Filling the PC Desktop - Workstation Void.

[Royer Films]

Hey guys - I've been away for a while not as business has been very busy for the last few years. I wanted to fill you all in on a project I've been working on for a while. Last year I realized I needed to upgrade computers to keep up with my demand, so I started looking at options on the market. I discovered that there was a void in the 2,500 to 4,000 range between consumer desktops and high-end workstations, so I partnered with my longtime friend and computer-engineer Stephen Hayes to build a workstation to fill that gap. Once we finished my personal editing computer, we realized we had a truly unique product, and decided to produce it commercially as an alternative to the offerings from the major manufacturers. We will be launching in a week or two, but I wanted to give forum members a heads-up and give you all a chance to comment on it.

Here are the specs:
- Intel Ivy Bridge 3.4 or 3.5Ghz Quad-Core i7
- 16GB or 32GB of 1600Mhz RAM
- 3TB HDD, Optional 128GB or 256GB SSD in Addition
- GeForce GTX 570 Classified or 580 Classified
- USB 3.0 ports, Optional Firewire Card, and ability to add Thunderbolt
- Memory Card Reader Option and 2.5" SSD Hot-Swap Bay Option

What This Means:
Even our base model fully supports hardware acceleration in CS6, and has enough RAM to handle After Effects and enough storage space to hold lots of footage.


Please feel free to share your opinions - we'd love to hear your feedback. Thanks!

[Dr. Benway]

Sounds good. Now, if you can source high end EIZO or NEC monitors at wholesale and package them with your computers and a calibration tool such as the X-Rite EODIS2 Eye-One Display 2 you'll be set.

[Daniel Rutter]

Howzabout some pictures of the systems?

[Royer Films]

Howzabout some pictures of the systems?

Here's one for you. More coming soon.

2.jpg

[Dr. Benway]

What mobos are you using?

[Royer Films]

What mobos are you using?

We're using the ASUS Sabertooth Z77: http://www.asus.com/Motherboards/Int...ABERTOOTH_Z77/

It's quite a unique mobo and we chose it because of its excellent warranty (5 years), and its ruggedness.

[STUDIO32MID]

So tell me if we want to have this what amount of damage will this do to our wallets? $800?

We're using the ASUS Sabertooth Z77: http://www.asus.com/Motherboards/Int...ABERTOOTH_Z77/

It's quite a unique mobo and we chose it because of its excellent warranty (5 years), and its ruggedness.

[Royer Films]

So tell me if we want to have this what amount of damage will this do to our wallets? $800?

It will go between $2500 and 4000 depending on selections, in other words below the price point of a server-grade workstation (in a useable config) while being above a consumer desktop in price and performance, as well as options.

[HueyNRolf]

No disrespect, but aren't you just assembling the computer from components? I don't know much about DIY computers, but understood it to be easy to do. So what do you offer over building a similar machine for oneself ?

[Royer Films]

No disrespect, but aren't you just assembling the computer from components? I don't know much about DIY computers, but understood it to be easy to do. So what do you offer over building a similar machine for oneself ?

In effect all manufacturers are essentially assembling computers from components - at least on desktops and workstations. If you know your way around a computer and are comfortable with DIY, that will always be cheaper than going with a manufacturer. I wouldnt say it is easy to do a DIY computer, but it is certainly doable with enough time. This is more for people who aren't comfortable with doing it themselves or don't have the time. We are offering a configuration optimized for video editing with premiere that undercuts the major manufacturers by not having to support a massive corporate infrastructure.


The same holds true for a lot of things. For example, you could build your own jib crane with enough time and the right materials, or you could buy a high end crane, or you could go with a company like Kessler Crane that provides a good product at a good price that is reliable.

[Erik Bien]

So what do you offer over building a similar machine for oneself ?

Not to answer for Mr. Royer, but I think he may very well be on to something here: not everyone is enough of a geek to order components à la carte and assemble them into a working computer. Especially if it's not something you do regularly and you consider your time as being worth something.

