My first serious computer...

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  • Syndil
    Syndil Posts: 1,582
    edited June 2012
    AsSiMiLaTeD wrote: »
    The OP didn't ask if he bought the 'right' product, he asked if he got a good deal. Getting a good deal means paying a fair price for a product in relation to what you could buy the same product for elsewhere, at least that's how I think of it. As far as I can tell, unless you can point me to the same machine, new, at a cheaper price then he got a good deal. You all took that opportunity to then unload on what you think about the product.

    That's easy to say when you exclude all of Apple's competition. Of course that's just another reason to dislike Apple--they don't allow competition (any more). Either you buy the Apple product or you do without. Allows them to keep their prices elevated.

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  • Syndil
    Syndil Posts: 1,582
    edited June 2012
    Oh and btw here is the same Mac Pro for $250 less. :P

    http://www.bhphotovideo.com/c/product/871876-REG/Apple_MD770LL_A_MACPRO_QC_XEONPROCESS_3_2g_6GB_1TB.html

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  • AsSiMiLaTeD
    AsSiMiLaTeD Posts: 11,726
    edited June 2012
    Syndil wrote: »
    Oh and btw here is the same Mac Pro for $250 less. :P

    http://www.bhphotovideo.com/c/product/871876-REG/Apple_MD770LL_A_MACPRO_QC_XEONPROCESS_3_2g_6GB_1TB.html
    Except that they don't carry that in stock, but is a better price if you can get one while they're in stock.
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  • AsSiMiLaTeD
    AsSiMiLaTeD Posts: 11,726
    edited June 2012
    Syndil wrote: »
    That's easy to say when you exclude all of Apple's competition. Of course that's just another reason to dislike Apple--they don't allow competition (any more). Either you buy the Apple product or you do without. Allows them to keep their prices elevated.
    Sure they allow competition, you can buy their product or buy another product, I believe that's called competition.

    They don't allow other companies to install their OS on their own hardware because of their philosophy behind how a computer should work and they'd have less control over the end products that have their name. You do that and you end up like MS with a bunch of crappy products like eMachines or Packard Bell with your name attached to it. Sure you get more market share that way, but that's not what they're after.
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  • Serendipity
    Serendipity Posts: 6,975
    edited June 2012
    Not trying to argue here, but if I switched to a PC how would I run Final Cut Pro?

    Unfortunately, I already bought into the Final Cut Studio ecosystem, which includes Final Cut Pro, Compressor, Soundtrack Pro, Motion, DVD Studio Pro, and Qmaster.
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  • Serendipity
    Serendipity Posts: 6,975
    edited June 2012
    ^^ basically if I wanted to switch to Adobe Premiere, I'd be out more $$$ for the software.
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  • gimpod
    gimpod Posts: 1,793
    edited June 2012
    Serendipity wrote: »
    Not trying to argue here, but if I switched to a PC how would I run Final Cut Pro?

    Unfortunately, I already bought into the Final Cut Studio ecosystem, which includes Final Cut Pro, Compressor, Soundtrack Pro, Motion, DVD Studio Pro, and Qmaster.

    Let me put this up front I HATE ANYTHING APPLE but if your mac does what you need it to do and your happy with it who cares what we all think and besides Final Cut Studio only runs on Mac's.
    “The two most important days in your life are the day you are born and the day you find out why.” ~ Mark Twain
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  • bruss
    bruss Posts: 1,039
    edited June 2012
    gimpod wrote: »
    Let me put this up front I HATE ANYTHING APPLE but if your mac does what you need it to do and your happy with it who cares what we all think and besides Final Cut Studio only runs on Mac's.

    No doubt
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  • Serendipity
    Serendipity Posts: 6,975
    edited June 2012
    Let's get this thread back on track...

