What's the current best computer for video editing currently available?
February 9, 2010 1:07 PM Subscribe
I work for a nonprofit and we're starting up a media program.
I'll be teaching teenagers how to edit videos and do other media projects. I have a decent budget. I'm looking for the best performance to cost ratio. I've done a fair share of research. I'm savvy enough to install more ram, video cards, and other parts but I don't want to assemble a whole system piece by piece.
I'm currently considering the Dell Studio but was hoping the collective wisdom here would have a few ideas. previously in 2005.
I'll be teaching teenagers how to edit videos and do other media projects. I have a decent budget. I'm looking for the best performance to cost ratio. I've done a fair share of research. I'm savvy enough to install more ram, video cards, and other parts but I don't want to assemble a whole system piece by piece.
I'm currently considering the Dell Studio but was hoping the collective wisdom here would have a few ideas. previously in 2005.
Best answer: I hate to be "that guy", but as a professional video editor who has been on both sides of the platform fence for nearly 20 years, I can confidently say that you're going to get the most bang for your buck by getting Apple Macintosh systems.
While it may be theoretically true that you can piece together a PC based system for cheaper, this is ultimately false economy, because you still have software licenses, hardware maintenance and OS troubleshooting to contend with. And despite the significant improvements in Windows 7, getting video editing systems to "just work" is still an absolute nightmare on the Windows platform, compared to Mac OS X. This is one of the biggest advantages to Apple's closed hardware strategy.
Another reason to go with Macs is for the sake of your students. If you're going to teach your students video editing with the intention of opening doors to a future career for them, you definitely want to err on the side of Macs, because the video editing profession is overwhelmingly Mac-centric, and it will be exponentially easier for a freelancer to find work as a Final Cut (or even iMovie) editor rather than as a Sony Vegas editor. While you can definitely teach editing fundamentals using any OS or software package (I learned on a Commodore Amiga, after all!), you might as well ensure that you couple this theoretical learning with a practical software platform to exercise this knowledge on.
The Apple iMac is an incredibly powerful all-in-one system for the price, and is more than adequate for editing video from modern consumer/prosumer HD video cameras. And they ship with iMovie pre-installed, so if you dont have the budget for Final Cut Pro (or its cheaper, $199 cousin, Final Cut Express), you can get your students started with iMovie, which has over the years become quite an impressive editing package, considering the fact that its free.
Again, I hate being the obligatory "get a Mac" guy in threads like this, but having assembled editing systems on both platforms for most of my career, I know well enough that the proper answer to questions like this is almost always "Get A Mac". If you're not a geek hardware/software tinkerer, and just want to get shit done, then you simply do not want a Windows based PC for things like this.
posted by melorama at 2:44 PM on February 9, 2010
While it may be theoretically true that you can piece together a PC based system for cheaper, this is ultimately false economy, because you still have software licenses, hardware maintenance and OS troubleshooting to contend with. And despite the significant improvements in Windows 7, getting video editing systems to "just work" is still an absolute nightmare on the Windows platform, compared to Mac OS X. This is one of the biggest advantages to Apple's closed hardware strategy.
Another reason to go with Macs is for the sake of your students. If you're going to teach your students video editing with the intention of opening doors to a future career for them, you definitely want to err on the side of Macs, because the video editing profession is overwhelmingly Mac-centric, and it will be exponentially easier for a freelancer to find work as a Final Cut (or even iMovie) editor rather than as a Sony Vegas editor. While you can definitely teach editing fundamentals using any OS or software package (I learned on a Commodore Amiga, after all!), you might as well ensure that you couple this theoretical learning with a practical software platform to exercise this knowledge on.
The Apple iMac is an incredibly powerful all-in-one system for the price, and is more than adequate for editing video from modern consumer/prosumer HD video cameras. And they ship with iMovie pre-installed, so if you dont have the budget for Final Cut Pro (or its cheaper, $199 cousin, Final Cut Express), you can get your students started with iMovie, which has over the years become quite an impressive editing package, considering the fact that its free.
Again, I hate being the obligatory "get a Mac" guy in threads like this, but having assembled editing systems on both platforms for most of my career, I know well enough that the proper answer to questions like this is almost always "Get A Mac". If you're not a geek hardware/software tinkerer, and just want to get shit done, then you simply do not want a Windows based PC for things like this.
posted by melorama at 2:44 PM on February 9, 2010
Best answer: I should mention that you can get really good deals on Macs from Apple's refurbished Mac section of their website. These systems are just as good as (and arguably better than) brand new systems, but at significantly reduced prices.
posted by melorama at 2:48 PM on February 9, 2010
posted by melorama at 2:48 PM on February 9, 2010
Oh, I missed the "I have a decent budget" part of your question.
Well, in that case, forget the iMacs, and get Mac Pros, instead.
As far as what you should buy in order to trick out the system for video editing, you'll need to be more specific as far as the footage/camera format(s) you will be using, how many workstations you will be needing, and how much footage you think you'll be generating over the course of your class.
posted by melorama at 2:57 PM on February 9, 2010
Well, in that case, forget the iMacs, and get Mac Pros, instead.
As far as what you should buy in order to trick out the system for video editing, you'll need to be more specific as far as the footage/camera format(s) you will be using, how many workstations you will be needing, and how much footage you think you'll be generating over the course of your class.
posted by melorama at 2:57 PM on February 9, 2010
Response by poster: you'll need to be more specific as far as the footage/camera format(s) you will be using, how many workstations you will be needing, and how much footage you think you'll be generating over the course of your class.
