Nov 11
These are some of the biggest controversies all Web video producers grapple with. Mac or PC? Desktop or Laptop?
We’ve used them all at Traffic Geyser and this video makes convincing arguments for…well, you have to watch to find out!
These are some of the biggest controversies all Web video producers grapple with. Mac or PC? Desktop or Laptop?
We’ve used them all at Traffic Geyser and this video makes convincing arguments for…well, you have to watch to find out!
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November 11th, 2008 at 3:18 pm
hey mike,
just a quick message to let you know your video cuts off just as you start talking about keynote
im sitting here with my two friends ( Im new to using a mac so i was getting REALLY excited as you got into the jucie details)
do you see the error – or is just me ?
thanks for the great videos btw – i also just took loads of notes from your previous camcorder video,
my bloody JVC hard-disk camcorder creates videos in the worst format ever – .MOD ?
so when i come to render my videos they stink,
anyway thanks again – and i hope to finsh watching the rest of this video
alex
November 11th, 2008 at 3:30 pm
Is there going to be a transcript of this video? I’d love to have something I could print out and take shopping with me.
Thanks for the great info.
November 11th, 2008 at 3:39 pm
Thanks Mike. Very informative.
I’m about to launch a new video site (wwww.import-rc.com) and really needed this info.
I’ve been thinking about trying a Mac but wasn’t sure if that was only because of their great commercials.
Currently have Sony Vaio Desktop with Vista and no problems. But the old HP Laptop is a gonner.
I’ll be going with the Macbook Pro next.
November 11th, 2008 at 4:33 pm
Excellent video again Mike, and very informative.
Thanks dude!
-Ryan
November 11th, 2008 at 4:36 pm
Hello Mike,
I’ve been using PC for years and have grown acustomed to Windows XP. I’ve had great luck with my Acer Aspire 5000 laptop. I wanted to get your opinion on refurbished computers. I would like to purchase a new laptop, but I don’t want to be stuck with Windows Vista.
Thank You,
Andre Hayward
November 11th, 2008 at 4:37 pm
Great information. The comparison of PC and Mac was extremely informational and appreceiated. I took notes.
Thanks
Donna
November 11th, 2008 at 4:44 pm
Mike-
AWESOME video…production value and content! I was curious to know YOUR setup. Saw brief screen capture and it appeared as though you have teleprompter…HVC camera (?)…nice set…and great lighting. Will you be exploring those in future shows?
Also, will you be covering any green screen techniques?
Thanks for the VERY helpful shows. Plan to use YOUR software as well for some clients.
November 11th, 2008 at 4:53 pm
Thank YOU, Mike!
Was in the market for a new laptop and vacillated. Took a whole page of notes on this one!
Also, accessory and software info was greatly appreciated!
Will a AT-3035 microphone work just as well from Zzounds?
November 11th, 2008 at 4:56 pm
Great info please sent me more, I was about to buy PC…but now you got me thinking.
November 11th, 2008 at 5:00 pm
Yo Mike,
You mentioned right at the start, that you are using some switching software to do your multi-camera shoot and port all your cameras into your desktop mac… what program or set up is that… Can you get into more specs there please?
Thanks man.
Jeff
November 11th, 2008 at 5:22 pm
Hey Mike,
Great info. I’ve found a Mac great for using any type of production software or graphics such as photoshop etc and with the ability to run any PC programs on a Mac now makes it a no brainer. The price tag is higher which keeps the PC market still in business, but if you can afford it the Mac rocks!
November 11th, 2008 at 5:57 pm
Thanks Mike, another great video. I’ve been going back and forth with which laptop I want to buy. I use a mac for audio production and I love it…but all my other stuff is done with a pc.
I definitely had fusion as a part of the picture if I was going to go with mac, I use other products from vmware and they can’t be beat. They even have a free program that will clone your pc, so you can run it in fusion/vmware desktop.
It just seems that the mac os and supported programs provide a better environment and are easier to get things done in….the fact that I can run windows on it also makes it an easier decision.
The one thing I find…as you said, pcs are ALWAYS cheaper lol. Thanks for the video, looking forward to the next one.
November 11th, 2008 at 6:35 pm
Hi Mike,
Great video with great informative information. I’ve always been a PC guy but now that I’m also an Internet marketer, the MAC has become more and more attractive. Your video has made it much easier for me to know which direction to take and what I need for my business. Awesome job!! Thanks … Scott Phares
November 11th, 2008 at 6:47 pm
I’m sorry. I made a stupid misspelling! Please delete my previous post since I see that it is awaiting moderation.
