New Ibooks with G4 give us a $1000 FCP 4 solution at DVinfo.net

Steve Mullen · October 23rd, 2003, 12:12 AM

This morning, Apple introduced G4-based iBooks.

Panther pre-installed
800MHz (12" display), 933MHz (14" display), and 1GHz (14" display) PowerPC G4 processors

Price (U.S. dollars): $1099 (12"), $1299 (14"), and $1499 (14")

256K Level 2 cache

133MHz system bus

ATI Mobility Radeon 9200

30GB (12"), 40GB (14"), and 60GB (14") Ultra ATA/100 hard drives

Slot-loading Combo drive (SuperDrive apparently not available)

These systems will provide the G4 compute power to handle MPEG-2 at under 5-pounds.

Ken Hodson · October 23rd, 2003, 01:32 AM

What does a PC equivalent go for?
Ken

Steve Mullen · October 23rd, 2003, 01:54 AM

<<<-- Originally posted by Ken Hodson : What does a PC equivalent go for?
Ken -->>>

There is no PC equivant to OS X running on a iBook. :)

Betsy Moore · October 23rd, 2003, 01:57 PM

That's right, you can't buy a PC laptop that weak anymore. You'd have to go back in time to spend that much money on something so meager.

Brad Hawkins · October 23rd, 2003, 02:54 PM

Betsy,

If you want to start a Mac vs. PC war please do it somewhere else!

If you have so much free time on your hands that you want to argue about which computer format is better, then I'm sure you can find a better forum than this one for that boring old argument.

If someone wants to buy a macintosh then that is their business. Let it go!

Brad

Frederic Lumiere · October 23rd, 2003, 03:17 PM

Also, Steve...regarding the new ibooks posting. I checked on ebay and it's (Mac Rocks) amazing what you (PC Sucks) can get for $1,000. Dual G4 towers, etc. If you don't want to spend the money (OSX = Advanced Technology) on a G5 you can get a decent editing (Windows = Ex Pee) solution on eBay.

I know I got my HD10U on eBay...

Eric Bilodeau · October 23rd, 2003, 09:49 PM

I am surprised that Hardcore PC lovers even bother to look at this particular thread, it is entitled "New Ibooks with G4 give us a $1000 FCP4 solution", I don't see any PC reference here :) By the way you have to use both platforms to be able to really compare...

This Ibook news is good for mac enthusiasts, period. If it does not apply, it is surprising you would ever read this thread...

Steve Mullen · October 23rd, 2003, 10:32 PM

Having worked with computers since 1961 through the wonderfull Amiga to first Mac and then to NT through W2000 and now to OS X -- I do not think that.

I think no viruses. An easy to maintain OS X. Great design.

I love my PowerBook, my iBook, and my iMac. But, I also don't think badly of PCs. CineForm sends me a hot PC and I'm a happy camper. Windows has features I prefer over OS X and vice versa. Does this make me "bi"?

Brad Hawkins · October 23rd, 2003, 10:35 PM

First of all, this thread is not "off-topic" considering that Steve started it simply to point out that there is a new and inexpensive model of ibook, that has the processing power to handle mpeg-2. I mean that is what this place is for right? So that we can tell each other about new technology relating to HDV and JVC cameras.

And secondly, I am a Mac and PC owner like Steve, so don't assume that I am a Mac-aholic or something like that simply because I don't want this forum to turn into a war zone for Mac and PC fanatics. And by the way, you don't have to be on the mac side of things to be a zealot.

So far this place has been great and we really haven't had to deal with any fanatics like in other forums. I just hope it stays that way, but I realize now that by responding I've only fanned the fire, so I'll just be quiet.

Heath McKnight · October 23rd, 2003, 10:55 PM

This is the cheapest NEW portable G4 out there. And it's fast, for what it is. A 1 ghz G4 is nothing to snuff at, though only being able to put in 640 (or so) mb of RAM is lame. Then again, I got away with a PowerBook G4 400 mhz with a gig of RAM for two years. And I cut a two hour play (from three days worth of shooting, about 7 hours or so total footage), a bunch of small projects, a friend's bat mitvah (1:45:00) and the majority of the remastering cuts and commentary touches on my film for DVD, which clocked in at under 2 hours. (I think I cut the doc on the G5, or most of the doc, and did the DVD on the G5.) Oh, and a 22 minute short film that took a while to edit, like 3 - 4 hours for every edited minute.

So, that's why I'm pleased Apple has an iBook 1 ghz G4 for $1100. That means I can buy an affordable portable to write and do mobile editing.

heath

Steve Mullen · October 23rd, 2003, 11:27 PM

The G4 opens the door to FCP 4 and Avid Free DV and Xpress DV.

An iBook at $1000 plus Free DV is pretty neat!

