Home editing
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newsshooter
Well-known member
Nothing for a P.C. Haven't you seen the Mac commercials. I think there's some Adobe premiere stuff out there. My advise would be to buy a mac.
104imdirect
Well-known member
i thought nothing worked on vista.
Home editing for me is Final Cut Express on a Macbook. No complaints at all- great editing tool at a good price and easy integration w/IDVD. For PC I would have recommended Avid Xpress Pro which you could get for $300 if you got the academic price- alas I think Avid has removed the Xpress product line. I think Adobe Premiere has come a long ways, though I can't speak firsthand, but I've heard good things about Premiere recently.
Chugach3DGuy
PRO user
I'm running Adobe's CS3 Production Suite on a Sager 5760 Core2 Duo laptop and an HP Pavilion 9060n with a Q6600, both running Windows Vista Ultimate. They run like champs and have never given me an issue. If you're looking to save a few bucks and go the consumer route, I'd recommend Adobe Premiere Elements.
I've also heard decent things about Sony Vegas, but I've never used it. Of course, if you're more familiar with something like Avid or Edius, then go with one of those. Vista has been out long enough for software manufacturers to work out many of the problems they were initially plagued with. Just make sure you visit the appropriate websites and read the system requirements. Good Luck!
I've also heard decent things about Sony Vegas, but I've never used it. Of course, if you're more familiar with something like Avid or Edius, then go with one of those. Vista has been out long enough for software manufacturers to work out many of the problems they were initially plagued with. Just make sure you visit the appropriate websites and read the system requirements. Good Luck!
The only PC based editing software I've used is Edius Pro 4. However, it was on a computer running Windows XP. It will do most anything you need in editing, although it's definitely not the most efficient software. I've heard some good things about Adobe Premiere but have never used it personally. I'm not sure what, if any editing programs are written for Vista. Having that been said, I would have to agree with the other posts here. If you are serious about editing, spend some money and buy a Mac. You can't go wrong with Final Cut Express or Studio Pro. Costs more, but worth every penny in my opinion. Plus with a Mac, everything just works.
AlexLucas
PRO user
Honestly, I know this sounds harsh, but cutting for home on a PC is a nightmare, and setting you up for disaster.
I am, after a long, long war of being a PC nut, a veritable templar at the alter of Windows... I am now a Mac convert.
Sell your PC, get a mac, and scam some FCP or buy FCP Express to learn.
If you're thinking that you should run editing on a PC, you're wrong. You can argue with me, PC people, but I know I'm right on this. I've built gaming rigs, and all sorts of other systems in PC land from the ground up for the last decade. I was a builder freak.
My life in PC world: working the new drivers, then the newer drivers that are supposed to support this... but really they don't, reinstalling the last version drivers having trouble interfacing with the new DDR RAM, having to buy a new mobo for a feature that you need to try to speed up your video processing only to find it isn't supported, getting a rootkit hack, tracking down the sudden slowdown caused by the jumper prog in your system tray....
...and the list goes on and on.
I was doing more maintenance and workarounds, than actual work.
I said screw it. So I saved $350 on a machine compared to apple, so what. MY TIME IS MONEY, TOO.
I jumped ship for not having to want to mess with the damn drivers anymore. Not messing with it all that crap, knowing that popping in the disk will make the program function completely, and basically crash free, and getting back to the editing made me happy.
So here's why I say sell the FLIPPIN' PC and move on:
First off, Vista is too thick and ram clogging for you to do anything with it, and almost anyone that cuts video is on XP.
You can't sweat that kind of RAM, and more importantly, you just don't need the clock cycles jammed by that many apps clogging the pipe to check up on other parts of the system.
Secondly, I consider the interface and the problems with home cutting to be with the de-integration of parts in the system. Vista, and XP for that matter, are going to always have issues with conversion, drivers, and software-to-hardware conflicts all the time. This isn't an exaggeration. In my PC building obsession days, I had to go PC, until Macs and other computers got fast enough to handle HDV.
That was where price/computing power/willing to spend hit a bullseye.
