Another Day, Another Rumor...

[splashman]

Price/performance ratio

Originally posted by Mr. Anderson
When the new machines come out, I'm going to buy the faster one - why? Because in my case more is better - and the small difference in overall price will be worth it.

I do 3D animation, and that 30% means the difference of getting a 20 hour animation rendered in 14 hours - in my work that's huge!

Besides, I'll always want a faster machine until I can render HDTV size animations with radiosity in real time. That might happen sometime in 2010

D

Definitely, some folks have a legitimate need for the fastest available, and do the kind of work that can pay for the fastest available.

Personally, I use my next-oldest machine as a dedicated renderer, so render time doesn't bother me too much. Of course faster is better, but I usually don't have to deal with very short deadlines, so a few hours here and there aren't a big deal.

For those (like me) that don't spend all of our time doing 3D, AE, audio, or massive Photoshop files, the price/performance ratio of the latest/greatest isn't that compelling.

 

[CmdrLaForge]

Nothing new today. Well thats lame. 20th anniversary and really NOTHING:

I thought that they could do better

 

[obeygiant]

don't trust a hope...

well, they might update at 12pm EST which is 9am PST for apple.

But thats just a small chance now.

 

[MacBram]

Re: MDs for DV

Originally posted by splashman
I should have made it clear I was predicting a future use, not suggesting a present use. Of course the current cost is ridiculous and the drive size inadequate. Give it a couple of years.

I do a fair amount of cheapo DV production, so I know how the process works, but I don't see why rubbish avoidance would be more difficult with a microdrive. Are you assuming it would be impossible to do selective transfers from a microdrive? Even if it isn't possible at the moment, it would be an easy feature to implement, and much slicker than with tape. In FCP, for instance, via Firewire, you could review the raw footage on your monitor, mark ins-and-outs, click a button, and Shazam!

Think outside the box, dude!

I always look forward to improvements and innovations in hardware and software: that's why I read this forum and why I have used FCP for 4 yars.

My initial concern was like this:
"Dumping" raw footage from your dvcam's microdrive to the hardrive takes up space (and a little time) for something that may end up being rubbish. And selective logging and capturing (yes, I would assume that is possible from a drive) takes time and thought (with viewing and decision making in the process). Either way, one or the other will have to be done before you can use the camera again. If you know how the process works, then you know that you may not want, or be able to do either one while shooting. What about shooting an all-day event like WWDC? With removable media, you can do the capturing when convenient.

Evenso, I can think outside the box and dream of a 120GB microdrive for 10hrs shooting, and really smart scene-detection software that overlooks duplicate takes and identifies good ones! Maybe one that identifies "that's a wrap" and works backwards.

Rip

 

[Lancetx]

Re: Re: Another Day - Another Let Down

Originally posted by splashman
Sigh. The only things more tedious than inflated Anniversary rumors are the people who whine about them.

No, even more tedious than that is when the updates actually do finally come and people still whine about them because whatever is updated is deemed to be "too expensive" or "too slow", etc. Seems like most of the rumors the last few months have been rather vague and flimsy anyway, so I'm not surprised that this one didn't amount to anything either.

 

[virividox]

we got airport updates all around WOOO HOO

 

[MrSmith]

How many threads has this divided into now?

Maybe there'll be something exciting appear in a few hours, maybe there won't. Of course there's nothing that says there has to be. But what I find strange is the lack of even a Google-esque touch to the front page heralding another birthday.

Maybe not enough for Apple?

 

[splashman]

***Removable*** MDs for DV

Originally posted by MacBram
My initial concern was like this:
"Dumping" raw footage from your dvcam's microdrive to the hardrive takes up space (and a little time) for something that may end up being rubbish. And selective logging and capturing (yes, I would assume that is possible from a drive) takes time and thought (with viewing and decision making in the process). Either way, one or the other will have to be done before you can use the camera again. If you know how the process works, then you know that you may not want, or be able to do either one while shooting. What about shooting an all-day event like WWDC? With removable media, you can do the capturing when convenient.

