Best Laptop For Making Movies

[The Gentleman Scamp]

I've got a digital video camera, a very creative mind and a good cd collection.

I'd like a good laptop which I can use to edit, overlay music and subtitles, add and take away effects and put on DVD my documentary/video diary's.

I also want to take still photos from video, play DVD's, use the net and make compilation CD's and all the other stuff that can be done.

My mate's got a good Compaq but I need to know more.

Will have more questions when I get back.

Cheers in adv for replies.

Scampy

[Firefoxx]

Most laptops don't come with a DVD writer, and those that do are very expensive, and have drives that aren't as fast as desktop drives. You would also need to get one with a firewire port to connect to your DV camcorder.

Pretty much any modern laptop can do video editing, but if you want to do it fast and in real time, you would need some serious hardware. The processor should be an Intel Dothan (2mb cache). Memory plays a large part in performance, especially in video editing, so 512MB would be the absolute bare minimum. Around 1GB would be adequate, more would be better. Of course the screen is important, to check color fidelity. Another limitation of notebooks is their harddisks. Keep in mind that an hour of DV video takes 12GB, and you'll typically have several hours on file at a time. With typical notebook harddisks at around 40-80GB max, you're going to fill it up fast. Notebook harddisks are also typically slow, spinning at 4,200 rpm, you would need to get one with at least 5,400 rpm (vs 7,200 rpm for desktops). Otherwise, you won't be able to capture DV.

You can get an external firewire DVD-writer (a desktop internal 16x writer is around 4,000, add a firewire enclosure for 1,800). You can do the same with an external harddisk (desktop 7,200rpm HDD+firewire enclosure).

Unless there is a compelling reason to get a notebook, a desktop system would be much more capable and much cheaper. You would probably need to spend around 100k baht on a notebook to do the job of a 40k baht desktop.

[Flummoxed]

Take it from experience, a transient lifestyle like ours requires a laptop. You'll regret buying a desktop, unless you're absolutely sure you're in the same place for a good while.

Will write a longer reply for you when I have time.

[rickvan]

Take it from experience, a transient lifestyle like ours requires a laptop. You'll regret buying a desktop, unless you're absolutely sure you're in the same place for a good while.

Will write a longer reply for you when I have time.

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

I have the Mac Powerbook with superdrive so i can burn dvd for movie makers Mac is the best !!!

Edited January 11, 2005 by rickvan

[astral]

You need a desktop with the most power you can afford in order to do video processing efficiently.

You may also need extra memory and capture cards, which will be difficult on a notebook.

[ZOVOX]

Will have more questions when I get back.

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

Firefoxx has pretty much covered the hardware side. If you are looking at software. i would recommend 'nero burning rom 6.6' for cd/dvd burning. 'Adobe photoshop cs 8.0' is the industry standard photo manipulation and is the best. As for video manipulation, 'adobe premiere 1.5' is widely used.

[Sunny Valentine]

If Video Editing as well as other advanced Multimedia work is your goal, you should definitely check Apple MacIntosh Powerbooks. Amazing!

Sunny

[The Gentleman Scamp]

Thanks for replies.

I've got some to look at next week... Don't want to rush into a decision.

[night_rider]

I concur both that a desktop machine would be the best course of action and that it should be a Macintosh if you're serious about video editing. You're not going to spend your time import video or writing dvds. You'll spend your time editing. Find the editing software that works for you and buy the platform it sits on. If you look at Final Cut Pro and the Macintosh I think you'll be happy you did.