The NEW iMacG5
 

Well the specs don't seem to have bumped up that much, but I find the built-in iSight camera fascinating...

Ummm, there's more there than meets the eye. Slight bump in processor speed, major graphics upgrade going to the PCI express interface, dual layer superdrive, thinner case. The built in camera is nice, but I would rather have an external camera that I can adjust without having to adjust the entire computer.

-gb-

This is interesting (also some info on the iPod here). The new iMacs include a wireless remote control:

http://biz.yahoo.com/ap/051013/apple.html?.v=5

Also DDR2 533 RAM.

looks like i'm the only to get your sarcasm. btw, pci express is a non issue, since the card not the interface is the bottleneck. imhop, its a very modest upgrade.

Sorry, you got something I wasn't giving. That wasn't intended as sarcasm. My point is that Apple is making it really easy to to do videoconferencing right out of the box. And the remote control hints at what may soon evolve into a home entertainment system.

The prices are also a bit lower. The 20in model is selling for 1699USD whereas I paid 1899 for mine without most of this stuff just last February.

-gb-

I read it as sarcasm because thats the way I assume most video editors would feel about a built-in web cam. whoopie! For consumers or ppl who video conference it cuts down on clutter but for me I would have no use for it. The only meaningful improvement is the extra ram.

I am not interested in the iMac G5 for myself, and I've never used the iSight either. That doesn't mean it isn't a useful product for someone else however. And as an Apple shareholder I'm happy to watch them carve out new markets.

Minor correction:

The previous model iMac was also equipped with a dual-layer superdrive. :-)

Yep, you are correct. I was thinking about my system which I bought just a couple months before the last version came out. No dual layer here yet. I'm sure I'll get around to putting one in pretty soon.

BTW Duane, do you ever come to the FCPUG meetings at the Willow Bend store?

-gb-

Being brand new, I'm sure no one has had the opportunity to use this new iMac yet. Any opinions on how it may handle editing?

If it did monitor expansion instead of just mirroring.... man, then I'd consider it as a nice "tweener" machine.

Mark,

It can do extended desktop with dual monitors. You just have to apply an easily done openfirmware tweak. The graphics "card" in it supports extended desktop but it's disabled through openfirmware modification.

Here's how to do it.

Here's my old setup.

Also, I'm sure the new iMac is up to the task. I currently edit on a Mac Mini and it does great with DV footage. I use a DP G5 at work for uncompressed SD though.

It also, from what I have read, revokes any rights to repairs...

This is true. However, in the 2 years I ran my iBook this way, I had no issues at all. Also, you can undo the hack before it needs to be sent in if necessary for warrantee repairs.

Point being... Apple cripples the video card and "fixing" it voids your warranty... cause if you can't undo it because your computer doesn't start up, what are you going to do... It all leads to the need for something below $2000 but better than an iMac mini, and not having to go the used route. Why do you have to go to $2000 to get dual screen spanning support? That's crazy.

Mark, I see your point, and agree. I think it's silly to cripple the iMac and iBooks. Even lower level PC laptops allow desktop spanning when a 2nd display is connected. I think the rationale behind it is so that their consumer line won't eat into their pro line. But if you ask me, sales is sales! If they enabled the full feature set of the display processors in the iBook and iMac, maybe it would take away from some pro sales, but they would make a sale none the less.

I still believe that the Mac is far superior AND cheaper in the long run and an iMac with a 20" screen and a video monitor running through firewire is a more than suitable edit station.

Uh...no.....I didn't even know that it existed! Shoot, maybe I should dig up some info on it and make it up there for one of the meetings; I've been wanting to find other people in the local area--this would be a good way to do it.

Of course, I'm so freakin' up-to-my-eyeballs editing right now that it's not even funny--probably couldn't make any meetings anytime soon. I haven't seen daylight in weeks.

LOL!