Canon XL1S MiniDV Digital Camcorder
Average Customer Review:
Electronics (08 August, 2001)
list price: $4,999.99
US | Canada | United Kingdom | Germany | France

Editorial Review

Small enough to carry around and costing not much more than a top-of-the-line consumer camcorder, the XL1S produces such high-quality results that it is sure to be the top choice for many independent filmmakers who demand full features and controls. Like its predecessor, the XL1, this camera uses three separate 270,000 pixel CCDs (one for each primary color) for the best picture quality. The XL1S records digital audio, with two channels of 16 bit/48 KHz sound or four channels of 12 bit/32 KHz sound. The body is based on a magnesium-alloy frame for maximum durability. It ships with a 16x optical zoom lens with optical image stabilization, but is also compatible with other XL camcorder lenses. With an optional adapter, you can use Canon EF (EOS) still-camera lenses--some of which also feature optical image stabilization.

The electronics of the XL1S have many advanced features, including a number of programmed AE modes, as well as both shutter and aperture priority modes. There are two different auto modes, one of which allows you to adjust any setting manually, if you want, and the other, which adjusts every setting automatically and lets you adjust nothing. A spotlight mode automatically compensates for difficulties when shooting a subject bathed in a spotlight. The computer-shooting mode gets rid of monitor flicker that happens when shooting a computer screen. There are also three different shooting modes: normal movie, digital photo, and frame movie. Normal movie mode is for any time you want to shoot video footage. Digital-photo mode records a still image for six seconds on the MiniDV tape and also captures any accompanying audio for a commentary track. The frame movie mode records 30 noninterlaced still images per second, instead of capturing 60 fps interlaced images. This mode isn't intended to be used for shooting video (playback may not look completely smooth). Rather, frame movie mode should be used as a burst, or continuous, shooting mode, like you'd find on a still camera.

The XL1S offers many new and updated features over the XL1. There is a 16:9 shooting mode where electronic lines draw are displayed through the viewfinder so you can compose your shots flexibly for later conversion to HDTV, where 16:9 is the standard. SMPTE color bars help establish a proper color reference for shooting and editing. Interval recording lets you shoot time-elapsed motion video with intervals from 30 seconds to 10 minutes. Zebra patterns help you determine overexposed areas in your shot so you can adjust the aperture and shutter accordingly.

Digital Video Format and IEEE 1394

The XL1S is a consummate professional creation tool that supports the established industry standards, MiniDV and IEEE 1394. Support of these standards make the XL1S a flexible video creation tool that interoperates with standard DV equipment and computer editing systems as accorded by engineering, scientific and broadcast communities.

DV Format Technology and Its Advantages

The MiniDV format supported by the XL1S delivers more than 500 lines of horizontal resolution -- a 25% improvement over analog systems. The DV format allows for near lossless transfer within digital editing environments for faster creation, increased productivity and improved production quality of final prints.

IEEE 1394 (DV Terminal)

The XL1S comes standard with a DV terminal that conforms to IEEE 1394 for digital transfer of video and sound, in addition to regular video and audio outputs. The IEEE 1394 (also known as FireWire®) standard allows editing, copying and recording of digital video over a single cable. This transfer format affords improved image and sound quality and is virtually free from generation loss.

The 3 CCD System

The XL1S maximizes the capability of the DV format by using a 3 CCD (charge-coupled device) system with a separate CCD for each primary color (red, green, blue). A beam-splitting prism separates light passing through the lens into individual color components and each is sent to its own CCD. Compared to a single CCD, the 3 CCD system achieves outstanding detail with highly accurate color reproduction suitable for the demands of high-end video production - wide dynamic range, low color noise, high-contrast detail, natural color resolution and low-aliasing. The 3 CCD system also makes advanced Pixel Shift (for increased image quality) and Low Light Recording (for increased flexibility) possible.

The three CCD image sensors in the XL1S, each with 270,000 pixels, were specifically designed to capture as much image detail as possible and for shooting under extremely low light conditions. The size of each pixel is 72 square microns - 150% larger than the pixel-size on comparable DV models. The result is an approximate 4 dB improvement in sensitivity. This improved sensitivity means that each CCD can capture more information at all light ranges. In super low light, the XL1S still captures crisp and clear digital data. Under extremely bright conditions, the Pixel Shift capabilities of the XL1S greatly reduces vertical white streaks and smears, making it a consummate field recording device for all conditions.

