SmartRender maybe? New in Vegas Pro 8

[Hulk]

Forgot to mention now there is an option to work and/or render in a 32 bit environment which is nice if you're working with 10 bit files or doing serious color correction.

Of course the playback and render speed is crushed but that should be expected when quadrupling the data rate in the color channels.

Since you can switch on and off teh 32 bit function you can edit in 8 bit, then color correct and render out in the 32 bit mode.

As for the negative posts regarding Vegas I'm quite sure I can find similar remarks for any NLE out there. 8 has been solid for me so far.

Also Sony is quite responsive to bug fixes. Of course it's never fast enough but they do respond and fix things. There were 4 or 5 updates for V7 in about a year. That's a pretty good schedule. And the nice thing is they're labeled "a" "b" "c" and so on so there's no confusion as to which is the latest.

Another nice thing about Vegas Pro 8 is the fact that they separated the Media Manager from the application so you don't have to install it if you don't want to. The Vegas Pro 8 download is a reasonable 75MB. Like I said it ain't perfect but I really like Vegas.

[Jerry Jones]

Well, there's really no need to defend Sony Vegas as I believe it is probably a high quality program.

I really gave some thought to upgrading to a Microsoft Windows Vista system running Sony Vegas.

In the end, however, it was the Microsoft Windows operating system -- Vista -- that killed the deal for me.

As I look back and consider all of the issues I've experienced over the years, I can say I've gained a fairly useless education regarding how to build Windows-based PCs and how to troubleshoot Windows-related problems.

The bottom line, for me, is this question:

IS THE MAC OS X SUPERIOR TO WINDOWS VISTA?

And my personal perception is that the Apple operating system, indeed, is superior to the Microsoft operating system.

So it really doesn't matter how great Sony Vegas is because -- in the end -- you're attempting to build on a foundation that isn't so great.

This kills the deal for me.

Now, if Sony Vegas were available for the Macintosh platform, I'd consider it over Final Cut Express.

I'm looking for more than an upgrade of my video editing programs; I'm looking for a real upgrade that *simplifies* the cost of ownership and the overall user experience.

I think the Macintosh operating system offers that hope.

Jerry Jones

http://www.jonesgroup.net

[Jerry Jones]

Apple product reviews:

1. http://reviews.cnet.com/desktops/app...g=links;review

"...we can think of very few reasons not to make an iMac your next desktop."

2. http://www.pcmag.com/article2/0,1895,2169524,00.asp

PC Magazine: "Editor's Choice."

3. http://www.pcmag.com/article2/0,1759,2146915,00.asp

"Best software bundle in the industry. Price is not affected by a component refresh. Supports both Microsoft Windows Vista and Windows XP. Unique keyboard. Stunning design."

Add to the glowing reviews the fact that Apple hardware is *designed* to work with Apple software and -- with lower prices than before -- and with fewer vulnerabilities to virus and hacker threats -- Apple seems to me to be the logical choice.

Jerry Jones

http://www.jonesgroup.net

[Jerry Jones]

And check out this new article about the competition to Microsoft's Office:

http://business.timesonline.co.uk/tol/business/industry_sectors/technology/article2495951.ece

Jerry Jones

http://www.jonesgroup.net

[Jerry Jones]

Forgot to mention...

If you absolutely have to run Windows Vista, you can do it on a Mac and the process is very easy -- it appears -- with the new "Leopard" operating system upgrade to Mac OS X (10.5).

It's called "Boot Camp" and it is explained here:

http://www.apple.com/macosx/leopard/features/bootcamp.html

Jerry Jones

http://www.jonesgroup.net

[Jerry Jones]

Here are some technology foundations for the Macintosh operating system:

http://www.apple.com/macosx/leopard/technology/

It's based on UNIX.

Jerry Jones

http://www.jonesgroup.net

[Hulk]

Jerry,

For me the Apple "system" is too limited and too expensive. I like being able to build my computer to MY specifications and to be able to upgrade it. And all for a very small amount of money. Shoot I've been running this 2.13GHz Core 2 Duo at 3.2 since November. A $220 processor running faster than anything you can still currently buy. And when Penryn comes out I'll probably upgrade to that cpu and crank up the speed a bit more.

I put this computer together in a night. Loaded it up. Got the overclock settings nailed down the next day and haven't messed with it since. No crashes, no lock ups, no strange behavior... I can leave it on for a week without issues. It just works. And I got to pick the motherboard, cpu, memory, hard drive, case, etc... and all at great prices.

And I have to say that XP has been pretty much flawless for me. I love it. It just works and I don't even notice it, which is the way I like my OS. I really couldn't be happier computer-wise at this point. I have a really fast desktop that cost me about $1200 and a really fast laptop that cost $1000. The desktop would have been $200 cheaper but memory was so damn expensive back in November. Both can edit video with good responsivness, record multitrack audio, mix, etc.. whatever I need to do.

