Video Editing/Rendering i7 PC

MaizeNBlue2

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APPROXIMATE PURCHASE DATE: Hopefully within the next month or so

BUDGET RANGE: I'd like to keep it around $1000, but am willing to go up to $1500ish if necessary

SYSTEM USAGE FROM MOST TO LEAST IMPORTANT: HD Video Editing/Converting/Encoding/Re-encoding/etc; some audio editing, Photoshop work, and pretty much anything else you can imagine, except gaming, I do my gaming on PS3.

PARTS NOT REQUIRED:
Keyboard, Mouse, Speakers, Monitor

PREFERRED WEBSITE(S) FOR PARTS: Newegg.com, or any other if they're reputable and and the price is right.

COUNTRY OF ORIGIN: USA

PARTS PREFERENCES: Intel processor

OVERCLOCKING: Maybe

SLI OR CROSSFIRE: No

MONITOR RESOLUTION: N/A, although eventually I'm looking to go with Dual 22" monitors, so if the price is right, I'd consider them now. At least 1680 x 1050 resolution if so.

ADDITIONAL COMMENTS: This is a build I threw together while at work today. I didn't do much in the way of price comparison, etc. So I'm definitely open to suggestions. I know I'm over budget with this build, but I really want to make sure this thing can handle what I throw at it. I have the Quadro card simply because at some point I might purchase some Avid software, and they require it. I've got a Pentium D system now and to re-encode video captured with my recently purchased Hauppauge HD PVR, it's taken almost 24 hours for a little over two hours of video, which needless to say won't cut it.

I realize that I created another post a couple of days ago, but that was for a DIY PC combo from Newegg that I simply wanted opinions on. Any and all suggestions welcome.

Without further ado, here's my build:

Newegg

Edit: Here's the build in listed in the forum post, for those that would rather not leave the thread:

Case: Antec Three Hundred Black Steel ATX Mid Tower Computer Case - Retail

Motherboard: ASUS P6T LGA 1366 Intel X58 ATX Intel Motherboard - Retail

Video Card: PNY VCQFX580-PCIE-PB Quadro FX 580 512MB 128-bit GDDR3 PCI Express 2.0 x16 Workstation Video Card - Retail

Power Supply: CORSAIR CMPSU-750HX 750W ATX12V 2.3 / EPS12V 2.91 SLI Ready CrossFire Ready 80 PLUS SILVER Certified Modular Active PFC Power ... - Retail

Processor: Intel Core i7-920 Bloomfield 2.66GHz LGA 1366 130W Quad-Core Processor Model BX80601920 - Retail

RAM: G.SKILL 6GB (3 x 2GB) 240-Pin DDR3 SDRAM DDR3 1333 (PC3 10666) Triple Channel Kit Desktop Memory Model F3-10666CL7T-6GBPK - Retail (two sets for a total of 12GB)

Data Hard Drives: Seagate Barracuda 7200.12 ST31000528AS 1TB 7200 RPM SATA 3.0Gb/s 3.5" Internal Hard Drive -Bare Drive (possible 2 in a RAID 0 setup)

System Hard Drive: Seagate Barracuda 7200.12 ST3320418AS 320GB 7200 RPM SATA 3.0Gb/s 3.5" Internal Hard Drive -Bare Drive

Optical Drive: Pioneer Black Blu-ray Disc/DVD/CD Writer SATA Model BDR-205BKS - OEM

And I don't have an OS for it yet either, but I might be able to procure that from work, since I'm a computer tech and we have an Action Pack subscription.
 
Solution
a quick thought on the media burner...

do you need the ability to burn Blu-Ray?...at least right now?

a regular cd/dvd burner can be got for ~$25

I, like you went for the Blu-Ray, but if the cost is of concern...that's an easy way to drop ~$200 from the cost.

You didn't specifically state that you were going to do HD burning...that's the reason I ask...

Later on if/when prices fall, it would be just as easy to install a blu-ray burner...

jlyu

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I cant give you a build, but i heard or read on tomshardware article about this item...

Leadtek MPEG-2/H.264 Transcoding Card WinFast PxVC1100 with TMPGEnc PCI-Express x1 Interface - Retail

That it helps immensley with encoding video i think..especialy with lower cpu's..but i dont know it comparted with a i7..i may get one
 

MaizeNBlue2

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I appreciate the reply. I'm going to look into the device a little bit.

Edit: I found the review he was talking about. There's nothing that they use it with that dates back as far as my Pentium D in my current PC, but the results are definitely favorable. For anyone who may want to read it for themselves: Leadtek MPEG2-/H.265 transcoding card.
 

MaizeNBlue2

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If anyone else can give me some critiquing on the build, I'd really appreciate it. I'll price combos, etcetera when I'm ready to buy it, but I just want general feedback on my choices, and obviously suggestions on changes to the rig that would give me more bang for the buck.

Thanks guys.
 

MaizeNBlue2

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I updated the rig using some combo deals that are available right now, any thoughts?

