Make an AMV. Buy a Powerbook.

This forum is for help with and discussion about your video hardware.

Make an AMV. Buy a Powerbook.

Postby Madzack » Thu Apr 10, 2003 3:25 am

I'm considering getting an Apple Powerbook. I'd want to know:

Is it a wise choice for making AMVs?

Is it the same thing as Mac, other than being portable?

Considering I am getting a Powerbook:
What're the recommended softwares to make an AMV?
How do you rip clips from a DVD in a Powerbook?

Is there anything else I should know about Powerbook and making AMVs?
Urushihara Satoshi is Darth Jittery!

Warp fave anime celebs into Star Wars Villains at The Star Wars Villain Name Generator
User avatar
Madzack
 
Joined: 02 Oct 2002

Postby Brad » Thu Apr 10, 2003 3:43 am

The PowerBook line is essentially just a portable G4 Macintosh (sans-Dual processors). In terms of sleakness and style, there's nothing that beats the Powerbook. And if you're gonna go all out, the <a href="http://www.apple.com/powerbook/index17.html">17" display</a> version is just breathtaking. For this laptop, power really isn't gonna be a problem. In most real world computing scenarios, the G4 out-performs the fastest consumer AMDs and Intel's (though I must admit I haven't seen the benchmark comparisons in a few months and AMD and Intel have put out new chips since then).

The only thing that you'll have trouble adjusting to (if youve been using Windows machines) is the new OS and new software. OS X is very functional and VERY stable (its built on BSD. Though of course, it's not exactly CRASH-PROOF, but nothing is if you're feeding it crap). Though while it may be a great OS, it's still gonna be a little hard to get used to if youre only accustomed to Windows. But, give it a few weeks, and you should be finely adjusted.

As for video software, they just released <a href="http://www.apple.com/finalcutpro/">Final Cut Pro 4</a>. Since it's brand new I can't say I've used it, but FCP 3 was friggin AWESOME. Much better than Premiere 6 in my book. And it would be safe to assume that FCP4 is even better. As for DVD ripping, here's a <a href="http://www.dawnload.net/alternative_platforms/mac_software/mac_dvd_ripping_tutorial.cfm">tutorial site</a>.

The only thing about Macs that keeps me from buying one, is the cost. I just can't justify spending that much money on a computer like that. Though if I were given one, I would be absolutely overjoyed.

Hope this helps.
User avatar
Brad
 
Joined: 20 Dec 2000
Location: Chicago, IL

Postby jbone » Thu Apr 10, 2003 6:50 am

A Powerbook is simply a tool. It is no better than a PC at doing anything in general, and you will only get out of it what you are able to put into it.

G4 processors run cooler than x86 CPUs, so you get the same CPU in a Powerbook as you do in a Mac desktop PC.

If you are used to PCs, you should use a Mac before deciding to buy one. The Apple stores have various computers around, and you should use one without a salesperson's "help." Play around on it, see if you like the interface - make sure you like it before you buy it.

(I'm quite familiar with both Macs and PCs. Many people will tell you that "you'll live the Mac once you get the hang of it," but the truth is that it's not for everyone. I prefer the PC for many reasonable reasons, not the least of which is that I've never quite loved any version of MacOS's GUI.)
"If someone feels the need to 'express' himself or herself with a huge graphical 'singature' that has nothing to do with anything, that person should reevaluate his or her reasons for needing said form of expression, possibly with the help of a licensed mental health practitioner."
User avatar
jbone
 
Joined: 12 Jan 2002
Location: DC, USA
Status: Single. (Lllladies.)

