£750 video editing rig guidance

[theuniverseinan]

Hello Hexicanos! Well, title says it all really. I don't know if it's possible with that budget though, which includes a new monitor. I would be using it for future hd (hdv) short film editing. Used the videoguys' DIY6 system as a guide.

1. Processor - Intel Q6600
2. Motherboard - Asus P5Q3 Deluxe
3. Memory - Corsair 2GB DDR3 1333mhz XMS3 DHX
4. Storage - 1x Samsung F1 320gb HD322HJ (OS Drive)
2x F1 320gb (on RAID0)
*I can salvage a 6 year old WD 74GB Raptor from my current Dell PC.(Worth it?) Should I make that my boot drive instead of buying a new one? Is 320gb too much for an OS drive? Also, I'd like another drive to back-up on occasionally and store music and photo library, but unsure how to do this cheaply and efficiently (internal v. external, etc.).

5. Power supply - Corsair modular 520w
6. Case - Antec P182
7. Monitor - Dell 20" 2009WFP
8. OS - XP Pro
9. Cooling - Fan-based heatsinks


I started this having in mind a budget of £750, but it looks like it's more like £900 now. If anyone can show me a £750 configuration, then by all means. I'd like a neat (), quiet, stable (no overclocking needs) and efficient system.

Many thanks in advance.

[Lowe]

To be honest, with creative media based applications I wouldn't be looking at a PC - I'd be going Mac.

If you're in higher education you can get a decent iMac for that, and educational pricing on Final Cut Pro...

[shaithis]

Get one of the P5Q boards that takes DDR2 instead. That will save you a wedge for starters. DDR3 RAM is expensive for what you are getting.

Also, you don't list a graphics card.....

[theuniverseinan]

The thing with a Mac is, I just couldn't justify or afford one, esp. that I'm not a student so could not get any discount. I was looking at Vegas since I am fairly acquainted with it already having edited a short (dv) film on one. Maybe I'm wrong and out of touch with Mac rigs out there, but I'd like something that is really flexible with regards to components and applications.

[theuniverseinan]

I wanted to future-proof as much as I can with the money. I intentionally left out the graphics card since it's not of the utmost importance in a video editing rig, and which I can purchase later when finances allow. I have one on my current pc, although it's a 6600gt agp. Is there little performance gain from a DDR2 to DDR3 system? Any potential bottleneck issues on Q6600 on DDR2? Sorry if I sound like I haven't a clue. That's because I don't for the most part. This will be my first ever build.

[shaithis]

The performance difference between DDR2 and DDR3 is minimal. You would probably see far more benefit from getting 4GB of DDR2 then 2GB DDR3 and it would still probably work out cheaper.

[Webby]

DDR3 offers little performance gain at the moment (but will be compulsory with the next set of intel processors) so is not worth buying, you will have no problems running a Q6600 with DDR2. Oh and you would be better served with 4GB of memory. Oh and yo will be needing a grpahics card as the motherboard doesn't have on board graphics.

Perhaps a system along the following lines all prices rough and ready but of reasonable accuracy,

CPU - Q6600 - £130
MB - Asus P5Q Pro - £90
RAM - 4GB Corsair DDR2 800MHz - £50
PSU - Corsair HX520W (modular) - £65
GPU - ATi 4550 - £35 (waiting on actual prices and release but that is the price Hexus suggest in their review)
DVD - Samsung DVD Burner - £15
Case - Antec P182 - £90
HDD - 2x WD 640GB AAKS - £100 (Not sure how much benefit Raid will give you same Price as 3x 320GB F1s)
OS - XP Pro - £95 or Vista HP 64 bit - £70 (unless you need XP for something Vista is probably the better option)
Monitor - Dell 2009WFP - £185 (using it as your spec did could get a cheaper one easily save £30)

Total Approx Cost - £855 with XP or £830 with Vista

So there you go I got it down to £830 and your £900ish would need a graphics card as well oh and an optical drive. I think you could save a bit more on the monitor you could get a cheaper case and PSU (Antec Sonata 3 or Antec Solo/Sonata Designer/Sonata 550 Plus all designed with quiet in mind, using the Sonata 3 would save you ~£75).