Case/Power Supply Combo: Antec Nine Hundred ATX MidTower/Antec TruePower TP-750 80+ Bronze Rated - $209.94

Motherboard/OS Combo: ASUS P6X58D Premium/Windows 7 Pro 64 - $409.98

Video Card: PNY Quadro FX 580 512MB 128-bit - $189.99

Processor/RAM Combo: Intel Core i7-920 2.66GHz/OCZ Gold 6GB (3 x 2GB) 240-Pin DDR3 SDRAM DDR3 1600 LV - $433.98 (before $20 MIR)

Data Hard Drives: SAMSUNG Spinpoint F3 HD103SJ 1TB 7200 RPM (x2) - $89.99 each

System Hard Drive: Seagate Barracuda 7200.12 ST3500418AS 500GB 7200 RPM - $54.99

Optical Drive: Pioneer Black Blu-ray Disc/DVD/CD Writer SATA Model BDR-205BKS - OEM - $219.99

Total: $1698.85 (before MIR) Shipping comes out to just a shade over $20, so combining that with the MIR is pretty much a wash.

Any comments/concerns/observations/intuitions/etc?
 

MaizeNBlue2

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Thanks man. That's a good call. I'm still looking for more input before I pull the trigger.

Edit: 151 views and only one person replied besides me? Guys, I'm really wanting to get this build going. Any suggestions?
 

snowgoer1998

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A few months ago I put together a system for editing home HD movies...simiar to what you have...

I haven't edited any HD movies yet, but I've done roughly 100 hours of standard def. I converted my families old home movies to DVD...I am working with Adobe Premier...

Pretty soon I'll be done with the converting and then I'll be moving on to my own collection of HD home movies...

So far, I've been very happy with the performance...and the components you've got are better than what I've got...

I have WD 1TB Blacks - you have the F3's
I have a GTX275 (for gaming) - You've got the Quatro - more workstation based...should be more useful for you application.

You probably haven't gotten many comments because it's already a solid build.

I guess the only suggestion I could make is regarding if you feel it's worth it to add a SSD for your OS hard drive...keeping the F3's for scratch disks and storage...

It would add ~$100...and you're already over your ideal budget of $1500...you'll have to make the call on that one...

Ok, one more suggestion...read up on your software of choice (if you don't already know) and see if it's RAM intensive...if it is...possibly another 6GB of RAM down the road...
 

MaizeNBlue2

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Thank you for the reply. I might add another 6GB in the future, that's the reason I chose the motherboard with 6 slots instead of the 4 that a lot of boards have.

I've not dealt with SSD's before. Are they worth the money? If anyone has any input on this, I'd appreciate it.
 

coldsleep

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I would guess part of the reason you're not getting a ton of responses is because it's not a gaming build. Most of the people on here are pretty focused on gaming and might be less interested in (or confident about) commenting on a video editing build.

That being said, it is a pretty solid build already, so that could be part of it as well.

At your budget, I don't think an SSD is worth it. Using one for the boot drive and a couple of applications provides an increase in the perceived response time of the system, in that applications will load faster and the computer will boot up more quickly. Once you're editing though, it won't affect much. I'd be hesitant to go with anything smaller than 80 GB, since you want to keep it under 80% full (ideally under 50%), and if you get a 40 GB SSD, you pretty much only have room for the OS, maybe one application if you're lucky.

If you were looking at spending $2k, I'd suggest you think about it, but right now it's not going to fit in your budget without sacrificing quality elsewhere. On the plus side, it's an easy enough upgrade down the line, hopefully after they come down in price a little bit.
 

MaizeNBlue2

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I appreciate the reply, coldsleep. I'm still going to hold off for a bit, especially to see if anyone who actually does video editing and has a done a recent build can comment/critique my build. I'd hate to drop $1700+ on a PC and then have issues.

I know I need to upgrade, since it took me over a day for a 2-pass re-encode of some 720P HD content (about 2.5 hours worth).

Again, thanks for the reply. I especially appreciate your input on the SSDs.
 

coldsleep

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Yes, the Samsung Spinpoint F3s and the Seagate 7200.12s are widely considered the best available right now in the 500GB - 1 TB range. I believe that the THG performance charts have the Spinpoints performing a little better in editing/rendering tasks and the Seagates performing a little better on gaming-type tasks.
 

MaizeNBlue2

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Good man.

Alright guys, one more update here. I went through re-did my build to see if I could bring the price down while getting the same basic setup and here's what I came up with.


Case/Power Supply Combo: Antec Nine Hundred ATX MidTower/Antec TruePower TP-750 80+ Bronze Rated - $199.94

Motherboard: ASUS P6X58D Premium (Open Box) - $224.99

Video Card: PNY Quadro FX 580 512MB 128-bit - $189.99

Processor: Intel Core i7-920 2.66GHz - $288.99

RAM: G.SKILL 6GB (3 x 2GB) 240-Pin DDR3 SDRAM DDR3 1333 - $169.99

Data Hard Drives: SAMSUNG Spinpoint F3 HD103SJ 1TB 7200 RPM (x2) - $89.99 each

System Hard Drive: SAMSUNG Spinpoint F3 HD502HJ 500GB 7200 RPM - $49.99

Optical Drive: Pioneer Black Blu-ray Disc/DVD/CD Writer SATA Model BDR-205BKS - OEM - $219.99

CPU Cooling Unit: XIGMATEK Intel Core i7 compatible Dark Knight-S1283V 120mm - $44.96

Total: $1599.40 with shipping.

