What PC should I use?

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phatramp

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Hello people this is my 1st post - hope I've got it on the right post section.
I am purchasing a DVX 100 :happy: later on this year as I have heard it is such good quality for shooting various footage. Being that I have decided to splash out so much cash on a camera I want to make sure I buy a PC that will hold the quality of footage when editing. I have not got a clue when it comes to PC's so I really need some good advice on what type of system to purchase without breaking the bank & maxing out my credit cards.

Hope you guys/girls can help me. :thumbsup:
 
MAC.... (i have the g4... but would love a g5)

take it from a person who would never be caught dead using a MAC... I thought it was the dumbest thing on earth,this was less then 12 months ago... went to school.. was forced to learn MAC, the next week, went out and bought a Power Book... NEVER USE PC AGAIN :P Used to use Adobe, and love it.... HATE it for FCP.

I am not sure. but for PC im sure they dont make a computer for video editing really.. they make regular "check your email and surf the net" computers... and if you want to edit video well, you will have to build it yourself with expensive cards and big hard drives etc.. but MAC comes with it, and you know it will work, because they were built for us!

good luck

(just to add) the shortcuts are the most incredible invention ever... when I occasionaly use my home PC for stupid surfing the net, like now... i hit the window key trying to do shortcuts... i cant stand having to actualy close things :P
 
Same. PC user all my life, but bought my first Mac a couple of weeks ago and don't see myself going back to my P4 anytime soon. And since you are newbie, when it comes to computers, I say get Mac, because it's just so freakin easy and user-friendly.
 
I was told by one of my friends that the MAC's are the way forward & now from what you guys have said I think it has made my mind up. Better get saving for a G5 then :thumbsup:

Thanks guys.

Would the Imac G5 be ok (good price :) ) or do I need a power Mac G5 (credit card basher :cry: )
 
hope you have deep pockets. not worth getting anything besides a dual g5. add a monitor, software (FCP), you're looking at $5K. You can get similar performance out of a $1,200 Dell. but if you can afford it, by all means get a Mac.
 
http://configure.us.dell.com/dellstore/config.aspx?c=us&cs=19&l=en&oc=D47F4&s=dhs

I would customize to upgrade the CPU to the 3.2 ghz; memory to 1GB; hard drive to either 80 or 160 (depending on what you have planned for storage--ext. drives?); DVD burner, single drive w/double layer capabilities. not sure what kind of connections it supports: you may have to call and ask how many USB 2.0, IEEE1394 ports it has. the firewire may be $30 extra from what it looks like...

that gets it to about $1300, which includes a 19-inch LCD monitor. and yes, this computer will do the job nicely.

i'm not saying it's going to be as good as a dual G5 Mac; it won't be. But it's much cheaper and it will get the job done all the same.
 
No NLE integrates with the DVX100 better than Vegas. None. Not FCP, not Avid, not Premiere. If you want to work in a glass-smooth, hassle-free 24p environment, you want Vegas.
 
If you do not know a thing about PCs as you said in your first post, the question becomes, what do I want to learn, computers or filmmaking. If you go PC, you are gonna need to learn alot about computers to configure one for filmmaking. If you go with the Mac and Final Cut Pro, you will get to learning filmmaking faster and with an application that is quickly becoming the de facto standard for professional video.

I know a few people that edit on the PC platform, everyone of them is a dyed-in-the-wool computer guy, who latter learned how to edit video. I know a lot more people that started out as filmmakers and chose the Mac to edit and everyone of them love it.

Yes, Apple products are more expensive. You have to decide where to put your time.
 
Rosestar, there's really not that much more you need to know from one system to the other. they're more similar than different. you give the impression that PCs come disassembled. Fact is, you'll spend a good deal of time learning the basics of any high-tech piece of equipment, from DVX to computer. (If you struggle to set the time on your VCR, computers may not be for you, but otherwise it's not really that bad.)

Most of a new video editor's time will be spent learning the ins and outs of their NLE.
 
