We go PC as well over here.. the price difference is none here .. the main reason is the less closed development on Windows (imho). It took a while to get HDV to Mac as well as it now lacks certain options due to difficult development issues and many changes at Apple.

That combined with the 3 year business warranty with HP and the extreme lack of competent Apple centers here makes the picture complete. However i think the way Avid approaches both platforms is super as anyone can make their own decision n what they like to run on.. and it increases competition to the makers.

PC is more for the users that are able to separate business from pleasure and stay away from installing everything that comes their way or opening / reading mail on their system... On mac that is less dangerous as there are not many viruses and other problematic apps available (yet)

The more they become available to more the risk increases they will suffer the same problems as PC. Only time will tell ... as said it is nice we have a choice.

Menno

Baklap:

On mac that is less dangerous as there are not many viruses and other problematic apps available (yet)

Hey Menno,

Yeah, as Apple grabs more market share, the problems will increase. I always chose Macs because they give me a lot less grief than PC's. I have to say though, I'm rethinking my position. While Windows machines can be a pain (IMHO) I'm getting pretty sick of the MAC problems and shortcomings with Avid, whether intentional or non-intentional. I make my living with Avid, and I'm not sure I can put up with it much longer. Hey Apple! Do you monitor these forums? Cut the crap, will ya?

Hi Congaman, long time! And a timely discussion as I'm another one wondering about shifting to Mac on the upgrade to MC. Mainly because of the apparently easier workflows for multimedia outputs, and general annoyance at Windows nonsense on my other office computer - at the moment I have a 'quarantined' Avid-only PC setup, plus an admin and paperwork workstation, but tempted to get one single machine that I could trust with everything.

And then you read these posts and remember that there's never going to be a single right answer.

I'm not rich but along with some others, not really interested in saving even a few hundred quid if it means uncomfortable working setup for the next 5 years or risking even a day's work (or worse) somewhere down the line. But I've had HORRIBLE experiences with 2 London re-sellers and wasted some money on a third; the last few repairs and hardware&software upgrades have been me, a couple of textbooks and strong coffee - not really how I want to spend days off. (Replacing the screen on my laptop backup system was very satisfying, though...)

So at the risk of breaking forum rules, can you recommend anyone that really knows what they're doing and isn't about to go into receivership? Email if that's preferable...

And was thinking of you the other day as my young man is working with Gideon Mendel out in Mexico City at the moment...

Larry Rubin:

Just think, if that rift had never occured, there would be no FCP today and all Avids would probably still be available exclusively on Macs. Go figure.

Isn't it even more ironic that supposedly when Avid was first showing its software on Sun Apollo workstations, somebody at Apple recognized the genius of non-linear editing and offered up some engineering resources to Avid to get it ported over to Mac?

 editz:

Keep in mind that the ancestor of Media Composer was a pre-ILM George Lucas developed system that was known as "EditDroid".

 According to the statements made by Avid at the demo, mix and match formats anyway you want to on a single timeline, interlaced and progressive. The only caveat mentioned was no multiple frame rates.

{EDIT} Oops, this reply was meant for a different thread. My bad.

Thanks for your comments, Susi. I only tend to have time to look at the forums these days when I need some info or have a problem. I suppose that's what they're for!

Expect an e-mail and lets talk.

All the best, Chris