It's time for me to get an upgrade - granted I haven't had this computer (2002-2005) as long as my previous one (1996-2002) but I'm thinking of going a little different.
I'm thinking a laptop. I see prices have come way down and are comparable to desktop PCs.
I'd like to be able to take my laptop upstairs etc. to uni (maybe - well only when needed). Taking it upstairs would require a wireless connection.
At the same time I wish to have a nice big screen and the ability to do video editing - i.e. burn a lot of my old VCR tapes onto DVDs. (A friend does a lot of it and does a fantastic job).
I noticed some people have the lap top but then use a cordless mouse and keyboard as if they are using it as a desktop and then they can just take the lap-top when they need to be mobile with it.
I currently have a 19" monitor CRT. I know I'd have to go down in size for a lap top but some have quite large screens.
Can laptops have a lot of plug-in features though? I've video/digital capture card, ports for wireless equipment etc. Or should I stick to a desktop PC and just get portable storage devices to move between uni and home?
Andrew
Posted by Charles Capps (Member # 9) on :
Laptops are shit for hard disk I/O, which is what you'd need/want for video editing. My laptop, a Pentium 4 3.0ghz, has the same I/O capabilities as the four year old P3-667 workstation that it replaced.
It's feasable, it's just not practical. Everything you need could be attached via Firefire or USB.
Posted by Balaam Xumucane (Member # 419) on :
Yeah, what Charles said. Except Firewire and USB 2.0 and not USB 1.0.
You are going to find a laptop kind of underpowered for rendering (and more importantly storing) video files. Obviously with a desktop system you tend to get a lot more bang for your buck. And for video, I can tell you right now that you're going to want a lot of bang. And there's the upgradeability thing. I don't know how interested you are in upgrading the older components of your desktop system but it might be a good way to save yourself a bit. I suppose it depends on what you've got now and where you'd want to go with it.
What a lot of folks wind up doing for video capture is using their digital palmcorders as AV->DV converters. Cameras have been dropping in price and I see regular sales here where a decent MiniDV camera can be had for $300-400 USD. It's a great way to do it and then you'd have a camera as a side benefit.
Now I realize you're probably dead set on the PC, but because you did mention video/DVD authoring, I do feel obligated to point out that a new Mac will come ready to kick some video arse. You wouldn't be playing the newest games, and depending on what other tasks you need your machine to do, you might run into some compatibility problems. But not knowing those parameters, a G5 iMac or a G5 coupled with your 19 inch monitor would be an excellent choice for starting out with video and DVD.
So tell us what parts you've got, and tell us what other things you'd like it to do and we can get more specific with the recommendations.
Posted by Austin Powers (Member # 250) on :
On a related note, I am also thinking of buying a new PC in the near future to replace my current one. This one has reached the end of it's upgradeable lifespan (bought in '97) as it's a AMD K6-II 450 MHz with 20 Gig harddrive and 256 Megs of RAM.
I am thinking of getting an AMD 64 3500+ or similar with 2 Gig RAM and at least two 250 Gig harddrives.
I had also considered getting a laptop, but after some serious thought it just didn't seem so practical and appealing anymore.
Posted by Fleet-Admiral Michael T. Colorge (Member # 144) on :
Laptops are advised if you are a student or travel a lot. Otherwise, video editing should be left with the desktops.
Posted by Toadkiller (Member # 425) on :