Some of the most fun I've ever had was watching a friend of mine, with 25 years experience working with, repairing and building computers, pulling his hair out trying to get Premier to work on a super-duper PC. I quietly went home and went back to editing on FCP. Everyone I know that works with video on PCs has had trouble getting their systems right and are constantly tweaking, and tweaking and tweaking, and they are all "computer guys"

I've worked with FCP since 2001 and have never had a problem. It worked from the minute I installed it and in 2 days had an edited music video, that had bluescreen and several other FX shots in it. It has work flawlessly since.

These are my experiences, but like they say in the Jenny Craig commercials, "Your results may vary".
 
Jubal28 said:
No NLE integrates with the DVX100 better than Vegas. None. Not FCP, not Avid, not Premiere. If you want to work in a glass-smooth, hassle-free 24p environment, you want Vegas.
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Thats some statement. I use FCP all the time, and the DVX100 works great in any mode I work it with. Sure 24p compatability is flawless, and it might be great in vegas as well, but does vegas support 24pa (with advanced pulldown)?

Can you edit film with Vegas? Can you do online/offline editing? How about EDL's? Does Vegas have videoform monitors? (RGB parade, waveform, etc.?)

Having your camera work with the NLE is only 1/30th of the entire equation. I've never had any troubles whatsoever with my DVX and Final Cut Pro. None. Except for tape dropouts, but thats because I'm too cheap sometimes and I tape over old tapes. I don't really do much work in 24p anyway, because 24pa is more suited towards my work because it will let me have the option of a "glass-smooth, hassle-free" transfer over to film.
 
Glad to see everyone is voicing their own opinion well & I'm impressed with the info provided from everyone so now I'm 100% more confused than I was in the first place :grin: no really thanks everyone for the info - I will sift through the facts & see what it will be

M A C
or :undecided
P C

At least on this forum I can rely on some good instant info, I'm going to need it because I'm just getting into the filming scene so info from experts like yourselves is worth its weight in gold

Cheers people
 
redcap said:
Thats some statement.
Click to expand...
And I stand by it.

I use FCP all the time, and the DVX100 works great in any mode I work it with.
Click to expand...
Try capturing 24p Normal for use in a 24p timeline . . . to make, say, a 24p DVD.


Sure 24p compatability is flawless, and it might be great in vegas as well, but does vegas support 24pa (with advanced pulldown)?
Click to expand...
Vegas fully supports 24pA and 24pN and did it long before FCP. The workflow is exactly the same in either. Capture and then drop onto a 24p timeline. No special settings, no special capture. Capture and drop. Period. Or don’t, and edit the same captured files on a 60i timeline. Pulldown is removed only when needed; left in place when it’s not. THAT’S full integration.

Do that with FCP? I think not.

http://www.dvxuser.com/V3/showthread.php?t=27762

Can you edit film with Vegas?
Click to expand...
Absolutely -- though you will notice that my statement is about integration with the DVX and 24p. To the extent that telecined film IS 24p, all of the above applies. Otherwise, it’s a pretty simple manual matter to remove pulldown from telecined footage which doesn’t have pulldown flags.

Can you do online/offline editing? How about EDL's? Does Vegas have videoform monitors? (RGB parade, waveform, etc.?)
Click to expand...
Yes, yes, and yes – though that’s also outside the scope of my statement, and also nothing a beginner needs to worry about.

Having your camera work with the NLE is only 1/30th of the entire equation.
Click to expand...
I've never had any troubles whatsoever with my DVX and Final Cut Pro. None. Except for tape dropouts, but thats because I'm too cheap sometimes and I tape over old tapes. I don't really do much work in 24p anyway, because 24pa is more suited towards my work because it will let me have the option of a "glass-smooth, hassle-free" transfer over to film.
Click to expand...