Your videos have influenced my opinion about making videos since I really know nothing about making videos, but I’m thinking about it, and want to do a few videos.
So, well done (now spelled correctly)! Thank you!
Carolyn
November 11th, 2008 at 6:51 pm
What about Linux?
I use Ubuntu for everything.
I can do more with linux than Windows or Mac.
November 11th, 2008 at 6:56 pm
Very cool presentation. I’ve used Audacity and have highly recommended it to others. Great for free. Been using Windows based computers for my own audio recordings for years (Sonar/Cool Edit) with no glitches (I don’t use VISTA and am not fond of it either). I need to upgrade my laptop soon. And after viewing your presentation with my future in mind and the use of video, MAC it shall be! Thanks, Mike.
November 11th, 2008 at 7:15 pm
Hi Mike,
That was a very informative video. Well done! Lots of info in a short time. It also alleviated my concerns about buying a MAC and still being able to use all my PC info from 20 years. Thanks.
November 11th, 2008 at 7:17 pm
Great stuff Mike, looks like I need to get a Mac soon…I may go a little overboard with the Mac Pro 2.8 & 8 GB of ram, but know of some awesome deals w/3 year warranty.
November 11th, 2008 at 7:40 pm
I have been a Mac user since Amiga went out of business years ago. I have worked extensively on both Mac and Windoze. To me, it is really an apples and oranges comparison. It is kind of like comparing a BlueRay player to a VCR. You can watch video on both, but there is a very noticeable difference between a BlueRay disc and a video tape. Macs really are worth the extra money.
I have a 17″ MacBook Pro with an upgraded display. It is truly a beautiful machine. I do all my own design and programming also. I like my Mac because it is built on a FreeBSD platform which is the same OS many Web servers use. I can install PHP and MySQL on my Mac and have a mirror image of my Web sites running on my laptop. When I upload my files, I know they are going to be bug free.
I found myself in need of a Windoze machine too. When you build a Web site on a Mac, there are differences in how the site looks on a Mac and a PC. PCs are non-standards compliant, meaning they don’t follow programming standards established by W3C and others. Microsoft thinks they are so big they don’t have to worry about such things. They want to set their own standards and it creates a rift.
Since the only reason I need a PC is to check the layout of my Web sites in IE as compared to Safari on Mac, I didn’t want to spend the money on a laptop. I bought a used Mac Mini on ebay for $300. I already had a monitor and keyboard, so I didn’t need more peripherals.
I partitioned the hard drive and installed Boot Camp running Windows XP on one partition and Boot Camp with Vista Home Deluxe on the other. Why two versions of Windoze? Well, Microsoft has left compatibility issues between versions of IE and I need to see both. As new PCs come with Vista ppre-installed, more and more people are using Vista and the compatibility problems between versions of Windoze is becoming more prevalent.
The only videos I do are Keynote presentations, so I don’t worry too much about multiple camera inputs, etc.
Great video. Thanks for the input. I am looking forward to more.
November 11th, 2008 at 9:21 pm
Mike:
Great job comparing the two operating systems! In fact, it’s best I’ve ever seen. Your opinion regarding features of the two systems is spot on. I’ve been a Mac person since 1985… but have been required to learn PC… so I relate well to everything you presented.
November 11th, 2008 at 9:44 pm
Thank you soo much Mike, excellent info, it came at the right time because these two issues have been nagging me for the past two weeks–what to get for the next step. thanx again, Mike
November 11th, 2008 at 10:17 pm
You are a great presenter. You made it look easy but its not. I watched the video describing Traffic Generator and was unable to locate the Getting Started button. I tried other ways to no avail. Just thought you would like to know. I finally just typed the URL in a new window and got to your website.
I’m an internet marketing consultant with little knowledge of recording videos. I know they can have a great impact on your business so I want to have this knowledge and ability to serve my clients with the best tools to generate the highest traffic possible. Thank you!
November 11th, 2008 at 10:49 pm
brilliant videos Mike, you really have the right information at the right time!
Thanks a ton!
