i feel i need to explain first...i currently use a 500mhz with 256mb of ram machine [windoze] to edit video...it.s slow but it does the job...i render overnight and it.s done. i.m looking to swtich to a mac...MONEY IS AN ISSUE! I.m a college student paying for art school, i can.t afford a PB at all. I want to use FCExpress...i only need to do elemenatry editing...i don.t make sci-fi flicks, i don.t make anything complicated, i tell stories and will need to edit together a few scenes...that.s it [think like a woody allen film...that kind of editing]...so i don.t need a FAST computer to render layers upon layers of effects, i just need to capture, edit, and mess with the soundtrack...i have an external DVD burner so the combo drive on the ibook isn.t a problem....the system i.m looking at is the 1ghz model with 640mb ram and airport built in...my question is how fast is that? i.m perfectly content with how editing is on my 500mhz windoze machine...so i don.t need G5 power...i.m just asking if FCExpress is okay to use with an ibook...or if the program itself will be slow [i don.t care about rendering times but if programs TAKE FOREVER to load, that is what pisses me off] i don.t want to click on itunes and seven mins. later for it to pop up [my current situation]...so how fast is the ibook? a lot of questions, i know, and i.m sorry...any help would be great!
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ibook for video
- Thread starter atacinus
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a little more info
perhaps if you could compare general ibook performance to a 1ghz imac [which i have used] or a 1.25ghz powermac g4 [i have also used] both of those only had 256mb of ram though compared with the 640 i will get in the ibook...
Thanks,
Christien
perhaps if you could compare general ibook performance to a 1ghz imac [which i have used] or a 1.25ghz powermac g4 [i have also used] both of those only had 256mb of ram though compared with the 640 i will get in the ibook...
Thanks,
Christien
it will be a TON faster than your pc thats for sure. i switched from a 500mhz p3 to a 700mhz g3 ibook...now with the g4s out they're probably a LOT LOT faster.
is a laptop a must?
the ram is definitely needed, i have full. if your getting full ram then the progams should load up just fine as long as your loading a few up at a time...for instance if your rendering some stuff in fcexpress and then you decide to click on itunes then of course it'll take awhile...but if you have a broswer, mail chat and stuff open then opening a program like itunes will take...well actually let me test...
about 3 seconds...and i have a big audio program open too. so yeah, a new g4 one will do even better...plus its got other small upgrades under the hood that mine doesn't have. all in all an ibook is a great buy...you'll be happy, but like i said before the full ram is almost a must, it helps a ton
is a laptop a must?
the ram is definitely needed, i have full. if your getting full ram then the progams should load up just fine as long as your loading a few up at a time...for instance if your rendering some stuff in fcexpress and then you decide to click on itunes then of course it'll take awhile...but if you have a broswer, mail chat and stuff open then opening a program like itunes will take...well actually let me test...
about 3 seconds...and i have a big audio program open too. so yeah, a new g4 one will do even better...plus its got other small upgrades under the hood that mine doesn't have. all in all an ibook is a great buy...you'll be happy, but like i said before the full ram is almost a must, it helps a ton
just check and compared the new ibooks to mine...its going to be a lot faster than mine...first of all its got much much faster ram, also a faster system bus, a much much faster video card...and of course the g4
one thing though...if you were planning on using idvd..i'm not sure it works with the ibook...?? anyone know? maybe now that its a g4 there support for that maybe...
one thing though...if you were planning on using idvd..i'm not sure it works with the ibook...?? anyone know? maybe now that its a g4 there support for that maybe...
first off all, thanks for the info! and to answer your question, it doesn.t have to be a laptop...i actually in some ways prefer the imacs or powermag g4...BUT i live in NYC and we have wireless hotspots all over town, i would feel like i was missing out with a desktop system...i think i.m going to go to the soho store tommorow and try out the ibook for myself...once again, thanks...and any more opinions on an ibook would be great from you or really anyone who.s got one...
Thanks,
Christien
Thanks,
Christien
sorry one more question
sorry, but i do have one more question...regarding speakers...i know the built in speakers aren.t going to be that good...but i take it the new ibook does not support the apple pro speakers? in this case...what do you recommend i get? keep in mind a larger part of going apple is the style so i don.t want some junky creative lab speakers...what is something that would mesh with the ibook [i really wish the apple pro speakers would...I LOVE THEM]
oh, and does the headphone jack provide good sound?