Rik Sanchez · October 24th, 2003, 05:51 AM

My friend bought a G3 iBook a month ago, I bet he's wishing now he had waited a bit. I've been using my 800Mhz G3 iBook to edit in RT Offline mode, I then put the FCP file into my G4 and render out the video. A G4 iBook is a great idea, I was wondering when they would come out with one.

When I saw the new G4 iBook I immediately thought of selling my G3 iBook and getting one, but I couldn't part with it, it has served me so well. I'd probably give it to my sister who is a die hard windows user, her kids could use it. I ought to go check the prices on used G3 iBooks, with the G4 iBook out now, nobody is gonna want a G3 iBook, they ought to be cheaper now.

Whose gonna be the first on the forum to get one of these? Let us know how it performs.

Frederic Lumiere · October 24th, 2003, 06:05 AM

On a more serious note. I don’t think that what is being raised here is MAC vs. PC as much as it is MAC vs. PC for video editing. Like Steve, I’ve used PCs…quit a bit. My first “computers” were Sinclair, Armstrad, TI, Commodore… onto any and every brand you can think of. My last job before being a producer was CIO of Hooked on Phonics and I refused to bring MACs in the organization for a long time much to the product development team’s dismay.

I edited my first feature length doc on a $10,000 PC (Dual Pentium) with 2 X 9 GIG Barracuda HD. It was the single most painful and frustrating experience of my life. Now granted is was the first DV card made, the ‘Spark’ as I recall. After the showing at the Hawaii Film Festival, Roger Ebert asked me “Frederic, why the long fade to black every 10 mins?” I answered “Well, Mr. Ebert that’s a good question. I wanted the audience to take some time to think about what they just saw…” He wasn’t impressed. In fact my problem was that you couldn’t have one file longer than 10 minutes and that these super duper $1,500 a piece Barracudas couldn’t sustain the rpm necessary to play video for longer than 10 min without dropping frames. I was using Adobe Premier at the time.

Anyway,…to make a long story longer I eventually purchased one of the first Powerbook G4 500Mhz with 500 MB RAM and FCP. Having used an Apple nearly 10 years prior (Apple II) I knew VERY LITTLE about MACs. It took me 48 HRS to get used to it! I have never had dropped frame issues. I’ve edited 2 more docs, commercials and TV shows on this Powerbook. Some of this editing was done on trains in Europe! I didn’t have to worry about compatible drivers, registry modifications or anything else that is normal occurrence on a PC. MAC is an out of the box productive tool for the video professional. Productive and profesional being the key words here. Professionals don’t have the time to fuss with drivers. Could I do things with the MAC that I used to do with a PC? Absolutely! I’ve designed and developed in php, asp, cold fusion, flash and java with this MAC. Take a look: http://www.playphotos.com http://www.filmstaff.com

As far as NLE solution, FCP blows Avid Express and Premier out of the water. Just finished editing a 4 camera shoot TV show. With as many as 4 takes ligned up for sound sync, you’re talking 16 video tracks and 4 audio tracks before music and sound effect. I wouldn’t have wanted to try this on Premier.

Alright, sorry about the long post but my point is MAC = Productivity. Now I’ll get back to work. Until the FedEx guy shows up with my copy of Panther! ;)

Heath McKnight · October 24th, 2003, 07:11 AM

I got a letter from Apple yesterday about some lawsuit with G3's bought between 1997 and 2000, and OS X bought up to May of this year. I think it's about the G3 sucking with OS X. Pretty lame; let's sue Apple because of their DEEP pockets...

heath

Betsy Moore · October 24th, 2003, 06:12 PM

Sorry guys, I was just kidding! Kidding. Joke:) I like Apples, I'm not married to either format.

October 23rd, 2003, 12:12 AM	#1
Steve Mullen HDV Cinema Join Date: Feb 2003 Location: Las Vegas Posts: 4,007	New Ibooks with G4 give us a $1000 FCP 4 solution This morning, Apple introduced G4-based iBooks. Panther pre-installed 800MHz (12" display), 933MHz (14" display), and 1GHz (14" display) PowerPC G4 processors Price (U.S. dollars): $1099 (12"), $1299 (14"), and $1499 (14") 256K Level 2 cache 133MHz system bus ATI Mobility Radeon 9200 30GB (12"), 40GB (14"), and 60GB (14") Ultra ATA/100 hard drives Slot-loading Combo drive (SuperDrive apparently not available) These systems will provide the G4 compute power to handle MPEG-2 at under 5-pounds. __________________ Switcher's Quick Guide to the Avid Media Composer >>> http://home.mindspring.com/~d-v-c

October 23rd, 2003, 01:32 AM	#2
Ken Hodson Trustee Join Date: Aug 2003 Location: Vancouver BC Canada Posts: 1,315	What does a PC equivalent go for? Ken __________________ Damnit Jim, I'm a film maker not a sysytems tech.

