Black Magic Intensity Pro Requirements

[kILLDR3n]

What will I need for decent use with this?

I currently have:

Vista 32bit
Core 2 Duo 2.67GHz
2GB RAM
NVIDIA 8600GTS
320GB HDD 75% Full
Asus P5N-E SLI Mobo



Recommendations for what I would need please. Like 2 GB extra RAM? A new video card?

I'm thinking I need this "RAID" setup deal or whatever. Explain please about this and what exact HDD you would recommend.

[Cornucopia]

You know, for things like these, it's always best to just get it straight from their website (they ought to know)...

(Took maybe 2 minutes to find - try a little harder on your own next time)
http://www.blackmagic-design.com/support/detail.asp?techID=47

Scott

[kILLDR3n]

how rude can you be?

Fyi I already checked that beforehand and it doesn't say anything about CPU. Also its very vague.

[edDV]

Your main issue will be your hard disk system, not the CPU.

Uncompressed capture will require a 2 to 4 disk RAID separate from your nearly full OS drive. If you use the included MJPEG software compression, the CPU speed will determine how much you can compress on the fly. You will still need a separate capture drive for reliable performance.

The MJPEG file is considered an intermediate. You would import this into an editor and the export to a different final format for reasonable file size.

Explain what you are trying to do.
Are you capping 720p/59.94 or 1080i?
Does your motherboard support RAID? What is your motherboard model?
What editor do you use? What export format?

Your disk system will need to handle these sustained rates for uncompressed capture.

from the product brochure

[Seraphic-]

Yeah, you must have a Raid for uncompressed capture. However, Intensity Pro supports compressed capture too which should run an any good brand 7200rpm hard-drive. I ran with a Raid0 using three 640gb HDDs, had 1.7TB capture space with read/write about 300mb/sec. Had no problem capturing uncompressed with Intensity Pro. On a side note, I'm looking to sell my Intensity Pro as I no longer have time to capture and it comes with all original items. If you are interested, send me a PM. Good luck.

[lordsmurf]

You don't need RAID for SD, only HD. SATA drives can handle the SD fine -- even IDE drives could.

RAID 0 is not at all suggested. That's not what they mean by RAID.

[Cornucopia]

Oh, I can be ruder, if you'd like.

But I would have said less last time, if you had bothered to add more info about what you had and hadn't researched, what PC areas you understand well and what ones you don't, etc.

And how vague are you talking about?

You asked about:
OS + CPU bitdepth - check
CPU chipset & speed - check (see "workstation")
RAM - check
Video card models - check
Harddrive + subsytem check & check
Recommended MOBOs - check

Any further info can be gleaned from the requirements for the editing software (which it mentions the ones supported, and you can get that from those sites), and from the choice of codec and resolution (and so, bitrates). This all depends on what you are going to do with this.

Are you?
A. a casual family user
B. an enthusiastic hobbyist
C. an aspiring, learning professional
D. a veteran, advanced professional (which I don't think, or you wouldn't be posing these types of questions here)

And, RAID0 is valid under some of these circumstances...

Scott

[kILLDR3n]

Your main issue will be your hard disk system, not the CPU.

Uncompressed capture will require a 2 to 4 disk RAID separate from your nearly full OS drive. If you use the included MJPEG software compression, the CPU speed will determine how much you can compress on the fly. You will still need a separate capture drive for reliable performance.

The MJPEG file is considered an intermediate. You would import this into an editor and the export to a different final format for reasonable file size.

Explain what you are trying to do.
Are you capping 720p/59.94 or 1080i?
Does your motherboard support RAID? What is your motherboard model?
What editor do you use? What export format?

Your disk system will need to handle these sustained rates for uncompressed capture.

from the product brochure

Yes I'm pretty sure my mobo supports RAID. It is an Asus P5N-E SLI. I will most likely be using Sony Vegas Pro 9.0.

[edDV]

What about the rest of the questions?

Uncompressed? What resolution?

For uncompressed capture you will need

A second capture drive for SD
Two additional 7200 RPM drives in RAID 0 for 720p (see your Asus manual)
Three additional 7200 RPM drives in RAID 0 for 1080i (see your Asus manual)

If you cap to MJPEG using the Black Magic codec, you need one additional drive.
File size depends on the selected bit rate but figure ~10 to 40 GB/hr

The Cineform intermediate codecs can also be used with the BM Intensity. These would be considered higher end and more flexible vs. MJPEG.

[Seraphic-]

RAID 0 is not at all suggested. That's not what they mean by RAID.

Some may have more trouble with Raid 0 then others.
In my case, have run six hard-drives in raid 0 for over a year with zero failures.

[edDV]

RAID 0 is not at all suggested. That's not what they mean by RAID.

Some may have more trouble with Raid 0 then others.
In my case, have run six hard-drives in raid 0 for over a year with zero failures.

RAID 0 is fine when used for temporary video capture where original data exists in a second location. You should never keep your only copy of anything on a RAID 0. Additional drives can be used for backup. I daily backup full projects (including temp files) to external drives. This allows me to change jobs at will.

The OP's RAID options on a typical motherboard will be RAID 0 or RAID 1. Higher level RAID would require a hardware controller which may be cost prohibitive.

[lordsmurf]

Technically, RAID 0 isn't a RAID array.

[Seraphic-]

Technically, RAID 0 isn't a RAID array.

Correct, but it provides fast read/write for uncompressed capture.
Never keep important information on a raid0. One drive dies, data is gone forever.
Also, I run using on-board raid controller. So you don't have to buy a hardware raid card if you have a good motherboard.

[kILLDR3n]

What about the rest of the questions?

Uncompressed? What resolution?

For uncompressed capture you will need

A second capture drive for SD
Two additional 7200 RPM drives in RAID 0 for 720p (see your Asus manual)
Three additional 7200 RPM drives in RAID 0 for 1080i (see your Asus manual)

If you cap to MJPEG using the Black Magic codec, you need one additional drive.
File size depends on the selected bit rate but figure ~10 to 40 GB/hr

The Cineform intermediate codecs can also be used with the BM Intensity. These would be considered higher end and more flexible vs. MJPEG.

Two additional in RAID 0. Excluding my current drive which won't be.