best laptop for programming student 2012 image
upwardly_m
My son is a high school senior. Next year he wants to go to community college and live at home (at least that is reasonably affordable) instead of going away to school. He wants to take an expensive major however. Video production. We have been able to save about $5,000 towards his education. We are not wealthy people. The rest will have to come from loans and maybe a grant or scholarship.
We are looking at some "entry level" pro cameras in the $1500-1800 range. That's about 1/3 of our savings for his education.
Models include these:
http://www.bhphotovideo.com/c/product/518555-REG/Sony_HVRHD1000U_HVR_HD1000U_Digital_High_Definition.html
http://www.bhphotovideo.com/c/product/745707-REG/Sony_HXR_MC2000U_HXR_MC2000U_Shoulder_Mount_AVCHD.html
http://www.bhphotovideo.com/c/product/878341-REG/Panasonic_hmc40kit_AG_HMC40_AVCCAM_HD_Camcorder.html
and
http://www.bhphotovideo.com/c/product/749467-REG/Canon_4922B002_XA10_HD_Professional_Camcorder.html
My concern is he starts September 2013 so these products may not even be available by then or others will be available. We hope he graduates May 2015. He tells us when he graduates he will maybe find a freelance job or shoot local cable news, build up some experience, maybe after 2 years go for a B.A. at least part time.
Is anything we buy him in 2013 (summer) going to be any use to him as a working professional in 2015 (summer)? So let's say you are a class of 2012 graduate with an AAS in video production. The camera you purchased in the summer of 2010 when you first started, do you still use it professionally? Can you make anything doing freelance news videos, PR videos or local account commercials with this equipment?
We're going to do everything we can to help him. No doubt he will still be living at home in the summer of 2015. By then he's going to have a student loan to pay off. We have a 2005 Hyundai Accent that we are going to give him for college. I hope that thing still runs when it is 10 years old and he isn't making car payments on top of that. The thing has 120,000 miles on it but runs really well. I just fear when he graduates he's going to be in deep debt and have limited employment. I may be wrong. What do you think? Thanks.
Answer
Hi "Upwardly Mobile":
Fellow Contributor "L" covered most of the bases quite well, but the only point he didn't underscore is that MOST good video & film production programs at community colleges HAVE the cameras, lights, mikes, tripods, and other gear that the students will learn on & use.
When I went to a local (but nationally prominent) university with a Broadcast/Film Dept., portable video was still fairly new, but all the film cameras, tripods, & light kits were supplied by the Department for students to "check out" as-needed for class projects.
And most video production students start out with Studio Production techniques (where it's easier for groups to learn 3-point lighting, camera setup & tripod/dolly operation, shot composition, audio techniques & mixing, etc.). No need for portable field gear there.
For field production & Electronic News Gathering, a good college will have a fair number of camcorders for students to use & check out (if needed for outside-of-class projects).
The same is true for Editing Software & computer workstations. Some college programs might be economizing and making students supply their own laptops for this, but all the major software companies offer Academic Editions of their normally-expensive edit suites at discounted prices. And of course, nowadays, apps like iMovie (Mac) and Movie Maker (PC) come "free" as part of the operating system and can accomplish what older (and expensive) software used to do, as far as basic editing.
As "L" mentioned, do a bit of "homework" yourself by contacting the community college's department head & instructors for your son's chosen major. Tour the facilities (studio and edit suites) and ask about the "equipment room" for student project gear. See what textbooks (a major expense) are required, and whether computer/laptop & software expense will be part of what's expected of your son. Only if there's little-or-no camcorder gear (or no hands-on studio cameras) would I recommend buying anything like the models from B+H that you listed.
Almost every cable TV & freelance video job I've had over the past 30 years has "supplied" (rented or company-owned) the cameras & grip gear I needed. I bring my own gear only when it's a "favor" or when what I have is better-suited to the task, or they want a "director with gear". My point being, your son doesn't need to own =any= camera gear to make a living freelancing. A good camera operator can stay busy in almost any part of the country, with just his/her skills. (Same for sound mixers & boom/wireless mike operators.)
hope this helps, and hope it saves you some money,
--Dennis C.