October 23rd, 2003, 01:54 AM	#3
Steve Mullen HDV Cinema Join Date: Feb 2003 Location: Las Vegas Posts: 4,007	<<<-- Originally posted by Ken Hodson : What does a PC equivalent go for? Ken -->>> There is no PC equivant to OS X running on a iBook. :) __________________ Switcher's Quick Guide to the Avid Media Composer >>> http://home.mindspring.com/~d-v-c

October 23rd, 2003, 09:49 PM	#7
Eric Bilodeau Major Player Join Date: Jun 2003 Location: Chicoutimi, Canada Posts: 334	I am surprised that Hardcore PC lovers even bother to look at this particular thread, it is entitled "New Ibooks with G4 give us a $1000 FCP4 solution", I don't see any PC reference here :) By the way you have to use both platforms to be able to really compare... This Ibook news is good for mac enthusiasts, period. If it does not apply, it is surprising you would ever read this thread... __________________ Eric Bilodeau video SFX,DOP ___________________ http://www.fictis.net info@fictis.net

October 23rd, 2003, 10:32 PM	#8
Steve Mullen HDV Cinema Join Date: Feb 2003 Location: Las Vegas Posts: 4,007	Having worked with computers since 1961 through the wonderfull Amiga to first Mac and then to NT through W2000 and now to OS X -- I do not think that. I think no viruses. An easy to maintain OS X. Great design. I love my PowerBook, my iBook, and my iMac. But, I also don't think badly of PCs. CineForm sends me a hot PC and I'm a happy camper. Windows has features I prefer over OS X and vice versa. Does this make me "bi"? __________________ Switcher's Quick Guide to the Avid Media Composer >>> http://home.mindspring.com/~d-v-c

October 23rd, 2003, 01:57 PM	#4
Betsy Moore Major Player Join Date: Mar 2003 Location: Los Angeles Posts: 444	That's right, you can't buy a PC laptop that weak anymore. You'd have to go back in time to spend that much money on something so meager.

October 23rd, 2003, 02:54 PM	#5
Brad Hawkins Regular Crew Join Date: Jul 2003 Location: Edmond, OK Posts: 38	Betsy, If you want to start a Mac vs. PC war please do it somewhere else! If you have so much free time on your hands that you want to argue about which computer format is better, then I'm sure you can find a better forum than this one for that boring old argument. If someone wants to buy a macintosh then that is their business. Let it go! Brad

October 23rd, 2003, 03:17 PM	#6
Frederic Lumiere Wrangler Join Date: Oct 2003 Location: Point Pleasant, NJ Posts: 437	Also, Steve...regarding the new ibooks posting. I checked on ebay and it's (Mac Rocks) amazing what you (PC Sucks) can get for $1,000. Dual G4 towers, etc. If you don't want to spend the money (OSX = Advanced Technology) on a G5 you can get a decent editing (Windows = Ex Pee) solution on eBay. I know I got my HD10U on eBay...

October 23rd, 2003, 10:35 PM	#9
Brad Hawkins Regular Crew Join Date: Jul 2003 Location: Edmond, OK Posts: 38	First of all, this thread is not "off-topic" considering that Steve started it simply to point out that there is a new and inexpensive model of ibook, that has the processing power to handle mpeg-2. I mean that is what this place is for right? So that we can tell each other about new technology relating to HDV and JVC cameras. And secondly, I am a Mac and PC owner like Steve, so don't assume that I am a Mac-aholic or something like that simply because I don't want this forum to turn into a war zone for Mac and PC fanatics. And by the way, you don't have to be on the mac side of things to be a zealot. So far this place has been great and we really haven't had to deal with any fanatics like in other forums. I just hope it stays that way, but I realize now that by responding I've only fanned the fire, so I'll just be quiet.

October 23rd, 2003, 10:55 PM	#10
Heath McKnight MPS Digital Studios Join Date: Apr 2003 Location: Palm Beach County, Florida Posts: 8,531	This is the cheapest NEW portable G4 out there. And it's fast, for what it is. A 1 ghz G4 is nothing to snuff at, though only being able to put in 640 (or so) mb of RAM is lame. Then again, I got away with a PowerBook G4 400 mhz with a gig of RAM for two years. And I cut a two hour play (from three days worth of shooting, about 7 hours or so total footage), a bunch of small projects, a friend's bat mitvah (1:45:00) and the majority of the remastering cuts and commentary touches on my film for DVD, which clocked in at under 2 hours. (I think I cut the doc on the G5, or most of the doc, and did the DVD on the G5.) Oh, and a 22 minute short film that took a while to edit, like 3 - 4 hours for every edited minute. So, that's why I'm pleased Apple has an iBook 1 ghz G4 for $1100. That means I can buy an affordable portable to write and do mobile editing. heath __________________ My Final Cut Pro X blog

