Apple's latest offering has entertainment - seeking consumers in its sights, with a heavy emphasis on supporting next-generation DVD technology.
Apple have released a line of Power Mac G4's which offers a SuperDrive, this being a combination CD-RW/DVD-R drive that can read and write DVDS which can be played in consumer DVD players. The PowerPC processor runs up to 733 MHz featuring 133 MHz system and memory buses and five slots for increased expandability.
Along with iTunes, the new -jukebox" software where users can burn their own standard audio CDs, Power Mac's G4 also allows users to create DVD videos for playback n consumer DVD players. IDVD shields users from the complexity of DVD authoring by offering professionally designed themes and drag-and-drop simplicity.
One click allows iDVD to automatically convert iMovie, Final Cut Pro or any Quick Time video file into the required format, compress them into MPEG-2 compression standard required to make DVDs and burn the DVD-R disc with Apple's SuperDrive.
Apple's optional DVD Studio application complements Apple's Final Cut Pro video editing, effects and composing software. Users can encode their Final Pro projects in the DVD format, author DVDs, preview finished projects in real-time and burn DVD video discs with the G4's new SuperDrive.
When the G4 was tested against the P4 processor, the G4 proved to be 30% faster. It has since been established however that it's not an accurate measure, as the P4 chip still has a few speed problems that still need to be rectified.
Power Mac G4
Company: Apple
Ph: 02 9367 8585
Price: AU$3,695 (466MHz), AU$4,595 (533MHz),
Price: AU$5,995 (667HHz), AU$7,495 (733MHz)
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