I also think he's right about there being a gap in the market right now: for a lot of video freelancers, most "home" PCs seem a bit under-powered at the moment, while full-goose bozo purpose-built workstations are overkill, with the few systems in-between mostly designed to run games rather than NLEs.

There is an embarrassment of riches these days in free and low-cost post-production software, but you need a few more cores, a bit more RAM, a faster RAID, etc. than most Mom & Pop 'Best Buy' PCs offer to really take advantage of it.

EDIT: Looks like he beat me to it!

[cgbier]

What service do you offer? 24h on location? Three years of warranty?

Not that I want to harass you, but that is part of our procurement requirements. Other companies would ask you the same thing. Or are you trying to peddle these machines to home users?

[HueyNRolf]

If I were in the market for such a machine, I could easily price up the parts on your offering to determine what I'm paying for the convenience of having you assemble it for me. If that was reasonable, I might go for it. To charge a premium here you would need to offer something additional, like good after-sales support.

[Dr. Benway]

Plus, here you aren't selling to the uninitiated - we've been around the block a few times so view our feedback as something to learn from.

I'd imagine your target market to be quite small (without a big corporate marketing campaign). Because people here or at dvxuser, cinema5d or creative cow, wherever, tend to know what things cost. You might find the odd customer here or there but I'd hazard to say they'd be keen, naive, beginners splashing out. Or, those with money to burn.

Or I'm just making things up.

Either way, the best of luck for your venture, seriously.

[HueyNRolf]

Either way, the best of luck for your venture, seriously.

From me too.

[Royer Films]

The major manufacturers (HP, Dell, ect.) typically charge between 40-50% premium for their services. We are in the ballpark of 25-30% due to our small company size, which allows us to be more nimble.

I'm curious, what are you guys using today for editing and what made you choose that?

I was formerly on the Mac but started down this path when I switched to PC a year ago and found limited offerings in the price range I was looking for.

[Daniel Rutter]

I built my own Intel i5 2500k, 8gigs ram and a GTX560ti... plus the case, power supply... mobo etc for a nice friendly $800. I can edit just about anything on this, mind you I'm using Sony Vegas and not Adobe Premiere.
Wouldn't switch to a Mac if you paid me, I'm just too damn happy with my Windows machines.

[Bertzie]

If anyone is interested, a PC with specs from the OP can be done for about $2100 if you build it yourself, including bluray, internal card reader, and dual hot swappable 2.5" drive bay. http://secure.newegg.com/WishList/Pu...umber=24444347

[bryanskis207]

I've been waiting for Ivy Bridge to upgrade my W500 ThinkPad. I haven't configured my new W530 yet, but check out how high the specs can go (and yes we'd be talking $5000+, I'm simply showing this laptop's hardware capabilities):

i7-3920XM (2.90 GHz [Turbo 3.8 GHz], 8MB L3, 1600MHz FSB)
32GB DDR3 1600MHz RAM
NVIDIA Quadro K2000 2GB Graphics Card
USB 3.0
SATA 6.0Gb/s (Dual HD/SSD Capable; Supports RAID 0 or RAID 1)
Firewire
Bluetooth 4.0
Express Card
1920x1080 IPS Display with 95% Gamut and Built-In Pantone Color Calibrator
(Supports Four Independent Monitors; Max External Resolution [DP1.2] 3840x2160@60Hz)
3 Year Onsite Warranty

I am very excited to configure mine (albeit with lower specs)!

http://www.lenovo.com/products/us/la...w-series/w530/

[Dr. Benway]

If anyone is interested, a PC with specs from the OP can be done for about $2100

Cheaper, I'd say.

In my market I can build a computer using a Gigabyte motherboard - GA-Z77X-UD3H, 850 watt PSU, i7 2700K with a CoolerMaster Hyper 212 Plus, GTX 570, 16GB RAM (2X8GB 240PIN DDR3 1600Mhz), CoolerMaster case and fans, an LG Blu Ray burner, loads of PCI Expansion options; USB 2 and 3, Firewire, ESata Rosewill RC-202 Internal SATA to eSATA II External 2Port, CF Card reader, etc.

