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I am currently a Windows 2000 user and I am considering converting to Mac for my next machine. I primarily use my home machine for video editing (Studio DV 7), digital image editing (Photoshop 6) and image orginization (ACDsee 4).
1) I am looking for metrics comparing performance of G3, G4 and P4. I am primarily interested in tests related to the encoding of edited dv to mpeg1 and mpeg2. Secondarily, I am interested in Photoshop performance comparisions based on the various processors.
2) I realize that the default export in iMovie2 is to quicktime, but I've seen an export to iDVD. Dumb question, but does this directly create an mpeg file?
Most of the information that I have found focuses on the % difference, which is nice, but would be more useful if it included the actual amount of time it takes to create the files in the first place.
The G4 will blow the P4 away for MPEG encoding, period. I can't quote exact specs, but check out Apple's sites dealing with iDVD and DVD Studio Pro, linked at apple.com.
Anything exporting to DVD will create MPEG2, at least if I understand the question correctly.
When iDVD was first introduced, Apple claimed a 0.5x encoding speed. IOW, you could encode a 1-hour movie in two hours entirely through software. That was with a single-processor 733MHz G4. Given the twin 1GHz configuration available now, I would expect that, under OS X, you could probably encode a DVD at approximately 1x speed; i.e. an hour of video would take an hour to compress.
p
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And by the way if you think that a dual CPU setup will double the performance then your really lost when it comes to CPUs.
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If you can't deal with the *fact* - yes, the
*fact* - that a dual 1GHz G4 can encode
DVDs in real time, while even a 2.4GHz
P4 cannot, that's not my problem.p
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You know what? You're right. The P4
*will* destroy everything. Its energy
drains will further exacerbate the problem
of global warming, causing the ice caps
to melt and obliterate everything within
about 50 miles of the coastline all over
the world. In addition, we'll run out of
ways to power such inefficient computers,
causing a global energy crisis and
leading to World War III as Dubya decides
we must own the entirety of the Middle
East. This will lead to the direct nuclear
annihilation of most life on Earth as we
know it.So yeah, the P4 will destroy everything.
IncIuding you. And your family. And all us
Mac users, who are apparently going to
die anyway, as if that wasn't already a
foregone conclusion. (Oh, by the way, you
PC users are all gonna die too. In case
you didn't know.)p
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I have been looking into this lately a LOT as I am also a PC user thinking of "jumping ship" to MAC. I just read a ton of benchmarks and for the Clock Speed the MAC's do perform better, but only like 10% better than P4's in everything but graphics. In graphics the G4 is about 50%-70% (depending on test) faster than a P4 per Mhz.
So basically it looks like this:
G4 1Ghz in non-graphics = P4 1.1 Ghz.
G4 1Ghz in Graphics = P4 1.6 Ghz w/512KFrom all the benchmarks I have seen the P4 is a WAY better price/performance chip. And I am a PC guy so it makes me lean toward the P4. BUT, then you have to consider that with the Mac you aren't running a buggy as hell OS, you get way less latency for music (which is one of my primary interests and why I am looking at a Mac now), and Macs all a round are just more solid machines with better support.
So for me it all boils down to:
Do i want to spend $1000 more for a slightly slower but way more stable system?
But I guess it depends on what you are using the computer for. If it's for Graphics and you have the extra $1000 lying around I'd say get a Mac. If it's not for graphics or if you have any price restraints get a P4.
Note: This is all just my opinion based on the dozens of pages of benchmarks I just looked at over the last 2 hours :)
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You'd hardly be spending $1000 more for
the same quality of components and
same specs. Might be a couple hundred,
but you ought to check this out:http://www.aapltalk.com/shootouts/index.
htmlp
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Further into the Mac vs PC debate...I have always been a PC user and have only recently become interested in Macs, but through my research have been blown away by them. There's no two minds about which is superior, but there are problems that arise from the Mac that I would appreciate comment on. You see, the market for PC's is so competitive that you can pick up even a 2Gb + for dirt cheap. But as far as I'm aware to compare to a Mac, you're looking at a G4 dual 1Gb. But these retail at round £2,500 excluding monitors and Mac TFT's cost double PC TFT's. The whole Mac setup will cost at least £3-3500, where the PC alternative can be done for under £1500. And i need a decent spec, since the comp wil be for studio use running Logic 5. Another point is that virtually any software for PC is very easy to find cracked or copied, not so easy for Mac. I can obtain every VSTi plugin known to man for no cost on PC, but will have to pay around £150-200 each on Mac. So Mac not only costs more to buy but to maintain. On top of that I'll have to spend time learning a new OS. So what do you all think? For my needs, is it really worth breaking the bank and being broke for eternity or shall I just stick with what I know? Can I get professional results for audio/MIDI out of a PC?
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"I want a PC because it's easier to pirate software."
Good riddance. We didn't want you on the Mac platform anyway.
p
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Don't take it that way. Its not about pirating software. I would never run cracked versions of my main software (OS, sequencers, samplers) as it goes against the whole point of switching platforms - Windows is bugged, Macs are smooth. If you read it properly you'll see I was only referring to VST plugins, simply because we already have them for PC in the studio, so I'd just be taking copies home (so that may be cheeky but there's no point buying them again) or can just download new ones from Kazaa and see if they're any good. Whereas I'd have to start from scratch on a new platform. Firstly a Power Mac G4 dual 1 costs a bomb, and then furnishing the software (when I've got everything already for PC!) is gonna keep me shelling out. I'm asking is it worth all this for my purposes. Mac is superior, is it THAT superior?
