The current display pricing is a major problem, especially without a lower priced 17" display. Even this new SP G5 isn't a good deal unless you have your own display.
Just a reinforcement of Apple's policy that if you're not a "pro" with "lots of money" the only Mac they want you to have is an all-in-one. I can't understand it, but they sell lots of iBooks that way.
That's not that far away. What do you expect to see at MWSF?
I think PowerMac will be there. Maybe the Powerbook as well.
What do you think, or hope for?
What I think?
Chances are high for the PowerBook G5 intro, but it very well may not be for the entire line. There's a chance in my mind that the 12-inch model may have a bumped G4 processor instead, leaving the 64-bit processors to the larger models.
Chances are also fair to high for another iBook G4 revision, especially if I'm wrong and the PowerBook 12-incher moves to the G5 processor. It may become CoreImage-compliant, but that may very well happen sometime after MacWorld SF.
It's also reasonable to see some sort of Power Mac G5 revision. Probably some speed bumps.
What I hope for?
Considering the rumors of the eMac G5, it may happen here, if not soon after.
Hopefully a good iMac revision that offers better graphics cards and CPU speed bumps, but that depends on the PMG5's near-term future. Maybe starting at 1.8 ghz and going to 2.0 ghz and 128 mb GPUs as standard or optional depending on "trim," using the current line as a good guide for this. That may also want to bump the standard RAM for all models starting with the iMac G5 to 512, leaving the iBook and eMac at 256 standard. Prices should be unchanged.
Going back to the PMG5, hopefully a better bus speed for the single-processor model, and maybe a bump to 2.0 ghz there. Better RAM and better graphics cards should well be standard for this line.
well, i'm not sure what processors the discreet systems use, but i've never seen any pro house use a windows pc for work related to post (ironically enough i used to work on microsoft's advertising). 3d animators probably do, but for compositing, color correction or anything else of that nature, the machines are purpose-built with perhaps a render rack out back. editing is still done on macs since of the 10 or so edit places i've been in the past couple years i've not seen one windows machine. if by highend workstation you mean solely 3d work, then yes, i'd agree. but again, i personally have never seen windows used any any form of production or post production (including the 3d animators i've worked with).
[caveat] some web designers and flash designers use windows. but they're even lower end than print photography retouching on processing power. [/caveat]
I wasn't trying to specify a windows PC. Just a stereotypical PC = Non PPC processor powered machine.
But what editing are you referring to - In film? Maybe at Pixar, (do we need to wonder why?) but I don't think you'll see ILM, Weta Digital, or Dreamworks using a PowerMac to edit their films. The last I saw ILM was still very pleased using Avid which is no longer being updated for the Mac.
I can only think of 2 big films that used FCP (which would constitute a mac being used.) Cold Mountain, and possibly Sky Captain.
It's pretty much the same with animation. None of the big 3 are using them for that either - I'm fairly sure of it. Think about it. Your talking about hyper realistic 3D animation here. As in using a Mac to animate Keanu Reeves vs. 150+ smiths in Matrix revolutions? I'd love to see that happen, but I find it hard to believe a Mac would have been the best choice for that job. Animating the rigs wouldn't be that bad, (well it would once it got crowded) but turning the visibility on your models to check your work would be sooo slow. And that's just default shading. I'm not saying it couldn't be done, but it's a poor choice none the less. There is a work around for everything, (believe me I use a Mac - therefore - I know them all) but the point is the machine comparatively isn't built to do it well at this stage in it's current state. Which is why I keep saying it's not a truely capable DCC workstation class computer. But I also keep stressing It just needs a few areas tweaked a bit, and it's pretty damn good to go. I'll admit it has power, but it's seems like it's leaking out somewhere, or something. And what power it does have is not where it's mostly needed for this kind of work. Not yet anyway, but I hope Apple can remedy the problem.
I imagine Tiger with Core Image, Core Video, and OGL 2.0 is going to be something spectacular for Apple when it comes to graphics power. (If they ever figure out, and fix their problems with OGL) Especially after Apple said they would be leveraging the GPU in ways they never had before. (or something of that nature).
I think Apple will have a 2x PCI-E SLI configuration on hand to demonstrate just how kick@ss of a job they have done with this side by side with a Powerhouse SLI Quadro equipped PC. It's going to blow it away beyond what Altivec did.
Think about it - What is the alternative? Do a demo against a non top of the line PC? I don't see that happening. I do see a 2x PCI-E slotted PowerMac coming soon. That does not mean all PowerMacs will come with dual GFX cards, but I'm having a hard time believing them using a second motherboard. That would essentially split the PowerMac line. As much of a good idea as I think that is - I don't think they will do it.
I do not believe they will have this ready by MWSF. They will introduce a new PowerMac when they announce a ship date, or demonstrate a fully working version of Tiger.
Here is the kicker. If there is no PowerMac update at MWSF I would count on a big time PowerMac update with Tiger. It only seems to fit. That may be why they put the 1.8 SP configuration into the lineup. To constitute a revision of the line so it does not seem like it has been unattended on paper.
i never meant to imply that 3d animators were using macs. i was just saying that the ones i've worked with haven't used windows pc's either. they're specially built machines.
and every edit suite i've ever been in is still using avid on macs. in fact, i believe avid had to recant their discontinuation of mac updates because all of the editors basically told them to go pound dirt if they discontinued the mac version of avid. i know of movies being cut on macs. maybe two years ago the editor i was working with was concurrently making editing changes on "panic room" and he used macs all throughout his whole company.
i PERSONALLY have NEVER seen a professional edit suite with a windows machine or anything other than a mac really. while i haven't been in the studio quite as often as i have been, i've still probably spent at least a month in edit in the past year.
