New Computer questions

[AVITRY]

Hi all. I'm sorry if I've asked one or two of these questions before. Every fall it seems I keep telling myself it's way beyond time to upgrade my computer. I've built my own systems now since around 1995. I don't really do much with them other than convert standard definition video from VHS to digital for DVDs. (as time goes on I'm sure I'll do some HD video)

I've been laboring along each year with my current computer which is a Pentium 4 Abit MB 3 ghz cpu and 2 gigs memory with an Nvidia gforce 5700 card. Each year I say I'm going to finally upgrade, and each year I chicken out.

I'd like to ask a few specific questions and if anyone cares to take a few minutes to address each one, I'd be grateful. Ok... where to start? My main bottleneck is the transcoding from dv-avi to mpeg for the DVDs.

I'm still using vers. 3 of PE and to transcode an hour and a half dv-avi can take that long or longer.

1. Question 1 I'm considering a Z68 MB and an I5 processor with 8 gigs of memory. Would the transcoding be appreciably faster? If so, any guestimates of the difference in time?

2. I understand the quick sync transcoding feature of the Sandy Bridge cpu can only really work on programs that support it, so aside from any thoughts or comments you think would be useful to me, is the gpu in these cpus good enough for me? Should I also install a discrete video card? ( I don't game)

3. 64 bit or 32 bit. This has always confused me in terms of computer hardware vs operating systems. I really want to avoid a major learning curve all over again for PE but, would it do me better to upgrade to the newest version of PE?

4. CPU cores. Another area I'm a bit confused by. I really don't do much multi-tasking, I mean, I might browse the internet if I'm transcoding, but that's about it. Are there other benefits from Quad Core CPUs or can I save money and CPU wattage, and who knows, maybe even chip socket technology and go with say an older socket type and a Dual Core CPU?

I have nothing to base these speed differences with but for example if my 90 minute dv-avi takes 2 and a half hrs to transcode with my P4, can I expect say ... a half hour with an I5? Would that degrade to an hour with a socket 775 dual core?

I just don't know where or what to expect. Not to mention compatibility with PE3 and other older programs on a Windows 7 64bit OS.

Any help would be appreciated. I'm thinking I can build a nice I5 for around 700 bucks, but to me that's a lot of money and it better be really much faster. Something that would allow me to do many more conversions - edits - and burns in a single day. Thanks all!

EDIT **** Hmm, interestingly, after writing my questions and then surfing the internet for computer ideas, I came across a website for Videoguys- ideas for video editing computers. It actually offered a toll free number to call and ask for some advice. Very interestingly, the fellow I spoke to and asked about transcoding dv-avi to mpeg for DVD told me that without something like a Matrox special hardware encoder that can transcode faster than real time, I wouldn't get an appreciable improvement from my old P4 to a new I5 computer. .....YIKES! Now I'm more confused than ever ....

[Peru]

I could not get Pre El 3.0.2 to run properly on W7 Home 64 bit.
I could edit on the audio timeline, but editing on the video timeline would crash it.

I think that even if it did work (maybe W7 Pro 64 bit would run it), you couldn't reap the benefit of more memory as 32 bit applications can't use more than 4 Gb.

[Steve Grisetti]

At this point, I'd recommend going with an i7 processor -- even if it seems like more power than you need right now.

That and Windows 7 64-bit should keep you up to any task for years to come! Especially if you're still working with DV-AVIs and DVDs.

But then I'd also recommend you make the move to Premiere Elements 10 64-bit to take full advantage of the architecture.

[AVITRY]

Thanks Steve, but any comment on the transcoding time from dv-avi to mpeg2 for DVD? I was surprised to hear this fellow tell me there wouldn't be an appreciable speed gain in that time. Other than this time I spend waiting, nothing I do to these captures slows down my computer at all. Especially since I can adjust color with the Canopus 300 prior to digitizing it. That would be the only thing (should I attempt it via PE and software) that would really slow it down. So my main concern is ... Is there a big difference in exporting to mpeg2 with a hot rod computer vs my old P4?

[Steve Grisetti]

Rendering and transcoding are processor-intensive activities, Joe. It would follow that the faster the processor, the faster the rendering and transcoding. And a multi-core processor in a 64-bit environment should show a significant improvement in your performance.

I've never benchmarked it, I have to admit. But things on my dual-core Windows 7 64-bit (at least in version 10) sure seem to happen a lot faster!

[AVITRY]

Thanks again for the response Steve. I dunno, it seems so strange to me that this guy from Videoguys tells me the transcoding won't be appreciably faster on a new pc without dedicated transcoding hardware like that Matrox.

I'm now wondering if PE 10 can take advantage of the quick sync that the intel Z68 chipset offers. It would seem to me that this IS a hardware improvement (sort of)

Ya know, dishing out 700 to 1000 to cut transcoding time say from 2 hrs to 1 hr is almost moot. Now, on the other hand, cutting that 2 hr. transcode down to 20 minutes .... well that's grabbing a cup of coffee, and coming back to a done deal. Now that's worth it.

