Need advice on a Mac for heavy video editing

[Consultant]

You can get refurb Mac Pro.

Here is an article on director Robert Rodriguez (Once Upon a Time in Mexico, Desperado, Sin City, etc) with video showing his Mac editing set up for Once Upon a Time in Mexico:
http://obamapacman.com/2009/08/dire...upon-a-time-in-mexico-compose-demo-apple-mac/

The time and headache you saved by using Apple computers can be spent on the business aspect of the project, such as promotion -> getting clients -> getting paid more.

 

[johndatserakis]

Alright guys, after reading over this thread a million times, I think I have come upon my choice. (I tried finding the best balance between Onigiri's opinion and everyone else's lol)

I will be looking for a Mac Pro with 1 quad processor and a 24" HD screen.(probably the dell that everyone is talking about)

I will be getting 1 Quad core solely because of the price difference between a Mac Pro with Dual quad cores. Dual quad cores would definitely be awesome, but it is literally $900-$1000 more then a single Quad core and I don't have that kind of money just to make it go faster. (Hopefully in the future though, as Onigiri stated.)

With a quad core, I will be able to edit any footage and pretty much do whatever I want, at the expense of speed of course. Because I don't have the best financial situation right now, speed really isn't a top priority. The ability to do is. Do you guys understand what I mean? My current computer (Pentium 4 Dual Core 2.0ghz) is holding me back. It's not even giving me a chance to partake in bigger opportunities. The quad core might not be the top of the line, but I will still have the opportunity to do anything.

I chose this over an iMac because an iMac won't be there for me when another director comes in and wants me to edit his crazy hi-def footage. I can't think about this just as a director, but as someone who is going to be given large files and be expected to manipulate them. I feel like an iMac might lag compared to a quad core Mac Pro.

Also, I'm going to be plugging in various things through PCI slots and such and will want to be able to upgrade certain parts easily. Think of this tower as my own personal business studio. Hopefully i'll be able to go more top of the line in the future! haha

Thanks for the help guys and if you have any more thoughts on my final choice let me hear them! I will also link to the computer I buy , whenever I do

 

[Shake 'n' Bake]

Nice choice. What clock speed? I'd get the 2.93 GHz.

You've really got to watch the refurb store with diligence. Right now, but not necessarily later, there's a 3.2 GHz octo and 2.66 GHz octo. Maybe out of range for you, however, there is a quad. Out of these, I'd get the 3.2 GHz; IMO, best bang for your buck.

 

[rjphoto]

The rendering & compressing times aren't to impress the clients, they are to free up your mac & program as soon as possible to cut production times & give more time to be creative, & or make more $.

Hate to disagree, but when the client is sitting in the edit suite with you, you want things to happen as fast as possible.

 

[Shake 'n' Bake]

Got a decision, OP? I don't want to sound pushy, but I've just got to know.

 

[johndatserakis]

You guys won't belive it

So, after a crazy set of events (I know, it seems like my life is full of crazy sets of events lately) I am setting up my early 2008 (built in January 2009) 2.8ghz Quad core mac pro that I bought in like new condition for $1600.

That's right, $1600.

After seeing the listing on Craigslist right after I decided I needed a quad core, I knew this was my one chance to get the best deal ever (as I've been calling it.) I guess this kid was selling it because his business was going under and he needed the money for rent or whatever. I called him at 9pm and he told me that I had until 11 to get into the city or else he was selling it to someone else. Knowing this was the deal of the century, I ran out of my house and raced downtown, just in time to pick it up. Long story short, everything worked out perfect.

2.8ghz Xeon quad core
4gb ram
320 gb
ati 2600 graphics card
bluetooth
1 wired keyboard, 1 wired mouse, and 1 wireless mouse
only a scratch or two on the case.
And, there is applecare (the original year) on it until next January.

Can you guys believe this?

I'm currently in the process of migrating all my footage. I just wiped it with Snow Leopard and it runs great. I have the 24" HP with the IPS panel coming this Tuesday. I will link to the music video when it's out, it'll be on the White House website (the band has a partnership with the white house for this cd, I know, I know, that sounds crazy too.)

Thanks for all the advice guys! How do you think I made out?

 

[rjphoto]

SCORE!!!!!!
Way to go, I guess. I have been looking for a laptop and not really checking prices on big box, but that sounds good. (Got a pretty good deal on my used MacBook, too.)

Good luck and keep up posted.

I'd like to see your other work if it is online somewhere.

 

[Umbongo]

And, there is applecare (the original year) on it until next January.

Incase you weren't aware, you can get the full 3 years coverage anytime during the first year. You can save money buy using eBay if you want. Though check the Applecare on eBay thread on here first.

 

[yoak]

Very good choice. We edit on the Octo with 10 gig of ram and it is very capable doing HD work. You'll just loose a little rendering speed, but that's ok. I sold off my Imac quickly, the only thing I miss is the screen. Good luck

 

[Shake 'n' Bake]

Nice buy.

I'd add some more RAM and four 1 TB HDDs in RAID 10, with a gigantic (in terms of capacity) external HDD for use with Time Machine.

Maybe a new GPU. If you do get one, make sure it's Open CL-compatible.

 

[jetjaguar]

this is a great thread .. I currently have a 17in mbp but i am planning on buying a mac pro for heavy editing with fcp .. but it looks like i am going to be holding off till next spring before i get one

 

[johndatserakis]

Nice buy.

I'd add some more RAM and four 1 TB HDDs in RAID 10, with a gigantic (in terms of capacity) external HDD for use with Time Machine.

Maybe a new GPU. If you do get one, make sure it's Open CL-compatible.

Yea that's what I was thinking.

this is a great thread .. I currently have a 17in mbp but i am planning on buying a mac pro for heavy editing with fcp .. but it looks like i am going to be holding off till next spring before i get one

that's cool. by then the systems are going to be sick!

Incase you weren't aware, you can get the full 3 years coverage anytime during the first year. You can save money buy using eBay if you want. Though check the Applecare on eBay thread on here first.

Yea I was thinking about doing that, does you guys all have apple care on your machines? I figure that since I have it till January I would have screened out all the parts that were bad by then.

SCORE!!!!!!
Way to go, I guess. I have been looking for a laptop and not really checking prices on big box, but that sounds good. (Got a pretty good deal on my used MacBook, too.)

Good luck and keep up posted.

I'd like to see your other work if it is online somewhere.

Here's my first short film. (just went up a couple weeks ago)

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=IY8EQxHlNCs

Here's the little synopsis blip:

Chapped Lips is a short film about an eventful love affair between a lighter and a tube of chapstick. After their owner, Fisher, goes through some love problems of his own, Lighty becomes lost. It's up to Chappy and her two closest friends, Wallet and Keys, to save him from Fisher's lighter-killing best friend, Mikey.

Very good choice. We edit on the Octo with 10 gig of ram and it is very capable doing HD work. You'll just loose a little rendering speed, but that's ok. I sold off my Imac quickly, the only thing I miss is the screen. Good luck

I know dude, that screen almost sold me! I have the hp LP2475w IPS panel coming though so it's all good.

 

[Umbongo]

Yea I was thinking about doing that, does you guys all have apple care on your machines? I figure that since I have it till January I would have screened out all the parts that were bad by then.

Doesn't work like that sadly. Logicboards or a feature of them can die at any time. That's really the part you have to worry about. They are around $700 to replace on your Mac Pro.