PC vs. MAC

T

tonydvcoste

Well-known member
Ok I'm hoping this stirs up some discussion, because I'm facing a very big decision:

I love Mac's, they're just so much more reliable, but it seems that the work flow is just so much easier with a PC for the AVCHD files (I've got a consumer Sony that shoots in AVCHD and have been editing that footage with Vegas for the last few years).

I've asked previously if anybody was using a mac for editing AVCHD 1080p, because I've had my eyes on a 2.4ghz duo-core macbook, but for the same price (cheaper actually) I can get a 2.5 quad "Gaming PC" from tigerdirect.ca

If I can get away with using macbook, I'm definitely going macbook, but I don't want to shell out two grand and end up regretting my choice, I'm sure anybody out there with a tight budget will understand.

Thanks in advance to any advice you can share!
 
I know studios who reboot thier Avids (PC) once a year, I have been on many sets where Macbooks have to be rebooted several times a day. PC's have come a long way for reliablity, I don't really know which ones are going to be more stable anymore. They are both pretty good now.

If your on a budget get a quad or i7 core PC computer for under $1k, it'll be great for avchd footage and vegas.

I understand what all the hoopla was about for macs a few years ago reliability wise but today I'd take a PC over a Mac.

Thats just me, I'm sure plenty of people will dissagree.
 
FYI since you want a laptop to edit avchd I'd buy the new quad core HP laptop for the same price as the duo core mac.
 
PC+Vegas+Cineform

PC+Vegas+Cineform

I currently edit on a Toshiba Laptop (PC obviously) using Vegas Pro 8. It cost me $900 and is a Core 2 Duo 2.4 GHz with 4 GB of RAM. It can edit AVCHD natively with out any transcoding but its kind of slow. I have tried Cineform Neo Scene and I have decided to buy it because transcoding is really fast and Vegas surely works better with the resulting cineform avis. Also the 3:2 pulldown removal for 24p footage works perfectly and fast, something I will really appreciate once I buy my new GH1!
I know all the Mac lovers will tell you nothing can beat Mac OS and Final Cut, but Vegas works like a charm for me!
 
Would it be possible to edit in Vegas under Bootcamp on a Macbook? I recall that a while ago PC magazine found that the fastest Windows laptop at that time was a MacBook Pro running Windows under Bootcamp. That might allow you to indulge your fondness for Macs and also work in Vegas if the support for AVCHD is better (I have never worked with that format, so I can't address that question.

Kevin
 
kwoff said:
Would it be possible to edit in Vegas under Bootcamp on a Macbook? I recall that a while ago PC magazine found that the fastest Windows laptop at that time was a MacBook Pro running Windows under Bootcamp. That might allow you to indulge your fondness for Macs and also work in Vegas if the support for AVCHD is better (I have never worked with that format, so I can't address that question.

Kevin
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Times have changed, they now have quad core PC laptops that will smoke a duo core macbook pro (no quad core macbook pro that I know about). I think for avchd footage and the same price as the duo core macbook pro it would be stupid not to get the quadcore HP laptop unless your a FCP editor or there is some specific apple software application that you HAVE to use for work. Also you can get a blu ray burner in the HP laptop, a must IMO for HD projects.
 
I've owned a couple Macbook Pros and I greatly favor OS X, but if I was crunching video all day, I would heavily lean towards a PC for more powerful CPU/GPU options.

If you do choose the MBP, you can always dual boot into Windows or run Windows in VMware. I can't really live without XP, so this is what I do currently.

The MBP will be the better choice for daily computing - but what you seem to need is raw horsepower!

Also, why are you shopping for a laptop (instead of a desktop)?
 
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Guys, we greatly appreciate the civil tone and the experience-based way the thread is going so far. Thanks for keeping it about the original poster's intended usage rather than the kind of flaming and posturing that "pc vs. mac" threads are famous for.
 
Barry_Green said:
Guys, we greatly appreciate the civil tone and the experience-based way the thread is going so far. Thanks for keeping it about the original poster's intended usage rather than the kind of flaming and posturing that "pc vs. mac" threads are famous for.
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Far from the old threads where the PC guys would call the Apple guys Mom's names and vice versa. :) The old days :beer:

I almost said do a search but I realize how much computer technology changes in 3 -6 months.
 
I work with both Mac and Pc's...I'd choose PC over Mac due to having more experience with it. I can say from years and years behind the driver seat of a PC I can't complain. Also, seeing how Macs are feeding off of 1's and 0's now, you can easily buy a PC and boot a Mac OS now with no trouble. Just buy the licesne to Leopard and install it on your PC.

