Suggestions for Best Windows System

[davidfortney]

I am looking for suggestions for the best windows (xp or vista) system. Are there good prebuilt high end systems anyone would recommend, or should I build my own? I use Adobe Premiere with the Cineform codec.

Thanks!

[Troy Smith]

Cineform guys seem to use 8 core HP Workstations,worth a look.

[David Newman]

HP xw8600, we have several around the office, stable, well constructed and fast systems.

[David Taylor]

If you want options, you can also look at 1Beyond: www.1beyond.com. Terry Cullen specializes in building video related systems.

[Chris Swartz]

I'll throw my hat into the ring.

I build high end specifically configured boxes. Try getting anything specific from HP.

Whatever you need you can get, configured, tested, and ready to go.

Just plug it in and turn it on.

Chris

PM me if you have any questions.

[Wayne D]

use HP and have found them to be very good

was also looking at the range of towers from Lenovo - some good boxes in there too

ps - not working for either company.....just my 2 cents worth

[J Clark]

Our VFX workflow is to do a first light pass in REDCINE, make selects and render them out to DPX files for compositing, and from the DPX we generate QT files for editing that we will replace later with he final, composited footage. Integration into AE could allow us to skip the DPX render and just use REDCINE for shot previewing. BUT there is no reason to work on long shots when you only need selects, so Redcine is still our best option for pulling selects for editorial. I only wish we could hear audio playback in REDCINE...

- Intel Skulltrail motherboard
- 2x 4-core CPUs
- 4gb RAM(32bit XP limit)
- XP Pro
- Adobe Production Bundle
- Sony Vegas
- Cinema 4D
- Nvidia 8800 Video Card
- 2x 2tb G-Tech G-Speed eS RAIDS (http://www.g-technology.com/Products/G-SPEED-eS.cfm) (1 of them with the 4-port SATA card - eS-R model) Striped together for 4tb in RAID 0.
- 1x 4tb Buffalo NAS RAID (http://accessories.us.dell.com/sna/products/Hard_Drives_External/productdetail.aspx?c=us&l=en&s=dhs&cs=13&sku=A1120502) for G-Speed RAID Back-up - RAID 0 - Web administrated with user access restrictions - LOVE these! Have 4 of them...
- Dell 3008FWP 30" LCD (http://accessories.us.dell.com/sna/products/Monitors/productdetail.aspx?c=us&l=en&s=bsd&cs=04&sku=223-4890) - Can also plug in Red via HDMI for live-view or replay.

*As someone mentioned before, RAID speed is a huge part of efficient workflow. We can sustain realtime 4k at half res in REDCINE on the G-Speed.

**If you contact a Dell business associate you will receive the Buffalo and the 30" monitor for about 25% less than retail.

***Skulltrail boards need a LOT of air or a liquid cooled system. COOLIT PURE-ST (http://www.coolitsystems.com/index.php?option=com_content&task=view&id=91&Itemid=194)

http://www.g-technology.com/Products/G-SPEED-eS-Images/G-SPEED/G-SPEED-eS-34.jpg http://i.dell.com/images/global/products/monitors/mon3008wfp_overview1.jpg http://snpi.dell.com/sna/images/products/mlrg/A1120502.jpg

[MikeHedge]

which motherboard is that? who makes the ram you have? what speed?

[J Clark]

which motherboard is that? who makes the ram you have? what speed?

Here's my laundry list for the Skulltrail box - click for links to items:

- 2x CPUs (http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16819115044)
- Graphics (http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16814133207)
- Motherboard (http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16813121330)
- Case (http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16811112141)
- 2x 4gb RAM (http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16820148189)
- Harddrive (http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16822148136)
- DVD Drive-Burner (http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16827248009)
- Power Supply (http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16817371012)
- Mouse (http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16826105026)
- Keyboard (http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16823126012)
- XP PRO 32bit (http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16832116515)
- 30" Dell LCD - 3000:1 with HDMI, etc (http://accessories.us.dell.com/sna/products/Monitors/productdetail.aspx?c=us&l=en&s=bsd&cs=04&sku=222-7175)
or
- 30" Dell LCD - 2000:1 - Cheaper (http://accessories.us.dell.com/sna/products/Monitors/productdetail.aspx?c=us&l=en&s=bsd&cs=04&sku=222-7175)


You can also set this up as a dual boot system and run 64 bit windows too, or just use 64 bit XP and run 32 bit apps, but only in 32 bit mode. 32 bit is safer for most apps and drivers though...

We run this system in our editorial beside our new 8-core Mac Pro with 12gb ram and they run at almost identical speeds for 3D renders, etc, but the increased ram in the Mac kicks in on many apps like AE. Personally, the Mac window browsing interface and network path issues irritate me, so I much prefer the PC systems and editing in Vegas.

[MikeHedge]

wow great list! great system. if I had built my system 6 months ago I think I would have built this just like the one you guys have put together. I'm not looking at building on after the whole cs4 role out.... I have been using Premiere since 1999 premiere 5. It will be exciting to see if Encore CS4 has been updated. The few big changes really excite me. Speech Search! genius. and the whole mixed timeline settings thing...

[MikeHedge]

anyone building a vista 64bit system? anyone want to build sister computers?

[sneakyimp]

anyone building a vista 64bit system? anyone want to build sister computers?

There was some motion on just such a thing in this thread:
http://www.reduser.net/forum/showthread.php?p=295834#post295834

I'm curious what kind of system you are considering.

[fde101]

The best Windoze system is the one that is not being used.

That being said, it will vary depending on what you are using it for.

You indicated Premiere...

For any kind of high-end video work, make sure it has a fast, wide data bus with a good amount of memory.

Also watch out for a video card whose OGL implementation is compatible with Red Cine. Some of them apparently have compatibility problems of some sort.