So an alternative using different components to what you suggested

CPU - Q6600 - £130
MB - Asus P5Q Pro - £90
RAM - 4GB Corsair DDR2 800MHz - £50
GPU - ATi 4550 - £35
DVD - Samsung DVD Burner - £15
Case & PSU - Antec Sonata 3 - £80
HDD - 2x WD 640GB AAKS - £100
OS - Vista HP 64 bit - £70
Monitor - Dell SP2008WFP - £145

Total Approx Cost - £715

Extras
CPU Cooler - Scythe Ninja 2 - £30 - Will help keeping everything quiet
Fans - 2x 120mm Zalman ZM-F3 - £5 each - Quieter than what comes as standard in the case.

Alternatives
Case - Antec Solo - £60 and PSU - Enermax Pro82+ 385W - £40 Total - £100 so +£20
Case & PSU - Antec Sonata Designer - £100 so +£20
Case & PSU - Antec Sonata Plus 550 - £110 so +£30 (includes a modular PSU)
All 3 above cases would benefit from (but not essential) 2x 92mm fans (Akasa Amber £9 for 2) and 1x 120mm fan (Zalman F3 £5 to replace the standard one)

Hope that is helpful

Edit - All pricing is from Scan

[theuniverseinan]

Very helpful Webby. DDR2 is probably the wiser, cheaper option. I'll look into it. The general consensus from the various dv forums is if affordable, go RAID, and go for a dependable stable psu to protect those components(the corsair kept getting mentioned). XP Pro too because, again, stability and driver support; so probably 2gb of memory should suffice? I already have an optical drive so I can save there. I already relatively skimped on the monitor, envisaging working on 720p instead of £400+ 1080p recommended monitors, and which I will need to do as much attainable colour correcting on it too, so I'm stuck with that monitor. I'll look into the SP2008WFP. For all I know, it might just be the stand that's different between the two.

[theuniverseinan]

I've done a quick revised configuration and would like to post it here for your review. It would be easier to post a screenshot of the shopping cart if only I knew how. I'm also not sure if I can post it here since it's from eBuyer, a competiton of the affiliated retailer here.

[Webby]

The PSUs in the Antec cases are very good quality would cost you (£50 to buy separately, the 550W Modular would cost £55) so don't worry about that as a concern.

As to raid I know some people really do not like raid on motherboards and would suggest you buy a controller card for the purpose, I can not comment as I do not run RAID perhaps others will have something to say about this.

More memory is always good get 4GB DDR2 is so cheap its silly not to.

As to stability problems in Vista a lot of it is people wanting to find fault with Vista (unless the really is a particular software package you need which has documented issues, and not people on forums complaining (for all we know they might be having a conflict with their anti-virus) but the actual company who write the software saying it has issues) when it was first released the were problems but now it has had time to mature and I would be surprised if you would have any issues, you will also gain the advantage of the extra memory.

Monitor wise both are TN panels so neither is going to have brilliant colour reproduction (TN is only 6 bit colour and uses differing to fool the eye into thinking it can see the extra colours) for that you are going to need a PVA panel (true 8 bit colour) and that is going to cost you £300 at least. If you decide TN is the way you have to go then BenQ are releasing two 22" 1920*1080 monitors (this month I think) and pricing is expected to be ~£150 so may be worth waiting to see some reviews and actual pricing on these.

[Webby]

No problem posting screenshots and Scan is affiliated but the are no rules saying you can't post screen shots or prices from else where!

You will need to host the image somewhere, I use Imageshack http://my.imageshack.us/ free and easy to use.

Then link the image in using the {IMG}Http://www.Image_address_here.jpg{/img} (replace {} with [])

[theuniverseinan]

Sorry, I should've made it clear. I do know how to post the screenshot, I don't how to take them.

[moogle]

Sorry, I should've made it clear. I do know how to post the screenshot, I don't how to take them.

Press the Print Screen key on your keyboard. goto MS Paint and paste it in there then save it as a JPEG or PNG.

[Webby]

Oh and cut out the stuff thats not important just save the basket! Saves peoples bandwidth a bit and makes it look better in the forum (less sideways scrolling).

[theuniverseinan]

Like I said, a quick revision.

[Webby]

Yeah looks all right, apart from that you are going to need a graphics card. The Motherboard doesn't have on board graphics so currently you will not be getting a picture!

And for the extra £20 get the other 2GB of memory its really worth it if your going to be handling large files.

Oh and your going to need a graphics card, hah I am a stuck record!

If you can't wait for the 4550 to arrive then look at the 3450/3470 as long as you don't plan on gaming they will do you fine.