I need your advice on Mac vs. PC laptop please ~

Diane Havens · **Voice Talent** Joined: 09 Jun 2006 Posts: 1281

While I am not overweight, I am older and totally relevant and hip, just like Mr. Gilbert.

As a former educator, I cut my computer incisors on an Apple IIe (though I do recall we had a couple of Commodore 64's kicking around) when Apple was heavily marketing to schools. As Apple started to lose a chunk of the education market to PCs, my school district switched over. I had no problem with it. So at school I used a PC for all my applications, which grew in complexity over the years, as we upgraded and used computers for more, media projects and research. But at home, I always stuck with Apple, even in those years of transition. My husband has always had a PC. So it's a bipartisan household.

Say what you will about the hipper than thou attitude, it's a very clever marketing approach which hits the right demographic. All that iStuff, with all that iHype. Bottom line is just so -- the product itself is a beauty, it's as intuitive and graceful as a machine can be.

And I've even had a bit of fun at the Apple Store, very cool places where I've had training on specific Mac apps -- they run these often. Tech support has been great as well. And if you join .mac, you get loads of neat perks, including server storage.

Now if we only could stop paying for cute guys to charm us and paunchy ones to make us laugh, those price points may come down a few bucks .... nah, they're worth it.

Chris Clementson · **Voice Seeker** Joined: 14 Jan 2008 Posts: 216

It's simple. If you go with a (Windows) PC you will turn into a pudgy, pasty, snivelling square without an ounce of hipness in him. If you go with a Mac, you will turn into a smug, hipper-than-thou, dishevelled white guy who keeps his hands in his pockets and has perpetual one-day stubble. Or you could get a Dell and turn into that Eddie Haskell-type smart-a** guy (talk about your flash in the pan -- remember him?):

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Image:Steve_Dell_Ad.jpg

and then get busted for pot:

http://www.cnn.com/2003/LAW/02/10/dell.dude.arrest/index.html

It really boils down to which kind of person you want to be.

Seriously, the initial recordings for my web site were done with a Gateway laptop running Windows XP SP2. There were problems with audio dropout, so I got a MacBook, presuming OS X to have the superior audio architecture. I still had problems with audio dropout. Windows or Mac, it didn't matter.

Some on-line research convinced me to try a dedicated compact flash recorder. I've never had a problem with it. There is just too much going on inside a general-purpose multitasking computer and too many ways they can be misconfigured. A dedicated recorder never has to vie for resources and run the risk of audio dropouts from, say, wireless networking because a dedicated recorder doesn't have wireless networking.

If you think Macs are immune from viruses, forget it. My friend got a virus on his Mac and it was a doozy. He took it back to the Apple store and they had to wipe his HD and reinstall OS X. Personally, I don't like the OS X desktop and I REALLY don't like Finder (compared to Windows Explorer).

Or you could go with Linux and not be able to record anything at all:

http://www.linux.com/feature/126408

My web site:

www.miclisteningroom.org

I don't understand what anyone sees in Drew Barrymore, BTW.

Greg Houser · **Voice Talent** Joined: 12 Mar 2008 Posts: 174

Let's see.

Audacity
Sound Studio
Ardour
Rosegarden
Sweep

The AGNULA project.

Work just fine on Linux. Wink

Pyramix also has something for Linux, which is compatible with PT (great DAW suite... pricey though). Don't be surprised if someone has a wrapper designed for PT-LE by the end of the year (I know two groups of coders currently working on it).

Maxine, here's the long and short of it. What OS are you most comforable with? That should probably be the way you go. It'll somewhat reduce your learning curve and probably your overall level of anxiety.

Regardless of what route you go with, you'll be doing some editing with your computer... might as well be comfortable doing so. I've got a few Macs here, and a few PCs. I lean more towards the PC because that's what I'm most comfortable with, but all are equally useful to me.

Yep, even used Linux. It was a little different, but I'm used to the operating system so it didn't take long to figure it out. There's even some old Amiga SW out there if you feel truly daring.

