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General discussion

Desktop for Camcorder Editing

Aug 5, 2005 6:47AM PDT

I am a first time PC buyer and the most demanding thing i'll be using it for is editing and burning movies from my Camcorder to DVD's.
What are the most important minimums i'll need? I have read that i'll need 2GB RAM and as much Hard Drive as I can get. I was thinking about a Pentium 4 with HT, so that I can do more than one thing while the DVD is burning. What speed of CPU should I be looking at as a minimum?
Any advice would be greatly appreciated.

Discussion is locked

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Just FYI...
Aug 5, 2005 7:06AM PDT

We found diminishing return from 512M to 1G. And no speedup from 1 to 2GB but it makes for bragging rights.

-> Shop for a dual core CPU and be happy.

Bob

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has nothing to do with this thread, but thanks dude!
Aug 6, 2005 2:23AM PDT

R. Profitt, I decided to track down your most recent post to thank you. I have had excruciating email issues with Outlook Express for a few days, to the point I was ready to reinstall XP -- not a happy proposition. All of the info on the internet wasn't working, and Microsofts Knowledge base is an abosolute nightnare. I was about to post my problem on CNET's communications and messaging board, and saw someone else had posted the same problem (something about an error code Ox800CCC0f) I was having.

Your answer identified the problem as being one with Norton Antivirus' incoming mail scanner, not Outlook.

I've been posting questions on this forum for at least three years now, and appreciate your diligence and answers.

Now the real problem is -- in trying to troubleshoot my outlook express problem, I've found out that Explorer is corrupt, I don't know how to locate my email files for backup, XP's system file checker doesn't work on my system, my scanner won't scan to PDF anymore, and my System Restore from two days ago WOULDN'T DISPLAY THE START BUTTON OR ANY DESKTOP SHORTCUTS and I had to go to task manager to execute any commands and see files.

It's neverending, isn't it? Makes one want to go back to using an abacus and parchment paper sometimes.

Thanks again. I'll post appropriate questions in the right forums if I can't figure out the answers on my own.

W!

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Camcorder to DVD....
Aug 5, 2005 8:48AM PDT

For now I would suggest the Dual-Core processor Pentium D 830 3.0GHz in either the Gateway Model 840GM or the HP Model m7170n:

http://reviews.cnet.com/5208-7586-0.html?forumID=68&threadID=118033&messageID=1340691&tag=

You would also be ready for the future by having the 64-bit support (EM64T) and dual-core, along with having the ability to upgrade your graphics as necessary with the PCIe x16 slot.

You don't need 2GB of RAM for burning to DVD, and you would not be able to tell the difference from 1GB while burning.

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I've been meaning to ask the EXACT same question
Aug 5, 2005 1:20PM PDT

Kid of funny (ok, at least to me) - I just bought a camcorder 2-3 weeks ago (Canon Elura 85 Mini DV) and sooner or later was going to write the same post.

I currently have 8 year old PII, so I know I need a new PC if I want to jump into the world of video and DVD buring etc.

My question - I have read ALL the posts about the eMachines 6522, even gone out to circuit city to see it (although they did not have a floor model up yet - it was 3-4 weeks ago) and it sounds like a good PC. But for Video processing (the MAIN thing I will be doing) is Intel better than AMD? Should I be going for the 800 chip set (dual core and 64 bit) over the emachines? Is the HP model for about the same prices (soprry forgot model number) that is the amd 3500+ with close to the same spec as emachine any better or worse than emachines?

Despite my 3-4 questions, I THINK my main one is if my main concern is digital pictures, video editing and some internet, is the Intel the way to go or will teh AMD 3500+ also work ok?

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RE
Aug 5, 2005 2:33PM PDT

Since you're not hard core video editor, you won't notice the difference between intel and amd. Since AMD is pretty much good for everything else, go for amd. I still think emachines offers the better buy as the hp doesn't come with monitor. As for whether it has a video tuner, the hP model that is, i'm unsure. But the HP definitely looks better than the emachines imo. It also offers more hard drive space. Depending on whichever comes with peripherals or other features such as printer and price, ill choose the better of 2. Dual-core is important as 64-bit. But for the time-being, 64-bit is most. If you can afford, get the gateway model with dual-core and 17" lcd for $999. Its also a btx chassis.

