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ninjarico · Feb 12, 2006, 05:18 AM

Here's the deal. I love my (fairly new) iBook and think macs are absolutely wonderful. I have up to this point always used premiere on a pc to edit video (I'm a student artist with a focus in transmedia) for two reasons...

premiere was my first program
i could afford to build a pc (with seemingly high specs) cheaper than buying a mac

Now I've begun to use FCP and DVD studio pro and love both programs also. This is my last semester in school so I would be able to use my student discount on apple products only this semester. Would it be worth investing 1800 into the single proc g5 just for video editing? Should I just stick with the PC and give up FCP and DVD studio pro (since there are equivalent replacements on the pc side)? Does anyone in the "field" have a strong opinion one way or the other? Any advice/help/comments/bashing would be appreciated.

harrisjamieh · Feb 12, 2006, 05:51 AM

What do you mean "single proc G5"? - do you mean the iMac G5, or are you refering to a second hand single G5 PowerMac? Do you already own FCP and DVD studio Pro, or will you be buying them? Bear in mind, very soon (if not already), you will only be able to buy Final Cut Pro as part of Final Cut Studio, which will set you back around $1300 (thats not including edu discount). If you do not already have FCS/P, and Premiere has all the features you want and Final Cut offers nothing new to YOU, then i'd say stick with what you have.

ninjarico · Feb 12, 2006, 04:52 PM

Originally Posted by harrisjamieh

What do you mean "single proc G5"? - do you mean the iMac G5, or are you refering to a second hand single G5 PowerMac? Do you already own FCP and DVD studio Pro, or will you be buying them? Bear in mind, very soon (if not already), you will only be able to buy Final Cut Pro as part of Final Cut Studio, which will set you back around $1300 (thats not including edu discount). If you do not already have FCS/P, and Premiere has all the features you want and Final Cut offers nothing new to YOU, then i'd say stick with what you have.

I meant getting a new single proc G5 (with edu is only 1800) and I can get Studio for $650 with my edu discount. They don't really offer anything NEW but they are both extremely well polished and much smoother to work with.

Macola · Feb 12, 2006, 08:54 PM

Originally Posted by ninjarico

I meant getting a new single proc G5 (with edu is only 1800)

What hj means is there's no such beast, as the current generation of PowerMacs are all dual-core or dual-processor. And that would be way too much to pay for a refurb single-processor G5.

Apfhex · Feb 13, 2006, 01:13 AM

And depending on what you need to do, Final Cut Express might fit the bill (FCE HD is $150 educational).

And yes, for $1799 edu pricing you get a 2GHz dual core G5. I see Apple is selling single processor 1.8GHz refurbished machines for $1099.

I don't do video editing so I don't know what to say, other than thinking you'd enjoy using OS X a whole lot more than Windows.

harrisjamieh · Feb 13, 2006, 05:00 AM

I do some heavy video editing on the single proc G5 PM (the one which you mistakenly said you would buy for $1800 - as they are not available new anymore). I regulary use 4-6 different camera angles, and whilst it keeps up, its not the fastest thing on the planet, and gets bogged down when doing lots of alterations to alreadsy cut clips. We are replacing this machine at the end of June with 2 x 20" imac Core Duo's, once the universal pro apps are out, and when the new financial year starts at my school so that the money becomes available.