Â
Hi "Upwardly Mobile":
Fellow Contributor "L" covered most of the bases quite well, but the only point he didn't underscore is that MOST good video & film production programs at community colleges HAVE the cameras, lights, mikes, tripods, and other gear that the students will learn on & use.
When I went to a local (but nationally prominent) university with a Broadcast/Film Dept., portable video was still fairly new, but all the film cameras, tripods, & light kits were supplied by the Department for students to "check out" as-needed for class projects.
And most video production students start out with Studio Production techniques (where it's easier for groups to learn 3-point lighting, camera setup & tripod/dolly operation, shot composition, audio techniques & mixing, etc.). No need for portable field gear there.
For field production & Electronic News Gathering, a good college will have a fair number of camcorders for students to use & check out (if needed for outside-of-class projects).
The same is true for Editing Software & computer workstations. Some college programs might be economizing and making students supply their own laptops for this, but all the major software companies offer Academic Editions of their normally-expensive edit suites at discounted prices. And of course, nowadays, apps like iMovie (Mac) and Movie Maker (PC) come "free" as part of the operating system and can accomplish what older (and expensive) software used to do, as far as basic editing.
As "L" mentioned, do a bit of "homework" yourself by contacting the community college's department head & instructors for your son's chosen major. Tour the facilities (studio and edit suites) and ask about the "equipment room" for student project gear. See what textbooks (a major expense) are required, and whether computer/laptop & software expense will be part of what's expected of your son. Only if there's little-or-no camcorder gear (or no hands-on studio cameras) would I recommend buying anything like the models from B+H that you listed.
Almost every cable TV & freelance video job I've had over the past 30 years has "supplied" (rented or company-owned) the cameras & grip gear I needed. I bring my own gear only when it's a "favor" or when what I have is better-suited to the task, or they want a "director with gear". My point being, your son doesn't need to own =any= camera gear to make a living freelancing. A good camera operator can stay busy in almost any part of the country, with just his/her skills. (Same for sound mixers & boom/wireless mike operators.)
hope this helps, and hope it saves you some money,
--Dennis C.
Â
what is a good hp laptop made within 5 years?
Carlos
I'm looking to a new laptop for my birthday but don't know what to ask for. I prefer it to be hp designed and with at least 4 GB of ram and at least 150 GB of drive space. I feel picky but these are my preferences due to to the music, video, and program storage I use on a daily basis on my PC. Also I'm coming to the point in school where I'm going to need computerized data to submit to my mentors. My parent's budget is $600.
Answer
I have some issues in your wording. A new laptop in the US was made within the last few months since inventory tends to move quickly, and there may be a few about a year old still waiting to be sold. 5 years ago, HP probably did make and sell laptops, and now, like Acer-Gateway-Packard Bell, they are a Procurement and Re-seller and they are designed and produced by several Taiwanese and Chinese companies with an HP label and a bit of shell customizing. All laptops are pretty much made by these companies in China. HP on some adds a Beats profiling and a sub-woofer designed into some models.
In the last few years, the HP reliability and quality surveys do not look good, although they still like HP and Dell in India for some reason.
Here is my documentation:
2012: http://www.pcworld.com/article/2020725/apple-macbooks-lead-in-laptop-features-and-reliability.html
HP in the bottom half
2011: http://www.pcworld.com/article/244419/laptop_reliability_and_satisfaction_macbooks_rule.html
HP second last
2010:
http://www.pcworld.com/article/211402/laptops.html
HP last place
The basic laptop sold in the USA today above $400, if not a solid state drive will have 500+GB HDD and 4+GB RAM
If you only want HP, even though Acer-Gateway, Dell home, HP-Compaq Home, Lenovo Essentials G series are mostly the same weaker results, and all other laptops under about $400 are also a bit questionable, there are good initial reviews for some HP ultrabooks.
Personally, I think Lenovo did a good job with the Ideapad Z400 Touch, that at Lenovo.com is $600 plus tax with an i3, and $660 as a better i5 model, as Windows 8 is aimed at Touchscreen technology, but you did say HP-Only. Maybe you have a long memory when they used to be better.
