HD Video Editing budget build

A

Augster

Limp Gawd
Joined
Feb 21, 2004
Messages
130
Hello,

It's been a while since I needed to build anything. My last build was YEARS ago and was a gaming rig, so any help is appreciated. I'm in the US and usually buy from Newegg.

I'm getting into more and more HD video editing, and if money were no object, it'd be really easy to pick a build. As it is, my budget is $800 shipped and needs to include Windows 7 64bit. I will reuse mice/keyboard. I am going to get a monitor, hopefully doubling as an HDTV, so HDMI out would be nice. The monitor does not come out of the $800 budget.

Like I said, I am primarily going to be doing HD video editing with virtually zero gaming. It'd be nice to be able to game, but totally not a necessity. I also do some audio recording.

In my research, it seems at this time an Intel i7 would be the way to go, but that would eat almost all the budget. Will an i5-2500 do a decent job? Are there any AMD chips to recommend for something so CPU intensive as HD editing?

Lastly, I'd need to include a blu-ray burner and I have to have firewire. Whether the firewire is on the mobo or an add-in card, I'll need it. I currently have a PCI firewire card and could reuse that if need be and the mobo supports it. No idea.

Thanks for any help and suggestions!
 
Please answer the following questions:

3) Which country do you live in? If the U.S, please tell us the state and city if possible.
5) If reusing any parts, what parts will you be reusing? Please be especially specific about the power supply. List make and model.
6) Will you be overclocking?
8) When do you plan on building/buying the PC?
9) What features do you need in a motherboard? RAID? Crossfire or SLI support? USB 3.0? SATA 6Gb/s? eSATA? Onboard video (as a backup or main GPU)? etc. (besides Firewire)
10) Do you already have a legit and reusable/transferable OS key/license? If yes, what OS? Is it 32bit or 64bit?

If we were to look for a monitor to buy around the same time as the rest of your system, how much at most are you willing to spend on it? What resolution would you like?
 
I see tiraides took care of the rest of the questions.

In addition to that, which programs do you use? Depending on what you do, the Bulldozer might not be a bad option.
 
What program are you going to use, what format is your source footage in, what format will the edited project end up in.
Are these long or short format videos? Short is less than 60 minutes, long is over 60 minutes.
 
I'm in the US, as I said, Minneapolis, MN. I buy from Newegg, Amazon and Tigerdirect often. I have a MicroCenter within 20 minutes from me though.

No re-using of parts unless my PCI firewire card can be re-used. I'll need Windows 7 64bit and a case and power supply.

I may overclock. From my reading, the i5/i7 overclock with zero difference on most boards. I am not going to max it out or spend much time with it. But I don't NEED to OC it if it's fast enough, which it should be.

Building/buying somewhere between today and the next couple of months. The sooner the better, really, or other things will cut into the cash I have earmarked for this.

In the MOBO, 6gb and USB 3.0 I am expecting. Those are the most forward compatible. I do not plan on a RAID configuration. If I could afford it I'd have an SSD for the OS/programs, then a big drive for scratch/capture and a big drive for storage.

From everything I have read, for video editing, onboard video may suffice as the encoding etc. is much more CPU intensive than GPU intensive. I really don't plan to game at all.

Any hdtv I buy for a monitor will be a 1080p model. But I may by just a dedicated monitor/monitors for the NLE station.

For software, I haven't decided yet, but I'm leaning toward Avid Studio or Sony Vegas Studio 11. Mostly SD home video I'm moving from tape to Blu-Ray. And HD AVCHD video edited and burned to Blu-Ray also. Almost all videos will be less than an hour total run-time.

Thanks very much for the help!
 
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Do you have any HDDs you can re-use? The current prices are still pretty high, at the tune of well ove r$100 for 1GB, so it's going to take a huge chunk out of your budget if you don't have a re-usable one.

I'd suggest you get a P67 or Z68 MoBo, and put in that PCI card. Most MoBos with built in firewire are labeled as "pro" or "deluxe" and cost close to $200 or more.
 
No hard drives to reuse. Unless IDE is making a comeback.

I do have a PCI FireWire card I can reuse. Do current boards still use old PCI? It's a different world.

I suppose I could just get the SSD to start with and get the rig up and running. Then add storage drives as sales happen over the next month or two.

I see newegg has the i7-2600 for $20 off this morning. What is the difference between a 2600 and 2600K?