Comments
Originally posted by imacFP
The current display pricing is a major problem, especially without a lower priced 17" display. Even this new SP G5 isn't a good deal unless you have your own display.
Just a reinforcement of Apple's policy that if you're not a "pro" with "lots of money" the only Mac they want you to have is an all-in-one. I can't understand it, but they sell lots of iBooks that way.
Originally posted by onlooker
No it's not too early.
2 months 15 days. 2 &1/2 months.
That's not that far away. What do you expect to see at MWSF?
I think PowerMac will be there. Maybe the Powerbook as well.
What do you think, or hope for?
What I think?
Chances are high for the PowerBook G5 intro, but it very well may not be for the entire line. There's a chance in my mind that the 12-inch model may have a bumped G4 processor instead, leaving the 64-bit processors to the larger models.
Chances are also fair to high for another iBook G4 revision, especially if I'm wrong and the PowerBook 12-incher moves to the G5 processor. It may become CoreImage-compliant, but that may very well happen sometime after MacWorld SF.
It's also reasonable to see some sort of Power Mac G5 revision. Probably some speed bumps.
What I hope for?
Considering the rumors of the eMac G5, it may happen here, if not soon after.
Hopefully a good iMac revision that offers better graphics cards and CPU speed bumps, but that depends on the PMG5's near-term future. Maybe starting at 1.8 ghz and going to 2.0 ghz and 128 mb GPUs as standard or optional depending on "trim," using the current line as a good guide for this. That may also want to bump the standard RAM for all models starting with the iMac G5 to 512, leaving the iBook and eMac at 256 standard. Prices should be unchanged.
Going back to the PMG5, hopefully a better bus speed for the single-processor model, and maybe a bump to 2.0 ghz there. Better RAM and better graphics cards should well be standard for this line.
Originally posted by admactanium
well, i'm not sure what processors the discreet systems use, but i've never seen any pro house use a windows pc for work related to post (ironically enough i used to work on microsoft's advertising). 3d animators probably do, but for compositing, color correction or anything else of that nature, the machines are purpose-built with perhaps a render rack out back. editing is still done on macs since of the 10 or so edit places i've been in the past couple years i've not seen one windows machine. if by highend workstation you mean solely 3d work, then yes, i'd agree. but again, i personally have never seen windows used any any form of production or post production (including the 3d animators i've worked with).
[caveat] some web designers and flash designers use windows. but they're even lower end than print photography retouching on processing power. [/caveat]
I wasn't trying to specify a windows PC. Just a stereotypical PC = Non PPC processor powered machine.
But what editing are you referring to - In film? Maybe at Pixar, (do we need to wonder why?) but I don't think you'll see ILM, Weta Digital, or Dreamworks using a PowerMac to edit their films. The last I saw ILM was still very pleased using Avid which is no longer being updated for the Mac.
I can only think of 2 big films that used FCP (which would constitute a mac being used.) Cold Mountain, and possibly Sky Captain.
It's pretty much the same with animation. None of the big 3 are using them for that either - I'm fairly sure of it. Think about it. Your talking about hyper realistic 3D animation here. As in using a Mac to animate Keanu Reeves vs. 150+ smiths in Matrix revolutions? I'd love to see that happen, but I find it hard to believe a Mac would have been the best choice for that job. Animating the rigs wouldn't be that bad, (well it would once it got crowded) but turning the visibility on your models to check your work would be sooo slow. And that's just default shading. I'm not saying it couldn't be done, but it's a poor choice none the less. There is a work around for everything, (believe me I use a Mac - therefore - I know them all) but the point is the machine comparatively isn't built to do it well at this stage in it's current state. Which is why I keep saying it's not a truely capable DCC workstation class computer. But I also keep stressing It just needs a few areas tweaked a bit, and it's pretty damn good to go. I'll admit it has power, but it's seems like it's leaking out somewhere, or something. And what power it does have is not where it's mostly needed for this kind of work. Not yet anyway, but I hope Apple can remedy the problem.
I imagine Tiger with Core Image, Core Video, and OGL 2.0 is going to be something spectacular for Apple when it comes to graphics power. (If they ever figure out, and fix their problems with OGL) Especially after Apple said they would be leveraging the GPU in ways they never had before. (or something of that nature).
I think Apple will have a 2x PCI-E SLI configuration on hand to demonstrate just how kick@ss of a job they have done with this side by side with a Powerhouse SLI Quadro equipped PC. It's going to blow it away beyond what Altivec did.
Think about it - What is the alternative? Do a demo against a non top of the line PC? I don't see that happening. I do see a 2x PCI-E slotted PowerMac coming soon. That does not mean all PowerMacs will come with dual GFX cards, but I'm having a hard time believing them using a second motherboard. That would essentially split the PowerMac line. As much of a good idea as I think that is - I don't think they will do it.
I do not believe they will have this ready by MWSF. They will introduce a new PowerMac when they announce a ship date, or demonstrate a fully working version of Tiger.
Here is the kicker. If there is no PowerMac update at MWSF I would count on a big time PowerMac update with Tiger. It only seems to fit. That may be why they put the 1.8 SP configuration into the lineup. To constitute a revision of the line so it does not seem like it has been unattended on paper.
Here is my updated signature:
~ONLOOKER ~ ~ ~ BIG LONG RANTS ARE MY SPECIALTY.
and every edit suite i've ever been in is still using avid on macs. in fact, i believe avid had to recant their discontinuation of mac updates because all of the editors basically told them to go pound dirt if they discontinued the mac version of avid. i know of movies being cut on macs. maybe two years ago the editor i was working with was concurrently making editing changes on "panic room" and he used macs all throughout his whole company.
i PERSONALLY have NEVER seen a professional edit suite with a windows machine or anything other than a mac really. while i haven't been in the studio quite as often as i have been, i've still probably spent at least a month in edit in the past year.