Building a system for video editing. Need some help.

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maxse

Gawd
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Apr 21, 2004
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Hello everyone. Firstly I want to wish everyone happy holidays!
Second I need some help.

I have been extremely busy this year and have not kept up with technology. I am familiar with computers and have built them in the past along with some HTPC;
So now my father needs a computer which he will use for video editing.
Now I have been completely out of the loop as to the current processors and mobos overclocking etc... So I am tryly clueless and overwhelmed by the amount of different types of processors available and which one is best for me.

Can you guys give me the readers digest version of what I need to go get?
The budget is $800-$900 including hard drives. I already have a monitor and a mouse and keyboard. So is it possible to build such a machine for this amount? (Not including software)

Would it be better to just have him order it from Dell?
I'm thinking something along the lines of an asus mobo quad-core, 4gigs of ram, etc... It has to be rock stable. Thanks in advance.
 
maxse said:
Hello everyone. Firstly I want to wish everyone happy holidays!
Second I need some help.

I have been extremely busy this year and have not kept up with technology. I am familiar with computers and have built them in the past along with some HTPC;
So now my father needs a computer which he will use for video editing.
Now I have been completely out of the loop as to the current processors and mobos overclocking etc... So I am tryly clueless and overwhelmed by the amount of different types of processors available and which one is best for me.

Can you guys give me the readers digest version of what I need to go get?
The budget is $800-$900 including hard drives. I already have a monitor and a mouse and keyboard. So is it possible to build such a machine for this amount? (Not including software)

Would it be better to just have him order it from Dell?
I'm thinking something along the lines of an asus mobo quad-core, 4gigs of ram, etc... It has to be rock stable. Thanks in advance.
Click to expand...
ya, you should be able to do that for your budget. I'd say build it, unless you'd rather buy a dell and call it day.

Start with a Q6600, 4 GIgs of DDr2 COrsair, eVga 8800GT, and 150GB (OS) + 1TB (Data)
You should be able to do all of that close to your budget
 
You don't need an 8800 GT for video editing -- an 8500 will do just fine, and offers hardware HD video decoding to boot. Saves a lot of money.

CPU - Q6600 G0 stepping -- $275 at ClubIT
Motherboard - Abit IP35-E/IP35/IP35-Pro or Gigabyte P35-DS3R/DS3L/DQ6 depending on your needs -- look at specs. $90-200
GPU - Geforce 8500GT - $70, $55 or so AR
RAM - 4GB DDR2-800 -- ~$100-120, maybe lower
PSU - Corsair 520HX -- $100 or so, maybe lower AR
Case - Coolermaster RC-690 $60, ~$35-40 AR
HDDs - Seagate 7200.10 SATA -- get 2 500GB rather than a single 1TB drive. $100-120 each, $200-240 total
Optical - LiteOn 20x DVDRW SATA -- ~$35

total: $1000 or so before rebates, conservatively. Look around and you can do it within budget no problem.
 
Hopefully they fixed the driver issues on the 8500GT. Because of those issues, I went with an 8600GT instead ($80AR).

Silent's build is good. I'd go for a Samsung optical drive if you want it to be quiet.
 
Thanks guys.
I have a question. How come no one seems to recommend an Asus mobo? Aren't they the most reliable boards?
Also what is this G0 stepping I see people talking about? Whats so special about this stepping on the Q6600, and how can I ensure that I get one?

Also I think I still need some more help with the video card. What are the differences between the 8600GT 8800GT etc... And do I need a good one for video editing? There will be no gaming done on this machine?

Also which manufacturer Nvidia chipset should I go for? I want this computer to be as quiet as possible so Im not looking to put some turbine fan on it to cool it down.

Here is what I have so far. Anyone know if this mobo is good? Its a bit cheaper than Asus. Also maybe it is more than I need, can I go with a cheaper one?
1) Motherboard - GIGABYTE GA-P35-DS4 Rev. 2.0 LGA 775 Intel P35 ATX Intel Motherboard $180
2) RAM - G.SKILL 4GB(2 x 2GB) 240-Pin DDR2 SDRAM DDR2 800 (PC2 6400) Dual Channel Kit Desktop Memory $104.99
3) Proc. - Intel Core 2 Quad Q6600 Kentsfield 2.4GHz 2 x 4MB L2 Cache LGA 775 Quad-Core Processor $280
 
The main reason why I don't recommend Intel Asus mobos is because they tend to be overpriced compared to another mobos with better or equal specs. In addition, they also have pretty bad customer service, or so I've heard.

Since there won't be any gaming whatsoever, just go with the 8500GT. That's all that your dad will need. I'm assuming you mean which Nvidia video card manufacturer to go with your Nvidia chipset question. If you truly want silent computing, try to find either a 8500GT or 8600GT with passive cooling. Meaning no fan whatsoever.

The motherboard is a good choice. However, I think it's overkill for your father. Does he really need all the features of that motherboard?

