Specs for PC occasionally used for video editing with SVP.

[Fabio Mereghetti]

Thank you.

After your inputs I decided to go for an Asus X99-A because the Pro is the same, plus a wi-fi module and and M.2 capable slot. I don’t need the first one and, for what I read, I don’t need the second either so I’m going to the “A” saving about 50€.

For the memory I’m thinking to go with four 4GB modules to enable the quad channelling. For the brand and series of RAM modules I’m a bit lost becase searching the Asus site I couldn’t find a certified memory list and I can see how much you stressed the point…

For the cpu cooler I saw that at ibuypower they use the liquid ones while the videoguys use the direct air ones: I will search a bit more to try to understand which one would give the best cooling with the lowest noise outside the case.

For now I’m here (prices in €):

Asus x99-A 90MB0K50-M0EAY0 255
Intel i7-5820k 3.3GHz BX80648I75820K 347
RAM DDR4 2x8GB G.skill 220 (190€ if Crucial)
Sapphire R9 290 triX 11227-03-40G 257
Antec Three hundred 2 0761345-15320-1 73
Corsair HX850i CP-9020073 159
Zalman CNPS10X OPTIMA 120mm 34
SSD Crucial M500 240GB CT240M500SSD1 91
Pioneer BDR 209 63

Total (VAT included) 1499

Thank you.

[John Rofrano]

[fabio mereghetti] “For the brand and series of RAM modules I’m a bit lost becase searching the Asus site I couldn’t find a certified memory list and I can see how much you stressed the point…”

You need to go to the Support page and select the Memory/Device Support and download the Memory Qualified Vendors List (QVL). <– or just click this last link 😉

[fabio mereghetti] “For the cpu cooler I saw that at ibuypower they use the liquid ones while the videoguys use the direct air ones: I will search a bit more to try to understand which one would give the best cooling with the lowest noise outside the case.”

No need to search. Liquid cooling will give you the best cooling and the lowest noise. I always had air fans and they would always spin up under load and get very noisy. My CORSAIR H100 Liquid Cooler never got louder even when rendering.

~jr

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

[Fabio Mereghetti]

[John Rofrano] “You need to go to the Support page and select the Memory/Device Support and download the Memory Qualified Vendors List (QVL). <– or just click this last link ;-)”

Sorry, I went to the support page but I was misled by the fact that clicking on “memory/device support” I was taken to a page titled “Driver and tools”. As there is a button for a page named like that I thought of a mislinking.
I also didn’t know I had to look for something named “QVL” so I just went away.

But now, when I try to download the QVL list (pdf) I’m getting a “file not found” page. I tried with the right button and “Save …” but I’m still getting an error or a pdf file of just 1kB that gives an error when I try to open it.

I tried with Firefox and Chrome but it’s the same.
I went to the “contact us” page of Asus to ask them about all this but I was discouraged by all the info I should supply to be able to send a mail to them. I will try again in a few hours to see if they have fixed the problem.

Thanks.

fabio

[John Rofrano]

Yea, I’m getting a “File Not Found” error now too but if I go to the page I can click their link and the PDF opens in my Safari browser.

Click on this: Driver & Tools link and on that page, go down to the X99-A Device Report (the second one) and click on it.

~jr

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

[Fabio Mereghetti]

Yes, I tried that one but I can see nothing about the DIMMs modules.

I phoned the Italian Asus support and they said they will call me back.
I also sent them an e-mail asking them to send me directly by e-mail the pdf file.

Unfortunately this prevents me to complete my order and I’m wasting a couple of days. But I still remember (and understand) the stress you put on this point so better waiting some more time now than having to spend a lot of it later to try to make things to work.

I’m going to follow your advice also on the cooler: do you think it would be better to go with the H100 or even the h80 or less could be enough? (As I like to understand the things I’m dealing with, would I be able to check that by myself just with the data I would find in the specifications of the CPU and of the cooler? Maybe thermal watt per second)

I was going to buy an Antec 300 2 (DIY X) but now I’m not sure if this cooler will fit into it: any hint, please?

John, thank you again for you time and for sharing your knowledge.

Buona serata (Here it’s almost 7PM, getting ready for a family dinner).

fabio

[John Rofrano]

[fabio mereghetti] “Yes, I tried that one but I can see nothing about the DIMMs modules.”

Sorry, you’re correct. That one has hard drive info in it (my bad). You want the X99 Series Series DRAM QVL link instead. Here is the URL:

https://dlcdnet.asus.com/pub/ASUS/mb/LGA2011/X99-A/X99_Series_DRAM_QVL_1215.pdf

[fabio mereghetti] “Unfortunately this prevents me to complete my order and I’m wasting a couple of days. But I still remember (and understand) the stress you put on this point so better waiting some more time now than having to spend a lot of it later to try to make things to work.”

I looked at the list and this is what looks the most compatible from G.SKILL:

DDR4 2133 U-DIMM Qualified Vendors List (QVL)
G.SKILL F4-2133C15Q-16GRR 16GB(4GB*4) SS – – 15-15-15-35 1.2V
G.SKILL F4-2133C15Q-16GRB 16GB(4GB*4) SS – – 15-15-15-35 1.2V
G.SKILL F4-2133C15Q-16GRK 16GB(4GB*4) SS – – 15-15-15-35 1.2V
G.SKILL F4-2133C15Q-16GNT 16GB(4GB*4) SS – – 15-15-15-35 1.2V

The reason I selected these is because I know you wanted 16GB total but you were going to buy 2*8GB which only runs Dual Channel. If you buy 4 matching DIMM’s (4*4GB) it will run Quad Channel which is faster. Finally, the chart said that:

“Memory module with memory frequency higher than DDR4 2133MHz and its corresponding timing or the loaded XMP Profile is not the JEDEC memory standard. The stability and compatibility of these memory modules depend on the CPU’s capabilities and other installed devices.“

So I restricted my selection to DDR4 2133MHz memory.