    I am seriously thinking about a Dell Precision to run my Electrical Engineering software (Electronics Workbench, PSpice), but I'll have to switch to Adobe Premiere for video editing.
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  • AsSiMiLaTeD
    AsSiMiLaTeD Posts: 11,726
    edited June 2012
    Serendipity wrote: »
    ^^ basically if I wanted to switch to Adobe Premiere, I'd be out more $$$ for the software.
    Why in the hell would you want to change? FCP is much better than Premiere, regardless of which platform you're running Adobe on. FCP X got off to a really rough start and Apple screwed some things up along the way, but these days it's very good. It's way better than Premiere IMO, but then I'm not a huge fan of some of the changes Adobe has made to their products in CS6.
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  • Serendipity
    Serendipity Posts: 6,975
    edited June 2012
    I'm an engineer by day, film hobbyist by night. Those in the consumer electronics world know that companies like Marantz, Onkyo, Denon, Yamaha, etc. regularly use high-end Dell machines (like Precisions) for their work.

    I think my needs are more towards electronics than film...

    I get several film gigs per year, nothing full-time.
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  • AsSiMiLaTeD
    AsSiMiLaTeD Posts: 11,726
    edited June 2012
    If a Mac won't' run your engineering programs then why did you buy one, why are we even having this discussion?
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  • Serendipity
    Serendipity Posts: 6,975
    edited June 2012
    Sure it will, I am dual-booting and running Windows.

    The reality is that I really like this film stuff, but only on the side. I couldn't realistically do it full time (several of my friends went down the art major path, and trust me, it's difficult) but enjoy the fun aspect of post production.
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  • Strong Bad
    Strong Bad Posts: 4,277
    edited June 2012
    If you recall back in the early '90s after Apple booted Steve Jobs out, they tried the whole deal where licensed resellers could build Macs and license the OS from Apple. We know how that turned out.
    No excuses!
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  • Serendipity
    Serendipity Posts: 6,975
    edited June 2012
    I'm about 90% decided this is the route I want to go -

    Will pick up a Dell Precision, loaded with specs good enough for CAD work.
    Will probably keep the Mac but for video editing duty only.

    Those are my basic needs, I'm not a gamer.
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  • renowilliams
    renowilliams Posts: 920
    edited June 2012
    Heres a picture of the 2600k rig I put together a couple months ago. I do a lot of video encoding and just love the intel quicksync.
    Picture 3.jpg
    "They're always talking about my drinking, but never mention my thirst" Oscar Wilde


    Pre-Amp: Anthem AVM 20
    Amp: Carver TFM-35
    Amp: Rotel RB-870BX
    Fronts : SDA 1B w/ RDO-194s
    T.V.:Plasma TC-P54G25
    Bluray: Oppo BDP-93
    Speaker Cables: MIT Terminater
    Interconnect Cables:DH Labs Silver Sonic BL-1isonic
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  • Syndil
    Syndil Posts: 1,582
    edited June 2012
    I'd go with Lenovo over Dell. But I'd take either over an unknown eBay seller. What you are paying for when you buy a brand-name PC is the warranty and the service. If that's not important to you, sure, go to eBay. Otherwise, stick with a well-known brand name.

    RT-12, CS350-LS, PSW-300, Infinity Overture 1, Monoprice RC-65i
    Adcom GFA-545II, GFA-6000, Outlaw Audio 990, Netgear NeoTV
    Denon DCM-460, DMD-1000, Sony BDP-360, Bravia KDL-40Z4100/S
    Monster AVL-300, HTS-2500 MKII
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  • Sherardp
    Sherardp Posts: 8,038
    edited June 2012
    Lasareath wrote: »
    Do yourself a favor before you hit buy-it-now on that Dell Precision and configure a Magic Micro PC with the same exact specs and see how much money you can save.

    http://stores.ebay.com/MICRO-ONE-COMPUTERS

    I've had so many clients move from Precisions to Magic Micro because they were saving $1000 per machine.

    You may as well go on Newegg and configure a PC bro. Easier that way.
    Shoot the jumper.....................BALLIN.............!!!!!

