Okay, sell me on Mac. Re: Movie editing

[BigBadBen]

I have heard for a long time how great Mac is for movie editing, but never any specifics. Someone in the know, sell me.

What kind of programs do they use, how easy is sound & video editing, etc.


Also, is there a good Windows based program that can do the same thing?
Ive used Pinnacle a bit, but far from proficient on it.

I would rather purchase a program rather than a new computer, but willing to entertain other options.

[Ivan]

For amature video editors, I don't buy it. People find excuses to like mac over windows, because everyone has windows. Now as for movie studios and what not, there is a program that is VERY expensive that is exclusive to mac, that is the exception to the mac being better than PC for video editing.

Every movie editing program (aside from apples software) can be ran on both os' and run just as good on windows pc's. You can get Sony's Vegas software for windows, you can get adobe premiere for windows. The only difference is that you are paying over market value for apple PC's solely for the damn name.

I know this will upset apple people, but it's my opinion.

[OKState918]

I know this will upset apple people, but it's my opinion.

I'm unquestionably a Mac person, but I tend to agree with Ivan on this one.

For purely amateur video editing (i.e. splicing, simple transitions, basic soundtrack editing, etc.), I think anything Windows has is pretty comparable to iMovie for Macs.

In fact, having used both fairly extensively, I'd almost argue that Windows Movie Maker (or whatever the software bundled with PCs these days is called) is simpler than Mac's pack-in software because it's a lot more basic.

It's only when you start talking about Adobe ProTool's and other higher-end, more graphics intense applications that Macs really have that much of an advantage.

[wickerbill]

For amature video editors, I don't buy it. People find excuses to like mac over windows, because everyone has windows. Now as for movie studios and what not, there is a program that is VERY expensive that is exclusive to mac, that is the exception to the mac being better than PC for video editing.

Every movie editing program (aside from apples software) can be ran on both os' and run just as good on windows pc's. You can get Sony's Vegas software for windows, you can get adobe premiere for windows. The only difference is that you are paying over market value for apple PC's solely for the damn name.

I know this will upset apple people, but it's my opinion.

Apples aren't really that much more expensive if you compare equal configurations. It's just that you can't buy a low end mac. They don't cater to the $500 desktop and $700 notebook crowd. The software the comes with a mac is usually much better than what comes with a PC and it's not stripped down, shareware crap like most PC's are infected with from the factory. I haven't used the windows movie software much, but iMovie is pretty easy to use and iDVD is tons better than the Roxio crap that came on my windows notebook.

If you're just doing basic stuff, then it probably doesn't matter which one you get, though I think a mac has a lot of advantages over windows for use as a home PC. I'm in IT and have to support windows PC's and servers all day at work. I really like having a mac at home and not having to worry about having to mess with my computer at home. I can just use it. While I can easily keep my home windows PC's virus and shareware free, I make enough money on the side fixing other people's windows PC's to know that the average person has a lot of trouble doing the same.

[Ivan]

Apples aren't really that much more expensive if you compare equal configurations. It's just that you can't buy a low end mac. They don't cater to the $500 desktop and $700 notebook crowd. The software the comes with a mac is usually much better than what comes with a PC and it's not stripped down, shareware crap like most PC's are infected with from the factory. I haven't used the windows movie software much, but iMovie is pretty easy to use and iDVD is tons better than the Roxio crap that came on my windows notebook.

If you're just doing basic stuff, then it probably doesn't matter which one you get, though I think a mac has a lot of advantages over windows for use as a home PC. I'm in IT and have to support windows PC's and servers all day at work. I really like having a mac at home and not having to worry about having to mess with my computer at home. I can just use it. While I can easily keep my home windows PC's virus and shareware free, I make enough money on the side fixing other people's windows PC's to know that the average person has a lot of trouble doing the same.


Bill I will always respect your opinions, but I have to disagree with the go home and 'just use it'. I go home and 'just use' my windows vista laptop, and my windows desktop with no issues. The problem with windows PC's are that people click on any thing and everything that is sent to them. If everyone used a mac, you would see the same problems.

My biggest beef with mac is that you can not put their OS on anything but their hardware. If you want a mac pc you HAVE to buy it from Apple, that would be really really bad if they had the market share that Windows has.

Another thing that really bugs me about apple, is those damn commercials, very misleading and downright stupid.

Ok I am done with my mac rant.

