Curse

malevolence · Jul 29, 2010, 07:45 AM // 07:45

Hi guys,

I need help to build a System for my friend , he does Video and Sound editing and he want a fast system but at the same time needs to be a budget system too.

As I am not experienced with graphics cards for video editing , I need some advice. My friend does short movies and clips but he also edits sounds for the clips.

I was thinking on a quad core or six core system , but as I mentioned , I am not experienced with this kind of systems so I may be wrong.

Thank you

Cheers.

Elder III · Jul 29, 2010, 11:38 AM // 11:38

Yes, he would benefit from a quad or even a hexacore. Do you know what programs he uses for his editing? Also, what is his budget? Does he need a monitor and peripheals etc... or just the tower with components in it? I don't want to recommend a $1500 computer if he only has $500 to spend.

Quaker · Jul 29, 2010, 02:49 PM // 14:49

I would think that processor power and RAM would be the most important things for video and sound editing. The graphics card would not be as important, as all it needs to be able to do is play the video clips without problems. Of course, it comes down to "better system" = "faster editing" so it's partially a price/performance vs time issue.

So, for a budget system I would start with an AMD 6-core CPU (Phenom II 1055T) and add 4Gigs (or more) of RAM (DDR3-1333). For a graphics card, just about any ATI 5xxx series card would do, but the better the card, the better the system would be at playing games.

Alternatively, a system based around an Intel i3-530 (or better) CPU, with 4Gigs of RAM would also work. An i7-860 with 8Gigs of RAM and Windows7 64-bit would work great even with the in-chip graphics (I think).

Lord Sojar · Jul 29, 2010, 08:01 PM // 20:01

You still need a decent GPU for video editing and such. Color reproduction, morphing, etc are all demanding.

This is a department where I would recommend an nVidia Quadro card, thanks to CUDA being prominent in this regard. It can greatly speed up transformations and encodes/decodes.

The issue is, Quadro cards are VERY expensive (think $1000+ USD for midrange and well over $2000+ USD for high end).

That said, the best combination right now for this on a budget is likely the AMD 6 core CPU + (4-8)GBs of DDR3-1333/1600 coupled with the 1GB GTX 460, though a 470 has more compute systems, so if budget permits, I'd go for the 470 above the 1GB 460.

Commander Kanen · Jul 29, 2010, 08:38 PM // 20:38

For video editing you will need a good monitor. i recomend a LG W2486L Really sharp HD LED monitor. everything looks mint on it =)

If your on a budget i would go for a AMD cpu. A Phenom 2 995 Black or up (quad core)

I would go for 4GB + of DDR3-1333 (or better)

Also Razor do some awesome sound cards. Barracuda AC-1 are nice.

As for a video card. well thats a touch one. so much to choose from. all depends on your cash flow. I would say a Nvidia GTX 460 or a ATI 5830 for a good mid range card.

malevolence · Jul 29, 2010, 09:24 PM // 21:24

Hi

@Elder III ; I will post the software he uses tomorrow. I know that more of the software he uses are "only" compatible with 32bits OS.

@Quaker; One of the softwares says it cannot be used with an integrated graphic chip. He is not a gamer. I believe that Win7 64 is not an option as some softwares are not 64 bits compatible.

@Lord Sojar ; He cannot afford a Quadro video card

, too expensive.

@Commander Kanen; Thanks for the monitor advice

As I was so busy at work today , I didn't have time to post the software he uses , tomorrow I will have more time and post it

Thank you

Cheers.

tijo · Jul 29, 2010, 10:05 PM // 22:05

Too bad he can't afford a quadro GPU because they are optimized for video editing and CAD design. I agree about the GTX460 (one of the best bang for the buck GPU right now) it should have enough power and still CUDA enabled i think.

Go for the AMD 6 core CPU as well since video editing softwares generally benefit more from having more core available than higher clock speeds.

Since he's on a budget, 4GB DDR-1333 RAM, he can always upgrade later if needed.

Also make sure he buys a good quality power supply as well. Sojar can point you in the right direction about that.

malevolence · Jul 30, 2010, 11:50 AM // 11:50

Thanks Tijo for your input

Now , here I have a list of the software he use:

-Sony Vegas 8
-Magic Bullet Look
-Adobe CS4
-Reason (Audio)

Mmm , he already bought a GPU

he bought an Asus Radeon HD 5670 1024 MB.

I will try to find a nice hexacore cpu for a good price

EDIT:

The cheapest hexacore I can find here is the AMD Phenom II X6 1055T AM3 , now , what motherboard and RAM is best for this processor ?

Elder III · Jul 30, 2010, 01:10 PM // 13:10

buy a quality aftermarket cooler and OC that CPU up to 1090t levels, get a mobo with USB 3.0 & SATA 6GB - I'd recommend the AMD 890 chipset if it's in his budget. Best AMD mobo brands are ASUS, Gigabyte, or MSI in my opinion. That video card should be adequate for what he wants to do. I would have preferred a 5770 or higher, but I doubt he will notice too much difference on a daily basis. I'd get the cheapest DDR3 1333mhz that I could find from a name brand. I'd get 8GB if the budget permits... CS4 is a memory hog and if he wants to multi task with his various programs you just listed, more RAM would be very beneficial. I like Patriot, G- Skill and Corsair for DDR3 RAM.
Any name brand 500 watt PSU will do for that system, but if he does get a 890 chipset he would have a Crossfire option down the road and in that case I would spring for a 6-700 watt PSU.

Quaker · Jul 30, 2010, 03:51 PM // 15:51

Quote:

Originally Posted by malevolence

@Quaker; One of the softwares says it cannot be used with an integrated graphic chip. He is not a gamer. I believe that Win7 64 is not an option as some softwares are not 64 bits compatible.

Of course, you could have mentioned those details in your original post and things would go quicker.......

At any rate, it partially comes down to the level of professionalism we are talking. Since you suggest he's working on a budget, I doubt that what he's doing would benefit greatly from spending $1k on a graphics card. I also doubt that what he's doing pays enough to cover the cost, nor requires things be done all that fast. After all, once you get over a minimum performance level (computer-wise) it becomes a matter of time vs money. Yes, an expensive "professional" video card will do the various functions faster, but how fast do you need to do it? Does it matter if it takes 2 minutes to do something rather than 5 minutes? (for example)

So, basically I still stick with my original statement that for a budget system, the CPU power, amount of RAM, and the hard drive space is more important than the graphics card.
An AMD Phenom II X6 or an Intel i5-750 cpu (and appropriate motherboard). 4Gigs of RAM (using 32-bit Windows will only allow access to 3+ Gigs, but it's best to use 2 x 2Gig sticks in dual channel mode). A 500Gig Hard drive (or larger depending upon budget and price). Almost any video card in the ATI/AMD 5xxx or nVidia GTX4xx series.

If budget allows, I would also suggest two 1 or 2 Gig hard drives in a RAID1 array for storage/backup.

malevolence · Aug 12, 2010, 11:57 AM // 11:57

Thanks everyone for the advices , the computer is running fast and stable

, and my friend is very happy with it

This is the system:

-CPU: AMD Phenom II X6 1055T 2.80 GHz
-CPU cooler: Asus Royal Knight
-Mobo: AMD Asus M4A89GTD PRO/USB3 AM3
-PSU: OCZ PSU Fatal1ty 550W
-GPU: Asus Radeon HD 5670 1024 MB
-HDD 1: WD 500GB SATA2 7200rpm
-HDD 2: Samsung HD 1TB SATA2 7200rpm
-Case: Zalman Z7 Plus Case

Cheers, and thanks again guys !