October 23rd, 2003, 11:27 PM	#11
Steve Mullen HDV Cinema Join Date: Feb 2003 Location: Las Vegas Posts: 4,007	The G4 opens the door to FCP 4 and Avid Free DV and Xpress DV. An iBook at $1000 plus Free DV is pretty neat! __________________ Switcher's Quick Guide to the Avid Media Composer >>> http://home.mindspring.com/~d-v-c

October 24th, 2003, 05:51 AM	#12
Rik Sanchez ChorizoSmells Join Date: Apr 2002 Location: Osaka, Japan Posts: 424	My friend bought a G3 iBook a month ago, I bet he's wishing now he had waited a bit. I've been using my 800Mhz G3 iBook to edit in RT Offline mode, I then put the FCP file into my G4 and render out the video. A G4 iBook is a great idea, I was wondering when they would come out with one. When I saw the new G4 iBook I immediately thought of selling my G3 iBook and getting one, but I couldn't part with it, it has served me so well. I'd probably give it to my sister who is a die hard windows user, her kids could use it. I ought to go check the prices on used G3 iBooks, with the G4 iBook out now, nobody is gonna want a G3 iBook, they ought to be cheaper now. Whose gonna be the first on the forum to get one of these? Let us know how it performs. __________________ ChorizoSmells Video Barrio Tamatsukuri, Osaka, JAPAN

October 24th, 2003, 06:05 AM	#13
Frederic Lumiere Wrangler Join Date: Oct 2003 Location: Point Pleasant, NJ Posts: 437	MAC = Productivity for Professionals On a more serious note. I don’t think that what is being raised here is MAC vs. PC as much as it is MAC vs. PC for video editing. Like Steve, I’ve used PCs…quit a bit. My first “computers” were Sinclair, Armstrad, TI, Commodore… onto any and every brand you can think of. My last job before being a producer was CIO of Hooked on Phonics and I refused to bring MACs in the organization for a long time much to the product development team’s dismay. I edited my first feature length doc on a $10,000 PC (Dual Pentium) with 2 X 9 GIG Barracuda HD. It was the single most painful and frustrating experience of my life. Now granted is was the first DV card made, the ‘Spark’ as I recall. After the showing at the Hawaii Film Festival, Roger Ebert asked me “Frederic, why the long fade to black every 10 mins?” I answered “Well, Mr. Ebert that’s a good question. I wanted the audience to take some time to think about what they just saw…” He wasn’t impressed. In fact my problem was that you couldn’t have one file longer than 10 minutes and that these super duper $1,500 a piece Barracudas couldn’t sustain the rpm necessary to play video for longer than 10 min without dropping frames. I was using Adobe Premier at the time. Anyway,…to make a long story longer I eventually purchased one of the first Powerbook G4 500Mhz with 500 MB RAM and FCP. Having used an Apple nearly 10 years prior (Apple II) I knew VERY LITTLE about MACs. It took me 48 HRS to get used to it! I have never had dropped frame issues. I’ve edited 2 more docs, commercials and TV shows on this Powerbook. Some of this editing was done on trains in Europe! I didn’t have to worry about compatible drivers, registry modifications or anything else that is normal occurrence on a PC. MAC is an out of the box productive tool for the video professional. Productive and profesional being the key words here. Professionals don’t have the time to fuss with drivers. Could I do things with the MAC that I used to do with a PC? Absolutely! I’ve designed and developed in php, asp, cold fusion, flash and java with this MAC. Take a look: http://www.playphotos.com http://www.filmstaff.com As far as NLE solution, FCP blows Avid Express and Premier out of the water. Just finished editing a 4 camera shoot TV show. With as many as 4 takes ligned up for sound sync, you’re talking 16 video tracks and 4 audio tracks before music and sound effect. I wouldn’t have wanted to try this on Premier. Alright, sorry about the long post but my point is MAC = Productivity. Now I’ll get back to work. Until the FedEx guy shows up with my copy of Panther! ;)

October 24th, 2003, 07:11 AM	#14
Heath McKnight MPS Digital Studios Join Date: Apr 2003 Location: Palm Beach County, Florida Posts: 8,531	I got a letter from Apple yesterday about some lawsuit with G3's bought between 1997 and 2000, and OS X bought up to May of this year. I think it's about the G3 sucking with OS X. Pretty lame; let's sue Apple because of their DEEP pockets... heath __________________ My Final Cut Pro X blog

October 24th, 2003, 06:12 PM	#15
Betsy Moore Major Player Join Date: Mar 2003 Location: Los Angeles Posts: 444	Sorry guys, I was just kidding! Kidding. Joke:) I like Apples, I'm not married to either format.