OT: DVRack or CS3?

Serena wrote on 6/8/2007, 10:33 PM
The laptop I'm presently using isn't up to DVRack requirements, but I note that after this month that DVRack will not be available except as a component of CS3, costing nearly 3x as much; admittedly that includes After Effects. Here is an invitation for you voice opinions: should I buy DVRack in readiness for a new laptop (with no further upgrades to DVRack) or wait and later buy the wonderful CS3 with all its potential growth? I have to say that the price put on CS3 is daunting unless I find a yet undiscovered need for After Effects.

Comments

farss wrote on 6/8/2007, 10:43 PM
Should I mention this in this forum?

If you order the CS2 Creative Suite now it's around AUD2,000 with a FREE upgrade to CS3 next month. Now $2K is a fair slab of cash but that gives you Photoshop, AE, DVRack and Ultra. To say nothing of PPro, Audition etc.

Even if all you wanted was Photoshop and DVrack you get an aweful lot more in the coming month for not a huge amount of cash more.

Better yet next month I can upgrade to the full Master Set and get Indesign.

And if you order before the end of the month it's a nice 100% tax deduction :)

Bob.
Serena wrote on 6/8/2007, 11:43 PM
Good points Bob. PhotoShop is quite expensive in its own right and I use PS7 quite a lot.
I located a software business in Brisbane selling DVRack for A$260, but not sure that the image of the packet matches the actual package -- I've emailed them about that.

Yes, I think you might be right; tax time ---yes.
apit34356 wrote on 6/9/2007, 2:06 AM
Serena, if your laptop graphics are not up to DVRack, then your screwed. You can run DVRack on a desktop with no problems, since graphics are not a problem with most NLE systems. I would serious doubt since Adobe has bought Serious Magic that the CS3 version will be less hardware demanding than the current DVRack. The only problem with buying the current DVRack will be keeping it "active". I have heard comments / rumors that Serious Magic will not maintain its old software website for "activation" checks.
BrianStanding wrote on 6/9/2007, 7:30 AM
Serena,

My understanding is that DVRack (now called On Location) comes standard as part of Premiere CS3. You don't have to order the whole Creative Suite. Obviously Premiere alone is a lot cheaper ($799) than the full suite.

Check out the details from the Premiere site at:
http://www.adobe.com/products/premiere/upgrade/

I have an old copy of DVRack (the SD version) and a copy of Premiere 6.0. I've been debating upgrading to Premiere CS3, just for the HD On Location upgrade.

Of course, I also keep hoping that Sony Creative Software comes up with their own competitor to On Location, or builds in this kind of live monitoring capability into Vegas.
p@mast3rs wrote on 6/9/2007, 8:19 AM
This is the word I got from Adobe.

OnLocation CS3 is the exact same version as DVRack 2.0 HD, the only difference is they rebadged the software to bare the OnLocation CS3 name. Adobe during their eseminars have said that since they acquired SM in December, they havent had enough time to integrate or change the program.

Since it is the same program using the EXACT same activation scheme and company, previous owners will continue to use previous versions with no fear of activation issues. The same also goes for Ultra2.

Also, since the versions are the same, the demands remain the same. I have yet to see a laptop yet that cant run DVRack. The biggest bottleneck that would affect use would be a slow laptop hardrive (4200rpm) but even then you could capture through DVRack to an external firewire/USB2 drive using a higher rpm drive.

edit: I would recommend just getting the CS3 suite. You do get so much more than you realize. AE CS3 is nothing short of amazing. Brainstorm is really useful and the puppet tool (sounds silly but is way cool) plus it has vanishing point as well. Encore CS3 allows BD burning and Flash DVDs with menu support. You will easily make this money back on the first project alone.
Serena wrote on 6/10/2007, 10:56 PM
Thanks for the inputs. Farss pointed to the "free upgrade" for those buying CS2 and looking carefully at all the packages included I decided to go in the direction you are all pointing to.......ordered!
farss wrote on 6/11/2007, 12:55 AM
Ditto...
Now to find the money for Prospect 2K.
Serena wrote on 6/22/2007, 12:16 AM
I'm impressed by the way Adobe have integrated all the packages in CS2. "Bridge" looks to do a better job than Sony "Media Manager", but I'm really at the bottom of the learning curve. Now that I see After Effects, I see that this is something I really do need! Maybe I can trade-in my spare NEO HDV license for a 10bit Prospect HD license! Now to see what the upgrade to CS3 brings.
farss wrote on 6/22/2007, 1:31 AM
At 8.5 Kg of 'stuff' you sure feel like you're getting your money's worth!
Should have a Prospect 2K licence in a couple of weeks.

Bob.
Bill Ravens wrote on 6/22/2007, 5:30 AM
p@mast3rs

I hope u meant to say "I have yet to see a laptop that COULDN"T run DVRACK.
I've been using DVrack, and in its latest incarnation HDRack, since it was released by Serious Magic , with no problems, on my Dell Inspiron E1705.
p@mast3rs wrote on 6/23/2007, 7:39 AM
Bill, yeah, it was a typo. I meant to type cant; Thanks for picking that up for me. :)