just out of curiosity...

Mark Kenfield · June 18th, 2007, 07:02 AM

Yeah, as I understand it most Avid systems are run on PCs. However, very few of us can afford an Avid system - hence the growing popularity of Macs and Final Cut as an editing standard.

Vasilis, I myself have just spent a LOT more than I ever thought I would on a computer purchasing a Mac Pro and with Final Cut, Adobe CS3 etc. But it is an investment in a editing system that is fast becoming the professional standard down here in Australia for all but the highest end productions, so I think it's worth it.

You just have to decide what is right for you. I've always just built my own PCs, and apart from siblings downloading the occasional virus or spyware onto them - I've never had any problems with them, so paying a $1000 just for the privilege of being able to use Final Cut doesn't sit too well with me. However for me personally, the overall pros of moving to the Mac outweigh those of sticking with PC. So consider the options for yourself, but I get the feeling that (for the moment at least) Mac and FCP is the way to go.

Jason Lowe · June 18th, 2007, 09:22 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Mark Kenfield

Yeah, as I understand it most Avid systems are run on PCs. However, very few of us can afford an Avid system - hence the growing popularity of Macs and Final Cut as an editing standard.

Comparing high end Avid PC systems to other PC based editing systems is not quite fair. High end suites often have very specific recommended workstation configurations. They just don't run on any PC that meets minimum specs. Plus. these PCs live in editing suites and are very tightly controlled in terms of what gets installed on them. In other words, they may run Windows, but they're not exactly "PCs".

Your likelihood of problems with a PC will increase in relation to what other duties your PC is pulling (up to and including being your only PC).

Mark Kenfield · June 18th, 2007, 09:48 AM

I wasn't comparing Avid systems to more run-of-the-mill PC systems. Simply pointing out that, to my knowledge, most professional Avid systems are PC-based and that many theatrically released films have been edited on them (in answer to Vasilis initial question).

The point I was trying to make was that (for the moment at least) the editing systems used in professional capacities seem to be primarily Avid and FCP. And since the Avid systems are out of most individual's price range, FCP is probably Vasilis' best option at the moment if he has professional aspirations.

Which isn't to say that professional product shouldn't or can't be edited on PCs running Vegas or Premiere Pro etc. Just that it's less common IMO.

Vasilis Stamkopoulos · June 19th, 2007, 01:02 PM

Jason and Mark you both are just so right!
But lets take Sony Vegas for instance. It wont install on a fresh windows machine before you install the NETframework update thing. So you can't run one of the most intuitive video editing software like vegas, out of the box, unless you've bought a win preinstalled machine with all the required software-driver. Hence we're forced to connect to the internet and make the update of windows. I suppose this is not happening on the MacOS.
Yes problems start on a PC when the applications running on it become more and more but there are certain applications-updates which are mandatory for winOS.
All these guide to an exclusively built machine just for video editing and I think that Mac users don't have that kind of "experience".
I do have two PCs and a laptop and I don't use my video editing machine for browsing etc. but there are certain times that i have to do so.

Kevin Shaw · June 19th, 2007, 01:11 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Vasilis Stamkopoulos

All these guide to an exclusively built machine just for video editing and I think that Mac users don't have that kind of "experience".

When I used Macs a few years ago I enjoyed the overall seamlessness of the experience, but I don't feel things are all that much different on Windows these days. I recently bought a Dell dual-core laptop, installed my usual video editing and productivity software (e.g. Microsoft Word) and am happily working away without too many problems. Yeah, Windows is still a steaming pile of dung - but it's a *functional* steaming pile of dung! :-)

June 18th, 2007, 07:02 AM	#16
Mark Kenfield Major Player Join Date: Apr 2007 Location: Melbourne, Australia Posts: 470	Yeah, as I understand it most Avid systems are run on PCs. However, very few of us can afford an Avid system - hence the growing popularity of Macs and Final Cut as an editing standard. Vasilis, I myself have just spent a LOT more than I ever thought I would on a computer purchasing a Mac Pro and with Final Cut, Adobe CS3 etc. But it is an investment in a editing system that is fast becoming the professional standard down here in Australia for all but the highest end productions, so I think it's worth it. You just have to decide what is right for you. I've always just built my own PCs, and apart from siblings downloading the occasional virus or spyware onto them - I've never had any problems with them, so paying a $1000 just for the privilege of being able to use Final Cut doesn't sit too well with me. However for me personally, the overall pros of moving to the Mac outweigh those of sticking with PC. So consider the options for yourself, but I get the feeling that (for the moment at least) Mac and FCP is the way to go.

June 18th, 2007, 09:48 AM	#18
Mark Kenfield Major Player Join Date: Apr 2007 Location: Melbourne, Australia Posts: 470	I wasn't comparing Avid systems to more run-of-the-mill PC systems. Simply pointing out that, to my knowledge, most professional Avid systems are PC-based and that many theatrically released films have been edited on them (in answer to Vasilis initial question). The point I was trying to make was that (for the moment at least) the editing systems used in professional capacities seem to be primarily Avid and FCP. And since the Avid systems are out of most individual's price range, FCP is probably Vasilis' best option at the moment if he has professional aspirations. Which isn't to say that professional product shouldn't or can't be edited on PCs running Vegas or Premiere Pro etc. Just that it's less common IMO.

June 19th, 2007, 01:02 PM	#19
Vasilis Stamkopoulos Regular Crew Join Date: Mar 2006 Location: Athens Greece Posts: 31	Jason and Mark you both are just so right! But lets take Sony Vegas for instance. It wont install on a fresh windows machine before you install the NETframework update thing. So you can't run one of the most intuitive video editing software like vegas, out of the box, unless you've bought a win preinstalled machine with all the required software-driver. Hence we're forced to connect to the internet and make the update of windows. I suppose this is not happening on the MacOS. Yes problems start on a PC when the applications running on it become more and more but there are certain applications-updates which are mandatory for winOS. All these guide to an exclusively built machine just for video editing and I think that Mac users don't have that kind of "experience". I do have two PCs and a laptop and I don't use my video editing machine for browsing etc. but there are certain times that i have to do so.