[dcarmich]

I'm planning my future audio production system, and the recent discussion about the PowerBook's failings in H.264 playback on MacNN made me wonder whether a 15" PowerBook or a G5 would be a better choice for a multitrack recording system.

(I'll be working with mostly multitrack audio, but hope to do a bit of video editing/post as well.)

What do you think would be best? (I'd be using either an RME Fireface 800 FireWire interface or a Hammerfall DSP interface with Digiface, as well as a Cinema Display in the studio and external hard drives.)

Would it be better to put the drives on the FW400 interface and keep the FW800 interface for audio? (I'll also probably be using a TC PowerCore outboard FireWire DSP accelerator.)

I like the power available on a G5 and the HD playback/HDV editing capability, but it'd be nice to have the portability for remote gigs and travel.
(But if the G5 would be a better long-term choice, I'd go with that.)

Thanks.
(Where do you see PowerBooks going in 2-3 yrs?)

--Douglas

[striker100]

Of course the Powermac will be the better long term choice, it's already way more powerful than a maxed out 15" Powerbook from the get go. My take is this, if you need or really want portability get the Powerbook, if you can forgo portability get the Powermac.

[ideasculptor]

Powermac, without question. You have a faster hard drive. You can put another internal harddrive in there (or more, if you want). You can have much more RAM. YOu can install an extra firewire bus or two for storage and audio interfaces, so that you don't overload the one you have. Multiple ports does not mean multiple buses. I don't even know if the fw 800 and fw 400 on a powerbook are separate busses. The ability to install a videocard which can drive two full size monitors, compared to the one on the powerbook. Dual G5's will smoke the single G4 with slow-ass frontside bus in the powerbook. This one is a no brainer unless you absolutely require the ability to be portable.

[tooki]

The only reason to go with the PowerBook is the portability; if you can forego that, get the Power Mac, without question.

tooki

[mrmister]

Tooki and everyone is right--if you need portability, get the PowerBook. Otherwise...