mcarnes
Jul 21, 02:01 PM
Sheesh. This is a 180 from waiting for G5 updates.
err404
Apr 5, 04:06 PM
The problem is that people want to think of an iPhone as a PC. They apply PC analogies and logic. However the reality is that the cell industry has more in common with appliances or consoles. It's traditionally a heavily curated environment.
Apple: Start with a "restricted" system and open it up to allow for PC like advantages. (The App Store is an example of this)
Google: Start with an "open" system and lock it down to meet carrier needs and leverage the advantages of curation. (The Google Market place is an example of this)
Apple: Start with a "restricted" system and open it up to allow for PC like advantages. (The App Store is an example of this)
Google: Start with an "open" system and lock it down to meet carrier needs and leverage the advantages of curation. (The Google Market place is an example of this)
Westacular
Apr 23, 04:51 PM
I think Apple is simply futureproofing here, and we won't see Retina displays for 3+ years, when it would be more feasible.
I agree with you, though, it would be nice if Apple was more serious about their GPUs. Maybe the switch to retina will force them to be.
Agreed re: future-proofing, but are you seriously suggesting that Apple isn't serious about GPUs? They've probably got a higher "minimum acceptable" standard for GPU performance than any other manufacturer. The one thing they don't do is chase the bleeding edge super-high-end gaming GPUs.
Also: games don't HAVE to render at native display resolutions. And as resolution gets higher, the artifacts from not being at the native level become much less visible.
I agree with you, though, it would be nice if Apple was more serious about their GPUs. Maybe the switch to retina will force them to be.
Agreed re: future-proofing, but are you seriously suggesting that Apple isn't serious about GPUs? They've probably got a higher "minimum acceptable" standard for GPU performance than any other manufacturer. The one thing they don't do is chase the bleeding edge super-high-end gaming GPUs.
Also: games don't HAVE to render at native display resolutions. And as resolution gets higher, the artifacts from not being at the native level become much less visible.
Full of Win
Mar 27, 12:09 AM
If true...sounds like iPhone 3GS and iPad 1 owners are going to be shown the door.
johnqh
Mar 29, 04:41 PM
Most people here are missing the big picture. I'm pretty old and have witnessed the changes in the tech sector. Back in '01 a lot of laptops were made or at least assembled in the USA, and they were quality products, but with cheap foreign labor most global companies could not resist the couple of percent they could add to their profit margins by moving overseas. The company I worked for made laptops for a major name, but they closed the plant here to save between 3.00 and 6.00 dollars per unit, a very small percentage of the overall value. A company like Apple could easily, make and assemble products here, the profit margin on an iPhone is around 60%, but if they did that then there profit margin would only be 50%, corporate and political greed. There are companies here, that still compete, an example, American Apparel (http://americanapparel.net/), they manufacture clothing here competitively in a huge operation in California with good paying jobs and great quality. There are many others, it is all about balancing automation with traditional production, but it's impossible for anyone to compete with slave wages from companies like Foxconn.
The cost for final assembly is minor.
For example, the cost to make an iPhone may be 200 dollars. It probably costs $1 for the final assembly (or by your calculation, $7 if the assembly is done in US). However, if you manufacture all the parts in US, it will cost $1400.
The cost for final assembly is minor.
For example, the cost to make an iPhone may be 200 dollars. It probably costs $1 for the final assembly (or by your calculation, $7 if the assembly is done in US). However, if you manufacture all the parts in US, it will cost $1400.
alvindarkness
Apr 10, 01:21 PM
Who said that this an equation? What is the variable that is unknown?
2 is still winning!
You don't need a variable for it to be an equation.
Definition of Equation - An equation is a mathematical statement that asserts the equality of two expressions. Equations consist of the expressions that have to be equal on opposite sides of an equal sign.
Definition of Expression - In mathematics, an expression is a finite combination of symbols that are well-formed according to the rules applicable in the context at hand. Symbols can designate values (constants), variables, operations, relations, or can constitute punctuation or other syntactic entities.
