Best Mac for the Job

[Anonymous]

I am about to purchase a Mac for work and need some help for what will be the best setup for the Job. I will be editing HD footage everyday and want a computer that won’t need to be upgraded for a longtime. I will be running Adobe Master Suite CS3, mainly Premier Pro and intensive Affter Effects. I want it to run fast andwould rather spend the money to not have to wait forrenders in After Effects. I need to know about Processors, Ram, Raid, Video Cards, Etc. Would like to keep the computer under $8000 (not including the display).Also, is there a recommended place to buy Macs that will be reliable, but maybe a little cheaper that Apple.com?

Thanks,

Paul

[Anonymous]

Hi Paul;

For the money you mention, the top-of-the-line Mac Pro is available and probably the best base platform. Lots and lots of RAM will go a long way. I’ll leave it to more knowledgeable input on specifics for video & sound cards. Apple controls Mac pricing pretty rigorously. Any reputable reseller will have the best price. I’ve had good success with MacMall, especially as I’m a ‘corporate’ customer (it’s not as big a deal as it sounds. Gives you a single person to call and they can negotiate with you). If you call ’em (800 MACMALL), they can probably help.

All the best,

– Rob.

[jetson]

I agree with Rob. And I will add that Apple has the most expensive RAM prices, so get your RAM from a vendor such as Crucial.com. Get the base RAM setup that comes with the machine, then add RAM yourself, it is extremely simple to do and will save you a small fortune.

[Anonymous]

I too am in the process of getting a new Mac but, I’m a little unsure of what capture card to get from Blackmagic. I need to capture uncompressed video for a new documentary and I need some help in choosing the right card. Anyone have any ideas or suggestions.

[jetson]

If you are capturing from a dv cam with firewire, there is no need for a card. All macs have built in firewire which captures at full resolution both audio and video.

[Author]

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