Help a newbie filmmaker make the switch & build a mac
Hey I'm a first time poster looking to make the switch from windows to mac. I'm a canadian university student that is getting into filmmaking and I would like to make the switch to final cut pro because I was trained on it in the summer. I travel a lot so I need something that is both powerful and portable. I see a lot ppl here wish for powerbook g5s but I doubt this will be cost effective for a student, let alone the fact that it won't be out for a while and I'd like something more immediate. I don't know how well recieved the new powerbooks are or good they are with final cut pro but on the apple store I built:
? 1GB DDR333 SDRAM - 2x512 SO-DIMMs
? 100GB Ultra ATA drive @ 5400 rpm
? 8x SuperDrive (DVD±RW/CD-RW)
? 1.67GHz PowerPC G4 w/128MB VRAM dual
? AirPort Extreme Card
? Backlit Keyboard/Mac OS - U.S. English
? ATI Mobility Radeon 9700
? 15.2-inch TFT Display
This costs 3,122.00 CAD, which is 2,521.68 USD. Is this worth it and good enough to run Final Cut Pro effectively without needing a desktop computer?
Thanks in advance
? 1GB DDR333 SDRAM - 2x512 SO-DIMMs
? 100GB Ultra ATA drive @ 5400 rpm
? 8x SuperDrive (DVD±RW/CD-RW)
? 1.67GHz PowerPC G4 w/128MB VRAM dual
? AirPort Extreme Card
? Backlit Keyboard/Mac OS - U.S. English
? ATI Mobility Radeon 9700
? 15.2-inch TFT Display
This costs 3,122.00 CAD, which is 2,521.68 USD. Is this worth it and good enough to run Final Cut Pro effectively without needing a desktop computer?
Thanks in advance
Comments
? 512MB DDR333 SDRAM - 1x512 SO-DIMM - You only have 2 ram slots. This way you can upgrade with cheaper ram when you need it.
? 80GB Ultra ATA drive @ 5400 rpm - I wouldn't edit video on the internal drive. Save the extra money to get a big external drive.
? 8x SuperDrive (DVD±RW/CD-RW)
? 1.67GHz PowerPC G4 w/128MB VRAM dual
? AirPort Extreme Card
? Backlit Keyboard/Mac OS - U.S. English
? ATI Mobility Radeon 9700
? 15.2-inch TFT Display
[edit] Haha, at least we're consistent with our advice, Ebby.
Originally posted by Ebby
Things in bold I would change:
? 1GB DDR333 SDRAM - 1x512 SO-DIMM - You only have 2 ram slots. This way you can upgrade with cheaper ram when you need it.
? 80GB Ultra ATA drive @ 5400 rpm - I wouldn't edit video on the internal drive. Save the extra money to get a big external drive.
? 8x SuperDrive (DVD±RW/CD-RW)
? 1.67GHz PowerPC G4 w/128MB VRAM dual
? AirPort Extreme Card
? Backlit Keyboard/Mac OS - U.S. English
? ATI Mobility Radeon 9700
? 15.2-inch TFT Display
i back his suggestions 100%
You can easily find a 200 GB external hard drive for $200.
If you're on budget you can do much better.
$200GB bare ATA100/133 drive ~$110
Firewire 3.5'' drive enclosure ~$35
Done! :-)
? 8x SuperDrive (DVD±RW/CD-RW)
? 1.67GHz PowerPC G4 w/128MB VRAM dual
? AirPort Extreme Card
? Backlit Keyboard/Mac OS - U.S. English
? ATI Mobility Radeon 9700
? 15.2-inch TFT Display
I just bought this exact config but with 512 RAM + a 1 GB DIMM from newegg. $200 for the 1GB (tax/S&H incl.), + the 512 included with the PB leaves me with 1.5 GB instead of the $350 Apple's gonna charge you leaving you with just 1 GB.
See this post however in case you're thinking about swapping batteries while the machine's asleep.
--B
Originally posted by filmmaker2002
Stick with the 100GB internal drive. The Production Suite alone takes up a good 30-40GB. Trust me, I know. Add in photos, music, and random other applications and movies and you're getting short on drive space. I just ordered a 15" 1.67Ghz, 100GB HD, 128MB 9700, 1x512 MB RAM (plus 1GB stick from Kingston). I already have 4x250GB Lacie FW800 drives for my footage as well as a portable Hitachi 60GB 7200RPM hard drive that powers off of FW800 I use for scratch disks occasionally. You have a goo dsetup, stick with that.
production suite does NOT take up 30-40 GB. Trust me, I would know.