PC world is still mired in it.
Thirdly, Final Cut is generation two software.
Want to adjust an eyeline in the viewer or timeline? Press W and pull it around in wireframe.
Close a gap? Touch the gap, and it will ask you.
Avid needs to cut the cord, and start over, and do a radical redisign, but it can't, considering all of the oldies that use it.
Yeah, Avid has a ton of plug-ins, which are awesome, but there is no 'Compressor' program, which is a breeze, and the best thing ever. Also, 'Color' is a pimp.
Everything is incorporated.
All I can say is this... do you want to really edit, or are you messing around? If you're messing around, save the money, stay in PC land and get a copy of Pinnacle whatever.
If you're going to really try for something in a project, sell that turd of a PC machine, and go for FCP.
An editing system should be turnkey. Not something to be constantly jacking with on mission critical work. If you blow up an editing problem, you should know definitively that it was your fault, and in PC land, a lot of times, the machine just blows up.
It's a windows thing.
Don't play in windows land with editing.
Go Unix. Go Mac.
I am, after a long, long war of being a PC nut, a veritable templar at the alter of Windows... I am now a Mac convert.
Sell your PC, get a mac, and scam some FCP or buy FCP Express to learn.
If you're thinking that you should run editing on a PC, you're wrong. You can argue with me, PC people, but I know I'm right on this. I've built gaming rigs, and all sorts of other systems in PC land from the ground up for the last decade. I was a builder freak.
My life in PC world: working the new drivers, then the newer drivers that are supposed to support this... but really they don't, reinstalling the last version drivers having trouble interfacing with the new DDR RAM, having to buy a new mobo for a feature that you need to try to speed up your video processing only to find it isn't supported, getting a rootkit hack, tracking down the sudden slowdown caused by the jumper prog in your system tray....
...and the list goes on and on.
I was doing more maintenance and workarounds, than actual work.
I said screw it. So I saved $350 on a machine compared to apple, so what. MY TIME IS MONEY, TOO.
I jumped ship for not having to want to mess with the damn drivers anymore. Not messing with it all that crap, knowing that popping in the disk will make the program function completely, and basically crash free, and getting back to the editing made me happy.
So here's why I say sell the FLIPPIN' PC and move on:
First off, Vista is too thick and ram clogging for you to do anything with it, and almost anyone that cuts video is on XP.
You can't sweat that kind of RAM, and more importantly, you just don't need the clock cycles jammed by that many apps clogging the pipe to check up on other parts of the system.
Secondly, I consider the interface and the problems with home cutting to be with the de-integration of parts in the system. Vista, and XP for that matter, are going to always have issues with conversion, drivers, and software-to-hardware conflicts all the time. This isn't an exaggeration. In my PC building obsession days, I had to go PC, until Macs and other computers got fast enough to handle HDV.
That was where price/computing power/willing to spend hit a bullseye.
PC world is still mired in it.
Thirdly, Final Cut is generation two software.
Want to adjust an eyeline in the viewer or timeline? Press W and pull it around in wireframe.
Close a gap? Touch the gap, and it will ask you.
Avid needs to cut the cord, and start over, and do a radical redisign, but it can't, considering all of the oldies that use it.
Yeah, Avid has a ton of plug-ins, which are awesome, but there is no 'Compressor' program, which is a breeze, and the best thing ever. Also, 'Color' is a pimp.
Everything is incorporated.
All I can say is this... do you want to really edit, or are you messing around? If you're messing around, save the money, stay in PC land and get a copy of Pinnacle whatever.
If you're going to really try for something in a project, sell that turd of a PC machine, and go for FCP.
An editing system should be turnkey. Not something to be constantly jacking with on mission critical work. If you blow up an editing problem, you should know definitively that it was your fault, and in PC land, a lot of times, the machine just blows up.
It's a windows thing.
Don't play in windows land with editing.
Go Unix. Go Mac.
