Thanks HF - I get back to you on that. Recommedations? I'm listening . .

G

Grazie - have a look at what Novatech have on offer. They've developed a good rep in the UK - their prices are very keen and their support's good. As well as their standard models they'll build to order, so you can have a custom pc with solid support behind it. Drop me a line if you want to discuss.

Cheers

Ian G.

I haven't tested a lot of systems, maybe 50 or 60 by now. Of those, maybe 15 have been AMD systems. While the AMD chips for the most part run acceptably well, when you put one side by side with the same speed Intel chip, Intel always seems to run noticeably faster. I've also had more crashing problems with AMD. Intel just seems to work better. It's definately worth the few extra bucks in my opinion.

Grazie,

One of our machines is the Gateway in question. I personally enjoy "homebuilding" and have never been crazy about the cow. But I have to say, our 3.2 HT Gateway cooks! Multitasking is a dream. I can import video, edit, and render...plus more...all at the same time...a great time saver.

It uses the P4, 2 x 200 Gig drives, 1 Gig Ram, etc.

The only caveat I've found is that it's best to use only a single task when printing to tape. I have had a few glitches when attemping to run several programs during PTT.

DO NOT depend on Gateway to install compatible DVD drives! Either specify the drive(s) you want or purchase and install your own separately.

The only addition that I have made is to install a new firewire card (relatively cheap) in order to get more connections.

Otherwise, let me advise you to get the largest case you feel appropriate. No matter what you have planned, an extra drive bay or room for other stuff as technology develops is always handy.

Good luck!

My guru buddy says Dell basically is at the bottom of his list because they combine everything together with proprietory drivers. So when delving into it to make changes it is a panic. Everything has to be Dell related.

JJK

Dell uses the same chipset & parts that others use. IIRC they do have a goofy system partition and don't supply all software discs (just restore discs), but that doesn't mean you can't rebuild in a more standard fashion. It *will* work with standard drivers.

If you have install discs available, I'd wipe that puppy and start fresh. I've always built my own desktops, but have experience with Compaq and Dell notebooks, and they all seem this way. I've never had a problem wiping & building a new image.

Grazie, I'm crushed. Seriously, if you go with one of the name box makers I would suggest you don't order online. Its been a long while since I got one and I used to hang out in both the Gateway and Dell newsgroups and things may be different on your side the pond, but it used to be the sales agents were paid commission and they would deal. So if this is still true (hang around the newsgroups and learn if it this still is) you almost always will get a better deal and save a few hundred bucks if you try one or several reps via the old fashioned order on the phone method. I've heard stores that if pushed and you get the right sales rep they even will let a bare bones unit slip out the door, but they don't like to advertise it.

"Grazie, I'm crushed. " . . I knew it . . I knew it .. I knew it!!! - BB, I just don't have the expertise, patience or knowledge to do it . . . I'd rather peel my eyeballs with a rusty garden spade!!! - But yes, and of course you are correct . . damn I really do wish you were over here in London so I could learn at the "Master's Knee" - THAT I'm serious about . .It would be a very valuable experience. Bill, to tell you the truth, I do know which end of a screwdriver to hold, but I'm starting to get some serious work - not a lot, but enough to not have the fall back of some reputable company - Dell or whoever - that could, how does the song go, "Stand by Me!" - Yes yes yes . . I wasn't born yesterday, and I would be naieve to think that there aren't companies out there solely wishing to remove large lumos of wonga from my very thin wallet, in exchange for "Thanks Guy . and Goodbye!" . . .

Look chaps, your feedback has been heartening. I've already had a Forum chum email me directly offering assistance . . . I'm very touched . . . I know you want the best for me . . . I too wanna get something that will be stable, whatever that means, and allow my V4 fly along.

Ian, yes I will get in touch - I think I need your email again - sorry :-(

Kellsie - good info. Wanna come over and build one with me?

Michael - Gateway is good?

JJ - The Dell prop. stuff - that really becomes an issue? - Hmmm...

