Advice needed on computer quote?

[booboobubber]

Hi guys, I hope you can help me. I love using computers but I have no idea what makes one computer better than another. I've read 100's of posts and guides and still I have very basic knowledge of what I require. I think you need to be smarter than I am to get the knowledge you guys have. I'm after a computer to capture, edit and burn DVD'S with. I have an old analogue video camera, a new Sony TRV80mini DV video camera which has analogue to digital passthrough and a fuji 602 Still camera which takes motion jpeg video.
I'm looking at buying the following computer that a guy at my local computer store will put together.

P4 2.8GHZ 800MhzFSB
m/b p4 Albatron A-B-PX865PE Pro
1gb 400MHZ DDR Kit Kingston
HDD 80GB 7200RPM
HDD SATA 120GB 7200RPM
17 INCH Mitsubishi 1770h
56k e-modem external
floppy disk drive
Medium PIV ATX with front usb
Albatron G4 FX5200 128MB
MS Windows XP hOME oem
300W Stereo Speakers
DVD Writer Pioneer DVD A06 OEM
DVD ROM Drive 16xDVD 48XCD
MS WIRELESS OPTICAL DESKTOP PACK
AVPRO Deluxe 9011he with ADV Full CAP, Ulead Video Studio 7SE, Ulead DVD Movie Factory 2.

Price $2500 Australian Dollars.

Is the above set up ok? Any changes you would suggest? Would it be better to just have a firewire port and buy the software separately instead of the capture card?

[booboobubber]

I forgot to mention that the 80GB HDD will be partitioned into two 40GB drives. I will use 1 40GB partition to store still pictures captured from my Digital still camera. I've also been unable to find any information/ feedback on the capture card on the web. The guy selling me the computer says its good but you cannot always rely on that. His web site is http://rantronix.com.au/

[Faustus]

Any idea how that compares in US Dollars?

[iooi]

Any idea how that compares in US Dollars?

2,500.00 AUD
Australia Dollars
=
1,768.00 USD
United States Dollars

Find Out Exchange Rates Here

[pacmania_2001]

From taking a quick look at the local paper and the various computer store ads/systems I would say that is around the money for a system with those specs.

The only possible problem I can see is Albatron G4 FX5200 graphics card which seems a bit underpowered for the rest of the system.

[booboobubber]

Thanks Pacmania. Could you suggest a graphics card better suited to this machine? Is machine going to be up to the task of video capture and editing or do I need more?

[Faustus]

Its enough unless you plan to play alot of games. If you like games I'd bump up a little higher.

[booboobubber]

Thanks flaystus. No I don't plan on playing games with this computer, just video capture, editing & burning and editing my still pictures. My current PC, a P3 800mhz with 256mb ram seems to be having a hard time with my still picture editing. I'm using Adobe Photoshop 6 and adobe elements mainly, but it seems to be running out of ram. I purchased the P3 second hand so it's probably had a good work out before I got it. I've always purchased my PC's second hand because I just can't afford to keep up with the price of the newest techknowledgy and it just bewilders me. I looked into buying a new PC for the first time about a year or two ago and chickened out before taking the plunge. When you don't know a lot about computers and how they work and when no amount of reading and studying into these things seems to sink in, it's hard to take the plunge.

[Faustus]

I can understand I was there once, and since I had no internet to check BOY did I make some bad decisions. If yours not a gamer that that should be a fine rig to use.

[booboobubber]

Thanks flaystus. Do you have any opinion on the capture card this guy has suggested to install? He did firstly strongly reccomend the Canapus ACEDVIO ULTRA with Adobe Premier Pro & Encore DVD & I think something else(Audition?). The price of this one really put me off as it took the total price up to $3295 Australian Dollars. I was just going to have a firewire port and use my digital camera's passthrough for capture but he suggested the capture card was a better way to go. From what I read on the forums here, choosing a bad capture card &/or software can causea lot of headaches.

[808smokey]

If it were me I would build it myself and save quite a bit of money. You never get a good deal from a company they're always going to make money off you. It's really not to difficult to build your own. Deciding what you want is the hard part. But as for gaming that system is more than enough to play just about any game on the planet. Did you try looking at buying each part seperate? There's lots of sites that are really cheap for parts. Try Newegg.com, Compgeeks.com o even pricewatch will list good sites. BuyAIB.com is a decent site for ram. What ever you decide on doing I would get Xp PRO vs. the home version. Pro lets you do a lot more things.

Just my .02¢

[booboobubber]

Thanks 808smokey. What sort of advantages would XP Pro have over Home? As for building my own PC, I'd love to be capable of doing that but if something went wrong I probably wouldn't have a clue of what to do or even know what I've done wrong... to much learning required here for me.

[808smokey]

This is the link to Micro$oft and it will tell you the differences between the to Xp Pro & Home.

Click ME!!!!!!!!!!!! Tha should make some sense

Since you not building your own I'd get a "prefab with an OS that's not all bundled with crap programs, like compaq and HP Pavillion type machines.

[elmotheteapot]

As others have said building your own is the way to go
2.4GHZ 800FSB P4
MSI NEO2 865PE FIS2R
1GB (PC3200) (2x512mb)
120GB SATA
CASE
Antec/Ennermax PSU (Antec Trupower 430W is a goodun)

Just a starting point, i have some of these components and can vouch for them, the 2.4ghz C is a great overclockers, in fact all the intel Northwood C series are, give at least 600MHz extra speed on the stock cooler.