Chugach3DGuy
PRO user
A smart-mouthed retort
In my experiences, it's only been a disaster for people who jump in feet first expecting this box to be the HAL9000 that does everything for them, and then get all bent out of shape when it becomes apparent that there's no magic juju inside. I've been editing on PCs for the past 3 solid years, and sporadically for 6 years before that. I trained on Macs and PCs side by side, and my overall experiences have proven to me that Macs don't "just work". They can and do crash just as often as some of their PC cousins.
This is the part in Star Wars where the Emperor says something like "Your over-confidence is your weakness!" while he steeples his evil fingers while clicking his evil mouse on his evil Windows computer to bring certain doom to the rebel scum.
I have 3 machines in my office at work. One is a Mac Pro with dual G5 chips running FCS2. The second is an HP running Windows XP and Premiere Pro CS3 on a dual core AMD processor, and the third is my laptop with a Core2 Duo running Vista Ultimate. If given the chance, I would gladly torch the Mac and sell it's stupid "cute" case for scrap and spend the money on After Effects plugins. Frankly, I was surprised to see that my CS3 suite runs much faster and more reliably on my Vista machine. After being skeptical and wary of Vista, it was a great sigh of relief and a surge of confidence knowing that I could reliably work in 3ds Max, After Effects, and Premiere all at the same time without having to worry about crashes. Once again, it comes down to taking the responsibility to do a little research on your machine so you know it's capabilities. I've been building and cannibalizing PCs since 1995, so I've also had my share of burned out motherboards and learning other lessons the hard way.
As far as Macs go, I think they're way overpriced for what you get out of them. It costs much more to upgrade internal components, and since they all have Intel chips these days, all you're paying for are the bragging rights to say "Please pay attention to me because I spent a crapload of money on this Mac! Isn't it so cute?" Oh yeah- need to run things in Windows? You'll have to shell out even MORE for the privilege of running Boot Camp on top of buying a second operating system. Several people I know that are proud Mac owners talk about how great it is that they can now run Windows at the same time. If it's so great to run Windows apps, why not save yourself the cash and just get a Windows machine?? I'm sure there are screen savers for Vista that are just as impressive as OSX.
And Final Cut Studio? I can't stand it. I think many of the problems some folks on this very forum complain about like how people are trying to pass off low quality crap as broadcast quality work are only exacerbated by products like Final Cut Studio. Here's a software suite that for all intents and purposes, sells itself based on the presumptions of:
-it just works. (so you don't have to!)
-it's loaded with templates so impatient types can be "creative"
-it's aimed at people who want to dive in and "create" without having to learn those darn complicated controls and how to really use programs. As for Final Cut being Generation2 software, I don't see how that's relevant. Hasn't Avid been out longer? I know Premiere has been around for at least 10 years, and it's currently on it's 3rd generation of the Premiere Pro variety.
I actually get calls now from clients who have spent their money on these computers and FCS, who now need me to fix the crap they got themselves into. They start off spouting on and on about how they're the greatest music video editor or documentary film maker, but the thing that confuses them is that their project seems lacking in some way- even after using ALL the effects and templates FCP, Motion, and LiveType have to offer. Go figure- you actually need to know a little bit more than the difference between your butt and your elbow to put together a good looking music video or documentary! And it's dealing with people like this on a more frequent basis that makes me realize that Apple is mainly marketing this stuff to clueless people that want to be the cool film maker without having to know anything else.
There's a good reason that Apple totally dominates their entire 5% share of the computer market. And it's not because Microsoft is being a big mean jerk. Apple has it's place. They make a good iPhone, and they make cute looking little notebooks for the kids to write their poetry in while they try to attract other pretentious haiku-writing kids at Starbucks.
So that's my rant. Just keep in mind that all of this is strictly opinion and my own special blend of verbal diarrhea. Plus, the OP is trying to do simple editing at home- it doesn't sound like he's trying to cut the next greatest thing at the Sundance festival. AlexLucas is totally and completely right though- just as much as I'm totally right.
In my experiences, it's only been a disaster for people who jump in feet first expecting this box to be the HAL9000 that does everything for them, and then get all bent out of shape when it becomes apparent that there's no magic juju inside. I've been editing on PCs for the past 3 solid years, and sporadically for 6 years before that. I trained on Macs and PCs side by side, and my overall experiences have proven to me that Macs don't "just work". They can and do crash just as often as some of their PC cousins.