Postby TekkaRepliroid Zero » Thu Apr 10, 2003 10:42 am

Macs, after getting used to them, are simpler to use, and they have more power WITH ANYTHING INVOLVING GRAPHICS! That of course includes AMVs, and yes, FCP is definately a friendlier program than Premiere, and is at least equal to and probably surpassing the power of Premiere. One thing to remember about the Mac is that it is a taylored tool. Making it do everything, as a PC is good at, isn't easy, but what it does do it does superbly, which a PC doing everything doesn't (simply because it tries to do everything, it has to suffer some).
<i>TekkaRepliroid Zero</i>
I'll Never be the One that she Needs (first DL-able vid, ops appreciated)
"OOW, Why does it huuuuuuurt?!" - Zim
"Ooonly if you dance with meeeee" - GIR
User avatar
TekkaRepliroid Zero
 
Joined: 24 Jul 2001
Location: Mississauga, ON

Postby dwchang » Thu Apr 10, 2003 12:55 pm

AtomX wrote:In most real world computing scenarios, the G4 out-performs the fastest consumer AMDs and Intel's (though I must admit I haven't seen the benchmark comparisons in a few months and AMD and Intel have put out new chips since then).


Very untrue. First off though, let me iterate that it's very difficult to even compare Apple's architecture to that of x86, so this is really apples and oranges. However, although it hard to compare, Athlons (and Intel for that matter) have twice the frequency (yeah freq. isn't everything that's why you need to keep reading) AND a compareable (if not better) architecture.

Also, it must be noted that Apples use different programs, can't really compare Windows performance to that of OS X and so on. In fact, Windows sucks balls and if you blame that on the processor, I hate to break it to you guys, but that's more of badly implemented software (software+hardware = performance to users). I guess you could compare software that is native to both like Premiere, but at the same time they are coded and tweaked to the specific OS.

Also related, but there were rumors that Apple was going to give up on Motorolla designing there PowerPC chips (b/c it is known in the computer community they suck) and going to go with AMD or Intel processors. If they had a better processor why would they even think about this? It's obviously only a rumors, but there was enough to substantiate that they were thinking about it (like inside letters and whatnot).

As for the first question, as much as Apples aren't as "good" as their x86 counterparts, I am actually for Apples for video-editing. It is known among most professional video editors that Final Cut Pro is a FAR superior program that Premiere. It is more stable, implemented more efficiently (uses memory better, etc.) and is just plain better. If you want a machine purely for editing and can get your other things like games, etc. on a PC or don't care, go with the powerbook.
-Daniel
Newest Video: Through the Years and Far Away aka Sad Girl in Space
User avatar
dwchang
Sad Boy on Site
 
Joined: 04 Mar 2002
Location: Madison, WI

Postby Madzack » Thu Apr 10, 2003 5:36 pm

What about ripping DVDs? How do you rip clips from DVDs in a Powerbook? What kind of software?

The reason, BTW, I ask about the Powerbook is that I already own a PC and it'll be quite a waste of space, if not money, to buy a total Mac. Besides, my room is too small for another PC.
Urushihara Satoshi is Darth Jittery!

Warp fave anime celebs into Star Wars Villains at The Star Wars Villain Name Generator
User avatar
Madzack
 
Joined: 02 Oct 2002

Postby TommyRude » Thu Apr 10, 2003 6:35 pm

From my own experience on the subject, I think that while Mac's are betta' for comercial video production an' editing original video, their' not nearly as good for AMVs since a lotta the tools that make AMVing so cool on PC jus' aren' available.
Also, unless you got a ton of cash or a hookup for Mac software, y'gonna be stuck wit I-Movie, which isn' a whole lot betta, than Windows Movie Maker.
I could be wrong, maybe there are DVD rippers an' mpeg2 compatable frameservers for mac, but I haven' heard of any. An' Premiere's native mpeg2 support sucks even on the mac version.
"I see no reason to have patience wit morons..."
"Have I mentioned how much I loathe fangirls?"
Master of the 30 second bumper.
a-m-v.org's resident asshole and thinly veiled Eminem ripoff.
User avatar
TommyRude
 
Joined: 25 May 2001
Location: Riverside Ca

Postby the Black Monarch » Thu Apr 10, 2003 7:18 pm

I have used iMovie, and it has things that even Premiere doesn't have. I can't imagine what Final Cut Pro is like.

That having been said, Apple's stuff is horribly overpriced, and for the cost of a Powerbook, you could get twice as much computing power in a PC.

