New Video Editing PC

[pokemon]

I was looking to customize my current PC into a video editing PC (being that this will be the most tasking job I plan to take on with the computer). I also play a lot of Half Life 2, so I figured what I have right now should be fine (6800GT). Here is my current system:
- AMD 3500+ 939
- eVGA 6800GT PCIe
- Chaintech 939 mobo
- 2x512MB of Crucial Ballistix
- 250GB Maxtor HDD (need to replace, too loud for my tastes, looking at Seagate, already have one as an external)
- DVD Burner
- 450W FPS PSU
- Leadtek TV2000XP RM (want to upgrade to Expert, allows for live feed)
- BlueGears X-Mystique HDA sound card

I've got one hell of a puzzle I'm working on right now. I have a projector that will be going in the basement, this video editing comp probably with a 20.1" widescreen LCD for multitasking and video editing, and a TV upstairs with a modded xbox. I hope to network the xbox 360 that will be going downstairs with the projector and the TV upstairs with the modded xbox, all to my computer in my room, to feed off of the external hard drive and my comp's hard drive for movies and music. I also will be putting another HTPC downstairs to play emulators and such later on.

I need to know what I should be upgrading with roughly $150-$200. I figured up the RAM to 2GB, get a better processor, possibly a dual core. What would you recommend?

 

[pokemon]

I was also looking at getting some software for video editing. I've used iMovie and some of the other Apple Software, but have no idea what else is good, or at least can do many of the same things as iMovie. Windows Movie Maker doesn't even come close, is there any software, free or not, that can be a iMovie for PC, preferably under, lets say $100.

 

[mdd1963]

More mem would help, as would a dual core, although if looking at outlaying $400-$500, I'd be tempted to just forego on spending any more money on the rig, and save that money for a mid-range $250 Conroe 2.26G/2M cache dual core processor in July or thereabouts, $150 965 chipset mainboard, DDR2 mem (great performance even with inexpensive DDR2/667 mem!), offering FX60-like or greater performance for far less money....

 

[gambit6259]

I think you should definitely go dual core if you are doing any serious video editing and may want to consider going up to 2GB of RAM.

 

[pokemon]

I also did find some neat software, but I'm going to try it out first. Its the Ulead Video Studio 10 Plus. Its even got green-screen editing. It's a bit more spendy at $100, but it does have an unbelievably functional and efficient layout.