Thanks for the help.
 
the 2600k has the multipliers unlocked, making it extremely easy to overclock. The 2600 doesn't, so it's a lot harder. Generally people are willing to shell out that extra bit for the 2600k for easy overclocking.
 
What's the likelihood of you being able to buy parts from Microcenter before January 1st?
 
Highly likely. I could go there in the morning. It's only 20 minutes away, but I'll have to pay tax around 8%.

So I'd definitely want a K chip to do a mild OC it seems.
 
$367 - Intel Core i7 2600K + Asus P8Z68-V LX Intel Z68 Motherboard
$35 - G.Skill Value Series F3-10600CL9D-8GBNT 2 x 4GB DDR3 1333 RAM
$195 - Crucial M4 CT128M4SSD2 2.5" 128GB SSD
$60 - Antec NEO ECO 620C 620W PSU
$50 - NZXT Source 210 Elite White with Black Front Trim ATX Case
$100 - Windows 7 Home Premium SP1 64bit OEM
---
Total: $807 shipped

Notes:
- Get that PSU today as it is on sale.
- At Microcenter, if you buy a Z68/P67 mobo when you buy a 2600K, they'll knock off $50 off the price of that mobo. Hence the $367 after 8% tax price for the CPU and mobo rather than the normal $432 after 8% tax price. So definitely get the CPU and mobo together.
- That SSD should be large enough for your OS and apps. Then, as you noted earlier, grab the hard drives over the next few months when there is a sale.
 
Augster said:
From everything I have read, for video editing, onboard video may suffice as the encoding etc. is much more CPU intensive than GPU intensive. I really don't plan to game at all.
Click to expand...
Sony Vegas 11 does not offload decoding onto GPU, but will offload encoding onto the GPU. The author of the article below states that the difference was minimal, but did not cite the NVidia card used. Sony may have even made improvements since it was written. Still worth looking into, though.

Reference
 
Danny Bui said:
$367 - Intel Core i7 2600K + Asus P8Z68-V LX Intel Z68 Motherboard
$35 - G.Skill Value Series F3-10600CL9D-8GBNT 2 x 4GB DDR3 1333 RAM
$195 - Crucial M4 CT128M4SSD2 2.5" 128GB SSD
$60 - Antec NEO ECO 620C 620W PSU
$50 - NZXT Source 210 Elite White with Black Front Trim ATX Case
$100 - Windows 7 Home Premium SP1 64bit OEM
---
Total: $807 shipped

Notes:
- Get that PSU today as it is on sale.
- At Microcenter, if you buy a Z68/P67 mobo when you buy a 2600K, they'll knock off $50 off the price of that mobo. Hence the $367 after 8% tax price for the CPU and mobo rather than the normal $432 after 8% tax price. So definitely get the CPU and mobo together.
- That SSD should be large enough for your OS and apps. Then, as you noted earlier, grab the hard drives over the next few months when there is a sale.
Click to expand...

That case is actually $40, there is a 20% off Promo Code for it
20% off w/ promo code EMCYTZT1000, ends 12/29
 
Zepher said:
That case is actually $40, there is a 20% off Promo Code for it
20% off w/ promo code EMCYTZT1000, ends 12/29
Click to expand...

Ahh missed that. Thanks for the heads-up.

OP, get the case today too. :)
 
Thanks for the great suggestions!

Now this may be an extreme noob question, but, what am I using for video?

No video card, plus no onboard video? I guess I'm a little lost.

Also, if I could, I'd like 16GB of RAM. Any wiggle room there?

Thanks for the help!
 
Augster said:
Now this may be an extreme noob question, but, what am I using for video?

No video card, plus no onboard video? I guess I'm a little lost.
Click to expand...
The 2600K comes with a built-in GPU. The motherboard has video out options. Therefore you do have onboard video.

Augster said:
Also, if I could, I'd like 16GB of RAM. Any wiggle room there?
Click to expand...
Not really without sacrificing some quality, capability, or bang for the buck value.
 
Good to know. Thanks!

Last question before bed...

Newegg is practically giving away Vegas Studio 11 when you buy a copy of Windows 7 64bit, which I need to do.

The only drawback I see is that Studio 11 is a 32bit program.

If I'm putting together this 64bit, very capable, rig for editing, should I make sure I get 64bit editing software? I know I'd like the Vegas suite as I've used Vegas a long time ago and still use an old version of Soundforge.

