I have a custom built PC from Go Fish Media

Here are my specs

GoFishMedia VE Studio Editing System
Intel Quad Core Q9650 - 3.00GHz - 12mb Cache 1333 MHz FSB
Intel® Extreme Mother Board DP45SG
8GB 1333 mhz DDR3 Crucial Memory
Intel 10/100/1000 Mbps Network Adapter
Nvidia Quadro FX1700 - 512MB DDR2 Memory
Intel High Definition Audio / 8 Channel Audio Sub System
(2) Seagate 160GB SATA HDD 7200rpm (Raid 0 Data Back Up) Operating System
(2) Seagate 750GB SATA HDD 7200rpm (Raid 0 Data Back Up) Working Drive
(1) Entry Level: 2 x 1TB (Raid 1 Configuration)
(1) Lite On 20X DVDRW 52X CDRW Drive
(12) Standard USB Ports
(2) Firewire Ports
22 in 1 Card Reader
550w PowerSupply
Microsoft Keyboard & Optical Mouse
AVG 8.0 Antivirus
Adobe Reader 9.0
Custom Recovery CD (Includes Windows OS, Updates, Drivers and SSP7 Unlocked)
Windows Vista 64 Bit Business Operating System
3 year limited parts and labor warranty
Free shipping to lower 48 States included

Ok so here is my review after a little over a month with this system....

This system is simply awesome, I am running the dual monitor set up with 2 22" monitors and a 2.1 logictech sound system.

I use this machine primarily for video and audio editing, but I also work on our church Web site with it.

No issues at all.

The software I use is:

Avid Media Composer V. 3.5
Adobe CS3 Master Collection (frequently use simultaneously Adobe Premiere, Adobe After Effects, Adobe Audition, Adobe Sound Booth)
Mozilla Thunderbird
Mozilla Firefox
Windows Live messenger
Windows Media Player
Internet Explorer
Sonic DVD by Avid

Most of the programs listed above I use at the same time, I have been trying to bog it down...just once....hasn't happened yet...it will not slow down, it will not hang up, and it boots up super fast because it doesn't have all the other junk on it that other computers do.

I run a JVC Mini-DV deck into it BR-dv3000u through 1 of the firewire ports, runs seamlessly...no hiccups or anything like that.

The Video card, Ram, and Processor work very well together providing me with excellent Audio and Video quality while editing and a perfect export quality to DVD through Audition and in real time export through my Deck to a DVD recorder.

I cannot express how fast the start up is.

Since you use CS3 and MC, I'd love to read a riff on comparing the two systems and what you think MC's advantages are and what Adobe's are.

I'm assuming something along the lines of MC is much better for cutting, Premiere has better integration with After Effects, but I'd love to hear your thoughts.

Oh, P.S. AWESOME computer.

Thanks for the props on my machine.

I am an Avid guy, I love editing on Avid, it is what I know best, shortcuts and all.

One thing I do hate about avid is the difficult in exporting high quality to DVD and importing.

Adobe has such ease, any project I do in Premiere I easily can then export it straight into Encore and Boom 5 minutes later DVD is done.

Any serious project I will edit it on Avid, all my documentaries, promos, music videos I do in Avid, smaller stuff and conversions I do with Adobe.

After effects integration is a no brainer when it comes to using the Adobe Suite hands down it is seamless and easy to use.

Anyone with any input on a good way to import a DVD into Avid Media Composer please let me know it is something that would make my life a lot easier.

Hiya,

feglo:

Anyone with any input on a good way to import a DVD into Avid Media Composer please let me know it is something that would make my life a lot easier.

Aside from just hooking up a DVD player and capturing, my favorite method of DVD conversion is to use Cinematize to convert the DVD video to Quicktime, which you can then import into Media Composer.

good luck,
Carl

For importing a DVD you have two basic options.