[fabio mereghetti] “I’m going to follow your advice also on the cooler: do you think it would be better to go with the H100 or even the h80 or less could be enough?”

The H80 is probably fine.

[fabio mereghetti] “I was going to buy an Antec 300 2 (DIY X) but now I’m not sure if this cooler will fit into it: any hint, please?”

The Corsair H80 should definitely fit because it takes the place of the rear fan. That looks like your best choice with that case.

[fabio mereghetti] “Buona serata (Here it’s almost 7PM, getting ready for a family dinner).”

Then it will probably be “Buona notte” by the time you read this. 😉

~jr

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

[Fabio Mereghetti]

Mmmmm, you seem to know quite well Italian habits…

Anyway, here I am.
This is my final list (€):

Asus x99-A 90MB0K50-M0EAY0 223
Intel i7-5820k 3.3GHz BX80648I75820K 347
G.skill DDR4 4x4GB F4-2133C15Q-16GRB 220
Sapphire R9 290 triX 11227-03-40G 257
Antec Three hundred 2 0761345-15320-1 73
Corsair HX850i CP-9020073 159
Corsair H80 99
SSD Crucial M500 240GB CT240M500SSD1 91
Pioneer BDR 209 63

Total (VAT included) 1532

Tomorrow morning I will place my orders to three different online sellers based here in Italy. I hope to get everything before Xmas: even grown ups like some colored boxes at the foot of the Christmas tree…

Thanks again for your support, John.
Should you ever come over here and land on Malpensa let me know and I’ll be glad to shake hands and buy you a drink. It will be easy because I live fifteen mins away from the airport.

And now, as you said before: buonanotte!

[John Rofrano]

That parts list looks good. That’s going to be a nice system.

[fabio mereghetti] “Should you ever come over here and land on Malpensa let me know and I’ll be glad to shake hands and buy you a drink. It will be easy because I live fifteen mins away from the airport.”

Be careful I may take you up on that. The last time I took the family to Italy we spent part of the time in Montecatini because it was centrally located and we took day trips to Florence, Luca, Pisa, Siena, San Gimignano, etc.. We loved northern Italy (my favorite being the afternoon we spent at Fattoria il Poggio vineyard drinking grappa!) and said the next time we must go to Milan, Turin, Modena, Bologna, etc. So I may let you know when I get to Milan! 😀

I enjoyed helping you, buonanotte e congratulazioni per il tuo nuovo computer!

~jr

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

[Fabio Mereghetti]

[John Rofrano] “So I may let you know when I get to Milan! :-D”
I hope you will!
My wife’s family is from and still lives in Bellagio so, if you like, it would be my pleasure to take you and your family to there (not more than an hour driving from Malpensa) to see “la perla del lago di Como”. We usually do that trip every few weeks to pay visit to my mother in law and my wife’s sisters.

—

Back to the thread subject.
Which internal HDD configuration would you suggest, considering that at present I have a couple of 1TB (WDRE3 3Gb/s 7200) in a RAID 0 array used as media and rendering drives, and one 3TB (WD Caviar green 6Gb/s ) as backup drive? Do you think I will still need a RAID 0 array or it would be enough to use the 3Gb/s separately? (By now they are on an Asus A8V whose sata ports are capable of a transfer rate as high as… 150MB/s. That’s why I had to set the RAID 0 array up)

Today my main (only) display is a Formac Gallery 2010 20″ 1600×1200 (DVI D) that I’m thinking to keep on using as primary but I’m thinking also to add a “not too big” full HD display to use as secondary monitor for the preview: what do you think about this idea? If you think it is good, could you suggest any device for the preview?

Thanks.

Do you like wine too?

[John Rofrano]

[fabio mereghetti] “Do you think I will still need a RAID 0 array or it would be enough to use the 3Gb/s separately?”

It is certainly enough to just use individual discs. There is no “need” for a RAID 0. However, once you have the speed of a RAID 0 you’re not going to want to go back to regular disks. So it’s a personal preference not a necessity like it use to be when discs were slower. I currently have a RAID 5 on my Mac Pro which gives me additional speed and redundancy. I also like the fact that you have a 3TB backup drive. I do the same. I have a 4TB RAID 5 with a 4TB backup drive.

[fabio mereghetti] “Today my main (only) display is a Formac Gallery 2010 20” 1600×1200 (DVI D) that I’m thinking to keep on using as primary but I’m thinking also to add a “not too big” full HD display to use as secondary monitor for the preview: what do you think about this idea? If you think it is good, could you suggest any device for the preview?”

I use two ASUS ProArt PA246Q 24″ 1920×1200 IPS Widescreen monitors and I love them. They have since been discontinued and I believe the ASUS PA249Q has replaced it. ASUS also makes a less expensive ASUS PA248Q which has the same 1920 x 1200 resolution. I’m a big believer in using two monitors. I spread my applications across both so I’m not just using it for preview and that’s why I like have two of the same monitors but having a second HD monitor for preview is definitely the way to go.

Don’t forget to calibrate them with a hardware calibrator like the Spyder 4 Pro if you plan to use them for color correcting. You’ll never get them calibrated accurately with just your eyes.

[fabio mereghetti] “Do you like wine too?”

Yes, That’s that’s why I went to Fattoria il Poggio vineyard. I wasn’t going to Italy without an afternoon of wine tasting at a vineyard. I drink a glass or red wine every day. Strictly to help my cholesterol you understand. (wink, wink). I’m currently enjoying a case of Casa V, Veneto Pinot Noir, bottled in Codognè Italy. It’s an inexpensive table wine but good for every day consumption. 😉

~jr

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