I realize there's no OS included with this, but my girlfriend is currently in college, so I'm going to see if she can get me Windows 7 Pro x64 for cheap.

If you compared to the builds, which would you go with? I think the RAM may be a little bit better in this build, although I am slightly nervous about the open box motherboard, but I figure the worst that can happen is I have to return it to Newegg. I appreciate any input you guys can provide.
 

MaizeNBlue2

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Alright guys, I'm bumping this one last time.

I'm planning on purchasing the second build (the one I just posted) when I go home for lunch today. Please leave any comments, concerns, etc. Thanks for the help.
 

snowgoer1998

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a quick thought on the media burner...

do you need the ability to burn Blu-Ray?...at least right now?

a regular cd/dvd burner can be got for ~$25

I, like you went for the Blu-Ray, but if the cost is of concern...that's an easy way to drop ~$200 from the cost.

You didn't specifically state that you were going to do HD burning...that's the reason I ask...

Later on if/when prices fall, it would be just as easy to install a blu-ray burner...
 
Solution

MaizeNBlue2

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That's not a bad thought. I have a Hauppauge HD-PVR, so I can record football and basketball games to my PC, then edit commercials and burn them. Right now, I can probably get by with a Dual-layer DVD burner, since I can probably get the games to fit onto that, or at least that's what I'm thinking. Thanks for that suggestion! That will make a big difference!
 

MaizeNBlue2

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Here's my up to date build:

Case: Antec Nine Hundred ATX MidTower - $99.99

Motherboard/Power Supply Combo: ASUS P6X58D Premium/CORSAIR CMPSU-850HX 850W - $444.98

Video Card: PNY Quadro FX 580 512MB 128-bit - $189.99

Processor/RAM Combo: Intel Core i7-920 2.66GHz/OCZ Gold 6GB (3 x 2GB) 240-Pin DDR3 SDRAM DDR3 1600 LV - $433.98 (before $20 MIR)

Data Hard Drives: SAMSUNG Spinpoint F3 HD103SJ 1TB 7200 RPM (x2) - $89.99 each

System Hard Drive: SAMSUNG Spinpoint F3 HD502HJ 500GB 7200 RPM - $49.99

Optical Drive: LITE-ON CD/DVD Burner - Bulk Black SATA - $23.99

CPU Cooler: ARCTIC COOLING Freezer 7 Pro Rev.2 - $36.98

Total: $1,469.32 (After Shipping & MIR)



Since I'm downgrading the optical drive, anything in my current build that could be improved upon quite a bit for a little more money, or anything that I can get for cheaper that would be better?

Suggestions welcome. I'm going to be purchasing after work instead of at lunch just to give a little more time for people to respond.
 

MaizeNBlue2

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Thanks for the reply and all your help. I'm going to stick with the Artic Cooling cooler, it's had almost 4000 reviews on Newegg and 88% of them are either 4 or 5 eggs.

I can't imagine I'd go wrong with that. Unless someone knows something I don't about it.
 

snowgoer1998

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You've got a solid build...

The only suggestion I have now is to check on prices at other vendors to see what makes the best deal

If you have a Microcenter local, you may be able to pick up the i7-920 for ~$200...I don't know if they still have this deal going on...ok..just checked...looks like the price may be $230 now..still worth a couple gallons gas

I compare these three sites when I'm about to purchase..
-Microcenter
-Fry's
-NewEgg

Microcenter and Fry's are local...so if their price can match or beat newegg (+/- a few bucks), I'll pick up the components local...I think it's just easier if/when it comes time to exchange; Plus call me old fashioned, but I like to go to the computer 'store'...not just a web site

Last thought...I like to go and actually see some of the components before I purchase (ex. the case) Sometimes pictures just don't tell the whole story.
 

MaizeNBlue2

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I appreciate the reply. Unfortunately, I don't have a Microcenter or Fry's near me. There's a Best Buy, Staples, and some places like that, but nothing like either of the two you mentioned, so I'm SOL on that front.

Thanks again for all your help.
 
G

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Hi,

I hope your build goes well.

I was planning on building an i7 860 system for editing AVCHD.

I would consider a 920 build but I keep getting swayed back to the 860.

If you could re post after your build and give some feedback on your experience using the 920 it would be helpfull.

Regards

 

MaizeNBlue2

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Hi,

I hope your build goes well.

I was planning on building an i7 860 system for editing AVCHD.

I would consider a 920 build but I keep getting swayed back to the 860.

If you could re post after your build and give some feedback on your experience using the 920 it would be helpfull.

Regards

I'll be sure to do that. Thanks for commenting.