    Home Theater Pics in the Showcase :cool:

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  • Serendipity
    Serendipity Posts: 6,975
    edited July 2012
    Back at this again. After working with my current Mac Pro editing AVCHD footage, it's just not enough horsepower for rendering large files (I can walk away from the computer, have a sandwich, and it's still rendering when I come back). Would be difficult to work with editing, say, a feature-length documentary or long video with lots of effects and transitions. Short projects like weddings would be no problem.

    I am thinking about the following:

    12 Core Mac Pro
    Two 2.4GHz 6-Core Intel Xeon processors
    12GB (six 2GB) memory
    1TB hard drive1
    18x SuperDrive
    ATI Radeon HD 5770 with 1GB GDDR5
    In Stock
    Free Shipping
    $3,799.00

    Or, a custom-built Dell Precision with similar specs.
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  • Face
    Face Posts: 14,340
    edited July 2012
    It would come down to the editing software you choose to use.
    "He who fights with monsters should look to it that he himself does not become a monster. And when you gaze long into an abyss the abyss also gazes into you." Friedrich Nietzsche
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  • Serendipity
    Serendipity Posts: 6,975
    edited July 2012
    It's the editing software I already paid for. Sucks that Final Cut Pro only runs on Mac OS.
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  • Serendipity
    Serendipity Posts: 6,975
    edited July 2012
    At this point it looks like I don't want to switch to Adobe and buy their software.

    I'm probably going to go with the one mentioned above or the following:

    12 Core Mac Pro
    Two 2.66GHz 6-Core Intel Xeon processors
    12GB (six 2GB) memory
    1TB hard drive1
    18x SuperDrive
    ATI Radeon HD 5770 with 1GB GDDR5
    In Stock
    Free Shipping
    $4,999.00
    polkaudio RT35 Bookshelves
    polkaudio 255c-RT Inwalls
    polkaudio DSWPro550WI
    polkaudio XRT12 XM Tuner
    polkaudio RM6750 5.1

    Front projection, 2 channel, car audio... life is good!
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  • AsSiMiLaTeD
    AsSiMiLaTeD Posts: 11,726
    edited July 2012
    That's just way too much money for that computer. See my previous comments, I'm squarely in the Apple ecosystem these days and general find their products to be competitively priced (and I've proven so in this thread). That being said though, that's just too much money for that machine. Apple is introducing a new Mac Pro next year and I would highly recommend you hold out for that.

    If I ere in your shoes and needed something now here what I'd do:

    I'd get the faster 27" iMac with the i7 and use it for the next year or so until the new Pro comes out. It'll be faster than the Mac Pro you have in hand now and almost as fast as the one you're looking it, the i chips are that much better. Then when the new Pro comes out get it if you want. The thing with the iMac is if you do decide to upgrade you'll take less of a hit if you sell it. So you get basically the same or better performance now at half the price, a gorgeous 27" screen attached, and the ability to recover most of your money later.

    Someone tell me how that's not a good plan.
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  • Drenis
    Drenis Posts: 2,871
    edited July 2012
    AsSiMiLaTeD wrote: »
    That's just way too much money for that computer. See my previous comments, I'm squarely in the Apple ecosystem these days and general find their products to be competitively priced (and I've proven so in this thread). That being said though, that's just too much money for that machine. Apple is introducing a new Mac Pro next year and I would highly recommend you hold out for that.

    If I ere in your shoes and needed something now here what I'd do:

    I'd get the faster 27" iMac with the i7 and use it for the next year or so until the new Pro comes out. It'll be faster than the Mac Pro you have in hand now and almost as fast as the one you're looking it, the i chips are that much better. Then when the new Pro comes out get it if you want. The thing with the iMac is if you do decide to upgrade you'll take less of a hit if you sell it. So you get basically the same or better performance now at half the price, a gorgeous 27" screen attached, and the ability to recover most of your money later.

    Someone tell me how that's not a good plan.

    This^

    That's way too much money for that hardware. I understand your reasoning behind Apple because of software... but that's redic.

    Can you flip the Mac Pro and software or no?
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