I have no reason to upgrade to Vista at this point in time. Perhaps next year after a service pack. Not sure though as I'm really loving XP.

Vegas, MS Office, still using DVDWS2 from time to time, Soundforge, Quickbooks, Coreldraw, Photoshop Elements... these are the main apps I use daily. Less than 10 that allow me to get my work (and play) accomplished.

I'm actually going to build a small form factor for the home theater in the basement and pull the C2D out of my desktop and put in a Q6600 for some quad core action. For $280 no less.

That has been my experience anyway. I'll be interested to hear your thoughts of Apple 6 months to a year after you make the switch.

Some people are just "meant" for one platform or another. I know I am a Windows guy. It just fits. For me the issues are few and far between.

[Jerry Jones]

For me, there are two reasons for switching to the Macintosh:

1. stability;
2. security.

The Macintosh operating system is based on UNIX, which is rock solid code:

http://www.apple.com/macosx/leopard/technology/unix.html

No more Microsoft "mystery meat" code.

In addition, the new "Leopard" 10.5 version of the Macintosh is fully 64-bit:

http://www.apple.com/macosx/leopard/technology/64bit.html

In addition, the security features of the Macintosh operating system make it far less vulnerable to virus attacks and hacks:

http://www.apple.com/macosx/leopard/technology/security.html

I had high hopes for Microsoft's Vista in connection with a) security and b) stability.

But as I read through the reviews from PC MAGAZINE and PC WORLD, I'm struck by the comments regarding ongoing crashes and security holes in Vista.

Yes, a person can tweak and custom-build a Windows-based box.

For me, however, it isn't worth the trade-off because the Mac offers...

1. More security;
2. More stability.

And, I would submit, the Macintosh operating system's multimedia capabilities are built on the QuickTime foundation, which I would contend is far friendlier to video/audio work than the media architecture offered by Microsoft.

About QuickTime media architecture:

http://www.apple.com/quicktime/whyqt/

Jerry Jones

http://www.jonesgroup.net

[Jerry Jones]

I would offer one more reason for the Macintosh:

LOWER COST

Many people contend that the Windows-based computer is less expensive.

That, however, is not true, in my view.

With Windows, you must factor in the cost of firewall and anti-virus protection.

And, where multimedia work is concerned, you can't buy a decent pro-level video editor for much less than $500.

With Apple, you can buy Final Cut Express HD 3.5 for $299:

http://www.apple.com/finalcutexpress/

http://store.apple.com/1-800-MY-APPLE/WebObjects/AppleStore.woa?productLearnMore=MA261Z/A

Meanwhile, iMovie and iDVD are free.

If you need additional audio capabilities, you can buy Logic Express 8 for $199:

http://www.apple.com/logicexpress/

http://store.apple.com/1-800-MY-APPLE/WebObjects/AppleStore.woa/wo/StoreReentry.wo?productLearnMore=MA806LL/A

And, if you earn a living with video/audio, you can buy the Final Cut Studio 2, which is an amazing suite of programs:

http://www.apple.com/finalcutstudio/

So Apple's software offerings are MODULAR.

You can shop around and buy low-cost versions that still pack considerable power or you can splurge on the big suite if you have deeper pockets.

On the Windows side, you're stuck with either $120 "consumer" applications with limited power or you must buy a $500 or higher package.

There are very few semi-pro offerings on the Windows platform that list for around $200 or $300 dollars.

Now that MediaStudio Pro is out of the picture, the PC platform just seems less interesting.

Jerry Jones

http://www.jonesgroup.net

[Hulk]

Hey if you're applications will be lower cost then that's great. I know for my uses I can't afford an Apple system. Too slow for the money, wrong components, too difficult to upgrade, not enough software selection. Just too closed in for me. Now is such a great time for the Windows world. There is so much fast cheap hardware out there. Just today I saw that you can get 2GB of OCZ DDR2 800 4-4-4-12 RAM for $50 after rebate. That's amazing.

And I don't like Quicktime. It invades the computer like a virus. I use Nero to view, burn, recode, etc... I just install the applications I need. It works and gets updated every year or so.

As for virus protection I haven't used one in 2 years on either of my systems and have had no problems. Since IE7 came out security is much better and all those MS updates do really work for me anyway. Firewalls and virus, not an issue for me. My systems are lean and clean.

Since I'm already "in" with Vegas I'm good with audio and video editing as well as DVD authoring. If Vegas ends up going the way of the dinosaur I'll just move to another NLE.

I love being able to fine tune my system. Pick and choose the applications I need from literally thousands of choices.

So security isn't an issue for me and neither is stability since my systems are granite solid. A lot of stabilty problems are sijmply hardware issues. If you build a system with the right components you can create a very solid system. Plus as I said I love XP. It gives me no problems what so ever.