[wickerbill]

But you're a tech guy. I don't do much with my windows PC's either, but I don't have to worry about it at all compared to windows. I agree that if macs were more popular then they would probably have more viruses, but the fact is they're not and they don't have that problem right now. I have paid for my mac many times over by fixing virus and spyware problems on windows PC's. One of the families I helped got macs for their kids and I hardly ever get calls any more.

I can't stand the mac zealots and those commercials are pretty annoying and definitely stretch the truth, but it doesn't change the fact that they are good computers.

[Chief-Poke]

Love the macs for kids. No issues for the last two years. Very gratifying not having to deal with viruses.

Also the itunes is a big + .

sorry for threadjacking.

Now back to the movies..........

[BobBarker]

iTunes, in its overpriced glory, isn't mac exclusive. I have it on my pc. It's a shame that they charge .99 a song to load on your ipod. I pay $5 a month for Yahoo Unlimited for unlimited downloads to mp3 players and my pc. It takes some "funny business" but you can take the files obtained from Yahoo Unlimted, convert them, and import them into iTunes. Then they can load onto your iPod.

[gopokes82]

Ivan is spot on in this thread.

Macs are computers that must be purchased from one company and you can't use it with anything else.
Don't people scream that Microsoft is a monopoly yet Apple does worse by forcing you to purchase from them?

It is also funny that Steve Jobs, in the beginning, had Macs that could run anything and Bill Gates had PCs that ran on certain hardware. Then they both switch positions and Microsoft flew off the chart while Apple lagged behind.

To the original poster, if you buy a Mac just to simply do video editing, you are wasting a bunch of money (especially since you'll need a Mac that costs at least $1,500).

What you can do is purchase a new PC, from Dell, HP, e-Machines, Gateway, Acer, etc., and get the same quality and speed out of a machine that costs $900 to $1,100. Heck, you can even build a PC, the way you want it, cheaper than purchasing a pre-built machine. You mostly pay for software on a new PC but if you already have Windows XP Pro and don't want to upgrade to Vista, you can still use your XP install disc and license from your existing PC. That saves you about $300 alone.

If you want to purchase a software program, don't. Just use open source software. It has the best technical support staff than any company and it's free.

Also, to the poster than said he doesn't have to worry about viruses, you better start because Macs aren't immune to viruses, it is just a matter of time before hackers go after Macs.

[wickerbill]

You do know that you can get a nice iMac for $1200, don't you? They don't start at $1500. That's with a built-in 20 inch monitor. Don't let the facts get in the way of your rant against apple though. And don't even try to say that apple is the same quality as e-machines? Are you serious? I have to chuckle that people seem to love Microsoft so much.

As for viruses, yeah it will probably happen at some point, but right now it's not a problem and it will take a while before it becomes anything like windows. Tech people need to put themselves in other people's shoes before going on anti-apple rants. There's plenty of crap that I don't like about apple and some of the tactics they use, but they make better computers for the average person to use than windows. Yes, you pay a slight premium, but that doesn't mean that they're not worth it to some people. I don't see how you can totally dismiss that argument.

[gopokes82]

You do know that you can get a nice iMac for $1200, don't you? They don't start at $1500. That's with a built-in 20 inch monitor. Don't let the facts get in the way of your rant against apple though. And don't even try to say that apple is the same quality as e-machines? Are you serious? I have to chuckle that people seem to love Microsoft so much.

As for viruses, yeah it will probably happen at some point, but right now it's not a problem and it will take a while before it becomes anything like windows. Tech people need to put themselves in other people's shoes before going on anti-apple rants. There's plenty of crap that I don't like about apple and some of the tactics they use, but they make better computers for the average person to use than windows. Yes, you pay a slight premium, but that doesn't mean that they're not worth it to some people. I don't see how you can totally dismiss that argument.



Even at $1,200 (close to $1,500 after taxes and other miscellaneous stuff), that is 4 times as expensive as what I can build a PC for.

I like how you assume that it is just Microsoft lovers here. I'm more of an open source person myself.

I don't dismiss the argument that somebody wants to buy a Mac because they see it in the movies or they see people they consider cool with one. I really hate it that they are spending more than a thousand dollars for a computer that can be done for less than $500, but to each their own.

[wickerbill]

You could really put together a computer with the EXACT same specs or very close for less than $500? I don't buy it for a second. I acknowledge that apple doesn't compete in the low end, but you can't say that a celeron processor with a cheap no-name monitor, onboard video, and other cheap crap is just as good as a core 2 duo processor with a nice 20 inch widescreen monitor and a dedicated video card along with the software that comes on a mac.