Will an Imac do for FCP, Shake, After effects and photoshop?

[Walter Biscardi]

For what you want to do, dual processors are MUCH better than a single. I would get no less than the Dual 2.0 if you want to run multiple programs at the same time and put no less than 4GB RAM in it.

Walter Biscardi, Jr.
Creative Genius, Biscardi Creative Media
https://www.biscardicreative.com

Now in Production, “The Rough Cut,” https://www.theroughcutmovie.com

Now editing “Good Eats” in HD for the Food Network

“I reject your reality and substitute my own!” – Adam Savage, Mythbusters

G5 Dual 2.0, AJA Kona 2, Medea FCR2X

[Shane Ross]

The iMac will be fine for FCP as long as you are only working with DV footage. Anything else (betasp, digibeta, HDV, DVCPRO HD) will not work on this machine. The big problem is that it lacks any real expandibility, other than more RAM and addition of External FW drives. If you are at all serious about using a machine to make a living, you need to get a G5 tower. And when you ge the G5, make DARN sure it has PCI-X slots. The current dual 2gig only has PCI…not PCI-X. This means that if you wanted to get a capture card at a later date, it wouldn’t work in that mac. Look at http://www.smalldog.com for good deals.

Shake…will not work on an iMac.

[The dagfather] “an you use 2 screens on an Imac?”

Nope.

[Per Steinar]

Actually, you can use Shake on an iMac – just fill it with RAM. I use Shake on my Ti800 – it’s dog slow, but it is usable. You can also edit HDV on an iMac. I use my wife’s iMac to capture footage from our Sony HDV-camera, then edit it on my Powerbook. As with Shake – it’s bonecrushingly slow, but doable.
I would, however, go for a PowerMac G5 with two screens and as much RAM as you can afford. Yes, Apple goes Intel, but the Intel PowerMacs are not due till 2007 – so you’ll still have a couple of years with the G5.

Per Steinar

Yes, well. It DO be possible. Just give me som time.

[The Dagfather]

I’m not sure if I’m going to use any other types of film than DV. I still haven’t learned Shake, but I’m hopeing to learn it later on.

As most of you say I need to max up on the ram on the Imac.
If I do that I’m basically at the same price as a 2×2,3 ghz G5 and with 512 mb of ram. But no screen.. hehe

I can’t afford a G5 and a screen from Apple so then I need to buy a cheap screen of a different brand.

And as I think I said. I’m not going to make a living on it, but hopefully pull some cash from here and there on some jobs and do private and school projects.

Here’s my possibilities:
1:
2 x 2,3 GHz PowerPC G5
1 GB DDR400 SDRAM (PC3200) – 2 x 512 MB
250 GB Serial ATA – 7200 rpm
DVD

[Per Steinar]

Hi, Dagfather

Personally I would go for the 2×2.3.
I love the iMac, but for serious work it don’t quite cut it. For me the most important thing is the lack of dual screen – yes you can hook up one more screen, but it will just mirror, not enlarge your desktop. If you’ve got used to work with dual screens, only one screen is like…restricting.

Then again, if its only for hobby – then go with what you can afford. The iMac looks great and is powerfull enough to do whatever you throw at it – it only takes more time. The PM G5 is a lot stronger, but takes up more space, and you’ll have to buy a screen as well (or two).
My ranking will be as follows: For hobby: maxed out iMac 20″. For serious hobby: 2+G PM G5 2×2.3. For prosumer/Pro: 4+G 2X2.7 G5 with dual screens.
I would say it is better to have a maxed out iMac than a PMG5 hitting the memory roof all the time: plenty memory=plenty speed.

H

[Bret Williams]

If you’re not going to make a living with it, then don’t spend money on AE and Shake. Motion, LiveType, and FCP will do ya for major paying projects.

And obviously you’ve got to get a tower. I’d probably leave out shake and AE and buy the best G5 you can get right now. Even if the intel towers came out next week, they’re not goign to be that much faster. The dual G5s are pretty competitive. Jobs just didn’t like the roadmap. The first intels are probably going to have their share of problems, and if I know Jobs, limitations. He’ll wait until the next revision to really get it right.

[Debe]

It depends on how much your time is worth to you.

For $330, if this WERE something you were making money on, it’s obviously a no-brainer. Spend the money!

Now consider your free time, and what OTHER things you like to do with your free time. If being able to spend more time doing these other things is important to you, then ‘d say spring for the additional $330. Really, if you look at it, it’s 12-13% more. In the grand scheme of the $2662 vs $2992, it’s practically nothing!

If this IS what you like to do with your free time, then save the $330 and render render render!!

(Did I mention RENDER?!?!!?)

😉

debe

[The Dagfather]

Thanks guys.

I did see that the 2×2.0 does not come with PCI-x slots, but only with PCI.
But as I mentioned.. For hobby and some small jobs perhaps. Do I need the PCI-X slots? And can I order this PM 2×2.0 with PCI-X slots?

I know the price difference weren’t all that much, but that was considering only 512 mb of ram and a maxed out Imac.

[Shane Ross] “And when you ge the G5, make DARN sure it has PCI-X slots. The current dual 2gig only has PCI…not PCI-X. This means that if you wanted to get a capture card at a later date, it wouldn’t work in that mac.”

[David Chai]

You can always get a refurbished mac from the apple store with PCI-X, I think they are around $1649 now. I have a refurbished tower, runs very well…

David 😀

—————–
David Chai
Director . Camera . Editor
http://www.davidchai.com
dc@davidchai.com
212 363 0159

[Shane Ross]

Yes, keep an eye out for those re-firbs. Or look at http://www.smalldog.com.

I have a refirb dual 2 G5 with PCI-x, and it did cost $1649. It was, however, in the shop for A MONTH as thy had to figure out why it was freezing, even while booted from the CD and installing the OS.

But it is purring now…