Need an expert opinion on a DV editing system for VV4

GeoffCampbell wrote on 6/20/2003, 9:18 PM

I would appreciate an opinion on the following system: Windows XP Pro, an Intel D845PEBT2 motherboard, an Intel 3.06GHz CPU, 2GB Samsung DDR 333 RAM, a SoundBlater Live Platinum sound card, a Matrox 550 dual display video card, one 40GB Western Digital HD with the 8MB cache (for the operating system/programs), and two 200GB Western Digital 8MB cache hard drives in a raid array. I can put this system together for about $1.500.00. Any suggestions on a better configuration, for the same money, would be greatly appreciated! Also, would it be a major jump in cost to go to a system that has an 800MHz FSB, using PC-3200 DDR400 RAM?

Thanks for any help.

I_Need_Help
Tony

Comments

rebel44 wrote on 6/20/2003, 9:43 PM

$1500 for that system is a good price. You my want to add dvd burner. I do not have one and larger video files I back up on tape. It will loose res with time.
Do you have dealer licence or but direct? Kind of low price for those components.
That should fly.

Chanimal wrote on 6/20/2003, 11:36 PM

I would drop the RAID configuration since it is not needed for speed, and keep the extra 200 gig HD which may be needed sooner than you think. I run with 4 harddrives (80 gig c:, 120, 120 and 200 gig (135/55 gig partition (135 data/ 55 backup)).

My motherboard supports 8 separate IDE, but I only use 4 (all masters for the harddrives). I use a second IDE card that came with my 200 gig to run my cd burner and DVD burner. This way all devices run at full speed, not slave speed. I would also partition the 200 gig as I have done. You may be able to recognize all 200 gig's, but many utilities (especially disk defragmentor's) don't recognize a drive past 140 gig.

Make sure you throw in some extra case fans (preferrably that also blow over the harddrives).

Yoyodyne wrote on 6/21/2003, 3:04 PM

I'll second dropping the raid array (I'm assuming your talking about a raid 0 stripe). I just had a Western Digital 8meg drive die on me in my raid array, when you go raid 0 you double your chances of drive failure and it seems like drives are failing like crazy these days. If you do go raid 0 ad another single hard drive on the ide port and use it as a back up...or go raid 1 (I believe) which is drive mirroring. You lose half your storage space because all data is copied to both drives but your data will be protected from drive failure.

Also instead of the Soundblaster you might look at an M-audio or Echo sound card, I'm using a Gina24 and it works great - totally rocks for surround stuff! Im also using an intel 845 mobo, the 845pesv and it works great with Vegas.

just my .02 - good luck,
Yoyodyne

johnmeyer wrote on 6/21/2003, 6:02 PM

You don't need RAID, and the DVD recorder is becoming essential.

BillyBoy wrote on 6/21/2003, 7:15 PM

If you have the later version of the RAID chip on your motherboard, (the newest support 100/133 IDE drives) that's a cheap way to double the number of IDE devices you can have connected WITHOUT adding a 2nd IDE controller or setting up a actual drive array. That's what I did with my new ASUS P4P800. I just used the RAID connector and the regular BIOS detects up to another 4 drives, so hehehe, I can if I wanted have 8 drives and STILL I havn't used any expansion slots except for the AGP. The only no-no is the RAID controller can't support none IDE devices like CD or DVD drives.

GeoffCampbell wrote on 6/23/2003, 2:00 PM

To: rebel44, Chanimal, Yoyodyne, johnmeyer, BillyBoy: Thank you all very much for your time, and input, it's much appreciated!

Tony