Apple Macbook Pro

B

bugsbunny

Active member
http://www.apple.com/macbookpro/

I have a simple question about the macbook pro. Should I buy it?

I want a portable mac that I can take out in the field. I am worried since this is so new. Do you think the intel processor is a good edition? I know it's supposed to be faster but will there be hardware failure. Intel has been tried and tested on the PC but I don't want to be a guinea pig and find out it is not a good edition to mac.

I remember reading on the Apple website right after Tiger was released that many people were disappointed. Tiger had compliancy issues with Final Cut Pro 4.5 HD. I have Final Cut Pro 4.5 HD and I have not installed Tiger on my mac for that reason. I remember also when the new Lacie drives were released many people lost their data and were upset at the poor performance of the bigger Lacie drives. Bigger meaning any drives over 160gb. I am worried that this will be the case with macbook pro. Also, I think they are probably going to release new models soon because the 17 inch. screen is not available just yet. Perhaps this will be like an ibook with only a few screen size options, but should I hold out just in case. It's not that a bigger screen size will do much for me other than viewing.

If I do buy it should I upgrade to a 7200rpm harddrive. What else would I need to upgrade with to make sure it runs like a monster. I want something equivalent to the performance of Alienware. Not that it could happen because Alienware notebook computer can get up to 320gb harddrive space, 3gb or Ram, and 3.8 GHZ intel processor. I like Alienware but I have to buy a G5 because most everybody wants stuff edited in Final Cut.


http://www.alienware.com/Product_pages/workstation_all.aspx?cs=4&ss=1


Another thing that worries me is that technology changes faster than I can blink. It seems like just a minute ago they release the G5. Now it's the dual-core and pretty soon probably a G6.

What do you think the performance of the macbook pro next to a G5 is? I need to be able to edit hours worth of footage in the field and I want to make sure this is a sound investment.

Thanks for listening to me and any help you can give.
 
I also have a smaller consumer panasonic camcorder, it wasn't even compatible with Final Cut 2-5.0. So far no problems with DVXb, but I am worried of running into the same problems. I had to use another cam or a DV deck to capture my footage. It is a frustration I don't want to have again.
 
First of all, every issue with FCP and tiger has been resolved, as well as the lacie drive issue. Those are software issues that have been addressed, so buying a MBP would not affect any of those.

If 17" is too big for you, then I would definatly get the 15" right now. The only issue is that FCP is not available for it yet, but it will be at NAB this year in early April.

Get the 7200 RPM, it will add a nice boost to overall system performance.
 
samrwamr said:
GET THE MACBOOK.

You'll be glad you did.
Click to expand...

Wow! That's makes me excited. Thanks.

SkiUtah said:
I would definatly get the 15" right now. The only issue is that FCP is not available for it yet, but it will be at NAB this year in early April.
Click to expand...

FCP isn't available for macbook? I don't really want to upgrade right now from 4.5, can I still use that with the macbook? If not I guess April isn't too far off.

I guess I'll go down to the Apple store this weekend and purchase it.

:dankk2:guys for all your help.
 
don't ever buy new technology from apple until the 3rd generation of revisions. that's usually how long it takes them to work out the bugs. they are notorious for this. i would wait a year to buy any of the mac/intel stuff. i am a long time mac head and i still waited a year to buy a g5. the MBP will work but will be buggy.....
 
Cheezweezl,

oooohhh...thanks.

Well I guess that means I have to get a great G5. Speedier than what I have now.
What does apple do for customers when they've purchased buggy (not bugsbunny) gear?

I don't like the fact that the warrranty is so poo poo and you have to pay for the year.

Dual-Core G5 here I come.
 
the one year warranty is included... they will try to sell you a 3 year extension (applecare) which is a great warranty but you can buy it cheaper on ebay...

apple does nothing for the suckers...err...i mean customers that buy the brand new buggy stuff. i call it the "apple paid beta tester program"

i learned all this from experience. i bought the 1st gen g3 - crap, the 1st dual processor g4 - double crap, the first blue imac - uber crap. the latest batch of g5's are rock solid and blazing fast. i have a quad 2.5 and it renders most of the stock fcp filters in real time, no waiting.

here's a tip. if you are going to buy one, get it directly from apple and tell them you are a student or you work for a school. you will get the edu discount and save 10%. i buy all my stuff this way. this only works online or on the phone. if you try it at the apple store at the mall, they hit you up for a school I.D.
 
cheezweezl said:
the one year warranty is included... they will try to sell you a 3 year extension (applecare) which is a great warranty but you can buy it cheaper on ebay...

apple does nothing for the suckers...err...i mean customers that buy the brand new buggy stuff. i call it the "apple paid beta tester program"

i learned all this from experience. i bought the 1st gen g3 - crap, the 1st dual processor g4 - double crap, the first blue imac - uber crap. the latest batch of g5's are rock solid and blazing fast. i have a quad 2.5 and it renders most of the stock fcp filters in real time, no waiting.

here's a tip. if you are going to buy one, get it directly from apple and tell them you are a student or you work for a school. you will get the edu discount and save 10%. i buy all my stuff this way. this only works online or on the phone. if you try it at the apple store at the mall, they hit you up for a school I.D.
Click to expand...


thanks for the heads up.

