If you seek maximum speed, power, and versatility in a Mac workstation, you can't ask for more than the G4/733. This machine felt as if it always waited for us rather than the other way around, which is how a computer ought to feel. Throw in a SuperDrive that functions as both a CD-R/RW and a DVD-R drive and some digital video software, and the G4/733 is the top Mac for multimedia production.
Apple's 733MHz Power Mac G4 is powerful enough for just about anything you could ever want to do--motion or still imaging, business or entertainment--albeit at a steep price. It also answers all the needs of a digital videographer, including one that many people don't consider until it's too late: what to do with the video once you've edited it.
What sets this system apart from the other models (and makes it so pricey) is the inclusion of the SuperDrive, which not only reads CD and DVD-ROM, but also writes to CD-R/RWs and DVD-Rs. So, for the first time on a Macintosh, you can burn your movies to a DVD and play them on a standard DVD player. (Note that this configuration can be bought only directly from Apple, either by phone or via the Web from the Apple Store.)
Apple includes several pieces of software with the system in order to make the DVD-R process possible. First, there's iMovie 2.0.3, Apple's entry-level video-editing package. Using iMovie, you can pull video directly from any FireWire-equipped video camera. Once you've edited and perfected your video clips, you'll need to assemble the DVD interface. Using iDVD, you put together the onscreen menus for your DVD, including buttons to play your movies, colour themes, and background pictures. You can then preview the DVD and test it fully before burning it to DVD-R. This is a good thing, since a DVD-R can be written to only once, and, as of this writing, costs approximately AU$10 per disc. iDVD is likewise an entry-level package and limits the user quite a bit. For those in need of more professional options and results, Apple's DVD Studio Pro can be purchased separately.
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