2 is still winning!
You don't need a variable for it to be an equation.
Definition of Equation - An equation is a mathematical statement that asserts the equality of two expressions. Equations consist of the expressions that have to be equal on opposite sides of an equal sign.
Definition of Expression - In mathematics, an expression is a finite combination of symbols that are well-formed according to the rules applicable in the context at hand. Symbols can designate values (constants), variables, operations, relations, or can constitute punctuation or other syntactic entities.
PatrickCocoa
May 4, 03:01 PM
pro: one less disc to keep track of. my family already lost my iWork disc.
cons: what if i want to format the hard drive and restart from scratch? or even just archive and install? what if i completely replace my hard drive? what if i want to sell my mac and get a new one, would i retain the license or would the buyer get it? how would they reinstall the OS after I wipe the hard drive? how long is this going to take to download? will we be able and authorized to burn our own install DVDs from the downloaded software?
Then don't buy from the Mac App Store.
cons: what if i want to format the hard drive and restart from scratch? or even just archive and install? what if i completely replace my hard drive? what if i want to sell my mac and get a new one, would i retain the license or would the buyer get it? how would they reinstall the OS after I wipe the hard drive? how long is this going to take to download? will we be able and authorized to burn our own install DVDs from the downloaded software?
Then don't buy from the Mac App Store.
Number 41
Apr 20, 07:27 AM
This update is not good enough, apple. Do more.
8 megapixel camera with 1080P recording.
64GB option
Dual core processor
Those updates are not good enough for a device that gets an update only once a year.
Here's another one:
Stop making phones out of effing glass!
5 people I know have had shattered glass (on either the front or the back) of their iPhone 4s less than year into ownership. It's a bloody phone -- it's not a museum piece or collectible. It's going to get used, it's going to get dropped or fall off a table occasionally, and it needs to be at least minimally able to survive a 2 year contract.
8 megapixel camera with 1080P recording.
64GB option
Dual core processor
Those updates are not good enough for a device that gets an update only once a year.
Here's another one:
Stop making phones out of effing glass!
5 people I know have had shattered glass (on either the front or the back) of their iPhone 4s less than year into ownership. It's a bloody phone -- it's not a museum piece or collectible. It's going to get used, it's going to get dropped or fall off a table occasionally, and it needs to be at least minimally able to survive a 2 year contract.
stcanard
Sep 10, 11:46 PM
Yep, downloadable TV shows, movies for purchase or rent, iPhoto photobooks/prints/calendars/cards etc.
Who gives a rat's? Not me because we can't use any of them.
Heh, I knew exactly what you were talking about with the download issue speed, as soon as I saw Australia in your profile -- I used to work for a company that provided online content. We regularly did "low bandwidth" testing, because of a sizeable Australian user base.
As a Canuck, I agree with the sentiment ... I still can't even get the "free" TV shows. New tech is neat, but why do I care as long as the RIAA monopoly only allows it to be distributed to a privlieged few?
Unfortunate, because here in Vancouver I don't even know anybody who isn't on broadband. Canada is the perfect market for this, one of the most wired countries in the world, huge broadband penetration, so we can actually use the store, but, nooooo ... its just too scary to let people actually see the content.
Who gives a rat's? Not me because we can't use any of them.
Heh, I knew exactly what you were talking about with the download issue speed, as soon as I saw Australia in your profile -- I used to work for a company that provided online content. We regularly did "low bandwidth" testing, because of a sizeable Australian user base.
As a Canuck, I agree with the sentiment ... I still can't even get the "free" TV shows. New tech is neat, but why do I care as long as the RIAA monopoly only allows it to be distributed to a privlieged few?
Unfortunate, because here in Vancouver I don't even know anybody who isn't on broadband. Canada is the perfect market for this, one of the most wired countries in the world, huge broadband penetration, so we can actually use the store, but, nooooo ... its just too scary to let people actually see the content.