I have a couple of Sony Fx-7s with audio-technica mics running through a juicedlink, a couple HC9s, and a bunch of standard definition Flip cameras that we share with other nonprofits.
This spring program is the experiment for the larger summer program. I'll probably start off with purchasing a desktop and a laptop. I already have one macbook with Final Cut Express.
The program focuses on getting youth activist stories out there. I think the idea behind the PC is to train kids on equipment they might have at home. So to that end I'm ready to teach them on Sony Vegas, Pinnacle Studio, even Movie Maker as well as FCE or Pro. I'm also going to dualboot Linux on it to run all the freeware media programs.
posted by beardlace at 4:06 PM on February 9, 2010
I have a couple of Sony Fx-7s with audio-technica mics running through a juicedlink, a couple HC9s, and a bunch of standard definition Flip cameras that we share with other nonprofits.
This spring program is the experiment for the larger summer program. I'll probably start off with purchasing a desktop and a laptop. I already have one macbook with Final Cut Express.
The program focuses on getting youth activist stories out there. I think the idea behind the PC is to train kids on equipment they might have at home. So to that end I'm ready to teach them on Sony Vegas, Pinnacle Studio, even Movie Maker as well as FCE or Pro. I'm also going to dualboot Linux on it to run all the freeware media programs.
posted by beardlace at 4:06 PM on February 9, 2010
Best answer: I'm a professional editor and I teach so I'll help weigh in a bit. I mostly edit on AVID, which pcs can run, but I'd say macs with final cut for sure. You should keep in mind, teaching them 4 separate programs may just confuse them, I have no problems learning computer systems but some have very hard times.
FCP is going to be the future for small editing for a very long time, so by using FCP you will also be in a way teaching them life skills. You aren't going to be doing anything excessive in terms processing power, so you should be able to get some older mac pros that will work perfectly.
PM me for any more information. Oh, and if you happen to be based out of NYC i'd love to help out.
posted by mattsweaters at 11:01 PM on February 20, 2010
FCP is going to be the future for small editing for a very long time, so by using FCP you will also be in a way teaching them life skills. You aren't going to be doing anything excessive in terms processing power, so you should be able to get some older mac pros that will work perfectly.
PM me for any more information. Oh, and if you happen to be based out of NYC i'd love to help out.
posted by mattsweaters at 11:01 PM on February 20, 2010
I'm way late to the party, but am catching up on questions, so I apologize if you've already made up your mind and I'm muddying the waters. In that case, this will just be for someone else down the line.
I'm going to play the devil's advocate here. I also work in "the" industry (so I'll be that guy too), mostly on AVID, but have worked for a couple years on FCP.
Most people won't say this, but they are basically the same. So the thing I usually say to people, is what computer do you use at home. If you usually use a mac, FCP will be less intimidating. If you use a PC, Avid will be less intimidating. Your students will have similar feelings. Sometimes the hardest part about breaking people into FCP is that they are working on a new operating system. Sounds like you already appreciate this.
Hell I'd never even sat in front of an apple, not counting apple IIs for typing, until I began learning FCP. Not everyone has had the Apple "experience" yet.
While both are used in professional settings, AVID is still THE editing choice for most big budget movies and television shows. FCP is catching up, but it will still be years before you see FCP being the software choice for a show like American Idol.
The only thing I would add is this. I remember learning software programs and then never saw them again, and it was such a bummer. This will be the case with Vegas, Pinnacle, Premiere, and Movie Maker. If any of your kids end up going farther in editing, they will NEVER use those programs. I have never met one professional editor that has used those programs.
Enough being devil's advocate. FCP is GREAT!!!
Glad the kids are learning this stuff. Wish I had!
posted by DRE at 12:58 AM on April 7, 2010 [1 favorite]
I'm going to play the devil's advocate here. I also work in "the" industry (so I'll be that guy too), mostly on AVID, but have worked for a couple years on FCP.
Most people won't say this, but they are basically the same. So the thing I usually say to people, is what computer do you use at home. If you usually use a mac, FCP will be less intimidating. If you use a PC, Avid will be less intimidating. Your students will have similar feelings. Sometimes the hardest part about breaking people into FCP is that they are working on a new operating system. Sounds like you already appreciate this.
Hell I'd never even sat in front of an apple, not counting apple IIs for typing, until I began learning FCP. Not everyone has had the Apple "experience" yet.
While both are used in professional settings, AVID is still THE editing choice for most big budget movies and television shows. FCP is catching up, but it will still be years before you see FCP being the software choice for a show like American Idol.
The only thing I would add is this. I remember learning software programs and then never saw them again, and it was such a bummer. This will be the case with Vegas, Pinnacle, Premiere, and Movie Maker. If any of your kids end up going farther in editing, they will NEVER use those programs. I have never met one professional editor that has used those programs.
Enough being devil's advocate. FCP is GREAT!!!
Glad the kids are learning this stuff. Wish I had!
posted by DRE at 12:58 AM on April 7, 2010 [1 favorite]
« Older Can I REALLY get a bunch of 18-year-olds to dig... | Isn't this great? I mean doesn't this suck? Newer »
This thread is closed to new comments.
posted by coolguymichael at 1:44 PM on February 9, 2010