What is the best set up for video editing?

That is a hard question to answer.. Nothing is best for everyone... However if i am to generalize it I would put it this way.. If you want to cut everything from a short promos to hollywood pictures..

A high end windows pc (only cause mac pro hasn't been updated in ages)

Avid Media Composer with Nitrus DX

Two monitors

Broadcast monitor

HD Deck

pimping 5.1 speakers

A good mixer

You are looking at over 70,000 or 80,000, could even approach even more.. HD decks run atleast 15k.

If price is not an issue then there you go....

However this is not realistic for most people nor best solution by no means... I run a macbook pro with Avid (as primary) Final Cut 7, Final Cut X (for practice, didn't have to use it for a job yet), and Premiere (just in case)

I am a final cut child who grew up on it and love it however everything I am doing in last few years is on AVID...

Have a second monitor..

I am very portable and rest of the gear I usually get where ever I work at.. I am looking into getting a good broadcast monitor connected with AJA thunderbolt..

Like I said this is very open question, there is no (BEST) it all depends what you will be doing.. If you get AVID (which can do everything, however is cluncky as **** and counter intuitive) but you are only cutting wedding videos and short format stuff, it would be an overkill galore.. Just get FCP X in that case... Simple,easy, one app...

Be more specific and you will get clearer answers..

This is FCPX forum. You can download trial versions of Avid and Premiere and try for your self

I would personally stay away from Mac pro until it updates and if it does. Last time they updated Mac pro was 2010.. It is fast, very fast but spending so much money on a two years old set up is not something I am willing to plunge my money into...Also Mac pro has no thunderbolt.. Huge drawback since all new external boxes are thunderbolt...

I would go with top of the line iMac...

You may want to look at his before you decide:

http://vimeo.com/35122338

MtD

You must have not read my first post meg. I am not saying that Mac pro is bad choice.. I am saying Mac pro is a bad choice right now.. Its a 2 year old machine... And besides what the guy in the video say, there is no delaying it that thunderbolt is a advantage on a pro level.

Actually, thunderbolt is NOT an advantage at the pro level. It is an extremely limited bus and there are a VERY small number of devices that support it. It is another effort by apple to pass off consumer level stuff as professional.

The simple answer is - if you need a piece of equipment now and can justify the expense, buy it now. If you don't or can't - then put the purchase off.

x

If you are serious about editing and need a setup to generate broadcast ready output, there is no substitute for a Mac Pro. I don't care if the current model is a couple of years old, it is still light years bettter than an iMac.

With an iMac there is NO internal expandibility, zero modularity (ie screen dies, throw out the box) and any additional capabilites have to be hung off the box. It is a nightmare configuration scenario.

x

I need it for independent movies, profesional showreels, and short films.

If you are talking about sending stuff to Telluride, Park City, or other festivals, as well as sending material to broadcast/ feature film agents, then yes, the abilty to control color and clearly monitor output matters.

If you are talking about sending stuff to youtube, then it doesn't matter.

iMacs are nice cutting stations but do not offer the serious horsepower for color correction and external reference monitoring.

Have fun.

x

Why does the word whimsical spring to mind?

Andy