Because human eyes see green more clearly and readily, the green component of a video signal contains 60% of the picture detail whereas the red and blue components together comprise the remaining 40%. With the advanced Pixel Shift on the XL1S, the green CCD is physically shifted the equivalent distance of 1/2 pixel horizontally from the red and blue CCD, and the green signal is electronically shifted 1/2 pixel vertically. This shifting of the green CCD increases the sampling points, resulting in a system that is comparable to 410,000 pixel CCD systems in terms of resolution. With a larger pixel size and the process of Pixel Shift, the Canon XL1S gives wider dynamic range, better low light recording, reduced vertical smears, and high quality still images without sacrificing the highest resolution DV available.

Audio and Video Inputs and Outputs

The XL1S offers a plethora of means by which to get audio and video in and out of the camcorder. The XL1S is designed to handle two types of analog video input and output: using audio/video cables (composite) or S-video. There are four audio inputs and outputs. All connections are on the camera body.

What's in the Box

• XL1S Camera
• Zoom Lens 16x XL 5.5-88 mm IS
• BP-930 Battery Pack
• CA-910 Compact Power Adapter
• DC-900 DC Coupler
• SS-1000 Shoulder Strap
• WL-D32000 Wireless Controller
• SP-100 Shoulder Pad
• S-150 S-video Cable
• STV-150 Stereo Video Cable
• Lens Hood

... Read more

Features

• NTSC
• Three shooting modes: Normal Movie, Digital Photo Mode, and the cinema-like Frame Movie Mode and shoot in 16:9
• Record for up to 90 minutes on one battery charge
• Professional-quality MiniDV camcorder and still camera with 3 CCD lens
• 16x optical zoom lens (digital zoom to 320x) and image stabilizer
• Interchangeable lens system--can use Canon EOS lenses with optional adapter

Reviews (19)

great camcorder
i am currently in high school, in the media tech department. we do the school news, and produce some films. we currently have 3 kinds of camcorders, the sony dsr200, sony dsr300, and the canon xl1. most of the class perfers the xl1 for many reasons.
it is definately the easiest to use, it is very light weight, and has many options that other cameras just dont have. it has a firewire port directly on it to help get onto computers, though there are other ways.

i have personally used this camcorder, and i must agree, it is a wonderful piece of technology. a few months ago i had bought one of the new Sony handycams that burns to miniDVD, and i had nothing but disappointment, now i am looking into an XL1 of my own, because i know how to use it, it is easy to learn how to use, and there is so much more that you can do with it then most camcorders. if you are looking for something professional, and yet decent in price, you might want to consider the canon xl1

Canon XL1s - Be Wary of Service & Waranty
Canon still seems to have problems with it's lenses and how they interface with its electronic components, which means a blurry picture.For Canadians, there is only 1 service department in Calgary, while customer service is in Ontario.Imagine the bills trying to track down your camera over 2 provinces.Canon has somehow managed to keep this issue under wraps but it is a good idea to investigate where your nearest service department is and what kind of return time you can expect on repairs.The XL delivers great shots and definately looks the part, which can be important, but if it's not in your hands then it won't do much good.

Good Enough
As of now, the XL1S is a little outdated by some other cameras that are on the market, but the end product has very desirable results. I have used cameras like the Panasonic DVX-100, and the XL1 will suit your needs at least 90% of the time that the DVX will. There is no LCD screen, but the viewfinder does sort of double as one and the overall shape of the XL1 makes it unwieldy at times, and more convenient at other times.

Overall, if you have the chance to get this camera, then go for it if something like the DVX is out of reach. The XL2 is coming out soon apparently, which will probably drop the price of this camera and it would be a great opportunity for people on a smaller budget to pick up a camera that is capable of cinema quality pictures.
... Read more

Asin: B00005NKXS
Subjects:  1. Camcorder (Camcorders)   

Apple Power Mac Desktop M8573LL/A (1.25-GHz DP PowerPC G4, 512 MB RAM, 120 GB Hard Drive, DVD-RW/CD-RW Drive)
Average Customer Review:
Personal Computers

US | Canada | United Kingdom | Germany | France

Editorial Review

With dual 1.25 GHz PowerPC G4 processors, improved system bandwidth with a 167 MHz system bus, a new-generation graphics processor, a DVD- and CD-burning SuperDrive, and the new Mac OS X 10.2 Jaguar preloaded, the fastest PowerMac ever combines screaming speed with ferocious graphics power.

