The latest DELL computers for DVD authoring?

[gom]

Hi all.

I'm new to the video authoring scene. Stand alone DVD recording is all I've done but now that I am ready to buy a new computer I'd like to step up to the plate for more serious stuff.

I'm looking at a new DELL but can't decide if a notebook or desktop is the way to go.

Also, I know that a min of 512 Mb of memory is required but is there a difference between a graphics card and a video capture card?

I'd like DELL to set the whole system up for me since opening up computers gives me the sweats.

Any thoughts from DELL fans or any other PC system users will be appreciated.

Thanks!

[Adub]

Personally I recommend going with a desktop from dell.
laptops are great but they don't tend to offer the power of a desktop.

You are definetly going to want 512mb of ram if not more.

At least a 3ghz proccessor.

Probably a 160gb hardrive or more.

a DVD burner drive.

A display (duh)
mouse and key board.

A graphics card is an add on card that allows your computer to proccess more of the pixels and shades and so on that occur in movies and more importantly games.

a capture card allows you to "capture" video that may be sent from your television, VCR, DVD player etc.
It usually deals with RCA inputs and so on.

[budz]

Order your computer components from Newegg.com and have someone build the pc for you. Dell uses cheap hardware which is why they can get away with selling their pcs so cheap. If you're going to do capturing I would suggest you get 2 hard drives which will speed up the encoding process. If you're getting a INTEL PENTIUM 4 PROCESSOR get a NORTHWOOD core because the PRESCOTT core does have high heat issues. Just my 2 cents!!!!

[gom]

Thanks for the quick replies!

Now at least I know the difference between a graphics and video capture card and be sure to get both.

Hopefully, I can ask DELL to include a NORTHWOOD core and pay the extra amount because I really don't know of anyone who can build the thing for me if I order the components seperately.

At least when I contact DELL I can talk the talk!

[budz]

Thanks for the quick replies!

Now at least I know the difference between a graphics and video capture card and be sure to get both.

Hopefully, I can ask DELL to include a NORTHWOOD core and pay the extra amount because I really don't know of anyone who can build the thing for me if I order the components seperately.

At least when I contact DELL I can talk the talk!

Dell probably only uses PENTIUM 4 PRESCOTT core which is the latest processors from INTEL. Good luck with Dell!

[thecoalman]

Unless your looking to purchase a bottom dollar machine look elsewhere than Dell. You can buy pre built machines cheaper and better than what they have to offer.

[ultraman36]

Dell doesnt have any northwoods They only use prescotts. How much are you looking to spend (rough amount)

[thecoalman]

Here's a pretty devent machine for a little over $1000. Look around....

http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.asp?Item=N82E16883102623

Audio: Sound Blaster Live! 24-bit
Cache Per Processor: 512k L2 Cache
Ethernet: 10/100/1000Mbps
Graphics: 1 x nVIDIA GeForce 6600GT
Hard Drive: 1 x 200G(SATA)
Memory: 1GB Corsair DDR SDRAM
Optical Drive 1: 16X DVD±RW Drive
Optical Drive 2: 16X DVD ROM
Processor: 1 x Athlon 64 3400+
Processor Main Features: Hyper-Threading Technology
Model #: Ultimate V2 42
Item #: N82E16883102623

I'm pretty sure that's a misprint.

[deadskullz]

Try AlienWare their pretty good

[gom]

For my needs, I think roughly $1,000 would be a good price for a system.

I'm not as interested as many of the other members of these forums in dealing with all the formats and whatnots of authoring. I'm looking to just catalog family videos and trick them up with effects and titles and menus etc. etc.

From a novice point of view it seems the major companies of the PC are not pushing this aspect of authoring too much with out - of- the - box packages. Perhaps they don't want any heat from Hollywood because of people that would abuse the system?

I happened to pick DELL because if anything goes wrong with the system, they can have a tech come out to the house to fix it. For a price of course.

[BJ_M]

dell have good warranties, but their workstations are built a whole lot better than their home systems .. in fact very excellent parts and and super internal layout and cooling .

they are only slightly more money

stuff like alienware and BOXX are excellent machines on the bleeding edge of tech -- but your going to pay a high price ..

[gom]

What's the diff between workstations and home systems?

