good luck in buying refurbished from Smalldog.com. Considering doing a G4 upgrade to the iMac <$200.

I don't have a DV burner yet, but the CD burner on my ibook takes some time to burn. Curious about burn times for DVD on some of these machines.

I'm a Mac user since Sept 85.

 

[jeffinsgf]

Getut, this is almost as silly as getting into a Ford/Chevy or JD/Kubota debate, but I can't help myself. /forums/images/graemlins/grin.gif

What Mac users like about the Mac for DTP and video editing is that you take it out of the box, plug it in, turn it on, and it works. You don't have to spend the next 5 weeks figuring out what add-on card, etc. you should have bought with the machine to get it to do what you want it to do. Some people like that challenge, but some of us just want to start editing video. PC's have made some great strides in catching up to Macs on graphics and video, but still cannot match the Mac for convenience -- particularly for the new user. Like the ad from a few years ago said, "It Just Works". (they should have stuck with that one)

 

[Sigarms]

Not trying to get a "debate" going per my post /forums/images/graemlins/smile.gif

Used to video boat on some whitewater rivers and my buddies who use Mac swear by it (they can video on the river, do the editing on the bus and have the DVDs for sale when the customers get off the bus).

Good friends wife is in graphics (for the local newspaper, and she's won some "national" awards). She also swears by Mac.

Since I don't need another computer for "internet access or other programs", just only for video work, thought Mac would be the way to go.

Per my post, also looking to see if anyone had anything "negative" to say with thier experiences with a Mac (which I haven't seen here).

Wife and I will actually be going to Waitsfield Vt. in the near future (talk about a small world, home to the "small dog" location mentioned in this post).

Looking for somthing idiot proof (for myself) and Mac for the video work seems like the way to go.

 

[dmccarty]

Jeffinsgf,

PC aren't that bad. /forums/images/graemlins/grin.gif I plugged in a new external hard drive as well as a DVD/CD burner, loaded some software and I was off to video editing. No problems with the hardware at all.

I don't like MS. Don't like em at all. Maybe with the Mac OS going on Intel that will change some things in the market but a PC from a major supplier are pretty easy to use with Intel/MS on board.

Sig, If the wife knows the Mac then Ye should be gettin a Mac. If you can spend the coinage go with a laptop if you can. They are really nice to have to move from room to room as needed.

Later,
Dan

 

[Sigarms]

Heck with it, I'll draw videos on a tablet! /forums/images/graemlins/grin.gif

Actually, I can spend the coin and get a laptop, just wondering if it will be worth it.

We do rescue work with the humane society, and take videos of our "rescues". Thinking with a laptop we can take it to Pet Smart and show people how the rescues (dogs) get along with our dogs (three of them).

Only thing I'm worried about is if somthing happens to the "laptop".

My wife is a "systems enginere(sp?)" writing programs for computers (WAY smarter than myself), so she can look at what we need (she read some of these posts and actually(sp?) understands them!

Don't know why she ended up with me, but I'm not complaining!

 

[bmac]

I'll add another "pro" comment for the Mac. I know you said that you wouldn't use it for internet access (for video only). If you have a wireless network (easy to add if you don't) accessing the web with a Mac laptop could not be easier. The only thing you have to do is turn it on. No configuring at all. We (OK, my wife) have 2 PC laptops. I, unfortunately, am tech support in our house. While not difficult, it can be time consuming (for me anyway) to set up a new computer and get it on the network.

When I brought the PowerBook home, I turned it on and BAM! Web surfing in minutes. And, as some one else said, they are more secure from virus attacks than PCs.

And, as I said before, iMovie and iDVD are included with the Mac as is iPhoto, iTunes and something called Garage Band that allows you to compose original musical scores for your movies. Personally, I have not used the Garage Band software as it is newer than my PowerBook. Now, if you need to make more sophisticated movies, Apple has what I believe is the industry standard professional editing software - FinalCut Pro. They also have a version of FinalCut that falls somewhere in between iMovie and FinalCut Pro. So, as your skills needs develop, the software is available to grow with you.

Once again, I am not a diehard Mac person. I am typing this on my PC, which is what I use everyday at home. And I have edited video on both platforms. For what you want to do, go with the Mac. You will not be disappointed.

 

[dmccarty]

Sigarms,

I bought an external hard drive for our computer for three reasons. One I can hook it up very easily to another system, I needed more disk space for the videos, and it makes a great backup device.

If you can plug in a lamp you can plug in a USB device. /forums/images/graemlins/grin.gif

The drive came with backup software which seems to work. Not the easiest to use but once you fumble around it works. Now have I have nightly backups done on anything/everything that has changed on the system. If you do this you won't care too much if something happens to the laptop.

Later,
Dan