On xbench...(I think that's what it's called) I out scored a Mac using my PC running Leopard.
3ghz duo core 2gig ram(at the time) Geforce 8600gt.
 
"Also, why are you shopping for a laptop (instead of a desktop)?"

I'll be traveling over the summer to festivals where I'll need to upload/edit/dump footage (quicker the better), on site, over the 3 or 4 day events. I don't really need this feature but I found last year it worked great while using a Macbook pro 2.2ghz duo-core, along with a dvx100b, but that isn't my gear, and I was quoted $4,100 Canadian for the dvx, the GH1 seems like a sensible alternative for what I'm doing, if I get a GH1 and a PC then I can afford a Zoom H4n and a few mics. I'm very glad to hear that a quad laptop is not only available, but less expensive then the mac duocore, I'm definitely heavily leaning towards the HP, I'll need to find a Canadian source here in Nova Scotia.

thanks all!
 
The quad core HP laptop can display on two 30 inch monitors, great for a mobile / home editing setup.
 
After many years using Mac's for everything (currently have 4) I am really thinking of going with Mega-fast PC for Editing next time around. My powermac G5 Dual is okay for editing HD footage but it's getting long-in-the-tooth and is starting to act up. Since the economy has gotten so bad I just can't see dropping 3 grand on a new Macpro right now. And I am starting to believe that I don't need to. Learning Vegas won't be difficult and you just get more bang for your buck with custom built PC's nowadays.
 
filthrich said:
After many years using Mac's for everything (currently have 4) I am really thinking of going with Mega-fast PC for Editing next time around. My powermac G5 Dual is okay for editing HD footage but it's getting long-in-the-tooth and is starting to act up. Since the economy has gotten so bad I just can't see dropping 3 grand on a new Macpro right now. And I am starting to believe that I don't need to. Learning Vegas won't be difficult and you just get more bang for your buck with custom built PC's nowadays.
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You can always make a hackintosh where you put the Apple OS on the i7 PC so you can still use FCP f you want. The hackintoshes got bad reps in the beginng but are now just as stable as a Mac.

I'd say best of both worlds but it's more like better than both worlds :)
 
ChipG said:
You can always make a hackintosh where you put the Apple OS on the i7 PC so you can still use FCP f you want. The hackintoshes got bad reps in the beginng but are now just as stable as a Mac.

I'd say best of both worlds but it's more like better than both worlds :)
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I did not know you could do that. I am looking into that today. thanks
 
I am in the same boat as you: I use Macbook for my day job, and I used FCE and Imovie on it in the past and loved the experience. However, even playing HD files on it is quite taxing, not to mention editing. I have a relatively speedy PC box at home that I use as my media center/bluray-hddvd player/HD tuner/occasional game. Since it's always on in its DVR capacity it's kept fairly stable - I am very careful with registry pollution, HD codecs, 5.1 sound configuration, etc. I'd prefer to use a Mac for editing (simply because of the shortcuts that come naturally), but I simply cannot afford Mac Pro because of both financial and space-saving considerations (have you seen NYC apartments?). So I've decided that I'll try both Vegas and Premiere on my PC box and unless I absolutely hate it (which I'm sure I won't) I'll stick with it.
 
anthonybsd said:
I am in the same boat as you: I use Macbook for my day job, and I used FCE and Imovie on it in the past and loved the experience. However, even playing HD files on it is quite taxing, not to mention editing. I have a relatively speedy PC box at home that I use as my media center/bluray-hddvd player/HD tuner/occasional game. Since it's always on in its DVR capacity it's kept fairly stable - I am very careful with registry pollution, HD codecs, 5.1 sound configuration, etc. I'd prefer to use a Mac for editing (simply because of the shortcuts that come naturally), but I simply cannot afford Mac Pro because of both financial and space-saving considerations (have you seen NYC apartments?). So I've decided that I'll try both Vegas and Premiere on my PC box and unless I absolutely hate it (which I'm sure I won't) I'll stick with it.
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Same here as well. Love the Mac but what I've got now just can't handle it anymore. Financially the PC seems to be a better option at the moment. Just seems to be more bang for the buck. I'm a little worried about the learning curve for PC NLEs. I'm not the brightest bulb in the turnip patch. Any advice as to which NLE would be the right choice and give me the best options; Vegas, Premiere or Edius?

Thanks
 
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