Perhaps the biggest issue is that EADFAG is written from a PC perspective, and Mac users might be SOL in a few places.
The only .org member to donate $1,500 and still have a donation status of "total leech"
User avatar
the Black Monarch
 
Joined: 09 Jul 2002
Location: The Stellar Converter on Meklon IV

Postby NME » Thu Apr 10, 2003 8:36 pm

Zerophite quote: "A widescreen flat Mac monitor. It's like seeing Jesus... naked!"

I was with him, sitting, eating pizza when he said it at a pizza hut. Pork products shot out of my nose and hit pie in the eye.
nil per os
NME
 
Joined: 13 Jul 2001
Location: Far Country
Status: nauseating bliss

Postby madmallard » Fri Apr 11, 2003 12:11 pm

aesthetics are more paramount to a mac product than overall functionality. products usually prioritise from what i can tell:

1:uniqueness and exclusive-ness
2:visual appeal
3:useability
4:stability
5:performance

as opposed to pc tech:

1:faster
2:cheaper
3:bigger
4:more efficient
5: repeat 1

--

now that being said. . .arent the g4s still similar to PCs in overall implementations?

Like i heard their core bus speed is still a single data rate 133mhz for the newest, and been 66 for a long time before that. . .and g4 dont have much cache at all.
User avatar
madmallard
 
Joined: 04 Aug 2001
Location: Atlanta, GA
Status: Cracked up quacker, quacked up cracker

Postby dwchang » Fri Apr 11, 2003 2:11 pm

sixstop wrote:now that being said. . .arent the g4s still similar to PCs in overall implementations?


x86 != PowerPC

Very different architectures. Maybe if you stretch you could say that...we both have FPUs...we both have ALUs...we both have..err...regiesters?....etc.
-Daniel
Newest Video: Through the Years and Far Away aka Sad Girl in Space
User avatar
dwchang
Sad Boy on Site
 
Joined: 04 Mar 2002
Location: Madison, WI

Postby spav » Fri Apr 11, 2003 3:19 pm

sixstop wrote:now that being said. . .arent the g4s still similar to PCs in overall implementations?

Like i heard their core bus speed is still a single data rate 133mhz for the newest, and been 66 for a long time before that. . .and g4 dont have much cache at all.


Keep in mind that the bus speeds of both PC and Mac are there to maintain compatibility with everything else except the processor. The processor has to communicate with the PCI bus and all the other peripherals like your hard drive and other goodies. Thats why clock speeds of processors are multiples of the bus speed. In essence they have to talk slower to the PCI and other peripherals. CPUs can talk directly to memory at full speed and AGP using the nortbridge controller. After that they use the Southbridge at bus speed to do everything else.

DDR is basically full duplex bus communication. And DDR is used in all new Apple hardware. At least everything 1Ghz or above. Also if you're looking at the Powerbook...the 15" models are due a for an update soon, I'd wait a bit if I were you.

This is all set to change. Intel's implementation of PCI-X and Apple/AMD's hypertransport is gonna make all this a moot point.

At this point Apple appears to be dumping motoroloa for IBM's Power PC 970. Speeds start at 1.8Ghz and the real kicker is it's a 64bit chip. Compared to all the 32-bit flavors out there.

It's all a matter of what you want to do. I just got here (hence the low post count) but damn...I didn't buy my mac for AMVs, but I will squeeze every drop of what I can get from it to make a few.
spav
 
Joined: 26 Mar 2003
Location: Cleveland, OH

Postby dwchang » Fri Apr 11, 2003 3:57 pm

spav wrote:This is all set to change. Intel's implementation of PCI-X and Apple/AMD's hypertransport is gonna make all this a moot point.


Ooh he says the magical "H" word :). You obviously know what you're talking about or at least keep us since you know about HyperTransport..although any technical site could tell you all that.

spav wrote:At this point Apple appears to be dumping motoroloa for IBM's Power PC 970. Speeds start at 1.8Ghz and the real kicker is it's a 64bit chip. Compared to all the 32-bit flavors out there.