Would the proposed computer I'm putting together be way overkill, or would the software simply underutilize the hardware? Extending encoding times and such?

Is there a better editing software for around $100? Though, I think, the Sony Vegas 11 comes out to $42 when packaged with Windows 7. Maybe the wrong forum for this, but I thought I'd take a stab.

I'm definitely buying the case and PSU right now.

Thanks for all the help!
 
Augster said:
If I'm putting together this 64bit, very capable, rig for editing, should I make sure I get 64bit editing software?
Click to expand...
AFAIK, not really.
Augster said:
Is there a better editing software for around $100? Though, I think, the Sony Vegas 11 comes out to $42 when packaged with Windows 7. Maybe the wrong forum for this, but I thought I'd take a stab.
Click to expand...
Ask that question over in the Digital Artwerk subforum
 
Edius Neo is a good program but it's almost $200,
http://www.bhphotovideo.com/c/product/758411-REG/Grass_Valley_606492_GREN3.html

I have version 1 that I won at a Video Conference a few years ago,
edius-layout3.jpg


but I prefer Adobe Premiere since I've been using it for so long,
editor-2010.jpg
 
As a video editor myself, you want to run your editing suite in 32 bit mode. Especially Vegas. (not just glitches either)

Edits neo is awesome if you can swing it. Vegas is good for quick and dirty, premiere is starting to replace final cut and avid media composer is for professionals who have a large budget typically.
 
Thanks for the advice.

So if I can get Vegas platinum 11 bundled with Windows 7 64 bit for $140 I should take it?

Or is Edius Neo 3 that much better? I've read nothing but good about it.
 
djgizmo said:
As a video editor myself, you want to run your editing suite in 32 bit mode. Especially Vegas. (not just glitches either)

Edits neo is awesome if you can swing it. Vegas is good for quick and dirty, premiere is starting to replace final cut and avid media composer is for professionals who have a large budget typically.
Click to expand...

just an fyi, Premiere Pro CS5 and above are 64bit apps, so a 64bit OS is required.

And you can have more ram for the system.
here Premiere Pro CS5 is sucking up most of my 8GB of ram.
premiere-test.jpg


Augster said:
Thanks for the advice.

So if I can get Vegas platinum 11 bundled with Windows 7 64 bit for $140 I should take it?

Or is Edius Neo 3 that much better? I've read nothing but good about it.
Click to expand...

I've never used Vegas so I can't compare it to Edius Neo, but compared to Premiere, Edius Neo is a very solid product.
 
Augster said:
Thanks for the advice.

So if I can get Vegas platinum 11 bundled with Windows 7 64 bit for $140 I should take it?

Or is Edius Neo 3 that much better? I've read nothing but good about it.
Click to expand...

Actually, all $100-ish consumer video editing programs are strictly 32-bit, and they also lack many of the features in the higher-priced "prosumer" editing programs such as GPU accelerated mode. Thus, it does not matter which GPU you pick for such a cheapo editing program.

On the other hand, if you are going to use Adobe Premiere Pro CS5.5, you will need at least a GeForce GTX 560 for its GPU accelerated mode to perform at its best (even with a relatively slow CPU such as an i3-21xx). The GTX 550 Ti is acceptable for CS5.5 if the CPU is a relatively low-end dual-core Sandy Bridge i3, but anything lower will limit performance in CS5.5.
 
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Thanks for the responses!

I really don't think I can afford CS5. I'll be a hobbiest, at best, making and editing home videos. So CS5 will most likely be overkill in my situation.

It's good to know about the GPU. That I don't need it until I upgrade to a better software suite. I think the build Danny Bui recommended is easily upgraded if I do feel like purchasing a bigger/better software suite.

So the 32-bit should be fine for my purposes. With 8 GB memory and the integrated video? As a starter I'm hoping this works well.

Thanks for the continued help!
 
Augster said:
Thanks for the responses!

I really don't think I can afford CS5. I'll be a hobbiest, at best, making and editing home videos. So CS5 will most likely be overkill in my situation.

It's good to know about the GPU. That I don't need it until I upgrade to a better software suite. I think the build Danny Bui recommended is easily upgraded if I do feel like purchasing a bigger/better software suite.

So the 32-bit should be fine for my purposes. With 8 GB memory and the integrated video? As a starter I'm hoping this works well.

Thanks for the continued help!
Click to expand...