Thanks,
Christien
sorry, but i do have one more question...regarding speakers...i know the built in speakers aren.t going to be that good...but i take it the new ibook does not support the apple pro speakers? in this case...what do you recommend i get? keep in mind a larger part of going apple is the style so i don.t want some junky creative lab speakers...what is something that would mesh with the ibook [i really wish the apple pro speakers would...I LOVE THEM]
oh, and does the headphone jack provide good sound?
Thanks,
Christien
yeah the speakers do suck..there really no point in using them for anything but alerts and the like
my outlook on audio is probably a bit different than yours...
most of the time i have my audio running through a motu828 recording system to a pair of speakers...cause i use my mac for recording. so unfortunately as far as specific computer speakers i wouldn't really know whats good.
also the headphone jack provides sound just fine. i'm sure audiophiles would have somthing to say about that, but for regular listening its as good as anything.
also i thought i'd comment that having the laptop is awesome. would you go for 12 inch or 14? i personally like the 12 a lot, as long as you don't mind things a bit small. i'm a little frustrated that the faster processor isn't in the 12 inch but i'd still get it over the 14 personally...it just seems right carrying it around wherever you go.
my outlook on audio is probably a bit different than yours...
most of the time i have my audio running through a motu828 recording system to a pair of speakers...cause i use my mac for recording. so unfortunately as far as specific computer speakers i wouldn't really know whats good.
also the headphone jack provides sound just fine. i'm sure audiophiles would have somthing to say about that, but for regular listening its as good as anything.
also i thought i'd comment that having the laptop is awesome. would you go for 12 inch or 14? i personally like the 12 a lot, as long as you don't mind things a bit small. i'm a little frustrated that the faster processor isn't in the 12 inch but i'd still get it over the 14 personally...it just seems right carrying it around wherever you go.
Editing best with a G4
I have a 700MHz G3 iBook, which is great for iPhoto, iTunes and Toast
I ONLY edit on my G4 dual 1GHz with 1.5GB Ram. AltiVec and the dual chips scream for editing FCP3 or iMovie, and the internal SuperDrive burns DVD.
Without a SuperDrive, doubt any iBook can use iDVD to burn to external DVD burner. For the money, a used Dual 1GHz G4 or higher would really serve you well for editing. Shuttle Pro and/or Kensington Expert Mouse with scrool / shuttle ring is great. 20" CRTs are under $100 reconditioned, and that's a lot more real estate than any 12 or 14 inch. www.macattorney.com
Buy FinalCut Express (big discount) with new G4, or download Avid's new FREE DV editor at www.avid.com
Yes with maxed out RAM a G4 iBook will handle editing, but even the 14" is a small screen and you really need a couple gigs of RAM for efficient editing / rendering.
I have a 700MHz G3 iBook, which is great for iPhoto, iTunes and Toast
I ONLY edit on my G4 dual 1GHz with 1.5GB Ram. AltiVec and the dual chips scream for editing FCP3 or iMovie, and the internal SuperDrive burns DVD.
Without a SuperDrive, doubt any iBook can use iDVD to burn to external DVD burner. For the money, a used Dual 1GHz G4 or higher would really serve you well for editing. Shuttle Pro and/or Kensington Expert Mouse with scrool / shuttle ring is great. 20" CRTs are under $100 reconditioned, and that's a lot more real estate than any 12 or 14 inch. www.macattorney.com
Buy FinalCut Express (big discount) with new G4, or download Avid's new FREE DV editor at www.avid.com
Yes with maxed out RAM a G4 iBook will handle editing, but even the 14" is a small screen and you really need a couple gigs of RAM for efficient editing / rendering.
i know i would be better off rendering et all with a dual system...but like i said in nyc, a laptop can do SO much more...i just needed to know if it could work [at the same or better than my current P3 500mhz 256ram system] which was pretty much a resouding yes.
my last [i hope] question before i place my order is this: only one firewire port...i already have an iPod, and will plug that with it.s dock station in permanetly [when i.m not on the net in bryant park ] but if i want to connect my dv camera, i.ll need to unplug it...so i.m wondering about hubs...if i were to buy a firewire hub, and keep my iPod plugged in would it still be powered [i.e. charge it] and could i use the hub with the camera? i wouldn.t be more prone to dropped frames would i?