Price-wise for me there is no comparision. To get equal Apple performance would cost me $4k or more hardware-wise and I'd be limited on upgrading which means I've have to buy a new systems instead of upgrading motherboard and cpu. Then I'd go top dog in the video editing software so that would be more than Vegas. I'd lose all my other software and most of all be locked into the "Apple thing." I-tunes and all that closed stuff I have. I won't even buy an mp3 player if I can drag and drop files like a hard drive. If there is software I stay away from it.

It looks like you've made your decision and I've made mine. I'm staying with Windows and your moving to Apple. It's great we have choices!

[Jerry Jones]

Well, you're right that many of the Microsoft Windows stability issues stem from hardware issues.

But that's not the whole story.

You know as well as I do that Windows 95, 98, and Windows ME, in particular, were problematic.

Windows 2000 was much better.

Windows XP finally resulted in an operating system with even better stability.

But -- even with Windows XP -- I worked for Ulead for a year helping customers resolve their technical issues.

Even with Windows XP, users were constantly unable to enjoy the video software because they had systems with what I call "confused registries" that resulted from mere installation/uninstallation of various software programs.

The unfortunate problem that I often noted was that people would install a piece of software that -- following removal -- left its unstable tentacles on the Windows computer, completely wrecking any chance of normal function.

You have a stable Windows system.

I have a stable Windows system.

But I run into people all the time who don't.

I get requests from people all over the country -- even now -- who want me to troubleshoot their Windows systems.

Unfortunately, the only way to resolve many such issues is a complete reformat of the C: (system) drive and a clean re-installation of Microsoft Windows.

And that's too much for some individuals.

Jerry Jones

http://www.jonesgroup.net

[Hulk]

Jerry,

I agree 100%. You really can't install and uninstall applications willy-nilly without having some problems down the line. I guess I taught myself long ago to only install what I need, keep it lean, keep it simple.

Windows 3.11 was miles away from Apple at the time in terms of stability and useability. If I was going to switch I should have done it then. The bottom fell out of 3.11 at the drop of a hat. Win 95 was significantly better but Apple was still pretty far ahead. I remember having to regularly reformat and reload Windows to keep things working smoothly. I've never had to do that with XP.

Now with XP things are much improved. There are advantages and disadvantages to the more open Windows world compared to the more constrained Apple system.

For a few systems there I bought some Dell units and I have to say from a stabilty point of view they were great. Rock solid, quiet, and cheap. I recommended them to friends all the time and 99% of them never had a problem. They just do their thing. And the people that do have problems are generally trying to add hardware or software they shouldn't be messing with.

But then I got tired of being stuck with what Dell offered and paying ridiculous prices for upgrades. I also feel that hardware manufacturers have really gotten their act together, especially motherboards manufacturers. I think the most importants elements for a stable system are motherboard, power supply, and memory. I like Asus motherboards, Seasonic power supplies, and Corsair memory. I remember building systems 10 years ago and always having small but annoying issues. I remember my old Abit BH6 with Celerson 300a would sometimes not shut down correctly.
And that was a motherboard issue. Things are much better today.

I also think that *many* of the people that have virus programs are visiting sites that you just know are loaded with invasive programs. Warez sites, porn sites, etc.. should be avoided all the time at all costs. That's definitely a quick way to bring down the house.

[Jerry Jones]

About three or four weeks ago, I put a search term into the GOOGLE search engine and one of the pages that came up as a result of the search was an obvious virus attack page.

It really surprised me and threw everything at my computer; I was very concerned.

Fortunately, my Kaspersky anti-virus program kicked in and intercepted everything.

Man, it was scary, however.

Jerry Jones

http://www.jonesgroup.net

[Jerry Jones]

By the way, there's a new Macintosh rumor on the Engadget.com Web site today:

http://www.engadget.com/2007/09/21/slim-macbook-rumors-resurface/

According to 9to5mac (who recently nailed news on the iPod nano), Apple is readying a new line of black and sliver aluminum laptops, which might be the slimmer MacBook Pros mentioned previously. Details are, of course, totally speculative and entirely unconfirmed, but it sounds like the systems will be considerably thinner and lighter than current models, will have screens that reach further to the edges (which apparently suggests a smaller footprint), have keyboards in the vein of the new Apple Bluetooth models, and are set to be priced "extremely aggressively."

Jerry Jones

http://www.jonesgroup.net

[Jerry Jones]

An even more interesting article about APPLE is here:

http://www.thestreet.com/s/apple-mac-sales-surging/newsanalysis/techhardware/10380765.html?puc=_googlen?cm_ven=GOOGLEN&cm_cat=FREE&cm_ite=NA

"People inside the company and those close to Apple's plans say there will be a big announcement regarding a so-called subnotebook Mac."

"The ultra-thin device will have a 10 inch-to-12 inch screen, sleek rounded edges and weigh less than 2 pounds."

"The subnotebook's introduction is planned for next quarter, and the product is expected to be available for the holiday sales season."

"In preparation for a big year-end sales push, Apple has told some employees to cancel vacation plans 'between Thanksgiving and Christmas,' says one source familiar with the memo."

Jerry Jones

http://www.jonesgroup.net