The dual processors put this fearsomely fast Power Mac G4 squarely in the lead as the ultimate high-end graphics workstation, running professional applications like Adobe Photoshop up to 90 percent faster than a 2.53 GHz Pentium 4-based PC. And it's not all about processor speed--new memory cache technology and other engineering improvements lifted from Apple's new Xserve server architecture boost the speed of throughput between main memory and the system controller to more than double the throughput of the previous dual 1 GHz Power Mac G4.

Graphics performance is off the charts, with ATI's hot new Radeon 9000 Pro graphics processor and Mac OS X Jaguar's new Quartz Extreme--a breakthrough combination of software and hardware that accelerates the compositing of 2- and 3-D images using your graphics card instead of the main processor. This gives the Power Mac G4 an order-of-magnitude advance in graphics capabilities--including color, lighting, modeling, transformations, texture mapping, motion blur, and more. In addition, the Power Mac lets you spread your work across two monitors for a larger workspace.

This Power Mac comes with a huge fast 120 GB Ultra-ATA hard disk drive and three additional 3.5-inch hard disk drive expansion bays--with support for a total of up to four internal hard drives, for up to 480 GB of storage.

Since the SuperDrive-equipped Power Mac comes with iDVD 2, you can burn data CDs and DVDs--with point-and-click ease--to archive your work minutes after you take your new system out of its box. It also accommodates a second optical drive in addition to the SuperDrive, so you can even watch a DVD movie while your work is burning to disc, or archive material at the same time.

You also get the benefit of built-in Gigabit Ethernet for shooting large files across your network at previously unheard-of speeds, the 108-key Apple Pro keyboard, a 56K modem, four USB ports and two high-speed FireWire ports for connecting all kinds of peripherals, and an AirPort card slot. Four PCI expansion slots are also integrated directly into the main system controller, speeding expansion cards' throughput. ... Read more

Reviews (2)

why even read a review? i can only rave about my G4!!
after owning a powerbook for three years, and using many iMacs at work the G4 has been a revellation for speed and reliability.it never crashes and has only frozen on me a handful of times over the year.i can multi-task like crazy, opening 700 MB of images in photoshop and doing other projects while i wait for them to open.the time saved in allowing me to complete many tasks at once is incredible.i am no longer impatient when working, because of the numerous tasks the G4 can perform at once.
the G4 is also very flexible, since i bought mine a little over one year ago i have added a VGA card (in order to have an 'extended desktop') and a second hardrive.

it's an awesome tool!!

A powerful machine worth the price
I just received this computer today.Within minutes, I had it set up and running and surfing the web.Thus far, it is definetly a very quiet computer.Its got a lot of power to it and comes loaded with OS X with all the great multimedia apps like iTunes, iDVD, etc.They have all opened and worked quickly and flawlessly.Overall, I would have to say it is very very fast.The computer has also never frozen, slowed up, or had any problem completing the tasks i've given it thus far and shows no signs of doing so in the future.I highly recommend getting Apple Pro speakers with it, as they enhance the sound quality drastically (the sound quality of that singal built in speaker just will not due for me, the only con i have found so far).This is a great machine that I will be using every day and I believe that it is worth every penny spent on it.Apple has done it again! ... Read more

Asin: B00006IW1B
Subjects:  1. Power Mac    2. (PowerMac)    3. Desktops (Desk Tops)    4. Desktop Computers    5. Apple    6. (Mac)    7. (Macintosh)   

Apple Cinema Display 22" LCD Monitor
Average Customer Review:
Electronics
list price: $1,500.00
US | Canada | United Kingdom | Germany | France

Editorial Review

Designed especially with the Mac G4 in mind, the Apple 21-inch Cinema Display is a new standard-bearer for both design and technology. Dragging your desktop into the new millennium, its nearly invisible frame blends into any décor, while providing that necessary touch of cutting-edge style.

Graphic precision far exceeds the norm, with a maximum resolution of 1,600 x 1,024, a 300:1 contrast ratio, and over 16 million colors. Truly digital video signals further improve picture quality and help provide the most accurate possible color.

The true-size 21-inch flat viewing screen provides a 16:10 viewing ratio ideal for working with professional video, and also allows you to display two full-size text pages at once. Whether you plan on using this monitor professionally or just gaming to your heart's content, you won't find a more impressive show.