Anyway, thanks again to everyone...i think i.m going to waltz into that apple store and plunk down my credit card tommorow!
Christien
my last [i hope] question before i place my order is this: only one firewire port...i already have an iPod, and will plug that with it.s dock station in permanetly [when i.m not on the net in bryant park
] but if i want to connect my dv camera, i.ll need to unplug it...so i.m wondering about hubs...if i were to buy a firewire hub, and keep my iPod plugged in would it still be powered [i.e. charge it] and could i use the hub with the camera? i wouldn.t be more prone to dropped frames would i? Anyway, thanks again to everyone...i think i.m going to waltz into that apple store and plunk down my credit card tommorow!
Christien
Don't worry about the screen res. I use Final Cut Express casually on my new PowerBook 12" 1 GHz and it does the job (although I do have the option to use an external monitor at higher res if I can ever afford one - I like the look of the Formac displays).
In some tasks my rendering is a little slow but it is not too bad most of the time (couple of minutes or so for 30 secs footage). I would recommend upping the RAM is FCE hogs it all. It's fine on my 256MB I'm running at the mo but I'm soon going to get a 512MB module to sit in there.
My main pet hate with FCE is that it doesn't recognise AAC sound files so I can't readily add music from iTunes, yet iMovie can. Update please Apple!
iBook will be a little slower than the PB (especially with half the L2 cache) but at least it's G4 now so you'll have alti-vec! Just remember that desktops are more capable at video. My PB 12" is perfect for me and runs everything well, but a Dual 1.25 G4 is about the same price and would probably scream...
In some tasks my rendering is a little slow but it is not too bad most of the time (couple of minutes or so for 30 secs footage). I would recommend upping the RAM is FCE hogs it all. It's fine on my 256MB I'm running at the mo but I'm soon going to get a 512MB module to sit in there.
My main pet hate with FCE is that it doesn't recognise AAC sound files so I can't readily add music from iTunes, yet iMovie can. Update please Apple!
iBook will be a little slower than the PB (especially with half the L2 cache) but at least it's G4 now so you'll have alti-vec! Just remember that desktops are more capable at video. My PB 12" is perfect for me and runs everything well, but a Dual 1.25 G4 is about the same price and would probably scream...
Re: ibook for video
Hi,
just two comments: You should know that iDVD will not support your external DVD burner. At least not right away. It will not even install on the iBook. Maybe there are ways around it - none at least I know about. Maybe burning your DVDs with an external drive can be done with Toast 6, but I don't know if this works as well. If so you have to purchase it.
I am using my iBook 900Mhz G3 with iMovie to edit movies and it works quite well. It renders in the background.
The G4 iBook should be fast enough.
Another thing : as you know - you need a huge harddrive. External or internal. But movies need a lot space.
Have fun
CmdrLaForge
Hi,
just two comments: You should know that iDVD will not support your external DVD burner. At least not right away. It will not even install on the iBook. Maybe there are ways around it - none at least I know about. Maybe burning your DVDs with an external drive can be done with Toast 6, but I don't know if this works as well. If so you have to purchase it.
I am using my iBook 900Mhz G3 with iMovie to edit movies and it works quite well. It renders in the background.
The G4 iBook should be fast enough.
Another thing : as you know - you need a huge harddrive. External or internal. But movies need a lot space.
Have fun
CmdrLaForge
i havn't used a firewire hub...i'm sure they'd work fine though. is your video camera chainable? i doubt it but its worth a shot to ask.
i wish the ipod was chainable, that one of the best things about firewire and apple didn't implement it into its best selling product!
i wish the ipod was chainable, that one of the best things about firewire and apple didn't implement it into its best selling product!
Re: sorry one more question
The question is, how much of an audiophile are you? Griffin produces the iFire which is a Firewire audio amp
http://www.griffintechnology.com/
With that you can run the Apple Pro Speakers, but really, is that what you want? There are tons of 2.1 CH audio stuff out there. Anything will work as long as it's got an amp.
