Going from PC to Mac...Should I do this?

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Mack Entertainment

Mack Entertainment

DJ Extraordinaire
Dec 18, 2014
158
108
55
Plainfield,Il
www.mackentertainment.com
Since starting my DJ business 10 years ago I have used a PC to DJ with. Basically because at the time I started I was more comfortable with PC's. I have since become more familiar with Mac and wonder if I should switch. I see a lot of dj's using macbooks and I'm wondering if I'm missing out on something by not using one.

Questions I have on this are.

1. Is there a benefit or is it pretty much the same?

2. What kind of problems will I encounter and how to get around them?

3. With a PC I know how to "reboot" with a mac I'm not so sure.

4. I have a macbook pro core 2 duo from 2010 with 4gb's of ram. Is that enough to run virtual dj and not have problems?

I would appreciate any advice on this because I'm not sure about doing it or not.
 
I'm not overly familiar with Macs but the question is what is your motivation to switch?

Alot will say that a Mac is so much better but here's the thing you are only playing music or video on it I wouldn't see the expense to switch as worthwhile
 
I can't speak on behalf of Virtual DJ, but I've been using Mac and MegaSeg to DJ with for about 6 years. It has been seamless. the appearance is so much better. I like the one cord in and ready to go and the wireless of it all being bluetooth, unless you use a macbook. Megaseg is so solid and reliable, unlike so many windows products.
 
BlueLineDJ said:
It's only available on mac b/c windows just isn't dependable enough.
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No, it's not available on Windows because they developed it for OS X.

I don't want to sound like a Windows fanboy, and I use both Windows and OS X. I primarily use Windows, and I have an iPhone. I also manage a number of Linux servers for various web/business-related functions. I just want to make it clear that I'm not strongly on either side, and the way Windows has been headed has me very.... :(

I will say that most radio stations around the world use Windows. That wouldn't be the case if it couldn't be trusted. And it can be incredibly stable (though especially/mostly under controlled circumstances).

Yes, the average use is more apt to get a virus, etc. using Windows, but I assure you Macs aren't flawless either.
 
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BlueLineDJ said:
Check it out. megaseg.com. Its incredible and the same a lot of radio stations use. It's only available on mac b/c windows just isn't dependable enough.
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I wouldn't say alot but some do. Most stations use iMediaTouch or Scott Systems and most run on PC because of cost effectiveness

Mack Entertainment said:
Questions I have on this are.

1. Is there a benefit or is it pretty much the same?

I don't see a benefit especially where you are a long time PC user. Switching to Mac especially starting from scratch would be a large learning curve and really aside from appearance what would be the advantage? I operate on the premise of if it isn't broke why fix it


3. With a PC I know how to "reboot" with a mac I'm not so sure.

It's something you would learn along the way with everything else.switching from a PC to a Mac (or the other way around) would be like switching from an automatic to a standard when you have no idea how to drive a standard




4. I have a macbook pro core 2 duo from 2010 with 4gb's of ram. Is that enough to run virtual dj and not have problems?

That's more than the minimum requirements for VDJ but if you notice it requires more from a MAC than a PC I would guess because it's not a MAC native software. Megaseg might be a better option

Here is the minimum requirements for VDJ

http://www.virtualdj.com/wiki/Minimum system requirements.html
.
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Just my opinion....Answers in blue
 
The mac I use it on is from early 2008 and still works like the day I got it. Never have to worry about viruses!
 
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I'm a Mac fan from over 20 years ago, but I use windoze laptops to DJ with. I'm very comfortable with my imac for other applications like music production, graphic design etc. but I don't see the need for a mac to DJ with. If I were doing timecode with serato I would join the others in that category and get a macbook pro, but I just do basic queing, looping and beatmixing with VDJ & controller.
 
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Apple use to make some of the best hardware but their quality has been slipping lately. They are making too much money on their portable OS/phone tablet (actually slowing down) and let the mac os fall behind Windows in innovative features. Tablets are dying and convertibles are starting to be the computer of choice.These convertibles are running Windows not Mac OS or Android.
https://www.google.ca/search?q=conv...a=X&ei=JsfoVMeaDIupyQTM44D4BA&ved=0CAgQ_AUoAQ
 
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awdj said:
I don't want to sound like a Windows fanboy, and I use both Windows and OS X. I primarily use Windows, and I have an iPhone. I also manage a number of Linux servers for various web/business-related functions. I just want to make it clear that I'm not strongly on either side, and the way Windows has been headed has me very.... :(
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I totally agree with this

awdj said:
I will say that most radio stations around the world use Windows. That wouldn't be the case if it couldn't be trusted.
Click to expand...

