Ok, so you want to build a video rig, and its on a budget. You need something portable, yet you also need performance. Something easy to use and something you know will get the job done and support the software you know is popular.
If we look at this list and decide, among the myriad of available machines, which one to go with, a lot of people might lean toward a Macbook Pro or an Ultrabook such as the Macbook AIR. With the super portability, available SSD's and no need for an external monitor, they offer a lot of convenience in the initial set up and tear down for tech booths that are already cramped for space in most theaters.
However, what these machines offer in ease of use is paid for, sometimes dearly, in function and performance.
A show requires from a computer, things we don't normally think about when operating a computer in our day-to-day tasks.
Things that are convenient and save on battery life for instance, such as auto-dimming screens, become a detriment to an operator trying to monitor a video control station and keep video performance stable.
Because of these types of things, laptops are a less than ideal choice for any theater trying to run video or audio.
If you're trying to run more than one video output, such as an additional TV or more than one projector, the problems start to stack quickly.
***
For comparisons sake, I am going to provide two systems that I believe represent the
two ends of the spectrum from an systems engineering point of view. There are plenty
of machines that fall in-between the specs of these two machines, but as far as
hardware that has been proposed to me for use in shows, both of these units apply.
***
Let's take a look at a machine that was recently used in a production, off-broadway, for integrating two projectors and a camera:
Above is a machine with fully installed (and customizable) input and output solutions.
PROS
1.) Fast, multi-core processor
In this particular model, there were 12 cores. a Quad core is sufficient for our needs, and some savvy engineers can get away with running dual cores of sufficient speeds, but a single core processor suffers from an inability to multi-task in the way that multiple cores offer.
2.) RAM with sufficient overhead
While 32 GB isn't required for the rendering tasks the machine will likely be performing, it offers peace-of-mind in the fact that the machine won't be bogged down and lag/drop your frames during playback.
3.) A not-too-recent Operating System
While having all the convenience and gesture support of the latest OS available is nice, new OS's often come with bugs that tend to especially hinder video performance. Working with more than one video output requires a UI that is stable and doesn't try and think "too much" based on what displays you have connected. We've found so far that Snow Leopard (10.6.8) provides the most stable video performance without forgetting or re-mapping display EDID's when powering your tower up and down.
4.) Swappable graphics cards
The ability to change the function of this computer from a machine that can handle multiple outputs (some impressive configurations have been managed,) to also handle video capture via HDMI is what really makes a tower shine.
5.) Multiple port options
It's a simple fact that the smaller your machine, the less room it has for more ports. In this tower, we not only have extra USB drives free (very useful for last minute content updates,) but we also have everything we need to manage and upkeep our system once its installed. A common short-sight in producing video systems for shows is that one tends to overlook how the system will be maintained once its installed and running. Having a NET port for attaching the computer to a network is a crucial feature that allows designers to not only manage their content and programming from remote locations reliably, but also to control and monitor accessories (such as display and projectors that also have these ports) and even control them. Firewire and USB ports are a must have now for most add-on units as well. Making sure that you have more than two of each is helpful to any video system, especially if you want to add additional capture cards, MIDI interfaces and run hubs in equipment such as Apple Pro-res monitors.
CONS
1.) Portability
The mac pro tower weighs in at just over 40 lbs. This makes storage and portability its largest detractor. On the plus side, it is easy to run from below a desk and can live in footspace as opposed to taking up valuable table space, and with the utilization of a LAN, remote access makes it to that the machine never has to move once loaded in.
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Now lets take a look at a macbook air for comparison.
PROS
1.) Next-Gen Processor
For the 2013 models specifically, everyone is excited about the performance upgrade in the new"Haswell" processors. While the core clock speed may not be that of a larger machine, it is made up for in performance of the new processors benchmark speeds.
2.) Internal SSD
When it comes to a content drive, you couldn't ask for anything faster. Write and Read speeds on SSD's are phenomenal, and, despite their limited capacities, provide most shows with enough space to run the video content of their shows.
3.) Thunderbolt Port
This is both a pro and a con really. While thunderbolt is both fast and chainable, it is the machine's only dedicated port for both high speed data transfer and external displays. Hard drive array's such as RAID towers are what really benefits from the speed of thunderbolt, and they have been known to corrupt when chained inline with other devices such as displays and other hard drives. This daisy-chaining also makes it hard to troubleshoot and manage external display networks.
4.) Portability
Probably the best perk about this machine is its portability. There's no denying that, when compared to a 40 lb. machine, the Macbook AIR has the appeal. With a show computer that lives alone in a theater after everyone goes home however, portability might not always be the best option.
CONS
1.) Haswell processor
The Haswell processor, at least as of its recent release has caused a lot of frustration, especially concerning video performance due to its repeated display failure rate. A recent Apple discussion thread covers these issues. In addition to failed video performance and shifting volume levels during video playback, the thread also cites numerous problems with wifi connectivity.
2.) No LAN Port
Without a LAN connection port, this machine loses almost all of its ability to network and interface with other machines. This is severely limiting to the ability of the machine to perform as a unit that exists alongside other computers and displays. With dodgy wifi, it's easy to see why working on a small machine like this can start to lose its appeal rather fast.
3.) Only 2 USB ports & No Firewire
Attach a software USB authorization key and a thumb drive and you're done with this machine. Feel like attaching a content drive, MIDI interfaces, external video cards for capture or additional outputs and you're out of luck. Also, with no firewire port, you lose the ability to work with most audio interface cards such as MOTU's and FirePRO cards.
4.) Recent Operating System
Like we addressed earlier, having the most recent operating system has been the cause of video system headaches for at least the last decade of video production. Newer systems come with bugs and workflow changes that provide incompatibilities with otherwise stable software, and increases the likelihood of a critical system failure.
5.) No Hardware Flexibility
You have one graphics card with one video output, that is shared with your external display port. No chance to crossgrade or upgrade without getting a new machine. While it may fulfill a specific task at the given time, trying to upgrade this machine will leave you with no other choice than to buy a new one.
6.) Portability
I know I listed this as a pro initially, but without a kensington lock port and no 3G connection, the macbook AIR is the easiest item in the apple lineup to steal. Without the ability trace it unless it is attached to a wifi network, and with a form factor that lets it slip easily away, combined with no locking ability, this machine and its appealing form factor make it a prime target for theft in spaces where 24/7 monitoring is very often not possible, and multiple people are in and out of the space for many different reasons. Even with Kensington locks, theft in theaters is something I am all too familiar with. Perhaps having a 40 lb. machine under a table isn't so bad after all?
7.) Unstable Power
A common failing with anything that is battery powered is that batteries die. Even when plugged into a power source, a small bump is all it takes to take this little guy off the grid. Even with the fact that you can snap it right back on, laptops completely switch their internal power management settings when unplugged. They're designed to preserve their lifespan by cooling down once in awhile. So even if you push the settings to the 9's, you're not only reducing the life of your machine, but still running the risk that internal setting will change in the event of a battery failure or disconnect. With a hard wired system, such as a tower, you know when it turns on and when it doesn't, and nothing else changes. Definitely a plus when trying to keep a stable and maintainable system running.
8.) Touchpad between user and keyboard
Another problem with the design of this machine is that there is a touch sensitive pad directly between your operator and the spacebar. Since the spacebar is one of the most common buttons for activating cues, it doesn't really serve to have a mouse that responds to touch between your operators and their main GO button. A solution for this is adding an external keyboard, (which a tower coincidentally uses by default.)
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