Preview Window Optimization - Need Help

Kevin Mc wrote on 4/3/2008, 4:42 PM
Ok, In Vegas Pro 8 I have my Preview window and can choose between: Draft, Preview, Good and Best - each with various modes. I am about to upgrade to a new computer and need to know this one thing ... What combination of hardware makes it so I can preview using the Good or Best modes at all times? My older computer only previews in Draft mode. All other modes are jerky.

Is it memory? Video card (or cards)? Processor? ...etc. Is there any advantage to using daisy chained video cards?

I'm very interested in being able to preview at a higher resolution. Are there other tricks like previewing to a second monitor that I should be considering?

You get the idea - I'll take any advice on this that I can get.

Thanks!

Comments

johnmeyer wrote on 4/3/2008, 5:00 PM
My older computer only previews in Draft mode. All other modes are jerky.

What are the specs on your old computer, and what type of video are you previewing? You should be able to get smooth preview of DV and HDV footage on even a really old computer (mine is 5.5 years old). Don't get me wrong, if you have a new computer, great -- enjoy it. But, perhaps you have other problems that will simply be migrated to the new environment. Better to figure out what the problem is so you don't duplicate it on your new machine.
Kevin Mc wrote on 4/3/2008, 6:01 PM
My current (old) computer is:

Win XP SP2
1.9GHz Intel Processor
1GB RAM
256MB GeForce 6600 LE
3 x 320GB HD @ 7200rpm (plenty of free space on each drive)
1 x NEC DVD R+-
Dell 24" flat panel monitor

Temp folders are all on drives other than the drive holding the source video AVI files. I shoot on a Panasonic GS-500 (DV).

Before we get caught up in a conversation about any one thing on my old system that might be the cause - I'm more curious as to what it is that allows for Vegas Pro 8's preview window to work at its best (or combination of things). Nothing from my old system will be migrated to the new system.

I'm especially interested in finding out if daisy chained video cards (GeForce 8800GT - 512MB each) will help, hurt, not matter at all. I know Vegas does not really rely on video processors. Do they matter during editing and previewing?

Thanks!
jabloomf1230 wrote on 4/3/2008, 7:03 PM
How is your preview speed at higher quality settings when you prerender a small subclip and then preview it? Keep in mind that if you are previewing edited material, the speed is dictated both by the rendering and the speed of the video subsystem. Notice that there is a setting in Vegas to change the number of threads used for previewing. What that indicates is that if you have a fast quad core CPU, previewing at higher quality settings will likely be smoother.
Kevin Mc wrote on 4/3/2008, 7:44 PM
I figured the quad core was the secret ingredient and have been looking at quad core systems like this one:

http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16883229013

I seldom have the need to prerender sections. So let me ask - if I were to prerender a section, would that prerender be an MPG2 @ 8MBPS - as opposed to the larger AVIs I normally work with? I could see where that would improve my preview screens functionality.

If you wish to share any thoughts on the system I'm looking at (see link above), I'd love to hear them.