Jeff

>With Vegas, it is my understanding you don't need to get a killer graphics gard (correct me if I >am wrong) so you could save some $$ there.

With just Vegas, true. But most people are likely using more apps that wll benefit from a good graphics card. Like Boris RED, 3D animation apps, etc.

yugioh

The videoguys system looks like a nice build, but they don't pay too much attention to the audio side.

If audio is important to you may want to look beyond a computer sound card and computer speakers to the kind of audio card/monitors that musicians use.

Gonzoman,

You may wish to search on this topic. I have added my recommendations for a video editing system (along with half the forum) to several identical threads.

Have fun.

Someone also posted up Vegas 5 rendering speed vs processor type here: http://www.hyperactivemusic.com/msprofiles/sony%20vegas%205/sony_vegas_5_audio_benchmark.htm


It's a good basis for comparison.

But, besides the CPU (which is what most people are firmly divided on: some swear by Intel & some swear by AMD & I don't wanna start an Intel vs AMd thread, use that chart), I'd recomend:

AIW ATI 9600 Pro (relatively cheap, and WHEN (not if, you will want to sooner or later) do direct to mpeg-2 captures (people ask you to x-fer something to DVD, for example) then it's all done in one step.

3 HD's, 2 IDE/SATA for internal storage & 1 external firewire or USB2. I'd recomend using the external as a backup. Since computers DO die, you don't want to loose all your work. :) I work with 1x80gb & 1x160gb internal & 1x80 external. Works good for me. :)

At least a 17 or 19" monitor. A brand name isn't required: I've got a Logisys 19" from OfficeMax for ~$100 after rebate. Works great for me!

DVD burner (there's many nice ones out there)

CD burner (always nice to have just a CD burning drive. Then you always have a backup CD reader too!)

Nice keyboard (I've got a crappy $5 one & you can tell!)

Wristwrest (I've got one for my keyboard & mouse & love them)

Good speakers (I just hooked up a 500w RCA surround sound system to my comp. Nice!)

24-bit sound card (if you want to play games too, get a normal $25 sound card to put in also)

I don't have a floppy but if you install Windows on to a SATA drive you should have one

Most people recomend a good case/PS, but I have my AMD 64 in a case that cost me $10 after rebate & a AMD recomend PS that I got for ~$17 on sale. It works & I have no problems.


If you got for an AMD 64 chip (AMD64, FX, or Opteron) you will want to fork out for Windows 64 when it gets released, or else you won't take full advantage of it. The P4's with that EMT64 (or whatever) tech are the same way.

Enjoy! :)

CAVS Shuttle or equivalent, and a scroll wheel on the mouse (or trackball.) I mention this because I personally hate mice (have to move the whole unit around) and use a Microsoft Trackball Explorer with 5 programable buttons. Some people are "mouse types" so if that's the case at least have a scroll wheel, cordless is nice, and some buttons to push... unless you're a "keyboard type" in which case go get one of those fancy editing keyboards with all the shortcuts printed on the keys.

it is all down to price, p4 systems seem to be better for video compression, and athlon seems to be better for audio (denormal issues)

i'd personally look at your budget, price up decent quality memory, case/psu, decent sound card, video capture device if you need it and then from there decide what processor/board you want to go for... SATA drives are cheap and pretty much all boards have the connectors now...

remember tho, the most important bits in a pc are memory and psu, if you buy cheap you'll run into plenty of problems later! i'd rather have a stable slow system than a flaky superspeed system!