Editing DVCPROHD 1080i

R

rakshith.shetty

Member
Hay Guys. I am planning to buy an editing machine and also an editing software. I have Mac Pro 17 inches in my mind and Final Cut Studio. What do you guys think? There is one more option which is Sony Vaio AW 18 inches..... I am comfortable working in both kind of machines but problem with Vaio is batter back up is less. Like 2 to 3 hours and mac pro provides 8 hours battery back up, but Vaio comes with Blue Ray writer where as Mac doesn't.

Let me know which Machine and Software should i go if my main concern is DVCPRO HD editing. Thank you
 
DVCPRO HD editing is really easy on nearly every brand. So what matters most is what you are comfortable editing on in terms of personal preferance. Lots of people like different programs for lots of different reasons, and everyone has an opinion.

Avid, Final Cut, Adobe, Edius etc. are the main choices. Is one better than the other? It really depends on what kind of work you are expecting it to do. At the end of the day, when you have your project finished on time with minimal frustration it really doesn't matter. Some people do work better with one software than the other as that's just how their brain works better.

Reasearch each software and make sure that it meets your current and possible future needs. Make sure your computer is able to run the current version. Every software has good points and bad points. None are perfect ... none. Make sure you can live with the shortcommings of your choice. They all have something you wish worked better or differently.

If you can try it before you buy it, do so. I know Avid for example has a 14 day 100% working trial. See if you like it. If you don't, try something else. Does your software choice run on both Mac and PC? Does that even matter to you? How do you plan on mastering your final project? HDSDI, Component, DV, Firewire, DVD? Find out before you commit to a choice so that you don't have any suprises when you finish a project.

Anyway, those are a few guidlines for you to think about. Rememer everyone likes to bash the software they didn't choose or made a bad choice with. That doesn't mean it won't work well for you if you do your homework right. Just don't be in a hurry and try before you buy if you can.

Good Luck!
 
Take_1 said:
DVCPRO HD editing is really easy on nearly every brand. So what matters most is what you are comfortable editing on in terms of personal preferance. Lots of people like different programs for lots of different reasons, and everyone has an opinion.

Avid, Final Cut, Adobe, Edius etc. are the main choices. Is one better than the other? It really depends on what kind of work you are expecting it to do. At the end of the day, when you have your project finished on time with minimal frustration it really doesn't matter. Some people do work better with one software than the other as that's just how their brain works better.

Reasearch each software and make sure that it meets your current and possible future needs. Make sure your computer is able to run the current version. Every software has good points and bad points. None are perfect ... none. Make sure you can live with the shortcommings of your choice. They all have something you wish worked better or differently.

If you can try it before you buy it, do so. I know Avid for example has a 14 day 100% working trial. See if you like it. If you don't, try something else. Does your software choice run on both Mac and PC? Does that even matter to you? How do you plan on mastering your final project? HDSDI, Component, DV, Firewire, DVD? Find out before you commit to a choice so that you don't have any suprises when you finish a project.

Anyway, those are a few guidlines for you to think about. Rememer everyone likes to bash the software they didn't choose or made a bad choice with. That doesn't mean it won't work well for you if you do your homework right. Just don't be in a hurry and try before you buy if you can.

Good Luck!
Click to expand...

Thanks a lot for such a descriptive knowledge. I will keep everything in mind before i make a choice :) Thank you once again
 
i have used both macintosh and windows for all kinds of video/graphic/animation/web work. and at the end of the day, i prefer macintosh. for three reasons.

the first, i cant really elaborate on because i have no idea why this is - but ive always felt more connected (physically) to what im doing on a mac. there is just something about the user interface/paradigm on a windws machine that for me, causes a very slightly perceptible disconnect between what im doing physically and whats going on on-screen.

second, is the current state of virus/malware. there are different virus and adware threats, every few days on a windows machine and i personally dont wantto spend ANY time dicking around just keeping my machine working.

third is the VAST number of third party hardware/software configurations. PC manufacturers use different build versions (sometimes even within the same day) and there is always something that doesnt work with something else. for example. i bought a top-end, fire-breathing HP laptop about a year back and for some dumb-ass reason it shipped with "windows home" and i needed "windows pro" so i ALSO had to shell out an extra $200 for the right OS. after spending 2 hours on the phone with both HP and microsoft (each blaming the other for why my hard drive wouldnt let windows reinstall on my machine) we found out that some BIOS thing was locked and had to be very NONintuitively reconfigured just to allow my drive to be erased. THEN after all that, i had to spend like 3 more hours tracking down the appropriate windows pro sound driver JUST TO GET SYSTEM SOUND TO WORK AGAIN.

