Comments on an HP Media Center

[luv2kruz]

I am new to the video editting/transfer arena and am looking at purchasing a new computer soon to complement my recent purchase of a new miniDV camcorder (Pansonic GS400 3CCD). I am currently using Studio 9 for editting. The new system I've scoped out is a hp Media Center running Windows MC 2005. It has a couple of options that I would appreciate your comments on.

Firstly, the CPU Choice. The base system comes with a P4 520 (2.8Ghz). You can upgrade as follows:

P4 540 (3.2 Ghz) +$90
P4 550 (3.4 Ghz) +$200
P4 560 (3.6 Ghz) +$395

Or you can choose an AMD system with a base CPU of the Athlon 64 3200+ 2.2. Upgrades are as follows:

3400+ +$60
3700+ +$185

If you go with the P4 platform, you get a 256 Mb Radeon X600 Pro video card. If you go with the AMD platform, you get a 256 Mb GeForce (FX) 5700 card.

Which platform would you pick, also considering what video card you get with it? Is is worth it to upgrade to the fastest CPU given the premiums or should I invest the difference in something else like a Raid hard drive, etc. Is there a better system out there than this that I should consider?

Thanks

[bazooka]

I would go with a athlon 64 based system.

You will be set for the 64 bit era eliminating a future need to upgrade.

[rallynavvie]

Yeah, but look at the difference in GFX cards between the Intel and AMD options, there is no comparison between those cards! And if this is to be a multimedia machine the A64s still aren't up to where Intel is with instructions and whatnot. It's been discussed plenty here before, just go back a few pages looking for topics on processor/hardware decisions.

I dunno if I'd go for any of the upgraded Intel procs though as they're all Prescotts. However I think in an OEM I'd take my chanced and upgrade to at least the 3.2 GHz proc. If something bad happens you can just have the fix/replace it, right?

I'm running MCE 2005 on my old video machine. I don't have a tuner card in it yet so I haven't seen what all Media Center can do, but I like what I've seen so far

[luv2kruz]

Rallynavvie,

I will assume that your comment regarding video cards means that the X600 Pro is a better card. If so, why?

Thanks.

[rallynavvie]

The X600 is of the latest generation of video cards from ATi. The comparable card from nVidia would probably be the 6600. That 5700 is the last generation of nVidia tech so you'd be getting a card that's already a year old. However a lot of X600s are PCI-E, I wonder if that Intel board is a 9xx chipset...

I don't necessarily agree with the "default to a 64-bit processor to save yourself a future upgrade" idea either. I think it's going to be at least a year or two before we see greater support for 64-bit native applications or an OS. By that time you may be looking at upgrading again anyway.

[thecoalman]

Which platform would you pick, also considering what video card you get with it? Is is worth it to upgrade to the fastest CPU given the premiums or should I invest the difference in something else like a Raid hard drive, etc. Is there a better system out there than this that I should consider?

Thanks

I pick none.... Look into other manufacturers for high end systems, you'll save yourself a lot of money. Try this site www.abspc.com -or- build it yourself.

As far as which components I'd try snd stay slightly behind the curve. The cost of having the latest and greatest isn't justified compared to having the next step down.