Dany M
May 2, 08:39 PM
We need to switch to the metric system, what we have now is ****ing crazy when looking at the rest of the world...this is coming from a bio major who has to deal with SI units daily
koruki
Apr 18, 03:42 PM
You are funny. Do you know that Samsung spends 10 times more than Apple on R&D?
Well isn't that just embarassing? lol 10 times the money and they can't find SHI*T :mad:
Well isn't that just embarassing? lol 10 times the money and they can't find SHI*T :mad:
spacemanspifff
Mar 31, 03:44 AM
I for one am not really that bothered about Lion or any OS updates - I love to have the latest thing and all improvements are always good. However, in my opinion they need to fix the OS I have before they release another one! For example with the last "update" [10.6.7] my Open type fonts are now playing up and the wonderful new Mac App Store takes about a minute to launch!
I get very worried when I hear El-Jobso talking about post a PC world as if he has decided already that the PC is dead. I for one could not make a living using an iPad and an iPhone.
Macs have always historically been used by content creators and designers [like me]. If, sometime in the future, Apple plan to lock down the system like they do with the iOS then I will simply stop upgrading my system. I could carry on using the system I have now until I retire, so it makes no odds to me if they want to stop making "proper" macs. I would imagine the rest of the design community would feel the same.
Don't get me wrong, I have an iPad and an iPhone and I can see how for the vast majority of consumers these would fit the bill for all your computing needs. However, if these consumers are going to have something to look at or play with or listen to, then us designers need the tools to create stuff with and that means powerful PCs.
I get very worried when I hear El-Jobso talking about post a PC world as if he has decided already that the PC is dead. I for one could not make a living using an iPad and an iPhone.
Macs have always historically been used by content creators and designers [like me]. If, sometime in the future, Apple plan to lock down the system like they do with the iOS then I will simply stop upgrading my system. I could carry on using the system I have now until I retire, so it makes no odds to me if they want to stop making "proper" macs. I would imagine the rest of the design community would feel the same.
Don't get me wrong, I have an iPad and an iPhone and I can see how for the vast majority of consumers these would fit the bill for all your computing needs. However, if these consumers are going to have something to look at or play with or listen to, then us designers need the tools to create stuff with and that means powerful PCs.
Eidorian
Jul 21, 04:04 PM
wow, most importantly on slide 3 they say that they launched the 965 chipset. that means they can switch to the 965 integrated GPU across the board for consumer macs. that would certainly help the heat issues, make the macs cheaper and less complicated to design for apple. standard parts and boards allow for even faster updates. good news.Only one problem though. The scheduling for that release is quite messy. Santa Rosa is based on the G965 and won't launch until Q2 2007.
BRLawyer
Nov 22, 06:21 AM
Did Apple say the same thing when someone challenged their Newton?
No, because Apple alone took the (correct) decision of withdrawing the Newton from the market at a time when safekeeping of resources and efforts was a crucial factor for the company.
In fact, the Newton had much better prospects at its last days, instead of its market introduction period...in the beginning, handwriting recognition was far from good, the device was underpowered and little demand existed...
The bottomline is: when a CEO starts talking too much, this means he IS worried...it was the same for Creative, Real and now Palm...they are almost dead with their crappy PDAs, just as Microsoft with its zillionth iPod-killer and Windows.
No, because Apple alone took the (correct) decision of withdrawing the Newton from the market at a time when safekeeping of resources and efforts was a crucial factor for the company.
In fact, the Newton had much better prospects at its last days, instead of its market introduction period...in the beginning, handwriting recognition was far from good, the device was underpowered and little demand existed...
The bottomline is: when a CEO starts talking too much, this means he IS worried...it was the same for Creative, Real and now Palm...they are almost dead with their crappy PDAs, just as Microsoft with its zillionth iPod-killer and Windows.