Anyway, I concur that silent-circuit's list is good. But just in case you need it, here are the buying links, though I had to replace the Seagates with Western Digital drives. I'll assume that you're here in America:
Intel Core 2 Quad Q6600 G0 Stepping CPU - $275
Gigabyte GA-P35-DS3L Intel P35 Motherboard - $86
G.SKILL F2-6400CL5D-4GBPQ 2 x 2GB DDR2 800 RAM - $105
Gigabyte GV-NX86T256H GeForce 8600GT 256MB PCI-E HDCP Ready Passive Video Card - $110
Corsair 520HX 520W PSU - $109
Cooler Master RC-690-KKN1-GP ATX Case - $60
Western Digital WD5000AAKS 500GB 7200RPM SATA 3.0Gb/s Hard Drive - $103
Samsung SH-203B 20X DVD±R SATA DVD Burner - $34
---
$882 Plus tax and shipping.
 
thanks guys. Actually he does need firewire because a camera that he uses needs firewire.
I think I am going to stretch the budget and get an Asus P5K-Deluxe for $220.

I wouldn't mind if I can overclock it to 3.0 ghz....
Also what is the difference in chipsets between the P35 and X38?
Which one should I go with?

And lastly, what is so special about the G0 stepping offered by clubit versus the newegg one?
 
The Asus P5K Deluxe is overpriced. Go for the Asus P5K-E instead, if you want to stick with Asus and get good price/performance. Other good alternatives would be the Abit IP35 vanilla, IP35 Pro, and Gigabyte GA-P35-DS3P.

To reach 3Ghz on the Q6600, I'd recommend the Ultima90 + Panaflo fan, though there are other good choices in this list:
$35 - Scythe SCNJ-1100P Ninja Plus Rev.B CPU HSF (optional $7 Thermalright LGA775 Bolt-Thru-Kit; recommended esp. for quadcore usage)
$45 - Tuniq Tower 120 CPU HSF
$46 - Thermalright Ultima 90 CPU HS + Panaflo Hydrowave Fan, FBA09A12M - Z ($3)
$55 - Thermalright Ultra 120 eXtreme CPU HS + Scythe S-Flex Fan SFF21E ($15)

The main difference between P35 (bearlake mainstream) and X38 (bearlake enthusiast) is dual 16x Crossfire support and PCI-E 2.0. However, if you don't need Crossfire, then don't bother paying the price premium of an X38 board. By the time graphics cards are severely limited by the PCI-E 1.1 slot, it will be time for a new motherboard anyhow. Save your money and stick with a mainstream P35 chipset. Most, if not all, P35 boards can OC nicely.

G0 is the newest stepping for the Q6600. It requires less voltage and therefore runs cooler. This is a good thing whether or not you OC.

That RAM is on sale for $85 if you subscribe to the newegg newsletter.
 
thanks for the tip.
P5K-E it is...
Q6600 G0 stepping form clubit.
8600GT video...
Corsair 520hx PSU.
Now any suggestions on RAM? Is the g.Skill I posted above good for this mobo? Any incompatibilities? I never bought G.Skill before have always bought Corsair..
Also how can I subscribe to the newsletter to get this RAM for $85? And will this RAM be good if I plan to OC to 3 ghz somewhere down the line?
 
when you sign in to newegg, theres an option to subscribe to the newsletter.

the g.skill ram is good. all you need to reach 3Ghz, actually, is DDR2-667, lol. but since DDR2-800 is so cheap, just go for that instead.

/*------------- <cut n paste> -------------*/
Formulas for Intel platform @ 1:1 settings: (base FSB speed is SDR, or single data rate)
c x [Base FSB speed] = CPU speed (c = CPU Multiplier)
2 x [Base FSB speed] = RAM speed (DDR: double data rate)
4 x [Base FSB speed] = FSB speed (QDR: quad data rate; Effective FSB speed)

On Intel platforms, running the RAM higher than a 1:1 ratio with the CPU is, for the most part, useless, so don't bother trying to do so. If the BIOS does it for you, just let it. All you need is a 1:1 config, though. Here's some possible clock speeds (as always with OC'ing, your results will vary):

Q6600: 9 × 266 = 2.4Ghz, DDR2-533 << STOCK speeds
Q6600: 9 × 333 = 3.0Ghz, DDR2-667 << Nice OC
Q6600: 9 × 378 = 3.4Ghz, DDR2-756 << Good OC, near max for B3 stepping
Q6600: 9 × 400 = 3.6Ghz, DDR2-800 << Great OC, near max for G0 stepping
/*------------- </cut n paste> -------------*/

For that setup, all you'd need is the Corsair VX450 PSU. Get it from clubit.com, since its cheaper there than at newegg. Here are more PSU Suggestions:
http://forums.extremeoverclocking.com/showpost.php?p=1590883&postcount=193
http://www.jonnyguru.com/forums/showthread.php?t=1460
http://www.jonnyguru.com/forums/showthread.php?t=103
PSU FAQ: http://www.jonnyguru.net/forums/showthread.php?t=1036
 
For hard drives, you will want the 7200.11 hard drives from Seagate rather than the older 7200.10s. The performance is significantly better for video editing and it only costs $120 for a 500GB hard drive. You will want 2 of them in RAID 1 (most likely).
I recommend the Q6600 as well unless you want to spend more in the $1000-1400 range.
 
thanks for the tips guys.
Decided to go with the Corsair 520HX CPU to be safe. When I was up to date Corsair didnt really make PSUs. I guess they make some good ones now huh?

