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Media Composer 6 editing system
Hey,
I’m an offline editor, mainly working on full-length HD documentaries, and I would like to purchase a new PC based editing system.
Here is an option I got from my local dealer who specializes in video and audio editing systems:Intel Core i7-3930K 3.20 ~ 3.80 GHz x6 SIX CORE 12MB Cache
Ultra Silent 6 Heat-Pipe CPU Cooler
Intel X79 Express Based Main Board
16GB DDR3 1600MHz
DV-Firewire IEEE 1394A
nVIDIA GeForce GTX570 1.25GB GDDR5 152 GB/sec
120GB SATA-III 550MB/s Solid-State Drive 34nm Nand – for system
2000GB 7200-RPM SATA3 6Gb/s +64MB Buffer – for projects
SATA DVD-RW x24 x48 +/- Dual Layer Compatible
Up To 16 USB 2.0 Ports Includes 2x USB 3.0 (SuperSpeed) Ports
Low Noise 700W True Power Supply – 80 Plus Program
Windows 7 Professional OEM ENG 64BIT
Avid Media Composer 6 [will purchase separately]
Lifetime Tech Support Services + installation + system optimization for Media Composer + backupWould appreciate any thoughts regarding the specification.
Thanks,
Noam -
7 Replies
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Avid qualifies a few specific systems, which they guarantee will work. https://www.avid.com/US/products/media-composer#specifications But it sounds like your dealer will be able to support this particular config with MC, so you will have someone to turn to if it doesn’t work.
It sounds like a very powerful machine for your purpose. i7 is a very fast and mordern processor; I don’t think Avid has qualified any PC’s with i7, but they have qualified some Macs with i7 procs. 3.2Ghz 6-core should cut like a knife through butter.
The heaviest workstation Avid qualifies has dual 6-core Xeon processors. That means a total of 12 cores. That’s mostly needed if you do a lot of transcoding of H264 and Red type stuff. If not, 6 cores will surely suffice to run MC. The Avid Qualified medium workstation (HP z400) is single 6-core Xeon at 2.93GHz, that tells you that it should work.
GeForce is generally not supported by Avid, they always qualify the Quadros. Lots of people work with GeForce nonetheless. Again, Avid won’t support it, but if your reseller will support it, you may not run into any trouble at all.
What will you use as media drive(s)? A SSD system drive means fast booting. The 2TB for projects is rather big, you could easily go with a smaller drive. I would not recommend having project and media on the same drive.
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Hey Job ter Burg,
Thanks for the quick and detailed response.
I understand from your reply that the spec is pretty good and as long as my dealer can support the system I’m good. All of my projects are kept usually on the system drive and the media files stored on external HDD [either usb3 or eSATA]. The 2TB HDD is for “just in case” purposes, and anyway the price difference between 2TB HDD and a smaller one is not that big.
Any other thoughts or specific components you would change?
Thanks again,
Noam AmitBy the way, I saw this on ebay and I couldn’t figure out the pricing issue.
https://www.ebay.com/itm/NEW-Avid-Media-Composer-6-64-bit-NOW-IN-STOCK-/130614969575?pt=US_Image_Video_Audio_Software&hash=item1e694244e7#ht_7283wt_1140
As you probably know MC6 is sold at 2,099 euro on avid.com.
https://shop.avid.com/store/product.do;jsessionid=2DEBCC664B03DF08434A7ED5347ED649.ASTPESD2?product=325148531518336 -
I typically steer people away from homebrew computers as Avid does not qualify them.
That being said, i’d switch to a Quadro graphics card and would look into adding a Blu-Ray burner as cheap as they are now.
Also, no I/O? Even if you never ingest, having an output out to a decent, dedicated monitor is so much better than relying on the inaccurate monitoring inside of the Avid software.
I can’t explain the discrepancy in price on the eBay MC6 but I’d be wary.
Jack Guthrey
Carolinas Account Representative
Marshall Graphics Systems -
Sounds dodgy to me. Think it may be an Academic version.
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In principle I agree with Jack that I would consider an I/O card. Many to choose from these days. Downside is that an I/O card is always a slight burden on the system. Software-only always runs faster. But even for offline I would want a decent big screen monitor to view what I’m doing.
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Hey Job an Jack,
I’m beginning to understand that if I want “to do it right” there’s no cheep solution, so I’ll buy MC6 from Avid directly.
Also, as Jack commented, I asked my dealer to add a Blue Ray burner.I got into checking the I/O issue and I realized that Avid can’t support a third monitor… Do you think that adding the Matrox MXO2 Mini would be a good and sufficient solution?
https://www.matrox.com/video/en/products/mxo2_mini/
That way I can use two screens for Avid working space and a third one through the Matrox as a Calibrated monitor?
Do you know any other products you would recommend?
Or if it would be better to get an internal PCI-express product for the job?
Thanks again for your helpful replies,
Noam Amit -
The Matrox MXO2 mini is fine as long as you don’t need to ingest from tape and are ok with not having “professional” outputs (no SDI at all). I’d strongly consider the AJA IO Express.
You are completely correct – there are no cheap solutions. One of my favorite sayings is “You have to pay to play”
Jack Guthrey
Carolinas Account Representative
Marshall Graphics Systems
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