Pinery
Mar 29, 10:20 PM
Yeah. They can build planes in Nigeria too. :rolleyes:
Sheesh the amount of nationalism is ridiculous when it comes to these matters. It's a wide world out there. You're telling me some other outfit had either the knowledge and capability to bring the required components to fruition and scale to meet apple's demands? Why the heck did they get the Japanese got the contract then? Because they're not American?
Face it - America isn't the absolute best at absolutely everything.
Totally agreed.
Sheesh the amount of nationalism is ridiculous when it comes to these matters. It's a wide world out there. You're telling me some other outfit had either the knowledge and capability to bring the required components to fruition and scale to meet apple's demands? Why the heck did they get the Japanese got the contract then? Because they're not American?
Face it - America isn't the absolute best at absolutely everything.
Totally agreed.
Cobrien
Jul 30, 12:15 PM
Oh, more rumours are coming in, my previous dog's owners' great granddaughter has told me about a new iPod, as much as I would like this to be true, it's not going to be.
iApples
Mar 26, 11:48 PM
True, they got tons of them comming out.
They might be cheaper but some of them do have better hardware specs but when it comes to the OS and the way it runs everything they sure are crappy and cant compete with the iOS.
It's actually pretty sad that Android does not have the majority of the market.. They have new phones being released every other week. A 'newer and better' than last weeks. They make their phones go obsolete faster than anything I've ever seen. They released the Nexus One and that was suppose to be their amazing device... Is that even around anymore? Pretty sure like a month later they had a better one out.
Apple has released 4 iPhone's. Android has released more in a months time... And Apple STILL owns the market. They should really be ashamed. Maybe if they actually spent their time working on ONE great device and released it every like 8 months or even every year.. then maybe I could see potential. I refuse to buy an Android device because I know a week later my brand new phone will be old news.
They might be cheaper but some of them do have better hardware specs but when it comes to the OS and the way it runs everything they sure are crappy and cant compete with the iOS.
It's actually pretty sad that Android does not have the majority of the market.. They have new phones being released every other week. A 'newer and better' than last weeks. They make their phones go obsolete faster than anything I've ever seen. They released the Nexus One and that was suppose to be their amazing device... Is that even around anymore? Pretty sure like a month later they had a better one out.
Apple has released 4 iPhone's. Android has released more in a months time... And Apple STILL owns the market. They should really be ashamed. Maybe if they actually spent their time working on ONE great device and released it every like 8 months or even every year.. then maybe I could see potential. I refuse to buy an Android device because I know a week later my brand new phone will be old news.
Jbrumz85
Apr 20, 12:35 AM
More interested in iOS 5 but faster processor, upgraded camera(s) and hopefully more memory will be a nice little upgrade
dwd3885
Apr 18, 02:49 PM
couldn't Samsung simply get back at Apple by NOT making Apple's stuff? I mean, come on.
Clive At Five
Nov 22, 12:53 PM
I'll agree as well. One feature that Apple might be able to captalize on, if they do sell direct to consumers rather than through carriers, would be resolution of the bells/whistles problem.
For some people, a phone isn't a phone unless is has a 3MP camera, takes 640x480 video, etc. For others, all they want is basic PDA functionality. Would it be possible for Apple to offer a BTO option? I mean, Camera/Video is generally listed under a single menu option, and it wouldn't be that difficult to design the firmware to only display the category if the Camera is installed. To make things easier, Apple could stock one or two basic models in their stores, and leave people to go to apple.com for customizations...Any reason why this couldn't work?
Other than confusing everyone with too many options, no.
If you're a teenage girl, your phone has to have a camera on it, meaning you'll have to go to Apple.com to custom-order it. That's complicated.
If you're a hiker, maybe you're going to want a phone with GPS, meaning you'll have to go to Apple.com to custom-order it. That's complicated.
If you're a huge multitasker, you're going to want PDA-functionality, meaning you'll have to go to Apple.com to custom-order it. That's complicated.
Very few people, I feel, will want a bare-bones phone... meaning most will have to go to Apple.com to custom-order it. That's too complicated for most people to do.
