Building New System - Looking for Advice

N

Nuke_LaLoosh

New member
I'm building my own mid-range computer system for Vegas 7 and wanted to run the parts by you guys.

Any Concerns, Recommendations, Compatibility Issues, Ways to Save $$ - greatly appreciated.

Looking to spend about $1100 (sans monitor). I included links to NewEgg.com, which definitely seems to be the best site for computer parts.

Thanks,
Nuke (Dave)


CPU - Intel Core 2 Duo E6600 2.4GHz:
http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.asp?Item=N82E16819115003

MotherBoard – ASUS P5B-E:
http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.asp?Item=N82E16813131070&ATT=13-131-070&CMP=OTC-PCMag

GPU - SAPPHIRE Radeon X1300 512MB 128-bit GDDR2 PCI Express x16
http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.asp?Item=N82E16814102630
I know Vegas doesn't utilize the GPU - just want a basic (less expensive), well-rounded card.

Memory – CORSAIR ValueSelect 2GB 240-Pin DDR2 SDRAM DDR2 667 (PC2 5300)
http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.asp?Item=N82E16820145098

Hard Drive (x 2) – Seagate Barracuda 7200.10 (Perpendicular Recording) 250GB 7200 RPM 16MB Cache SATA 3.0Gb/s
http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.asp?Item=N82E16822148144
Not going with RAID right now.

Sound Card – AuzenTech XMYSTIQUE7.1 7.1 Channels 24-bit 96KHz PCI – Retail
http://www.newegg.com/product/product.asp?item=N82E16829127001

PSU – SeaSonic S12-380 ATX12V 380W ($84.63)
http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.asp?Item=N82E16817151022

O/S – XP Pro SP2b (w/ upgrade to Vista Business)
http://www.newegg.com/product/product.asp?item=N82E16832116175
 
One thing I was not prepared for as I started to do longer projects was just how much disk space you eat up on a project.

For the average 2hr project, I end up with:

1hr DV Raw recordings ( 26GB)
2hr DV Raw recording ( 26GB)
1.5hr DV edited recording (20GB)
1.5hr DV color corrected temp file (20GB)
1.5hr DV color corrected with clean sound, music and titles (20GB)

(At this point I archive the 2hr raw and the final edit to 4hr DV Tape)

Then I create my wmv files in 4:3 and 16:9 or 1.85 as the case may be.
Then I create my quicktime files in 4:3 and 16:9 or 1.85.

Then I export the final file to mpg/ac3 to go to DVD (4.5 GB)
The DVD Software creates a make file (4.5 GB)
I write an ISO file to make the DVD final (4.5GB)


This is for 1 2hr project. Many of my projects are 4-8hr long. And I rarely am able to dump a project off my machine until my clients review and approve it, so I may have 2-5 projects on the machine at once. If I didn't have a full size DV VTR, I could write my final projects off to an archive, which means they'd have to stay on my PC.

Disk space is cheap man. Buy all you can afford. Not sure why you think you need such a hot sound card. I don't even have one in my editing machine. I cut a DVD and check my sound on my home theatre.
 
I'm also in the process of configuring a system, albeit with Dell (frustration city).

In the VASST training series for Vegas, Douglas Spotted Eagle suggests using 3 drives: #1 for your operating system only; #2 for capture video; and #3 for rendered video. This sounds like a very practical and efficient way to go.
As Perrone said, disk space is cheap. Another reason to get multiple and/or larger disks is that data is written from the outside toward the center. This means that as you fill up a disk, performance will slow down dramatically. (The relative speed of data tracking past the heads is significantly slower in the center than it is on an outside track.)
As far as audio cards, you may want to look at the M-Audio 2496 and avoid anything Soundblaster like the plague. It seems to be popular here and issue free. http://www.m-audio.com/products/en_us/Audiophile2496-main.html
All of this is stuff that I have read from others posting on these boards. Much, if not all of it is confirmed at Videoguys.com. Check out their "DTV Handbook" section and all the different subsections under it.
 
You could save some money if you buy a case and power supply as a bundle; Antec makes good cases and power supplies.
 
You must log in or register to reply here.
Back
Top