I'm comfortable with all of this, so I don't mind it. Figure out what is most comfortable for you. Smile

Chris Clementson · **Voice Seeker** Joined: 14 Jan 2008 Posts: 216

Do they work with Fast Track USB? Read the article:

Greg Houser · **Voice Talent** Joined: 12 Mar 2008 Posts: 174

I read the article (please note that I never made reference to the device in my previous post, only to the blanket statement you made). One failure does not equal an inability to work provided additional modifications (as was stated in the article's reference to the available open source drivers for M-Audio USB devices).

Maxine did not specify a need for PT or a specific interface. You made the comment that Linux cannot be used. That is incorrect.

Or at least someone forgot to tell Digigram. They've been selling USB interfaces for Linux DAWs since 2005.

I know that Lynx audio cards can have their drivers re-wrapped to work in Debian. Same with Echo.

There was a group reporting success with an M-Box 2, but I've not heard any additional word in like 6 months or so. Probably vaporware, but might be a sign of things to come.

Regardless, yes you can record in Linux. You'll have to be more familiar with the OS for initial setup if you want a relatively trouble-free setup, but it can be done.

The point of this thread though is what kind of system should Maxine get. The answer is whatever one has an interface that she feels most comfortable with.

BTW: sounded like a driver issue to me, but from the article they never spent the time needed to actually take the available open source driver and put a good wrapper on it, or any mods to use the I/Os of that device.

Chris Clementson · **Voice Seeker** Joined: 14 Jan 2008 Posts: 216

Maxine Dunn · **Voice Talent** Joined: 25 Apr 2004 Posts: 675

Holy smokes!

Thank you Greg and everyone for your wonderfully informative posts. It is so interesting to read about everyone's experiences and different opinions on this subject.

Greg, I really appreciate that you have extensive experience with BOTH Mac's and PC's, and that you've reached such a level of proficiency and you're now very comfortable with both. I guess that’s the very thing I aspire to myself. I'm definitely more comfortable with a PC and Windows because that's what I've always had.....but I'd really like to learn more and experience the world that is “Mac” and get as good at IT, as I am at wielding a mouse on PC.

Harking back to the Ninja/Harley analogy. I’m really good at riding sport bikes and have ridden them for years but I’d like to get as good at riding a big-ass Harley as I am at ripping on a crotch rocket. I’d like to be equally good at both.

I'm completely lost on the tech-talk about Linux and the other things like....what's a PT? Or a Digigram? Or what the on earth is vapor ware? (Not actually asking you to tell me...just expounding upon my low-tech-ness....)

I love how tech savvy you all are and it's been very interesting to read everyone's input. Thank you so much. I appreciate hearing other voice-over artist's experiences with both platforms and why you like what you like, or don’t like, and the wonderfully frank discussion about individual opinions and experiences. It’s been especially fun hearing about what people started out on in the early days, and how their computer experience has evolved over the years and changed as their career and voice-over needs have changed.

Thank youuuuu!!

Xoxo

.

Jacob Ekstroem · **Voice Talent** Joined: 23 Jul 2007 Posts: 721

Greg Houser · **Voice Talent** Joined: 12 Mar 2008 Posts: 174

Jacob's right, which is why my advice about using what's comfortable is, well, my advice, lol.

some quick definitions (Jacob got PT):

vaporware is software or hardware that has been promised by a vendor, or rumored about, but has never actually been produced or made available (the game "Duke Nukem Forever" is a good example).

Digigram is a company that makes USB (Universal Serial Bus) recording interfaces.

Here's the question. Would you rather spend some time learning a new OS (Mac), or use what you already know? Based on your decision, I think you'll know how you want to go. Despite the Mac/PC debate, neither is a bad platform to use for what you're trying to do.

David Oxford · **Voice Talent** Joined: 09 Feb 2007 Posts: 505

I've weighed in on the PC/Mac debate more than once...but I'll make this one more succinct.

I agree that you should use the platform you're most comfortable with. I started out back in the late 80's on Mac....gravitated to PC's until around 2005 when I returned to Mac via their new OS X operating system. I was shocked at how easy it was to transition - virtually no learning curve, at all.

