PC Spec for HDV Editing

[CJDaniels]

Don't know about the fw question but your laptop is plenty....
More than many people have that edit.

[alwyn]

1394a or 1394b faster?

Doesn't matter. The HDV transfer rate during capture is 13gb over 60 minutes. Normal firewire or USB 2 is more than fast enough to cope.

[IndyFX]

duo core (2.0 each core) and 2gb memory also a 500gb external HD. My laptop has a 1394 firewire port. What speed can I get thru that port? Ive seen other 1394 ports online doing research,is
1394a or 1394b faster?

And, my 500gb hd has firewire could i directly transfer from camcorderO(hv20) to Hd? Please help.

IEEE 1394a is the specification for Firewire 400 (@400mbps) and b is Firewire 800 (@800mbps)
No you can't transfer directly, neither device is intelligent enough to initiate or manage manage the transfer, if you connected them together but they would (both) just sit there waiting for a command.
There are small devices (like the firestore) that can be attached to the camera rig and connect via the firewire port of a HDV (or DV) camera and record the stream to an internal hard disc. (to bypass tape and record direct to HD) If that is what you are looking to do.
A firestore at beach camera

[cantinoro]

I just finished doing taxes and one of the purchases I'd like to make is a HV20. I'm sorry if these questions have been asked before, mostly by me. But I'm trying to determine, with some level of certainty if I'll be able to do the type of editing I want before purchasing a HV20. Details below:
My laptop specs:
Dell Inspiron 6000, pentium M 740 (1.73GHz/533MHz FSB/2MB Cache), 2GB RAM, 60GB Ultra ATA 7200RPM Hard Drive, Win XP MCE SP2, firewire.
Software:
Ulead VideoStudio 10. I know I'll need to upgrade to VideoStudio 11 Plus for HDV. I'd prefer to stick with Ulead VideoStudio since I'm familiar with it and have an upgrade path.
Proposed Editing workflow:
1. Capture of HDV clips from HV20 to laptop via firewire.
2. Doing very basic editing consisting of opening titles, cuts/trims of HDV clips, occasional title overlays, occassional transitions, removal of existing audio to be replaced with music only track, and closing titles.
3. Output the edited content (hopefully smart rendered) to tape in the HV20 to be played back in Hi Def from the HV20 to an HDTV.

This is the exact workflow I'm currently using with my Canon ZR 700 for DV. I'm just hoping to substitute the HV20. My videos are generally vacation videos, with the finished video generally no longer than 30 minutes.

Sorry for the lengthy post, but would apprecaite any and all responses.

[Faaipdeoaid4]

OK so i am about to receive my HV20 in about 2 days, i've been reading everything i can on this forum to figure out what process i will use to capture and edit. This is my computer set up.

Vista home basic
AMD Athlon 64 processor 3800+
NVIDIA geforce 7600 GT
2 gigs of ram

I use ulead video studio 11 plus now for capturing and editing, and am planning on using it for the hv20, except maybe using HDVsplit for capturing. Should i be ok on this set up?

[Eugenia Loli-Queru]

No, that laptop is not enough. The Pentium M was a cut down mobile version, and while 2 GB of RAM is enough, the 60GB drive is not enough for full HD (especially if you want to archive).

I would suggest you buy a new PC, a video station that will only do video. Ideas here: http://eugenia.gnomefiles.org/2007/1...video-station/
Personally, I would not use a laptop for video editing.

[sailordude]

does anyone edit with dual monitors? i used to be into computers a ton and got 2 really nice nvidia video cards and have them running on dual SLI with a dell 19 inch ultrasharp and a dell 17 inch ultrasharp. Its super easy for me to do anything, i cant use other peoples computers now! The only problem is i have a gig of ram and a SUPER slow processor so it takes like 10 min to open Vegas pro!(no joke)
Gavin

[Eugenia Loli-Queru]

I use dual monitors:
22" 1680x1050
and
28" 1920x1200 full HD.
It is very useful to edit in full HD, because you can see all artifacts that you can correct.

[sailordude]

Wow those are some big monitors. I really want to ditch this 17 inch monitor and get a 26 inch widescreen monitor so i can have some more room to move stuff around in Vegas and After effects. One of my video cards crapped out like 2 days ago but I don’t know what to do. I REALLY want a new computer because this one is and old one with nice extras but it doesn’t really do it. My issue also is that i am only 17 so i still have like 2 years before i go to college and if i build a computer now with all the best components, in like 2 or 3 years it will be like obsolete! That is why I don’t want to get another video card for this computer because it probably won’t be used in my next comp. So many options...

[Lunchbox]

I only have one Dell 30" running 2560x1600. But I have a small 9" NTSC monitor for video preview.

[lordtangent]

Not in realtime. You need faster hardware.

[Rikki]

does anyone edit with dual monitors? i used to be into computers a ton and got 2 really nice nvidia video cards and have them running on dual SLI with a dell 19 inch ultrasharp and a dell 17 inch ultrasharp. Its super easy for me to do anything, i cant use other peoples computers now! The only problem is i have a gig of ram and a SUPER slow processor so it takes like 10 min to open Vegas pro!(no joke)
Gavin

Ive got a Sony/Dell 21" FST CRT as my main monitor and a 15" TFT as my second one (for preview at 1024x768)

[saraj]

hii all,

i am very new to this movie making , and i have just bought canon HV20 and i am interested to learn film making . i have started shooting passionately. Next for cheap and best editing what configuration of computer is basically needed and the softwares

[warden]

I use dual monitors:
22" 1680x1050
and
28" 1920x1200 full HD.
It is very useful to edit in full HD, because you can see all artifacts that you can correct.

whats your set up,
do you need the xtra horsepower in vid card to run the second monitor or does this tax the processor more