This is the part in Star Wars where the Emperor says something like "Your over-confidence is your weakness!" while he steeples his evil fingers while clicking his evil mouse on his evil Windows computer to bring certain doom to the rebel scum.
I have 3 machines in my office at work. One is a Mac Pro with dual G5 chips running FCS2. The second is an HP running Windows XP and Premiere Pro CS3 on a dual core AMD processor, and the third is my laptop with a Core2 Duo running Vista Ultimate. If given the chance, I would gladly torch the Mac and sell it's stupid "cute" case for scrap and spend the money on After Effects plugins. Frankly, I was surprised to see that my CS3 suite runs much faster and more reliably on my Vista machine. After being skeptical and wary of Vista, it was a great sigh of relief and a surge of confidence knowing that I could reliably work in 3ds Max, After Effects, and Premiere all at the same time without having to worry about crashes. Once again, it comes down to taking the responsibility to do a little research on your machine so you know it's capabilities. I've been building and cannibalizing PCs since 1995, so I've also had my share of burned out motherboards and learning other lessons the hard way.
As far as Macs go, I think they're way overpriced for what you get out of them. It costs much more to upgrade internal components, and since they all have Intel chips these days, all you're paying for are the bragging rights to say "Please pay attention to me because I spent a crapload of money on this Mac! Isn't it so cute?" Oh yeah- need to run things in Windows? You'll have to shell out even MORE for the privilege of running Boot Camp on top of buying a second operating system. Several people I know that are proud Mac owners talk about how great it is that they can now run Windows at the same time. If it's so great to run Windows apps, why not save yourself the cash and just get a Windows machine?? I'm sure there are screen savers for Vista that are just as impressive as OSX.
And Final Cut Studio? I can't stand it. I think many of the problems some folks on this very forum complain about like how people are trying to pass off low quality crap as broadcast quality work are only exacerbated by products like Final Cut Studio. Here's a software suite that for all intents and purposes, sells itself based on the presumptions of:
-it just works. (so you don't have to!)
-it's loaded with templates so impatient types can be "creative"
-it's aimed at people who want to dive in and "create" without having to learn those darn complicated controls and how to really use programs. As for Final Cut being Generation2 software, I don't see how that's relevant. Hasn't Avid been out longer? I know Premiere has been around for at least 10 years, and it's currently on it's 3rd generation of the Premiere Pro variety.
I actually get calls now from clients who have spent their money on these computers and FCS, who now need me to fix the crap they got themselves into. They start off spouting on and on about how they're the greatest music video editor or documentary film maker, but the thing that confuses them is that their project seems lacking in some way- even after using ALL the effects and templates FCP, Motion, and LiveType have to offer. Go figure- you actually need to know a little bit more than the difference between your butt and your elbow to put together a good looking music video or documentary! And it's dealing with people like this on a more frequent basis that makes me realize that Apple is mainly marketing this stuff to clueless people that want to be the cool film maker without having to know anything else.
There's a good reason that Apple totally dominates their entire 5% share of the computer market. And it's not because Microsoft is being a big mean jerk. Apple has it's place. They make a good iPhone, and they make cute looking little notebooks for the kids to write their poetry in while they try to attract other pretentious haiku-writing kids at Starbucks.
So that's my rant. Just keep in mind that all of this is strictly opinion and my own special blend of verbal diarrhea. Plus, the OP is trying to do simple editing at home- it doesn't sound like he's trying to cut the next greatest thing at the Sundance festival. AlexLucas is totally and completely right though- just as much as I'm totally right.
TexasDave
Well-known member
You're going to get different opinions from everyone on this board. I used to be a PC guy to, but now I find myself loving the Mac and FCP. I'm even considering getting one for personal use. (I have a mac for editing at work). I love it.
The next reply is going to say they hate Macs, and only use PCs. Best thing to do is go into an Apple store (try early in the morning, so it isn't crowded) and play on a computer that has FCP and see if you like it. If not, stick with PC.
