You the faithful readers of randomCoder (yes, both of you) may have been wondering why nothing new has been posted here recently...

Since January, I've been busy converting my entire online life over to a Mac. Yes, it's true. I'm officially an ex-Microsoft addict (at least at home). At work, I'm still required to use Windows, but at home I've almost completely kicked the habit. I say almost, because I still have a few apps that I'm using Parallels for, such as Microsoft Money and the excellent Streets & Trips (great for road trips)!

Of course, one thing leads to another, and using a Mac has rekindled some of my other passions, like digital video. Being the perfectionist that I am, my old crusty DV cam wasn't really getting the job done, so I sprung for a new HDV camera and all the trimmings. So, I'm going to do something new and do one of those Amazon-style product lists, just in case anyone's interested (like my insurance agent):

• Apple MacBook Pro 17" - The core of any good video editing system is fast computer. Get as much RAM as you can afford.
• Iomega 500GB Firewire 800 hard drive - Having lots of storage is essential when editing video, especially HD. These are cheap, fast, and do FW 800, FW 400, and USB 2.0. Get two.
• Sony HVR-A1U HDV camera - This isn't the most expensive HD camera in the world, but it packs a lot into a small package.
• Velbon DV-7000 Video Tripod - If you're going to be shooting anything seriously, you need a good video tripod, and this one is a great value.
• Bebob ZOE-DVXL Zoom Controller - The small size of the HVR-A1U can make it difficult to focus and zoom precisely and without moving the camera. The Zoe makes this a snap, and allows for slow 30-second zooms.
• Adobe Creative Suite CS3 Web Premium - Essential software for online media work. Especially nice is Photoshop Extended's new video and 3D support, Illustrator for design, and Flash for web video. Dreamweaver isn't a bad addition either. At some point I'd like to trade up to the Master Collection to get After Effects and Premiere, but it's not out yet and my checkbook wouldn't like me anyway.
• Apple Logic Pro 7.2 - While this isn't strictly necessary for video editing, the audio and music creation abilities of Logic cannot be overstated. As a budding musician myself, this has probably been one of the best purchases I've made in a long time.
• M-Audio Ozone MIDI controller - It takes some extra hardware to unlock the power in Logic. The Ozone connects to your computer via USB, and provides a 2-octave MIDI controller, as well as 2 audio inputs that digitize at up to 96KHz, 24-bit quality. Combine this with a couple of good studio mics, and you've got the makings of a great sounding mix without spending a lot of money. I'm especially happy with this since I managed to snag one on clearance at my local Guitar Center for half price.
• Apple Final Cut Studio 2 - Last but certainly not least, a good video editing suite is essential. I haven't even installed this yet (it's brand new and my copy just arrived at work today), but I've been waiting in anticipation ever since the release announcement at NAB 2007.

Now that I've got my video editing rig set up, I should probably try to recoup some of my investment with some side jobs putting it all to use. Jeremy, I'm looking at you.