Again, I refer you to my exact comments. No NLE is better-integrated with the DVX (which is a stated concern of the original poster) and no NLE handles 24p better. You’re happy with FCP. That’s great. Are there some bells and whistles FCP has that Vegas doesn’t? Certainly, though the reverse is true as well. But as to the original question, Vegas handles 24p better.
 
Some people take this debate pretty seriously... but to be honnest, its up to you.... but DO NOT shy away from mac just because you have never used it, or it seems intimidating... because we all thought that at one point... but look long term.. Mac is (i think) more used in the industry (i could be wrong) but I am at school for film and television studies, one of the top schools in Ontario. and they start us on MAC's and once i started, i never looked back..

with PC like people have said, you need to build it to your specifications... which could work out in the end... but MAC is made, and built for us, out of the box.. And they have quite a bit of room for upgrades.

So take each person's opinions into concideration, but its totaly up to you.. just dont worry about the price as much, because if you cheap out and buy something that wont last, or wont do what you want.. you will end up having to spend the money later on something better... save up some money, and get something that will last... Maybe find someone who has a newer mac that can teach you a few tricks..
 
At all of the post houses here in MN, as well as editing facilities in LA that I've visited (Fischer edit as well as cut and run in LA) use Mac based stuff, and I have debated with some of them on the fact of Mac Vs PC.

The only reason the industry has em is that it grew that way. Back in the day PCs were frowned upon because they had a bad rep for crashing uncontrollably. Now, even the editors I talked to, admitted that it's not really that much of an issue anymore. However, they still frown on Vegas and always tell me to move to Avid, but - blah.

Funny thing is the mac version of Avid crashed multiple times, the editor was mad because the windows version has been patched more often and he considered it more stable. Bahah. Anywho - I think just get whatever is most bang for your buck. In my mind that is getting a PC for about 1500, with Vegas. Put that extra 3500 you'd spend on a mac towards some p2 cards for your HVX-200.

Call me crazy but hell - if you have a rebuttal that can put my statement to rest - then by all means put it out there.
 
OK Monte, your crazy! So you are saying all you need to edit DVC-PRO HD (from the HVX) is a $1500 PC with Vegas ( a $2100) system. When your good friends The Tooth Fairy and Santa Clause get back, you may want to ask them to take you to see a doctor.

We started this thread with the question about what computer a new guy needs since he just got his DVX. Well that is one thing. Now you bring up that you can buy a $1500 PC, put Vegas on it and take the money you save from buying a top of the line Mac G-5 (you state $3500) and put that $$ on P2 cards for the HVX and make the assumption that you will be all set. Wow, are you in for a big surprise.

Setting up an HD post system is the point where PCs and Macs have very little difference in cost. To properly set up an HD system what ever platform you chose is going to be very expensive and at this level the PC guys lose the advantage of running to CompUSA to pick up the bargin basement PC parts and supplies to build this system.

Now I know, I am going to get lots of post swearing that with their $1500 PC with Vegas and 10 firewire drives, they will have the HD system of their dreams....

..."I do believe in fairies, I do believe in fairies, I do , I do!!!!"....
 
well, if i needed to edit hd, all i would have to do is upgrade my hard drives to 10k raptors. i certainly won't find those in a "bargain basement."

i use both platforms: mac at work and win at home. the only thing better (albeit slightly) about a mac is that it has a prettier operating system. no, it's not significantly easier to use. no, it's not more stable than my win xp pro. seriously, it's not. it crashes more than windows. but that's my experience, and i do push my machines pretty hard. but i don't care if my computer or OS "appears to be a creative tool," it all comes out in the wash.

what you do with it has no bearing on how many doilies it has. e.g., i could build a house with a $150 hammer that is just beautiful and hand crafted from the world's most expensive metals, but why not just use a trusty $20 one-piece and put the extra money toward a jacuzzi?

but that's my opinion, and please take it for that. i make no judgments about people based on what kind of computer they use. if you feel more comfortable with a $150 hammer, by all means get one. when you're done with the house, come over and relax in my jacuzzi.
 
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