Do you have to be a business to buy the workstation models?

[thecoalman]

For my needs, I think roughly $1,000 would be a good price for a system..

Be aware the one I posted is the computer only, no speakers, monitor, keyboard.

I'm not as interested as many of the other members of these forums in dealing with all the formats and whatnots of authoring. I'm looking to just catalog family videos and trick them up with effects and titles and menus etc. etc.

Makes no difference, any modern machine, even the cheapest ones are capable of producing the same thing. The difference is speed and storage...etc. If you have a lot of time to let the machine work almost any new one will do.

What will affect your your final results is the capture device, the software and how you use it.

[gom]

Time is not a problem. I think just from a common sense standpoint you are absolutely correct in that capture is critical. Perhaps the most critical. because if you have a lousey card, you have to open up the box to change it.

Which makes me wonder. Do they make external video capture devices?

Software too would be critical. But software is easy to change.

[waheed]

Which makes me wonder. Do they make external video capture devices?

Yes, mainly USB.

google is your answer

[BJ_M]

MANy (as in most) of the better external video capture devices are firewire .. USB is shite

[BJ_M]

What's the diff between workstations and home systems?

Do you have to be a business to buy the workstation models?

diff . is better parts , better motherboard and power supply mostly , many other small diff. also - also comes with pro instead of home XP ..

you dont have to be a business to buy one ..

[thecoalman]

Perhaps the most critical. because if you have a lousey card, you have to open up the box to change it.

Yep that and the VCR, the wires your using, other devices such as a TBC.......

As far as capturing there is many alternatives. It comes down basically to two choices, AVI capture or MPEG capture. AVI if you plan to do editing extensively but it takes longer because it has to be encoded to mpeg for authoring, MPEG will save you time since most editing apps will only reencode the video that has been edited.

I use a Canopus ADVC 110 for AVI capture, another alternative would be if your in the market for a new digital cam. Purchase one with passthrough capabilities and it will perform about the same function.

You could just use your DVD Recorder and capture your footage with that. Import into the computer for editing and authoring.

[gom]

You could just use your DVD Recorder and capture your footage with that. Import into the computer for editing and authoring.

Your right, with my standalone Panny, I don't really need a video capture card.

I assume the DVD is in MPEG format and all I would have to do is record that onto the hard drive and use XYZ software to manipulate it.

[Denvers Dawgs]

I highly recommend not getting a dell. I have had 5 friends within the last year have all sorts of troubles. Two came with faulty drives that died just after the warranty. 1 had to have it motherboard replaced, and another one had its power supply burn out his whole comp loosing everything, and dell "fixed it" by sending him the very same piece that is know to be faulty. Search the dell help forums and you'll see hundreds of these problems. I have had to work on all of these dells at one point fot my friends.....I DO highly recommend HP Pavilions though. I have had 3-first one is 6yrs old just updated some ram and processor and runs the balls. All have been used to do video editing for hundreds if not thousands of hours each.

So my recommendations are

1. NO to DELL
2. Suggest HP Pavilions
3 Do as BUDZ says, If you know someone who can build one, buy the parts cheap at Newegg, this allows you get everything you want and only what you want, no extra programs/components that you'll use.

[tigerman8u]

I highly recommend not getting a dell. I have had 5 friends within the last year have all sorts of troubles. Two came with faulty drives that died just after the warranty. 1 had to have it motherboard replaced, and another one had its power supply burn out his whole comp loosing everything, and dell "fixed it" by sending him the very same piece that is know to be faulty. Search the dell help forums and you'll see hundreds of these problems. I have had to work on all of these dells at one point fot my friends.....I DO highly recommend HP Pavilions though. I have had 3-first one is 6yrs old just updated some ram and processor and runs the balls. All have been used to do video editing for hundreds if not thousands of hours each.

So my recommendations are

1. NO to DELL
2. Suggest HP Pavilions
3 Do as BUDZ says, If you know someone who can build one, buy the parts cheap at Newegg, this allows you get everything you want and only what you want, no extra programs/components that you'll use.