NONE of this would be a problem for a mac user.
VERY LITTLE to NO virus or malware.
ONE version of the OS.
just plug it in and GET TO WORK.

now there are conflicts and issues with a mac as well, especially when you get into 3rd party hardware like video capture cards and pro audio interfaces. but in general, about the biggest problem you'll come across editing video on a mac, is maybe an unfriendly version of quicktime, a couple of 3rd party effect plugins not playing nicely together or maybe a corrupt font jacking with your after effects.

one thing about a macbook pro and P2. you WILL have to get the DUEL ADAPTER to convert the expresscard slot to accept PCMCIA. but thats readilly available and no big deal. one thing however that i really dont understand is the new "8-hour" macbook pro battery thing. what they dont tell you is thats a BUILT IN BATTERY. and once it starts to degrade, you cant just go to your mac shop and get a new one. you will have to take it in (like an ipod or iphone) for internal battery replacement service - and thats just INSANE. they say that the battery will last 5 years. ok, maybe. but batterys degrade. and how long will it take before the overall perfomance of the battery doenst meet your specific needs?

my advice to you is pick up a last-years model macbook pro, and extra couple of batteries - and you'll be good for years to come.
 
Last edited:
wgzn said:
i have used both macintosh and windows for all kinds of video/graphic/animation/web work. and at the end of the day, i prefer macintosh. for three reasons.

the first, i cant really elaborate on because i have no idea why this is - but ive always felt more connected (physically) to what im doing on a mac. there is just something about the user interface/paradigm on a windws machine that for me, causes a very slightly perceptible disconnect between what im doing physically and whats going on on-screen.

second, is the current state of virus/malware. there are different virus and adware threats, every few days on a windows machine and i personally dont wantto spend ANY time dicking around just keeping my machine working.

third is the VAST number of third party hardware/software configurations. PC manufacturers use different build versions (sometimes even within the same day) and there is always something that doesnt work with something else. for example. i bought a top-end, fire-breathing HP laptop about a year back and for some dumb-ass reason it shipped with "windows home" and i needed "windows pro" so i ALSO had to shell out an extra $200 for the right OS. after spending 2 hours on the phone with both HP and microsoft (each blaming the other for why my hard drive wouldnt let windows reinstall on my machine) we found out that some BIOS thing was locked and had to be very NONintuitively reconfigured just to allow my drive to be erased. THEN after all that, i had to spend like 3 more hours tracking down the appropriate windows pro sound driver JUST TO GET SYSTEM SOUND TO WORK AGAIN.

NONE of this would be a problem for a mac user.
VERY LITTLE to NO virus or malware.
ONE version of the OS.
just plug it in and GET TO WORK.

now there are conflicts and issues with a mac as well, especially when you get into 3rd party hardware like video capture cards and pro audio interfaces. but in general, about the biggest problem you'll come across editing video on a mac, is maybe an unfriendly version of quicktime, a couple of 3rd party effect plugins not playing nicely together or maybe a corrupt font jacking with your after effects.

one thing about a macbook pro and P2. you WILL have to get the DUEL ADAPTER to convert the expresscard slot to accept PCMCIA. but thats readilly available and no big deal. one thing however that i really dont understand is the new "8-hour" macbook pro battery thing. what they dont tell you is thats a BUILT IN BATTERY. and once it starts to degrade, you cant just go to your mac shop and get a new one. you will have to take it in (like an ipod or iphone) for internal battery replacement service - and thats just INSANE. they say that the battery will last 5 years. ok, maybe. but batterys degrade. and how long will it take before the overall perfomance of the battery doenst meet your specific needs?

my advice to you is pick up a last-years model macbook pro, and extra couple of batteries - and you'll be good for years to come.
Click to expand...

Thank you. thank you. thank you. It was really elaborated and helpful. Just one doubt, the mac book pro comes with FireWire 800 port. Isnt this high speed port good enough to transfer all the films from p2 card directly from the camera instead of the Duel Adapter?
 
ive never tried that SPECIFICALLY with a macbook pro and its fw800 port. but YES that should work. the only drawbacks would be:

1. that it will only transfer at firewire400 speed (thats the speed of the cameras port so the process defaults to the weakest link)
2. you have to stop shooting while you transfer.
 
wgzn said:
i have used both macintosh and windows for all kinds of video/graphic/animation/web work. and at the end of the day, i prefer macintosh. for three reasons.

the first, i cant really elaborate on because i have no idea why this is - but ive always felt more connected (physically) to what im doing on a mac. there is just something about the user interface/paradigm on a windws machine that for me, causes a very slightly perceptible disconnect between what im doing physically and whats going on on-screen.

second, is the current state of virus/malware. there are different virus and adware threats, every few days on a windows machine and i personally dont wantto spend ANY time dicking around just keeping my machine working.

third is the VAST number of third party hardware/software configurations. PC manufacturers use different build versions (sometimes even within the same day) and there is always something that doesnt work with something else. for example. i bought a top-end, fire-breathing HP laptop about a year back and for some dumb-ass reason it shipped with "windows home" and i needed "windows pro" so i ALSO had to shell out an extra $200 for the right OS. after spending 2 hours on the phone with both HP and microsoft (each blaming the other for why my hard drive wouldnt let windows reinstall on my machine) we found out that some BIOS thing was locked and had to be very NONintuitively reconfigured just to allow my drive to be erased. THEN after all that, i had to spend like 3 more hours tracking down the appropriate windows pro sound driver JUST TO GET SYSTEM SOUND TO WORK AGAIN.

