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Re: [ARSCLIST] AV to DV - PC or Mac?
At 12:01 PM 6/18/2005 -0700, David Seubert wrote:
I hate the Mac vs. Windows debate (I use both daily) but audio is very
different than word processing or sending email, so I'll throw out a few
thoughts.
The situation on audio has been well covered by others, but there's been
little on the video aspects of the original question. (I still recommend a
standalone DVD recorder with hard drive, of course.)
Maybe DAL just writes really buggy audio drivers (can anybody confirm
this?), or maybe Windows doesn't handle audio drivers well (I don't need
confirmation on this) but in my experience there are lots of
software/hardware/driver incompatibilities in the PC world. Just try
installing Realplayer (a legally distributed virus if there ever was
one) on a PC and see how quickly it can make everything else stop
working.
One of the great advantages of the PC is its drawback here: lack of
control. It promotes innovation and therefore variety of software, hardware
and usage, but it means that each system is likely to be unique in its
combinations. For example, installing a scanner can kill CD writing. We
understand the process - it's the interaction of the modifications made -
but absent a standard the user has little recourse and the customer support
people for the various products can each blame the others. The (largely)
closed architecture of the Mac means that supplementary products are much
more likely to work, their interactions are fewer and better controlled -
but less flexibility is available and products tend to be more costly.
As for the cost issue, on high-end machines the cost differences are
trivial and it's moot anyway when compared to the cost of a couple
people sitting around the studio for an afternoon uninstalling and
reinstalling drivers.
... and the cost of time in using the capability. If you spend ten hours a
week processing AV, a thousand dollars more or less is two bucks an hour.
Mike
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mrichter@xxxxxxx
http://www.mrichter.com/