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Computer Upgrades?
I have finished a major project and I trying to build a strategy on what to do with the residue after paying off the crew and etc. I am running a XP Pro with a 2.8 Prescot cpu and a Asus P4C800 motherboard. It’s a good machine, but it’s getting long in the tooth. I am shooting SD but at some point I will want to do HD. Also, the machine will unfortunately need an OS reinstall to fix many small annoying problems.
For some years now I have been using an old 500mHz computer for my email. Needless to say, it’s very old…however, it’s rock solid. But if someone emails a large graphics file or pdf it is cranky.
My gf is on the same network and is running another 500mHz. That one is pretty darn wobbly.
My questions:
1. I know it is preferable to have a stand-alone editing machine or at least one which is not receiving email. How dangerous is it to have your editing machine receiving email? I have not had any trouble with viruses in years. (And was not running antivirus then.)2. I could give my machine to the gf…She only surfs and does email.
In that case: What suggestions do you have for a new editing machine? I have been partial to Asus in the past, but I have seen posts that assert their quality has gone down.Thanks in advance.
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8 Replies
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Pat,
No Kidding about ASUS, I have no clue what happened to these guys but our last motherboard was the most unstable I’ve seen in years, and the sad part is that I have yet to find a new reliable new company. I guess Gigabyte is the next try.
As far as running email on an editing machine, the risk is pretty low, especially if you only open know type attachment from clients only. Either way, I’ve been running email on our edit machines for years without issues. Your best bet is to use webmail like gmail that will do a remote virus scan first. The good part about gmail is that you can retrieve and send third party mail through pop or Imap (I’m sure Yahoo does the same thing too, I just like the simple Gmail interface with no annoying banner ads).
Vince Becquiot
Kaptis Studios
San Francisco – Bay Area -
Been using ASUS from the start. Never had an unstable board yet. At present i am on a Rampage II Extreme. Along with Vista 64; rock solid.
And have been running editing, emails and internet on one machine from the start, never encountered an issue. -
Ok, Ann that’s interesting. Has the 64 bit been much of an advantage? I have some older programs; I am concerned that they won’t run.
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Hey Pat,
I run an Asus PN5E board in one of my editing machines, and an EVGA (Nvidia Nforce) in my other machine. Both of my machines are stable as could be. I have been running Adobe CS4 on the new Windows 7 64-bit OS since Dec 2008. I couldn’t be more happy! Windows 7 is absolutely fantastic….even though this is a beta version, I have yet to experience any problems. I shoot live productions using 4 cameras (usually approx. 2 hours in duration) and do alot of multi-cam editing in PPro CS4 and Windows 7 runs it without a glitch…in fact I can have PPro, Photoshop, Encore all open while rendering in Media Encoder in the background…on top of that Outlook and IE8 (gotta have pandora radio)running in the background. Which anwsers your other question….I run internet and email on both my editing machines and I run ZERO virus protection software. No problems to date. I am somewhat careful about where I go on the internet…and I dont open email if I am unsure of its origin….but other than that no issues.
The rumour is that they are trying to put Windows 7 on the market in its finished form by this fall to go onto the new laptops in time for “back-to-school” so we will see. So I guess my point is if you are going to look at new Operating Systems…definitely check out Win-7.
As far as older software, and older hardware….I put the 32-bit version of Win-7 on a Pentium 4 (built in early 2000) with only 1 gb of RAM and a 256mb graphics card, it actually runs better than it did with XP pro (in my humble opinion) I run PPro CS3 on that machine for capturing DV footage, and I can do minor tasks in Photoshop with it. So far the only software that I use that Win-7 has had a compatibility issue with is an older version of Nero. So time to upgrade to Nero 9.
Hope this long winded post helped in some way….good luck with building your new machine!
Eric
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Are you sure that your motherboard is an Asus PN5E? Can’t find it on Newegg and only a few mentions on Google. Makes me think those are mistaken. Is this the right model?
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The Board is P5NE. Maybe typo
ASUS P5N-EM HDMI LGA775 NVIDIA GeForce 7100/nForce 630i HDMI Micro ATX Motherboard
P5N-EM HDMI with NVIDIA GeForce 7100 / nForce 630i chipset inside supports Intel® 45nm multi-core CPU and features 1333MHz FSB, PCI Express x 16, Serial ATA interface, high performance integrated graphics engine, DDR2 1066(OC) memory, and HD Audio CODEC. This motherboard also provides you the latest High-Definition Multimedia Interface HDMI & DVI. Users can experience faster graphics performance and higher video quality today. P5N-EM HDMI is the most powerful all in one solution platform for Intel platform with NVIDIA chipset inside.
LGA775 Intel® Core™2 Processor Ready
This motherboard supports the latest Intel® Core™2 processors in LGA775 package. It also can support Intel® next generation 45nm Multi-Core CPU. With new Intel® Core™ microarchitecture technology and 1333 / 1066 / 800 MHz FSB, Intel® Core™2 processor is one of the most powerful and energy efficient CPU in the world.By The way Asus boards are used in serious computing situation and accounts for about 30% of that market
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Thanks, I’ll check it out.
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Hey Pat,
Sorry about the typo….it is an ASUS P5N-E SLI.
I had the “N” and the “5” switched around. (My fingers arent working tonight)
I had this machine built in November of 2007 so it isn’t “brand new” I dont know about whether ASUS quality has dropped since then or not.
Other specs of this machine:
Windows 7 64-bit Operating System
Intel Q6600 2.4GHZ Quad-Core processor
4GB Corsair DDR2 RAM
NVidia Geforce 8800 Ultra (Graph. Card)
Qty. 2 250GB Western Digital 10,000 RPM SATA Hard Drives x2 mirror raid (Storage)Qty. 2 150GB Western Digital 10,000 RPM SATA Hard Drives x2 mirror raid (C: Drive)
Black Magic Design DeckLink Studio I/O card
Lite-on 20X Dual Layer DVD RW BurnerI have been real happy with this machine for what I do.
My other machine which I had built in December of 2006 is as follows:
Windows 7 64-bit Operating System
EVGA NVidia nForce 680i SLI ATX Intel Motherboard
Intel Core 2 Duo E6600 2.4 GHZ processor
8GB Kingston DDR2 RAM
NVidia Geforce 8800 GTS (Graph. Card)
Qty. 4 Western Digital 7200 RPM SATA/2 (8mb cache) Hard Drives
Lite-on 18X Dual Layer DVD RW BurnerI have had great luck with my machines….I have honestly had no real issues. I work as director of video/broadcast for a huge church and also own a company of my own….some people that I know in the “large church video industry” run MAC and Final Cut Pro. They all bash me for being a PC guy and an Adobe editor. They all claim that they went to MAC because of the “blue screen of death” that they experienced with PC. I have NEVER had that….not once. I am not sure what kind of PC’s they were working on but mine never do that. They all get mad when I feed them the truth, that their precious MAC’s are darn near a “PC” anyhow…..they run Intel Processors, NVidia Graph Cards…..other than OS they are darn near the same thing. My machines were custom built and not purchased “off the shelf” so I think that definitely plays a part in performance and stability.
I guess at the end of the day all that matters is what the end product looks like….and I get the results I want from my equipment. (My boss at work is thrilled with what I am putting on the 40 foot screen in our worship center, and my clients have booked me for the next 3+ years in advance for shooting their productions)
I am gonna keep doin what i am doin :o)
If ya have any other questions feel free to ask….I am not a “certified expert” or anything…..I am learning everyday…but glad to help where I can.
Eric
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