I very much agree with you. From prior experience myself/friends/family Dell just plain SUCKS. You can pay the extended warranty but what good is it if they won't honor it. Believe me alot of ppl here where I live have got a royal screwing from Dell. Phone calls/letters even contacting an attorney did no good. Service just plain SUCKS

[tigerman8u]

Oh. and another thing Dell reverses the wiring on some of their wires ie from the power supply so don't be surprised if you try to upgrade a component and you see smoke after it's hooked up. They want you to upgrade from them and their upgrade prices are redicously high

[gom]

Oh. and another thing Dell reverses the wiring on some of their wires ie from the power supply so don't be surprised if you try to upgrade a component and you see smoke after it's hooked up. They want you to upgrade from them and their upgrade prices are redicously high

Thanks guys. I'll check out HP and Gateway.
Someone told me you get a bigger bang for the buck with Gateway.

Personally, the Sony's are sleek looking but expensive.

[BJ_M]

we have used around, and sold , about 400-500 (or more) Dell Workstations and have nothing but good luck w/ them ..

They have the highest rating for service in the industry (do a search) .... if you have had a problem with any dell - you are by fair the minority -- or bought one of those cheap assed throw away machines ... Ive got installations out there running 24/7 with between 5 and 20 systems each.. And I just dont get any service issues with them..

they use standard connection layouts and cases, they use standard power supplies (very good ones) .. their prices are very good , as is their warranty - they have some of the best lcd monitors around right now ... They are using ASUS or tyan motherboards usually.


so please dont give me this horse sh*t about dell - when i am talking about their workstation models ..

[BJ_M]

gateway just about went bankrupt, though at one time they were selling like hotcakes ..


people got tired of the cow

[budz]

gateway just about went bankrupt, though at one time they were selling like hotcakes ..


people got tired of the cow

mooooooooooo....moooooooooooooo!!!!!!

To gom: check out this link: http://www.quepublishing.com/articles/article.asp?p=339053&rl=1
there you'll read about Dell using non standard atx design.....the article is old but just some info for you to read up on....as tigerman8u mentioned about the power suppply it is stated in that article.... I'd suggest checking out GATEWAY or MICRON. My first pc was a MICRON pc that cost me freaking $2000.00 that was 6 years ago.

[disturbed1]

Dell home PCs do suck, but so do all the other OEMs that build for the mass home market (HP, Gateway, Compaq, Emachines).

Dell does build high quality workstations though.

IMO, a dell workstation does not offer any advantage for single PC purchase. You can get a better configured system from a smaller company. Many companies make PCs tailored directly for video editing. If you needed to set up a lab with 10 or so PCs, Dell offers great discounts, and an excellent warranty exchange program, it just isn't worth it for a single PC purchase.

Take a look at Polywell Computers . Their basic configs might be out of your price range, but they do have a toll free number, and will cater to custom builds to help satisfy a customer's needs.

It really depends on how much video editing you want to do. For a basic system, you can use any current PC with a DVD burner, USB2 and a firewire port. Purchase a DV capture device or USB2 hardware mpeg device. Most devices will come with the basic editing software.

I still use older PCs to capture and edit video every day. These are P4 1500 and AMD 1333 machines. Encoding does take a day or two, but it does get done.

[thecoalman]

Take a look at Polywell Computers . Their basic configs might be out of your price range, but they do have a toll free number, and will cater to custom builds to help satisfy a customer's needs.

That was my second choice when I bought my last computer, but ABS (from the link I posted above) had better prices. Last one I'm buying pre-built though. Just a side note about their tech support, they fixed every issue that I had with this computer quickly.

Just for example I had a problem using the AIW capturing. They sent me a +$100 video card and a Leadtek 2000XP as a replacement... They didn't even charge my CC before I returned the original equipment. If your not looking to do gaming there's some others listed there under the same company that us a Geforce FX5200 which is a really low end video card but the rest of the computer is quite beefy. Unless your going to play video games that's about all you need as far as video card.

[lordsmurf]

if you have had a problem with any dell - you are by fair the minority -- or bought one of those cheap assed throw away machines ...

That's the issue 99% of the time when it comes to complaints.

[BJ_M]

talk about the parts in a computer- anyone ever looked in a emachine ?


now that computers are around 300-400$ , less than the price of a dryer ..... they are a throw away commodity it appears for the cheap end of the scale ..