A two-port USB hub supports Apple speakers, while the proprietary display connector handles digital video, USB, and power (users of non-G4s will require an adapter). Weighing just 25 pounds, it supplies twice the screen size for less than half the total weight of an older CRT model. The manufacturer includes a one-year warranty that covers parts and service. ... Read more

Features

• Large 22-inch design; view 2 A4 pages simultaneously
• Designed for Power Mac G4
• 1,600 x 1,024 resolution
• 160-degree viewing angle
• Wide 16:10 aspect ratio

Reviews (5)

The most amazing display on earth...
I have had the Apple Cinema Display since around the time it came out. (Yes, I paid [a lot] for it!) And to be honest, I would pay it again because this is truly the best display on the market. I use both a MAC and PC in my profession (Designer) and am very dissapointed that an equivalent hasn't been made available for the PC.

The crispness, quality, color, and size cannot be matched by any product currently available. It's a beautiful piece of technology and goregous to look at, at any angle. It's even sexy from the back!

I highly recommend this display if you design on a Mac. There is simply nothing better...!

The finest display on Earth
Use one of these, and all other displays are revealed to be a cruel joke. I have had a for 9 months, and I am never going back. The single ADC cable and connector provides data, power, and USB ports to the display. The enormous display supports multi-page photo and layout editing, and the video output from a DVD in letterbox format will take your breath away. This is a video display that can change your life, it has changed mine.

In its own class
Try to find another 22" widescreen LCD at $2499 that isn't an Apple Cinema Display. This monitor is at the head of the class in brightness/contrast, viewable angle, and color accuracy. It's not bad looking either! ... Read more

Asin: B00005NKXD
Subjects:  1. monitors, lcd    2. Flatpanel Monitor (Flat Panel Monitors)    3. Mac Macintosh Machintosh Apple    4. Apple    5. (Mac)    6. (Macintosh)   

Monster Cable J2 DCAM4/4-6 IEEE-1394 4-pin Digital Camcorder to 4-pin Computer, HDTV, or VCR (6 Feet)
Average Customer Review:
Electronics
list price: $49.95
US | Canada | United Kingdom | Germany | France

Features

• 24k gold contacts for long-term reliability.
• High speed FireLink cable with XLN construction eliminates noise between conductors.
• Tightly twisted conductors for ultra-low signal loss.
• Gas injected dielectric for the most accurate data transfer.
• Quad shielding for ultimate rejection of interference.

Reviews (4)

Another overpriced digital cable!
Let me start by stating that I have nothing personal against Monster Cable.While they do make some nice cables, in some cases they offer no real benefit over inexpensive alternatives.The best example is digital cables.Anyone familiar with IEEE 1394 (otherwise known as I-Link or Firewire) should know that there is built-in error correction that can deal with any small amount of noise introduced into the digital stream.Since this corrects any minor errors, there is NO difference in quality between an adequate digital cable and an outstanding one.

Do yourself a favor and purchase an inexpensive Firewire cable for as little as ... instead of wasting your money on the ... version.Out of respect for ...I am not going to tell you where to purchase, but any resourceful shopper should be able to find them using the search engines.

Now analog cables.....that's a whole different story :-)

Cost is way too high....
This product is over priced. These cables cost $10 at the high-end and "Monster Cable" has no business building these stupid cables. Save yourself a lot of money and buy a standard Fire-Wire cable.

Technology is getting easier and better!
A couple of years ago, video editing was a problem.It requiered big, expensive equipment, which were very difficult to use and, believe me, they didn't offer spectacular results! But now, with the IEEE-1394 cable, a newtechnology is born.Now, video editing is as easy as 1-2-3! You justconnect one simple, light, but spectacular cable, from your camcorder toyou home PC.And presto!With the simple help of a video editing programyou can transfer dazzling images from your video camera to your PC! Andafter you edit your video, you can simply download it back to yourcamcorder!Like I said before, it's as easy as 1-2-3! ... Read more

Asin: B00003CWAY
Sales Rank: 46146
Subjects:  1. Cables, Cable, Cords, Cord    2. Firewire    3. IEEE-1394    4. Six, Four    5. J2DCAM446, DCAM446, IEEE1394,    6. Cable, Cord    7. Firewire Cable (Cables)    8. 1394    9. Accessories (Accessory)   

Final Cut Pro 3.0
Average Customer Review:
CD-ROM (17 December, 2001)
list price: $999.99
US | Canada | United Kingdom | Germany | France

Editorial Review

Final Cut Pro 3.0 is professional, nonlinear editing software that lets you work in a range of professional editing formats--from digital video to Standard Definition and High Definition--within the same application. Final Cut Pro 3.0 also allows you to work in different modes, such as editing, effects, and trimming modes. With its G4 real-time effects, you won't need PCI hardware to preview transitions and effects in real time. And now it's available for Apple's most advanced operating system, Mac OS X.