ROger

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Home video editing.
Aug 5, 2005 3:35PM PDT

Roger gave a good reply.

Well, you are talking about 4 machines, all of which will perform OK with video editing, AMD or Intel.

There is the emachine T6522 and the HP Pavilion a1130n that are almost the same and almost the same price.

Then at a slightly higher price is the HP m7170n and the Gateway Model 840GM I mentioned above that are 'dual-core', EM64T, and happen to be Intel. Of course there are slightly less expensive Pent D 820, 2.8GHz models to be had by watching the ads. If I was buying now, I would favor to be equipped for the future with dual-core, EM64T, and a PCI-Express x-16 graphics slot.
Read up on dual-core to see how it can benefit now and even more so when future programs (and games) become more in development.

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thanks!
Aug 6, 2005 11:52AM PDT

Thanks for the reply. I am glad to hear for the basic video editing/camcorder "dumping" to DVD I want to do either should work. If nothing else it expands my options.

I will most likely pay the extra $100-$200 and get a 64 bit dual core PC. I agree the $650 HPs and emachines look nice, but the extra for the dual core might be something I am glad I invested in 1-3 years from now.

I CAN wait a few more months as well - maybe either before Christmas or after I can get the current $850-$999 dual core type machines around $700 etc.

Anyway, thanks again!!! (actually I should say once again)

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Wait
Aug 6, 2005 2:35PM PDT

I just finished helping a friend in setting up the computers and allied equipment part for his digital video editing studio. Since a camcorder is still considered a luxurios piece of technology in this part of the world owing to the cost and whats more is that many people who actually own one barely know how to make good use of it, let alone editing the video with effects on a computer. So he is actually running the business focusing on all these aspects. About 2 months back he sought my help in purchasing computers for his lab. Upon his repeated requests we decided to go for HP Pavilion a1020 series. Unfortunately, we had to sell them off after exactly months as he felt that they were not pulling up.
This time he got PCs basing upon the following main specifications:

- AMD Athlon64 X2 Dual-Core Processors
- ASUS A8N-SLI Deluxe Motherbaords
- 1GB RAM in each machine
- 200GB SATA Hard Drive (8MB Buffer) in each machine
- Sony DRU-800A Dual-Layer DVD Writers

This guy is more than happy after having purchased 2 trial systems and now wants to build 3 more.

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Dual core
Aug 10, 2005 5:59AM PDT

Dual cores realy help out with the rendering part of video edditing or DVD creation, since this is a processor intesive task.
However you do not need to have highend Video card for this! Unless you want to play some games then a good video card is nice to have. John
http://www.timwerx.net/odds/pcfile.htm

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Video editing on a notebook
Aug 9, 2005 4:01AM PDT

Thanks to everyone for your advice.

Is there a set-up that can handle the video editing from a camcorder etc. available in a Notebook form? We are not that intersted in carrying the computer between very far, just different parts of the house as we don't have a great place in the house to station a desktop.

I would imagine that a desktop would be preferable from a performance and cost point of view, but are there any notebooks that could handle what I need and do it at a reasonable speed?

I realise I should perhaps post this in the Notebook Forum, but as I started the posting here I thought i'd continue.

Also, do any Notebooks have dual-core processors or Hyper-threading?

Thanks again

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What I used to use and what I have today.
Aug 9, 2005 5:25AM PDT

My old laptop was the TER-600 from Acer. With a p3-600, 256M RAM it did video editing just fine for CCTV apps I was demoing. Firewire was an addon PC-Card. DVD creation was possible but required an overnight run to create the image to record to an external USB 2.0 DVD recorder.

The office updated many laptops and I snagged a Compaq R3000 with everything buy the DVD recorder so I use the external. Today you can get similar in the r2312us for not much cash.

A laptop is best not a model that burns you lap.

Bob

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more than one thing while the DVD is burning
Aug 11, 2005 3:19AM PDT

Just a though about this. Most video edditing programs and DVD burning software is multi-threaded. which is why a dual core processor realy helps speed them up. As I said video proggams are VERY processor intensive, they will use up most if not all of the processor time, even with a dual core processor. Because of this I have 2 PCs one for for video and one for other things. john