Planning a new editing system

[Jackal]

Hey everyone. I’m about to start researching parts for a new editing system and wanted some feedback.

I’m going to be using the Adobe video pro collection that I recently purchased as my core software package. I’d like to use a dual mobo with at least 3 ghz chips. I want 2 500 gb hard drives for storage and maybe an 80-100gb for the systems drive. Two 17″ monitors and about 4 gb of RAM. What do you all think of that? It’s not overkill is it?

What do you all think of thos Matrox (sp?) dual monitor cards? I was considering that as an option to dual video cards. And does anyone have any mobo recommendations?

Thanks.

[Jackal]

I was considering 19″ monitors but it depends on finding some good prices. Same for the hard drives. Of course I’ll get the most I can for the money.

As for the video card, I was looking at the Matrox series:

http://www.matrox.com/mga/workstation/cre_pro/products/apve/home.cfm
or
http://www.matrox.com/mga/workstation/cre_pro/products/parhelia/256mb.cfm

The first one only has 128mb of ram. I’d rather have the 256 but the first one seems to be better suited for editing.

I also have to start looking at dual mobo’s. I was thinking of going with Intel procs but I’m also going to look into AMD. I remember something in the DMX system articles about Adobe’s software code being geared towards Intel.

[Anonymous]

I wouldn’t scrimp on the monitors

I agree.

I’ve never regretted my dual Dell 2001FPs (20″). Working on anything other than 3200×1200 (dual 1600×1200) makes my stomach turn. 😛

Keep an eye out for deals on sites like slickdeals.net and then (if you decide on a Dell) buy a stackable coupon off of ebay to save a little bit more. Still pricey, but well worth it imo.

[Jackal]

A stackable coupon? 😕

I can agree with the 19″ monitors. But is anyone running Adobe on a Dual core? Would it really be worth going dual proc if a dual core will work as good? And I think XP has a limit to RAM that it can read. So I couldn’t use 4 gb unless I got that 64 bit version, right?

I’ll check the Dell site and see what their monitor prices are looking like. I do, unfortunately, have a budget. :'(

[Anonymous]

I installed a 256 MB Parhelia with two dual ports. You shouldn’t have any problems with this card.

[Jackal]

Dave, are you using Intel or AMD? And does that support two digital monitors? I thought that the specs said one when using more than one monitor.

[Jackal]

I was looking at these monitor. The Dells are “refurbs”. So I’m a little skeptical.

20″ Dell – $498 refurb
http://www1.us.dell.com/content/products/productdetails.aspx/monitor_2005fp?c=us&cs=22&l=en&s=dfh

Samsung 20″ – $529 new
http://www.microcenter.com/single_product_results.phtml?product_id=0225749

[Anonymous]

A stackable coupon?

Some Dell coupons can be combined with other offers. Some can’t. Make sure you get one that can (if you decide on a dell).

I don’t have any experience with the refurbs. I don’t think I’d drop $500 for a refurb, especially with just a 90 day warranty. That Samsung looks good. I’d get on google and do some detective work first though.

[Jackal]

Thanks. The Samsung has a 16ms response time. That seems kind of slow. I know it is for gaming but what about with video editing? I would believe that it would have the same effect. That “ghosting”. I’ll look into it.

And one more thing I was thinking about. I’ve use 2 hard drives in a system, but how would 3 work? Could I have the system drive on IDE and 2 storage drives using SATA? I’ll have to read some more on RAIDs, too. I’d like to capture to the second drive (1st storage drive) and then render final versions to the third (2nd storage drive). Can a setup like that be made or will RAID just record the same thing on both drives?

[Endeavor]

If you buy a monitor from Dell, you’ll pay too much. Check out newegg or tiger direct. Way better selection too.

[Jackal]

What about sound cards? I never seem to hear much about them. I was think of the new Sound Blaster Xi-Fi, X-fi or what ever it’s called.

For the video card I’m thinking of going with the Matrox Parhelia AVPe. For the case the Antec P180. I have to decide if I should go dual core or dual processor and find a good mobo. I’m not sure what the advantages are for each, if any. I’m undecided on hard drives right now and I’ll be looking more at monitors today.

[Jackal]

And what about the ms ratings on monitors. I can get two 20″ Samsungs from Circuit City for $1,000 but hey have a 16ms response time. I know that times are down to 4ms on their new monitors. I’ll look around some more.

[Jackal]

I was trying to order the Samsungs but the order won’t go through? Not even the people at Circuit City could get it to go through. I’ll have to try later

[Anonymous]

You might check with your local circuit city for hard drives. I just picked up a 300 gb western digital for $100 (180 – 80 mail in rebate). If you can’t find any good rebates locally then Newegg is probably the way to go. I think everyone usually recommends Western Digital, although some like Seagate or Maxtor.

I’m running three hard drives as well. A 74 gb raptor (WD’s 10,000 rpm drive) on SATA, and then a WD 250 & 300 on IDE. Works fine. My only problem was trying to install the SATA drive. Didn’t realize I had to use 3rd party drivers and I didn’t have a floppy drive (not to mention I didn’t know what I was doing). Fun times.

[Jackal]

Ok. I’ve order the 2 20″ monitors. Now I’ll look more into the mobo and chips. I’ll go with the Matrox video card which is a PCI-E card.

As for your 3 hd’s, the SATA your system drive and the ide’s storage, right? I think my current PC has one SATA plug. I could probably try to same setup when I switch it to pure multimedia. 8)

[Jackal]

I just bought the Matrox Parhelia APVe. I think I’ve spent enough for the day. }:-)

[Endeavor]

ok

[Jackal]

I’d still like to know what kind of sound cards you guys are using. Specialized? Palin old off the shelf cards? 5.1? 6.1? I might go with the lower level Sound blaster X-fi. It’s the only drand that I’ve ever put into my PC’s but I’d like your input about other brands and options.

Thanks.

[Endeavor]

http://www.google.com/search?hl=en&q=sound+cards&spell=1

[Anonymous]

I’m using a sound blaster audigy 2 ZS that I purchased about a year and a half ago. I don’t know much about sound cards, but I’ve never had a problem with mine. Also, the firewire port was a nice bonus.

[Anonymous]

2 sound cards.
An integrated 7.1 for recording and a PCI 5.1 for playback. Tell you why. The integrated gizmo is much better quality and better isolated than my PCI card – which is a couple of years old now – and that’s why I record sound using that. However for export to tape and other sensible tasks I use the PCI card as I want no possible interruptions or hiccups (I know call me old fashioned for even worrying that an AMD64 can’t cope with SD… but I’m not taking any chances).

[Jackal]

Thanks guys. Now I’m going to look at mobos. I read that Premiere Pro is written to take advatage of Intel chips or something like that. So now I have to look at some more forums to see what’s really happening. I’m seeing a lot of 775 boards. I thought that the new thing was the 939’s? Then there is still the dual core vs. dual proc setups. I still have a couple of weeks to look over this stuff while I wait for the monitors and video card to arrive.

[Anonymous]

939 is the latest thing… but for AMD! 🙂

As for dual core vs. dual CPU, I’d still go for dual CPU.

[Jackal]

Thanks. 😀

[Author]

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