I don't agree with this.

awdj said:
And it can be incredibly stable (though especially/mostly under controlled circumstances).
Click to expand...

I agree with this to a point.

awdj said:
Yes, the average use is more apt to get a virus, etc. using Windows, but I assure you Macs aren't flawless either.
Click to expand...

I agree - however because of how Unix, Linux, OSX and other similars operate, it IS much harder to be infected. The MS model does not follow the same logic.

drzinc said:
Live in your dream world... http://www.macworld.co.uk/how-to/mac-software/are-macs-safe-viruses-hackers-3454926/
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Z, most of us know you like MS .. but unless you have operated or troubleshot a Mac, I don't think you will understand. They are so much easier to work with and support. One is because you are FORCED to create a separate user account (other than admin), most users will use this other user account instead of the admin account. With MS, it's the other way around. Alot of bugs / viruses won't touch the machine without root access. Guess what most Windows home pc user accounts are?

While Mac may not be instant for a zero day patch, MS has that and more things to worry about. Using Windows 98 SE as a reference, when it was retired, it had 600,000 known bugs. This doesn't count how many were unknown. I bet we will see XP surpass that. I guarantee you that there are still several hundred thousand XP machines still online and most likely plenty of 98SE still online.

There's a reason MS has 'Patch Tuesday' once a month while Apple 'may' release 6 security updates in a year. Let's also add that with MS, there are patches for the patches. You have to run Windows Update 47 million times. Once for the initial patches and then 46,999,999 more times for the patches for those patches (which also means 47,000,001 restarts. That said, I wonder if you'll continue to be a fanboi if MS starts charging you monthly for use. Ever try finding a MS resolution for a problem such as 'You have encountered an error'? You're referred to a KB which refers you to another KB which refers you to documentation which give you a command to try which refers you to more documentation with the end result being 'You've encountered an error'. No sh!t, that's what I'm trying to resolve.
 
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Tigger I am not a MS fanboi or a MAC hater. I just like choices. If Apple would not be so money hungry, have big brother tendencies, and give it's costumers real choices (like not having to install itunes just to put some songs on an ipod for instance) If you bought an iPhone/ipad @32 gb and want more memory you have to spring for a new phone or tablet or you get the excuse who needs more memory or clear some space for the new stuff where my wife's $99 dollar HP slate allows me to add a 128gb micro sd card, and it has a standard usb port so adding files/music/videos is very easy and needs no fancy software. I own an imac it is built well functions nicely but I run windows on it because I can do more with that os.
 
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Like you, I'm not a fanboi or hater of any of them. I do dislike seeing any of them slammed. In a way, there's something to be said for propietary hardware. The first thing that comes to mind is support. As for choices, you may have multiple vendors to select from with MS but guess where MS will send you when you have problems? As for devices, remember the Zune? Could you use any old app with it? Between Apple and MS, Apple IS more open source. MS has stated they would like to be - that was years ago. I wonder why they haven't done it yet. Tablets are funny things - the kindle is also it's own propietary device - how come it doesn't get picked on?

An apple PC has firewire, usb, thunderbolt, etc - just like everyone else. If MS invented something that Apple didn't have, would you be so critical?

As it was recently put on the web, with MS becoming a 'rented os', hardware vendors will be fighting for customer dollars. With that, the prices on hardware will most likely come down.

When the price of hardware comes down, what do you think will be lacking, quality or quantity? Remember the eMachines? People got them because they were cheap.
 
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I've always been a Windows user and the few times I've used a MAC I discovered they weren't for me. I've been running VDJ since 2006 and MixMeister 4 before that. I've never had a problem. My current machines (i7 Vaio's and i5 ASUS) have been rock solid and have not let me down. In my studio I'm still running 2 HP desktops (One is an AIO) and the other a regular tower. And my new monsters 2 Dell 8700's that have been souped up like my Mustangs ;) .

These have been converting video and running MIK 7 as I'm rescanning the whole library since I'm redoing all of it and these things just chew up and spit out whatever you throw at them.

In the end it comes to personal choice and what makes you comfortable. Nothing against Apple :) .
 
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