Need help deciding what to buy...

[Jelte]

Hi All,

I'm wondering if anybody here could help me decide what to buy. I'm about to buy my first ever Mac, and have been looking at the models out there (and to be honnest hoping the prices would drop a little).
I'd like to use my mac for video editing, and ultimately for creating dvd's, as I've read about the iDvd stuff and that sounds REALLY cool.
Now I'd assume that because of this, everybody would say: "Go for the dual 800"... but it is quite expensive. Should I wait? Since i _do_ want to do video stuff... Or could I get away with the 733 or anything else?

I've been secretly hoping that Apple would do some real funky stuff in Paris, and combine that with "Look! We've lowered the prices of our Dual800's!"... But maybe that's hoping for a little too much (?)

I'd also like to know if the TV-tuners I've seen for Mac's are any good. I've caught myself drooling over the 22" Cinema Display. Would a TV-tuner do a descent enough job full-screen on something like that

(No, I wont be buying the Cinema display, as that would really piss-off my bank ;-))

Thanks in advance for any help/comments

Jelte (Happy Mac-user to be)

 

[john123]

Originally posted by Jelte
Hi All,

I'm wondering if anybody here could help me decide what to buy. I'm about to buy my first ever Mac, and have been looking at the models out there (and to be honnest hoping the prices would drop a little).
I'd like to use my mac for video editing, and ultimately for creating dvd's, as I've read about the iDvd stuff and that sounds REALLY cool.
Now I'd assume that because of this, everybody would say: "Go for the dual 800"... but it is quite expensive. Should I wait? Since i _do_ want to do video stuff... Or could I get away with the 733 or anything else?

I've been secretly hoping that Apple would do some real funky stuff in Paris, and combine that with "Look! We've lowered the prices of our Dual800's!"... But maybe that's hoping for a little too much (?)

I'd also like to know if the TV-tuners I've seen for Mac's are any good. I've caught myself drooling over the 22" Cinema Display. Would a TV-tuner do a descent enough job full-screen on something like that

(No, I wont be buying the Cinema display, as that would really piss-off my bank ;-))

Thanks in advance for any help/comments

Jelte (Happy Mac-user to be)

Rather than go for the dual-800, why not choose the 867 Mhz model and just get the SuperDrive with it? You'll save a ton of of money.

As for price drops, I'd say there's just about no way you'll see a price drop this month. 2% chance, tops. The models are new and are aimed at a professional market -- and don't forget that the dual 800 didn't even start *shipping* until last month. If you want to buy a G4 desktop any time in the next 2 months, today is as good as a later date.

TV Tuners are notoriously not as good as the real thing. If space is at a premium, then sure, it's an option. But you'll be happier just buying yourself a TV...

 

[ThlayliTheFierce]

wait a bit

I'd say wait a bit and see what happens later this month. While I agree that there's not much chance of a price drop, you never know what could happen. As for which one to get, you might want to look around and see if you can find one of the non-Quicksilver 733s. It'll be cheaper than the 867, so you could get a bigger hard drive, which is probably the most useful thing when it comes to video editing. If you can't find one, then get the 867. It will be plenty fast. And as always, don't buy ram from Apple. It's really overpriced. BTO one and downgrade the ram as much as possible.

 

[john123]

$19.95 Price Drop

Yeah, actually, there is a $19.95 price drop that you will see: the cost of those stupid 10.1 upgrade CDs that, if you buy a Mac now, you'll have to get later on this month. On *that* account, it's perhaps worth waiting so you get 10.1 pre-installed.

 

[ThlayliTheFierce]

$19.95!?!?!

I thought the upgrade would be free!!! Where'd you see this?

 

[john123]

Oh it's a "free" upgrade...but you have to pay $19.95 for shipping and handling for the CDs. It won't be downloadable as there will be 3 CDs -- 10.1, 9.2.1, and Developer Tools.

 

[ThlayliTheFierce]

that just sucks

Ok now I'm pissed. Is it a packaged with manuals? Otherwise $20 is out of sight. I'm still pissed at this. Why can't they just make it downloadable? Did I mention I'm pissed?

 

[john123]

Re: that just sucks

Originally posted by ThlayliTheFierce
Ok now I'm pissed. Is it a packaged with manuals? Otherwise $20 is out of sight. I'm still pissed at this. Why can't they just make it downloadable? Did I mention I'm pissed?

My guess is you'll get another one of those "Using OS X" things that has come with the Up-To-Date packages like 10.0.3....but no real manuals to speak of.

The reason it won't be downloadable is that (a) 10.1 will want 9.2.1, and not everyone has this, but more importantly (b) we are talking about a HUGE download here just for OS X 10.1 alone -- 650 MB. Apple notoriously has server problems when releasing OS updates -- recall all the problems when the 9.1 updater first came out? Part of what took 9.2.1 so long to come out was Apple's need to get their servers ready, and even then, the demand outstripped their capacity in the first couple days. Just imagine how much downloading would occur with the OS 10.1 update....

And besides, it's a great way for Apple to make some more money off of you....

 

[evildead]

get the 867

I just got an 867. Its alot cheeper and it comes with the supper dirve. You dont have to get it if you dont want to but it sounds like you would use it. I didnt get it my self. Save a little cash on the CPU and get a nice LCD. I got the Apple 17". Very nice. You need work space if you are going to be doing Digital editing. You may want to run dual LCD'S I want to when I get the cash.

 

[john123]

disagree...

I disagree on the display.

A little trigonometry suggests that rather than going with dual LCDs, you'll do better off getting a mammoth 21" monitor -- a LOT more bang for your buck. The 17" Apple LCD is damn nice, I'll concur -- but the price is such that if you are strapped for cash, I think you'll be quite happy with a regular CRT display. Check out what Sony has -- their flatscreens are quite nice.

 

[Jelte]

Thanks....

Thanks for all the replies! I've seen a site where they sell a 733 with superdrive... Isn't that a bit odd?
http://www.comptakeaway.ch/zuz/pc_cta/htm/sort_ap_hard.htm

Scroll down to the bottem to find it. It's in Switzerland, but still.

So here's what I'm now pondering. Comparing that much talked about 3rd level cache, with dual processors and the superdrive gives me the following options; price wise (I'd say):
- Dual 533 (that means no superdrive though)
- 733 with superdrive but no L3 cache (if at all possible)
- 867 (naturally with superdrive)

As for screens, I have an illyama vision pro 17" which "should" do me for now. But I'm still drooling just thinking about that 22" Cinema Display that Apple's got!

Thanks

 

[mnkeybsness]

obviously you haven't followed mac....the old 733 came with a superdrive

 

[evildead]

This is his first Mac

Originally posted by mnkeybsness
obviously you haven't followed mac....the old 733 came with a superdrive

This is his first Mac. He's researching it for the first time now.

 

[Jelte]

Indeed

Indeed, it is going to be my first Mac. So what should I do? Go for the dual 533 or single 867?
Since it is my first mac, I don't really know how much I'd benefit from a double processor. Although I have seen that the MacOS 10.1 supposedly takes full advantage of the second processor. So I thought that it might be better to have a dual processor when I do video editing.
But I am correct when I say that I can't get a superdrive in the dual 533 (?).

Cheers,

 

[mnkeybsness]

that is correct

 

[john123]

actually, no

If you want a dual 533 with a SuperDrive, it's possible. Some places sell "removed" SuperDrives....