So in short, no, I don't think that'll work. Good idea, though. That way you'd get a phone with the features you want without the crap that you don't want. Unfortunately, as far as a particular model of phone goes, it's either all or nothing... and I don't think Apple will want to release 18 different models of phone, each with different capabilities... that's worse than BTO.
-Clive
For some people, a phone isn't a phone unless is has a 3MP camera, takes 640x480 video, etc. For others, all they want is basic PDA functionality. Would it be possible for Apple to offer a BTO option? I mean, Camera/Video is generally listed under a single menu option, and it wouldn't be that difficult to design the firmware to only display the category if the Camera is installed. To make things easier, Apple could stock one or two basic models in their stores, and leave people to go to apple.com for customizations...Any reason why this couldn't work?
Other than confusing everyone with too many options, no.
If you're a teenage girl, your phone has to have a camera on it, meaning you'll have to go to Apple.com to custom-order it. That's complicated.
If you're a hiker, maybe you're going to want a phone with GPS, meaning you'll have to go to Apple.com to custom-order it. That's complicated.
If you're a huge multitasker, you're going to want PDA-functionality, meaning you'll have to go to Apple.com to custom-order it. That's complicated.
Very few people, I feel, will want a bare-bones phone... meaning most will have to go to Apple.com to custom-order it. That's too complicated for most people to do.
So in short, no, I don't think that'll work. Good idea, though. That way you'd get a phone with the features you want without the crap that you don't want. Unfortunately, as far as a particular model of phone goes, it's either all or nothing... and I don't think Apple will want to release 18 different models of phone, each with different capabilities... that's worse than BTO.
-Clive
frankie
Sep 16, 10:10 AM
The 2GHz downgrade is $300 not $75. Where did you get that number? Apple probably pays a lot less for each so this discount seems fair to me. Oops, right, it's -$75 for the smaller HD. Nevertheless -$300 for the slower Xeons is at best HALF of what Apple is saving. For the CPUs I'm quoting from Intel's published wholesale prices, in lots of 1000, which is officially what their major customers pay.
Lots of people assume that Apple is getting a huge discount off that; not a single one of them has professed to inside knowledge of facts. I don't have any connections either, but without direct info on either side I think it's more likely that Apple is paying pretty close to what Intel says they're paying. Even if Apple is somehow getting a 20+% discount, the price difference between 2.0 Xeon and 2.66 is over $300 each, $600 per Mac Pro.
But in any case, I agree it's true that BTO laptops would be harder to manufacture, so it probably isn't worth it for either Apple or the customer.
Lots of people assume that Apple is getting a huge discount off that; not a single one of them has professed to inside knowledge of facts. I don't have any connections either, but without direct info on either side I think it's more likely that Apple is paying pretty close to what Intel says they're paying. Even if Apple is somehow getting a 20+% discount, the price difference between 2.0 Xeon and 2.66 is over $300 each, $600 per Mac Pro.
But in any case, I agree it's true that BTO laptops would be harder to manufacture, so it probably isn't worth it for either Apple or the customer.
CalBoy
Apr 15, 12:18 PM
You could be right. I've changed my mind a bunch of times before. But I'd like to hear your explanation for why a lower marginal tax rate has caused more people to enter poverty and unemployment.
Essentially my theory is (and it's not really mine but I've forgotten who deserves credit for it) that as tax rates drop, wealth concentrates and becomes less mobile. The free market ceases to operate because bargaining power, knowledge, and resources are all on one side, eventually causing 95% to be at the whim of the remaining 5.
This was essentially the status quo in places like pre-revolution France. It predominated societies until the reforms of the 20th Century. It was only then that we saw incomes improve for the masses. The historical record clearly shows that higher marginal tax rates are good because they don't allow the rich to rest on their laurels while at the same time helping out the unfortunate (who are then able to more fully participate in the economy).