Now that camtasia takes .mov, I’m doin a video a day…:o)
Best Wishes,
Jeff Davis CEO
FunGameStore.com
November 11th, 2008 at 11:16 pm
HI Mike
Thanks for the video. I bought a Mac Pro Desktop back in February. I love my MAC. It did take some getting used to moving from a PC. I do alot of graphic and web design and finding all the programs to do what I used to do on the PC was a bit of a challenge but I can do pretty much anything I want now! Thanks for the tip on Screenflow.
November 11th, 2008 at 11:27 pm
Great overview, and lots of choices touched on. I was a PC guy for 20 years, but did NOT want to go VISTA so recently switched to a Macbook pro. Working on the transition of programs and files… but LOVE it. Final Cut Studio is awesome, but definitely geared towards professionals. CAMTASIA is a great START because it has screen-capture plus video editing plus web-publishing all in one.
November 11th, 2008 at 11:28 pm
Thanks Mike. That was just the information I had hoped you would share. I liked Jeff’s question above. What switching software are you using? You’re probably going to cover that in future videos and if that’s the case, I’ll be listening. ps. love the Digital Cafe set. Nice.
November 11th, 2008 at 11:43 pm
Great information presented well. However for a person like me who is just getting exposed to making money on the internet from old school mlm this was quite overwhelming. I know your world is where the future is at, I just feel so far far behind. I just got exposed to ibuzzpro (voice broadcasting) and I feel intimidated there also.
November 12th, 2008 at 12:03 am
Great video, very informative and interesting. I use both
platforms and I could not agree more.
Thanks
Brian Foster
November 12th, 2008 at 12:47 am
Great video and great info. Thanks a lot. I have been thinking of going Mac but haven’t made the move yet.
Dave the How To guy
November 12th, 2008 at 1:38 am
I agree … Vista is less than good. Basically it sucks.
As far as CPU … Intel is much better than AMD. Do not cut cost on the processor, it is the heart and brain of the computer.
Awesome video … great information.
Thanks.
Todd Thompson
November 12th, 2008 at 1:38 am
Mike – I love your comment, “Vista is junk”. I’m hanging on to XP for as long as I can.
Great content in this video – no fluff, just the facts. We’ve all come to expect nothing but great quality from you!
Another Minnesotan,
Beth Gabriel
November 12th, 2008 at 1:38 am
I really enjoyed this. I had no idea as what to purchase when I upgrade my nearly 3 year old Toshiba Satellite that needs more ram, more hd and more speed.
Thanks
November 12th, 2008 at 1:48 am
Hey Mike,
JaY-JaY from down under Australia here.
Mate, really fantastic video. Very informative and entertaining (ha)
As a magician for my living, I am always editing up videos or promos to send to future clients. And something that is important for me, is editing, speed, reliability and portabal; especially when I travel.
After many years, people have told me different opinions on what I should get, but from from watching your videos, I do agree on the mac with the external monitor.
I think its the better way to go.
Thanks again Mike for your help.
JaY-JaY
http://www.jayjayentertainment.com
November 12th, 2008 at 2:21 am
Mike,
Thank you. You helped me out with several concerns. 1. What size external monitor to invest in. 2. Skitch, I was using Grab it, but Skitch looks to be more feature oriented, and 3rd, VM Fusion or Parallels. I had been using Parallels but have not been too happy, So I think I will uninstall it and try VM Fusion.
I love my Mac and would be lost without it. I have a small tablet PC, but hate using it since it has Vista and takes for ever to da anything.
Thanks Again.
David Budlong
November 12th, 2008 at 2:43 am
Thanks Mike for the informative video. I have always been a PC person and probably will always be. I own all the Adobe software plus Camtasia already and there is nothing I can’t already do with my PC desktop/laptop. However, it is always great to hear what other people are doing their marketing with.
James
November 12th, 2008 at 3:06 am
What’s up Mike!? Thanks for the video. I was educated about the advantages and disadvantages of using a mac or a pc, and desktop or labtop, when it comes to producing good videos for the web. I really learned a lot. Thanks a lot Mike!
November 12th, 2008 at 3:14 am
Awesome video Mike. Very usable information that can be used today. I like your unbiased presentation and your delivery is fast and easy to follow. Thank you so much. JP
November 12th, 2008 at 3:46 am
Great Info Mike, I actually thinking of buying a new computer. Now with your tips and advice, I think I will go try Mac. This is my first time using Mac, but I am not worry as I have see many good comments and recommendation for Mac.
Thanks Mike,
Teddy Wu
Singapore
November 12th, 2008 at 4:06 am
Cool again. How long does it take you to prepare this videos? Do you read a script or is it all from the top of your head?
