MAC vs Windows software version

[gravesgrg]

I am trying to decide on which computer to install AM 16 (I have AM11 on disk)

I have a computer with both WIN7 Professional (64bit) and MAC OS Lion (not Bootcamp, but dual boot) and was wondering, since all the hardware is the same, if the program would run equally as well on WIN as it would on OSX. I do not want to buy two versions of the software just to satisfy my curiosity. Specs: i5-2500K, 8MB 1333Mhz ram, 90GB SSD, 1TB WD Black, 2TB Hitatchi 6gbs SATA, Radeon HD6870

 

So...does anyone have any idea which version if faster, all things being the same?

 

Are there any usability features in one version that makes it better than the other?

 

Additionally, I have two other computers at the house, one a Core Duo (E8200, 8GB Ram, 1TB WD Black, EVGA NVidia 460, WIN7 Pro 64bit) and one an i5-2400 (8GB 1333MHz ram, Seagate Momentus Hybrid 500GB drive, Radeon HD6670/or HD3000, Win7 Pro 64bit) , and wanted to test the render times between the two machines. Is it possible to run AM from a USB drive (have a Seagate that is USB 2.0/3.0)

 

Is there anywhere (a repository) of users machines and render times? Anyone interested in benchmarking their machines using a standard render file and method? I would also be interested in seeing if a workstation graphics card does better than the gamer card, or even the effect of intel's new HD2000/3000 built-in graphics, not to mention AMD's new offerings or if anyone has tried running on an Atom powered tablet. I'd love to do my design work on a tablet then let the horsepower of a desktop do the rendering. I have an old MotionComputing LE1600 that I am afraid to try to run AM on since it's a single core 1.5MHz with 1GB ram, but I love the pen input. Currently I use it with GIMP to correct photos. The ability to touch the screen exactly where you want and to draw like a brush with the pen is so much better than the mouse/trackball. I've used the Bamboo Pen and Touch but it still doesn't compare to wriiting directly on the screen.

[robcat2075]

Welcome back!

 

I believe render times are pretty similar now with a small edge to Windows computers.

 

The larger edge is that there are several 3rd party plugins (TSM2 for example) that are Windows only.

 

The downside of Windows is that Quicktime is not yet directly available in 64-bit programs. However, you can have both 32-bit and 64-bit A:M installed on the same computer, no extra charge. You could render to a TGA sequence with 64-bit A:M and use 32-bit A:M to convert that to Quicktime or use Quicktime Pro (what I do).

[Darkwing]

I would recommend the Win version. The Mac one has certain... issues that require workarounds and in some cases, tiptoeing around the program. You will probably have better luck with the Win version than the Mac one.

[jason1025]

Welcome back!

 

I believe render times are pretty similar now with a small edge to Windows computers.

 

The larger edge is that there are several 3rd party plugins (TSM2 for example) that are Windows only.

 

The downside of Windows is that Quicktime is not yet directly available in 64-bit programs. However, you can have both 32-bit and 64-bit A:M installed on the same computer, no extra charge. You could render to a TGA sequence with 64-bit A:M and use 32-bit A:M to convert that to Quicktime or use Quicktime Pro (what I do).

 

 

I don't know if its official, but you can always ask if they can give you both mac and pc versions for the single license fee. They did it for me once. In practice I find myself using the pc version almost exclusively. I am a mac person but the AM app just seems to feel right in windows. Before V16 Am on the mac didnt work very well for me. Its was kind of buggy. I think a lot of those issues are fixed now.

[largento]

I've been using A:M on the Mac side for 4 years now and I've managed to do a lot with it.

 

That said, if you don't prefer one OS over the other, I would agree with those who have suggested going with the Windows version ...just for the 3rd party plugins.

 

If you do have a preference for the Mac, A:M works great on a Mac. I use it daily, sometimes running as many as 7 instances of it as I work on the Wannabe Pirates and other animation projects. To be truthful there aren't that many 3rd party apps/plugins for A:M (TSM2 hasn't been updated or supported in several years.) The only two others that spring to mind are "simple AO" and "A:M Track" and while both are useful, you can certainly get by without them.