[Chris White]

Well said and points taken. I had not even considered a machine to render. To be honest. I think that starting out, we will be fine with a single PC, especially after reading the responses here. Since the initial project is a documentary, we’re not doing any extensive effects but at the same time, I do intend to make this NOT look like we grabbed a video camera and started shooting. I have a ton of pics going back 30 years and I do plan to get a little fancy with some of them. I wonder if I could somehow use my 5 year old Mac G4 for rendering… My plan was to just set it up as a file server for music loops and some of the audio side of the work but I will have to look into that. Definitely want to use it for something.

Thanks again for the help everyone. I really appreciate it.

[Chris White]

Thanks. Yeah I really wish our budget would allow for a Mac (or TWO). All of my Pro Tools experience has been on Mac and not to start a Windows vs Mac debate, I do think that Mac is more geared for post production. But my current Mac just isn’t adequate for Pro Tools anymore and it’s not “upgradeable” really. I do agree that the redundancy you were referring to is indeed a big benefit. One important thing to note is that I am working with a local computer retailer who was not only willing and able to help us with the cost of the build, but they are giving us two years warranty on parts and labor and they are a well established and respected local company. That was a big factor in using them. A 5 minute drive to take the system in is a little more appealing given our situation. I guess where I am getting somewhat confused is in the fact that the system can certainly handle all of the Adobe features plus the third party stuff we were able to get (Magic Bullet Suite, Topaz Labs Photoshop Bundle) and I know it can handle Pro Tools without any hiccups. I have just read some opinions that say not to try and run “dominant” editing software like Adobe Premiere and Avid Pro Tools on one machine. I don’t intend to try to have a track heavy PT session running with a full HD project running in the background on Adobe. That may be the limitation some opinions have referrenced. I was curious what others do who have intensive NLEs as well as DAWs in their systems.

One advantage I had considered right off the bat in having two separate machines is that if I am rendering something on the video workstation, I can still use the audio workstation to work on audio projects. Some programs I intend to install on both machines, should I get a second one, are things like Sony’s Acid and Vegas prograns, but they are just kind of intended to be extras and won’t be depended on heavily for the initial documentary project.

I am running Norton Ghost and will be backing my system drive or drives up on a regular basis and my projects, whether audio or video, are going to get backed up to death. I have already experienced one catastrophic loss of an entire original music composition in my early computer recording days. I don’t plan to have that feeling ever again.

So to clarify a bit, taking into account the fact that I do plan to regularly back things up and follow all of the “DUH” rules related to working on computers, am I good with one dual purpose PC? Having two obviously would be better, but aside from being down for computer repairs or drive replacements, are there any other pitfalls I should be aware of if I am only able to use one PC in our editing suite? Thanks again for your help.

[Chris White]

Thanks very much for the reply. I am not in a position to have a Mac and PC setup. We are being donated quite a bit and are working within the strictest of budgets. What I was considering was not so much “redundancy” as much as having a Windows machine that strictly handles the video related tasks and a second Windows machine that strictly handles the audio recording related tasks, with some overlap of course. For instance, I would compose original music in Pro Tools and the transition that music into Adobe for use in our documentary. And since we are just putting things together in earnest, a workflow has yet to be established.

I look forward to bugging everyone here throughout the editing process 😉 Thanks again for the reply to my querry.