Encoding & Editing workstation..How much is enough?

[Anonymous]

I need to build/buy a PC workstation to capture analog composite video/audio in for a small public access tv studio. How much computer is enough and how much is overkill. I am on a budget.

We recently went to MPEG-2 playout after years playing from S-VHS.

We’ll send video and audio to the workstation from our DA’s.
After encoding, I want to use MPEG trim editor to trim off unwanted pre-roll and post-roll. Then copy the finished file to MPEG-2 server via gigabit LAN and also burn DVD for producer to leave with. I have been told that I want to use, at a minimum, hardware that is as good or better than this: AMD (not P4) 3.0 gHz or better, PCI-Exp graphics card with at least 128 mb ram, at least 1GB RAM, Gigabit ethernet, a 10K rpm Raptor 120GB SATA hard drive, DVD-R/+R/RW drive and Nero software, a Hapaggue WinTV-250 PVR for capture, a quality power supply of 350+ Watts, extra cooling fan or two .
Time after the production is important. I can’t have the producer sitting and waiting for hours for rendering or DVD authoring. Most of these studio shows are 30 min to 60 minutes.
That is the core hardware that I think that we need. Do I need more? What type or brand of compnents are good enough without being way more than what is necessary for the job?
I’d be thankful for suggestions or feedback. 😯

[Jackal]

I’m going with dual processors myself for my new setup. I’m using 3 hard drives: OS, Capture, Final render. The 2 storage drives are 250 GB SATA drives. The video card that I have is the Matrox APVe PCI-e card with 128mb RAM.

I was thinking of going the Dual-Core proc way but someone said that dual proc is much more effective. You definitely don’t want to go with just a single processor. Your producer will be waiting around. 😕

I may be getting a new capture card too. I’m still checking them out so I can’t offer any advice there. But the card that you are getting, does it allow capture of HD? I can’t remember but I know that it was listed on the Beyond TV site. I was looking at the software for a media center over the weekend.

This is what I have so far:

Mobo:
Tiger i7525 (S2672) S2672ANR

Monitors:
2 – 20 Samsung 204T

Optical Drive:
Samsung 16x Double Layer DVDRW ATAPI/IDE Drive

Video Card:
Matrox Parhelia APVe

Sound Card:
Onboard (for now)

Hard Drive:
System Maxtor Diamondback Plus 60GB ATA/133 (Old drive)
Storage – 2 Samsung 250GB SATA II 8 MB Buffer

On the way:
RAM:
2 – Infineon 1GB Registered PC2 – 3200 DDR2-400 memory with ECC

Still need to get:
Processors:
2 – Intel XEON 3.0GHZ 1M 800FSB-EM64T XD HT S604

Contour Designs
ShuttlePRO V.2

[Videoman]

If processing time is lean , then I’d go with Duel processor and at least 2 gig Ram.
Sata drives – minimum of 2, ! for operating system and one for capture.

I use 4 – 1, for op system and programs , 1 for capture, one for projects and one for render.

I only have a Pentium single processor. It renders the project when I go to bed. -0 Yep takes a long time for 20 – 40 min projects.

[Endeavor]

Videoman Wrote:

If processing time is lean , then I’d go with Duel processor and at least 2 gig Ram.
Sata drives – minimum of 2, ! for operating system and one for capture.

I use 4 – 1, for op system and programs , 1 for capture, one for projects and one for render.

I only have a Pentium single processor. It renders the project when I go to bed. -0 Yep takes a long time for 20 – 40 min projects.

You should set up a RAID-0 with 2 of those. Get much faster access speeds.

[Author]

Posts