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On the point of Logic 5, i think Mac bought that out a while back and will soon only be available on Mac... (very evil) but if your a pc owner and have logic you can convert to mac and get logic 5 free. about the cost thing with macs, yeah they are more expensive but you get what you pay for. i converted to mac two years ago, the time it takes to get use to the new operating system is about 2 mins, its easy. dont have to worry about 'plug and pray' it just works and if you want to get pirate software... yes its available... the internet has just about everything, even for macs believe it or not. and a final point, remember all you mac nazis out there, macs have their flaws too.
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Hi all, I'm a pc user, just bought a P4 2 gig dell with 512 megs of ram, running XP. Very disapointed with it. Very unstable, and keeps freezing up (even with 512 RAM) Would really like to consider a mac. I know macs blow P4's away in graphics, but how about games, like Medal of Honor? what would be an equivalent mac to a 2 gig? Can I run my pc games via virtual pc on a mac? Any help would be appreciated! Thanks!
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Macs are fine... if you want to spend twice as much money to compute half as fast. They're the Rolls Royce of computers, they LOOK good, but they're slow and expensive. If you like the interface (which is really what's important) then use a Mac. If you want speed, customizability, cost-effectiveness and a viable upgrade path as technology changes (just TRY and buy a motherboard or CPU upgrade from Apple), go with a PC. That is all.
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Re performance if an iMac:
http://www.pcmag.com/article2/0,4149,6377,00.aspThe PCMag article talks about a guy with a Sony Vaio doing DVD-R stuff.
Takes 8 hours to create the 53 minute video.
Takes 3 hours to burn the DVD-R.Apple (I own a PowerBook) has something called iMovie, in comparison to Sony's Movie Maker software. I can attest that a 35 minute video only took me 50 minutes to make from 70 minutes of footage.
Most of that time is spent capturing footage.
Apple also claims, if you're willing to believe them, that recording a DVD-R will take between 1 hour and 3 hours, depending on your CPU. A $1800 DVD-R capable iMac, their slowest DVD-R system, will probably take 3 hours of encoding.
Compare to the $1800 1.7GHz P4 Sony that took *gasp* 3 hours to do the encoding.
Now consider, if time is money, how fast a dual 1GHz G4 system will take. 1 hour for a 60 minute DVD.
Of course if you can find links and software that makes a P4 faster and more powerful than an 800MHz iMac, please post.
I would *love* to spend less than $1800 for a DVD-R capable machine.
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Here's the bottom line RE: Mac = Rolls Royce...there's only one Apple brand, AND IT WORKS. PC owners always have to wonder "Is this gonna be crapware?" Oh, this brand laptop is good, but be careful this one sux. "You have to plan for your upgrade!"
And as for WINTEL's having a "Viable upgrade path," it's a load of bull. Personally, I have a decent Windows XP pro PC. I got a nice cheap audio card (SBLive!). The drivers aren't compatible (even though they say they are). Guess I shoulda done better research...somehow. And what about all those (including me) who got lost in the P2 & P3 slot or socket cr@p? It's not quite as easy to upgrade as you might think. I have a Gateway P2 and a Dell P3 -- NEITHER OF THEM can be processor upgraded despite all the "easy upgrade" hype. My granmother bought a Compaq Presario several years ago. Compaq told her several times the RAM cannot be increased above 32MB. It's like a merry-go-round that doesn't stop, and you have to jump on hoping it will all work out. I have an HP laptop that whines, whirrs, and frequently crashes. Mom always said, "cheap is as cheap does."The (cheap) fan noise on each of these machines is horrendous. They are all ugly (cheap looking). Gimme a break.
I fix PC's for a living. I'm switching to Mac because I'm tired of this mess... I don't need a 3Ghz PC at home. Keep your Cheap/Fast/problematic at the office where someone else (like me) has to fix it. Pricey/Stable is better in your personal life. People understand this immediately when their cheap car breaks down.PS --> A MAC is more like a Volvo than it is like a Rolls Royce. Yet you don't see guests on Volvo Forums telling them how stupid they are for buying a $40,000 car "when you could get a $25,000 car that's faster."
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I've been a PC user forever and have seriously
considered switching over to Mac. One statement
I have seen repeated over and over on this thread
is that PC systems are unstable. This seems to
be in reference primarily to Retail boxes such as
HP and Compaqs. I know from my expereinces
doing tech work that those are probably two of
the worst brands (emachines are probably the only
ones that are worse) and are commonly unstable
and buggy. The one notable exception in my
experience was a custom built Compaq that runs
very well, of course everything but the MB and
processor I have upgraded.... I run XP pro
right now and it is much more stable than ME and
9x. I am very big into building my own systems,
which is a major reason why PC works so much
better for me. I'll admit, retail PC boxes suck
when it comes to upgrades, but if you build a
system right it is usable for a very long time.
Macs dont seem to have that flexibility. And
for what I use my computer for (games, music,
internet, CAD) the PC is a much better value
compared to a Mac (I priced out the parts for
a dual Xeon 2.2Mhz at about $2300, dual G4 -
$2999, and mine is including a 19" monitor and
2x the ram...) though I would be curious to see
the comparison in compression times for video.
But since I dont do anything with video or
music compression at this time, I dont know how
pertinent it would be. Just food for thought
really, I think each platform has its place,
though I will agree with Mac guys on one thing
unconditionally... retail PCs suck.
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