As for the hard drives. I could not find any 7200.11. Only 7200.10. Will I notice a difference?
Also I don't think I will go with a raid setup because I just dont want to risk having one drive crash and then loosing everything... I was thinking maybe one 250gig for the OS drive and the other 500 gig. Or just 2 500 gig ones. I can't seem to find the 7200.11 let alone for a decent price.
 
The 7200.11's are new, so they'll be pricey. The 7200.10's are fine. Go with the 250GB 7200.10 'cuda and whichever 500GB you like. Samsungs and WDs tend to be quieter than seagate, but seagate tends to be faster and has a longer warranty.

Corsair just recently got into the PSU market. They use good quality OEM parts (Seasonic and CWT), and they understate their capabilities instead of overstate (many other PSU brands like to overstate).
 
maxse said:
Thanks guys.
I have a question. How come no one seems to recommend an Asus mobo? Aren't they the most reliable boards?
Click to expand...

they're good boards, but there are some current Socket T boards out there that are a better value for the $$$ and are just as good, if not better than higher priced ASUS boards.

G0 stepping on the Q6600 allows for hell of overclocking!!! :)
 
thanks guys. Quick question.
What kind of DVI cable will I need to connect the 8600GT to the 20.1 Viewsonic monitor. I'm a little confused by the DVI-I stuff. I want to go to monoprice but Im not sure which cable I will need.
 
maxse said:
thanks for the tips guys.
Decided to go with the Corsair 520HX CPU to be safe. When I was up to date Corsair didnt really make PSUs. I guess they make some good ones now huh?

As for the hard drives. I could not find any 7200.11. Only 7200.10. Will I notice a difference?
Also I don't think I will go with a raid setup because I just dont want to risk having one drive crash and then loosing everything... I was thinking maybe one 250gig for the OS drive and the other 500 gig. Or just 2 500 gig ones. I can't seem to find the 7200.11 let alone for a decent price.
Click to expand...
If you don't want the risk of loosing everything, you WANT RAID 1 which automatically makes a copy of 1 hard drive to another identical hard drive. If one dies, you have a full copy in the other. 7200.11s cost ~$10 more than 7200.10s. Buy them here: http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16822148288

The 7200.11s have 32MB of cache which significantly improves video editing performance.
 
thanks guys. I got 1 500 gig 7200.11 as the OS drive... Im not thrilled because this is way to omuch space for an OS drive but from what I understand it is not good to keep the OS and working files on the same drive because it slows down the performance correct?

I want to wait until the 750gig ones come down in price so I can pick up another 7200.11.

Also the viewsonic has been connected via VGA all this time and I am not sure I still have the DVI cable for it so I will need to buy a new one.
Any suggestions on which one I need. I'm a bit confused about all the DVI variations at monoprice.com and am not sure which one I will need to get.
 
Every DVI is the same cable. Get the cheapest one that reaches as far as you need. (Oh you also need to watch out for whether or not you need male/female connectors iirc. Check your monitor and video card to see what you need between them. If pins have to go into the connector, you need a male cable.)
 
dshankar said:
Every DVI is the same cable. Get the cheapest one that reaches as far as you need. (Oh you also need to watch out for whether or not you need male/female connectors iirc. Check your monitor and video card to see what you need between them. If pins have to go into the connector, you need a male cable.)
Click to expand...

Not true. There are DVI-A cables that won't work for what he needs. DVI-D or DVI-I cables will work fine. You only need DVD-D as it's a digital signal and digital panel. DVI-I just includes the ability to send an analog signal as well. DVI-A is analog only, however, so it won't work.
 
cool. Thanks guys. DVI-D it is.
I just ordered everything but whoops. I forgot to order an optical drive!
Any suggestions on a good DL burner? I want something cheap but at the same time I dont want ot be burning coasters left and right.
 
Samsung if you want it quiet. I've had good experiences with LiteOn drives (they OEMed for Sony for a long time) so I tend to go with them, though they can be louder. Keep your firmware up to date, regardless.
 
thanks Just got the Samsung S203B. Thanks again everyone for your help. This forum is truly great.
 
maxse said:
... Im not thrilled because this is way to omuch space for an OS drive...
Click to expand...

Just format your OS partition to around 30GB or so, and use the rest for regular data. Then use the other drive for your working files. Partitioning off the OS section makes it easy to reformat/reinstall if and when you need to.

It wasn't very obvious from the post above, but I just wanted to point out to anyone reading this thread that RAID1 is NOT a backup solution. While RAID1 is nice, its only an exact copy of the main drive. If you accidentally delete a file from the main drive, its not backed up onto the mirrored drive. If you get a virus on your main drive, its on your mirrored drive as well. If there's data corruption, chances are, the data on the mirrored drive is corrupt, too. RAID1 is meant to minimize downtime in case a drive fails... thats it. A good backup solution is still needed if you don't want to lose your data.
 
thanks you guys! Everything is put together and running nicely.
The case is the best case I have ever used so far. Thanks so much for everyone's help.
 
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