32-bit Windows programs (for the most part) will run just fine on Windows 7 64-bit. It's just that the 32-bit program in question will likely not use more than about 3GB out of that 8GB of RAM.
 
Thanks for the replies!

One more question. Should I get an aftermarket CPU cooler, or should the included HSF work fine? I don't see it in the budget.

If I need a HSF, what should I get that works very quietly?

Thanks!
 
Cooler Master Hyper 212+, if it will fit in your case.
 
Danny Bui said:
$367 - Intel Core i7 2600K + Asus P8Z68-V LX Intel Z68 Motherboard
$35 - G.Skill Value Series F3-10600CL9D-8GBNT 2 x 4GB DDR3 1333 RAM
$195 - Crucial M4 CT128M4SSD2 2.5" 128GB SSD
$60 - Antec NEO ECO 620C 620W PSU
$50 - NZXT Source 210 Elite White with Black Front Trim ATX Case
$100 - Windows 7 Home Premium SP1 64bit OEM
---
Total: $807 shipped
Click to expand...

Okay, I didn't buy my mobo/cpu yet. I see the new Microcenter flyer is out and the $50 off offer is still valid when coupling an i7-2600K with a Mobo.

I have bought the case and Antec PSU as recommended.

Is the rest of the recommended build the same? i.e. same motherboard with the i7 or would something work "better" for my requirements at around the same price.

When I had the guy at Microcenter ring up the i7 with the above Mobo, it was $375 after tax and $50 off. I'm just wondering if there is a better cpu/mobo combo for me for less than, say, $400 as the above I can go get right now for $375.

Thanks for the help. I am planning on hitting up Microcenter tomorrow. Some of the boards I looked at in the flyer say they are out of stock for Minneapolis. Let me know if waiting for a "better" board is worth it or should I just buy the recommended in-stock board.

Thanks!
 
So another Z68 that costs $20-$25 more won't get me much performance-wise then?

Thanks much for the help!
 
Augster said:
So another Z68 that costs $20-$25 more won't get me much performance-wise then?

Thanks much for the help!
Click to expand...

Not really. Just more features and/or better quality. Unfortunately that extra cash isn't enough to cover the costs of the more expensive Z68 mobos that we tend to recommend.
 
Augster said:
So another Z68 that costs $20-$25 more won't get me much performance-wise then?
Click to expand...

There is hardly much if any difference between Z68 motherboards. However, above the $120-ish prive point, the next more expensive Z68 mobo that we recommend costs a whopping $180 to $210. That's because for $150-ish to $170-ish, the only Z68 mobos in that range available from Micro Center are from Gigabyte - and we all know that their current Z68 mobos still have not been using a true UEFI BIOS. As such, they tend to cost too much money at the $150 to $170 price point when they are really worth about $125 to $130 tops. Thus, even with the $50 discount with the i7-2600K, they are still overpriced when there are better values for Z68 mobos both lower-priced and higher-priced than that $125-$130 price range.
 
Yet another question....

What is the best Blu Ray burner for less than $100? I'll need it to burn DVD's, Blu-Rays, and install the OS.

Thanks!
 
Okay, I think I need to rethink this as I've been reading a bit and figuring out what I need.

I am going to run Sony Vegas Movie Studio HD Platinum 11 Production Suite.

What I have thus far, from the recommends above:

Antec PSU
NVXT Case
Crucial M4 128GB SSD
G. Skill Value Ram 8GB.

I would like to use an i7-2600K, and I can go to Microcenter. Newegg and Amazon work too. I am planning on going to Microcenter tomorrow, or Saturday at the latest, here in Minneapolis.

Now, for the rest, with a budget of $700 I would need:

Blue Ray burner
i7-2600K
Motherboard
HSF
and a GPU if I could.

If the motherboard had Firewire, even better.

I would like to run dual monitors for video editing. The monitors are not included in the $700 and I'll need to research that over in the Displays forum I am sure. For now, I just want the forward compatibility.

Thanks for any help and sorry for dragging this out so long. :rolleyes:
 
Is there anything wrong with the P68 boards?

I chose the P8P67 Pro Rev 3.1 for my 2600K since I needed as many SATA ports as possible on the board, and it has 8. My old board, P7P55D-E had 9, so I had to remove a drive from my system when I upgraded.