1) capture it directly in as a Live Source

2) rip it and convert the file to QT.  I've used MPEG Streamclip with good results

feglo:

any project I do in Premiere I easily can then export it straight into Encore and Boom 5 minutes later DVD is done.

you can Export straight into Encore (or any other app) from Avid.  Just set up your Send To functions properly, but my bigger question is how are you controlling the quality of the Encoded file?  If you're not going to a 3rd party encoder?

has the quality that is imported into avid?

Do you lose any quality in the Audi or Video?

thanks.

Hi,

feglo:

has the quality that is imported into avid?

I assume that first word is supposed to be "how's", and the answer is "about as good as you can get from a DVD, considering that DVD video is pretty heavily compressed to begin with, and you're compressing it again to get it to Quicktime, and then importing it into Media Composer."

feglo:

Do you lose any quality in the Audi or Video?

Yes, as you would with any conversion/import method, but the quality of the resulting video is pretty good, all things considered.

good luck,
Carl

p.s. If you really meant "Audi" in the second question, then my answer is "I drive a BMW, so the quality of an Audi would be lower." :)

wow...my wires really got crossed on that last post, sorry about that.

I do not want to lose any quality, that is the big issue, what is the best way to capture it live, do I need mojo for that, because i have had issues capturing with avid through DVD.

Thanks for your time.

You are going to have to dumb down the part about controlling the quality of the encoded file....

I have found some ease in exporting my Avid Time line and then importing it into Premiere then exporting that into Encore...not sure if there is an easier way or not, but there was minimal to no quality loss.

Run, don't walk, and get TMPGEnc Xpress 4.0. It's about $100 and is worth every penny, especially with an application like Avid. Because it can ingest and convert anything into just about anything.

I've imported DVD's and transcoded them directly into DNxHD or 1:1 all in one step inside Xpress 4.0. Another cool DVD feature is you can set in and out marks, so you don't have to ingest the entire DVD or chapter, only what you think you might need.

But the program does so much more. It's a must have, is rock solid and will make your life a lot easier.

HTH ;).

feglo:

You are going to have to dumb down the part about controlling the quality of the encoded file....

Puzzles me why you would in one breath be talking about being worried about losing quality when importing from a DVD source, but yet seem so cavalier in your regard towards creating your own discs.

feglo:

I have found some ease in exporting my Avid Time line and then importing it into Premiere then exporting that into Encore...not sure if there is an easier way or not, but there was minimal to no quality loss.

Export from Avid as QTref = no quality loss

Import into Premiere = compression

Export from Premiere = compression

So, you have managed to apply two levels of compression to an otherwise uncompressed export before you even got it to your DVD app.

A capable 3rd party encoder comes bundled with MC - why not use it?  

Export from Avid as QTref

Encode to DVD compliant MPEG-2 using 3rd Party encoder

Use DVD app to author the disc.  

Thanks for your thoughts,

The only reason I mentioned the exporting and importing and converting to Encore is because it was something I tried and didn't lose quality.

I used Sonic DVD by Avid and the quality was less than that of my import-export method.

Either way I make two copies right now...1 in real time and one through Encore.

I am open to other suggestions, I just know I was not happy with the quality that Sonic was giving me.

All help is welcomed.

so that software works with you for Avid?

no quality loss?

Hi,

feglo:

so that software works with you for Avid?  no quality loss?

You might want to start quoting whoever you're addressing your questions to.  There are at least three people suggesting programs to you, and I don't know which one of us you're trying to get more information from.

good luck,
Carl

BobbyMurcerFan:

Run, don't walk, and get TMPGEnc Xpress 4.0. It's about $100 and is worth every penny, especially with an application like Avid. Because it can ingest and convert anything into just about anything.

I've imported DVD's and transcoded them directly into DNxHD or 1:1 all in one step inside Xpress 4.0. Another cool DVD feature is you can set in and out marks, so you don't have to ingest the entire DVD or chapter, only what you think you might need.

But the program does so much more. It's a must have, is rock solid and will make your life a lot easier.

HTH ;).

this was the software I was talking about, I was hitting the reply button, but not the qupte button...I thought that it was showing me what I was quoting in the grey box, I didn't know I actually had to click it.

thanks.