For 24p Documentary: Vegas or FCP4? Mac or PC?

  • Thread starter Thread starter Guest
  • Start date Start date
G

Guest

Guest
???
DVX Users,

I have happily used Vegas 4.0 for a documentary series Im producing for almost 6 months now, but as my PC is aging into its twilight years, I'm contemplating purchasing a mac G5 and switching to FCP4. I need true broadcast quality for my program, and I'm wondering what the advantage of FCP4, with a new mac G5, would be compared to my Vegas 4.0 NLE on my "souped up" old 1.5 GHZ Hewlett Packard with new 256mb AGP video card with dual monitor capability, SDRAM expanded to 512mb, with an external hard drive of 120gb? Based on what I seem to read and hear, would a Mac G5 truly be that much better? I know one obvious difference is the speed of the mac G5 with its 64 bit and dual processors, but is that all? For $4500 I can wait a few more hours while my rendering completes on my old pc and go have a few beers if that is the only real difference. Im sure there is more to the story here.. thats why Im throwing this out there for anyone to reply.... thanks-

Mike
 
Re: For 24p Documentary: Vegas or FCP4? Mac or PC?

If you're happy with what you're using, why switch? You could put together a killer PC box that would run neck and neck with anything out there for, what, $1500 or so? You could keep running Vegas and pocket the extra $3000 and not have any learning curve for new software, new OS, etc.

If you're looking for something specific that FCP offers, that might be a reason to switch. But you might also want to wait a week and see what Vegas 5.0 offers, it may fill in whatever current need you have.
 
Re: For 24p Documentary: Vegas or FCP4? Mac or PC?

When your comparing Vegas and FCP, it's not the NLE or the hardware that will give you "true broadcast quality". Both NLEs are very cabaple of handling most anything you through at them (of course each with their advantages/disadvantages).

Two points:
1) What Barry said is absolutely correct. You could get a PC with specs that deliver performance that has routinely beaten the G5 in many benchmarking tests. It would also be much cheaper (tho just not as pretty :-[)

2) Wait two weeks. Vegas 5 is being debuted at the NAB on the 19th. Trust me, wait. "That's all I've got to say about that."
 
Re: For 24p Documentary: Vegas or FCP4? Mac or PC?

One thing that most definitely IS a factor between Vegas and FCP is the price point.

FCP Pro is $1K, and it doesn't have an AC-3 encoder nor a DVD authoring tool.

Vegas + DVD is $500, DOES include Dolby Digital AC-3, and includes DVD Architect.

Both, of course, have their pros and cons, but Vegas also has a number of tools you'd need separate plug-ins for in FCP (meaning more $$$).

That's not mentioned much in comparisons between the two, but it's gotta be a factor. Bang for buck (not to mention the hardware price advantage Barry and Jive mention).
 
Re: For 24p Documentary: Vegas or FCP4? Mac or PC?

Man I agree with basically everything that was just said. Take the path of the wise ones on this. And if you want a good looking system, check out the new banner for Alienware.

Serious. DOnt even ask anymore questions. Listen to the elders.
 
Re: For 24p Documentary: Vegas or FCP4? Mac or PC?

Waitaminit, I'd like to support sponsers of this site, but if he went for an alienware system, the whole price-to-value advantage of a PC goes flying out the window (albeit at speeds much faster than a mac ;D).

Nevertheless, that's a good point about the price of Vegas, David28 ;).  You do get quite a bit included in the initial purchase of Vegas.

But hey, this thread was posted in the Vegas forum, so the replies will be expectedly in favor of Vegas.  Many have asked the same question in the FCP forum, so you might want to check out some of the replies there...
And then watch this...(link)
 
Re: For 24p Documentary: Vegas or FCP4? Mac or PC?

Youre right about Alienware! :o I didnt know they were that expensive!
 
Re: For 24p Documentary: Vegas or FCP4? Mac or PC?

Thanks Guys- excellent suggestions all around! Ill definately wait until NAB to see Vegas 5.0- didnt know 5.0 was coming up so soon. One thing I was also reminded about from a friend is the use of Acid with Vegas- apparently, Acid is one of the front runners in music/sound creation software for NLE systems. I believe FCP has something built in, but not sure if it offers as extensive a library of loops. Good suggestion about posting the question on the FCP site- Ill do that also.(fyi- in case you guys want to read the responses there.) Thanks again- I welcome further replies.....

Mike
ps- Enjoyed the video link from Jive- that guy is hilarious!
 
Re: For 24p Documentary: Vegas or FCP4? Mac or PC?

Hehe, somebody just reminded me about it today, so I had to share it! :)
 
You must log in or register to reply here.
Back
Top