Card for vid editing system

You can get a R9100

Someday Microsoft will use safedisc copy protection on Windows, and we have to insert the Windows CD evertime we boot pc.

<b><A HREF="http://geocities.com/spitfire_x86" target="_new"> My Rig</A></b>

You don't need a top video card for video editing. Clock speed, on-card memory and AGP type that you mentioned all don't matter much here. Any inexpensive and decent card (like the one Spitfire recommended) will do the job well.

Any of the R9000,9100,9200 would be the right choice. The power of a card has SOME influence on basic video but even at this low level it's MORE than enough.
Even a basic MAtrox card (G550 or G450) would be fine. IF you're really pumping LARGE resolutions then perhaps you/he would want to go with something with a little more Ooomph like any of the R9xxx series, no need for the 9500 or above.
I simply recommmend the R9XXX series due to some nice features, but things like fullstream and video smoothing may actually be a drawback so he would need to disable to get raw video with no effects (although always better to run the output thru a TV to see what it REALLY looks like. I have an R9000 in my video/animation machine, and it works pretty good no real issues. And it let's me play any game when I'm bored, or waiting for rendering/recording/etc.
Anywhoo for 2D he will not exhaust any of the R9XXX cards even the 64mb ones; the matrox is a little on the lite side, but depending on the resoutions he runs at it should be fine and gives great video images. But in case he wants to run 2 monitors at 1280x1024 or above then go with the extra memory for headroom. The Matrox has a 360mhz Ramdac. The R9xxx has dual 400mhz ramdac, meaning a little more headroom on dual monitor. I LOVE the MAtrox cards however the Radeons gave me a little more flexibility. For video only the Matrox are sweet, for an all around video/2d/a little 3d animation card, the Radeons are the better choice IMHO.
Hope that helps.

- You need a licence to buy a gun, but they'll sell anyone a stamp <i>(or internet account)</i> ! <font color=red>RED</font color=red> <font color=green>GREEN</font color=green> :tongue: GA to SK

Matrox would be perfect. The best image quality and speed for what he needs. And no, matrox is not on the lite side.

Hilbert space is a big place.<P ID="edit"><FONT SIZE=-1><EM>Edited by flamethrower205 on 04/11/03 01:06 AM.</EM></FONT></P>

Thanks for the input. Looks like the debate now is between the 9000 and Matrox G550, leaning toward the former.
One issue here that I should consider is support - I"m leaning toward a 9000 Pro, ATI retail, for the on-card TV-out (which it seems the Matrox dosn't have?)... leads me to the next question - is there a "real" difference btwn Pro and non-pro, and is going with ATI Retail worth it for the service/quality etc? I know they won't talk to you if it's oem/ "powered by ATI"... along these lines, does ATI not do a reatil 9100/9200 etc?

Thanks again!

Question Reality - Its a lot less real than you think

Flame, Matrox does make GREAT cards, and that is why I recommended them (450/550) however when running LARGE dual monitor res. the 32mb and low ramdac DOES affect performance. A friend who also dabbles in video editing found he couldn't reach the res. I get on my R9000 with his G550 without experiencing visible slow downs, even just switching windows on the same monitor in Premiere.
They are GREAT cards, especially if your second monitor is a TV (480X720), but when running dual 1280x1024 or higher (1600x1200[32] and 1280X1024[32]in this case), you can notice a diff. I say they are lite (only relatively so), just because when REALLY pushed they conk out before the R9000 with 128mb. Yeah if we weren't price sensitive I would have recommended the Para. which has the VERY best 2D and multi-headed performance. But it's a fair deal more expensive. If the G550 card came with just a little more memory then it would be the clear choice IMO, but it doesn't.
Anywhoo for MOST situations it will do fine, and that's why I recommended them, but MY PERSONAL experience is that the 128mb R9XXX series work GREAT too, and I haven't had the slow window change of people I know.
Anyways if he's running dual monitor at med. resolutions an doesn't do any gaming, then the Matrox would be the best choice, but under the above circumstances I'd go with the ATI's for the added flexibility.

- You need a licence to buy a gun, but they'll sell anyone a stamp <i>(or internet account)</i> ! <font color=red>RED</font color=red> <font color=green>GREEN</font color=green> :tongue: GA to SK

The difference between pro and non-pro is clock speed (for the 9000 +15 core/+100 mem. I think). As for OEM vs Built By ATI, the main difference in the 9000 series is the software bundle, on some higher end cards there were memory quality/speed and core speed differences.
Ati makes the 9000 and 9200, but the 9100 appears to only be OEM, some of whom also make 9000s and may make 9200s.
I think the G550 CAN come with TV out, but I don't know if it's at the cost of another connector, my friend's is a DVI+RGB board. You can get the G550 in DVI+DVI format, I saw one when I was looking for my 9000 (mine is a non-pro built by sapphire [didn't find out the OEM maker 'til I got it home, thought it was HIS in the store {didn't matter though}])
If the price is reasonaby similar always go for the pro. I went non-pro because I couldn't find a pro OEM board at the time (shoulda waited 2 weeks, I coulda gotten an HIS 9000pro VI/VO for $12CDN more).

- You need a licence to buy a gun, but they'll sell anyone a stamp <i>(or internet account)</i> ! <font color=red>RED</font color=red> <font color=green>GREEN</font color=green> :tongue: GA to SK

Thanks again, I'll pass this along so I can find out excatly which is the better road for him... I'm still leaning toward the 9000 Pro though.
On that note, is there any "functional" difference in the support/ quality with the ATI retail over an OEM with teh same specs? (i.e., if he were to have an issue in, say, 6-12 months from now)...

Thanks again

Question Reality - Its a lot less real than you think

Of course. ATI will have better overall support, whether it's worth the extra money I don't know.

It's like my choosing a laptop, I know IBM will always help me with my ThinkPad, but will ECS or a bunch of other New players?

I would go retail for a really expensive card, but with the 9000 level card, it may not be worth the extra money. But if it is a primary concern, then go for security. If the prices are close, always go with retail otherwise weigh your values against the savings.

- You need a licence to buy a gun, but they'll sell anyone a stamp <i>(or internet account)</i> ! <font color=red>RED</font color=red> <font color=green>GREEN</font color=green> :tongue: GA to SK