NONE of this would be a problem for a mac user.
VERY LITTLE to NO virus or malware.
ONE version of the OS.
just plug it in and GET TO WORK.

now there are conflicts and issues with a mac as well, especially when you get into 3rd party hardware like video capture cards and pro audio interfaces. but in general, about the biggest problem you'll come across editing video on a mac, is maybe an unfriendly version of quicktime, a couple of 3rd party effect plugins not playing nicely together or maybe a corrupt font jacking with your after effects.

one thing about a macbook pro and P2. you WILL have to get the DUEL ADAPTER to convert the expresscard slot to accept PCMCIA. but thats readilly available and no big deal. one thing however that i really dont understand is the new "8-hour" macbook pro battery thing. what they dont tell you is thats a BUILT IN BATTERY. and once it starts to degrade, you cant just go to your mac shop and get a new one. you will have to take it in (like an ipod or iphone) for internal battery replacement service - and thats just INSANE. they say that the battery will last 5 years. ok, maybe. but batterys degrade. and how long will it take before the overall perfomance of the battery doenst meet your specific needs?

my advice to you is pick up a last-years model macbook pro, and extra couple of batteries - and you'll be good for years to come.
Click to expand...

And so it begins ...

As my first post to this thread stated. EVERYONE has an opinion. But what it really comes down to is how your brain works. Some people work better with PC's some with Macs. I run 6 PC based workstations with Avid software/hardware and 1 Mac with Avid software/hardware. We have FAR fewer issues with the PC's. And I can't tell you how many times Apple has held us hostage waiting for thier "special parts" for days and days on end when something goes down. With the PC's we just google the part we need and run out and buy it at nearly any good computer store. Then we are up and running very quickly.

Now having said that I'm sure 50 people will charge in to defend their Macs. I am not looking to start another platform war, I am simply responding to wgzn after my initial post tried to keep things neutral. My point to all of this is that they both work. If they didn't someone would be out of business already. Its just personal taste and finding a platform that suits your needs/ability.
 
after my initial post tried to keep things neutral
Click to expand...
i dont know that keeping things neutral does anyone any good. for better or worse, anyone with experience will have anecdotal evidence of the merits of one platform or another.

yours speaks more in favor of windows, mine speaks for mac. i think that paints a good picture that will give less experienced users something to think about...
 
wgzn said:
i dont know that keeping things neutral does anyone any good. for better or worse, anyone with experience will have anecdotal evidence of the merits of one platform or another.

yours speaks more in favor of windows, mine speaks for mac. i think that paints a good picture that will give less experienced users something to think about...
Click to expand...
Neutral in the sense of avoiding a Mac/PC war (which has been done to death) is a good thing IMO. Both systems will get the job done if you set them up properly and know how to work them.

The real keys are that you have to choose the right software hand in hand with (possibly) the right hardware depending upon your intended delivery method. Allot of users on this board are coming into editing from an entry level and they really need to consider what it is they are trying to accomplish. If they don't do their homework from end to end (acquisition to post) it can easily wind up that they can't get their project out at all. So, I think that its important that they understand that.

Mac/PC should be secondary in the scheme of things UNLESS ... they are already committed to a platform. My understanding in this case is that the user could go either way, hence the neutral position on my behalf.
 
The main thing to learn is the editing interface... I don't WANT to know what goes on "behind the screen"... (mac, pc, etc.) Photoshop is Photoshop, Avid is Avid.
Personally, I have had to learn four nonlinear editing systems in the past six years and it's really an investment in time... The analogy I use is that it's like learning a musical instrument... you learn to play, and then you get good enough to improvise and jam... then someone hands you a new instrument... but the Keys are all moved around! Very frustrating.
The most recent switch was from Avid to Adobe... hope it's the last one for a while... what is nice is the way the different programs communicate within the creative suite though.
Best of luck to you...
Dale
 
Multi-Media said:
The main thing to learn is the editing interface... I don't WANT to know what goes on "behind the screen"... (mac, pc, etc.) Photoshop is Photoshop, Avid is Avid.
Personally, I have had to learn four nonlinear editing systems in the past six years and it's really an investment in time... The analogy I use is that it's like learning a musical instrument... you learn to play, and then you get good enough to improvise and jam... then someone hands you a new instrument... but the Keys are all moved around! Very frustrating.
The most recent switch was from Avid to Adobe... hope it's the last one for a while... what is nice is the way the different programs communicate within the creative suite though.
Best of luck to you...
Dale
Click to expand...

That was the best one of all Dale. Thank you so much :)
 
Ford vs. Chevy, MAC vs. PC. Always a fun debate. :beer:
As everyone pointed out, your gut feeling is likely your best bet.
Personally we use PC's and NewTek's VT-SpeedEDIT on our work stations and SpeedEDIT on our laptops.
SpeedEDIT natively edits all of our P2 files as well as most others we come across.
Best of luck in your choice!
 
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