Final Cut Pro 3.0 features a new voice-over tool that works with the microphone built into your PowerBook G4, so you can capture audio directly to the timeline for quick scratch tracks and voice-over work right in the field. You also get a new set of color-correction tools--including primary and secondary color correctors, range checking, zebra-stripe overlays, and waveform and vectorscope monitors--as well as precise controls to ensure broadcast-legal video levels.

Final Cut Pro 3.0 includes the new Autosave Vault, which saves and time-stamps projects at intervals you specify--allowing you to easily return to previous stages of your project. Plus, Final Cut Pro 3.0 features productive editing tools in a mode-free interface that provides three-point editing, JKL keyboard navigation, match frame, extend and split edit functions, multiple and nested timeline project support, and timecode overlays. ... Read more

Reviews (7)

If you aren't Copalla, you may be in over your head
Although this program has an astounding number of features, it also has an astoundingly high learning curve. Unless you are planning on shooting an actuall short or full length film, it is too much software. It is definitely not for the amature weekend videographer, and is best left for the pros. I use it only because my job requires it (courtroom tech support). Final Cut Express is somewhere between iMovie and FCP, and one fourth of the cost. Check out the reviews for that product. It is far less hassle and has almost as many features and capabilities.

If you aren't Copalla, you may be in over your head
Although this program has an astounding number of features, it also has an astoundingly high learning curve. Unless you are planning on shooting an actuall short or full length film, it is too much software. It is definitely not for the amature weekend videographer, and is best left for the pros. I use it only because my job requires it (courtroom tech support). Final Cut Express is somewhere between iMovie and FCP, and one fourth of the cost. Check out the reviews for that product. It is far less hassle and has almost as many features and capabilities.

Good for people with unlimited budgets who like Macs
Widely recognized as one of the best professional video editing programs currently available, but at [$$$] for the software and several thousand for the Mac-only hardware required to run it to full potential it's not even an option for most computer users. Meanwhile, there is an increasingly dizzying array of powerful and affordable editing solutions available for Windows-based PCs, so unless you already have a Mac it would make sense to investigate those options before considering FCP. For example, check out the latest offerings from Ulead, Vegas Video, Pinnacle, Matrox, Avid and Canopus before concluding that FCP is the only game in town. Personally I use the Canopus DVStorm2 and have found it to be an amazing tool; I had a chance to play with FCP and didn't see a compelling reason to switch. ... Read more

Asin: B00005TRYQ
Subjects:  1. Mac Macintosh Machintosh Apple    2. Computer software (programs)    3. Video    4. Composting    5. Effects    6. Editing    7. Apple    8. (Mac)    9. (Macintosh)   

Editing Techniques with Final Cut Pro
by Michael Wohl
Average Customer Review:
Paperback (15 October, 2001)
list price: $44.99
US | Canada | United Kingdom | Germany | France

Editorial Review

So you've got a new DV camera, a shiny new Mac, and you're itching to make your first film. The only problem is that you don't know a script from a storyboard, or a WS from an MCU. Editing Techniques with Final Cut Pro might be just the thing you need to say "Action!" with confidence and bring that certain polish to your production.

Clearly written and lavishly illustrated, this excellent handbook features over 425 pages and 9 chapters covering everything from the basics of production and what an editor does, the language of film and editing, the planning needed when preparing to edit, and the use of Final Cut Pro itself, from beginning through advanced techniques and effects like ramping the speed of a clip, compositing computer animation over a clip, picture-in-picture, color correction, creating titles, and much more.

This is not a book for the experienced user, but it is a solid handbook for beginners who intend to get serious. Offering far more information than just how to use Final Cut Pro for editing, Editing Techniques with Final Cut Pro is almost misnamed. While the focus of the book is editing, there is so much useful information here on preproduction and production that it is simply a wonderful handbook on how to make a good digital video film.

Apple's Final Cut Pro, now up to version 3.0, has helped fuel the next evolutionary step in video production. By integrating powerful software with their hardware technology, Apple has put video postproduction into the hands of almost anyone who can afford a camera, computer, and software. Access to the equipment, however, doesn't mean a windfall of Oscar winners. Learning how to make a good film requires generous amounts of both talent and technical mastery. This book won't infuse you with talent, but you'll walk away with a clear understanding of how production and postproduction techniques work, and how to produce a finished piece that looks finished. --Mike Caputo ... Read more

Reviews (19)

