Best Computer Choice

[John Rofrano]

Quad-core will give you the fastest rendering in Vegas. It doesn’t make any sense to buy a dual core since 8-core systems are already available (but expensive). Minimum specs would be 2GB memory (4 recommended), 250GB hard drive for OS and apps, 500GB hard drive for capture / rendering / projects. Optionally a 3rd hard drive for stock media like royalty free music libraries, animated backgrounds, backups, etc.

I would recommend building it yourself or getting it from a custom builder that uses standard parts. This will give you the most upgrade options. If not, HP makes some great Quad-Core and Octa-Core systems.

My pc specs are on my web site.

~jr

http://www.johnrofrano.com
http://www.vasst.com

[Ralph Hajik]

Hi John,

Do you recommend Intel over AMD or is it personal preference?

Ralph Hajik
Westmont, IL

[John Rofrano]

I built my latest system around Intel because AMD didn’t have a quad-core at the time. Prior to that I had an AMD because they were the first with dual-cores. I also selected an Intel motherboard this time and what I experienced is the greatest stability I have ever had in years.

So for me, the downside of AMD is that you are dependent on some other motherboard manufacturer to “get it right” and they rarely do. I’ve bought the top-of-line GigaByte, I’ve bought the top-of-the-line ASUS, and there was always some instability. The users manuals are written in broken Chinese-English and their customer support is non-existent.

With Intel, I pick up the phone and a human answers and we talk tech and my problem gets solved. I had to do this with my latest motherboard and it was like a breath of fresh-air. There is just no comparison. I build all my own machines so support from the manufacturer is really important to me. Somehow an Intel CPU with an Intel motherboard just works like it should. But in the end, it is personal preference.

~jr

http://www.johnrofrano.com
http://www.vasst.com

[John Frey]

I agree fully with John on going with Intel procs and mboards. I have put together 2 such systems in the past year and have had absolutely no issues, and that is with Vista Ultimate as the OS. You can assemble some nice components with plenty of ram (very cheap right now) and build a very powerful Vegas machine for under $1,500. Your hardware should be 64bit capable, and, if you install the 64bit version of Windows Vista, ready for the 64 bit version of Vegas which is supposedly being released this fall. At that time, the 64 bit architecture should allow for use of more than the 4 gigabytes of ram currently limited by Windows XP and Vista 32bit systems.

John D. Frey
25 Year owner/operator of two California-based production studios.

Digital West Video Productions of San Luis Obispo and Inland Images of Lake Elsinore

[Allen Zagel]

uh, just a passing thought here but you also might want to look into the new Intel Based MAC’s. Either an iMAC or MAC Pro. Because they’re now Intel based, you can use BootCamp that comes with the OS and install XP or Vista and still have Vegas.

Personally I think they’re much better computers with a lot less problems. I recently bought a MacBook Pro Laptop and plan to do just that. XP and Vegas. When I upgrade my editing machine, that’s what I’m going to do. Best of both worlds.

Allen

ASX Media Group, Inc.
https://www.asxvideo.com

[Terry Fein]

Many thanks for the replies, which have been very helpful.