Essentially my theory is (and it's not really mine but I've forgotten who deserves credit for it) that as tax rates drop, wealth concentrates and becomes less mobile. The free market ceases to operate because bargaining power, knowledge, and resources are all on one side, eventually causing 95% to be at the whim of the remaining 5.
This was essentially the status quo in places like pre-revolution France. It predominated societies until the reforms of the 20th Century. It was only then that we saw incomes improve for the masses. The historical record clearly shows that higher marginal tax rates are good because they don't allow the rich to rest on their laurels while at the same time helping out the unfortunate (who are then able to more fully participate in the economy).
danielbriggs
Sep 15, 04:54 PM
FINALLY!!
The more people that are reporting rumors, them more "true" they can become!
I too like the keyboard and like the backlight. Am I correct in thinking that the MacBook DOES NOT have a backlight keyboard? I'm not that fuss on those style keys!
Dan :-)
The more people that are reporting rumors, them more "true" they can become!
I too like the keyboard and like the backlight. Am I correct in thinking that the MacBook DOES NOT have a backlight keyboard? I'm not that fuss on those style keys!
Dan :-)
CIA
Apr 21, 09:12 PM
I want to know what type of video you are doing because we sure don't need that and we do high end video editing for National Geographic/Discovery/Smithsonian.
Unless you are doing Hollywood stuff, I see no need for half the stuff you listed.
More internals and PCIE slots? For what? Almost all of our clients are delivering tapeless now and on externals. Dual optical bays? Seriously? Fibre is a must if you are in a post house.
Seriously? We also do full DVD high end hollywood type authoring at my facility (have been for 10+ Years) and Blu-Ray authoring and we have no need for internal optical super drives.
You guys seriously need to unhinge yourselves from those internal drives...lol :)
I work for a small TV station, we can't afford a $30K storage array. My MacPro (2008 3.2Ghz 8 core) has:
Internal: 2x1TB boot drives Mirrored. 2x750GB random storage drives.
Added DVD Burner (our Blu-Ray burner is in another Mac Pro)
Factory DVD Burner
Video Card
PCIe FW 400 and FW800 Combo Card
Sonnet eSATA card
Backpane adaptor running a pair of eSATA drives (both 150GB Raptors in RAID 0) off the internal unused Optical Bay SATA ports. (Video Render 1)
The Sonnet card is hooked to a pair RAIDs. 10 Drives in a old CD Duplicator with a Addonics ports multipliers. One is 4x640GB Video Storage drive RAID, the other is 4X 500GB drives. The 500's are actually a pair of 1TB RAIDS, one for Audio Render, the Other for longer term Raw Video Storage. Finally 2 other drives in that external each have their own SATA connections to the Sonnet card (Audio Storage, and Graphics Storage.)
Fibre Channel card hooked to the legacy Avid MediaNet or whatever it's called, for the ooooolllld footage from before our final cut switch last year.
Plus about 5 firewire 800 drives for backing everything up, and a firewire HDV deck, and once in awhile a control surface for Audio Mixing. We shoot tape still (HDV) because like I said, we are a small station that can't afford new prosumer card based cameras. Man would I love some though. We still get a lot of stuff delivered on tape (beta, yuck) and DV format. We do shoot some commercials occasionally using a Pani P2 based camera and a DSLR, but the road warrior cameras are still tape.
I want internal stuff because my desk is already cluttered enough. I'm constantly burning 2 DVD's at once to deliver footage to people, both in data and video. We shoot a lot for the US Ski Team, and when the world cup comes to the USA other stations always want footage. Uploading 19GB over a pair of "Shotgunned" DSL lines (400K upload, max) takes awhile, so most of the time we overnight it.
And that's just my desk. The other workstations use some drives on my machine as cold storage for finished projects. Between packages, 2 live shows, and special feature 30 or 60 minute long form shows we crunch a lot of video. No it's not big hollywood studio stuff, but the sheer volume of footage going in and out is a hassle.