The question is, how much of an audiophile are you? Griffin produces the iFire which is a Firewire audio amp
http://www.griffintechnology.com/
With that you can run the Apple Pro Speakers, but really, is that what you want? There are tons of 2.1 CH audio stuff out there. Anything will work as long as it's got an amp.
hi atacinus
if the "apple look" is what you're after, I recommend the following setup: Griffin iFire, Apple Pro Speakers and Harman Kardon iSub.
You'll need a FireWire repeater/hub though, because the iFire, your iPod and a DV camera will all need their ports.
The great advantage a repeater/hub has over chaining FireWire devices is you don't need all the devices in between to be switched on. I got lucky and picked up one of these brand new for $20 (including shipping) off eBay and it's great.
You'll need to use eBay to find an iSub because they're discontinued. There's a sort of flood of refurbished iSubs and Soundsticks on eBay.
For video editing, iFire+Apple Pro Speakers+iSub will be better than Soundsticks. That's my experience anyway because I own all those pieces. Soundsticks tax your system more than the iSub (the former works your system harder than the latter). With Soundsticks you're at higher risk for USB audio idiosyncrasies (popping, distorting and other strange noises). The Apple Pro Speakers+iSub work together great with the Griffin iFire because you're still using the built-in audio controller (through the headphones jack), and not sending everything out over USB.
I've used my iBook 700 G3 to edit three movies at about an hour or more each in duration. If you'd like to edit your movies wherever you go, without dragging along your external hard drive(s), I would recommend getting Final Cut Pro. FCP has OfflineRT, which enabled me to edit those full-length movies on the iBook, and re-assemble them later in full-quality DV for finishing. I do my final renders and DVD authoring on an eMac.
iDVD will install and run on an iBook G4. iDVD will run on any G4 or G5, not just Superdrive-equipped Macs. This has been the case since the last iDVD dot-update (3.1, I think). You won't be able to burn to an external drive, but you will be able to export your project file to a Superdrive-equipped Mac and burn it from there. You may need your movie files too... so the solution to this is, put the iDVD project file on an external FireWire hard drive along with all the movies in the DVD you're making. Connect the drive to one of the Macs at school, and burn your DVDs.
if the "apple look" is what you're after, I recommend the following setup: Griffin iFire, Apple Pro Speakers and Harman Kardon iSub.
You'll need a FireWire repeater/hub though, because the iFire, your iPod and a DV camera will all need their ports.
The great advantage a repeater/hub has over chaining FireWire devices is you don't need all the devices in between to be switched on. I got lucky and picked up one of these brand new for $20 (including shipping) off eBay and it's great.
You'll need to use eBay to find an iSub because they're discontinued. There's a sort of flood of refurbished iSubs and Soundsticks on eBay.
For video editing, iFire+Apple Pro Speakers+iSub will be better than Soundsticks. That's my experience anyway because I own all those pieces. Soundsticks tax your system more than the iSub (the former works your system harder than the latter). With Soundsticks you're at higher risk for USB audio idiosyncrasies (popping, distorting and other strange noises). The Apple Pro Speakers+iSub work together great with the Griffin iFire because you're still using the built-in audio controller (through the headphones jack), and not sending everything out over USB.
I've used my iBook 700 G3 to edit three movies at about an hour or more each in duration. If you'd like to edit your movies wherever you go, without dragging along your external hard drive(s), I would recommend getting Final Cut Pro. FCP has OfflineRT, which enabled me to edit those full-length movies on the iBook, and re-assemble them later in full-quality DV for finishing. I do my final renders and DVD authoring on an eMac.
iDVD will install and run on an iBook G4. iDVD will run on any G4 or G5, not just Superdrive-equipped Macs. This has been the case since the last iDVD dot-update (3.1, I think). You won't be able to burn to an external drive, but you will be able to export your project file to a Superdrive-equipped Mac and burn it from there. You may need your movie files too... so the solution to this is, put the iDVD project file on an external FireWire hard drive along with all the movies in the DVD you're making. Connect the drive to one of the Macs at school, and burn your DVDs.