Special effects

[Grixti]

Im not sure if this is the right thread to post this but close enough...

I am going on to uni to study special effects and was wandering what would be the best specification PC for this job. Any info on this subject would be great.

I was also considering whether to get a PC or a Mac so any advice in regards to that would also be much appreciated.

Thanks!

 

[Tmagic650]

Video or audio special effects, or both?

 

[TechnoFeather]

depends on your wallet as well. I'm currently studying Virtual Effects Artist and we work with Macs, because we also learn only Mac-stuff like Final Cut.

At home I've got a QuadCore for the 3D renderings with 2GB of RAM, which is WAY to little. thinking of upgrading it to 4 or maybe even 8GB, because the prices are so low. But basically a DualCore with min. 2GB RAM and 50GB spare free disk space will do.

 

[Grixti]

Video special effects. I dont really know anything about it but if i get into that area i want to have the best equipment possible.

I want to be editing real footage and adding 3D special effects etc. If anyone has some good sources of info on this subject that would be great!

 

[Grixti]

TechnoFeather,
Does the fact that you have a PC at home and Macs where you study work ok together? Do you get problems transferring stuff from uni(or wherever you are studying) to home?

I dont really know anything about the difference in file formats with graphics software on PCs and Macs.

 

[TechnoFeather]

Good question. The only problem that I've got is the fileformat. On the PC I have of course NTFS, which Macs can read but they cannot write on it. One can use the FAT32 on an external HD, but then again you cannot have any files bigger than 4GB - which if you have a uncompressed video is really rather tiny!
Then there is a program called "MacDrive", which you can install on your PC to format and read the Mac fileformats! Quite good program, but I really hate to install these programs which require to write itself reeeaallllyyy deep into the system so it'll work. And you will have to erase your complete external drive in order to use one of the Mac fileformats.

 

[Grixti]

So would you say that it is best to use the same computer (mac/pc) as where you are studying. If the uni you are at are using Macs, is the difficulty in using different file formats worth shelling out a lot of extra dough for a Mac rather than a PC?

If i got a PC i can get a really good spec for under £1000 and loads of cracked software.

A Mac will set me back around £1500 with no cracked software.

What to do?

 

[TechnoFeather]

Oh, the file format problem is not worth buying a Mac if you rather would want a PC.
On the other hand: one or two programs might only work on Macs (like FinalCut), but as you would have to buy them, you surely wouldn't have them on the mac as well, as they cost such a lot.
Oh, and the keyboard layout is of course a little bit different. If you are working the hole day on a mac (Save: Apple+S) and then you want to work at home, you will find the first 5min quite frustrating, because you will ALWAYS hit Alt+S, instead of Ctrl+S ! That of course happens with all the Apple/Ctrl shortcuts.

all-in-all I def. prefer the PC - I just can't stand macs ^^


Think for yourself: What would you buy without boundaries? A PC or a Mac?