Getting a new, powerful PC for AE, but….

[Steve Roberts]

Regarding firewire, you’re actually comparing the Canopus D/A converter with the DV deck, and I’d say they’re both the same. No need for the Canopus if you have a DV deck.

AE just uses the computer’s firewire out to your deck or the Canopus. There’s nothing better or worse for Firewire, really.

Steve

[Sean Maloney]

Assuming your DV deck has analog component outputs, then I agree with Steve that the Canopus wouldn’t be any better than the deck. However, for the cost of the Canopus converter, you could get a Decklink card with SDI outputs and go that route. You could even get the base HD model ($595) and use it for SD now and HD down the road. I’m pretty sure you can have Boxx configure the station with the card you want. If not, it looks like they’ve entered a partnership with ProMax who could probably do it.

A word of advice- get the most processor(s) you can afford. Shoot for 2 dual-core Opterons if you can. If you’re technically proficient, just get a base system from Boxx and add the options you want yourself (more RAM, more drives, Decklink card, etc.) Could save you big bucks.

Sean

[Steve Roberts]

Ah, but our Eric might need a drive array to handle the high-data-rate files that the decklink deals with, and then he’d also have to find a monitor that takes SDI in, unless decklink now does composite or S-video out.

If he’s cool with that, then it’s fine. 🙂 And Decklinks are cheap.

I have the Decklink SP, Medea RTR, and send the signal to the monitor through component when a Beta deck isn’t hooked up.

Steve

[Colin Braley]

Just wondering spmaloney,
why get the most processors you can afford? I am not very knowledgable in this area but I have head AE’s support for multiple processors is not very good. I know you can set up two AE instances to render image sequences, but I have heard that many plug ins won’t recognize the two processors and utilize the power of the two processors? Do you know if this is true?
~Colin

[Eric Steinberg]

Thanks for everyone’s comments!

I now realize that the Canopus thingy won’t help me anymore than my DV deck, thanks!

I have indeed considered getting a Decklink card, but the reason I’m so unsure about what to do might become a little more clear if I explain a little more about my plans and situation:
Like I said, I have an almost 3-year old RT.X100 system which has served me well, with a single P4 cpu. Even though it still works, it’s getting “old” and tired, and I desperataly need a new workstation…soon! At the same time, I am pretty sure I’ll be buying the new Panasonic P2 HVX200 camera in the not-too-distant future (maybe 6 months), and as many of you might know, this camera shoots DVCPro HD (and more). So I will need a system to capture/edit this HD material. I have considered a PC with a Decklink card and maybe a multibridge, but The Matrox AXIO seems like the best choice for Premiere Pro editing right now (native DVCPro HD editing). But I don’t, however, want to buy an AXIO system now, for a camera that’s not even released yet. Who knows, maybe in 3 months Premiere will support native DVCPro HD editing, and there will be other options than the AXIO I’ll consider. And things are moving pretty fast in the camera marked also, so maybe I’ll change my mind for the fourth(!) time about which camera/HDformat I’ll adapt. This all boils down to that for right now, I think I just want to get an AE only workstation, with no Decklink card or any other capture hardware, since I’m pretty sure I want to get an AXIO later. I do agree that the cheapest Decklink card makes sense, I have considerd it, but then I get into a lot of “well if I’m getting that, for just a few more bucks I can get this, and for just a little more I can get that”, etc, etc. So then I’m back to buying a complete workstation for capturing and editing also, and then I might as well just buy an AXIO right away..which doesn’t make sense either! (sigh). So the “thought of the week” is that a dedicated superfast AE machine is something I will benefit from even after an AXIO purchase, and I need AE muscles right now. But if any of you have suggestions to another way of thinking as far as how to upgrade in a sensible way, I sure would appreciate it! Like I said; The ultimate goal (appx. 3-9 months)is to shoot and edit HD, but I need AE power now!

Kind regards,
Eric

[Mike Smith]

Hi Eric

Isn’t Final Cut Pro supporting native native DVCPro HD editing right now, using firewire ..?

On the firewire / decklink monitoring side, I guess it all depends on output a bit: if you’re output is DV/ DVD and you’re working in DV codec, then monitoring AE via firewire will show you just what you are getting – if the monitor is good.

If your output is broadcast / digibeta, or, later, High Def, you’re going to want to connect to a broadcast (and later Hi Def) monitor via SDI or component out.

I presently have AE previewing out (switchably) via firewire through a DVCAM deck and a Decklink SD card, and can report that you can see differences – DV over firewire does cost some quality compared to uncompressed video. The differences are not huge, though – I notice less good handling of sharp edges, particularly on text, less good handling of large areas of near-flat tone from graphic areas; on monitoring DV-originated footage, there’s no difference I can see.

And of course it just won’t matter unless your output is at broadcast quality .. though if you supply AE output as numbered file sequences to others for broadcast / uncompressed use, then I guess you won’t be able to monitor quite what they will be seeing.

All best!