November 12th, 2008 at 4:52 am
Hello Mike,
Great video. Great quality, content and value as always.
Thanks.
November 12th, 2008 at 5:02 am
Great video Mike! I think what you’ve done here is brilliant because even for a computer/media professional such as myself, it’s hard to evaluate Mac vs. PC unless you regularly use both (which, I have found, is very rare). Well done!
For those who are interested, here is a summary of my experience on the matter. For PC fans, please know that I do not have any particular bias against Wintel. I’m all about what works best, and it seems from my years in the business that Apple’s approach (developing both OS and machines together) seems to be the better one, though admittedly it does not result in the relatively low cost machines of the PC world.
As somebody who comes out of the high-end advertising/marketing world in general and Hollywood in particular, I can tell you from over two decades of personal experience… there’s a reason those of us in the creative community by and large use Macs. Actually, there are several reasons.
Funny thing is, in all the studios and big ad agencies, the “business side” of the operation (as opposed to the “creative”) runs on PCs. While there are fanatic defenders of Wintel on that “left brain” side of the house, the majority of those folks have envied us creatives for a long time now. I see it (and hear it) nearly every day.
“Gosh, I wish I had a Mac like you guys…”
Hollywood is big business. The big agencies and studios spend millions every year on computers, software and I.T.. If they thought they could get away with it, they would have forced PCs down our collective throats over a decade ago. In fact, a few agencies have tried this – and utterly failed. It turns out that penny wise very definitely can be pound foolish in the extremely high pressure world of entertainment production and advertising.
PCs are just so much more complicated, prone to problems and finicky. When you’re in a high-pressure environment, where work has to get out the door tonight (if not yesterday), you simply can’t afford to have machines that aren’t reliable. Period. And that’s the bottom line.
Outside of Hollywood, the big (and small) corporations adopted PCs because the front-end cost was (and still is) much lower. There wasn’t any large advocacy group for Mac (or anything else for that matter) and this is why Wintel came to dominate in industry, and by extension, around the world.
Except, I should add, in the realm of professional creatives.
Speaking as one, I can tell you that I don’t have time or patience for equipment that doesn’t work right. It’s why, despite several attempts over the years, I simply can’t use a PC for what I do. And then there’s the ergonomic issues. The Mac OS and Mac software just tends to be better written, less buggy and more intuitive. Macs have traditionally come fully loaded with more good software, making them more useful right out of the box, too.
In the entertainment business, I do know a few stalwart PC-using freelancers (fortunately, programs like Photoshop, Illustrator, Dreamweaver, etc. are cross-platform compatible) witj Wintel machines, but they are few and far between. And, I should add, they are geeks.
You almost have to be when doing high-end graphics work, regardless of what platform you’re using. This was true for the guys that used Silicon Graphics stations back in the day, and PaintBox even before that. But you don’t want to have to be a geek to get work done, and in the realm of high-end PC apps, you almost have to be.
I even know a few independent motion graphics/film production/3D guys who use a “PC farm” for high-level rendering because the machines are definitely cheaper. But their front end is always a Mac.
Besides the fact that creatives would mutiny if forced to use PCs, Hollywood secretly understands the cost/benefit ROI value of owning and using Macs. It comes down to this: they look at Macs as capital investments. And as Mike discussed in the video, they look at PCs as short-term operating expenses. In other words, just like pencils, white-out and rubber bands. Put another way, they know that in the long run Macs are not just valuable, they’re profitable – less headaches, less downtime, fewer tech calls, higher production rates, etc.
I’ve even seen industry studies to this effect.
Interestingly, in recent years I’ve been seeing more and more small-to-medium sized agencies switching entirely over to Mac. However, the ossification, inertia and plain stupidity at the big agencies and studios will never permit this to happen at their level. More’s the pity.
In my opinion, when it’s all said and done, Macs just work better. Heck, they’re even fun to use.
I wouldn’t trade my Macs for PCs under any circumstances, though I should note that I am going to be using Wintel for a few Internet marketing apps that don’t have a Mac version. Drats!
To throw in my two cents, I would say this…
Spend the extra money on a Mac. Over the long haul and at the end of the day, you’ll be a lot happier.
You can get in touch with me directly if you have questions or comments: karl”at”beachbumcomm.com.
November 12th, 2008 at 5:22 am
Ive built PCs for over 20 years and still found the video informative! Great job, Mike!
