Choosing between these 3 systems...

[newb]

Hi all,

I'm looking at these 3 systems and wanted to get your input before I buy to ensure it'll have everything I need and will be sufficient "horsepower-wise" for editing my HDV 24P footage.

The first is a Quad Core system but no RAID...
http://store02.prostores.com/servlet/samplebytescomputers/Detail?no=112

This setup has a 1,000 GB RAID but is only Duo Core...
http://store02.prostores.com/servlet/samplebytescomputers/Detail?no=36

or this one with 500 GB RAID, Duo Core...
http://store02.prostores.com/servlet/samplebytescomputers/Detail?no=35

Is one of these ideal or should I have the builder mix and match some of the components for me?

Thanks!

[white_2kgt]

Forget the RAID, get the quad core. You only need the raid if you are capturing video from the HDMI port. The 1TB RAID system doesn't even say what kind of RAID card it's using and it cost $200 more, for that much you can get a nice RAID card and use the 2x500GB drives that come w/ the quad system and make your own RAID, if you thought you really needed it, which you don't and if you are talking about RAID0 for storing video that's just bad juju.

[duketh]

bad juju taught me a lesson.

lost an entire short film from a duff RAID0 set-up. Just glad it was a personal project and not a job. Still brings a tear to my eye though.

[white_2kgt]

bad juju taught me a lesson.

lost an entire short film from a duff RAID0 set-up. Just glad it was a personal project and not a job. Still brings a tear to my eye though.

Yup, I've had more than my share of bad experiences with crap RAID controllers, everything from Promise cards to the JMicron junk that comes on-board the Mobo's these days. If I need a RAID0 for speed I build it with smaller drives then when I'm done I move it to a more stable solution like RAID1 or 5 using a 'real' hardware RAID card or just mirror everything on external drives. That's actually my current backup method, I just mirror everything once a week or so, nothing complicated, I use a program called AllWay Sync and it works great. Don't have to worry about RAID compatibility and I can put the drives in any computer I want to read the data.

[newb]

Thanks a million, guys! Looks like the Quad Core system it is! :hv20-smilie09:

I like your backup solution too!

[Atak_Snajpera]

Always Quad Core!!!!

[Eugenia Loli-Queru]

Make sure that you get MORE THAN 2 GBs of RAM. That's the important bit.

[newb]

Make sure that you get MORE THAN 2 GBs of RAM. That's the important bit.

Thanks, Eugenia. Would an extra 1 GB RAM (total 3GB) be sufficient? Or do I really need 4 GB RAM total if at all possible?

[Eugenia Loli-Queru]

3 GB would be enough, but you should make sure that your motherboard supports that. Also, you need XP PRO or Vista for more than 2 GBs of RAM.

[newb]

Thanks, Eugenia! I'll be sure to get the extra RAM.

Really appreciate your blog about the 24P process too...I'll be using that guide soon. :hv20-smilie77:

[sedgwick_65]

um, unless your OS is 64bit, there is no point in getting more the 2 GB of ram. you can research why around the internet.

[Eugenia Loli-Queru]

You are wrong. While the application itself can not use more than 2 GBs of RAM, the kernel CAN. So basically, you can have 3 GBs of RAM, have Windows run on that GB of RAM, and then have your application use the FULL other 2 GBs. If you only put there 2 GBs, then Windows will have to share everything.

[slimoli]

The Vista 32 bits limit is 4GB , not 2. Only about 3.2 GB will be effectively used, though. Just bought a HP m9080n with quad, 3GB RAM,1 TB disk (no RAID) and NVIDIA 640 MB 8800 GTS. M2T editing work like a charm. HD playback is as good or better than my LCD TV.

Sergio

[lwm99]

RAM is relatively cheap now. Get 4GB if possible. Software will get "hungrier" as time pasts.

[sedgwick_65]

The Vista 32 bits limit is 4GB , not 2. Only about 3.2 GB will be effectively used, though. Just bought a HP m9080n with quad, 3GB RAM,1 TB disk (no RAID) and NVIDIA 640 MB 8800 GTS. M2T editing work like a charm. HD playback is as good or better than my LCD TV.

Sergio

ive done some research on this and here is what I have learned.

first, the amount of ram left will depend on your other hardware, so there isnt a set number.

second, yes, the limit is 4 GB, but I never said it was 2 lol. I just recommended he put two for the same reason I did, which is the 32 bit architecture problem.

however, i have read in numerous places that using 3 out of the 4 slots can make the computer unstable. so putting 4 is waste of potentially more then 1 gb, an putting 3 = unstable, that would logically mean put 2, right?


and eugenia, if you could kindly expand on what you said, it would be great learning for me.

so you can make windows choose to use that 1 gb? or does it do that on its own?

an so in that case, would you just put 3 1 gb memory sticks?

thank you for the information!

[um3k]

You could use two 1GB and two 512MB to get 3GB RAM.

[sedgwick_65]

You could use two 1GB and two 512MB to get 3GB RAM.

is it ok to use different size modules? if yes, then you just made my day!!

also, can you use different type rams? or does it have to be exact model, just different size then the 1 gb ones?

[tcindie]

Yes you can use different sizes of RAM modules.

As for the configuration of memory, it depends on your mobo. The problem with instability can arise from a multiple processor or multi-core system, if the RAM isn't evenly balanced across the processors. Some of these systems (like mine if I recall correctly) have the ram banks set up in parallel, so the best results come from populating it correctly.

So, you may or may not benefit from populating the RAM in the following order (bank 0-3) 1g, 512mb, 1g, 512mb.. otherwise you could just stick them in there however, but it depends on your mobo.

At any rate, ram modules of different sizes should be fine, and you can mix the brand/make but you will have a more reliable system from high quality RAM.

[sedgwick_65]

Yes you can use different sizes of RAM modules.

As for the configuration of memory, it depends on your mobo. The problem with instability can arise from a multiple processor or multi-core system, if the RAM isn't evenly balanced across the processors. Some of these systems (like mine if I recall correctly) have the ram banks set up in parallel, so the best results come from populating it correctly.

So, you may or may not benefit from populating the RAM in the following order (bank 0-3) 1g, 512mb, 1g, 512mb.. otherwise you could just stick them in there however, but it depends on your mobo.

At any rate, ram modules of different sizes should be fine, and you can mix the brand/make but you will have a more reliable system from high quality RAM.


very good information here, thank you. this is what i was looking for!

i have a new 680sli mother board and the qx6850, so to be on the safe side, i am going to get 2 x 1 gb and 2 x 512 mb of teh type of ram i have, and install 1, 512, 1, 512 like you said. that should be ok right?

thank you!

[tcindie]

Should work just fine, yeah.

[GrandpaJ]

I have an HP m8120n system that has a Intel Core2 Quad processor. It came with 3070 mb installed as, slot AO 512 mb, A1 1024 mb, A2 512 mb, A3 1024 mb
I have 1 tb of HD space 500 gig drive plus a external WD 500 gig.

It seems to me to work well for editing my HV20 video

[slimoli]

very good information here, thank you. this is what i was looking for!

i have a new 680sli mother board and the qx6850, so to be on the safe side, i am going to get 2 x 1 gb and 2 x 512 mb of teh type of ram i have, and install 1, 512, 1, 512 like you said. that should be ok right?

thank you!

My HP m9080n also came with 3 Gb, 2X 1Gb and 2X 512 MB. So far, so good.

[sedgwick_65]

thanks for feedback guys, eugenia, thanks for pointing my mistake out to begin with. i will be purchasing 2 x 512 mb to put in that order on my new computer. thanks.