Mac to PC Switchers - Another Vender to Consider

[Gabor D.]

Gabor, my choice is for the most cores and the fastest processor (actually 2). 2687W is very expensive but CS6 really thrives on fast processors, lots of ram, a powerful GPU and a fast raid array. I cant really tell you what to get with your budget. Those are the tenets I follow when buying a system for my needs. If you dont edit Red or Epic you could get by with a Sandy Bridge E system for half the cost. Please consult a turnkey vender to help you configure your system. Puget or ADK or Videoguys are a good place to start.

Bruce, glad to be of help. I think Puget Systems are a hidden gem that not to many video folks know about.

Thanks Tom!
So I try to stick to the most expensive Xeon processor I can afford :)
However the vendors you mention are not really an option for me, cause I'm in Europe, not the States. The shipping cost + VAT + TAX (27%) would kill the price in a minute....
Getting a current HP Z workstation is not simple, but I can take a short trip to Germany to get it at a good price.

Anyway, just one more question regarding software: I try to get the Adobe Production Premium CS6 student version. Do I lose something with this version? Because the price is far more affordable that way :)

Thanks

I'll let you know what system I decided on after I purchased it!

[Bruce Ingram]

Gabor - Generally student additions (especially with Adobe) are the full-blown software, but you usually will not be able to use it as an upgrade for the next version release. So, when you leave student-life and go pro you'll be paying full price. You might want to consider the Cloud service from Adobe (which has a student option) while you're in school.

[Gabor D.]

Gabor - Generally student additions (especially with Adobe) are the full-blown software, but you usually will not be able to use it as an upgrade for the next version release. So, when you leave student-life and go pro you'll be paying full price. You might want to consider the Cloud service from Adobe (which has a student option) while you're in school.

Thanks for the info! Good to know!

BTW I tried to explore the DELL workstations as options, but due to lack of available information I couldn't really get closer to this subject. HP Z workstations have more info online, more reviews etc...

[Tom Daigon]

Thanks for the info! Good to know!

BTW I tried to explore the DELL workstations as options, but due to lack of available information I couldn't really get closer to this subject. HP Z workstations have more info online, more reviews etc...

The HP Z820 i looked at seemed a possible choice. Until I found out that it the configuration I wanted couldnt accommodate the Quadro 4000 and Tesla 2075. These GPUs are major boost to a work flow that involves Red/Epic and or ray tracing in the new After Effects. So I found what I was looking for at Puget Systems.

[Gabor D.]

The HP Z820 i looked at seemed a possible choice. Until I found out that it the configuration I wanted couldnt accommodate the Quadro 4000 and Tesla 2075. These GPUs are major boost to a work flow that involves Red/Epic and or ray tracing in the new After Effects. So I found what I was looking for at Puget Systems.

Well, the Tesla kind of setup is out of my reach so... :)

Anyway: could you recommend me a notebook computer on I could do basic editing on the run? As it seems I will need a notebook as well, not just a desktop. I leave the heavy editing to the PC, but I have to get a notebook to. The price range is around 2500 dollars maximum and it can't be a Mac. So maybe.... HP Elitebooks? Thanks for suggestions!

[Gabor D.]

As it seems right now the camera will be a Nikon D800. I'm assembling the gear list right now. Could I get away with a powerful HP or Dell mobile workstation for editing with external drives on Premiere CS6 with nVidia Quadro 2000m cards?

[Tom Daigon]

As it seems right now the camera will be a Nikon D800. I'm assembling the gear list right now. Could I get away with a powerful HP or Dell mobile workstation for editing with external drives on Premiere CS6 with nVidia Quadro 2000m cards?

Sorry Gabor, I haven't done any research on mobile workstations.

[Matt Gottshalk]

The HP Elitebooks are excellent.

They have built in Esata, USB3 and firewire ports, and good Nvidia graphics cards for CS6.

[Gabor D.]

With the same specs is there any pros and cons for a Dell or HP mobile system?

How well these could handle the D800 material through Premiere CS6?

How many external discs are needed for video editing? I thought of one 8tb G-Speed Q in RAID 5 for the whole material to be stored. Scratch disks, or other disks are required for this RAID 5 G-Speed setup?

Esata, or firewire are fast connections for this? I don't find Thunderbolt solution for pc...

RECORDING:
What's your thoughts on D800 in camera/external recording? Should I use a Blackmagic Hyperdeck Shuttle for onset recording, or maybe a Ninja because they record in an edit compatible format, or the native video format that comes out of the D800 is already edit ready for Premiere CS6?

Thanks,

[Jon MIchael Puntervold]

Tip, buy a second hand Mac Pro on the net. The new Xeons are too expensive and supply too low (long waiting time). The 5.1 MacPro gives you really nice price/performance! You can get an 8 core with 32 GB of ram for about 3000$.

BTW: I'm 99% confident that Apple will release a new MacPro in the late summer/autumn with the new Ivy Bridge based Xeons.