I agree the future is tapeless, but where do you store all that raw? We fill 6TB of hard drive space every 6 months. During the Sundance Film Festival which happens here, we were ingesting nearly 12 hours of footage and producing 6 hours of content (live shows, pre-taped shows, packaged shows) a day. While most everything we have is on tape, going to find those (usually poorly labeled) tapes, capturing, and editing takes forever, so we try and keep as much raw as possible on the drives for quick access.
At some point I need to setup a render station to take all the prores finished projects and downconvert to H264 for storage on Blu-ray discs. But that's not really a long term solution since any burned disc will eventually fail. I don't really want the expense of HDV backups, but it's the cheapest loooong term solution I can think of.
Unless you are doing Hollywood stuff, I see no need for half the stuff you listed.
More internals and PCIE slots? For what? Almost all of our clients are delivering tapeless now and on externals. Dual optical bays? Seriously? Fibre is a must if you are in a post house.
Seriously? We also do full DVD high end hollywood type authoring at my facility (have been for 10+ Years) and Blu-Ray authoring and we have no need for internal optical super drives.
You guys seriously need to unhinge yourselves from those internal drives...lol :)
I work for a small TV station, we can't afford a $30K storage array. My MacPro (2008 3.2Ghz 8 core) has:
Internal: 2x1TB boot drives Mirrored. 2x750GB random storage drives.
Added DVD Burner (our Blu-Ray burner is in another Mac Pro)
Factory DVD Burner
Video Card
PCIe FW 400 and FW800 Combo Card
Sonnet eSATA card
Backpane adaptor running a pair of eSATA drives (both 150GB Raptors in RAID 0) off the internal unused Optical Bay SATA ports. (Video Render 1)
The Sonnet card is hooked to a pair RAIDs. 10 Drives in a old CD Duplicator with a Addonics ports multipliers. One is 4x640GB Video Storage drive RAID, the other is 4X 500GB drives. The 500's are actually a pair of 1TB RAIDS, one for Audio Render, the Other for longer term Raw Video Storage. Finally 2 other drives in that external each have their own SATA connections to the Sonnet card (Audio Storage, and Graphics Storage.)
Fibre Channel card hooked to the legacy Avid MediaNet or whatever it's called, for the ooooolllld footage from before our final cut switch last year.
Plus about 5 firewire 800 drives for backing everything up, and a firewire HDV deck, and once in awhile a control surface for Audio Mixing. We shoot tape still (HDV) because like I said, we are a small station that can't afford new prosumer card based cameras. Man would I love some though. We still get a lot of stuff delivered on tape (beta, yuck) and DV format. We do shoot some commercials occasionally using a Pani P2 based camera and a DSLR, but the road warrior cameras are still tape.
I want internal stuff because my desk is already cluttered enough. I'm constantly burning 2 DVD's at once to deliver footage to people, both in data and video. We shoot a lot for the US Ski Team, and when the world cup comes to the USA other stations always want footage. Uploading 19GB over a pair of "Shotgunned" DSL lines (400K upload, max) takes awhile, so most of the time we overnight it.
And that's just my desk. The other workstations use some drives on my machine as cold storage for finished projects. Between packages, 2 live shows, and special feature 30 or 60 minute long form shows we crunch a lot of video. No it's not big hollywood studio stuff, but the sheer volume of footage going in and out is a hassle.
I agree the future is tapeless, but where do you store all that raw? We fill 6TB of hard drive space every 6 months. During the Sundance Film Festival which happens here, we were ingesting nearly 12 hours of footage and producing 6 hours of content (live shows, pre-taped shows, packaged shows) a day. While most everything we have is on tape, going to find those (usually poorly labeled) tapes, capturing, and editing takes forever, so we try and keep as much raw as possible on the drives for quick access.
At some point I need to setup a render station to take all the prores finished projects and downconvert to H264 for storage on Blu-ray discs. But that's not really a long term solution since any burned disc will eventually fail. I don't really want the expense of HDV backups, but it's the cheapest loooong term solution I can think of.
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