The next reply is going to say they hate Macs, and only use PCs. Best thing to do is go into an Apple store (try early in the morning, so it isn't crowded) and play on a computer that has FCP and see if you like it. If not, stick with PC.
nautilusvideo
PRO user
AlexLucas
PRO user
Chugach3d-
I am not the mac guy that put the sticker on my car. I threw the sticker away.
I thought, "No way am I joining the cult."
I am not going to cut the next space epic on this rig.
I am not on facebook, and I wouldn't know what to do when I got there.
But I am a mother when you get me in a registry.
You're right, mac can be a little much....
That being said, there are only four types of people who actually have any reason whatsoever to own a mac:
1. Professional video editors
2. Professional audio editors
3. Professional graphic artists
4. Professional douchebags
As I am both #1 and #4, I considered the choice a natural.
My glasses are both iconic and retro, and my clever hat says, "I'm too punk rock for you!"
I think I'll be going off to Starbucks in my hybrid now, and spend seven dollars getting a half-calf mocha venti (sp?) with a little pumpkin spice.
I know you can barely tell, but right now I am giving you a look like I don't care. But just slightly don't care, but no, I'm not looking at you, because I don't care, but yes, I am looking at you... and now I'm working on my haiku on my laptop.
It's just coffee beans and hot water, people!
(Starts diggin' in the trash for his Mac sticker for the car.)
And Final Cut Studio? I can't stand it. I think many of the problems some folks on this very forum complain about like how people are trying to pass off low quality crap as broadcast quality work are only exacerbated by products like Final Cut Studio. Here's a software suite that for all intents and purposes, sells itself based on the presumptions of:
-it just works. (so you don't have to!)
-it's loaded with templates so impatient types can be "creative"
-it's aimed at people who want to dive in and "create" without having to learn those darn complicated controls and how to really use programs. As for Final Cut being Generation2 software, I don't see how that's relevant. Hasn't Avid been out longer? I know Premiere has been around for at least 10 years, and it's currently on it's 3rd generation of the Premiere Pro variety.
I swear to God I'm blogging about you right now.
Get out of my coffee shop. This is my table, with my tatted up, retro friends. You can't sit here.
We're talking about how your favorite band stinks, right now.
Seriously, we're laughing about you right now over twitter, so everybody knows.
We're going to make sure that you can't get in to the roller derby this week.
You've really messed up now, taunting us mac people.
I am not the mac guy that put the sticker on my car. I threw the sticker away.
I thought, "No way am I joining the cult."
I am not going to cut the next space epic on this rig.
I am not on facebook, and I wouldn't know what to do when I got there.
But I am a mother when you get me in a registry.
You're right, mac can be a little much....
That being said, there are only four types of people who actually have any reason whatsoever to own a mac:
1. Professional video editors
2. Professional audio editors
3. Professional graphic artists
4. Professional douchebags
As I am both #1 and #4, I considered the choice a natural.
My glasses are both iconic and retro, and my clever hat says, "I'm too punk rock for you!"
I think I'll be going off to Starbucks in my hybrid now, and spend seven dollars getting a half-calf mocha venti (sp?) with a little pumpkin spice.
I know you can barely tell, but right now I am giving you a look like I don't care. But just slightly don't care, but no, I'm not looking at you, because I don't care, but yes, I am looking at you... and now I'm working on my haiku on my laptop.
It's just coffee beans and hot water, people!
(Starts diggin' in the trash for his Mac sticker for the car.)
And Final Cut Studio? I can't stand it. I think many of the problems some folks on this very forum complain about like how people are trying to pass off low quality crap as broadcast quality work are only exacerbated by products like Final Cut Studio. Here's a software suite that for all intents and purposes, sells itself based on the presumptions of:
-it just works. (so you don't have to!)
-it's loaded with templates so impatient types can be "creative"
-it's aimed at people who want to dive in and "create" without having to learn those darn complicated controls and how to really use programs. As for Final Cut being Generation2 software, I don't see how that's relevant. Hasn't Avid been out longer? I know Premiere has been around for at least 10 years, and it's currently on it's 3rd generation of the Premiere Pro variety.
