How is this setup?

[jack222]

Ok. A client wanted a nice rig for video editing and picture editing. He takes lots of short films and likes adding effects and sound to them. He also has loads of pictures(3 kids) so space is needed. He had a crappy rig before so he really wanted to upgrade. Again, this needs to be able to handle 1000$ software and stuff. He won 4500$ in craps on vacation so he is using it to build a rig. He needs 1000$ for thw video editing software(Pinnicale or something, he told me what it was, i forgot) so he needs to build a box for 3500$. He has a mouse, keyboard and monitor and speakers but he could always use better ones. >_<"

PLEXTOR Black IDE DVD Burner Model PX-716AL/SW - Retail

TOSHIBA Black IDE DVD Burner Model SD-R5372V - OEM

Lian Li PC-65B Black Aluminum ATX Mid Tower Computer Case - Retail

Western Digital Raptor WD740GD 74GB 10,000 RPM Serial ATA150 Hard Drive - OEM

2 Western Digital Caviar SE WD3200JD 320GB 7200 RPM Serial ATA150 Hard Drive - OEM

Leadtek PX6800GT TDH Geforce 6800GT 256MB GDDR3 PCI Express x16 Video Card - Retail

CREATIVE Sound Blaster Audigy2 ZS SB0350 8 (7.1) Channels PCI Interface Sound Card - OEM

Logitech MX3000 967553-0403 2-Tone USB + PS/2 RF Wireless Standard Desktop Mouse Included - Retail

AeroCool 841269042154 8-in-1 USB 2.0 Card Reader and Writer - Retail


4 CORSAIR ValueSelect 1GB 240-Pin DDR2 SDRAM DDR2 533 (PC2 4200) Unbuffered System Memory Model VS1GB533D2 - OEM

ASUS MB P5WD2 Premium Socket T (LGA 775) Intel 955X ATX Intel Motherboard - Retail

intel Pentium D 830 Smithfield 800MHz FSB LGA 775 Dual Core, EM64T, BTX version Processor Model BX80551PG3000FT - Retail

ARCTIC COOLING FREEZER7 ACFZ7 77mm Ceramic Cooling Fan/Heatsink - Retail

XP pro

--------------------
Total after shipping-2504$

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So to recap i set him up with a 830 dual core and 4 gigs of ram and a VERY capable card.

I was going to get a 7800gtx but he sure as hell doesnt need it. A 6800GT is fine but i may get him a ultra or a 7800gtx, still deciding, i don't think it is needed.

Questions:

1)Is SATA compatible with SATA2? Or is it that SATA2 is only backwards compatible.

2)What is a good SATA2 HDD?

3)Is the mobo any good? It wont be OC'ed but it looked pretty good. He doesn't need SLI.


Comments suggestions?

 

[jack222]

http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.asp?Item=N82E16817104982

And that fortron for power.

 

[shard]

why 2 DVD burners? and why only a 830? just get the 840 and be done with it

Sata works on bolth hookups, same with SATA II, its just bandwidth limited on either

Hitachi makes AWSOME Sata II HD's

I think the Asus would be great, i am just not all that fluent with P4 stuff, so i cant say entirely for sure

and ditch the Audigy 2, and get him the new X-fi, or even one of those EMU cards

 

[jack222]

2 burners becuase if he is burning something to a cd or dvd he can be watching a dvd too.

Is the x40 that better then a x30?

 

[BrutalDrew]

With that budget I would get an X2.

 

[jack222]

Why? Intel does better in video related stuff and he isn't gaming. He will be multi-tasking if anything. I saw no reason to go AMD.

 

[Merc14]

That looks like the template for a perfect video editing machine. As for the PSU how about this one (Fortron Blue Storm 500) since it has 4 SATA power plugs, a 6 pin power connector for the 6800GT, native 24 pin main power and dual 12v rails w/ 30 amps total on them. Plus it's very quiet.
http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.asp?Item=N82E16817104934

 

[jack222]

Yea, i just figured go for more watts. Ill do the blue storm. Thanks bro.