A mixture of an editor's personal experience and FCP bits
Michael Wohl has written a book. This book is an exercise of self-publicity and little else. It is a very messy conglomerate of his experience as an editor, director and Final Cut Pro user but not a rigorous or well written book about any of the themes he intends to cover. The coverage of Final Cut Pro is poor and simplistic. (There is nothing here that you cannot learn in the manuals or in a few hours exposed to the software). His comments and examples about his experience as an editor are pretty simplistic and do not inspire or entertain, and most of all don't teach a lot about the craft of editing. He also keeps refering to a movie he directed to give examples of typical situations encountered by editors but, this feels utterly incomplete without the inclusion of a sample of his movie on CD ROM or DVD. You can make comments about a movie and learn from it only if it is available to you. To summarise, this is a very dissapointing book which will not satisfy any of the areas it intends to talk about. Its only redeeming feature are the interviews with famous editors, but apart from that, this book is intended to absolte beginners with no experience whatsoever.

Great Book! Every FCP user should have it.
When I got this book I openned the first few pages andkept going on. It seems to me that anyone who helped create a program will certainly know how it works or that's what we think. Micheal is and editor with many years of experience and he shows you the different ways you can use FCP. Don't buy this for problem solving to FCP, buy it as a good reference bookwhen you need to learn different ways to edit. It's like a good cook book , you can always pick it off the shelf and look for something new to cook.

Excellent book on Editing with FCP for non-beginners
This book is not for someone looking to learn the basics of Final Cut Pro, the manual and other books are better at that, but this book is a MUST for anyone looking to learn about editing and are going to be doing it in FCP.

Other FCP books teach you the program primarily, this book is about editing and the skills and techniques you need to do it well.

HIGHLY RECOMMENDED. ... Read more

Isbn: 0201734834
Subjects:  1. Cinematography    2. Computer Bks - Apple / Macintosh    3. Computer Books: General    4. Computer Graphics - General    5. Computers    6. Data processing    7. Digital video    8. Editing    9. General    10. Interactive & Multimedia    11. Motion pictures    12. Multi-Media Hardware & Software    13. Reference - Macintosh    14. Video tapes   

DVD Studio Pro 1.5
Average Customer Review:
CD-ROM
list price: $499.00
US | Canada | United Kingdom | Germany | France

Reviews (2)

Best DVD Authoring App on Market!!!
I've been authoring DVDs for years. I started off using Sonic Solutions authoring suite. We paid almost $... for this system in 1997. And SOnic only runs in OS9. Now you can have all that functionality for only $... with DVD Studio Pro. DVD Studio Pro 1.5 offers welcome improvements such as OS X compatibility, more-reliable previews, higher MPEG-2 compression quality, and tighter integration with Final Cut Pro 3, and the program remains the only viable choice for professional DVD authoring on the Mac. But Apple needs to deliver another version that improves usability, the bit-budgeting process, and documentation, so that new users can get up-to-speed faster and experienced users can work more efficiently. If you are serious about making DVDs, I suggest you have a dedicated machine for DVD Studio Pro. Once you start installing games and weird shareware apps, you will have issues with crashing and such. Bottom Line: This is a great application for a pro user and does everything "high end" systems like Sonic does, but better. Nice work Apple!

A poorly conceived product
If you have a Mac, you really have no choice, this is all there is, and that's a shame. After using this program for the past month, I am considering buying a PC, and throwing away my Mac. It's that bad. Where Final Cut Pro shines, DVD Studio Pro [is not good]. If you do buy this software, be sure and buy Martin Sitter's excellent how-to book, as the slim provided manual tells you nothing.Martin Sitter's book will have you turning out DVD's in no time, provided you don't do something crazy like try to create a disc with subtitles.
This software is incredibly buggy. It crashes constantly. The Subtitle Editor (STE) is worse than useless, it is a crime against all of us who purchased this. Apple should be sued.
The STE uses non-drop-frame timecode, while the rest of the software demands you use dropframe (or else your audio won't synchronize properly).This leads to horrible build conflicts when chapter markers and subtitles are used together. (Unless you don't care if your audio is synced.)
Did I mention the crashes? The Apple DVD player is worthless, it won't even play commercial DVD's without crashing. Then there problems with DVD-9 layer breaks - I haven't tried building a DVD-9 yet, but I'm not looking forward to it, based on what I've read online. This program should not be sold as it is. ... Read more

Asin: B0000664JQ
Sales Rank: 7924
Subjects:  1. Mac Macintosh Machintosh Apple    2. Computer software (programs)    3. Video    4. Composting    5. Effects    6. Editing    7. Apple    8. (Mac)    9. (Macintosh)