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The best option(s) for video editing

S

SpartanT1g3r

macrumors newbie
Original poster
Apr 7, 2009
4
0
Nashville, 7N
Hi.

I have multiple questions regarding a purchase I am about to make.

This summer, I am going to buy a computer for video editing. Currently, I wish to edit videos for Halo 3 Montages (Example 1) (Example 2) (Example 3), but I wish to become a freelance editor in the future.

Currently, I have a Macbook (white version) for school. I recently edited a small 1:23 second video for a Halo (try not to act surprised) contest, and it took nearly 6 hours to render. It was a low-definition render, and I really hated that it took so much time. Anyway, I realize that this computer is not adequate for motion graphics/video editing, so I was wondering what I should get. Keep in mind that editing in HQ/HD is a MUST. I use Photoshop, Illustrator, Bridge, After Effects, etc.

So here's the cut down version:
  1. Mac or PC? I'm leaning towards a Mac because I like the interface more and I have heard from several sources that Macs are the "artsy" computers, and getting a Mac would be best for my needs.
  2. Assuming I get a Mac, should I get an iMac or a Mac Pro?
  3. I'm also slightly undecided between Final Cut Studio and Production Premium CS3/4. I'm leaning toward CS4 because it would satisfy my Photoshop/Vector needs.
  4. Assuming that I get a form of CS, is CS4 worth the extra coin? To me, it seems like it would be because Adobe doesn't release a new Creative Suite too often, and they seem to last for a good while even after the newest version comes out.
  5. What exactly is it that speeds up render times in videos?
I think that's it for now.

I'll edit this if I think of anything else.

Thanks!

SpartanT1g3r
 
Well you cant go cheap if your taking editing seriously. At work i use premeire and at home i just killed another iMac so i got a macbook

as far as your list:
1. my pc is at work has premeire pro and all the bells and wistles but i still prefer to come home to a computer that NEVER bluescreens and i can take on location with me now. im super hesitant about ever depending on a pc at home because when something breaks and i need it fixed for a deadline no matter how much i have in the bank account, i really dont think im gonna get apple care level of service from anyone at bargain basement pc dealer. i can do my repairs myself mostly but i choose mac for stability and applecare.
2. mac pro. i personally dont need to do video all the time so i didnt need it but mac pro for sure.
3. i have never used final cute but i have been using adobe suites since the dawn on time. my employer finally heeded our please and is upgrading from cs to cs4 this year. he wanted cs3 but it is two years old and the features list is sufficient.
4. see 3.
5. i dunno. At work i have to close everything down to even open more than one adobe product at a time and today i saw 2.5 ghz/3.0ghz. i dont know what that means, the IT guys refuse to say anything is wrong with my computer but if i so much at think about outlook when premeire is open i WILL bluescreen. its painful... get a mac.

SpartanT1g3r[/QUOTE]
 
I'm reasonably sure buying a Mac Pro to edit Halo montages qualifies as a waste of money. Buy an iMac for now - if you do get into freelance editing in the future, invest in a better machine once that takes off.

As for FCS vs. CS4... I love Final Cut, and it's been a while since I used Premier, but CS4's level of integration is fantastic. The way Premier, AfterEffects, and Photoshop work together blows away what Final Cut Studio can do. And AfterEffects is a way more developed, more powerful piece of software than Motion.

If you're going to be using Photoshop anyway, you may as well go with CS4, I think.
 
Thing is, I've already got two monitors.

I've got a Diamani Duo NX2232w TV/Monitor combo and a 56 in plasma screen that I can use.

The iMac is completely self-contained, correct? Is there still a way to connect an iMac display to those?

And technically, I could use the two TV's as a dual display, right?

Both have VGA inputs.
 
You can plug a Mac Pro (or an iMac) into a TV, yes. Whether you can actually use a TV as a monitor depends on the resolution: a 52" TV is probably 1080i, which means it has 1080 lines of vertical resolution. That's less than your average 24" monitor, which will be about 1900 x 1200. Realistically, using a 52" TV as a monitor is not going to happen.

You can plug a second monitor into the iMac, too.

Before the new Pros came out, I would have said go for one. The base, quad-core configuration could be had for $1999, and for someone who already had a monitor, that represented incredible value. But now that a base Mac Pro is $500+ more than an iMac, it's no longer the case that the Pro represents good value.

A last-gen Pro from the refurb store, if there are any available, would be a good choice, though.
 
Demosthenes X said:
You can plug a Mac Pro (or an iMac) into a TV, yes. Whether you can actually use a TV as a monitor depends on the resolution: a 52" TV is probably 1080i, which means it has 1080 lines of vertical resolution. That's less than your average 24" monitor, which will be about 1900 x 1200. Realistically, using a 52" TV as a monitor is not going to happen.

You can plug a second monitor into the iMac, too.

Before the new Pros came out, I would have said go for one. The base, quad-core configuration could be had for $1999, and for someone who already had a monitor, that represented incredible value. But now that a base Mac Pro is $500+ more than an iMac, it's no longer the case that the Pro represents good value.

A last-gen Pro from the refurb store, if there are any available, would be a good choice, though.
Click to expand...

[noobquestion] So you're saying that using a larger TV would be impractical because the screen definition would be screwed up?

[/noobquestion]
 
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