Best computer for ex-3
- Thread starter scifiboss
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MitchLewis
Well-known member
Mac Book Pro has a built-in Express Card slot which is nice for transfering footage rapidly. But it doesn't have the processing power of a MacPro (tower) which will allow you to play more simultaneous streams of video on a time line without rendering. If you got the money, go with the MacPro and a 30-inch Cinema display, otherwise go with a MacBookPro. I guess a iMac would fall somewhere in betwen. A 24-inch iMac would be a good compromise.
Nik Manning
Well-known member
For video editing a Macbook Pro would be best in general.
For everything but heavy motion graphics work, color grading in realtime, and multi format conversion the mac book pro is better.
If you are just an editor and you don't use color or after effects a lot then get the macbook pro.
For everything but heavy motion graphics work, color grading in realtime, and multi format conversion the mac book pro is better.
If you are just an editor and you don't use color or after effects a lot then get the macbook pro.
EIREHotspur
Well-known member
And on the PC side????
I got a Dell M90 plugged into a monitor but want to get a new desktop/workstation.
I got a Dell M90 plugged into a monitor but want to get a new desktop/workstation.
MitchLewis
Well-known member
You can do color grading on the MacBookPro and you can used Looks on the MacBookPro. The reason people are having trouble answering, is because it's those programs may run slowly on a MacBookPro where as they will work well on a MacPro Quad. There's a big difference between having a 2.8GHz dual-processor (MacBookPro with Intel Core 2 Duo processor) and having 2 x 3.2GHz Quad Core processors (MacPro with Intel Xeon processors). The lap top uses 2 total processors and the tower uses 8 total processors. Big difference. But one is portable and one is not.
I'm going to go out on a limb and say that the speed of the latest MacBookPro laptop will be fine for any piece of software out there. Really, the biggest negative with using a laptop besides speed, is that you can't install PCI expansion cards to add things like Fiber Channel, eSATA, or even additional firewire 800 ports.
If you choose to go with the laptop, I would get the 17-inch display. It gives you a lot more room to work. But Apple currently doesn't make the new MacBookPro with a 17-inch display. They currently have only upgraded their old model (the one I have). I'm sure they will introduce a 17-inch version soon. Probably at the upcoming MacWorld convention the first week in January.
Also, what ever model you decide on, make sure you get as much RAM as possible. With the MacBookPro you can max it out with 4GB of RAM and that's what I would recommend. With the MacPro tower, you can max it out with 16 GB of RAM. I'm not sure I would spend the money to do that. I would install between 6-9 GB of RAM. That would be plenty. You can save money by purchasing your RAM from a third-party like Crucial and installing it yourself. It's really easy to do on a MacPro. It comes with great easy to follow instructions on how to do it.
Finally, the external hard drive you choose is also very important. With a MacPro you can install a PCIe card and connect to the fast hard drive storage options on the planet (fiber, eSATA, etc...) But with the MacBookPro, you're options are some what limited. I've read that people are having good success editing with the Sonnet Fusion F2 (http://www.sonnettech.com/product/fusionf2.html) connected to the laptop with an eSATA Express Card slot adaptor. Note that it's used for editing. Because the Express Card slot is filled you won't be able to use it to capture your XDCAM SxS footage. You would have to capture using USB. An alternative would be to remove the eSATA Express Card, install the SxS card in the now open slot, transfer your footage to the internal hard drive, removed your SxS card, reinstall the eSATA Express Card, and finally transfer your footage from the internal drive to the Fusion F2 drive and begin editing. That might work okay, but it's a lot of swapping.
Hope this all makes sense.
I'm going to go out on a limb and say that the speed of the latest MacBookPro laptop will be fine for any piece of software out there. Really, the biggest negative with using a laptop besides speed, is that you can't install PCI expansion cards to add things like Fiber Channel, eSATA, or even additional firewire 800 ports.
If you choose to go with the laptop, I would get the 17-inch display. It gives you a lot more room to work. But Apple currently doesn't make the new MacBookPro with a 17-inch display. They currently have only upgraded their old model (the one I have). I'm sure they will introduce a 17-inch version soon. Probably at the upcoming MacWorld convention the first week in January.
Also, what ever model you decide on, make sure you get as much RAM as possible. With the MacBookPro you can max it out with 4GB of RAM and that's what I would recommend. With the MacPro tower, you can max it out with 16 GB of RAM. I'm not sure I would spend the money to do that. I would install between 6-9 GB of RAM. That would be plenty. You can save money by purchasing your RAM from a third-party like Crucial and installing it yourself. It's really easy to do on a MacPro. It comes with great easy to follow instructions on how to do it.