November 12th, 2008 at 6:40 am
Hi Mike,
Great video and you answered a ton of questions for me as well as gave me some tips I can take to the bank – for shure! ( audio joko )
Mac verses PC .. My Vote goes to MAC Hands Down, but for me getting a MAC is the only draw back.
I have waited 10 years for Mac’s to come down in price
ever since I saw Windows 95 and my first reaction was this is a Mac “wannabe”.
Finally, this year in August, I decided to bite the bullet and the laptop of my dreams – a Macbook Pro with a 17 inch screen, unfortunately, I went to eBay … I bought one, then two, then three and then four!
Believe it or not, I still have don’t have one of the four in my possession …
Just two disputes with eBay going on over receiving the products.
Because you could not imagine this, I have to show you,
here is a link explaining just one of these episodes:
The other 3 are almost as crazy:
http://www.harrycrowder.com/bullshipping08.html
( definitely not an affiliate link )
What should have been a quick and easy process has taken over 2 months and a real pain in the butt, not to mention my destroying my faith in people and the sellers on eBay –
I plan a full Youtube documentary about this whole fiasco informing anyone thinking about getting the Macbook Pro of their dreams on eBay and seeing it turn into an Internet Nightmare.
By the way I also plan to make the video using my new Macbook Pro .. after everything is settled with the eBay sellers.
Maybe I should have tried Craigslist? .. or a store?
Just a friendly warning to anyone else in the market for a New Macbook Pro … a Your Dream Computer in more ways than one!
Great video.. keep them coming ..
Maybe my next comment will be from my New MacBook Pro !
Best regards,
Harry Crowder
November 12th, 2008 at 7:10 am
as always – great value Mike – informative, content rich, concise & the price is right! Thanks!!
John
November 12th, 2008 at 9:11 am
Very solid, useful content, Mike. Thanks
November 12th, 2008 at 9:24 am
EXTRAORDINARY – clear, concise, down-to-earth, no-hype useable-right-now information! Great video (excellent sound). Thank you.
November 12th, 2008 at 9:25 am
Hi, Great info video! Just starting out doing video and this helped me a lot. And, nice to know that I can do even more with my Mac than I thought before.
Cheers!
November 12th, 2008 at 11:22 am
Hi Mike
Great video: Love the information on knowing which platform to go for.
I’ve just bought a Sony VGN-FW11ZU and I think it’s great, they are powerfull and cost a fortune to buy, but you are right it does crash and performs strangely and does get quit annoying at times.
Might go for a MAC someday always herein how good they are. Thanks again for the video keep them coming
Danny
November 12th, 2008 at 1:11 pm
Very good and very balanced Information that is really spot on. I thank you so much for your efforts in making this somewhat mysterious discussion a lot clearer from the Video perspective, where everything is headed these days.
You mention that you cannot have multiple cameras on a Windows machine, but I am currently developing software that will allow me to do this on a Windows. Will keep you posted on this, as it is a handy piece of software for a Windows machine to have.
Many thanks again and have a terrfic day!
Cheers,
Vanya Markiewicz
http://www.aquawebsites.com
November 12th, 2008 at 6:16 pm
Incredible! It’s safe to say that you are making to transition to video much easier for all of us. Great work so far!
November 12th, 2008 at 6:35 pm
Well what can I say, EXTREMELY INFORMATIVE! thanks
November 12th, 2008 at 8:25 pm
what does “intel Core4″ means?
November 12th, 2008 at 9:07 pm
Thanks for the info Mike!
November 12th, 2008 at 9:50 pm
I think that the future of computers will be a mac run vm ware and cloud computing with more open source programs.
November 12th, 2008 at 9:58 pm
On the Vista note. DISABLE UAC! This will remove that stupid prompt that always comes whenever you do anything. Great report!
November 12th, 2008 at 10:38 pm
Very good and thanks for the info.
Not doing video yet but it is in the future.
Where do you have the highlights printed or do we need to go back and listen again and take notes?
November 12th, 2008 at 11:46 pm
I use both to compare websites on different browsers, and that some of the IM software ONLY runs on pc’s (a pain in the you know what).
But – 98% of my life is on a MAC.
There is one drawback I’ve found on the MAC (other than some software issues) and that is you can’t easily plug in an external microphone. It’s bizarre, given that Macs are waaaaay better at basically everything.
You need to use an external USB device like an “iMic” from Griffen.
