[MacDV] Re: S-VCD Refresher course needed

[Erica Sadun]

>>From: "Erica Sadun" <erica at mindspring.com>
>>VCD menus can look just like DVD ones.
>>
>>Honestly, if you're really into doing VCDs, pick up a $200
>>PC and consider it an accessory for your Macintosh.
>>
>>I like Ulead's DVD Movie Factory. Under $50 and can create
>>VCD, SVCD, miniDVD, xVCD, DVD, etc. with full menu and chaptering
>>support.
>
>Yeah, and there's nothing like that (yet) on the Mac.
>
>Far be it from me to argue with Erica, who clearly knows a lot more 
>about it than I do, but won't that "$200 PC" (no such thing in my 
>experience) need:
>
>1. A video capture card?
>2. An above-standard sound card?
>3. A large hard drive?
>4. A processor capable of MPEG-2 rendering in a timely fashion?

I tend to buy clearance computers. Even brand new, an eMachine celery
2.20G/40 Gig/128 goes for under $400 (MSRP). If you look around
Office Depots or similar, you're sure to find last years systems
for closer to $200, many with FireWire cards. Dell often has small
business refurbs for $150-$250, usually with free shipping. Walmart
is a terrific source of under-$200 sales, particularly after Christmas.

"Above Standard" sound card? I don't own one myself.

Regarding a large hard drive? My cheapo PC has a 20G. Its plenty
fine for my video work.

Its running a P3 1000 and does what it has to for rendering.
I just let it crunch as needed and get my work done on the Mac.

(For the curious, my current PC is a Dell Dimension L1000R,
1G, 196 MB, 20 G (5400), Ethernet, 1394 and $5 radio-shack
speakers and WinME.)

It's more than adequate for crunching out VCDs, SVCDs, etc.
I don't have a DVD drive (not even a DVDROM drive) on it

>IOW, while it's certainly better to author VCDs/SVCDs on PCs rather 
>than Macs at present (thanks to software like Ulead's), it's not 
>really as cheap as you make out, is it?

*shrug*

Your mileage may vary. As for me, and most of my family
members who come to me for PC buying advice, yes, it is
as cheap as I make it out.

-- Erica
p.s. Of course, no one can beat my Dad's latest deal:
He stood on line at Circuit City overnight and, as one
of the first 10 customers one day, got his system for
free.