Macs

[Monorail]

I'm thinking about getting a mac for Garageband, photo and movie editting. Any opinions?

[Skunk]

Don't expect it to be a PC. It's a Mac.

I really like all the Macs I've had. I find my PCs... well, frustrating now. I did have to adapt though.

There's an album recorded in GarageBand some guy did (commercial release) but I don't know what it's called. Be interested to hear it.

[Monorail]

i know, they seem to have lower cpus, but ram is good, you just cant multi task to much. because of my poor student budget thinking of getting a 1.4ghz mini for the house and a 900mhz ibbok. all i can aford

[Skunk]

All the current Macs use current Intel chips (Xeon Core Duos) so they are the same as PC's. What you get is a better package by the time you look at what's inside. You can buy a cheaper PC but everything about it is cheaper (shared video ram etc). Dollar for dollar the Mac tends to come with more preinstalled software such as iTunes, iDVD, iMovie, GarageBand, iPhoto.

Are you buying secondhand?

[Monorail]

yup, its all i can afford on a part time maccas wage

[Skunk]

Have a good think about it then because everything is slowly changing with the change to Intel chips. Still a good idea but just realise that you won't be able to upgrade the software for much longer without upgrading the Mac.

Also you'll want the fastest processor you can get. I've got a 2.1Ghz iMac and it's good. My old 450Mhz feels slow even with 1.5Gb of ram.

Why two Macs?

[Monorail]

yea, i wont really need to upgrade to much, software is pretty much gonna stay the same unless it gets easier to use, but i prefer the more difficult hands on approach. i'm thinkng of this if i got enough money for it. \
http://www.trademe.co.nz/Browse/Listing.aspx?id=79018647

[Skunk]

Good deal. Go for it. Don't bid till the last minute...

[Monorail]

i thourght so. theres also this if that one goes to hihg
http://www.trademe.co.nz/Computers/Apple/Complete-systems/auction-79138721.htm

I'd rather the other cos more ram, comes with some apps and the 17" lcd

[Skunk]

And this one if you have enough - it's an Intel.
http://www.trademe.co.nz/Computers/Apple/Complete-systems/auction-79172850.htm

[Monorail]

would be nice, but i just dont have enough money at the present pont in time. :cry:

[Skunk]

It'll go for too much with that bidding war I think...

Patience is the key to a good deal.

Good luck.

[Monorail]

cheers. night all

[Big Dave]

I'm thinking about getting a mac for Garageband, photo and movie editting. Any opinions?

All fabulous.

[ceebie13]

I use a Mac daily for both work and home use. In addition to the usual graphic design tools, I think the interfacing between iDVD, iMovie, iPhoto, iWeb, GarageBand - in fact the whole iLife Suite - is brilliant.
For example I use Garageband to edit and tweek studio recordings made by my blues band. I have shot video of the band and used iMovie to edit it - complete with titles and transitions. I use photoshop to design and produce promotional material for the band. Then I create a showreel of the posters (in iPhoto) and I finally combined all these elements and created a promotional DVD using (you guessed) iDVD - for pub managers and agents to view. I used iWeb to create the band's website and so it goes on... Couple all this seemless interfacing with the beauty of OSX then you can't go wrong. Oh, unless you are a games addict.

Lets face it, Apple will never topple Mr Gates empire but whenever I see Lyn struggling over her PC here at home, it leaves me thinking "why are PC's so seemingly over complicated?"

In the agency where I have desk space, I still get the IT geeks saying' "Oh dear, it's a Mac..." though.

[dnos]

I think macs are great to use, I've had two now. Very easy and they just work. Hardly any issues with crashing or viruses.
Of course there isn't the same amount of software available but sounds like what you want it for, there are some very good ones.
As said above as long as you don't want to play lots of games, then I think what your looking at will suit you fine. Are you really looking at two computers??? Would seem a better idea to combine that money on a better laptop?

[Disco Dan]

macs are fantastic! everything is easy to use and simple!

Windows? everything is made so much more complicated than it needs to be...

Once you buy a mac yourll never go back!! hahaha

They do need more RAM than a field of sheep to run at their best.

i love the wide screen display, i can have msn, safari and mail all in front of me, while listening to iTunes... BLISS :love:

[bobsmith]

i prefer the more difficult hands on approach. [/url]

If you really like the hands on approach.

Get a decent PC, get the latest slackware (http://www.slackware.com/) dist with all source code, then start recompiling everything for your system.

Now, that's "hands on"

[Ghost Lemur]

In the agency where I have desk space, I still get the IT geeks saying' "Oh dear, it's a Mac..." though.

Then they're not a geek. Any IT geek worthy of the name recognises that there are different solutions for different requirements. Macs perfectly fill there roll. I'd love to add one next to my Linux box for my multimedia creation requirements.

[ceebie13]

Then they're not a geek. Any IT geek worthy of the name recognises that there are different solutions for different requirements.

You are right GL, the guys I was referring to ran a mile when confronted with a Mac. And more often than not they had this typical PC users blinkered view that Macs are crap! Bit like Harley riders views on anything other than a Harley.

[riffer]

Not an unusual event.

I provide Mac IT Support at work.