System for video editing

[Theiananator]

I am building a new system specifically for video editing. I was thinking going with an Intel P4 w/ hyper threading. However, nothing is certain yet. Can anyone suggest a good setup?
-ian

 

[halfadder]

What's your budget and what format will you be working with? Also, what application do you plan on using or have experience with? Avid Xpress? Adobe Premiere? Final Cut?

Also, would you like this machine to be your part-time gaming machine or is this strictly a for-work editing-only machine?

 

[Theiananator]

I will be working with .avi's. My budget is:
1. As cheap as possible(that reasonably works)
2. $500
3. $1000
Obviously, the lower the price the better. I use Premiere Pro. It wouldn't be for gaming, just video editing or like word editing and web browsing. I also have a computer that I could link it up to via 1 gigabit ethernet (AMD 3200+, 512mb RAM, 80GB and a 40GB 7,200rpm and a NVIDIA 5600 ultra video card.) Please let me know if networking to this machine?s resources could help minimize cost.
-Ian

 

[halfadder]

I would suggest just about any modern PC. You don't need fancy graphics, so go low end but reasonable (not onboard and not Radeon 7000, for example). Get a 120 or 160 GB drive, 1 GB of RAM, and spend the rest on the fastest CPU your budget will allow.

 

[addragyn]

If you're working w/ avi your current system and WMM will take care of it.

 

[Sc4freak]

Just with .avi? You'll need large, and very fast hard drives as a requirement with uncompressed .avi files.

 

[gsellis]

Originally posted by: Sc4freak
Just with .avi? You'll need large, and very fast hard drives as a requirement with uncompressed .avi files.

Even 5400rpm drives are fast enough for DV. Very fast is not a very accurate description. A 7200rpm ATA-100 drive is more than enough to capture and edit DV with. But size does matter. Get as big as can you can afford. At $130 or less, get a 250GB drive when you can. So plan to add 1-2 addtional drives in the future. (I have 650GB of video space - thank goodness I am only doing SD at the moment )