MBP enuf juice or wait for MPro? at DVinfo.net

Mike Chandler · February 3rd, 2009, 01:04 PM

Trying to decide whether to keep waiting for the new MacPro or to spring for an MBP in the meantime, but worried if it has enough power to run compositing apps with XDCAm footage. I've tried cutting on an older G4 MacBookPro and it won't play XDCam sequences at all. I've been able to use an iMac G5 2.8Ghz, 2GB ram for editing XDCam, but not compositing. It burps at DVGarage's Conduit, which I used for greenscreening composites--does almost what it's supposed to, but not in real time.

Has anyone done compositing on a new MBP without headaches?

Jason Bodnar · February 3rd, 2009, 01:14 PM

I bought My MBP about 6 moths ago and love it... Use After effects CS4 all the time and it works great!!! Just get 4+ GB of RAM, the 7200RPM hardrive, and the higher end 512MB video card... Now this is no Mac Pro as I use this while in the studio, but it works, longer rendering time obviously and not as much RAM as my Mac Pro so I can not pre render almost my entire timeline...But still works very good. I guess waiting would depend on how heavy your comp jobs are and do they involve VFX layers as well, or are they basic comps from green screen footage.

Matt Davis · February 3rd, 2009, 05:05 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Mike Chandler

Has anyone done compositing on a new MBP without headaches?

I've used a MacBook Pro (and PowerBooks before that) as my main machine since, well, since before the Wall Street (the black curvy ones). AfterEffects, and now Motion. Not the highest of the high end, but more than most.

It's absolutely fine for 720p in all shapes and forms (agree with RAM and GPU though I use external drives). 1080p chromakey with Magic Bullet Looks and some Motion work? Well, it will do it. It will get hot and huff and puff a bit. I'm sure a MacPro would be faster, but I want the portability.

I've not had an issue with the MacBook Pro, in that I've not yet hit a wall and gone out and bought a MacPro.

Malcolm Hamilton · February 3rd, 2009, 07:11 PM

I have a MacBook Pro and I love it. But the next Mac Pro is going to be amazing. New chip architecture that's going to make it much much more than the standard "incremental" upgrade.
If you don't need to move your computer around, I'd wait for the Mac Pro. Slated for end of next month, according to the rumour boards.
Malcolm

Mike Chandler · February 4th, 2009, 02:00 PM

Thanks, guys.

Brian Luce · February 4th, 2009, 10:12 PM

How much horsepower do you need to run FCP and not have a stuttery timeline/preview?
Where do you need the muscle exactly? RAM? CPU? GPU?

February 3rd, 2009, 01:04 PM	#1
Mike Chandler Major Player Join Date: May 2008 Location: Moab, UT Posts: 264	MBP enuf juice or wait for MPro? Trying to decide whether to keep waiting for the new MacPro or to spring for an MBP in the meantime, but worried if it has enough power to run compositing apps with XDCAm footage. I've tried cutting on an older G4 MacBookPro and it won't play XDCam sequences at all. I've been able to use an iMac G5 2.8Ghz, 2GB ram for editing XDCam, but not compositing. It burps at DVGarage's Conduit, which I used for greenscreening composites--does almost what it's supposed to, but not in real time. Has anyone done compositing on a new MBP without headaches?

February 3rd, 2009, 01:14 PM	#2
Jason Bodnar Major Player Join Date: Nov 2007 Location: Seattle WA Posts: 376	I bought My MBP about 6 moths ago and love it... Use After effects CS4 all the time and it works great!!! Just get 4+ GB of RAM, the 7200RPM hardrive, and the higher end 512MB video card... Now this is no Mac Pro as I use this while in the studio, but it works, longer rendering time obviously and not as much RAM as my Mac Pro so I can not pre render almost my entire timeline...But still works very good. I guess waiting would depend on how heavy your comp jobs are and do they involve VFX layers as well, or are they basic comps from green screen footage.

February 3rd, 2009, 07:11 PM	#4
Malcolm Hamilton Major Player Join Date: Jan 2007 Location: Ottawa, Canada Posts: 844	I have a MacBook Pro and I love it. But the next Mac Pro is going to be amazing. New chip architecture that's going to make it much much more than the standard "incremental" upgrade. If you don't need to move your computer around, I'd wait for the Mac Pro. Slated for end of next month, according to the rumour boards. Malcolm

February 4th, 2009, 02:00 PM	#5
Mike Chandler Major Player Join Date: May 2008 Location: Moab, UT Posts: 264	Thanks, guys.

February 4th, 2009, 10:12 PM	#6
Brian Luce Inner Circle Join Date: Jan 2006 Posts: 2,290	How much horsepower do you need to run FCP and not have a stuttery timeline/preview? Where do you need the muscle exactly? RAM? CPU? GPU?