YAHDTSLT: I've got $1200 to spend (needs to crunch huge PDF docs)

[vi edit]

Yet another how does this system look thread?

I'm actually building a machine for work - duty will mainly be to build and work with VERY large PDF files - in the 300 meg range per PDF file.

Don't need a monitor or input devices, so that saves a few bucks.

Here's what I'm looking at:

Case - Antec SE1040BII w/ 400 watt PS: $95
CPU - AMD A64 3200 w/ 1 meg cache retail box - $299
Mobo - Asus K8T800 K8V delux - $137
RAM - Mushkin Blue line PC3200 - 512 x 2 for a total of $182
HD Seagate IDE 120 gig w/ 8 meg cache - $105
Video - Gainward Ti4800 128 meg - $149
DVD-RW - NEC ND-1300A (4x multi format) $104
2nd DVD drive - Samsung DVD drive - $44
Floppy - $10

That comes up to $1125. I'm not counting shipping in the costs. For crunching huge files, would I be better off scaling down a bit on the HD, getting a smaller and cheaper IDE drive, and then investing in a larger SATA drive? I can also probably save $100 in the video card and go with a $50 MX card or an older Radeon card in the $50 range too.

I've really been out of the hardware loop for a while, but I've read quite a few posts with basically no general consensus on whether or not SATA is worth it.

Thanks for you help guys!

 

[Snoop]

I would definately drop the ti4800 (get a fx 5200 for around 50), and possibly think about adding another stick of 512. You could think about getting a 10000 rpm wd raptor drive, but I am not sure whether this will help you much or not, I tend to think it will though.

Raptors

 

[Snoop]

I would definately drop the ti4800 (get a fx 5200 for around 50), and possibly think about adding another stick of 512. You could think about getting a 10000 rpm wd raptor drive, but I am not sure whether this will help you much or not, I tend to think it will though.

 

[Snoop]

wth??

 

[zShowtimez]

If your gonna spend 150 on video, get a 9600 PRO. If your not gonna use vid that much go for a MX.

 

[Tab]

Yea, you dont need a graphics card thats that powerfull I dont think.

 

[InlineFive]

I would save yourself money by getting a less expensive GPU (Radeon 9600 is a good bet) and an Athlon64 3000+. There is only a few percent performance between that and the 3200+. Both are 2GHz but the 3000+ only has 512KB L2 cache. And there is a little under $100 price difference. Then I would use the saved cash for more memory as I think this program might use a lot.

Cheerio!

-Por

 

[vi edit]

Holy crap, those raptors are expensive! I think I'd just be better off going SCSI at that price wouldn't I?

BTW - I do actually have 1 gig of RAM in there (had a x2) at the end. Wasn't sure if you were saying I should do 1 gig, or 1.5 gig of RAM.

Thanks for the suggestions thus far.

 

[Duvie]

Yep the newer 74gb models are but having a 36.7gb one for running apps and OS is pretty noticeable difference...I noticed it coming from a 40gb WD ata100.....I think I would run a fast 10000rpm drive with an sata 80gb seagate as a storage drive...

1gb of ram is likely plenty.....

I would think the 1mb of cache may help in this app but I am not 100% sure...may want to look around and see if any review site did something like this and can tell you if the cache size from 512 to 1mb helped...Otherwise there potential for a nice savings there...

 

[venk]

Would a P4 be better for this? Also, I would consider going to 1.5 or 2 GBs of RAM.

 

[Duvie]

You got me...Number crunching is quite good on athlon64's but if the pdf compression program is optimised for HT I would think the p4 may be as good or better...BUt I really do not know anything in this area....

I would be interetd in having vi_edit explain this a bit more to us...

 

[vi edit]

I'll largely be working in Adobe acrobat 6.0 & Omnipage Office Pro 12. I'll be using omnipage pro to scan and convert to text via OCR, and then using Acrobat to convert to PDF and work with the table of contents creation and adding in forms.

 

[Markfw]

I would also get some PC3500 instead of the minimum. Someone here had a problem with regular memory. All I can tell you at this early stage, is Kingston Hyperx PC3500 C2 works good. And a gig would be nice, and I would just get a Matrox 450 or 550 video card, or maybe a Radeon 9100 They should all be under $80

 

[jhu]

do you really need that 2nd dvd drive? also, the video card seems overkill for something like this. perhaps a matrox g200 or at least anything with good 2d.

 

[vi edit]

I'm kicking myself because I had a couple G400 dual heads sitting around that I pawned off for like $40 a piece a while back. Those would have been great.

Hell, I still might have some 8 meg G200's laying around

 

[dnuggett]

Originally posted by: Tabb
Yea, you dont need a graphics card thats that powerfull I dont think.

I don't think..... well maybe.... hmm... I don't know. Maybe you should take your own advice and if you don't know... don't post.

 

[bob4432]

get a geforce 2 mx400 for ~$30, you don't need any video processing power to make pdfs. also, you might want to check out abby finereader for ocr, it seems to perform better than omnipage pro. you don't need the extra optical drive, just a waste of money.