Uh, this particular sub-thread started with the mention of a removable microdrive card for digicams. I then suggested using such storage for DVcams instead. So I've been talking about removable HD-based media the whole time. I apologize for not making that clear.

Anyway, I'm not deliberately being dense -- I just don't see how the logging/capturing process changes just because a HD is used, instead of a tape. Either way, you (a) shoot a bunch of stuff, then (b) sometime later you review it and log it, then (c) capture the stuff you want. The only difference I see is that the HD-based process could potentially be a whole lot faster.

 

[splashman]

Tedious whiners

Originally posted by Lancetx
No, even more tedious than that is when the updates actually do finally come and people still whine about them because whatever is updated is deemed to be "too expensive" or "too slow", etc. Seems like most of the rumors the last few months have been rather vague and flimsy anyway, so I'm not surprised that this one didn't amount to anything either.

Okay, you one-upped me. And you're absolutely right.

Next, someone's going to say that even more tedious are those who whine about the whiners.

 

[Bear]

Re: Not all pros are knee-jerk upgraders

Originally posted by splashman
The 2.6 will be a maximum of 30% faster. Is that "much faster"? Is it worth the cost? Maybe to you. Maybe not to other folks. Yours is not the only valid opinion on the matter. You could at least qualify your statements as opinions.

...

But don't let me discourage YOU from upgrading. It can only help Apple's margins, which is good for everyone.

You know it depends what they are upgrading from. If they have an older machine (G4, possibly pre MDD) then they will get a lot of boost from the upgrade.

I'll probably be looking to upgrade my Powermac next year. (MDD Dual 1.42). And I'll probably order it on the day an upgrade is announced. This way at least I'll be getting a machine that won' be superceded for 5 or 6 months.

My Powerbook kinda needs updating, however, I'm waiting until the next incremental update before I order. Why not get the most for the $$$?

However, I do agree that updating every 6 months is rediculous unless absolutely needed for paid work. And somehow I suspect a year cycle would be a bit better.

 

[zedwards]

OMG!!!! Look at the Apple store!!! They have PowerBooks!!!

 

[zedwards]

haha, Made you look!

 

[applemacdude]

Originally posted by zedwards
haha, Made you look!

No you didnt....

 

[mustang_dvs]

Re: Re: Re: How much is enough?

Originally posted by splashman
You might have caught that I was addressing the larger part of the digicam market. I think you'll agree that your needs are a teensy bit above average.

Yes, I'm aware what resolution I'm shooting at. It's not always full-res, but usually it is. Is it so impossible to believe that my needs might be different than yours? I only shoot for print or web projects that don't have budget for a pro shoot, so client expectations are somewhat lower. That translates to quick shoots, fewer shots, and no need for RAW.

When I'm shooting the kids, I generally have no need for full resolution, so I can easily get a couple hundred shots, which is more than I would ever shoot in a day.

Different strokes, dude. 64MB is plenty for me.

I wasn't knocking you, I just was curious, since you mentioned that you were using a 4MP camera, the assumption by most people would be that you were using the full capabilities for capturing to your removable media.

 

[edenwaith]

Originally posted by paulwhannel
If you got hope out of this, i have some swampland in florida to sell you...

Really? I'll trade your swamp land for some lovely coast line properties I have in Montana and Switzerland.

Okay, keep it Mac related...hmmmm...9:30 CST and still nothing on Apple's web site...but then, it would only be 7:30 in California.

 

[TranceClubMusic]

Re: Tedious whiners

Originally posted by splashman
Okay, you one-upped me. And you're absolutely right.

Next, someone's going to say that even more tedious are those who whine about the whiners.

LMFAOOOOOOOOO - thats a good one

 

[kkubaryc]

What's so special about 20th?

In America you can't drink legally until you're 21.

A year from now we'll see something really big.

