Thinking about G4 purchase for video production

[sootboy]

Hi, I'm just getting into video on a computer. I am currently and always have used PCs. I need to convert both digital and analog 8mm video tapes and VHS tapes to DVD and/or VCD formats. The concensus among professional software and video types I talked to is that buying a G4 with bundled software would be the easiest way to accomplish my goal. The only downside is a small price penalty.....I don't really care about that if I can get the work done quickly and easily without endless screwing around. It would be important that the DVDs or VCDs produced on the Mac work in PC and Sony DVD players. Is formatting a problem? Would the tasks I outlined really be almost plug and play on a G4?

[tgpo]

Most of the things you outlined could be done in one program.

[lattedfw]

I have edited video (purely amateur stuff) on an iMac and on a PC. I think the Mac may be a little easier to get started (iMovie is great), but the PC is just as easy after you get the hang of it. I think Macs and PCs are apples and oranges - neither is easier than the other anymore. My particular iMac (G3 450MHz, 20GB HD, 192MB memory) whet my appetite, but it isn't powerful enough for what I eventually wanted to do. That's why I started doing more on the PC side.

Going 'G4' right away would have the advantage of a hardware and software platform designed and tuned around multimedia development. OS X is stunning and fairly easy to use (though I maintain it is no more intuitive or easier than Windows 2000 when it comes to networking, especially in mixed PC-Mac environments).

My advice is to invest in a Firewire card for your PC (inexpensive) and tinker with video capturing and editing there (much of the software will be free/shareware- see the links on the left), rather than spend thousands right away. You can always get a G4 later and leverage software on each machine to get the job done (I pass stuff between my iMac and my PCs all the time).

[major]

http://www.apple.com/switch/whyswitch/

[Tolly]

i highly reccomend getting a G4!!!!!! believe me, it can do much more than a pc- better, faster, and more accurately, at least in what you're looking to do. plus youll fall in love with OS X, it a much easier, powerful, and funner computer than a peecee. it will get what u need to do done, i just got my Power Mac G4 in march, i didnt know anything or how to do anything. ive already learned how to do so much, but im still learning. forums like these are great places to start. so pick up that G4, believe me u wont regret it, then feel free to let all of us help u if u need it!