Anybody working on a PowerMac G4 Dual?

I still have a PM G4 Dual, 867mgh, 60 GB with external HD (160gb).
Now here's the dilemma: Do i boost my old G4 or do I buy a 15" MacBook Pro?
Is anybody's working off a PM G4?
If so, are you ok with it, and what are your specs?
Thx

PS: THe obvious is that $$ are an issue

Upgrading a G4 now seems to me like sinking money into a black hole. I wouldn't even upgrade a Dual G5 at this point -- doesn't seem like a good investment for a four-year-old computer.


www.derekmok.com

[Is anybody's working off a PM G4? If so, are you ok with it, and what are your specs? ]

My cuurent config is:
Dual 800 G4 Quicksilver 2001, 1.25 GB RAM running MacOSX 10.4.8
4 internal ATA drives
17 & 20 inch Apple flats (they match height)
DSR-40 DVCAM deck
Sony 14 broadcast client monitor

Okay with it? Yes.
Will I keep my G4? Yes. It'll be the producer's station and extra rendering station.
Have I tried upgrdaing the engine with a Sonnet Dual G4 1.8 Ghz card? Yes.
Did it work? No. Too many lockups.
Can I run Motion or Color? No.
Will I upgrade it to a 4- or 8-core? Yes, shortly.

- Loren
Today's FCP keytip:
Set Video In & Out separate from Audio with Control I & O !

Final Cut Studio 2 KeyGuide? Power Pack.
Now available at KeyGuide Central.
www.neotrondesign.com

thx

thx guys

i edit dvcprohd in the field on an old 1.0 ghz g4 powerbook - it works perfectly for p2 injest and basic cut-and-dissolve edits and title overlays. though i wouldnt even dare doing any serious graphic compositing or export/encode chores as it'd be SLOW AS HELLLLLLLLL!

and my PM isn't even as fast/powerfull as a PowerBook.

Thx

xav- my main machine is a quad 2.x G5. its about 1 year or so old and it CHEWS through dvcproHD as well as exporting/encoding like nobody's business.

the big thing that has kept me from going to an intel machine are that not all of the esoteric/boutique plugins and things have yet gone to full intel friendliness. most have, but there still are a number of various issues that you will hear about/encounter.

and whats more important is that from all the benchmarks ive seen - the macpro machines are not night and day faster across the board than a quad G5... until the macpro smokes a high end g5 handilly (in both workflow as well as raw horsepower) ill sit tight.

you can pick up a used (or new if you shop well) g5 quad for about $1500 or less...

i just feel like i could use the portability of the laptop.
but you have a good point....

here is my logic for you. IF power, budget and portability are big issues for you. get a g5 quad AND an old powerbook.

at the price you'll pay for all of that you'll get a ton of tools that can easily pay for themselves in about 2 or 3 jobs, then youre equipped and well on your way to being able to buy new gear in the near future

quad = give or take $1500
powerbook = give or take $1000

= two machines that will do very well (for at least the next 18-24 months) for less than one current shipping macpro/macbook

A couple things, Wayne:
I won't be editing for money, yet. So budget is a BIG issue...
With the student discount i can get the laptop for $1700. This makes me "save" $800 in comparison to your set up.
Do you think a Quad is faster than a 15" PB?
I am wondering if anybody's editing with a MB... I'll post the question.

what's your input?

yeah, tons of folk are editing with a MB!

is a quad faster than a PB - HELL freakin YEAH!
is a quad faster than a MB - dunno, havent seen side by side benchmarks - but i suspect in most ways - YES!

it all depends on what specifically youre wanting to do. video, anaimation, print, HDV, dvcproHD, SD, P2, tape...??? each intertwined discipline has its own set of variables...

i still say that for bang for buck with current technology, if money AND portability were MY goal, id go with a quad AND a powerbook as opposed to ONE of either macpro or macbook. the new technology is NOT going to be a HUGE change of world performance wise and you'll have far greater marketability as far as simultaneous desktop/laptop goes with last years technology...

I have a G4 powermac, has never let me down...you seem to be limited to working with just DV though. I use a mac pro at work...G4 though is a fantasic computer.