Computer Advice..

[FilmMakerr]

I'm thinking of getting myself an HV20, but I also wanna get a new computer with that. Does anyone know a good priced computer thats not gonna go out of class anytime soon? My use for it will basically just be editing mostly, nothing else, no internet running or any of that. Also, Laptop Vs PC?

 

[ugafan]

laptop vs. pc
laptop is more portable and you can take it with you on shoots. a desktop is your workhorse and is going to give you more power for the same amount of money.

manufacturers like dell and hp offer great prices for the low end segment. if you you want something for heavy duty editing, it is best to build your own computer.

 

[Batutta]

If you're mainly editing, I'd go with a mac and final cut pro. Any new mac, even some older ones, can edit HDV out of the box without any headaches. Yeah, you can build your own computer or get a PC if you have the patience for it and save some money, but with a mac, you just turn it on, plug in and you're ready to go.

 

[ugafan]

if you've got the money, a mac pro workstation would be great. the only downside is you'll pay more than you would for a similarly configured pc.

 

[Batutta]

And by many accounts Final Cut Pro will even work on the newer Mac Mini's, so if you want to save some bucks it doesn't get much cheaper than that, although performance wise that isn't the best option...I've actually gotten FCP to work on my wife's 600mhz ibook g3 with a little hacking of the installer. It's okay for editing simple DV stuff, but that's about it.

 

[FilmMakerr]

Is final cut pro harder to work with than Vegas?

Ive always thought about getting a mac, but Ive never dealt with FCP, even though I know its widely used by the pros.

Also, can you guys throw some names out, off the top of your heads, anything that comes to your head as far as PC/MACs go..

Thanks

 

[Batutta]

I've only used final cut pro, but if you're looking to segue into pro work, most companies use either Final Cut or Avid, so I'd learn either of those. For names, you can get good deals on Apple Refurbs. I'd buy this, will do what you need out of the box and will handle hdv well for a good price.

http://store.apple.com/1-800-MY-APPLE/WebObjects/AppleStore.woa/wa/RSLID?nplm=FA199LL/A

 

[Eugenia Loli-Queru]

I checked some DELL workstation serious PCs the other day, with GL cards and stuff and lots of memory, overall, it was below $2,000, which is very good for such a workhorse. And yes, definitely you need a laptop too. It doesn't have to be as powerful, but a modern laptop with 2 GB of RAM can be found at $800. Just make sure your main PC has lots of RAM (2-4 GB), a supported GL card as opposed to the consumer cards and fast CPUs/disks.