Bill - It is mainly because I've been ready your indepth stuff on building V Off the peg - with some additional bits 'n pieces - that I've spent, ho, maybe 12 months switching this way and that around WinME and UG to XP with a new box, that now it's time for me to either deficate or remove my bottom from the seated position - yeah?

. . . .arrrgghhh . .decisons decisions decisions . . . .

Where i'm presently at is "considering" the Duallies Xeons that Dell are punting at, well a bit of a high price . . but in the direction . . . someone come back and say don't waste yer money . . . Xeons, yer don't need!

Mr. Wobbly - Grazie

JJ, your friend has got the wrong end of the stick somewhere.

Manaufacturers of PC's (Dell/HP/IBM/Gateway etc) don't do anything to driver except put their own install wrapper on them.

The drivers are developed by the chipset manufacturer i.e. Intel/NVidia/Creative

They are the same binary

Grazie, you have clearly upset BillyBoy I will be suprised if he ever responds to any of your posts in the future :-)

PAW

Grazie,

Edit the sites I recommend below are I believe are all in the US. So that becomes a consideration.

I wouldn't worry too much about not building your own. If you don't think it's right, trust your instinct, it's probably not worth the grief.

What's your budget? Is it high enough to consider a pc from a maker that specializes in editing systems or is know for high quality parts.
Boxx has been getting a lot of attention for thier HDboxx, but they also have a graphics workstation that you could configure for DV. Vegas is listed as an option, so you know it's intended to work with it.
http://www.boxxtech.com/asp/cf_step2.asp?ModelInstanceID=287

A lot of folks have recommneded www.pcnirvana.com. Other sites you may want to check out are DVline and DVgear.

I think you will probably get good value from a Dell, but you may run into some hassles here and there. Are you confident enough to install a DVD burner? Because I don't know which DVD burner Dell uses, probably Samsung which they use for a lot of their parts. I don't think that's rated as high as Sonys or Pioneers. The hassles from Dell you may run into is, if you try to upgrade further down the line. It's very difficult to put a Dell motherboard into a case made by someone else, the connections are not standard, same thing with their power supplies. That is true, at least, on their desktop machines and, I believe, on their workstations.

I can highly recommend Gateway's....carton. Its very distinctive and looks like the hide of a cow with its pretty black and white pattern. Besides, the carton seems to be just a bit heavier grade carboad than what Dell uses and of course evryone likes cows. Moo. Moo. They just don't make good house pets.

Read this from the past on how defensive Gateway was once about others doing cow things.

http://www.wired.com/news/business/0%2C1367%2C843%2C00.html

The founder of Gateway, Ted Waitt once was a rancher, which explains the box design and why Gateway is located in a odd place for computer company of course so is SoFo. While not in the same league as Michael Dell, Ted could buy plenty of beef on the hoof or otherwise since he owns about 41% of Gateway common stock or roughly 64 million shares.

PAW:
Its not me its my guru buddy who wil lnot mess with Dell or Gateway. I personally have only had experience with Gateway and kind of got a bit peeved when upgrading memory and come to find out I had to use special Gateway memory which cost twice as much. ($600.00 for a 32 meg strip factory direct from gateway)

JJK

Sounds Odd,

there is no special memory specific to a manufacturer

Was it an old machine? if it was memory not in wide circualtion there would still be plenty of places to buy it.

The had to use gateway memory sounds like sales speak - sorry JJK I think you may have been given a bum steer.

PAW

I couldn't recommend Gateway simply because the company's struggling just to survive. Even with a very succesful company like Dell there are support issues, etc. Support was never Gateway's strength, I can't imagine what it's like now. In a few years there may not even be a Gateway.

Dell clearly owns the PC market. It you're looking for a pre-built, mainstream system, I think they're the best game in town. Dell may not be the best performing system as compared to homegrown systems, but if you want a good PC from a stable and reliable company, Dell can't be beat.