Again - all based on extensive surveys; not my personal experience other than Y/A issues reported with overheating and crashing. Google will also tell you a lot. The number of refurbished systems out there tells you something also.
Newegg shows about 18 HP laptops that are new and not open box or refurb
http://www.newegg.com/Product/ProductList.aspx?Submit=Property&N=100006740&IsNodeId=1&minPrice=400&maxPrice=625&Manufactory=1186%2C44242%2C1548&bop=And&Pagesize=50
Here is a basic one for $500 after rebate.
http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16834256720
HP Pavilion g6-2260us Notebook Intel Core i3 3110M(2.40GHz) 15.6" 4GB Memory 750GB HDD 5400rpm DVD Super Multi Intel HD Graphics 4000
HP is offering Touchscreen starting at $600. Is there a student registration for a discount? HP has all kinds of discount codes hiding on the internet to scour out.
http://www.shopping.hp.com/en_US/home-office/-/products/Laptops/Laptops?SearchParameter=%26%40QueryTerm%3D*%26categoryusagelaptops_dte2%3DTouchscreen%26CategoryUUIDLevelX%3DjeEQxXjbj14AAAE0syxcZzOW%26%40Sort.TieredPricing%3D0&PageSize=15
I have some issues in your wording. A new laptop in the US was made within the last few months since inventory tends to move quickly, and there may be a few about a year old still waiting to be sold. 5 years ago, HP probably did make and sell laptops, and now, like Acer-Gateway-Packard Bell, they are a Procurement and Re-seller and they are designed and produced by several Taiwanese and Chinese companies with an HP label and a bit of shell customizing. All laptops are pretty much made by these companies in China. HP on some adds a Beats profiling and a sub-woofer designed into some models.
In the last few years, the HP reliability and quality surveys do not look good, although they still like HP and Dell in India for some reason.
Here is my documentation:
2012: http://www.pcworld.com/article/2020725/apple-macbooks-lead-in-laptop-features-and-reliability.html
HP in the bottom half
2011: http://www.pcworld.com/article/244419/laptop_reliability_and_satisfaction_macbooks_rule.html
HP second last
2010:
http://www.pcworld.com/article/211402/laptops.html
HP last place
The basic laptop sold in the USA today above $400, if not a solid state drive will have 500+GB HDD and 4+GB RAM
If you only want HP, even though Acer-Gateway, Dell home, HP-Compaq Home, Lenovo Essentials G series are mostly the same weaker results, and all other laptops under about $400 are also a bit questionable, there are good initial reviews for some HP ultrabooks.
Personally, I think Lenovo did a good job with the Ideapad Z400 Touch, that at Lenovo.com is $600 plus tax with an i3, and $660 as a better i5 model, as Windows 8 is aimed at Touchscreen technology, but you did say HP-Only. Maybe you have a long memory when they used to be better.
Again - all based on extensive surveys; not my personal experience other than Y/A issues reported with overheating and crashing. Google will also tell you a lot. The number of refurbished systems out there tells you something also.
Newegg shows about 18 HP laptops that are new and not open box or refurb
http://www.newegg.com/Product/ProductList.aspx?Submit=Property&N=100006740&IsNodeId=1&minPrice=400&maxPrice=625&Manufactory=1186%2C44242%2C1548&bop=And&Pagesize=50
Here is a basic one for $500 after rebate.
http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16834256720
HP Pavilion g6-2260us Notebook Intel Core i3 3110M(2.40GHz) 15.6" 4GB Memory 750GB HDD 5400rpm DVD Super Multi Intel HD Graphics 4000
HP is offering Touchscreen starting at $600. Is there a student registration for a discount? HP has all kinds of discount codes hiding on the internet to scour out.
http://www.shopping.hp.com/en_US/home-office/-/products/Laptops/Laptops?SearchParameter=%26%40QueryTerm%3D*%26categoryusagelaptops_dte2%3DTouchscreen%26CategoryUUIDLevelX%3DjeEQxXjbj14AAAE0syxcZzOW%26%40Sort.TieredPricing%3D0&PageSize=15
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Title Post: How long before this camera is considered obsolete?
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Rating: 100% based on 9998 ratings. 5 user reviews.
Author: Unknown
Thanks For Coming To My Blog
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