Re: PROMAX out of business?

Yeah, that is a shock.

[walter biscardi] "Wow, very very sad. Of course you read on these forums every day how folks say it's so easy to just build your own systems, I guess it's getting harder for VAR's to stay in business, even one as incredibly good as ProMax."

I think this is exactly the problem. Way back in 1999 COMPUTER VIDEOMAKER had a write-up about a VAR called ProMax that was configuring turn-key non-linear editing systems utlizing Adobe Premiere and the (at the time) new Apple B&W G3s and I realized "I gotta get me one of them pups!" When I enquired about a certain config, the salesman told me that it now came with Apple's new editing software Final Cut Pro, so I took the plunge and purchased it. Not only was it a tested system, but it came with a nice Sony NTSC monitor and a ProMax "TurboMax" ATA expander, and a 16.8 GB internal video drive (exciting!). But yeah, nowadays you can totally build your own reliable editing beast(s) of course. And you can pick up LaCie drives (or whatever) at your local Apple store, Computer MicroCenter, of course as well. But I agree, it's still better to have a relationship with a reputable VAR.

And this actually dovetails into a thread a while back on this forum about newbies constantly asking very basic questions without first delving into the manuals, etc., etc. etc. Back in those days we were all in the dark. I was coming from Avid Media Composer and Immix Video Cube experience and at the time I was confused about this new totally digital realm (new digital camera, new computer, new operating system, and a new non-linear system to get up to speed with). When the original 2-Pop.com started up, we were basically just helping each other out the best we could. Add to that the skimpy and chintzy FCP 1.0 manual, and it was defintely learn as you go. Well at least until Lisa Brenneis and Peachpit Press came out with the first FCP Quickstart Guide.

Locally where I live we do have two quasi-pro dealers but frankly they are sort of a joke. One of them has a fairly big showroom (although nothing on the scale of B&H in NY) and always carried some pro video, lighting. etc. stuff. But the last time I was in there they had combined the video and still camera sections into one and filled a lot of the showroom with even more consumer crap. Both these places are the type of places where you can be behind someone in line who is taking an hour talking to the counter rep about some stupid $100 digital still camera! Goofball central!

Sad times indeed.