On a PC – it’s easy. You just plug in. Done.
Not sure why you promote microsoft office for the mac though (I have it) but – if you’re not sharing word or excel or powerpoint you may as well just stick with Keynote/pages/numbers package for way less cash.
Screenflow is AWESOME. nuff said.
And – if you combine VM fusion or parallels to operate windows XP simultaneously – the mac is basically sensational.
The only piece of extra advice I’d give people reading this is get the fastest/biggest RAM mac they can afford.
For video rendering it helps to have some power behind you! (that is if you don’t want to wait for ages while it renders!)
But mate – what a great presentation you’ve just given. All run through S3 too – not viddler or something else which (from what I’ve seen seems to have altered the syncing of your audio to your video)…
Cheers
Dave
November 13th, 2008 at 1:08 am
Great vid. Thanks. I got a couple spare HP TC4400 tablets (XP!). They are great tools. Using MAC now after my last virus on my desktop PC. Too many hours lost. VM Ware is great for running XP. I use my MAC and HULU to catch past TV shows when i have some idle time (not often) and plug that into my 42″ flatscreen!
Thanks again
November 13th, 2008 at 2:20 am
Just in time! I’m in the market for a new laptop and desktop and was going to go with a pc without question…you’ve given me lots of food for thought. Thank you.
November 13th, 2008 at 5:43 am
As a 16 yr Mac user (and 25 yr illustrator and design professional), I was prepared to scoff, but your info was very good. I wanted to add two things that may be helpful to someone. One, there is also a program called iShowU (shinywhitebox.com) for $30-$60 that is very easy to use, similar to ScreenFlow. We use it in our Mac labs at a local college where I teach in the Visual Communications dept. Two, students and faculty can get an educational discount on Macs (through the Apple Store) and on Adobe Software (through Adobe). Take a class, get a discount. Another way to save is to buy the previous generation Mac desktops/laptops; good savings there. The Mac catalogs like Mac Mall and Mac Connection are a good place to start for that. I have a 15.5″ MacBook Pro that I bought last December; it is heaven!
November 13th, 2008 at 9:24 am
Awesome videos, Mike! The information you share is priceless.
I have only owned Macs since my first computer in 1995. I love them! Yes, Macs are more expensive, but consider the fact that they last at least twice as long as a PC, so it’s like getting two PCs only much better!
I have run into a problem using my new video camera with my Mac though. I have a Sony HD digital video camera, which I love. But after transferring my videos to my Mac, I am not able to open them in my iMovie in order to edit them. It seems they are in an unaccepted format. I do have my Mac partitioned with BootCamp and have Windows XP installed on the PC side.
Do you have any suggestions as to what to do (or use) in order to edit and play my videos on my Mac (or even the PC side). Thanks so much! I am looking forward to the rest of your videos!
November 13th, 2008 at 4:44 pm
Thanks for giving all this information. Your advise is saving us time & money & digitally enabling us as well.
November 13th, 2008 at 8:54 pm
Very informative video. I’ve only ever used PC’s but after a revent problem with my Dell XPS laptop (fried graphics card!) I am now seriously considering a Mac.
Thanks for the info.
Best regards,
Dave Ovenden
http:/GeneratorSoftwareHQ.com
November 14th, 2008 at 2:53 am
Good info Mike and some extra good input from Karl. I’ve been considering a Mac for some time now but this video has convinced me to make the move now.
November 14th, 2008 at 8:25 am
I just went and bought myself the SAMSON C03U mic. Can’t wait til it arrives. Recording my voice direct to my Mac just doesn’t cut the mustard.
November 14th, 2008 at 2:46 pm
I was pretty overwhelmed after a min. or 2 into the video. You gave so much info it would have been great if you had boiled your recommendations down and under the video listed them with links too. Hard to take notes while you kept talking, especially since at times I was not sure what your bottom line top pick was. I appreciate your sharing your opinions.
November 14th, 2008 at 3:00 pm
Thanks for all the useful information Mike. Your video was quite helpful, and might I add crisp:)
November 14th, 2008 at 6:48 pm
Hello,
Thank you for the valuable videos.
I use Sony Vegas for videos, but I’m wondering what the best way is to make special animations for my videos, such as a 3D globe spinning with text on the equator, etc.
What program can I use for that?
Thanks,
Lavern
November 15th, 2008 at 12:15 am
Great informative video. Thanks for the education.
