[wellylug] Mac

[Jo Booth]

On 29/09/2006, at 06:49 , E.Chalaron wrote:

> Hi all
> Who among us is using a Mac Os X.whatever ?
> How close does it relate to Linux/Unix and what could be minimum  
> spec for HD video work ?
>
> Thanks
> E

If you're talking iMovie HD (v6) in the iLife '06 package - pretty  
much any mac.. generally any mac you buy off the shelf will have  
iMovie installed - and while it's not a pro app - it does most of  
what you need.
"High-definition video requires 1GHz G4 or faster and 512MB of RAM."

G4 is a couple of processors back - the G5 eats HD, and the new intel  
duo-core xeons are up to 5x faster than generation 4.
For some of the core stuff you need at least Mac OS X v10.4.4  
(Tiger), and you'd need Quartz Extreme (a decent graphics card) for  
the real-time rendering and such like.
See http://www.apple.com/ilife/systemrequirements.html

Generally, i'm probably a little biased - as i'm the VP of the local  
Mac Users Group - but I find joy in having a Mac system that "just  
works" that still (sometimes with a little coaxing) will run  
practically any open source app you stick at it. Fink allows you to  
apt-get your favourite source and compile it... and with parallels  
desktop i've run Ubuntu in a little window along side OS X - and it's  
pretty much native speed for the less graphics intensive stuff.  With  
the intel based macs - so can run and install practically any x86  
OS.  I almost got to try Vista RC 2 the other day. :)

I personally found the switch to mac from linux (circa 2001) very  
easy - and haven't really looked back.  I still run linux on a laptop  
- until I get a job and get a new Mac Book Pro ;)

If you're doing anything creative, particularly HD video, a Mac base  
is probably your best bet - and it's an even better with the intel  
switch. with Xgrid you can distribute rendering to a bunch of idle  
machines in your office ;) - and the proposed PodCast Studio in  
Leopard (OS X 10.5) looks to make work-flows for video production as  
easy and plugging in your camera, and grabbing the HD DVD as it pops  
out the drive.

If you're doing more serious (money making) work with HD video --  
then take a look at Final Cut Pro.  I'm sure some of the local DV  
group could give you a play.
http://www.apple.com/finalcutstudio/specs.html?finalcutpro
"HD features require 1GHz or faster single or dual processors  
(authoring HD DVDs requires a PowerPC G5, Intel Core Duo processor,  
or Intel Xeon processor)"

Hope that helps.


PS:  THis weekend brings together some of my loves in life - Macs,  
Video and Movies -- the national showcase and awards ceremony for  
MovieFest 2006 - check http://MovieFest.org.nz/06/home for details of  
the events on Saturday (yes I will miss the installfest)




-- 
Jo Booth
WelMac (NMG and VP)
http://forums.welmac.org.nz