It's good to know that Apple is willing to use people as guinea pigs on their new systems.
 
bugsbunny said:
It's good to know that Apple is willing to use people as guinea pigs on their new systems.
Click to expand...


That's not just Apple, it's EVERY software/hardware manufacturer.

AT least you have the SAME company who makes both the software AND the hardware!
 
FWIW . . . we got two MacBookPros at work (with the 7200rpm option and the faster processor) and I love mine. I'm using it right now! I'm not a big tech guy, but the IT guys at work act like it's Christmas. The only issue we're working through is shooting to it with the HVX since it doesn't have FW800.
 
We have 2 powerbooks and a G4, we plan on a MBP in June. For us Apple has been our best investments, buying the MBP has risk but we are going for it.
 
Well, Barry, that explains a lot . . .

Well, Barry, that explains a lot . . .

for some reason the guys at work thought it was FW800. From what i remember of the discussion, they were having problems because the MacBook only had one FW and they needed one to come in from the camera and one more to go out to an external hard drive for the amount of footage we're hoping to shoot on a job week after next. Anyway, I know they are trying to get an adapter from Belkin (maybe for the Express Card slot?) and we're waiting for our FCP disks to come in (to be compatible with the Intel processors?). As I've stated in other posts, Barry, I'm far from a tech guy; i write, direct and light. My brain is unable to ingest the immense amount of info related to video (i'm an old film guy). I rely on my a.c. heavily on bigger jobs and its the situations where i'm left to my own devices where i get in trouble. now i'll go back to lurking quietly . . .
 
ICow said:
now i'll go back to lurking quietly . . .
Click to expand...

LOL!

I know what you're talking about. With only one firewire port you need more to use multiple devices. They sale the firewire notebook cards at places like Best Buy.
It's good to hear that people have had good experiences with macbook so far. I might wait until June like CBDV, but I can't imagine any major upgrades by then.

I'll have a G5 for now and in a couple of months go for the macbook. That way I can hear more horror stories and know what I'm investing in. Now, that sounds like a plan.
 
I'd say that if you need a laptop, go with the MacBook. I have a previous-to-Intel Powerbook 15" 1.67 GHz that is nice, but not really great for FCP. It works, but not even as well as my ancient dual 533 G4 at home (the PB is my office comp). You will need to wait for the Intel version of the Pro apps, but thats only a few weeks at this point, right? Normally, I'd wait for the next gen, as well; but if you need a laptop capable of good FCP performance, I think the MBP is the only real option right now.

Now, could someone donate a dual 2.0 G5 to me so I can give that 533 to my wife? Anyone?

Fox
 
I have a MacBook Pro. Runs great. Only issue (besides waiting for native software) is the "whine" issue. Go to Apple.com and look under support tab then "discussions" finally go to the using Macbook Pro (something like that). You will get a ear full.

The whine is not fun. I have it, although I run the red sweater fix (I think that's what it is called).

For me the older 15" was still to high priced even used. I like it. Screen is nice, speed good, battery so-so.

Overall,I am glad I have it.
 
There are rumors that an Intel Ibook is coming out soon. I don't know how much faith I put in these rumors but there's definitely a gap between the G4 Power/Ibooks and the MacBook Pro that should be filled before the summer.
I'd be interested in hearing what people think about those for doing some limited FCP work.
-Ryan
 
I don't want to start a huge debate here...but if you like Alienware (who doesn't?) then why don't you get one? You say that you want to run FCP because mostly everyone wants stuff cut on it. As far as I was aware that was Avid, but even so my suggestion would be to get the Alienware as it is unbelievably powerful and run Mac OS X on it. It's been done, and since the Intel processors have come out, it runs at 100% or very close to (speed wise). Do some research on this and you'll find loads of information on it. If you decide to go with it, you can get OS X put on your Alienware and just pick which OS you want to boot in when you start up your laptop. This way you get the power of an Alienware, with the functionality of FCP (when it's released for the Intel processors at NAB).

Just a thought..

-Kegan
 
Cheezweezl

3rd Revision? That's a little extreme. I've been a mac nerd all my life and never seen any major problems with a 1st gen product.
This is a pretty huge release, but I think it would be stupid to by a G5 now. Yeah, everything will still work on them, but the Intel's are already faster and will keep getting that way, eventually making the G5 obsolete - and I assume you want your mac to last a long time.

I have heard nothing but praises from current MBP owners.
 
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