With the $700 you have left, there is about $120 left for a GPU with the $150 I estimated for a board. If you get a cpu/mobo combo at Micro Center, then the GPU budget can go up.
$319 for the 2600K (Amazon, Newegg)
$150 for a mobo
$27 for Cooler Master Hyper 212+ (Amazon)
$85 LG or Sony Bluray Burner (Newegg)
 
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Thanks for the reply.

Being I know almost nothing about chipsets, and even less about GPUs, I figured I'd model this build off of others builds.

Looking at your signature is kind of a build I was looking at as you do video editing with your machine which is going to be the main use of this rig.

From my limited reading, I'm guessing Danny suggested the Z68 board because of the use of onchip video. My previous budget certainly didn't allow for a GPU. I'm hoping this budget does as I'm planning on running at least two monitors.

Thanks for the suggestions!
 
Okay, how about this buildup....

Asus P8P67 PRO R3.1 PLUS i7-2600K $410 (after tax and MIR) at MCenter
Asus Blu Ray burner $75 (after MIR) at Newegg
Hyper 212+ HSF $26 at Amazon
MSI GTX 560 GPU $180 at newegg

After MIR's that would be $691. That motherboard would allow for 4 6gb/s SATA3's. And it has Firewire etc.

Is the 560 overkill/underkill for my usage?

Is there a less expensive GPU I could go with for that board, or should I just stay with no GPU and get a Z68 board as originally posted? Or a different, less expensive board and GPU saving me money?

Everything I have read for HD editing says to get a video card with at least 1GB and CUDA etc. etc. Then again, if I don't NEED it, I don't plan on gaming at all. But I do want to do at least a two-monitor setup.

Thanks for the help. Only 5 of those Mobos in stock at MCenter.
 
Augster said:
From my limited reading, I'm guessing Danny suggested the Z68 board because of the use of onchip video.
Click to expand...
Pretty much. That and if you do get a dedicated GPU, it serves as a backup GPU in the event of your dedicated GPU dying or become defective.

Augster said:
My previous budget certainly didn't allow for a GPU. I'm hoping this budget does as I'm planning on running at least two monitors.
Click to expand...
Note that the onboard video of many Z68 mobos do allow you to use two monitors right off the bat. Like the Asus P8Z68-V LX mobo that I recommended earlier.

Augster said:
Asus P8P67 PRO R3.1 PLUS i7-2600K $410 (after tax and MIR) at MCenter
Asus Blu Ray burner $75 (after MIR) at Newegg
Hyper 212+ HSF $26 at Amazon
MSI GTX 560 GPU $180 at newegg

After MIR's that would be $691. That motherboard would allow for 4 6gb/s SATA3's. And it has Firewire etc.

Augster said:
Is the 560 overkill/underkill for my usage?
Click to expand...
Are you using Adobe Premiere Pro CS5.5 or newer versions? If so, then the GTX 560 is a good choice.
If you're using cheap video editing programs, that card is stupid overkill and virtually any cheap video card will do. Even onboard video would be enough in those cases.

Augster said:
Is there a less expensive GPU I could go with for that board, or should I just stay with no GPU and get a Z68 board as originally posted? Or a different, less expensive board and GPU saving me money?
Click to expand...
Go the Z68 route as you can always add a dedicated GPU later on if the onboard video isn't enough. The backup GPU option is worth getting as a troubleshooting tool. With that said, if you still want a dedicated GPU, go for the Nvidia GT 520. The latter option doesn't save you money if you want a decent motherboard.
Augster said:
Everything I have read for HD editing says to get a video card with at least 1GB and CUDA etc. etc. Then again, if I don't NEED it, I don't plan on gaming at all. But I do want to do at least a two-monitor setup.
Click to expand...

More than likely what you read was based off the assumption that you're using Adobe Premiere Pro CS5.5 or some other high-end video editing applications.
Click to expand...
 
So the Z68 chipset you think will be best?

What about OC ability? Will a more Pro board give me the chance to insta-OC? A little more performance for free would be nice!

I like that the "pro" boards have 4 6gb/s Sata's and onboard FireWire.

That said, which z68 board should I get? Since I won't get a video card until I feel I need one, which board to go with the i7-2600K?

I was planning on buying the 2600K with the P8P67 Pro then add in a 550ti on sale after MIR for $112.

Thanks for the continued help. I'm off to microcenter tomorrow, possibly, as my RAM and SSD should be here. Waiting on an OS though.
 
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