Video Editing Super Computer?

Xstr8guy · 12-03-2007, 03:30 AM

Ok, I've had it with my Intel dual-core PC.

It was great for editing regular DV but it just can't handle Hi-def. The previews of the edits are so slow and jittery that I can't get an accurate idea of the what the finished product will look like until it's actually rendered.

And now that Sony Vegas 8 has 32-bit rendering, it take for-fucking-ever to render a 25 minute video... I'm talking like 6-8 hours depending on how many edits, filters, crop/zooms, etc. there are. In 8-bit it took maybe 2 or 3 hours but didn't look nearly as nice.

So what do I need to make my life easier?

Do I need a quad-core (or whatever they are calling it) processor?

Is 64-bit Vista able to devote more processing power to rendering?

Is 4GB of memory enough?

Does the video card actually matter for video editing and rendering or are they mainly geared towards gaming?

Should I be "cost be damned" and get a $5000 (or more) computer from someone like Alienware or Falcon Northwest with the latest overclocked processor and graphics card? Or will a $2500 high-end HP or Dell be enough?

Seriously, cost really isn't a major concern... my sanity is much more important! Lol. But I can't really afford to throw money out of the window either.

**collegeboyslive** · 12-03-2007, 09:14 AM

build the best system you can paying attention to these parts: Best dual or quad car ( 2 x dual core procs, and dont get the budget one ) Get the fastest bus speed you can. this is how fast the computer shuffles data back and forth between its components. no point having a great processor if its sitting idle 50% of the time waiting for the rest of the board to catch up.. the fastest speed memory you can get for your board. again this is where all these images are stored when they are being worked on, you dont want the bottleneck there.
get a good gaming video card with a bunch of memory , this will let the card do the work of the display while leaving the rest of the components to do the rest of the work.

hope this helps, maybe others can expand on it

**Chilihost** · 12-03-2007, 10:48 AM

The hottest thing you can get for a video editing machine is the 8-core Mac Pro:
http://www.apple.com/macpro/

**Squirt** · 12-03-2007, 03:57 PM

Originally Posted by Xstr8guy

So what do I need to make my life easier?

Do I need a quad-core (or whatever they are calling it) processor?

Is 64-bit Vista able to devote more processing power to rendering?

Is 4GB of memory enough?

Does the video card actually matter for video editing and rendering or are they mainly geared towards gaming?

This is what I got

A world of difference from my Sony Vaio ! I love my new computer. It edits and converts video like crazy. Works like a dream. And it has a built in TV and
video recorder.

Not a "super" computer but very affordable and a world of difference!

Hope this helps

Xstr8guy · 01-14-2008, 08:46 PM

Well, I did it! I ordered a Mac.

Two 3.0GHz Quad-Core Intel Xeon
4GB (4x1GB)
ATI Radeon HD 2600 XT 256MB
1TB 7200-rpm Serial ATA 3Gb/
1TB 7200-rpm Serial ATA 3Gb
1TB 7200-rpm Serial ATA 3Gb
1TB 7200-rpm Serial ATA 3Gb
Two 16x SuperDrives
AirPort Extreme Card (Wi-Fi)
Mac Pro RAID Card

I didn't go with the 3.2GHz processors because I couldn't justify another $800 for an extra .2GHz. Besides, 8 processing cores should be enough for a couple of years,

. And I went with the standard video card because from what I've read, it doesn't have anything to do with editing/encoding video. Besides I can always add an aftermarket video card later.

The thing that convinced me was that I can use Boot Camp to boot up Windows and continue to use Vegas 8. But I did also order Final Cut Express so I could get my feet wet in the world of Mac editing.

Now I just have to wait 2-3 weeks.