I swear to God I'm blogging about you right now.
Get out of my coffee shop. This is my table, with my tatted up, retro friends. You can't sit here.
We're talking about how your favorite band stinks, right now.
Seriously, we're laughing about you right now over twitter, so everybody knows.
We're going to make sure that you can't get in to the roller derby this week.
You've really messed up now, taunting us mac people.
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newsshooter
Well-known member
Mac VS PC
[As far as Macs go, I think they're way overpriced for what you get out of them. It costs much more to upgrade internal components, and since they all have Intel chips these days, all you're paying for are the bragging rights to say
I've had my Mac since the G5 hit the market what 3, 4 years ago? I haven't had to upgrade anything. I had a P.C. for 2 years before the mac and it was obsolete and old. It had a hard time running my kids games. I just upgraded yesterday to OS 10.5 and the I-life 08. I love the templetes in Studio pro and I-DVD. I'm a photog. not a graphic design artist. I don't have time to sit and build templetes when I can drag and drop on things arleady made. Soon I'll be buying my kids a mini mac and myself a laptop. Sure they're alittle more money, but you get what you pay for. Before the Mac I about had a P.C. built to run video. It was going to cost me the same as a Mac.
You will never go wrong with a Mac. If you must stay with your P.C. I had a friend editing on Vegas video and he loved it. Seems like a good program.
[As far as Macs go, I think they're way overpriced for what you get out of them. It costs much more to upgrade internal components, and since they all have Intel chips these days, all you're paying for are the bragging rights to say
I've had my Mac since the G5 hit the market what 3, 4 years ago? I haven't had to upgrade anything. I had a P.C. for 2 years before the mac and it was obsolete and old. It had a hard time running my kids games. I just upgraded yesterday to OS 10.5 and the I-life 08. I love the templetes in Studio pro and I-DVD. I'm a photog. not a graphic design artist. I don't have time to sit and build templetes when I can drag and drop on things arleady made. Soon I'll be buying my kids a mini mac and myself a laptop. Sure they're alittle more money, but you get what you pay for. Before the Mac I about had a P.C. built to run video. It was going to cost me the same as a Mac.
You will never go wrong with a Mac. If you must stay with your P.C. I had a friend editing on Vegas video and he loved it. Seems like a good program.
MtnShooter
Guest
Sony Vegas 8 Pro with DV Architect works very well for the PC. You can't beat it in the PC world. I use it with Windows XP because I'm not confident about switching to Vista. I've used it since version 4. But I'm going to switch from PC to Mac w/Intel so I can use both FCP and Vegas. There are things in Vegas I just don't want to give up... like its audio capabilites and real-time FX previews w/o rendering.
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Most PC problems are caused by people who don't know what they are doing. Macs are idiot-proof, its pretty hard to screw them up because it dosn't let you have the control that you do in Windows.
That said, when it comes to graphics and video editing, it really dosn't matter. They both do the exact same thing. Only major difference (besides different software selection) is price. Macs are a lot more expensive.
I'm a techie, I build my own computer with quality components and in certain configurations. I hardly ever have problems. Windows isn't perfect, but for me its not worth spending the extra money for less compatability/software choices with Macs.
Use whatever works for you. Can it be that simple?
That said, when it comes to graphics and video editing, it really dosn't matter. They both do the exact same thing. Only major difference (besides different software selection) is price. Macs are a lot more expensive.
I'm a techie, I build my own computer with quality components and in certain configurations. I hardly ever have problems. Windows isn't perfect, but for me its not worth spending the extra money for less compatability/software choices with Macs.
Use whatever works for you. Can it be that simple?
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SalukiNewsguy
PRO user
How fancy of an editor do you need?
I've used Pinnacle Studio on my home PC with good results, though that was before Vista. I don't have a Vista version. But the software will do a lot for very little money. ($129.99 for the Ultimate version)
Although I haven't actually used it, I've been impressed with the demos of NewTek's Speed Edit. ($495)
I use FCP at work and really like it. But I only need about 10% of what it will do, so some of these cheaper options may fill your bill.