Despite Mac's brilliant marketing via their "Mac/PC" commercials, there is a lot of validity in there. I wish I had a quarter for every minute that I struggled with all the problems I had with PC's...from the endless hardware conflicts to software updates to viruses and spamware and corrupt .dll files to tweaking settings all over the place to freezing/restarting - andonandonandonandonandonandonandon - I can't tell you how happy I've been since returning to Mac. I have three now and despite all the stuff I see people write about having the same kinds of problems with Macs they do with PC's, I can't fathom it - because my personal experience has been completely otherwise. Macs just work.

I don't have any reason to promote one more than another because I don't get paid by either one of them - just sharing my personal experience. I do have, on my studio computer (an iMac) Parallels, which allows me to run Windows XP, only because I still prefer Cool Edit Pro/Adobe Audition for editing, along with the various other functions it allows me to do (I still don't understand why Adobe hasn't released a Mac version, especially since Adobe's Mac products for other professions, like Graphic Design, were originally developed for Macs and are still on the cutting edge.) And I will tell you that my virtual PC, running XP on my Mac, has never once crashed - and I've put it through all kinds of gyrations over hundreds of hours of use.

So, yes, use what you're comfortable with - but, at least as far as my experience is concerned, if you want a hassle-free machine that just does what you want it to do without having to have an IT degree to just keep it running, you might be well-served to seriously consider a Mac. Again, it just works...and works well.

So much for being succinct.
David

Maxine Dunn · **Voice Talent** Joined: 25 Apr 2004 Posts: 675

Hi David,

I just found your post and thanks so much for all the great info. I don't mind it when you're not succinct! :~) I value your advice and appreciate you writing.

The MacBook pro is so sleak and wonderful....I'm leaning that way. I think it's good to know both platforms even though I know there'll be that learning curve at the beginning.

I've always been baffled by my girlfriends that can only drive an automatic. It just makes sense to know how to drive a stick as well....

xox

Claire Dodin · **Voice Talent** Joined: 16 Aug 2005 Posts: 400

Hi Max,

I'm on PC and I've had to work on a mac for a while.
I can tell you this:
It's very annoying going from one to the other, because the keys and shortcuts that we use all the time are different. so you end up being slow on both because you need to stop and think everytime you want to cut/paste, move a window, close a window etc...
Maybe after a few months one gets used to it, but 3 weeks of using both and I feel like I've got 2 left hands with both.
So I'd say, if you go Mac, change all your computers for Mac; or stay with all PC.
Also, Mac works, Mac never crashes etc... : NOT TRUE!!!! The Mac I'm using crashes several times a day, my PC doesn't. Simple fact. Now, don't ask me why, I don't know. I was told by IT support that the software I'm using on the Mac is causing the problem. But it also crashes when I'm not using it....
Just to say that those adverts are great, maybe true most of the time, but not all the time. And IT support also told me that there are Mac viruses too...

Just to add to the debate...

Diane Havens · **Voice Talent** Joined: 09 Jun 2006 Posts: 1281

I'm no computer whiz but I've used both long enough to know neither is perfect. I prefer Mac, but have no problem with PCs. (I have two of each.) The real issue is what software you have loaded on the machine, and how they play together. Macs greatly prefer programs designed for Macs and the programs integrate beautifully. I have to say the PCs in my house crash way more than my Macs, and I have never had a virus on my Macs, but I have on the PCs. Just my experience.

I think we tend to find more comfortable what first we learned on, like anything else. Though making the switch is easy, and you might not want to go back -- as in Max's example, though I learned to drive on a manual transmission, I will drive nothing but a stick now. Just a matter of preference. It feels weird when I rent a car that's manual. It's a kinesthetic thing.

Greg Houser · **Voice Talent** Joined: 12 Mar 2008 Posts: 174

Lance Blair · Posted: Mon Jun 09, 2008, 23:17 (GMT) Post subject:

For those of you who use a XP PC Laptop, try disabling the CD/DVD Drive through the Device Manager when you are recording. Depending on the model, you could see a remarkable improvement in your sound. I did.

This sample is the same sentence recorded a day apart with the same mic (PR 40) and the same preamp (ART MPA Gold). Only major difference is that the CD/DVD drive is disabled in the second sentence.

Not only is the new recording much smoother and open/full sounding, this fix also greatly minimizes dropouts and spikes. I haven't recorded a thirty minute take yet, but so far things are clean.