 

[Thor74]

Yaaawn.. 20th B-Day as boring as MWSF

No updates, rumormills were waaay off for this one... I never got my hopes up that high, but it looks like Jobs & Co. are going to be cramming alot of things into the next 6 months if he really wants to live up to his promise of 3 gigahertz by summer's end.. NOT the best business model if they do not allow at least a 5-6 month area for a new intermediate speed bump class of G5's to hit and sell in this slower economy market before announcing the 3.0 zeneith. Oh well. Time to go back to work.

 

[grouse]

the thing is....

based on absolutely no proof whatsoever...

is that they have the new machines, in the PowerMac line and in the iMac line, but they are being held back to clear the backlog, which is why so few rumors have come out consitently, they're doing their best to keep the sales going. PowerMac G5 sales I think have been below their expectations, they've been good, but the initial demand caught them off guard, so they ramped up production, just as the demand tailed off slightly.

I seem to remember this from ages ago regarding the old PowerBooks, pre-titatium and that they had such a large back log, they were hoping to shift them before they brought in the new ones (and ended up essentially burying the old machine somewhere, so the story went), but I have no idea what apple's inventory is like these days, it was much improved but I thought it had slipped latey.

As we know iMac sales of the new form, haven't lived up to expectations, either. And if the new model is an utterly different form factor, they need to shift the old lot.

SImilarly the new powerMacs might be using the same chip as in the Xserve, which is lower heat and thus maybe we looking at a modified case design, old ones needing to be shifted first.

Of course this is possibly absolute nonsense as I'm sure folks will tell me and it doesn't stop them letting off a few fireworks to celerate the occassion does it?

Oh well, maybe it's all being saved up for the real birthday, the one that means something, ie 21st! I mean who goes crazy for a 20th birthday. You can't drink? You can't um, that's it I think, everything else is 18 or 16......

Anyway, if that's the case, keep checking until 24/1/05....

xxxx

 

[maclamb]

No updates!?

I saw a quote recently from an apple person saying they were so caught up in getting the mini iPod out that they couldn't even think of PM / PB updates...

 

[splashman]

Re: Re: Not all pros are knee-jerk upgraders

Originally posted by Bear
You know it depends what they are upgrading from. If they have an older machine (G4, possibly pre MDD) then they will get a lot of boost from the upgrade.

Just wanted to point out that I was responding to a poster who said, specifically, that upgrading from a dual 2ghz to 2.6ghz was a good move for most every professional.

However, I do agree that updating every 6 months is rediculous unless absolutely needed for paid work. And somehow I suspect a year cycle would be a bit better.

Or even longer. Like I said, it all depends on one's needs. I do lots of Photoshop work for print, some 3D, some AE, some audio. My trusty 9600 (with 466mhz G3) was my primary machine for almost 5 years, until last August, when I got a dual 1.25 G4. Yes, there were times I wished I had a faster machine, but even in hindsight, I don't regret the wait.

Of course, Apple would go down the tube if everyone emulated me. So I urge everyone else to upgrade every six months.

 

[noel4r]

like i said yesterday, here's what apple has in store for today:

 

[Kenny Pollock]

Re: Wow what a dumba**

9AM California Time is when updates would come. My friends with Apple tell me updates are VERY soon, and that today is possible.

Apple releases on Tuesdays (sometimes Thursdays), and at 9am always. This rumor is still active for one more hour.

 

[Captnroger]

I can't believe they let this milestone slip without SOMETHING. Even a friggin announcement on their site or something acknowledging the anniversary or SOMETHING.

 

[numediaman]

I don't think its an issue of updates today, or tomorrow. The whole line is way past due for updates.

Shopping online right now for a laptop to replace my Titanium Powerbook is rather revealing. Let's go to PC Mall -- a Sony Vaio, 15", 2.66 ghz P4, bus speed 533Mhz, 40 gig HD, combo optical drive = $1099. Closest Mac: iBook 14", 933 ghz, bus speed 133 mhz, 40gig HD, combo optical drive = $1299. Gee, that's a tough decision!

As an Apple customer since 1983, let's just say that I decide to wait for updates, or just buy the Mac without hesitation. That's one customer retained. But, what about others?