Yup. That appears to be true as well. Would've been nice if they picked us instead :(.
-Daniel
Newest Video: Through the Years and Far Away aka Sad Girl in Space
User avatar
dwchang
Sad Boy on Site
 
Joined: 04 Mar 2002
Location: Madison, WI

Postby spav » Fri Apr 11, 2003 4:27 pm

dwchang wrote:Ooh he says the magical "H" word :). You obviously know what you're talking about or at least keep us since you know about HyperTransport..although any technical site could tell you all that.


I'd like to know more about Hypertransport...I haven't seen much in a while...My awareness is that it's just a new way of talking to peripherals effectively replacing PCI. But...Intel goes it's own way with PCI-X...so how is AMD going to go about this? I would expect you would know :D I don't claim to be the all-knowing hardware guru...although my friends treat me that way, I'm always open to being told that I'm wrong.

dwchang wrote:Yup. That appears to be true as well. Would've been nice if they picked us instead :(.


I think Apple would go intel compatible sometime in the future. But I don't think they can make that switch that quickly due to the codebase being written for PowerPC. The thing to remember is that kernels can be recompiled along with the rest of the OS in a minimum of time. Being on a more standardized platform helps. Which is why it's easy enough for them to move to 64-bit. It should be almost as easy...granted more tweaking would be necessary to go to Intel compatible.

What Apple will do though is probably make is possible to use those processors but still lock the hardware to their machines, making cloning more difficult, but not impossible. I'd like to see that happen...and truthfully...settle on AMD. I think that would be the most cost effective, and better choice. And if they have hypertransport running already, then it's really a no-brainer...so give it some time.
spav
 
Joined: 26 Mar 2003
Location: Cleveland, OH

Postby dwchang » Fri Apr 11, 2003 4:41 pm

spav wrote:
dwchang wrote:Ooh he says the magical "H" word :). You obviously know what you're talking about or at least keep us since you know about HyperTransport..although any technical site could tell you all that.


I'd like to know more about Hypertransport...I haven't seen much in a while...My awareness is that it's just a new way of talking to peripherals effectively replacing PCI. But...Intel goes it's own way with PCI-X...so how is AMD going to go about this? I would expect you would know :D I don't claim to be the all-knowing hardware guru...although my friends treat me that way, I'm always open to being told that I'm wrong.


NDA (Non-Disclosure Agreement) sorry man. Although, basically Hypertransport does exactly what it says. As for Intel, since I don't give a shit about leaking things for them (since they obviously are stupid and we've heard), I've heard they're doing the exact same thing as Hyper-Transport (with a few LITTLE differences) and calling it something else. I think they just don't want to admit and use the exact same thing as us...although it is based on the same technique and research.

spav wrote:I think Apple would go intel compatible sometime in the future. But I don't think they can make that switch that quickly due to the codebase being written for PowerPC. The thing to remember is that kernels can be recompiled along with the rest of the OS in a minimum of time. Being on a more standardized platform helps. Which is why it's easy enough for them to move to 64-bit. It should be almost as easy...granted more tweaking would be necessary to go to Intel compatible.

What Apple will do though is probably make is possible to use those processors but still lock the hardware to their machines, making cloning more difficult, but not impossible. I'd like to see that happen...and truthfully...settle on AMD. I think that would be the most cost effective, and better choice. And if they have hypertransport running already, then it's really a no-brainer...so give it some time.


Well...I've heard things (no confirmations), but I can't even mention that. Suffice to say, I know they are interested in making the x86 jump that we've all been waiting some 15+ years for. I don't want anyone to misinterpret me as saying "FACT" or not. Some things, I hear rumors just like you guys.
-Daniel
Newest Video: Through the Years and Far Away aka Sad Girl in Space
User avatar
dwchang
Sad Boy on Site
 
Joined: 04 Mar 2002
Location: Madison, WI

Next

Return to Video Hardware Discussion

Who is online

Users browsing this forum: No registered users and 0 guests