I've used Pinnacle Studio on my home PC with good results, though that was before Vista. I don't have a Vista version. But the software will do a lot for very little money. ($129.99 for the Ultimate version)
Although I haven't actually used it, I've been impressed with the demos of NewTek's Speed Edit. ($495)
I use FCP at work and really like it. But I only need about 10% of what it will do, so some of these cheaper options may fill your bill.
Focused
Well-known member
save the hassle and convert
I had a 6 year old Mac G4 with a measly 128 mb of ram and I was cutting for 3 years on Final Cut Express. It only crashed twice.
I later went to a G5 and have been putting together long and short form on it for 4 years. I bought it used and have only upgraded the ram. As of now it is 7 years old and it runs great.
FCE is a great place to start. Get a used G5 on Ebay for $700 and you are cutting at home for less than $1000. If you need more capability get studio pro and that same G5 and you can do amazing things.
I like FCP and macs because they don't get in your way. You determine what happens--not some programmer dictating an error because you did something they didn't plan on. It's just easier and more reliable.
I had a 6 year old Mac G4 with a measly 128 mb of ram and I was cutting for 3 years on Final Cut Express. It only crashed twice.
I later went to a G5 and have been putting together long and short form on it for 4 years. I bought it used and have only upgraded the ram. As of now it is 7 years old and it runs great.
FCE is a great place to start. Get a used G5 on Ebay for $700 and you are cutting at home for less than $1000. If you need more capability get studio pro and that same G5 and you can do amazing things.
I like FCP and macs because they don't get in your way. You determine what happens--not some programmer dictating an error because you did something they didn't plan on. It's just easier and more reliable.
Thanks guys, really helpful responses!! Should've made it clear from the beginning, Chugach is correct, not looking to make a movie, just basic editing of home videos of my daughter, simple dissolves, wipes, maybe some color effects on occasion. Had AvidFree DV, but got a new computer (a PC, so selling and getting a Mac is out) and DV is no longer offered. Thanks again for the responses, I have a good basis now to make a decision.
Chugach3DGuy
PRO user
AlexLucas-
I haven't laughed this hard all month! That post was incredibly hilarious and pretty well spot on. Thanks for brightening up this rather dreary week! Please send me a link to your blog/ haiku site so I can read about how much fun I missed at the roller derby. I can't imagine any other way to fill that time than to have a LAN party with some other nerds- err... friends to play Halo and CounterStrike.
So this post doesn't completely derail the thread, its all about personal preferences and your budget. If you're used to working in a PC environment, you'll be just fine with Vista. If you like Macs, then so be it. Nobody's perfect.
I haven't laughed this hard all month! That post was incredibly hilarious and pretty well spot on. Thanks for brightening up this rather dreary week! Please send me a link to your blog/ haiku site so I can read about how much fun I missed at the roller derby. I can't imagine any other way to fill that time than to have a LAN party with some other nerds- err... friends to play Halo and CounterStrike.
So this post doesn't completely derail the thread, its all about personal preferences and your budget. If you're used to working in a PC environment, you'll be just fine with Vista. If you like Macs, then so be it. Nobody's perfect.
Ben Longden
PRO user
Mac or PC... it matters not.
I use a PC with Sony Vegas 8 pro. It comes bundled with DVD Architect 5 as an authouring package.
Friends use Macs with Final Cut Pro.
The Office use a Windows based network running Edius.
My learning experience was to keep sane; and have a bloody fast chip. Loads of RAM, a fast graphics card and shi*loads of HDD real estate.
Ben
I use a PC with Sony Vegas 8 pro. It comes bundled with DVD Architect 5 as an authouring package.
Friends use Macs with Final Cut Pro.
The Office use a Windows based network running Edius.
My learning experience was to keep sane; and have a bloody fast chip. Loads of RAM, a fast graphics card and shi*loads of HDD real estate.
Ben