Finally, the external hard drive you choose is also very important. With a MacPro you can install a PCIe card and connect to the fast hard drive storage options on the planet (fiber, eSATA, etc...) But with the MacBookPro, you're options are some what limited. I've read that people are having good success editing with the Sonnet Fusion F2 (http://www.sonnettech.com/product/fusionf2.html) connected to the laptop with an eSATA Express Card slot adaptor. Note that it's used for editing. Because the Express Card slot is filled you won't be able to use it to capture your XDCAM SxS footage. You would have to capture using USB. An alternative would be to remove the eSATA Express Card, install the SxS card in the now open slot, transfer your footage to the internal hard drive, removed your SxS card, reinstall the eSATA Express Card, and finally transfer your footage from the internal drive to the Fusion F2 drive and begin editing. That might work okay, but it's a lot of swapping.
Hope this all makes sense.
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And also remember that you cannot judge color based on the computer monitor. You must have some form of capture/output device such as Matrox MXO2 (for capture and display), Matrox MXO, or AJA IoHD. I could add the Motu device to the list but I have not physically tested it so I can't speak from personal experience. The MXO allows you to use a Cinema display or similar (I use a Dell 2407) and calibrate it with bars for accurate representation. With the MXO2 and IoHD you could use HDMI monitor (and calibrate it with MXO2 utilities). With all 3 of these you could use SDI monitor.
Your question is backwards. It is not the question of "what computer should I buy." The question is what NLE is comfortable for you and works with your specific workflow.
Far more critical than the computer is how are you going to monitor it properly.
Your question is backwards. It is not the question of "what computer should I buy." The question is what NLE is comfortable for you and works with your specific workflow.
Far more critical than the computer is how are you going to monitor it properly.
MitchLewis
Well-known member
I agree with nstoltz (Ned? Neil?) Having a "referance" monitor is important for many reasons. Checking the quality of your video (resolution, color, etc...) is an important aspect of our business.
But.... I think you could "get by" without one. For example, you could purchase a DSC Labs chip chart, shoot the chart at the beginning of each scene, and then use Apple Color (or even the 3-way color corrector) and the built-in waveform/vectorscope to move all your dots into the correct boxes (for correct color) It's not the ideal solution, but I think you could get by if you're on a tight budget.
We just purchased the AJA Io firewire input/output device and JVC DT-V24L3DU monitor for critial edit room monitoring. It's not perfect, but it's the best solution for the money we had available.
But.... I think you could "get by" without one. For example, you could purchase a DSC Labs chip chart, shoot the chart at the beginning of each scene, and then use Apple Color (or even the 3-way color corrector) and the built-in waveform/vectorscope to move all your dots into the correct boxes (for correct color) It's not the ideal solution, but I think you could get by if you're on a tight budget.
We just purchased the AJA Io firewire input/output device and JVC DT-V24L3DU monitor for critial edit room monitoring. It's not perfect, but it's the best solution for the money we had available.
Wow........i may need a degree..hehehehe
Wow........i may need a degree..hehehehe
Wow you guys really no your stuff.....im a total newbie....and im just trying to get the right stuff now so i dont have to sell it to get something different later! maybe im looking to far down the road on this.....I CANT EVEN RUN A STANDARD COMPTER THAT GOOD...HEHEHEHEHEHE.....:huh:...they have a MACPRO on B&H for about 2600$$$$$$$and a HD 23INCH Monitor for about 800$$$$ Just trying to make the best decision The rate im going ill have to file for bankruptcy later....HEHEHEHEHE
I knew i should of went to M.I.T....LOL
Wow........i may need a degree..hehehehe
Wow you guys really no your stuff.....im a total newbie....and im just trying to get the right stuff now so i dont have to sell it to get something different later! maybe im looking to far down the road on this.....I CANT EVEN RUN A STANDARD COMPTER THAT GOOD...HEHEHEHEHEHE.....:huh:...they have a MACPRO on B&H for about 2600$$$$$$$and a HD 23INCH Monitor for about 800$$$$ Just trying to make the best decision The rate im going ill have to file for bankruptcy later....HEHEHEHEHE
I knew i should of went to M.I.T....LOLdandobi.com
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join date: Dec. 2008