So, is it worth it to go SATS2? Or no?

 

[shard]

SATA 2 for future proof, and there is a MINIMAL performance increase

 

[BrutalDrew]

Why? Intel does better in video related stuff and he isn't gaming. He will be multi-tasking if anything. I saw no reason to go AMD.

Actually when it comes to single cores AMD performs better in video editing. Intel performs better in audio and video encoding. When it comes to dual-core AMD beats Intel is pretty much everything, including audio and video encoding.

One of the only advantages of the Intel dual-cores is that the cheapest is a lot cheaper then AMD's.

 

[darksparkz]

Yeah, I've read a lot of reviews where AMD X2s beat almost any Intels in most video/sound encoding and multitasking applications.

If he has $3500 to spend on a new system, you can get almost the best multitasking computer out there with AMD.

Asus A8N-SLi Premium Motherboard $163.99
AMD Athlon 64 X2 4800+ Dual-Core Processor $884.00
2x Maxtor MaxLine III 7B300S0 300GB w/16MB Cache Hard Drive $179.00x2
Western Digital Raptor WD740GD 74GB Hard Drive $159.99
EVGA KO GeForce 7800 GTX $569.99
Lian Li PC-65B Black Aluminum ATX Mid Tower $125.00
Creative X-Fi Fatal1ty FPS $280.00
OCZ PowerStream 520W $109.99
2x OCZ 2GB PC3200 Platinum Memory $257.00x2

Total: $3161

You could drop to the X-Fi Platinum, and save about $80 there.
I'm not too sure if the OCZ has enough SATA wires for you, but you can probably check on that.
I think getting two 2x1GB sets in dual channel would run better then 4 1GB Value ram, since the OCZ Platinum ram has tighter timings for better performance.
Getting the 7800GTX might not be too needed, but if you get the 6800GT, he'll be edgey while using it, so just grab the best you can get and he'll be more then satisfied.

That leaves enough

 

[jack222]

Actually when it comes to single cores AMD performs better in video editing. Intel performs better in audio and video encoding. When it comes to dual-core AMD beats Intel is pretty much everything, including audio and video encoding.

One of the only advantages of the Intel dual-cores is that the cheapest is a lot cheaper then AMD's.

I stand corrected. Thank you. I haven't followed up on news too much...

 

[jack222]

Do you think he needs 4 gigs or will 2 do the job? 3 gigs?

 

[darksparkz]

2GB should be fine in my opinion, but on the other hand, I wouldn't really know what he does and stuff like that. Try having him run all the programs he usually runs and see what's the CPU usage and pagefile and all that stuff. I would either get 2GB or 4GB, it's either 2x1GB or 2 of 2x1GB sets.

 

[shard]

photoshop and premier will definatly use those 4GB, so why not get them?

 

[Merc14]

4 GB of RAM is not outlandish for the tasking he will ask of the PC. I'd gp ahead and set him up right from the start since he has the funds now and can use that much memory with the software he is purchasing.

As far as the Intel/AMD decision, remember that even the new AMD CPU's (dual core included) do not handle dual sided DIMMs in all 4 slots as well as the Intel CPU's do. I believe (and obviously do your own research here) you will still be limited to 2T timing with the AMD X2 running 4 dual sided DIMMs. If you are going to max out all 4 memory slots with fast RAM then I would suggest that Intel is the better choice (and I am an AMD guy).

The PSU is another issue. You can f igure that with everytng running full bore, simultaneously, you'd be drawing 400-420 watts as designed. You should always get as much PSU as possible so 550 watts or 600 watts is better and not unreasonable for this rig. I suggested the Blue Storm because it will cover his needs plus 20%, at peak, and is very quiet for a large unit. Hell, get a PC P&C 510 and you can add another GT and O/C everything to boot but it howls like a banshee. I figured you may want to opt for the quiet unit without skimping on power.