Video Editing: Desktop vs Laptop

[Jedi5]

For those of you that have a dedicated machine for your video editing, why did you choose what you did? In reading some of the threads in this forum, I've noticed that many here have their personal PC and strictly video editing PC.

For your video editing, is it a desktop or laptop? And why?

I'm sorta thinking of maybe buying a dedicated machine for strictly video editing.
Thing is I don't know if one is better than the other.

[edDV]

For those of you that have a dedicated machine for your video editing, why did you choose what you did? In reading some of the threads in this forum, I've noticed that many here have their personal PC and strictly video editing PC.

For your video editing, is it a desktop or laptop? And why?

I'm sorta thinking of maybe buying a dedicated machine for strictly video editing.
Thing is I don't know if one is better than the other.

Desktop always better. How much better depends on the types of video you are editing, your export goals and how long you can wait for a result.

If you can find a laptop with two 7500rpm internal SATA drives with dual disk controllers and PCI bus mastering, you will have closed the gap. Next you need liquid cooling and a desktop Core2duo or quad CPU. Then you need an adequate hardware decoding dual display card with DVI or HDMI out ... and external eSATA for video storage.

All that gets you most of the way to a desktop configuration. And no, the iMac doesn't quality either. Its just a single drive notebook with a large screen and two Firewire ports.

[Jedi5]

Guess I'll be sticking with desktop then.

thanks

[Bjs]

If your work involves roaming about, your preference will be for a powerful laptop, and mostly external storage.

A desktop allows for far more upgrade ability internally, but not something you want to have to lug about.

Either way, much are the same, its more of a question related to work environment involved, and if it requires you to be mobile or not.

For myself, it involves both laptop and desktop, because my business dose require me to be mobile.

[SatStorm]

I use a dedicated desktop. It is the most powerful PC in my house.
Video editing / encoding / grabbing / filtering, etc, needs the 100% of your PC. When you have a PC for everything, then you have to install and run software for other uses. That takes power from the encoding / editing process.
Also, on the dedicated PC you have exactly the hardware you need for your job. On a generic PC you need hardware for other tasks too. Upgrading can be easier to the dedicated PC, because you don't have to deal with other uses, except video editing.

Laptops are not desktop replacements. In theory you can do your job with a state of the art laptop today, but in practice, IMO, the only thing you really can do, is basic linear editing and fast and dirty encoding.

[serega]

I have made my 1 hr vacation movie as just experiment with with Pinnacle Studio 9 om my old Toshiba 1.6 core duo notebook and externall HD. I been using simple transitions, cuts, mp3 background music. It was't too bad. If I'd have more complex programm it would put more demand on my hardware so it definitely become underpowered.

[nwo]

i use a dedicated video editing laptop and my desktop for games and internet,
so i only install what programs i need for editing on my laptop, and all the crap on my pc.

[TBoneit]

We had a Acer laptop in recently for Virus cleaning. Dual Core, 2 Gb, 2 120Gb hard drives, DVD burner and 20.1" display.

What a monster in size and weight.

My thinking about Laptops and video conversion is that they will run hotter and CPU fan life will be shortened due to the fan running full speed for cooling and those fans are not cheap compared to desktop CPU fans. The CPU Heatsinks are usually designed with the fins closer to gether than a desktop to get enough surface area and they clog easier too.

They are not vewry user friendly for servicing and will cost more for service.

[edDV]

Also the notebook power supplies get stressed. My HP/CPQ (Athlon X2) notebook power supply brick almost glows hot during encoding. I've started to hang it for max convective air cooling but wonder what life this thing will get.

[ulremember]

I have a question.
My dad and I are involved with DVD production and audio engineering for our Church. What would be the minimum recommended hardware used for live capturing and editing. In the past and present, we are having problems with synching (audio and video out of time). We are looking to improve our system. As of now, I use Ulead Movie Studio to capture straight to disc. He is recording using SVHS. I sometimes capture from the tape to pc vis s-video cable and capture to disc. Sorry, as I asked in the beginning, what would be the min. required hardware for reliable DVD production?
Thank you in advance and Blessings to ALL!
Chuck aka ulremember

[edDV]

I have a question.
My dad and I are involved with DVD production and audio engineering for our Church. What would be the minimum recommended hardware used for live capturing and editing. In the past and present, we are having problems with synching (audio and video out of time). We are looking to improve our system. As of now, I use Ulead Movie Studio to capture straight to disc. He is recording using SVHS. I sometimes capture from the tape to pc vis s-video cable and capture to disc. Sorry, as I asked in the beginning, what would be the min. required hardware for reliable DVD production?
Thank you in advance and Blessings to ALL!
Chuck aka ulremember

Minimum would be record to standalone DVD recorder from camera but this would make editing more complex. Your audio sync issues are due to the capture hardware you currently use. Worse case is split tuner + audio card captures. Audio is unsync'd to video.

Look into a hardware encoding capture card. Some suggestions:

Minimal cost: Cap to MPeg2 with Hauppauge PVR-150 (PVR USB or 350 better)
Best Quality/Editing: Cap to DV format with Canopus ADVC-110, or ADS Pyro.

Both of the above will maintain audio sync.

If you upgrade your camcorder to DV format, the DV video/audio can be directly captured over IEEE-1394 to ULead Video Studio.

[lordsmurf]

My laptop has 200GB SATA internal, Intel Core 2 Duo, 2GB RAM, an nVidia graphics card, and Adobe CS3 Master Collection. It's a fast machine for photo editing, as well as video editing and encoding. All with the Adobe suite. No detectable heat issues. External Sony burner for office, internal LG on the road.

My "main" machine is a 2.8Ghz Intel P4 with 1GB RAM, and about 2TB of space (both internal IDE and external USB2). I don't edit on it anymore, just author, edit graphics, encode overnight, and store files in redundant backups. Lots of fans in this one, keeps cool quite well.

It all works quite well.

I need both. Do you? Buy what you need.