Help me decide please!

[ThePuzzleMaster]

I am building a computer for a school that will be used to store digital video files and then used as a "server" to make the files available throughout the network.

I have a budget of roughly $2500 but I was told today I could spend a little bit more if needed.

There are hundreds of hi8 tapes that need to be transfered, and then some minor editing done.

The parts I had picked out so far include:
2X Lite-on DVD/CD RW drives - $80
1X Aspire case - $80
1X 74 Gb raptor for OS/Apps -$164
2X Seagate 500Gb SATA II Hd's - $713
1X Samsung 19" LCD monitor - $280
1X Canopus ADVC110 Video Converter - $229
1X Antec TruepowerII 550W PSU - $90 (IS this overkill?)
1X AMD Athlon 64 X2 3800+ Processor - $322

So that brings a total of $2,000 after some shipping costs...

So my questions are what mobo to get? And also what video card? And also what memory and how much? I realize that only $500 is not very much for those three things. But that would be the ideal.

I was originally thinking of either 1 or 2 gigs of crucial memory.

And as for video cards, would a quadro be the best bet? Or SLI? Does SLI have any benefits outside of gaming? And the mobo needs to support potential expansion SATA II drives. I'd like to eventually be able to hook up 3 drives in a RAID array, in addition to the raptor.


Any thoughts would be GREATLY appreciated!


thanks so much,
iLan

 

[Ricemarine]

=Just get a DVD Burner and you're fine, anything in the $40
=Aspire case? its for a school, antec slk3000b or a lian li case, maybe a v2100.
=Get an Antec NeoHE 500w or a Seasonic S12 600w, that's not overkill.
=Get an Opteron 170 or 175!!!!!!! you got the dough.
=Since HDD is going insane on pricing, get 2X1GB of g.skill memory pc3200 that runs on 2-3-2-5, most likely you are not overclocking.

Mobo=DFI Nforce4 Ultra, screw SLI, you $2,000 for that much stuff = wtf.
Video Card = If for 3DApps, a quadro, 4000 maybe? For games = 7800gtx mwahaha.
Memory=2X1GB G.skill 2-3-2-5 pc3200 (should run around $212)...


Dude. screw the raptor. get a 160 gb 7200.9, not worth it IMO.
500 gb hard drives for $713?!!!!!!!!!! Uhh... get a fulltower, stock up on 300 gigs.

 

[ThePuzzleMaster]

Oh sorry... Anything that has more than one, the price is for both. So the 500 Gb HD's are $713 for both... And so on...

 

[Ricemarine]

Originally posted by: ThePuzzleMaster
Oh sorry... Anything that has more than one, the price is for both. So the 500 Gb HD's are $713 for both... And so on...

yeap I know the 500 gigs are $713 total.
Still too much
300 gigs are around $100 each.

 

[ThePuzzleMaster]

I also picked that aspire case because it both locked, and had a firewire port in the front for future video uploads... And because it had enough room for a small villiage! It's huge!

 

[ThePuzzleMaster]

Ahh yes. You are quite correct. I suppose there'd always be room for upgrades in the future. I could get 4 X 250 Gb drives for $400 and that'd free up $300!

 

[ThePuzzleMaster]

So here's the updated potential system....

1X lite-on DVD/CD RW $40
1X Antec SLK3000 case $50
1X Seagate 160GB 7200.9 HD $77
4X WD Caviar SE16 250Gb SATAII Hd's $460
1X Samsung 913V 19" LCD monitor $292
1X DFI Nf4 Ultra-Infinity Mobo $95
1X Canopus ADVC110 Video converter $229
1X Antec NeoHE 500W PSU $100
2X 1GB G.Skill Extreme Series PC3200 Memory 2-3-2-5 $216
1X AMD Opteron 170 Denmark Processor $455

So this brings the total to just over $2000 with just the video card left...

I could get the 7800GTX and it would leave me right at $2500, but is that the best for video editing? Again the editing I'm doing is very minimal, but would a $400 quadro be a better buy?

 

[ThePuzzleMaster]

In addition to the video card I'm also considering an Asus A8n-SLI Deluxe for it's harddrive expansion capabilities. It's an extra $50, but it supports 4 extra drives... And also the Epox EP-9NPA+SLi for its extra drive support. Only supports 2 extra drives but they're SATAII and it's $20 cheaper than the Asus...

Any thoughts on the MOBO's or the Video cards?

 

[YOyoYOhowsDAjello]

Unless I'm missing something, an expensive videocard isn't really going to help you with the tasks you mentioned.

 

[alimoalem]

Originally posted by: YOyoYOhowsDAjello
Unless I'm missing something, an expensive videocard isn't really going to help you with the tasks you mentioned.

agreed

 

[ThePuzzleMaster]

What video card would you recommend then? And then what would you say that money would be better spent on? Opteron 175? Raptor for OS?

 

[YOyoYOhowsDAjello]

Anything really should be fine... anything reasonably modern. Radeon 9x00 series, lower end nvidia 6x00 series etc.

With money saved... save it or maybe more storage space?
http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.asp?Item=N82E16822144424

reviews
http://www.storagereview.com/articles/200510/WD4000YR_1.html
http://www.anandtech.com/storage/showdoc.aspx?i=2628

 

[ThePuzzleMaster]

Alrighty, so I think I got the final setup!

I switched the Mobo for an ASUS A8N SLI-Deluxe (For it's HD expansion potential) $160
I switched the HD's to 3X WD400YR 400Gb Harddrives (These are compatible with a SATAII Mobo correct?) $650
And I picked an eVGA Geforce 6600GT $125

For a grand total of $2474! Right on target!

Anyone see anything that could be improved or know about that HD issue?