Hello, I would like some feedback or advide on what upgrades I would need in order for my computer to properly hande HD.

I currently have Media Composer Software running on an Intel(R) Xeon(R) CPU 5130 @ 2.00GHz 2.00GHz, 3.00 GB of RAM. With a NVIDIA GeForce 8400 CS.(hard drive is 1TB but is 75% full - not sure if that would make a difference as to how the HD plays).

I import HD content into Avid at 1:1 MXF and it plays very badly. chugs, stops and starts and will not just play through which obviously makes it tough to edit. I never really had a problem with SD content but with HD it has become an issue.

I have an opportunity to upgrade my computer to fix this and I need some advice on what I would need to invest in, new graphics card or extra RAM, or something else. I can't buy a new computer but need to upgrade to a point where I can handle the HD to play without stops and starts etc. Not exactly sure of the budget but looking at an upgrade that would be about $1000 - $1500

Advice is much apprecaited.

Strider

Take a careful look at the system requirements. You will notice that for PCs, the NVIDIA Quadro family is specified, and the GE Force family for Mac platforms.  You also don't mention what OS you're on. If you go to Windows Vista Business or Ultimate 64, you can use 4 GB of RAM to run Media Composer. You would need 8 GB of RAM total in that case.

1:1 HD is probably what's killing you.  I think you should try DNX145 first before upgrading anything.

You'll save drive space too.  1 hr of 1:1 HD is about 353GB, 1 hr of DNX145 is 61GB. 

Is there any particular reason why you're choosing 1:1 in HD projects?

Hello and thanks Kenton and Larry. I started importing 1:1 because I tried it and it looked good and exported well. I don't fully understand the difference between that and the one you mention. Would I loose resolution or what would be the difference? Some of the things I am editing need to be played on very large screens (projected) so I was just going as best as possible and that one worked. If I could avoid this without loss I will definitely give it a go!

As to OS, I'm using Windows XP Professional, version 2002, Service Pack 2.

I took a look at the minimum requirements as you said Larry. So you think if I get the Quadro FX 360 graphics card and upgrade to 8GB RAM I would be getting somewhere?

Thanks very much.

Strider

If you're considering upgrading, the move to Vista with 4 GB allocated to Media Composer will result in a noticable improvement in system performance and response time. The graphics card upgrade could help with the chugging problem - however, having your drive 75% full and growing can also affect system performance. If you get to 85% and above you will start encountering more and more errors, particularly video underruns as the drive struggles to keep up with you.

And Kenton's suggestion of using a DnX resolution is a good one because smaller file sizes make it easier on the system overall. If you can do an early large screen projection test to compare 1:1 against DnX 145, it would be well worth the time.

Thanks very much Larry. I think I am going to go with two Quadro FX 580 graphics cards and 6 extra GBs of RAM. But no Vista upgrade. Then also a 1TB external hard drive to store a lot of stuff to empty out anything unused on my drive.

I'll also do the test you mentioned on a projection so I can see if the 1:1 makes a real difference or not.

Thanks for your help.

Strider

Strider,

5 of the 6 gig's of RAM aren't going to help you b/c you're running a 32-bit version of Windows, which can only see a maximum of 3 gig per application. You could try replacing your 3 gig with a new 4 gig of faster RAM if you want to stay 32-bits, assuming your RAM isn't super-fast already. You could also just get one more gig of the same RAM that you're currently using. That extra gig would be used to help run Windows. Also be sure that you ran the 3Gig patch in Media Composer's Utilities folder. This will allow Windows to devote 3 gig to MC.

It sounds like you have only one harddrive. That will absolutely kill you. You need a bare minimum of two: one for Windows and programs and initial media creation and one to render to. Also check that your Windows Virtual Memory settings are set to a rather large static size so it does not have to dynamically resize the swap file.

Really, you should have at least three banks of storage: one for Windows and programs, one for initial media creation, and one to render to. These should be at least 7200 RPM and RAID would help for the media drives.

To be honest, I think the video card is the least of your worries. BTW, when you play your timeline, do you see little patches of color appearing on the bottom? If you do, these indicate times when Avid had difficulty playing back your sequence due to hardware constrains like insufficient harddrive throughput.

HTH and that the info. I provided was current and accurate.

BMF is correct in that the additional RAM is not going to help you if you stay with Windows XP Pro 32 bit. You will only be able to use of maximum of just over 3GB for Avid, unless you upgrade to Vista 64 which will allow the use of 4 GB. And I assume you're getting TWO graphics cards to have one as a fail-safe stand-by. You only need one.