Thinking about it - Gateway did not exist as a company when a 32Mb SIMM cost $600............ (in the real world)

Sorry.

PAW

NEVER and I mean NEVER buy memory sticks from Dell or Gateway directly or you'll be ripped-off. They all buy it from mostly one source: Micron which actually makes the memory chips. By direct and save anywhere from 10-30% or more. Or just shop the net. There is no such thing as Dell or Gateway memory.

The Micron division that makes the RAM chips is called Crucial.

http://www.crucial.com/store/listmfgr.asp?cat=RAM

The don't buy Dell or don't buy Gateway stories, fill in the blanks why not are just that... STORIES mostly from customers that got burned and their respective newsgroups are filled with them from time to time. Like with anything else you usually only hear the bad stories, never the good ones.

Way back when before I build by own I bought both Dell and Gateway boxes for myself and others. The "service" from each was both great and horrible. They both flip flop.

PAW:
The computer was a 1998 model 300meg P-2 ($3800.00) (it is now gone to heaven)
and I still have the gateway reciept. I tried other memory chips but they did not work. (no boot) Since it was mom's computer money was no object. But I suppose they use ordinary memory now My first guru buddy (died at 50 years old of heart failure) said I have to get the Gateway memory. I believed him when I put the other memory in and it didn't work even by itself. I am a little smarter now but not that much. My famous quote of 1976 was: "digital will never make it because it is too slow" The older I get the funnier I get.

JJK

Grazie: wooooo! A free trip to bonny ol' London? :) How nice of you, sir!

I've built (or should i say rebuilt) so many PCs in the last couple of years that i could probably assemble and config one in my sleep.

That's it ... i should go into business. Anyone want a Chienworks* brand PC? It'll have a litle rotating cat head logo in the startup screen. ;)

How about having a reputable PC store around your area build one to your specs?
You won't have to touch a thing, and most times their support is as good as the big boys.
The trick is getting a store that's big enough that you're not worried it'll go out of business next week, but small enough to give you a more personal service.
That way, if your PC quits for some reason, they'll usually take it the next morning and you're back up and running in no time.
Also, since you're allowed to use Vegas on two different PCs (although not at the same time), you could get a firewire drive and keep your projects on that. So if your desktop is down, you can continue working on your laptop.

M

Grazie,

Dell is at the bottom of my list. Take a look at Micron PC. They use industry standard parts and they are a little cheaper than Dell for a comparably equipped PC. I had a Micron before my Dell and I loved it. I was going to go back to them but BillyBoy convinced me to build my own to that’s what I’m gonna do this time.

Dell uses proprietary motherboards and power supplies. I have a Dell 8100 and need a new power supply. There is only one company that sells them and the price is twice that of a standard power supply from the same company. The sad part is, they use the same standard ATX connector with different pinouts so if you didn’t know any better, you’d just buy a standard power supply and fry your motherboard when you plugged it in. Also be warned that their Soundblaster Audigy 2 card has no MIDI port! Again it’s a proprietary version built just for Dell to lower specs to cut costs. If you’re not a musician this isn’t a problem but I am and that’s unacceptable to me.

So only buy a Dell if you plan to throw it away and buy a new one in a few years as apposed to upgrading the processor and add additional drives over time. (that was my problem, I added some drives, faster video card, etc and the skimpy 200W power supply couldn’t take the load!) At least if you buy a Micron and need a bigger power supply, new motherboard , etc, down the road, you don’t have to through out the whole PC to do it.

Spot has suggested in the past to contact PCNirvana.com. He says they’ll custom build anything you want at a reasonable price.

~jr

Grazie,
Check out the DVLine here:
http://www.dvline.com/
I've been looking at their Pro Line laptops pretty hard. The owner, Ken Bell, has e-mailed me several times in response to questions and has offered upgrades as an incentive. Their systems look top of the line and the warranty, tech support, and responsiveness appear excellent. Can't find anything bad written about their systems or support. They look good from my view point. Anyone else have experience with them?
Randy