I somehow need to find out what to expect from this considered upgrade. Ya know, throwing in the mix, now I will have to relearn new software ie PE 10 and probably a newer DVD authoring program, I just don't want to be disappointed after such an expenditure.

I've hunted on the internet for benchmarks on transcoding video, (again so far I'm talking standard definition, which is all VHS conversions require) but no luck. SO.... if anyone has any leads or first hand experience with this, I'd really appreciate hearing from you.

thanks much,
joe

[Chris B]

Hmm.

Looking at Toms Hardware (www.tomshardware.com) there are various CPU charts. According to those a pemtium 4 630 (3ghz) would transcode 24 sec HDTV 1920x1080 mpeg2 (mpeg2 to H.264) in 599 seconds. A Core 2 QX6700 would do the same job in 135 seconds. That's about a quarter of the time.

A similar test has a core2 QX6700 doing a similar job in 123 seconds. A core i5-200 does the same in 70 seconds and and I7-2600 in 58 seconds. Scaling the test to the original numbers (135/123 * 70 and 58) would give 76 and 63 seconds respectively. Based on this single test a coreI7-2600 would do the same job in one tenth of the time of a pentium 4. I.e. your two hour encode is now 12 minutes.

Now - given that the above is based on H264- a notoriously difficult codec and my machine (specs below) using Vegas Pro 64bit just managed to encode 71 seconds of PAL DV/AVI to MPEG 2 suitable for a DVD in 20 (yes twenty) seconds (approximately 3 times as fast as real time) I would call into question your expert's judgement.

As always - your mileage may vary - see if you can do some of the work on a friend's machine (using the PE demo if necessary) to get a real feel for you experience.

Chris.

[AVITRY]

Thanks for the reply Chris. This guy isn't my expert, just a 1-800 number I found on the videoguys website that offered video editing computer configuration answers.

I wish I had a friend with a new computer. LOL, I've got the hot rod among my friends. They all surf the web on PIIIs.

As usual, each fall when I venture into compiling a new system, ( I wish money was no object, but it is) a ton of unanswered real world questions come up that I can't help wanting answers to.

It's very frustrating reading the motherboard reviews on newegg. I'm taking all those with a grain of salt and going with mfg website content. Which one offers most info.

I sure don't want to spend a ton of money if I don't have to. Already, a 500gig SATA WD internal HD I bought 4 weeks ago for 49.99 is now 119.99. Crazy. I called Newegg and they told me some factory in China got destroyed and now there is a shortage of HDs.

Anyway, thanks for the info. I'm going to look into some Biostar and Gigabyte mbs in the 125 dollar range with the z68 chipset and I think an I5 2500k chip. Components add up very quickly these days.

thanks
joe

[Chuck Engels]

My i7 2.2ghz processor is plenty fast and rendering is probably faster than my desktop with two dual core Zeons. The difference is Windows 7 64 bit and 8mb of RAM for some things. Can't complain about this new laptop at all.

[John 'twosheds' McDonald]

At this point, I'd recommend going with an i7 processor -- and Windows 7 64-bit.

Joe, if the budget will stretch I too would advise going this route.

[AVITRY]

Thanks guys, I think this year is the year I'll pull the trigger.

As far as discrete video cards go, are there certain components of certain cards that process transcoding better than others? Because honestly, my work is so redundant, VHS to DVD, so minimal in terms of actual advanced video editing, that the major bottleneck is that transcoding, and that's where I'd like most to spend the bucks.

Terrible to have to cut corners 30 bucks here ... 50 bucks there ... but, alas, it is what it is.

This is one card I've been considering although as I said, I really don't know what parts of these cards assist with video transcoding ( if any).

http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.a ... 6814162067

[Steve Grisetti]

As I said above, Joe, video graphics cards do not effect rendering or transcoding in any way.

It's all about processor speed.

[Chris B]

Much as I don't want to disagree - Graphics cards do not effect rendering or transcoding in any way in Premier Elements. Premier CS5.5, Sony Vegas Movie Studio and Vegas Pro all have GPU accelerated rendering. Vegas Pro renders about 20% faster using the "mid range" graphics card on my system than processor alone. When this does occur there will be a point where the GPU is better than the CPU or vice-versa dependent on exactly what the components are and what they do. It's going to get even more complex to optimise a system . However - what seems almost universal is that integrated graphics from Intel (even the new ones) are not supported by current products. This is (AFAIK) not true of the new "buldozer" chips from AMD which seem to have more complete driver support.

Avitry - that card looks quite low end and I'm not sure how much benefit it will bring - if it gets used at all. You're probably better sticking with the integrated graphics for the moment and getting something bigger later if you find you need (and can use) it. Make sure you have a reasonable amount of overhead on your power supply (probably 4-500W minimum) - modern cards really draw a lot of power.

[Chris B]

Oh - and btw.

Already, a 500gig SATA WD internal HD I bought 4 weeks ago for 49.99 is now 119.99. Crazy.

This is really not the right time to buy a new hard drive.
http://www.channelregister.co.uk/2011/10/27/wd_flooded_factory/

[AVITRY]

Wow ... now all my video will probably end up having a watermark!