For, at the most, US$1200.00.

p.s. I have ample harddrives, and an unused 128GB SSD.

[cgbier]

At least in the corporate world, these 40-50% are worth it to the buyer.
Are you sure you'll be Abel to match HP or Dell's after sales service for workstations?

I'm living in the middle of the Pacific. If I bought one of your machines would you be able to offer me a 24h exchange (Dell can - we have a service station on island)? I know I'm a bit of an extreme example, but I wanted you to think about that.

Some case from reality: Them Dell office machines (simple i3 on a cheesy motherboard with 4GB RAM and 500GB HD) are dear as gold in our place. I tried to get in business with a friend of mine who sells PCs built from Newegg parts. He would have beeen some 30-40% cheaper, but didn't dare to send in a proposal, as he was afraid about the extended warranty we expected. Even though I helped him with a risk assessment that would have his machines still be cheaper than Dells, he still didn't dare, as he'd have to stock parts. So he lost a deal for 20 PC.

I'm not trying to put you down. I wish you all the best with your endeavor, but you should think about whom you'll market them to. For business use, you'll have to offer some extended warranty and exchange/repair service. A home user might tell you that he can build it cheaper. B2B for a small business like yours only makes sense if you can peddle your machines in your region.

In any way: Good luck!

[cgbier]

Hey, Doc. With your specs you could run OS X

[Bertzie]

Cheaper, I'd say.

In my market I can build a computer using a Gigabyte motherboard - GA-Z77X-UD3H, 850 watt PSU, i7 2700K with a CoolerMaster Hyper 212 Plus, GTX 570, 16GB RAM (2X8GB 240PIN DDR3 1600Mhz), CoolerMaster case and fans, an LG Blu Ray burner, loads of PCI Expansion options; USB 2 and 3, Firewire, ESata Rosewill RC-202 Internal SATA to eSATA II External 2Port, CF Card reader, etc.

For, at the most, US$1200.00.

p.s. I have ample harddrives, and an unused 128GB SSD.

I could do it cheaper as well, but I was aiming for spec accuracy.

[Royer Films]

If anyone is interested, a PC with specs from the OP can be done for about $2100 if you build it yourself, including bluray, internal card reader, and dual hot swappable 2.5" drive bay. http://secure.newegg.com/WishList/Pu...umber=24444347

You're close. Some of the components we are using are higher end than what you added up. By my calcs the system you put together would cost about $2350 in components for DIY and would be about $2850 from us.

[Netguru]

I've been waiting for Ivy Bridge to upgrade my W500 ThinkPad. I haven't configured my new W530 yet, but check out how high the specs can go (and yes we'd be talking $5000+, I'm simply showing this laptop's hardware capabilities):

i7-3920XM (2.90 GHz [Turbo 3.8 GHz], 8MB L3, 1600MHz FSB)
32GB DDR3 1600MHz RAM
NVIDIA Quadro K2000 2GB Graphics Card
USB 3.0
SATA 6.0Gb/s (Dual HD/SSD Capable; Supports RAID 0 or RAID 1)
Firewire
Bluetooth 4.0
Express Card
1920x1080 IPS Display with 95% Gamut and Built-In Pantone Color Calibrator
(Supports Four Independent Monitors; Max External Resolution [DP1.2] 3840x2160@60Hz)
3 Year Onsite Warranty

I am very excited to configure mine (albeit with lower specs)!

http://www.lenovo.com/products/us/la...w-series/w530/

If you're looking for a deal on a W530, Mastercard Marketplace has one for you: http://www.marketplace.mastercard.co...AE-9EA8-FB6F2B
I believe it expires tonight, unless they extend it again.

BTW, I've been using a W520 since February and loving it. When I bought it, I planned to build a replacement desktop to replace my old one right away, but the W520 has handled everything I've thrown at it, including CS6. I will build my desktop, but I can take my time. The only upgrades I will add to the W520 is another 8GB of memory and a SSD in the space provided under the keyboard.

Enjoy your W530!

Michael