November 15th, 2008 at 1:29 am
Excellent resource video – reinforces my Mac devotion. aloha MJ
November 15th, 2008 at 3:45 am
Hi, great videos, the info that you sheared is fantastic, I learned so mush from them.
I’m a mac user, in fact that is the only computer for me I had a pc laptop once… it was ok but I gave to my son it was not for me.
thanks again for the wonderful presentation and all the great information. you are very generous with your know how
sincerely
Chepe
November 17th, 2008 at 6:46 am
Thanks for all the *inside scoop* on the equipment. I’ve been using Vista for about a year and am happy mostly because I got a 17″ screen
As you said about the external monitor…that part does suck with the PC, going analog to digi and back again but hasn’t stopped me yet.
Again, thanks for all the tips. Really helped knowing about the different programs that are used.
Question about the mics…what do you recommend for lapel mics? (Frank, what is the type that you use in your videos?)
Thanks,
Jeremy
November 18th, 2008 at 7:11 am
Mike, your videos are great man, right to the point well shot, etc but man, STOP moving your shoulders that much!
You have a great screen presence and you’re ruining it by that alone. Other than that, your videos are A+++
November 18th, 2008 at 7:17 am
These videos are great for promoting your product
along with providing value to users!
November 18th, 2008 at 3:13 pm
Very informative. What is usefull is the brand names and your willingness to add the don’t buy comments.
Out of curiosity, is there an update or is this the latest. ie. When was this produced?
November 20th, 2008 at 5:51 pm
Great video!
For those of you who asked about software that allows you to connect several cameras to your Mac and record simultaneously. You can use either Wirecast, which is made by the same people who produced Screenflow (http://www.flip4mac.com/wirecast.htm) or Capture Magic (http://www.bigmugsoftware.com/capture/). There may be another solution out there but these are the ones I’m familiar with.
November 23rd, 2008 at 2:03 pm
Mike,
Great video and helped me to decide which way to go. I’ve always been a PC person but lately want (need) to delve more into video for business purposes. I know I need to update my hardware and was debating over getting a new PC or a MAC for all my graphic and video stuff. Your video helped me immensely in making that decision and I will be looking at MACs in the very near future.
Thanx for this great tutorial!
November 27th, 2008 at 3:12 pm
Mike, Talk about info that I’d been searching for, this was it. And it was so helpful because I am buying the type of of camcorder you suggest and wondered if it would work with my PowerBook G4 17in. I can upgrade my RAM to 2GB but will the w m ware work on a PowerBook?
I have a 5 year old PC that I need to replace instead.
January 15th, 2009 at 3:05 pm
Mike you ask what I think and I think you are one of the best communicators I have ever listened to.
January 23rd, 2009 at 9:39 am
Thanks for this great video Mike. Converted to Mac a couple of years back and NEVER looked back. Using Screenflow and Keynote and both are superb.
Would REALLY appreciate some tips as to how you make your tutorial video (the overview of traffic geyser) where you have the screen within a screen running in real time synch. I need to do that for a music tuition project and would appreciate some guidance on this please.
Great product, great site and good support. Thanks
January 23rd, 2009 at 3:34 pm
Very good and interesting presentation which covered most of the things.
For general office use I am a Linux fan but I would agree with you that – especially when it comes to video production – the Mac is hard to beat. You simply win in productivity and making as you say.
When it comes to Office I think Open Office 3 comes a very long way and it is of course free.
I am new to video and audio and I don’t know if Linux yet can meet the Mac. I don’t think so but maybe Windows.
USB pport extenders are great. If you are on an older system you might need to buy an extender with its own external power (from the wall). The computer might not provide enough if you attached a lot of equipment.
Firewire overdelivers usually but I would argue that USB 2.0 is quite fast and nearly operates at the speed of an internal standard disk.
Anyway, USB 3.0 is soon here and is 10 times faster than 2.0 so it will leave Firewire standing still.
Good that you mention VMWare. It is a fantastic piece of software.
I don’t how it works with Mac but if their is full support and it looks like there is then you can have a lot of fun.
Install a basic Linux command line system and then VMWare. Then install your choice of a full Linux and Windows and Mac OS. Or multiple instances of them.
You need a lot of memory or rather you need as much memory as each OS needs plus VMWare’s own need of 512 mb or so.
Standard Windows can only handle 3.5 GB memory while Linux handles 64 GB. That should tell you something. I fully agree with your opinion about Windows.