[wombosi]

i have athlon 64 3000+, 1.8ghz, 512 RAM. 120gig hard drive.
17" CRT monitor.

using premiere cs3.

video captured from digital camera was skippy in preview, but i was able to edit and render with not too much time.

i plan on buying the hv20, and am pretty sure i'll need a faster machine.

i read the other thread and it seemed like someone had a nice build for about $500?

i just want something blazingly fast enough to handle editing hdv in premiere cs3.

thinking about just buying 2 more gigs or RAM for mine, but it's expensive, old RAM, and if the CPU isn't great, i'd rather just upgrade the machine entirely.

no bias for intel or AMD, either way.

maybe willing to spend around $800. ideally less, possibly a bit more if it makes the difference.

thanks!
b

[bradsw57]

I'd be looking at an Intel Q6600, 4GB Memory, plenty of disk split across as many spindles as you can manage (say 3 or so 500GB drives, so that you can put source footage on one, final on another and temp storage on a 3rd), 8600GTS 256MB, and whatever Blu-Ray/DVD you can get. Motherboard really doesn't matter all that much, assuming you're not a mad overclocker.

For the record, I have a Gigabyte P35-based motherboard, an E6750, 4GB, an 8600GTS 256MB, 4 * 320GHB Hard drives (2 in a raid 0 array for performance) and an 80G boot drive, 2 DVD burners One of which'll soon turn into a blu-ray burner). I use Vegas 8 pro and it sends both CPU cores to 100% utilisation during a render, so a quad-core cpu would probably be a good thing Oh, and I use a 24" Dell for editing and a 22" LG screen for preview. Both are color calibrated. Color calibration is _really_ important. Get a Spyder or something. It'll make a huge difference to what you see.

Assuming you want to stick with Windows XP, more than 3GB of memory's really not going to get used - but get 4GB anyway so you can use it dual-channel.

[alwyn]

Get a Spyder

Wassat?

[pitonyak]

You use it to calibrate your video monitor so that the colors can be displayed accurately. You can usually modify how colors are displayed...

http://www.bhphotovideo.com/c/produc...#goto_itemInfo

[sailordude]

wow that was alot.... i am also looking at doing a rebuild on my comp. i have a emachines 3500 2.19 ghz with a gig of ram but i run 2 monitors off of it and with high def video editing it is not cutting it. at this point i am looking at the intel or AMD for my processor, motherboard still need to look at, hard drives i want a few 500 gb's but i am wondering how i should configure them for best performance. like bradsw said he has a boot drive and some raid setup? i was thinking that 2 gigs of ram would be good enough but i could score another gig or two if you guys think it would make that much of a different. also what is dual channel? again thanks for any help!
Gavin

[nzo]

If your budget doesn't stretch to a Spyder, consider a Huey...much less expensive and quite good for both CRT and LCD screens.

[wombosi]

I'd be looking at an Intel Q6600, 4GB Memory, plenty of disk split across as many spindles as you can manage (say 3 or so 500GB drives, so that you can put source footage on one, final on another and temp storage on a 3rd), 8600GTS 256MB, and whatever Blu-Ray/DVD you can get. Motherboard really doesn't matter all that much, assuming you're not a mad overclocker.

For the record, I have a Gigabyte P35-based motherboard, an E6750, 4GB, an 8600GTS 256MB, 4 * 320GHB Hard drives (2 in a raid 0 array for performance) and an 80G boot drive, 2 DVD burners One of which'll soon turn into a blu-ray burner). I use Vegas 8 pro and it sends both CPU cores to 100% utilisation during a render, so a quad-core cpu would probably be a good thing Oh, and I use a 24" Dell for editing and a 22" LG screen for preview. Both are color calibrated. Color calibration is _really_ important. Get a Spyder or something. It'll make a huge difference to what you see.

Assuming you want to stick with Windows XP, more than 3GB of memory's really not going to get used - but get 4GB anyway so you can use it dual-channel.

thanks. how does this look?

i'm a bit unhappy with hard drive choices. seem very pricey for not many different options.

also, can i get away with the memory pictured there, or do i need the 1066 speed?

what do you recommend for graphics card?

thanks.

also, can i RAID that hard drive (or something else) with my existing 120 gig drive? 2 seems reasonable...

[bradsw57]

If your budget doesn't stretch to a Spyder, consider a Huey...much less expensive and quite good for both CRT and LCD screens.

Agreed, although you'll need a Huey Pro to do multiple monitors. The Huey also compensates for room lighting, so if your edit room has variable lighting conditions (lights, windows, etc) it's arguably better than a spyder - and cheaper too

[exte]

Anyone using a Vegas Pro keyboard with keycaps? Is it worth it? Thanks...

[MSPI]

Hey all, currently working with a P4 at 3.3 gh with 4g of RAM...my render times are silly! 7 min. video takes 3-4 hours depending on how much cam. movement....

So, a new PC will be had.....I think I am reading others comments right....

1 quad core should get me around 6x render times (Approx) correct? So a 7 min. video should take about 45 min. (approx) to render VS 3-4 hours....

Does that sound about right to the pro;s here?

[cypherkin]

my computer: Intel P4 2.8Ghz HT, 1gb Ram, Windows Vista Business

HD: Seagate External 320gig (load clips in here, and also edit them from here).

I have edited both HDV 1080i and 24p footage. 24p was a pain in the ass to deal with, very very huge hog of resources. 1080i is a little less resource hungry - but still - i do wish I had a newer computer or mac for editing

Also, one thing to note is that of the software that I have used - Sony Vegas seemed the most smooth in handling both capture and editing on a PC. (Sub $200 software). I do not have resources to play w expensive software, so I cannot vouch for them.