Anyway, these virtual machines (VM) are only big files seen from VMware point of view. It makes backups and security and recovery much easier. So if you have your files cleverly organized you can just migrate from one VM Windows machine to another when it freezes up on you and you continue in the next. Then you can reinstall the failing one when you are in the mood.
These virtual machines are completely separate so if one dies the other ones are not affected at all.
Great piece of work from VMWare.
By the way, virtual machines are nothing new. IBM had an operating system called VM or virtual machines already in 1970’s and developed their big OS called MVS using VM on the big mainframes or REAL computers and not toys like PC …:)
Best Wishes
Rolf The Finn
So nothing new under the sun really.
February 27th, 2009 at 9:14 am
Thanks for that explanation.
I have a mac pro and will start to use it to make the videos.
March 18th, 2009 at 9:03 pm
Want to know — Mac or PC
April 3rd, 2009 at 5:40 pm
[...] Now I’m thinking about switching from my PC to a Mac Book Pro and I am going to watch the PC or Mac video to get some [...]
April 4th, 2009 at 6:33 am
Thanks for this awesome video, Mike. I switched to Mac about a year ago and love it. I’m interested in getting into video marketing and it’s great to hear your talk about the best stuff to use. Much appreciated.
May 3rd, 2009 at 8:53 pm
Mike, couldnt agree with your recommendations more between MAC and PC. PC has paid my morttage for years (IT consulting) but since I purchased my Macbook Pro 2 years ago (using Parallels, instead of VMWARE). My personal experience has been the same as yours. Thanks for your insight and recommendations.
June 9th, 2009 at 1:13 pm
Cool vid thanx! I have been weighing up the PC and Mac for a while and now that’s helped! I also loved the info about the quality USB mic …. I want one now!
Also would love a list of this in ard copy to take shopping.
Cheers, Tracey
July 6th, 2009 at 9:16 pm
Wow!,
This really helped solidify my decision on my playform for the future. Thanks for the pointers on the Mac.
Rene
July 10th, 2009 at 10:50 pm
Thanks for the software information. It gets so overwhelming when starting out, but it helps to know exactly what tools you need to get started.
July 19th, 2009 at 7:08 am
Great advice….I was on the fence about buying as am based in the Middle East and everyone has PC. But am now definitely going to make the switch to mac.
I wonder if Windows 7 will save the PC or will everyone go mac and never come back…
July 28th, 2009 at 10:18 pm
Great video and analysis. Thanks for a job well done. Any chance of a transcript of the video in pdf?
August 7th, 2009 at 1:43 pm
Hi everyone,
I am with Alex. I have a JVC that produces MOD files but I am able to work around it.
Great video series. I am getting to where I look for them every day.
Glenn
September 9th, 2009 at 3:39 am
Thanks for the valuable information.
I’ve been researching laptops for past couple weeks. your info was quite informative.
Thanks again,
Greg
October 17th, 2009 at 10:00 am
Hi Mike, thanks for the great info.
I have been thinking about getting a Mac for some time now and after watching this I am going to get one asap.
Thanks again
David
October 26th, 2009 at 1:34 am
Thanks a million. Makes a lot of sense. I want to buy a Mac and am looking forward to getting one. Thanks for making the distinction between what the laptop/desktop can do. Most companies are now pushing the idea of desktop replacements. I look forward to growing with Traffic Geyser you guys rock!
December 23rd, 2009 at 9:20 pm
I don’t know who you are; but, THANKS for this information. This has come at the most appropriate time.
January 15th, 2010 at 9:07 pm
HELLOOO MIKE,
JUST GREAT INFO U SHARED ABOUT BOTH COMPUTERS. HOW COULD ANYONE GO WRONG… EVEN RAY CHARLES COULD SEE HIS WAY WITH YOUR CONTENT RICH INFO…
YOUR ALWAYS IN RARE FORM… A TRUE PROFESSIONAL…
January 22nd, 2010 at 8:28 pm
Wow, thank you very much for all the information.
South Africa is waking up to all of this now and the information is coming in handy. Saves us to import and order the wrong stuff. Thank You for your no beating around the bush approach.
February 1st, 2010 at 8:57 am
Great stuff! Who needs computer review mags when you have Mike! Mac it is.
March 20th, 2010 at 8:00 pm
Mike
You have a fantastic little set-up there and your videos are so helpful and informative. Thank you so very much for the work your doing.
Jim